[NU Sports] classic Delany quote re: "Legends"

[Jonathan Hodges]

You can't blame Jim Delany for following the wishes of his constituents,
including our own Northwestern University, particularly since wish #1 is to
maximize revenues - and the BCS is the system under the current NCAA Div. I
FBS postseason arrangement that allows him to do that for the conference.
Yes, a vocal group may be clamoring for going back to the old system but the
fact is that the payouts to the Big Ten have ballooned since the BCS's
inception and the Big Ten has monetarily benefited more than any other
conference, having sent the most at-large representatives to BCS games.

Any change to a playoff system (or any system that would have a team playing
more than one postseason game) would require a change of the NCAA Div. I FBS
rules, which is a pipe dream at this point in time given that the smaller
member schools would clamor for more balanced revenue sharing and the BCS
automatic qualifying conferences don't want to give up their bigger piece of
the pie (both in terms of money and power).

In terms of your football "conference challenge" proposal - the fact is that
his constituents wouldn't let it fly.  Such an arrangement would require
teams to give up home games which many are just not willing to do (Penn
State, Ohio State, Nebraska, Michigan, to name a few).  Delany's current
push is for 9 conference games which has proven difficult enough to push
through given how it would eat into that aforementioned nonconference
schedule (i.e. home games).  So, don't blame him for that (and also don't
blame NU, who hasn't had 8 home games in a season in the modern era while
the previously mentioned schools almost routinely do nowadays).

In terms of the network vs. cable TV - the fact is that cable TV can pay out
more and that's the reason ESPN got the BCS contract (they outbid FOX).
ESPN commands the highest per subscriber fee from cable operators of any
national network.  So they don't need the same number of viewers (and,
hence, advertiser rates) as network TV to yield the same amount of revenue.
That's just the way things work and I personally don't have a problem with
it since I get cable and also have access to ESPN3.com which I have found
very useful and fortunately ESPN has decided to put all of its bowl games on
there.

I believe there are many different regular season scheduling and postseason
structural changes that could be made to make NCAA Div. I FBS football more
appealing to fans.  Unfortunately, the system of money/power does not allow
many of those to come to fruition and it is important to understand why.  In
the meantime it is important to note that any "out there" proposals are
indeed out there and won't likely happen, at least in the short term.

And, finally, I personally enjoy how college football is structured
differently than every other sport out there.  If we do what some propose
and go to a 16 team playoff it will just turn into NFL Jr. to some degree
and I think that would take away some of those unique aspects.  And going
back to the old bowl system would basically be taking a step backwards - you
may as well go ahead and remove scholarship restrictions, too, and NU can
revert back into the Dark Ages.

Jonathan

On Mon, Jan 3, 2011 at 5:32 PM, SjT (Stephen J. Truog) <sjtruog at yahoo.com>wrote:

> As usual, excellent column by NU alumn Mandel (except he COULD have
> mentioned that the Cats at least held their own!:) ) - but we weren't
> favored in any, aren't playing 6-6 East Carolina ... and did still look bad.
>
> It's too bad Delaney's being so out-of-touch clueless on the divisions
> debacle - each quote just makes him look more laughable - because the rest
> of his interview was pretty smart. You play the best to get better and the
> Big Ten/ACC challenge is good for hoops ... so why not a Big Ten/Pac 10
> football challenge, Mr. Commissioner? Let's pick a weekend - second Saturday
> in September, say - and match up our 12 on their 12 for some AWESOME games
> over a weekend ... or maybe over 2-3 weekends to spread it out and keep the
> media attention, especially over the SEC, who usually schedules creampuffs
> out of league.
>
> Let's say ...
>
> First weekend ...
> * Stanford @ Northwestern
> * Illinois @ California
> * Ohio State @ USC
> * UCLA @ Michigan
>
> Second weekend ...
> * Minnesota @ Utah
> * Colorado @ Iowa
> * Michigan State @ Oregon
> * Oregon State @ Penn State
>
> Third weekend ...
> * Arizona State @ Purdue
> * Indiana @ Washington State
> * Arizona @ Penn State
> * Wisconsin @ Washington
>
> Tell me THAT wouldn't be a fun three weeks of football for fans and great
> for both leagues!
>
> PS - Not on the Big Ten, but also in Stewart's column, the Edsall move does
> seem a bit puzzling - he was certainly king of a weak Big East for at least
> another year until TCU moved in, and HAD to have better offers than Maryland
> ... seems like O'Brien's move from BC to NC State a few years back ... just
> kind of head scratching. Oh well. :)
>
> GO CATS!!!
> -SjT
>
> * * * * * * * * *
> STEPHEN J. TRUOG
> sjtruog at yahoo.com
> GO CATS!!! GEAUX SAINTS!!!
> Super Bowl XLIV Champions!
> ==========================
>
>
> --- On Mon, 1/3/11, Weinbaum, Willie <Willie.Weinbaum at espn.com> wrote:
>
> > From: Weinbaum, Willie <Willie.Weinbaum at espn.com>
> > Subject: [NU Sports] classic Delany quote re: "Legends"
> > To: "nwu-sports at tssi.com" <nwu-sports at tssi.com>
> > Date: Monday, January 3, 2011, 12:00 PM
> >
> http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/stewart_mandel/01/02/jim-harbaugh-coaching-carousel/1.html
> >
> >
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