Am I the only one.....

[GopherJake]

....who doesn't like all this talk about adding up to FIVE teams to the Big Ten?

Minnesota was a founding member in 1896. The last team to join the conference, of course, was Penn State in 1990. Prior to that, Michigan State joined in 1950 - which followed the University of Chicago dropping out in 1946. Prior to that? Ohio State joined in 1912.

This has been a bedrock solid conference with very, very little change. I like that. Now they are considering adding more teams in one year than have been added in the previous 98? Call me old-fashioned, but this seems to me to be greedy and lacking historical perspective.

I hope they add one - and only one - school and be done with it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Ten_Conference#Members

 

[Gopher07]

Money disagrees with your sentimentality.

 

[The Big L]

Call me old-fashioned, but this seems to me to be greedy and lacking historical perspective

Sad thing is, that does make you old-fashioned (and me as well, I agree with you 100%). It's all about the $$ these days. Maybe its always been like that, but certainly not to this extent.

 

[howeda7]

I agree. Except I think this 'confernece expansion' game is going to happen with or without the Big 10. So we can either get out front and pick who we want, or scramble to catch-up when the SEC or Pac 10 goes first and pick from the left-overs. In that regard, I'm resigned that it's going to happen. I hope they at least stop at 14 with Mizzou, ND and Nebraska. I don't see what Rutgers adds. ND football will get you on TV in NYC a lot more then Rutgers football.

 

[streetfighter]

If you aren't moving forwards, you're moving backwards. The B10 turned itself into a cash cow with the Big Ten Network. Now there are HUGE dollar signs on the horizon if they can add the right teams. Going to 14-16 teams would be great for the league and for the athletic departments of this league. It is absolutely the right thing to do.

Forget the fact that they have only added 3 teams since 1912 or whatever. If they don't make a move, they could easily slip back behind the SEC in terms of dollars generated which would be terrible. Right not there are schools lining up at the doorstep to be in the B10 and get a piece of that pie, so this is the time to do it (when you can pick and choose from other BCS conferences almost at will).

 

[GopherJake]

If you aren't moving forwards, you're moving backwards. The B10 turned itself into a cash cow with the Big Ten Network. Now there are HUGE dollar signs on the horizon if they can add the right teams. Going to 14-16 teams would be great for the league and for the athletic departments of this league. It is absolutely the right thing to do.

Forget the fact that they have only added 3 teams since 1912 or whatever. If they don't make a move, they could easily slip back behind the SEC in terms of dollars generated which would be terrible. Right not there are schools lining up at the doorstep to be in the B10 and get a piece of that pie, so this is the time to do it (when you can pick and choose from other BCS conferences almost at will).

Yeah, I think you put it best, SF. They better get it right. I don't want another shuffle in 5 years. Or 50.