May 18, 2012

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Blog by John Steigerwald

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PITT IN THE BIG 12?

Now there is talk of Pitt moving to the Big 12 conference.

The Pitt Athletic Department released a big no comment and that’s a lot different from releasing a “no way that’s happening.”

Put me down for being in favor of Pitt joining whatever major conference comes calling. Anything to get out of the Big East.

I’ll trade South Florida, Rutgers, Cincinnati, and UCON for Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech any time. And the basketball ain’t bad, either.

Related posts:

1. PITT IS DEFINITELY NOT IT
2. WHAT’S WRONG WITH PITT?
3. HOW ABOUT PITT-PENN ST. HOCKEY?
4. PITT BEATS RUTGERZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
5. GOOD NIGHT FOR PITT

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Date: August 29, 2011

Categories: Sports

Tags: BIG 12 CONFERENCE, BIG 12 EYEING PITT?, BIG 12 REALIGNMENT, BIG EAST, NCAA, PITT MOVING BIG 12?, PITT PANTHERS

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Comments RSS TrackBack 27 comments

• Reply

  Saul

  in August 29th, 2011 @ 11:47

  John,

  Don’t you think the Big East has the potential to get better in football when TCU joins next year? I have heard rumors that if the Big 12 disintegrates then Kansas, Kansas State, and Missouri will be looking for new homes. Maybe BC and/or Maryland can be persuaded to join too.

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• Reply

  John Steigerwald

  in August 29th, 2011 @ 13:53

  The Big East, as it’s presently constructed, bores me to death. What you described is an improvement.

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• Reply

  RKR

  in August 29th, 2011 @ 11:54

  If the Big Ten asked Pitt to join, I’m all-in. However, the Big 12 may be the least stable conference out there right now. The ACC is not far behind. As weak as the Big East has been in the past, they are actually in a position to TAKE teams from the Big 12 and/or ACC. The timing of their upcoming TV contract will result in BE teams making more money than Big 12 and ACC teams.

  The Pitt administrators should use the threat of Big 12 and ACC invites as leverage in the Big East. It seems that the basketball side of things has taken precedence in the past. The football schools need to be more involved.

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• Reply

  Richard

  in August 29th, 2011 @ 12:06

  This is all craziness, and it’s only the beginning.

  It’s only a matter of time until NBC decides to drop Notre Dame football. And when they do, ND will be forced to join a conference. That’s when the shit will really hit the fan.

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• Reply

  Mike

  in August 29th, 2011 @ 16:02

  NBC is going all in on a major sports network. I’m no fan of Notre Dame but they are a huge draw. No way NBC drops them.

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• Reply

  Shecky

  in September 1st, 2011 @ 11:36

  Couldn’t disagree more.
  NBC stayed with Notre Dame while their football teams have been pedestrian at best for well over a decade.
  Now…with Brian Kelly in as coach, recruiting considerably improved and their prospects looking up…NOW they’re gonna dump them?
  I’ll put the chances of that happening at zero.
  Instead, NBC is gonna finally start reaping the dividends.

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• Reply

  Nate

  in August 29th, 2011 @ 12:29

  Pitt can’t consistently beat the teams in the Big East what makes you think the Big 12 will be any better? Maybe more money, but it won’t help their recruiting that much, and travel expenses will go up significantly. Also, you’d rather play in the Big 12 for hoops?

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• Reply

  John Steigerwald

  in August 29th, 2011 @ 13:55

  Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St, Kansas, Missouri are OK in hoops.

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• Reply

  TaxMan

  in August 29th, 2011 @ 18:05

  The recruiting in basketball will be tougher. ESPN has made the Big East a brand name. Seems like every hot high school prospect says he wants to play in the Big East. That’s a huge advantage for Jamie Dixon.

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• Reply

  Mike V.

  in August 29th, 2011 @ 15:04

  I think Pitt is just testing the waters. The Big Ten is still a better move for them and maybe they are throwing out this line to see if anyone other than Big 12 bites.

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• Reply

  francis

  in August 29th, 2011 @ 15:31

  ….this is off topic so apologies to pitt…steigs if you get a chance in the near futire you should write a blog about great NFL QBS compared to great NFL championship QBs…some QBs like MARINO for example were great but not like MONTANA who has the rings…us posters get some good debates going on here over the greatest QBs and where they rank…itl bring a good debate over where QBs are ranked based on seasons vs championships….

