If you start to feel like life inside of University of Cincinnati athletics is a bit like the movie Groundhog Day, you're not alone. Only instead of a day that repeats over and over, UC's ever replaying adversary appears to be Notre Dame.
Over the last several weeks, as was reported here yesterday, movements in the major athletic conferences appear ready to change the entire landscape of the NCAA with realignment the likes of which have never been seen. As a member of the Big East, a major conference at the center of realignment talks, the Bearcats' conference future is as uncertain as any.
Reports surfacing today, however, explain how Cincinnati's future could be directly linked to the decisions of Notre Dame, just as they were just a few short months ago.
According to Chip Brown of OrangeBloods.com, in an interview with ESPN Radio in Dallas, he has spoken to two athletic directors "who have knowledge of the Big Ten situation" and its incessant courting of Notre Dame. Brown had this to say about the tango between the Irish and the Big Ten: "As part of the conversation, Notre Dame has asked the Big Ten, 'If we come, you end the expansion at us.' And the Big Ten has apparently agreed to that and now Notre Dame is back huddling. And if Notre Dame goes to the Big Ten, I think the whole story is over."
As was detailed here yesterday, the Pac 10 apparently has issued invitations to 6 Big XII schools (Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Colorado). The Pac 10 rumors caught most by surprise as for months most have assumed that conference expansion would be started by the Big 10.
The Pac 10 rumors were accompanied by rumors that the Big 10, assuming their moves and the almost certain subsequent annihilation of the Big XII, would issue invitations to Nebraska and Missouri and then hope to add two Big East schools (thought to by Connecticut and Rutgers) along with their dream school, Notre Dame.
However, according to Chip Brown, if the Irish make a decision quickly enough and join the Big 10 as their 12th team, then Missouri and Nebraska stay with the Big XII, likely causing the schools receiving Pac 10 invitations to remain in the Big XII as well. But if the Irish take their time in considering the Big 10's offer and then finally become the Big Ten's 12th team later down the road, the Pac 10 may have a chance to act first destroying the Big XII and leaving Nebraska and Missouri out in the cold because of the Big 10's 12-team-agreement with Notre Dame.
What does this mean for UC? Yet again, Bearcat Nation finds itself waiting and watching as its Catholic brethren from South Bend take their time deciding if they (and their sparkling-new head football coach) will join a conference. If Notre Dame joins the Big 10 quickly, all major conferences may remain untouched and UC's home in the 16-team Big East would be secure. If they wait (as we all know they have the ability to do), UC may end up in the ACC as we guessed may happen.
http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-30967-Cincinnati-Bearcats-Examiner~y2010m6d9-Cincinnatis-athletic-fate-may-be-in-the-hands-of-Notre-Dame
Over the last several weeks, as was reported here yesterday, movements in the major athletic conferences appear ready to change the entire landscape of the NCAA with realignment the likes of which have never been seen. As a member of the Big East, a major conference at the center of realignment talks, the Bearcats' conference future is as uncertain as any.
Reports surfacing today, however, explain how Cincinnati's future could be directly linked to the decisions of Notre Dame, just as they were just a few short months ago.
According to Chip Brown of OrangeBloods.com, in an interview with ESPN Radio in Dallas, he has spoken to two athletic directors "who have knowledge of the Big Ten situation" and its incessant courting of Notre Dame. Brown had this to say about the tango between the Irish and the Big Ten: "As part of the conversation, Notre Dame has asked the Big Ten, 'If we come, you end the expansion at us.' And the Big Ten has apparently agreed to that and now Notre Dame is back huddling. And if Notre Dame goes to the Big Ten, I think the whole story is over."
As was detailed here yesterday, the Pac 10 apparently has issued invitations to 6 Big XII schools (Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Colorado). The Pac 10 rumors caught most by surprise as for months most have assumed that conference expansion would be started by the Big 10.
The Pac 10 rumors were accompanied by rumors that the Big 10, assuming their moves and the almost certain subsequent annihilation of the Big XII, would issue invitations to Nebraska and Missouri and then hope to add two Big East schools (thought to by Connecticut and Rutgers) along with their dream school, Notre Dame.
However, according to Chip Brown, if the Irish make a decision quickly enough and join the Big 10 as their 12th team, then Missouri and Nebraska stay with the Big XII, likely causing the schools receiving Pac 10 invitations to remain in the Big XII as well. But if the Irish take their time in considering the Big 10's offer and then finally become the Big Ten's 12th team later down the road, the Pac 10 may have a chance to act first destroying the Big XII and leaving Nebraska and Missouri out in the cold because of the Big 10's 12-team-agreement with Notre Dame.
What does this mean for UC? Yet again, Bearcat Nation finds itself waiting and watching as its Catholic brethren from South Bend take their time deciding if they (and their sparkling-new head football coach) will join a conference. If Notre Dame joins the Big 10 quickly, all major conferences may remain untouched and UC's home in the 16-team Big East would be secure. If they wait (as we all know they have the ability to do), UC may end up in the ACC as we guessed may happen.
http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-30967-Cincinnati-Bearcats-Examiner~y2010m6d9-Cincinnatis-athletic-fate-may-be-in-the-hands-of-Notre-Dame
