What was the Big East Conference like on Saturdays (during the season)?
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Hmm? Broad question with multiple answers. Early years, with Miami, VT and BC were pretty awesome with great national attention and huge conference rivalry. As I recall Miami was one of the first BCS champs.
After the group left for the ACC it was somewhT diminished, but still strong internally if not so much externally. National attention slipped somewhat.
At the end, last three-year period, it was a joke of a cluster-f**k.
After the group left for the ACC it was somewhT diminished, but still strong internally if not so much externally. National attention slipped somewhat.
At the end, last three-year period, it was a joke of a cluster-f**k.
Which Saturday? If it was a Saturday when we played a rival it was a rocking place to be. (Although the vitriol and outright hatred among some fan bases and the WVU fan base bordered on lunacy.) Other weekends Morgantown was pretty flat.
That was WVU's reality of the Big East. On a managerial level, Saturdays only counted during basketball season. And Monday through Friday the brass was trying to find a way to keep football in its place while still taking money from the football schools.
If you think that's a bit off base, the idiots in the Big East office were pushing for Villanova as an expansion member. They were Division 1AA at the time. That was strictly to keep the basketball schools in a voting majority in conference matters.
That was WVU's reality of the Big East. On a managerial level, Saturdays only counted during basketball season. And Monday through Friday the brass was trying to find a way to keep football in its place while still taking money from the football schools.
If you think that's a bit off base, the idiots in the Big East office were pushing for Villanova as an expansion member. They were Division 1AA at the time. That was strictly to keep the basketball schools in a voting majority in conference matters.
Hated the later years of football besides Pitt and Louisville. WVU was beginning to build a damn good rivalvary with Louisville in both football and basketball. Big 12 should have invited them too: WVU, TCU, Louisville, and Team X. They would be at 12 teams and Louisville would have been a very fine addition in both sports.
Big East basketball was fun. It seemed almost every team was legit besides Depaul, Providence, South Florida, etc. Providence and South Florida started to become good when WVU, Pitt, Syracuse, etc left though. But basketball was fun.
Big East basketball was fun. It seemed almost every team was legit besides Depaul, Providence, South Florida, etc. Providence and South Florida started to become good when WVU, Pitt, Syracuse, etc left though. But basketball was fun.
Surely you mean "What was the BE like on Thursday Nights?" because that's where ESPN stuck all the good matchups.
After BC, Miami and VT bailed, the "Big East Game of The Week" televised on Saturdays was usually a tussle between teams like Cincy, UConn, USF, Pitt, and Rutgers. In other words, the BE "Game of The Week" was a noontime snoozefest amongst the Little Sisters of The Poor.
After BC, Miami and VT bailed, the "Big East Game of The Week" televised on Saturdays was usually a tussle between teams like Cincy, UConn, USF, Pitt, and Rutgers. In other words, the BE "Game of The Week" was a noontime snoozefest amongst the Little Sisters of The Poor.
The Original Big East Football conference was great because there were consistent Top 10 to Top 20 teams who really hated each other. It was comprised mostly of the eastern independents (less State Penn) and some long-standing BITTER rivalries already existed. And even though Miami was new to that crowd, they were Miami and everyone hated them right out of the gate. The football was top notch, the rivalries were top notch, it was fun. However, just like now, there was one team that held all the cards and if they left the entire conference crumbled. When the original three (eventually 5 with Pitt and SU) teams left it was devastating and we knew the end was near. That's when Ollie got to work and found us a good home but unfortunately still on the fault line with the current rumors of possible high-profile defections. Basketball in the BE was always outstanding but it was football that drove the train but the BE leadership has always been basketball focused and failed to solidify the football side of the house. When you have to threaten legal action to hold your conference together you don't have a conference. All I can say is Thank God for the Big 12.
In the "classic" Big East, I used to say, "if we can beat 2 out of 3 between Miami, VT, and Syracuse, we should win the conference".
Rutgers and Temple were cellar dwellers, and the Backyard Brawl was always something worth anticipating.
Rutgers and Temple were cellar dwellers, and the Backyard Brawl was always something worth anticipating.
Agree with you here, the early years Involved some damn good football, the latter not so much other than Pitt/Ville and the Bearcats under Kelly perhaps...I think this conference is a tougher nut to crack on the whole vs the orig BE...Miami, VT, were solid programs, but Ok, Baylor, Tex, KSU, TCU, Okie St...any and or all are in a dogfight and I love it...the basketball ain't too shabby either imo...
Also as Mike mentioned. ...Thurs night was THE night...which now the ACC seems to have a stranglehold on (I'm actually looking forward to our Thurs night matchup in Ft. Worth...gives me a great excuse to take off work that fri lol)...either by choice or more likely force....
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