Big East isn't the same

[cpawstoney]

Looks like the sports writers are taking their shots against the Big East (basketball teams) as the league morphs.
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebask...ing-departures

[RedRocker]

Opinions are like a holes. Everybody has one.

Why don't these clowns write about the new Big East having 4 teams in the Top 25 while the ACC and B1G combined only have 3 in the AP or Coaches polls? No objectivity there.

While the Cats were down after Huggins exit, I find it amusing that the writer puts us in the same class as Rutgers, St. Johns, USF and DePaul. Last I checked, UC went to the Sweet 16 last year.

Sure, losing WVU, SU, Pitt and ND hurts, but adding Temple and Memphis along with a past champion in Houston helps offset that. Pitt has been a classic underachiever in both BB and FB the past few years.

[Pruke]

Opinions are like a holes. Everybody has one.

Why don't these clowns write about the new Big East having 4 teams in the Top 25 while the ACC and B1G combined only have 3 in the AP or Coaches polls? No objectivity there.

While the Cats were down after Huggins exit, I find it amusing that the writer puts us in the same class as Rutgers, St. Johns, USF and DePaul. Last I checked, UC went to the Sweet 16 last year.

Sure, losing WVU, SU, Pitt and ND hurts, but adding Temple and Memphis along with a past champion in Houston helps offset that. Pitt has been a classic underachiever in both BB and FB the past few years.

Agreed. Who cares. Just win, baby!

[catscratchfever]

Jeff Goodman is a notorious UC hater...guy is family friends with Chris Mack and takes every chance he can to blast UC and pump up X. He is the same guy who had X as a dark horse final four team last year haha.
Not to mention the fact that he is one ugly looking mofo

[coach]

Goodman really shows nothing more than a lack of knowledge and his usual bias. Arguably, memphis is pulling in as big if not bigger talent than syracuse. The question is will it continue. The other question is how long and what ramifications will Boheim stay at syracuse. I've talked to some Pitt fans who fear their bball program may fall the way of boston college and suffer. Only time will tell, but the revised configuration of the Big East is still a very strong league.

[Bearcat1996]

Boeheim won't be around much longer, so when he goes, syracuse takes a big step backward. ND is a non factor in basketball. Pitt is inconsistent, but have a good, young coach. Time will tell, but the BE is adding teams in large markets that will improve in regards to recruiting. It would be interesting to learn how the recruits view the changes to the BE. Do they think the BE is losing stature? To me, that is the most important feedback we need.

Oh yeah, wvu will have fun traveling west to play during the week. I see them taking a step back as well.

[jkwuc89]

Jeff Goodman is a notorious UC hater...guy is family friends with Chris Mack and takes every chance he can to blast UC and pump up X. He is the same guy who had X as a dark horse final four team last year haha.
Not to mention the fact that he is one ugly looking mofo

Assuming this is true, I suspect his tone would change completely if Eggs-avier were somehow to get into the Big East.

[Lobot]

Assuming this is true, I suspect his tone would change completely if Eggs-avier were somehow to get into the Big East.

Keith, Having followed Goodman on twitter for some time, I would bet Goodman would stay true to his drinking buddy Mack regardless of what league Mack is in. It isn't so much about X.

[CincyEngGrad02]

Gotta admit Goodman is right (no duh, huh?). While the BEast will still be a top 3-4 conference, it no longer will be #1 in basketball. That title will stay with the ACC in the near future.

[98bearcat]

Gotta admit Goodman is right (no duh, huh?). While the BEast will still be a top 3-4 conference, it no longer will be #1 in basketball. That title will stay with the ACC in the near future.

Couldn't disagree more. First off, our top 6 will compete with the top 6 of any schools in any conference.. Period, there isn't even an argument against that. I've never cared about the top to bottom analysis because all that matters is your top teams and BEast will still be at the top. Now will they be #1, well, we'll have to let performance on the court speak over the next couple years but 3 or 4!!! what are you smoking?? I understand some saying the ACC has taken #1 but who is number 2 over the BEast in your eyes??

