[NU Sports] A new low for the Big Ten ...

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

> I have been following The Big Ten for
> more than 50 years.  Nebraska was by
> far the worst decision that The Big Ten has ever made -

I really think that given our options once Texas and Notre Dame declined, Nebraska was by far the best choice. They have re-energized this league in a way that Mizzou, Pitt or Rutgers simply could not.

People underestimate the Huskers because they come from a small state, but their "footprint" extends far up and down the plains and nationally - there are quite a few UNL fans in the Phoenix area. And probably more in New York City than Rutgers or Pitt fans.

> someone like Iowa State or South Dakota.  It cost The
> Big Ten tens of
> millions of dollars of the next 20 years by adding UNL
> instead of a team in
> a populated area like NY or NJ.  Academically, UNL is

I just don't see it could be a huge financial loss. Travel-wise, they make as much sense as anyone (unless, of course, the brain trust puts the Huskers and Penn State in the same division ... oops) outside of Notre Dame and ratings wise, they'll bring in a heck of a lot more than anyone outside of ND and Texas. New York/New Jersey was already sewn up with the PSU addition. Rutgers is not going to get that market any more than PSU games do - the northeast ain't big on college football, and what coverage they do have goes to PSU.

> ranked worse than any
> other Big Ten school (unless perhaps in the area of animal

Penn State was about the same place UNL was respective to the league when they entered - now they're in the upper half of the league academically. The CIC can be a huge boost.

> The selection of Nebraska screams out to the world how far
> The Big Ten has
> fallen in prestige relative to other conferences. 

Really? More than the ACC adding Boston College or VaTech and the Big East adding TCU and the Pac 10 adding Colorado?

It's not a great basketball move, but neither is Rutgers and we're already solidly in place as a top hoops league with the ACC and Big East. We were falling behind the SEC in football, but this puts us back in the game.

> P.S.:  I thought the Division names were hokie at
> first too.  But, 
> with it.  Further, despite all of the complaining, I
> haven't seen anyone
> else come up with anything better.

How about east and west? :)

GO CATS!!!
-SjT