<p>^^^
Easy, there, hawkette. Time for a little anger management therapy?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I’ll be be first to acknowledge that for the past 3 years Michigan has gone through a down period in football; believe me, every Michigan fan is painfully aware of it. The last two seasons under Rich Rodriguez have been nothing short of disastrous, and it remains to be seen whether Rodriguez and his style of play are up to the challenge in the Big Ten. In 2007, the last year under Lloyd Carr, they underperformed expectations but mainly because key players including their QB and star RB were out much of the season with injuries—the QB played the first half of the season with a badly sprained knee and his last several regular-season games, including the Ohio State game, with a dislocated throwing shoulder, compounded by partial paralysis due to a misplaced pain injection. Nonetheless that Michigan team went 9-4 including, once everyone was healthy, a bowl win over defending national champ Florida and incumbent Heisman trophy winner Tim Tebow. Not a bad showing under the circumstances, but bad enough in results that it had a lot of Michigan fans calling for Carr’s head. Little did they anticipate how much worse it could get; the last two have been some of the worst Michigan teams of all time.</p>
<p>That said, I think it’s an exaggeration to say that “Ohio State has been, by far, the dominant team in Big Ten football for 6 straight years.” Yes, they’ve won the Big Ten title for 6 straight years. But do you remember that 2006 Michigan-Ohio State contest, final game of the regular season (as usual), both teams coming in undefeated, ranked #1 and #2, putting on a no-holds-barred shootout for 60 minutes with Ohio State finally prevailing, at home, by a score of 42-39? Those teams were so evenly matched that a lot of people, including former OSU QB Kirk Herbstreit, thought they ought to have a rematch on a neutral site for the national championship. Turns out they were both pretenders, as Michigan got walloped by USC in the Rose Bowl and Ohio State was thoroughly humiliated by Florida in the national title game. But to say that Ohio State was “by far, the dominant team in the Big Ten” as recently as 2006 is just wrong. The 2005 Michigan-Ohio State game was also very close, with the Buckeyes coming out on top 25-21. Ohio State has been better than anyone else in the Big Ten for the past several years. But “by far the dominant team for 6 straight years”? Not.</p>
<p>bc,
No anger involved. Just trying to set the record straight and put things in context. Maybe we call it different things but, in my book, any college winning the title six years in a row is dominant.</p>
<p>I’m just gonna throw this out there; it you like it you can have it and if not, you can send it right back:</p>
<p>IU athletics, great program in the Big 10 or greatest program in the Big 10?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>And yet, you come onto this thread and indict the B10, when other conferences are just as “bad” or even worse.</p>
<p>As in most things, college FB is cyclical.</p>
<p>While dOSU has had a good stretch over the past 5-6 yrs due to the hiring of sweatervest (much like USC’s streak after they hired Carrol, UF w/ Meyer or FSU w/ Bowden until the past 4-5 yrs), it wasn’t that long ago that dOSU couldn’t beat UM (which directly led to Cooper’s demise) - and from 1987 to 2001 (a 15 yr stretch), dOSU only won 3 B10 titles.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Actually, the facts are that dOSU won at least a share of the B10 title for 5 yrs in a row, not 6; and PSU was the better team in 2008 and 2005.</p>
<p>As far as IU is concerned, right now it is a doormat in the major sports. The football program is a longterm bottom feeder while basketball was once great but right now is really bad. With the right bball coach they should be back but the jury is still out on Crean. Combined they are the weakest school in the B10 in sports. Even some of their once great minor sports are down–swimming used to be great. The only one they are still good in is men’s soccer.-</p>
<p>Indiana, good lord. They are so bad in major sports that Notre Dame has become Purdue’s main rival.</p>
<p>lol~ Welcome Aboard, Irish!!~ lol</p>
<p>Source: [Notre</a> Dame Considers Not Going It Alone - The Quad Blog - NYTimes.com](<a href=“http://thequad.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/09/notre-dame-considers-not-going-it-alone/]Notre”>Notre Dame Considers Not Going It Alone - The New York Times)</p>
<p>Forget Pitt, Rutgers, Syracuse or even Texas for now, ND’s gonna fold (99% I think)!!!</p>
<p>I stated some time ago that the changing college FB landscape may eventually force ND’s hand.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Read More: [Big</a> Ten expansion could impact Notre Dame’s independent status - NCAA Football - SI.com](<a href=“http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/football/ncaa/03/09/notre-dame-expansion/index.html?eref=sihp=140817730&sid=901&style=2#ixzz0hiUcG1nn]Big”>http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/football/ncaa/03/09/notre-dame-expansion/index.html?eref=sihp=140817730&sid=901&style=2#ixzz0hiUcG1nn) </p>
<p>It says something when ND’s AD is spending 50% of his time right now on this issue, but having said that, if the B10 does expand (which isn’t a sure thing), another school is a better fit for the B10.</p>
