Big Expansion

A lot to talk about this week, earlier this week the Big Ten supposedly asked 4 schools to join the conference, the Big Ten denies these rumors. It won't stop me from talking about who they asked to join, allegedly, and how it's gonna affect the conference power. First things first, why only 4, are they only expecting 3 to accept. Currently the Big Ten has 11 schools and the goal is to add 3 or 5, to make it 14 or 16. So, I guess in asking 4 when one school says no, they'll have 14, at least I think that's where their going, a 15 school conference doesn't make sense. Uneven divisions don't make sense. Onto who was "asked" to join.

Notre Dame, current conference, football: none, all other sports: Big East. Notre Dame is the biggest fish in this conference choosing pond, if the Big Ten whose been courting ND for 60 years can convince them to join all schools will stand to make a chunk of money, just from revenue of playing ND at home every other year, and in the case of the west division schools, more on that in a minute, every 4 years. As of now, ND plays Purdue, Michigan, and Michigan State almost yearly, but imagine the first ND vs Ohio State game in Columbus, that would be huge. If, ND joins they can still play USC in football, problem is they'll prolly lose Army and Navy. This is why ND doesn't like a conference they have rivalries with a bunch of schools so turning their backs on them sort of bothers them. To me this is a no-brainer, your in the middle of the Big Ten, you have a historic rivalry with Michigan, and you'd have an easier path to BCS if you join. Staying independent you get to keep your pathetic rivalries with lower level schools, and get to keep your deal with NBC, who I got a feeling would get into showing the Big Ten if ND joined. I like asking ND to join and hope they accept.

Rutgers, current conference all sports: Big East. I hate asking Rutgers, the Big Ten is mostly the midwest and asking an east coast school to me is ridiculous. I've heard the argument is to get New York involved with the Big Ten, Rutgers is in New Jersey, and most people from New York cheer for Notre Dame before Rutgers, so screw that. I don't like the move for other reasons, until recently Rutgers was horrible at football and the basketball team is not good either, basically your bringing them in to get whooped by real competition and hope maybe they can get a rivalry with ND. I've also heard that Penn State would like someone closer to them in the conference, well then go ask Pittsburgh to join then. I like Pitt, good tradition, good in all sports. They fit the conference mold, smash mouth and physical. Only problem is they have that rivalry with West Virginia, but as I said with ND, if they want they can still play it at a regular non-conference game. Enough about Pitt, I'm supposed to be talking about Rutgers. Rutgers also, bugs me because it's in the New York City outlying area, so for someone from Wisconsin to go to a basketball game on a Tuesday they would have to deal a place their not ready to deal with. I don't want Rutgers even though I've heard their very interested, I don't want 'em.

Nebraska, current conference all sports: Big 12. I love this idea, Nebraska borders Iowa automatic rival. Good tradition out in Cornhusker Nation, solid school, solid program. I would be genius for Nebraska to join, and get out of the Big 12, who only cares about Texas and Oklahoma. They proved that when they decided the OU-Nebraska game wasn't that important and decided playing it every year wasn't a big deal, instead opting for UT-OU every year as their marquee game. I've commented on this before, OU-Nebraska used to be bigger than Michigan-OSU. So, Nebraska comes to the Big Ten, rule the western division, and actually be cared about, maybe. I know Chris would love this so he wouldn't have to drive 8 hours to see the Huskers play, instead driving an hour and watching them in Madison. I like Nebraska and want them in a conference that respects them and hell Nebraska fits the geography.

Missouri current conference all sports: Big 12. We're raiding the Big 12, taking everyone who feels shorted by them. Rumors are Missouri is very interested in coming east instead of going south. Missouri is no powerhouse, but they compete every year, and sometimes they sneak up and win. It would also help Nebraska's transition if one of their current rivals comes over. Not much else to say about Missouri, accept of course I want them and the new rivalry with Illinois would be awesome.

