[Husker] B1G Realignment

[Nick Chevance]

Well, somebody convince me that this isn't a reasonable alignment, and
that it doesn't help Nebraska in a certain respect.  And I don't
understand the argument about interesting games.  Did interest fall
off when it was Nebraska and Oklahoma followed by the rest of the Big
8?  Did interest fall off when it was Nebraska and occasionally
Colorado or Missouri and the rest of the Big 12 North?  I think
Nebraska fans don't seem to be too bothered by spending their good,
hard-earned money on games against lesser opponents.  Even if the
season ticket holder doesn't go, the vast majority of those seats have
butts in them.  I know that for a fact because I've put my own
personal butt in those seats for those 'less interesting' games.
Heck, I've got Wyoming tickets for this year only because it might be
the only game I get to see this year.  Would I love it to be Ohio
State instead.  Sure, I'm not stupid, but I think a lot of Husker fans
believe that seeing Wyoming in person is better than watching them all
on TV.

But with the realignment in the B1G, with a 9 conference game
schedule, we play each of the West conference foes (Wisconsin,
Illinois, Northwestern, Iowa, Minnesota, and (Purdue).  While they
aren't the big guys of the B1G, you still have to go out there and
play them and beat them.  The other 3 conference games will come from
the East conference pool.  On average we're going to play one or more
of the big guys every year.  And while I'd argue that the East
conference is probably a bit tougher, it means we have a slightly
better chance of making it to the B1G Championship every year because
our half of the conference won't be quite as tough.

But it all comes down to winning games, regardless of who you play.
Beat everyone you play, and your chances improve greatly.  Become the
B1G Champions, you aren't likely to be left out of a playoff slot.
But drop a game against, say, Northwestern or Minnesota at home, you
probably don't belong in the discussion of champions.

Nick

On Wed, Mar 20, 2013 at 9:44 AM, Jay Schlechte <schlechtejs at gmail.com> wrote:
> I don't see how that can happen if the conference truly values competitive
> balance.  That just looks ugly with one or two games that appear
> interesting versus 3-4 every year with PSU, MU and MSU dropping off and
> being replaced by UW...
>
> Lousy move if it happens.
>
> GBR,
>
> Jay
>
> On Wed, Mar 20, 2013 at 9:34 AM, Dave Ratchford <ratchfromneb at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> Many wanted east-west divisions and there they are.  Welcome to the Big 12
>> North.  Good news for all those who have come to the point where they hope
>> the Huskers get as easy a schedule as possible.  Ugh.  Pair this with the
>> sad state of our non-conference schedule and you get a pretty sad mix.
>> Hopefully, 9-10 conference games will help off-set this mess with some
>> quality/interesting opponents from the other division.  The one game that I
>> never hear folks talk about is the Michigan game.  I would want to protect
>> that game every year over any other conference opponent.  Two historic
>> programs and it televises so well!  Those red and white unis vs. the blue
>> and gold...hi-def football never looked so good.  A great annual match if
>> there ever was one.
>>
>> Dave
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Mar 20, 2013 at 12:50 AM, Dick Karre <dkarre at comcast.net> wrote:
>>
>> > Adam Rittenburg says the B1G will realign geographically in 2014 when
>> > Maryland and Rutgers come on board. The west division would include the
>> six
>> > central time zone teams (Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois
>> and
>> > Northwestern) plus either Indiana or Purdue (he predicts Purdue). Though
>> > others have projected Michigan State moving west, he believes that won't
>> > happen. He also says that Indiana-Purdue will be the only protected
>> > cross-division rivalry.
>> > http://espn.go.com/blog/**bigten/post/_/id/73332/**
>> > divisions-debate-down-to-**indiana-purdue<
>> http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/73332/divisions-debate-down-to-indiana-purdue
>> >
>> >
>> > --
>> > Dick Karre
>> > dkarre at comcast.net
>> >
>> > ______________________________**_________________
>> > husker site list
>> > husker at tssi.com
>> > http://romaine.tssi.com/**mailman/listinfo/husker<
>> http://romaine.tssi.com/mailman/listinfo/husker>
>> >
>> _______________________________________________
>> husker site list
>> husker at tssi.com
>> http://romaine.tssi.com/mailman/listinfo/husker
>>
> _______________________________________________
> husker site list
> husker at tssi.com
> http://romaine.tssi.com/mailman/listinfo/husker



-- 
"Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick
themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened."
     Winston Churchill