<p>Another thing overlooked is that NBC, under new ownership, may not be so willing to support a 1 school/1 sport sports programming on Saturdays.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Hey, IU had a winning season in 2007 going 7-6, but yeah, it’s pretty bad when aside from 2007 & 2006, IU wins only 1 game in conf. from 2002 to 2009.</p>
<p>As for BB, it wasn’t that long ago that IU was playing for a national championship (2002), but the Kelvin Sampson fiasco really set that program back (what were they thinking considering his track record?). </p>
<p>Crean should have IU competitive by the 2011 season, but it remains to be seen if they ever get back to national prominence.</p>
<p>And even w/ regard to men’s soccer, NU has surpassed IU in that sport over the past few years.</p>
<p>If ND ended up joining (very likely imho), NU will no longer be the stepchild (private) of the Big Ten since the departure of Chicago athletics in '46. With Pat Fitzgerald at the helm, I am certain that the Wildcats would definitely be looking forward to resume the rivalry with the Domers for the Shillelagh Trophy. </p>
<p>Brian kelly had been taunting TOSU while coaching at UCincy the last couple of years. I for one can not wait to see the buckeyes take on the Irish again since handing them the beat down under the HC Cooper back in '95 & '96.</p>
<p>If Notre Dame goes with the B10 (which should aptly re-name itself the BIGGER 12 after such re-alignment), then Indiana will have 3 Big 10 schools!!!</p>
<p>For a state with just under 6 million citizens, that is ridiculous!!! Right now, the state is tied for the most B10 schools with Michigan as it is…</p>
<p>^^ 3 teams in Indiana?? I do not care! Geographically, ND is a perfect fit!! So long as there is enough interest amongst the ND & Big Ten fans to fill up Lucas Oil, Ford Field, or the Soldier Field for the Conference Championship Game. Irish apparently is already interested in playing at these venues:</p>
<p>[Notre</a> Dame Plots 2012 Game At Soldier Field - Chicagoist](<a href=“The Chicagoist”>Notre Dame Plots 2012 Game At Soldier Field - The Chicagoist)</p>
<p>P.S. I like the name “Great Lakes Conference” with the addition of ND in the Big Ten; however, the name was already been taken… :(</p>
<p>It is a no brainer if ND wants in the Big 10 will be glad to have them. But the Big 10 will not make a public invitation without a guarantee that ND will accept.</p>
<p>Any team added should be required to have/add varsity ice hockey. Then the B10 can have hockey as a B10 sport. Right now there are UW, Uminn, UM, MSU, OSU. I believe 6 teams are required. ND does have it.</p>
<p>Notre Dame probably will not budge until its TV contracts goes up. By then the Big Ten will have probably put out some invites, so if ND is being proactive now in approaching the Big Ten, this will only be on the basis that ND plus the Big Ten are thinking about working out a huge media contract.</p>
<p>^^^Great idea barrons. I would love to see a Big Ten hockey program.</p>
<p>“^^ 3 teams in Indiana?? I do not care! Geographically, ND is a perfect fit!! So long as there is enough interest amongst the ND & Big Ten fans to fill up Lucas Oil, Ford Field, or the Soldier Field for the Conference Championship Game. Irish apparently is already interested in playing at these venues:”</p>
<p>Oh sure just what every Big Ten fan wants in November/December, an outdoor game in Soldier Field!</p>
<p>^^ If the Bears fans can do it, why can’t the Big Ten or ND fans? It’s not just another game. It’s THE Big Ten Championship Game!! lol~</p>
<p>Anyway, in terms of the new name for the conference, maybe the “Big North Conference?” :p</p>
<p>I always liked playing UM, MSU and ND on a regular 4 game basis. Some of the WCHA teams though good are just not schools I care much about. UAA, St Cloud, etc. I di enjoy the rivalries with North Dakota and Michigan Tech but we could still play some teams as OOC games. Plus there would be more dates to play teams like Cornell, BC, and other eastern schools. I’d prefer them over St Cloud State.</p>
<p>As far as names go–Big Ten forever.</p>
<p>Quote:</p>
<p>“Ohio State president E. Gordon Gee will be in Indianapolis today for a meeting on Big Ten expansion. There haven’t been any reports of such a meeting, but Gee made his travel plans known yesterday during an interview with a reporter and photographer from The Dispatch.”</p>
<p>Source: [Bob</a> Hunter commentary: Rumblings | The Columbus Dispatch](<a href=“http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2010/03/12/rumblings-3-12-art-g1e7r7qp-1.html?sid=101]Bob”>http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2010/03/12/rumblings-3-12-art-g1e7r7qp-1.html?sid=101)</p>
<p>Hmm… why Indianapolis?? Sounds fishy to me… =.=</p>
<p>Wait…!</p>
<p>“From 1992 until 2001, he (Jack Swarbrick) also served as chairman of the Indiana Sports Corp., during which time he helped convince the NCAA to relocate its headquarters to Indianapolis.”</p>
<p><a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Swarbrick[/url]”>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Swarbrick</a></p>
<p>Allright, maybe I am over-analyzing again, or am I?</p>
<p>Wait…! I know!! They are all going to be celebrating the St. Patrick’s Day together with ‘You Know Who’!! :p</p>