ICYMI: Creighton's Doug McDermott Becomes Mr. 3000

Believe it or not, there are only 8 people in NCAA basketball history who've scored over 3,000 points in their College Basketball careers.

Before Saturday, it was only 7.

Number 8 became Doug McDermott of Creighton University. McDermott got his 3,000th point on a 3-pointer midway through the second half of his teams 88-73 win over Providence on the Blue Jays Senior Night.

We might add that McDermott, a senior, dropped a 45 point game on the Friars to celebrate.

Here's video of the milestone 3-pointer--

The American Athletic Conference Logo: Sigh

So...the American Athletic Conference released it's "New" logo today. You can see it here on the right.

Maybe it's just us, but it looks an awful lot like the University of Arizona's logo, minus the odd looking star.

The move is another step in the conference formerly known as the Big East's attempt at becoming something other than Conference USA 2. Or is that Breaking 2, Electric Boogaloo...

Uh...well, anyway...

Strangely, if you try and do a search for a conference website, you get a fan version. If you want something with the official logo and announcement, you end up on the Big East Website.

Don't believe us? Click on the link RIGHT HERE

We will add that the "AAC" website is supposed to launch July 1st. Don't believe us? Your link is RIGHT HERE

So they have changed, but they haven't changed. Follow?

Good luck fans of Connecticut, Cincinnati, East Carolina, Houston, Memphis, Navy, SMU, Temple, Tulane, Tulsa, UCF and USF. You are the pioneers (not the Pioneer League). You are the trailblazers forging a new identity.

Get used to it AAC fans. Our guess and most other peoples guesses are that Galactic Realignment is going to slow down. A lot.

You'll be playing each other. For a long, long time. Unless of course you add some teams from Conference USA (the original)....

Think about this:

The American Athletic Conference: Meet the New Big East

So...the old "Big East" is now the Catholic School Basketball League and the New Big East is now named the "American Athletic Conference". Or for the rest of us---the Big East Football Schools.

The now "AAC" Conference Commisioner Mike Aresco announced late Wednesday afternoon that his league will now operate under the new moniker.

Read the press release RIGHT HERE

Confused? Yeah, you probably should be.

We are really quite curious as to how they'll brand themselves due to some little things like these:

Do a google search for the "AAC" and you might find the "Appalachian Athletic Conference" (NAIA) which in webspeak is "aacsports.com" or "AAC.com" which is an IT website.

But we wish the 12 remaining former "Big East" teams the best of luck. How much fun with acronyms will we all have in January when the AAC champ faces the ACC champ in the BCS Orange Bowl?

East Carolina To New Big East In Everything, Now...

((HT: WNCT-TV))

All East Carolina University teams will join the soon-to-be ex/former Big East Conference.

Their start date will be July 1, 2014. Initially, ECU was planning on only being a football-only with a gradual roll-in for the other sports. Chancellor Steve Ballard was just waiting on the official word from the conference as to what the new start date would be...

He now has it, and probably, knows what kind of a check he has to cut so he won't be spending a lot of time in court with his ex-conference. The Pirates will continue to play in Conference USA until then.

Here's the latest from Greenville...
WNCT | 9 On Your Side Greenville NC

Catholic 7 Ready To Be Big East

Who gets this?

We're still waiting for the "Official" announcement making it so. The Big East teams and others who are set to break off and form their own basketball only conference dubbed the "Catholic 7" are supposed to be announcing Thursday it's official.

It's 6:20pm Thursday as I write this.

They haven't announced it.

When they do, DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, Seton Hall, St. John's and Villanova will have a league that will pay them $3 million a year to start in TV money and supposedly the Big East name.

Xavier, Butler and supposedly Chreighton are set to join them in a year, making it a 10-team conference with some of basketball's best.

The remaining now former Big East schools: Central Florida, Cincinnati, Connecticut, East Carolina, Houston, Memphis, South Florida, SMU, Temple, Tulane and eventually Navy are now on the lookout for a new name themselves.

