[NU Sports] Big Ten and ND

[Eric West]

I don't think we need a twelfth member, and more pointedly I don't think 
we need Notre Dame, or at least today's Notre Dame. The Big Ten has 
plenty of money and exposure already, and as others have pointed out, a 
conference championship is a dicey proposition; I'd say it's only really 
working for one conference currently. Even if it wouldn't always get in 
the way of a second BCS bid, my question is why should it ever?

Don't get me wrong; it's certainly fun to play "what if," and even now 
Notre Dame is really the only school that makes sense for a 12th member. 
But they need us a whole lot more than we need them, even if they would 
never admit it. Maybe ten years ago a 12-team conference seemed to be 
the inevitable wave of the future, but today I wouldn't make that 
assumption. (Ask the ACC or CUSA whether expanding to 12 teams is a 
great idea.) Do we really have to add a team that hasn't been "relevant" 
since 1993?


Eric West
e-west at northwestern.edu