Big East saga continues;
Military academies in play

From staff and electronic reports
©2011 Bonesville.net.
All rights reserved.

As the Big East Conference continues its attempts to shape an approach to stabilizing itself in the wake of the defections of Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Texas Christian, league presidents and athletic directors will participate in another teleconference this morning, New York Times college sports writer Pete Thamel reported on Sunday.

The discussions will include raising the exit fee for members departing the conference in the future to the "$10 million range," according to a "tweet" posted on Thamel's Twitter account.

In response to a question posted by a follower of his Twitter account, Thamel indicated that the Big East is not expected to issue invitations to new members today.

Earlier on Sunday, Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post reported that Air Force may be headed to the Big East and that the Falcons are hoping Navy and Army will join the league with them.

Citing an an impromptu interview with Air Force athletic director Hans Mueh outside the locker room in South Bend after the Falcons' loss to Notre Dame on Saturday, Kiszla wrote that Mueh believes the Big East will soon have 10 football-playing members.

The Big East's six remaining football-playing members are Cincinnati, Connecticut, Louisville, Rutgers, South Florida and West Virginia. But multiple reports in recent days have indicated that several of those schools may be actively shopping themselves to other conferences.

Eight other Big East members — DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Notre Dame, Providence, St. John's, Seton Hall and Villanova — do not compete in the league in football.

PAGE UPDATED 10/10/11 06:22 AM.

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