Derek DeNote
The movement of Maryland and Rutgers to the B1G really got
me thinking about what otherwise could have been regarding conference
alignment. The ultimate conclusion that I reached is that (drum roll please!!) Notre Dame is to blame for
all this. With Notre Dame Football failing to signify any sort of commitment to
the Big East, it left the other schools feeling about as uneasy as I feel after
I eat a delicious meal at St. Joe’s miserable dining hall, Campion. With Notre
Dame Football essentially screwing the Big East and opting for ACC (citing, of
course, academics as the driving factor in their decision and not the millions
more the sports team will generate), it left the Big East completely helpless.
Maryland’s and Rutgers’s moves to the B1G are quite
perplexing. Rutgers hasn’t been relevant in football since…. ever. Oh my bad… I
meant since 1869 when they shared the national championship! Actually, you’re
correct reader, Rutgers does have the tradition along with Michigan, Ohio
State, and Nebraska; they played in the first ever collegiate game against
Princeton….so it only makes sense they join this storied football conference.
In the end though I cannot be too upset about Rutgers leaving the Big East
because of the shaky situation in the Big East, but Maryland fans on the other
hand has to have you thinking “huh?”
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| You probably weren't expecting Doak Walker to be mentioned in this article. You were dead ass wrong. |
Maryland has not really ever been relevant in football and
I’m basing this solely off of the fact that they haven’t been in my lifetime
and I have never heard my dad talk about Maryland football ever and he knows much
more about sports than anyone else I have ever encountered (I’m confident
enough to say that without using any hyperbole, sadly. In fact when I was 12 I
randomly asked my dad who won the Heisman in 1948 and he looked at me, chuckled
and responded Doak Walker. …sniff. Yeah… Doak Walker won the Heisman in 1948,
so if that’s not proof enough that he knows more sports than you then you can
go kick rocks. But I digress.) Maryland may have had their feelings hurt by the
way the North Carolina schools dominated the ACC, but Maryland failed to
realize that they were placed perfectly geographically, fit academically, and (most
importantly) were backed by the most up and coming apparel company, possibly
ever, Under Armor (learned that in Business Stat, thanks Professor Campbell).
Maryland is good at lacrosse and had one of the most storied college basketball
coaches of our era in Gary Williams, so the ACC just fits them well in just
about any given sport. Also, with the addition of that school from South Bend, ACC
academics were certainly looking strong especially considering they already
have Duke and Wake Forest already in the conference.
Note to Maryland students: I love the bitterness I hear
coming from you guys. You guys feel screwed. I’m not really sure why, but I’m
all about brash decisions and boycotting things, so to you guys that wanna
boycott all sporting events, I am fully supporting you! They screwed you guys
(somehow) and you want revenge, so seek vengeance. But before you go completely
off the deep end, ask yourselves, “Selves, what tastes better, vengeance with a
glass of bitterness or a cold brew before a big football game or basketball
game?” I know you’re losing your traditional rivals, but trust me you’ll get
new ones…I’m sure some school will say something about how you don’t belong
(the truth) and bam! There’s your new rival.
But back to the main reason everyone is reading this: Notre
Dame. Everyone in America loves them; just look at my Facebook newsfeed or Twitter
feed from Saturday! I’m sure all these Notre Dame fans realized that at one
point Notre Dame basketball was also an independent, so I’ll stop boring them
with facts they already know and just get to my point already. Digger Phelps,
Notre Dame’s winningest basketball coach, (Fun fact for you new Notre Dame
Fans!) not just the goofy fellow on College Gameday, and the Irish got screwed
by the creation of this new basketball conference known as the Big East. How,
you ask? Well it’s quite simple lad or laddet (for all you female readers out
there), Notre Dame lost its glamour because the new, big, bad Big East received
an awesome TV contract and Notre Dame was on the outside looking in. This
affected recruiting greatly and Digger was never able to get another player
like Adrian Dantley. With recruiting down, Digger and the Domers struggled
toward the tail end of his tenure. By the time Notre Dame realized their
basketball would finally have to join the Big East and actually share their
revenue, it was too late. Notre Dame’s run to the final four was in the way
back of people’s heads (even though my dad swears to this day if Dantley came
back for his senior season it would’ve been the year and they definitely
would’ve won the National Championship [haven’t heard that before, right actual
Notre Dame fans?!]). In the end this is all quite ironic; the conference that
screwed Notre Dame Basketball ultimately gets screwed by Notre Dame Football
wanting to rather partake in the ACC for 5 games instead of their dreaded
football league for 5 games.
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| The Big East is in need of some divine intervention to get out of this mess. They won't get it from Touchdown Jesus and the Notre Dame Fighting Levites. |
So, in conclusion, the Big 12 has 10 teams. The Big 10 will
have 14 teams, and the Big East will span as far west as San Diego State and
include the military schools. The Big East will be a far cry from the big, bad
bully of a conference that use to get 6 six fouls during conference games.
Notre Dame has done a standup job of seeking revenge for setting back their
basketball program. Notre Dame’s demeanor of being all mighty (though possibly
true) killed the conference that my dad grew up loving and that was my favorite
conference of my childhood. Notre Dame bailed because it didn’t want to share
their revenue, but why should they? It’s not like they practice Catholic
teachings like helping the needy and benefit greatly from previous graduate
donors. The Big East was the needy and Notre Dame walked out of their lives
like the Levite in the Good Samaritan…they saw the Big East needed help and
kept on walking.
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