[CincyEngGrad02]

From a previous post:

1. ACC (Duke, UNC, NC State, ND, Pitt, Cuse, FSU, Miami) - 3 to 4 Final Four caliber teams every year
2. Big 10 (OSU, Mich, Mich St, Wisky, IU, Purdue) - 2 to 3 FF caliber teams
3. Big12 (Kansas, WVU, K-State, Baylor, Texas) - 2 FF caliber teams
4. BEast (Nova, GTown, Louisville, UC, Memphis, Marquette, UConn) - 1 FF caliber team
5. SEC (UK, Tenn, Fla, Vandy, Missouri) - 1 FF caliber team

3 and 4 are tossups, could go either way.

[98bearcat]

Wow that information is incredibly inaccurate... What do you define as FF caliber teams?? Lets keep it simple, lets just look at how many different teams has each conference placed in the FF over the past 8 years. It doesn't matter beyond that because it's too long ago to be considered a factor. And don't tell me you have to take their history in consideration, because if you do then you make like 8+ teams in the big east FF caliber... your list is complete fantasy.. There are more new (Beast) teams that have been in the FF in the last 8 years than any other conference... the number is 5 different teams.. lets look at the Big12, ohh 1 team.. guess who Kansas, but they have WV now so it's 2 teams, but nobody else from the Big12 ever gets there. So if you look at the past 8 years and extend that into the future with the new teams:

BEast: 5 different teams in the FF in last 8 years (doesn't include any teams that left/leaving)
Big10: 3 different teams in the FF in the last 8 years
ACC: 2 different teams in the FF in last 8 years (this includes all new members)
B12: 2 different teams in the FF in the last 8 years
SEC: 2 different teams in the FF in the last 8 years
Pac10: 1 tea in the FF in the last 8 years.

I'd say the New BEasts record in putting teams in the FF far outshines all the other conferences. Can't argue those facts.

[catscratchfever]

Keith, Having followed Goodman on twitter for some time, I would bet Goodman would stay true to his drinking buddy Mack regardless of what league Mack is in. It isn't so much about X.

a few weeks back I noticed on twitter that Chris Mack's wife tweeted a message to Goodman asking him if he would be able to stop by for dinner when he was in the area on an upcoming visit...true story..dude is a family friend of the head gangsta
this is the same "journalist" who had X as a Final Four darkhorse last year, and just today, left Cash Wright off of his top 50 PG list while including incoming Xavier (OH) freshman Semaj Christen

[CincyEngGrad02]

Wow that information is incredibly inaccurate... What do you define as FF caliber teams?? Lets keep it simple, lets just look at how many different teams has each conference placed in the FF over the past 8 years. It doesn't matter beyond that because it's too long ago to be considered a factor.

Um I'm going to disagree that it doesn't matter beyond that.

Memphis went to the Final Four some years back with Cal. Pastner hasn't shown me he's going to get back there. Great recruiter and may get there one day, but nothing shows me they are a perennial FF contender each year.

Same goes with UConn. If Calhoun was there, I'd agree with you. But Ollie? Not so sure about that.

Marquette went with Crean and D-Wade. Again, not a perennial FF contender each year with Buzz.

I could split GTown and Nova with you and say that between those 2, you might have 1 with a good shot at the FF most years. So with that said, the BEast would have 2 "guaranteed" FF contenders each year.

[98bearcat]

I would lay claim that Memphis going forward will be better than any in the ACC except Duke, UNC, and Syracuse..... You can't fight back with expectations because NOBODY ever fulfills them in basketball, except Kentucky now and then. Like my first sentence here, you'll agree that I have nothing to back that up except expectations and that's what your doing. Give me actual game results, which I just did in my previous post above. You have your opinion, with no past facts to back it up. And I have my opinion, with proven recent records and achievements. It's as if your using pre-season rankings as the measuring stick for a teams greatness when those ranking are the biggest compiling of worthless opinions we see every year. I guess all we can do is look back in 4 years and see what the actual results were.