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MrGopher

MrGopher

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http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/ct-spt-0901-big-ten-football--20100831,0,5362382.story

And from ESPN's Insider Rumors:

----Several reports have suggested that the Big Ten may reveal its divisional breakdown on the Big Ten Network on Wednesday night, with multiple sources telling Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune that the conference "is ready to move" to give fans a day to digest the pairings before three teams kick off the 2010 season on Thursday. The BTN has a live one-hour "season outlook" show scheduled for its air at 8 p.m. ET.

Based on public comments by officials at several schools, it sounds as if Michigan and Ohio State, Nebraska and Penn State, and Iowa and Wisconsin will be placed in opposite divisions, with the remainder of each division shaking out to ensure competitive balance. Also, every school will get to protect a rivalry game that will be played each year regardless of the teams' division assignments. -------


Just spreading some rumors. :)
 

I have a hard time believing that the BTN would keep this under wraps. Seems like a ratings/ advertising $ bonanza.
 

I'm not sure how this will all shake out but I'm excited about Nebraska comming over. They always seemed to be a Big Ten like team to me anyway. Playoffs and divisions also have me excited though I understand the pros and cons of it.

Overall, it's an exciting time to be a Big Ten fan. :clap:
 

Delaney could have his very own version of "The Decision."
 

From Rittenberg's chat happening now:

Seth (Omaha)


Even though you said you won't speculate on divisions on twitter. Who do you think comes away the happiest and who gets some unhappy news. (likely one of the Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin trio) ?

Adam Rittenberg (12:06 PM)


Seth, it's safe to say one of those fan bases won't be thrilled with what they decide. As I wrote a few months ago, the Minnesota-Wisconsin-Iowa bloc is tricky for the Big Ten. You want to preserve those rivalries because they mean a lot to the fan bases. But none of those games really moves the needle nationally. Plus, Nebraska entering the fold changes things because those teams want to face the Huskers, too. I know the easy solution is an East-West split, but it doesn't serve the Big Ten's best interests. I'm pretty sure o ne of those games won't be played every year.

In other words, prepared for the U to get screwed. I predict we will not be playing Iowa every year thanks to our limp-wristed AD.
 


What does the Big Ten pay marketing people for anyway, if they can only market Ohio State and Michigan? I could market OSU and Michigan. It pains me to say it, but Wisconsin and Iowa are good teams, and have been for some time. The marketing people throw their hands up in the air and say "we can't market this". Then fire them and hire someone else. This is an opportunity to increase the Big Ten brand. Personally, I'd rather than the market-drones were kept out of the room entirely.
 

Are you really trying to blame the fact that Minnesota/Wisconsin is not a more of a Nationally prominent rivalry on marketing?
 


Just give the Gophers a division with Michigan, either WIsconsin/Iowa, and protected crossover game with the other one. It's not the best scenario, but at this point that's what I'm realistically hoping for.
 



Please excuse my premature Maturi bashing. Rittenberg just answered this question to my liking:

Tim Brewster (Minnesota)


Adam, I know my boys will be tremendous tomorrow night, so I'm not worried about the game. Rather, I'm concerned about my Gophers rivalry games. It is absolutely essential for the Gopher program that we play for Floyd of Rosedale and Paul Bunyan's Axe every year. These are some of the most historic rivalries in CFB, and the tv ratings for these games every year is outstanding.Should I be worried?

Adam Rittenberg (12:25 PM)


Are the TV ratings outstanding, Brew? I'd have to check on it. From what I'm hearing, both games will continue to be played.

Link to the chat going on now
 

josh087 said:
Are you really trying to blame the fact that Minnesota/Wisconsin is not a more of a Nationally prominent rivalry on marketing?
Click to expand...

I didn't say a word about the Minnesota-Wisconsin rivalry. I was talking about Wisconsin and Iowa. The Big Ten seems to think that only Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State and Nebraska are marketable.
 

And honestly, what is the most needle-moving aspect of Penn State? JoePa.

Hardly a permanent focus for national attention. This year may be his last!
Don't get me wrong, PSU has a lot going for it aside from JoePa, and it will take decades of futility for them to be considered "average". But I really think their needle-moving potential will take a giant hit when JoePa is no longer their coach. If any school has "fall back to earth" potential, it's Penn State.

Given that, and how close behind PSU many people think wisconsin and Iowa are, how horribly inbalanced would the divisions be.

And more than that, I wonder if anyone considers the potential of our program. We no longer have the glass (teflon) ceiling of the metrodome. We have some one of the more impressive histories in the Big Ten. We have the best set of traditional rivalry trophies. Two intense rivalries. Zero in-state div1 competition. A huge alumni base. If any school has 'sleeping giant' potential, it is Minnesota. Hands down.
 