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• Reply

  Mike

  in August 29th, 2011 @ 16:07

  One question / concern / issue with Pitt (potentially) going to the Big 12: If West Virginia doesn’t move as well, would they feel slighted enough to not continue the Backyard Brawl?

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• Reply

  Chuck

  in August 29th, 2011 @ 21:28

  I agree with Nate. Pitt is not exactly tearing up the Big East and I just can’t see them doing anything in the Big 12 against the Likes of Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. They’d be lucky to win 4 or 5 games total year in and year out. Although it would help the attendance here having these teams come in here on a consistant basis instead of Rutgers, South Florida, etc.

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• Reply

  John Steigerwald

  in August 29th, 2011 @ 21:49

  If Pitt is never going to be able to compete with Oklahlma and Texas, then it’s time to just forget it and join the MAC. I would rather see Pitt try to compete in a league like that and fail than see them succeed by beating UCON and South Florida.

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• Reply

  DavidMcGwire

  in August 30th, 2011 @ 06:47

  Whenever the smoke clears there’s going to simply be 4 huge conferences…and Pitt will be in one of them.

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• Reply

  John Steigerwald

  in August 30th, 2011 @ 06:51

  I think geography is going to matter less and less.

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• Reply

  DavidMcGwire

  in August 30th, 2011 @ 09:36

  I would still hope that Pitt finds itself in the Eastern Conference when all is said and done. It doesn’t make sense for the non revenue sports to travel like that.

  If Pitt was in the Big 12 the Baseball team would have to fly to Texas multiple times a year. Problems like that would arise.

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• Reply

  John Steigerwald

  in August 30th, 2011 @ 11:39

  Colleges are going to have to forget about having all their sports teams in the same conference.

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• Reply

  steve sharrow

  in August 30th, 2011 @ 22:32

  John said,”I would rather see Pitt try to compete in a league like that and fail than see them succeed by beating UCON and South Florida.” The only problem with that statement is that they never even succeed in the Big East. WVU made them look like a high school team last year. I do think they will be better with a new coach. I still think WVU will beat them.

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• Reply

  John Steigerwald

  in August 30th, 2011 @ 22:40

  I didn’t say they had succeeded. I said I wouldn’t be that thrilled with seeing Pitt succeed in the Big East against UCON and South Florida. I think Big East football is excruciatingly boring.

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• Reply

  steve sharrow

  in August 31st, 2011 @ 23:09

  I know you didn’t. I should’ve said the only problem with that idea is that they can’t even win a weak conference. They would look even more pathetic in a good conference. What do you think the chances are, if Pitt and/or WVU leaves the Big East, they would go to the same conference? I think they both benefit from being in the same conference. Do you think if Notre Dame ever joins the Big East in football, it would help the conference any?

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• Reply

  John Steigerwald

  in September 1st, 2011 @ 00:41

  Notre Dame would be a huge help. I just know that I would be a lot more interested in a schedule that included Oklahoma, Texas and Oklahoma St than I am in one that includes UCON, Rutgers and Cincinnati.

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• Reply

  steve sharrow

  in September 1st, 2011 @ 21:57

  Maybe the Big 12 will fall apart and the Big East can get some of the schools. I don’t think I’d want to move to the Big 12, it’s not stable enough.

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• Reply

  ndhoops

  in August 30th, 2011 @ 11:53

  To join the former Big 8, Pitt would need a guarantee that Texas and Oklahoma can not jump ship.

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• Reply

  John Steigerwald

  in August 30th, 2011 @ 22:40

  I agree but I wonder if that’s possible.

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• Reply

  Richard

  in September 1st, 2011 @ 11:10

  I don’t think this’ll happen.

  The Big 12 is on shakier ground than the Big East right now. It will be raided again. The chips are starting to fall from allowing Texas to have its own television network.

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• Reply

  Shecky

  in September 1st, 2011 @ 11:28

  Yeah, I live in Texas and a someone pointed out, at this moment, the Big 12 is the Big Unstable.
  I’d trust the facts given in a Joe Biden speech before I trusted that Texas, Oklahoma and few others will still be part of the conference in two years.

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