Dare we suggest "New Conference USA"?

Big East Turns Into Bat Cave

((HT: blueduke19))

This is, probably, the only positive pub the Big East has gotten in the last few months... and it doesn't have the slightest bit to do with an actual win or loss.

Someone got into the Marquette-Providence game without a ticket and made sure to hang around and dive bomb whatever it could for a while...

Here's the proof...


They even tried to turn the lights out to encourage said bat to leave...
Here's the highlights in the 81-71 win for Marquette...
((HT: Big East/ESPN))

And Now, San Diego State Is Leaving The Big East

((HT: Mark Blaudschun))

The Jersey Guy himself is reporting that come July 1, 2013 San Diego State is returning to the Mountain West Conference as a full-time member- without having to pay an exit fee.

See, they worked it into their contract that if Boise got to leave, they could too without opening their wallet...

Good work for them... as the MWC expands back to 12...

As of right now, the Big East is going back to 10 teams (temporarily): Connecticut, Temple, Rutgers, South Florida, Cincinnati, Memphis, Louisville, Central Florida, SMU and Houston.

Louisville and Rutgers stay for 2013 but leave the conference for the ACC and Big Ten in 2014. Tulane and East Carolina replace them. Navy is also scheduled to join the Big East in 2015.

For now...

And the HQ is still confused with basketball season coming up as the conference goes from 18 to 11 when the Catholic 7 exits and takes others from other conferences with them to create their own basketball-only group...

More when we know more...

DEVELOPING: Boise Staying In Mountain West (UPDATED With $$$ Details)

((HT: Brett McMurphy))

And, because of that, San Diego State won't have to pay an exit fee if they decide to leave the Big East Conference and return west themselves...

Until we have more info on this whole thing, here's highlights from Boise State's win over Washington in Las Vegas...
((HT: KTVB-TV))
McMurphy also says that Boise will still have to pay their $10-million exit fee. Maybe, they can go halfsies with the Aztecs... We have more from the Mountain West their own selves... MWC Commish Craig Thompson, in Hawai'i for the Diamond Head Classic, told Mark Zeigler of the San Diego Union-Tribune when asked about SDSU: “It’s not by any particular design that we haven’t talked to San Diego State,” Thompson said. “Maybe it’s a cat and mouse kind of deal. Boise State has been more active in this. It’s not obstinance on anyone’s part. Whenever it’s time, if it’s time, it will happen … I would have no issue talking with San Diego State if something were to develop. “To be honest, we’re just trying to figure all this out. Schools have their reasons for leaving for the Big East. Maybe they’re still valid today, maybe they’re not. But I think some schools – maybe not only Boise State – are re-evaluating that decision.” And, according to Brian Murphy at the Idaho Statesman and his Twitter: Boise State will remain in Mountain West. League will guarantee the rights to Boise State home FB games that are sold as separate package.

Boise Back To Mountain West...???

That's the conventional wisdom, and for them, it would make the most sense...

The dissolving of the Big East Conference in basketball with the planned exit of the so-called "Catholic 7" is creating some discord with the inbound football-playing schools- and now it looks like Boise State is thinking about jumping back to where they were.


Why...???

Under the new post-season system, the Mountain West has as much stroke as the Big East does. The Big East's TV deal is in a large amount of doubt and discussion since it would take place starting in 2014- the season in which a lot of the schools are looking to leave, relocate, and/or not hang out with the Big East anymore.

Evidence of concern is hyah...thanks, KIVI-TV in Boise...

At the same time, it appears that the Big east is reaching out to UNLV and Fresno State to join if the western additions turn into abstentions. The idea of them joining seems somewhat far-fetched since there doesn't seem to be any kind of added benefit. San Diego State is still in play since they haven't decided to go back to where they were or not at present.