RodentRampage said:
I didn't say a word about the Minnesota-Wisconsin rivalry. I was talking about Wisconsin and Iowa. The Big Ten seems to think that only Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State and Nebraska are marketable.
Click to expand...

While I'm of the camp that it's over for Michigan and Iowa and/or Wisconsin have performed at roughly the same level as Michigan or Nebraska for the last 10 years or so the last damn thing I want to see is Iowa, Wisconsin and their coaches discussed, praised and fawned-over every %*^%%^(&^ week on the BTN, ESPN and all over National television!!!

There, that felt a lot better.
 



MrGopher said:
And more than that, I wonder if anyone considers the potential of our program. We no longer have the glass (teflon) ceiling of the metrodome. We have some one of the more impressive histories in the Big Ten. We have the best set of traditional rivalry trophies. Two intense rivalries. Zero in-state div1 competition. A huge alumni base. If any school has 'sleeping giant' potential, it is Minnesota. Hands down.
Click to expand...

YES. THIS.

I've been saying this for years. TCF Bank Stadium+15th biggest media market+historic rivalries=a really high ceiling
 

MrGopher said:
And honestly, what is the most needle-moving aspect of Penn State? JoePa.

Hardly a permanent focus for national attention. This year may be his last!
Don't get me wrong, PSU has a lot going for it aside from JoePa, and it will take decades of futility for them to be considered "average". But I really think their needle-moving potential will take a giant hit when JoePa is no longer their coach. If any school has "fall back to earth" potential, it's Penn State.

Given that, and how close behind PSU many people think wisconsin and Iowa are, how horribly inbalanced would the divisions be.


And more than that, I wonder if anyone considers the potential of our program. We no longer have the glass (teflon) ceiling of the metrodome. We have some one of the more impressive histories in the Big Ten. We have the best set of traditional rivalry trophies. Two intense rivalries. Zero in-state div1 competition. A huge alumni base. If any school has 'sleeping giant' potential, it is Minnesota. Hands down.
Click to expand...

Penn State will always have a huge recruiting plus in the same league as Ohio State and Michigan. They have a near monopoly on a huge pile of recruits with real talent in the east. The whole northern section of the east coast has not other school of the football tradition of Penn State. We are dreaming in the highest technicolor if we think they will fall out of the Big Three class. They more than double us in every recruiting factor that could be named.
 

Pitt, ARMY and NAVY would all likely argue about football tradition, not that ARMY or NAVY are going to be stealing PSU recruits.
 

Yes, things will always be the same, nothing ever changes in college football. That's why the Ivy League is still a national power. :rolleyes:
 

Gopherhurrin said:
Penn State will always have a huge recruiting plus in the same league as Ohio State and Michigan. They have a near monopoly on a huge pile of recruits with real talent in the east. The whole northern section of the east coast has not other school of the football tradition of Penn State. We are dreaming in the highest technicolor if we think they will fall out of the Big Three class. They more than double us in every recruiting factor that could be named.
Click to expand...

You might be right. But take away JoePa, and say they perform at a very mediocre level for a few years once he leaves. I think that BC, Pitt, Rutgers, Syracuse, WV, and Uconn could snatch a few good recruits from Penn St.

I don't think that PSU will be average. I just think that they don't quite have the permanent appeal of Mich, OSU, and Nebraska.
 

Nebraska is a very small pop state with very little speed withing many hundreds of miles. You young guys forget how utterly dominant PSU was until they joined the Big Ten. Nebraska would be my choice of a top program that is now about to run into a wall. However, thanks to us, they will get a softer schedule than we will get.
 

Gopherhurrin said:
Nebraska is a very small pop state with very little speed withing many hundreds of miles. You young guys forget how utterly dominant PSU was until they joined the Big Ten. Nebraska would be my choice of a top program that is now about to run into a wall. However, thanks to us, they will get a softer schedule than we will get.
Click to expand...

I actually agree that Nebraska could take a tumble. I think their recruiting in TX will be seriously affected not being in the B12 anymore.
 

ruralgopher said:
I actually agree that Nebraska could take a tumble. I think their recruiting in TX will be seriously affected not being in the B12 anymore.
Click to expand...

Also a possibility, but they have really recruited nationally for years. Yeah, it has focused on big12 country lately, but they certainly have the ability to shift some of that focus east and north.
 

ruralgopher said:
I actually agree that Nebraska could take a tumble. I think their recruiting in TX will be seriously affected not being in the B12 anymore.
Click to expand...

They recruited Texas well when they were in the Big 8. They've always recruited well on the west coast and in Florida, and they've never been in the Pac 10 nor SEC.
 

I didn't say it will be certain calamity for them, just that they have an inherent risk when shifting conferences away from fertile recruiting ground.
 

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