But we can't start all over again.
The toothpaste is out of the tube on collegiate conference expansion/realignment. And after the events of the week, college administrators have again hit the "pause" button.
The Atlantic Coast Conference sent the latest shock waves, after accepting Pitt and Syracuse last weekend. That brings the ACC membership to 14.
That has shifted the attention to the Big 12 and the Big East.
It says here the Big 12 will survive. More money, better tradition. Exactly what shape the Big 12 will find itself in a few days or weeks is still unknown. Oklahoma will stay. So will Oklahoma State. Texas will probably follow suit. Can the Big 12 then pick up the Big East leftovers that suit them? Probably. They'll also chase after the more attractive Conference USA members.
The Big East will probably sub-divide. The football schools will go one way, and the Catholic Schools that do not play football will go another. I can see DePaul, Marquette, St. Louis, Providence etc. forming a Catholic League out of all of this.
What about Notre Dame? If there has ever been a time to give up the football independence, it is now. Four Super Conference will make it virtually impossible for the Irish to put together a schedule in the years to come. ND's days in the Big East for the rest of its sports are numbered.
It's all one big mess in my view. The trust factor has been wiped out by college presidents and athletic directors. Conference Commissioners are leading the way in the lastest money grab. Integrity is in short supply.
"Every man for himself!," said the elephant as he walked amongst the chickens. The losers in all this? The colleges who do not bring eyeballs to TV or big revenues to the coffers. And what will become of them? And does anyone really care about them?
I think what we are seeing here is the beginning of the end of the NCAA as we know it. When the big boys get a little bigger, they will try to control basketball like they now control football. When the hoops tournament goes away, so will the NCAA.
And then, what will we have?
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