Meanwhile, when was the last time you heard about Boise and Washington squaring off in a defensive battle in Las Vegas...???
((HT: KBOI-TV))

The Big East is nearing its Death

((ht:espn.com))

Have we ever had to mourn the passing of a once mighty college football conference? Because we may very well be doing that within the next month or so.

The Big East is slowly coming to an end. An end that may be sped up by the possible departure of 7 non-football playing schools from the conference.

Brett McMurphy of ESPN.com reports that: DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, St. John's, Seton Hall and Villanova are expected to make a decision about their athletic futures in the next couple of days. And it appears the emboldened Atlantic 10 would be a likely home for them.

It would make the A-10 a REALLY big conference, but also one with some amazing names in it.

Read the ESPN.com story RIGHT HERE

If this happens, the once "Power" basketball conference will be no longer. Heck, the 4-letter themselves grew their college hoops project on the backbone of these "Power" basketball schools. Combine it with Pitt and Syracuse leaving for the ACC, and basically, you have Cincinnati, UConn and South Florida along with a slew of Conference USA replacements and in Football, Boise State.

Oh, and did we mention that Cincinnati and UConn were falling all over themselves to try and replace Maryland when they announced they were leaving the ACC?

So....realignment is far from dead. The Big East and it's schools have a big decision to make. Yes, they can survive as a football conference with the additions they've made. But those moves have just made it C-USA, nothing more, nothing less.

Butch Jones to Tennessee: No really

It appears this time, reports that now former University of Cincinnati coach Butch Jones has accepted a new job are true.

Just two days after the false report by Woody Paige of the Denver Post saying Jones was taking the Colorado job, he officially accepted a much better one. Jones will be introduced Friday afternoon as the new head coach at the University of Tennessee.

Jones had been at Cincinnati for 3-years and won 23 games. He took them to a bowl game each of the last two seasons.

He moves from the relative obscurity of a job in the Big East to the bright...and we do mean bright lights of Knoxville. The Volunteer program has been in free fall for the past 5-years after the school fired long-time coach Phil Fulmer after the 2007 season. Now USC coach Lane Kiffin followed Fulmer and was there for a season, Derek Dooley was hired shortly thereafter Dooley went 15-21 in his three seasons before being asked to leave.

It will be very interesting to see what Jones can do. Tennessee was once of the SEC East's power schools and the alumni have never gotten past that. But with their limited success over the past few years, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and even Vanderbilt have passed them by. We will be very curious to see if the somewhat delusional Vol faithful give Jones the time needed to rebuild their program.

As for Jones's previous employer, they will again search for another "Up and Coming" candidate. Cincinnati has done a good job grooming coaches (Brian Kelly) for bigger positions, so the expectation is they'll find someone who may not be a "Big Name" but will probably be successful before moving on to one of the "Big Boy" conference jobs.

Here's the Jones presser:
((HT: WBIR-TV))

So Much For The Big East Being Worth Something

There was the prevailing idea that Louisville and Rutgers would be making some kind of statement: what that statement is... the HQ has no real clue... but some kind of statement about their place in the Bee-Cee-Ess...

So much for that idea- on both fronts...and Charlie Strong's viability during Silly Season may have taken a hit...

First, Teddy Bridgewater played with a broken bone in his wrist... which the HQ gives him due props for... But UConn beat Louisville in overtime- which will send the Cardinals plummeting in the rankings...
((HT: ESPN))


And, then, Pitt scored 21 unanswered in the second on their way to a 27-6 upset of Rutgers- who was ranked 21st at the time of the opening kickoff...

Pitt, still left in some shambles from the Hurricane Todd Graham era, had to have Paul Chryst pick up some pieces... the Panthers, behind Ray Graham, are now 5-6...
((HT: ESPN))

So, Now Rutgers Makes It Official...It's Now The B1G 10/14

((HT: nj.com))

Hello, I must be going...

With the best cut off the album that seems to fit here for some- and more for others...