So how would the new Big Ten look, if it's still called that. Maybe something like the Big 14 which sounds dumb, or maybe the Great Lakes Conference, sounds good to me. Of course the conference would be sliced into divisions, which like all the others would be geographically. Whether it's 8 and 8 or 7 and 7, it'll most likely be east and west divisions. Michigan and Ohio State have to stay together that's why I say it'll be east/west. In the east it'll be Penn St. Ohio St. Michigan, Michigan St. Indiana, Purdue, Notre Dame-they'd only join if they got to play Michigan and Ohio St. yearly, and if Rutgers joins that's where they go. In the west you get, Northwestern, who could go either way, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri and Nebraska if they join. If only Rutgers joins and not ND expect Indiana to join the west. If this all happens of course the east will be stronger, but not so dominant as the south has become in the Big 12, where whoever wins the north is an after thought as probably the 3rd or 4th best team in the conference. Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin can be tough places to play and the west would be just as entertaining as the east, where Ohio State will prolly dominate. I want this for the Big Ten and hope ND, Mizzou, and Nebraska all decide to join, giving us the second best conference in the country, and probably the most watched. Stay tuned this could get interesting.

Roids and Rookies

Gonna get this off my chest quick, a report comes out NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, Brian Cushing tested positive for PED's in September. Somehow some way he got his appeal to last all season, played every week, and won the award. I for one blame the NFL for letting this take so damn long and not suspending him right away or at least part way through the year. Instead his suspension won't be until the first four weeks next season, how in the F does that work, couldn't figure it out in the 17 weeks of the season? Well that's beside the point, or least my point.

After the suspension came down and the timing of the failed test came out, the AP decided to revoke the award from Cushing and have a re-vote, Cushing not disqualified. So, their gonna re-vote and if you want you can still vote for Cushing. I have a problem with this two ways. One, if your gonna take away his award make him ineligable to win the damn thing. Two, why are you doing this? To prove a point, your dumb. My stance on roids has already been published and I feel there is nothing wrong with it, nor should people be punished for taking them. Now I've heard some people say no big deal and others have been mad, but I haven't seen one guy be outraged at this positive test, if it was a baseball player who won an award he would be getting filleted on ESPN, Mark Farnuwada or whatever would be at the teams offices asking questions, Bob Ley would be hosting round table discussions every half hour. But, since it's a football player nobody cares, you can't get Wendi Nix off the Tiger Beat and Rachel Nichols is prolly camped out in Mississippi hoping Brett Favre needs attention. Baseball player leads Sportscenter, football player an "update" comes 3 commercials in. As I said I'm not against Cushing, nor his positive test, but all you hypocrites need to cover this story with the same intensetity and vigor as you would a baseball player. I don't read a lot of columns but if you voted for Cushing a second time I better not hear a word about Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens ruing the sanctity of the game.

Spoiler Alert

It's been 6 races since NASCAR Sprint Cup did away with the rear wing, that was helping cars fly, instead opting for a rear spoiler, which gives the cars more downforce. Since the change an alarming thing has happened, a new team is dominating the circuit. Thing is it used to be Hendrick, with Jimmie Johnson ruling the COT with the wing. Now, Joe Gibbs racing is running the big boy series. Before the spoiler this season for Gibbs 5 races 0 wins, for Hendrick 5 races 3 wins, now since the spoiler change, for Gibbs 6 races 4 wins, for Hendrick 6 races 0 wins, unless you count Ryan Newman's win at Phoenix. Something has to give, what happened that all the sudden Denny Hamlin is the hottest driver in the sport going from 18th to 6th in points, including 3 wins, since the spoiler change. Kyle Busch, got a win and is now 3rd in points. Hamlin said after his victory on Saturday night that for the most part this season they've run mostly last years cars, and weren't really planning on winning races until after Indy, mid-summer. I think though JGR has this spoiler figured out, much the way Chad Knaus and the rest of Hendrick had the wing figured out. I'm not saying count Hendrick out, Jeff Gordon has been a long with Denny one of the most consistent racers since the change. Plus, they have plenty of time before the chase to figure out the spoiler. The only question is will Denny and Kyle win so many races between now and then that the lead going into the chase is gonna be unclimable. I had Denny to win this thing after last season, I'm sticking with it and these last 6 races are only helping me prove my point.