President Rob Barchi announces the Scarlet Knights move to the B1G...
Part of Big East Commish Mike Aresco's sayeth quote: "Although we are disappointed that Rutgers has decided to leave the Big East conference, we wish them well. They have been a valued member of the conference for many years. "We realize that conference realignment is currently a fact of life in college sports. In the context of this realignment, changes in our membership have been taking place, including important additions. In fact, the Big East has expanded its scope with new members in California, Texas, Florida, Idaho, Tennessee and Pennsylvania."
The HQ gets why Jim Delany is going here...it's the only football school in the tri-state and gets him whatever share of the New York TV market he thinks he's getting by adding a New Jersey school...

It's good for the individual schools involved, not rivalries or history or anything else like it...

Rutgers was $27-million in the red with Maryland $5-million in the hole- and they get the big contract and revenues... makes great sense...

How 'Bout A Do-Over...??? Boise, San Diego, and BYU Looking At Mountain West...???

Not that this is a surprise...

But Brett McMurphy over at the four-letter is saying those three- currently in the Big East and an independent for football are looking at the Mountain West Conference for a home now...

When the new alignment that the Big East came out with (two divisions really spread apart), the HQ could see completely and totally why...

Add to that the idea that the Bee-Cee-Ess commissioners voted that the highest-rated non Power Conference would have the same weight as the Big East champ and you can see why it would be a lot cheaper and geographically desirable for them to stay out west.

For BYU, they would have to leave their deal with ESPN on the table. For the other two, there would have to be an exit fee- supposedly $10-million- that would be challenged in court, certainly...

Brian Murphy caught up with Boise AD Mark Coyle after their Senior Day game for his piece in the Idaho Statesman:

“In the 11 months I’ve been here, we’ve talked about how all of us are trying to make long-term decisions with a shifting foundation. That foundation continues to shift for all programs, not just Boise State,” Coyle said. “I think that’s one of the challenging aspects of this job across the country for all ADs. You’re trying to make long-term decisions on a shifting landscape.”

Oh, did we mention that the Big East's TV deal is in play now that ESPN let the negotiating window pass...???

Here's Coyle talking about the move to the Big East back when that happened...
((HT: KTVB-TV))

Dumb Ass Rumor of the day: Maryland to Big Ten? (UPDATED: Well, maybe, not so dumbass...)

Huh? Really? Are they delusional? Maryland?

Seriously?

Nah.

A Maryland rivals website (Maryland247) is claiming that there is truth to rumors that the University of Maryland will move to the Big 10.

The obvious question is why?

And it's not that we don't believe that Maryland might consider it, though they'd be certifiably insane to do so.

The question is: Why would the Big 10 go after the Terps?

Sports-wise alone, you are talking about one of the ACC's lightweights. A team that has collapsed to epically bad levels under coach Randy Edsall. And it's not like they were Clemson or Florida State previous to that.

Yes,Maryland is decent in basketball, but really, would the end here justify the means?

The Big 10 already has plenty of teams. Twelve to be exact. Why go to 13 and be unbalanced? Yeah, sure, Maryland would fit on a level with the Minnesota's, Illinois and Purdue's of the world, but it's not like you are bringing in a school that screams "Contract Negotiation" with ESPN or anything.

It kind of both pisses us off and makes us laugh that this is even brought up. And yes, we know sites like the 24-7 sites exist to put rumors and crap out there. And before someone from a 24-7 site says "What the hell do you know?" we aren't saying you don't serve a purpose, you do. We believe you when you say someone told you this. We just question whether that person realized it was probably a joke?

PM UPDATE: David Jones, columnist for the Harrisburg Patriot-News (via his Twitter), had an interesting take on the Maryland egress...

Not scoffing at BWI report of Maryland to B1G. It's credible. If it happens, that would indicate someone must be #14. Rutgers makes sense

Which means that the egress from the Big East is still ongoing and people think the long-term viability of the conference in football is still in question...

According to an article by O'Neil, McMurphy, and Katz over at ESPN, Maryland president Wallace Loh is fronting the talks with the B1G and AD Kevin Anderson has told staffers that there are talks going on...

The larger issue for a Maryland exit is the exit fee with the ACC- now $50-million- considering all their financial problems at present. The ACC would then, in turn, probably pursue UConn to fill the space left by Maryland's transfer.

That would keep ACC at 14 football members- Commissioner John Swofford's desired number...

Big East announces Divisions, prepares for crazy travel schedules

So...Temple University, how much travel fun are you going to have starting in 2013. Hope you've increased your travel budget.

The Big East, sans automatic bid for College Football's championships, announced on Tuesday the 12-team league will break into 2-divisions. The East...and the West.

No big deal you say? Well, only if you are in any other normal conference.

Because you see, the Big East, really doesn't have much of an Eastern Footprint these days.

Here's the breakdown:

East
UCF
Cincinnati
UConn
Louisville
Rutgers
S.Florida

West
Boise St.
Houston
Memphis
San Diego St
SMU
Temple

Think about that for a minute. The East, while covering a lot of ground, doesn't quite balance out. Temple (based in Philly) will now be flying to San Diego, Boise...and Houston. Every year.

Good thing they have a MASSIVE travel budget and lots of time to travel. Otherwise this would inconvenience student-athletes and fans.

Oh wait, it will.

We wish the Big East good luck as they step down from their previous status as a "BCS" league. From here on in, or beginning in 2014, they become part of the "Group of Five" who managed to get a small payout and a seat at the Big Boy table for the soon-to-be College Football playoff. They'll fight it out with Conference USA, the MAC, the MWC and the Sun Belt for the "Final" playoff berth.

Good luck with that boys.

Louisville rolls, Bridgewater with 5 TD passes

They aren't going to win the National Championship, but Louisville is making a fairly convincing case to be at least a part of the BCS.

Teddy Bridgewater threw for 324 yards and 5 TD's as the Cardinals stayed undefeated on the season, rolling Temple 45-17.

You might want to note, they fell behind 7-0 after giving up a 93-yard kick return for a Temple TD on the opening play of the game.

Louisville, who scored 5 of the first 6 times they got the ball, moves to 9-0, 4-0 in the Big East. Depending how Saturday plays out, they may find themselves in the Top 10 after this win. They travel to Syracuse next week.

ESPN provides the video of Bridgewater throwing TD #5:

Notre Dame and The ACC: What it means to you

So. Galactic Realignment of the college football world keeps going for the jugular. Each move seems to top the other and they all seem to signal the end.

But will it?

Much has already been made about the ACC/Notre Dame marriage and we give total and complete props to the ACC and John Swofford for staving off elimination by doing this.

Because both parties here benefit from this.

How? The ACC will not be going away. And they aren't going to be raided by someone else.

The reason: Lost in the hullabaloo over the agreement, a small clause that raises the departure fee for any school wanting to leave to $50 million. And yes, it's enforceable...to everyone, including Notre Dame.

So if you are in. You are in. You aren't leaving. There will be no SEC raiding North Carolina and Virginia Tech. The Big 10 or Big East....naw, ain't happening. The ACC now has 15 teams, and they won't be less than 15 teams anytime in the foreseeable future.

What does Notre Dame get out of this? All the benefits of being in the ACC without "Technically" locking their football team into the ACC. Yes, they play 5 conference teams now every year. And yes, they get to be part of the Orange Bowl options. But they don't have to be.

So tell us something we don't know: Could we have the ACC on NBC? Yes, yes we could.

Why? Because the addition of Notre Dame and we're guessing the eventual addition of...say...Louisville, will make the ACC a 16-team conference. And just by coincidence, that allows the ACC to renegotiate the deal they just cut with ESPN. And with Notre Dame part of the mix, you can bet your sweet patootie, NBC will pay what ever they can to get that deal away from the 4-letter word.

Think about it. We can only hope someone breaks ties with the Bristol Behemoth, and changes the sports TV landscape.

In summary: You will have at least a 15-team ACC next season. Galactic Realignment is almost over...because now there really isn't anyone else in play. If you follow a Big East team, well, you need to be nervous, very nervous. Your new football powerhouse is Cincinnati oh, and Boise State. The Bearcats have been consistently decent for the past several years, but half the ACC and most of the SEC would beat them every time they play. And folks, being great in basketball is great, but football is where the money is.

College Football is now essentially 5 "Power Conferences" (ACC, Big 10, Big 12, SEC and PAC-12) and then everybody else.

Your winners: The ACC. John Swofford. Notre Dame, who gets to keep their NBC deal and all the money associated with it.

Your losers: The Big East. They have NO football juice. At all. Boise State. Yes, Boise State. They got antsy and jumped to the Big East without thinking it through. If they waited, they would become the biggest power-in-play left. Now they are stuck in a conference that is basically the Mountain West or Conference USA in Football.

ESPN. We hope they lose. We, nor any other TRUE sports fan wants them dominating the entire landscape. Competition is good and the 4-letter has gotten lazy and complacent. They just buy everything, dictate the schedule and don't apologize for pushing their teams and their games at the expense of anything on another network. And that, while we understand competition, is wrong.

ICYMI: Pitt to leave early for ACC just like Syracuse

Okay, this makes a little more sense.

The University of Pittsburgh will join Syracuse in paying the Big East $7.5 million so they can move to the ACC beginning July 1st of 2013.

That would be a year earlier than originally announced and $12.5 million less than the fools at West Virginia paid to leave the Big East this year for the Big 12.

Pitt used that as their argument for an early departure and it did get the Big East to sit down and discuss options.

The announcement comes just two days after Syracuse announced they'd be leaving as well.

Oh...and in case you are interested, the Big East also announced Out of the Kindness in their Hearts, they are dropping their $5 million suit against TCU for leaving before the started in the conference.

TCU had a change of heart and committed to the Big 12 instead.

Sounds vaguely like an episode of that Bachelor show, doesn't it?

((Note--Just picked a random clip of the show here...wife watches this...me not so much--and no jokes please))

Report: Boise St. not out of MWC yet; dealine looms

((ht: cbssports.com/mcmurphy))

Well, nothing like waiting to the last minute.

The clock is ticking on Boise State's intended move to the Big East conference. The Broncos have stated their intent to move for the 2013-14 season.

One problem: They haven't moved out of the Mountain West Conference yet. And if they don't do it by July 1st, the cost of moving goes up...exponentially.

The other problem and probable hold up: Finding a home for their other sports.

You see, Boise wants to make the move so they can be an "Automatic Qualifier" for a national championship. So they moved to the Big East, which despite its lack of competitiveness for such a title, is an "AQ" conference.

But....Boise doesn't want to move the rest of their sports east...which would be extremely "Cost Prohibitive". They want to relocate them in the neutered Western Athletic Conference...which at the current time consists of only 5 teams.

So there within lies the dilemma.

CBSSports.com's Brett McMurphy gives the detailed explainer RIGHT HERE

If you ever want a "Poster Child" for Galactic Realignment for the sake of money...this is it. While we get Boise's want to be an "AQ" school and realize they've had a pretty good argument the past couple years for inclusion on their own, this is a bad idea.

In fact, we think it is such a colossally bad idea that we'll go out on a limb and say it will never happen. We'll go even further and say this: "Don't be surprised if Boise gets a look from the Big 12 who are 10." It makes more sense on pretty much every level. And they don't have to split the Sports. The travel makes sense and the "AQ" status along with the money works too.

There of course is only one catch: Do they want to take 2nd or even 3rd billing to Texas and Oklahoma. Because even if UT and OU suck, they still are the top priority for the conference. Everyone else as we've seen time and time again...is on their own.

Because we can...and it fits: