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Super Bowl to be played at home of Giants and Jets in 2014

February. Grey skies. Snowflakes. Brrrrrrrr.

Well, grab your boots and plow the snow. The Super Bowl is coming to the Meadowlands.

In New Jersey? In the dead of winter?

“We’ll all pray that it doesn’t snow that day,” Arizona Cardinals president Michael Bidwill said.

NFL owners voted Tuesday to put the 2014 Super Bowl in the new US$1.6 billion Meadowlands Stadium that this season will become home to the New York Jets and Giants. It’s the first time the league has gone to a cold weather site that doesn’t have a dome; until now, those places couldn’t even bid on the big game.

So, why the risk?

“Let’s face it,” Giants co-owner John Mara said, “there’s only one New York City.”

“We promise the greatest game in the greatest venue in the greatest city,” added another co-owner, Steve Tisch. “Now we’ve got to deliver.”

Mother Nature may have a lot to say about that.

The coldest kickoff temperature in Super Bowl history was 4 C, and that would be considered a warm February day in East Rutherford, N.J. Average February temperatures there are –4 to 4 C, with several centimetres of rain, according to the bid documents.

Remember, the game kicks off after the sun goes down in the Eastern time zone, so temperatures would be dropping throughout the night.

“Everyone knows it’s risky,” said Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, whose bid was eliminated in the second round.

It might end up being another Ice Bowl, Fog Bowl, Freezer Bowl or something else worthy of a frigid nickname. That’s not what the bidders had in mind when they adopted the slogan, “Make Some History,” but for all the inconvenience to those in the stadium, it might look great on TV.

The extended version of Bart Starr’s game-winning sneak in the Ice Bowl in 1967 opens with Cowboys defenders scraping their cleats into the ice to try getting some traction. Teeth chatter just watching the replay of Tom Brady’s fumble that was ruled an incompletion in the snow-filled Tuck Rule game. In Brett Favre’s final game with the Packers, he ends a chilly playoff game by throwing an interception, then runs off with steam coming out of his mouth; it was against the Giants, too.

“People talk about the weather, but, you know, this is football, not beach volleyball,” New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg told the NFL Network.

The NFL has required an average temperature of 10 C or a dome for a team to even bid on hosting the Super Bowl, but the league bent the rule to let New York bid.

It’s billed as a one-time exception, but just a few years ago, the NHL experimented with an outdoor game on New Year’s Day, and it came off so perfectly that teams now fight to host what’s become the annual Winter Classic. Maybe this will work out that well, too.

“I think it will turn out to be a great event,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said.

The weather worries could even add to the hype. In addition to predicting which teams will make it, fans can guess how nasty it might be.

“We’ve played some (frigid, wet December) games there and I know first-hand that the fans had great experiences even though it was in inclement weather,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said.

Players are split on the decision.

In the Pittsburgh Steelers’ locker-room, quarterback Byron Leftwich said the weather doesn’t matter “because it’s the Super Bowl … and you’re not going to let 15 degrees change anything.” But linebacker James Farrior countered, “I play enough games in the cold.”

Giants and Jets players are thrilled.

“There’s something special about this city, man,” Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis said following a rally in Times Square.

“We should’ve done this years ago,” said Giants defensive end Justin Tuck, who also was part of that celebration.

The 10 C rule was created for the comfort and convenience of fans and players. Anyone who has ever planned an outdoor event can appreciate how much of a relief it is to not worry about the weather. Neutral conditions, like those in a dome, also are supposed to help the calibre of play. It also makes it more comfy for all the practices, parties and other events during the week leading up to the game.

It’s been at least 14 C for every Super Bowl since 1975, when it was 8 C. That’s why Florida and California have been such frequent hosts.

“In the back of everybody’s mind, people want to be in South Florida that time of year,” Ross said.

Tuesday’s vote had been widely considered a formality, but it didn’t play out that way. Even after Miami was eliminated, it took two more rounds of voting for New York to get the nod over Tampa.

“New York knows how to put on an event,” Ross said, putting aside his weather warnings. “It’s not like you lost to some small town that doesn’t know how to put on big events.”

Being just outside the Big Apple means lots of glitz and spectacle, Buildup will include everything from a float in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade to parties at internationally renowned destinations. There will be game-day shots of the Manhattan skyline in the distance, and thousands watching on the jumbo-screen TVs in Times Square.

The flip side is that security will become a bigger issue, perhaps among the most expensive pieces of the budget. An expected economic impact of US$550 million would help offset some of the cost.

Planners are already making the most of the weather. They’re plotting to give out hand warmers and heated seat cushions — and will be selling plenty more NFL-branded merchandise to help fight off the elements. They’ll also have hundreds of folks ready to shovel away snow, and anything else necessary to make the experience more than bearable.

The team owners were asked where they would sit — indoors or out?

“Probably both,” Jets owner Woody Johnson said.

Mara laughed and said, “I like that.”

Other cities have built big, expensive stadiums and would love to have the weather rule waived for them.

Odds are, the NFL will wait and see how this foray into the great outdoors in winter goes. Then the league might OK another bid — like for Washington, saying the nation’s capital deserves the nation’s most popular event — but it would take a year or two to figure out the logistics. And votes are taken four years out, so it might be until 2019 or 2020 before it happens again.

The upcoming Super Bowl, in February 2011, will be at Cowboys Stadium, followed by Indianapolis’ new stadium in 2012 and a 2013 return to the Superdome for the first time since Hurricane Katrina ripped off part of the roof.

The 2014 game will be held Feb. 2nd, 9th or 16th, depending on how that season’s schedule is set up.

That leads to one more question: Anybody have a 1,300-day forecast?

Matt Field
TenYards.com Sports Editor

It’s that time of year again. The beginnin of another LFL season is in preparation right now. Mini camps, tryouts, workouts, it’s all going on as the league looks forward to an encore perfomance that will blow last season away. Two new teams (Baltimore Charm and Orlando Fantasy) have joined the league and this year’s Lingerie Bowl will be played in America’s playground, Las Vegas! Today I get to chat with one of the league’s stars, Christie Burns of the San Diego Seduction. Enjoy the read and the pics

Matt Field – Thanks Christie for taking time out of your schedule to chat with us. How are things going? What keeps you busy?

Christie Burns – Things are going great. Right now I am working full-time and preparing for the upcoming season. We will be physically, mentally and emotionally ready. I am also training for the All-Fantasy game in Mexico. I am looking forward to showcasing my skills come June.

Matt- Congrats again on your spot with the All-Fantasy team. What did you learn from your first season with the Seduction?

Christie- There is no easy way to explain what we went through as a team and as individuals this past season. There were so many things that pulled us apart as a team, and more importantly there were even more things that pulled us together. We have learned how it feels to lose, repeatedly, to be told we’re the worst, continuously, and to let down our fans, and each other, over and over again. My teammates and I are ready now more than ever put up some extremely tough competition for our opponents. Our “0-3″ record does not define who we are as a team, but shows how eager and ravenous we are for a championship this upcoming season. Just because we haven’t endured triumph yet doesn’t mean we aren’t capable of it.

Matt- What are you looking forward to this coming season?

Christie- I am looking forward to walking away from a game with my team, win or lose, knowing that we put up our best fight possible. I’m definitely looking forward to establishing closer relationships with my teammates and allowing the strength and power of those relationships to become a force to be reckoned with on the field. I’m looking forward to our new coaching system and getting some fresh new talent on our team. Watch out for San Diego! We are hungry for a win!

Matt- What first sparked your interest in the LFL?

Christie- I have always loved football. Women haven’t been given much of an opportunity to play full tackle football because of the risk of injury and how physically demanding the sport is. So when I heard about the LFL, I jumped on it. I went to the tryout in 2008, along with about 200 other women. I made the top 12 and now, having been on the team for almost two years, I have so much appreciation for the league and the women in it. It’s not just about being beautiful, but you HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PLAY BALL. If you think you can just come out here and run around looking pretty, you’re in for a rude awakening. The women in this league have a lot to prove with the connotations that come along with the LFL.

Matt- Ok, let’s just get this one out of the way to avoid a flood of emails. Are on or off the market at this time?

Christie- I am happily off the market. Sorry boys

Matt- Is there anything you want to say to the fans that may have expected more from the Seduction last season?

Christie- All I can say is we know how it feels to lose, and lose, and then lose again. LAwas a heartbreak and a half for the remaining girls on my team. We’ve been to adark place together and we don’t plan on going back. 53-0 was ultimately themost gut wrenching way to end an already difficult season for us. It takes thatkind of low to know that you don’t ever want to experience that again. We willcome back swinging with full force to ensure our fans and each other success.We owe it to everyone and ourselves!

Matt Field
TenYards.com Sports Editor

By Jim Walsh

Down 7-0 at halftime, the St. Paul Pioneers were looking for someone – anyone – to lift them out of their doldrums and provide a spark in the home opener.

Meet Terry Jones, cornerback.

Jones snatched a Twin Ports Stampede pass early in the second half Saturday at St. Paul Humboldt High School and weaved through traffic for an exhilarating score that pumped new life into the Pioneers. St. Paul would use two more interceptions – one by linebacker Deventri Jordan and another by Jones – to set up its offense for two more scores in a 21-7 victory over the team from the Northland.

Saturday was not the first time that Jones, and others in the Pioneers’ ultra-talented defensive backfield, has taken games literally into their own hands. In Jones, Adrian Mitchell, Ukee Dozier, Montae Bailey, Darrell Young, Nate Beulah and Andre Spencer, the Pioneers boast a deep secondary with seven starters. Good thing, too, because the Stampede came into the game with a wide-open spread offense that had scored 34 points the week before in an overtime win over Rochester.

Not this time.

While Twin Ports was first to hit the scoreboard, the Pioneers defense held the team from Superior, Wis., to just 52 yards passing and 33 yards rushing. Not quite as impressive as last week’s 61-0 blanking of the Minnesota Phoenix, but not far behind.

“At halftime, we asked our players which one of them was going to step up and make the play,” said Kahn Powell, the Pioneers defensive backs coach and guru to a unit that has played lights out for two seasons. “Every game, we know that somebody is going to do it.”

The secondary was helped by a defensive line and linebacking corps that pressured and harassed Stampede quarterback David White into tossing those three picks. Pioneers Val Ndikum, Guillaume Paek and Patrick Mitambo recorded sacks, with the entire defensive line, including Kym Trueblood, Jeff McGaster, Cliff Gordy and Michael Bellamy, proving stout all day. The Pioneers notched 10 tackles for loss – with Paek racking up three — and also recovered two fumbles.

Linebackers Jordan, Brian Warden, Brian Doyle and Josh Hollie helped take away the short passing game, with Jordan’s snare of a White pass adding to St. Paul’s second half momentum.

The Pioneers offense played well at times but struggled with execution in the passing game, as quarterback Alex Neist admitted he was rusty. Still, the Pioneers outgained the Stampede 228 yards to 85. Neist finished 10 of 23 passing for 132 yards and two interceptions. St. Paul had two touchdowns called back due to penalties – one on a punt return by Joseph Mapson and the other a touchdown catch by Damien Rochon-Washington.

Leading rusher for the Pioneers was Brian Holmes, who gained 55 punishing yards on 15 carries and scored twice. In all, the Pioneers pounded out 96 yards on 26 carries. Mapson was the leading receiver, with 58 yards on four catches.

“It was a rough start,” Pioneers Head Coach Mark Heiser said after the game. “We have had a tendency to start slow. But, so far, our guys have shown a real ability to ramp up their intensity when they have had to.”

Notes:

The Pioneers are now 3-0 in 2010, 2-0 in the Northern Elite Football League. In two league games, the Pioneers defense has surrendered 7 points and less than 100 yards per game. In two games, the Pioneers offense has gained 638 yards, or 319 yards per game.

Safety Darrell Young was the Pioneers leading tackler Saturday, with a total of seven stops. Next up, with six tackles and a sack each, were Paek and Ndikum.

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – When Southern Miss head coach Scott Berry called a team meeting this morning at the Rogers, Thames and Welch Baseball Center only a handful of people knew what the first year coach had planned. He had arranged for former Southern Miss standout Brett Favre to speak to his team as they prepared for the stretch run of the 2010 season.

But even Berry did not know that the legendary QB would make a bet with the team. Favre made a deal with the Southern Miss baseball program. “If you guys go back to the College World series this year, I will come back and play. How about that?”

“You go back, I go back” the future NFL Hall of Famer said.

“This morning was very special. For Brett to take time out of his day and come speak to our guys about his own experience in athletics is pretty amazing,” Berry said. “Anytime someone who has as much success in athletics as he has had speaks to you about what they have learned through their years of experience it’s special.”

Favre shared a few memories from last season when the Golden Eagles made their magical run to the College World Series with the team this morning as well.

”I was a kid again when ya’ll played Texas in the College World Series,” Favre told the Golden Eagles. ”The team physician with the Vikings was at my house when I was deciding on (shoulder) surgery. He walked in with my agent, Bus (Cook), and he spoke to me. I put my arm out and said you have to wait because Southern Miss is playing in the College World Series.”

The No. 29 Golden Eagles (30-20) were one of the hottest teams in the nation just a week ago riding a 12 game wining streak including three consecutive C-USA series sweeps over East Carolina, Tulane and Houston.

After dropping two-of three games at No. 21 Rice last weekend the Golden Eagles find themselves second place in the C-USA standings headed into the final week of the regular season.

“He (Favre) told us that he has had a lot of ups and downs in his career and it similar to what we are going through right now,” All-American pitcher Todd McInnis said. “He gave us some encouraging words and told us to have fun and never get to high or to low.”

With a three game series at home vs. Memphis this weekend and a spot in the C-USA Tournament already secured, the Eagles know they have only have six games left to impress the NCAA selection committee if they hope to make their eighth consecutive NCAA Regional.

No. 4 also knows that Southern Miss has a lot to play for in the upcoming games.

”Yes, time is running out but you can get hot again and who knows. Promise me one thing, you will not leave Southern Miss and ask ”what if”? Don’t look back 10 years now and wondering what if.”

Southern Miss opens its three game set with Memphis tonight at Pete Taylor Park, first pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.

SouthernMiss.com

Sources: Daunte Culpepper is close to a deal with UFL team

Quarterback Daunte Culpepper is on the verge of going from the NFL’s Detroit Lions to the UFL’s Sacramento Mountain Lions.

Culpepper and the Mountain Lions are putting the finishing touches on a deal that will make him one of the league’s marquee names, according to sources familiar with the talks.

Culpepper will be one of the first big-name players to jump from the NFL to the UFL this offseason, according to sources.

Signing with Sacramento will reunite Culpepper with Dennis Green, the Mountain Lions’ coach and general manager. The two men worked together in Minnesota and enjoyed some of their greatest professional successes together.

Culpepper’s first full season as a starter in the NFL came under Green in 2000, when the quarterback threw for a league-leading 33 touchdowns and rushed for seven more.

Neither Culpepper nor Green returned telephone calls or texts seeking comment.

But the deal is so close to getting done that sources said UFL commissioner Michael Huyghue is in Sacramento on Tuesday for a trip related to the Culpepper deal.

In fact, Mountain Lions assistant coaches told players trying out for the team that Culpepper will be the starting quarterback for Sacramento this season.

Culpepper spent last season with the Detroit Lions but struggled to find work this offseason. He even showed up at the NFL owners’ meetings in Orlando to see if he could find a job.

Matt Field
TenYards.com Sports Editor

By Jim Walsh

Sixty-one points.

Four hundred and 10 yards of total offense.

Six offensive touchdowns.

Three defensive touchdowns.

Zero points allowed.

Any way you do the math, the St. Paul Pioneers 61-0 victory over the Minnesota Phoenix on Saturday equates to a thorough butt-kicking.

St. Paul dominated every statistical category in its league-opener Saturday – on offense, defense and special teams. Nine different players scored touchdowns – with running back Will Winters sprinting 97 yards for one score and racking up 141 of the Pioneers 255 yards rushing.

But, would you believe that the game started out looking iffy for St. Paul? After the Pioneers defense forced a three-and-out on the Phoenix opening drive, the Pioneers muffed the punt return, giving Minnesota the ball deep in Pioneers territory.

It didn’t look good, and Pioneers Head Coach Mark Heiser was livid.

“We came out here thinking we can just show up and win,” he barked at his players. “Get yourselves into the ballgame!”

St. Paul’s defense kept the Phoenix from reaching the end zone. And, after the Phoenix missed the field goal try, they never got close to scoring again.

Patrick Mitambo, playing at defensive end, was the first to hit pay dirt. He scooped up a fumble forced by linebacker Brian Doyle’s sack of the Phoenix quarterback deep in their own territory. It was Mitambo’s first touchdown – ever. And the giddy linebacker-defensive end from Cameroon used it as a springboard to a fantastic game, notching five total tackles and a sack to go with his score.

The quarter ended just 7-0 Pioneers. The flood gates opened soon afterwards.

St. Paul scored by air, on the ground and by defense. Fullbacks Jon Robinson and Joe Sellwood scored on short plunges. Demario Walton had a 22-yard touchdown scamper. In all, the Pioneers gained 255 yards on the ground, with four rushing touchdowns.

Backup quarterback Bryan Trulen, pressed into the starting job by the baptism of Alex Neist’s baby boy, completed six of 10 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown. Wideout Joseph Mapson, filling in at quarterback in the Wildcat formation threw a 32-yard scoring toss to Reggie Houston.

Leading receivers were Mapson, with three catches for 63 yards and a touchdown reception; Rasheem Sharpe with a single grab for 44 yards; Houston with a touchdown and 32 yards receiving; Jason Bailey with one catch for 12 yards and Damien Rochon-Washington with a catch for four yards.

For the second game in a row, the Pioneers defense was dominant, with Mitambo, safety Nate Beulah and safety Darrell Young scoring touchdowns. Beulah scored his on a fumble return, although he also had a weaving interception return for a score called back. Young scored his pick six on the game’s final play.

The Pioneers defense completely smothered the Phoenix all day, giving up just 57 yards rushing on 26 carries (a 2.2 yard average) and allowing the Phoenix to finish just three of 11 passing for 18 yards. In all, St. Paul gave up just 75 yards of total offense. Phoenix running back and former Pioneer Tommy Green got most of the rushing total with a couple good runs, but the Phoenix didn’t have much else.

The Pioneers recovered five fumbles for two touchdowns and intercepted Phoenix passes. Four Pioneers earned sacks – Mitambo, Doyle and defensive tackles Guillaume Paek and Cliff Gordy.

Leading tacklers were Doyle, with seven total stops, and middle linebacker Josh Hollie, with seven total tackles. Linebacker Deventri Jordan, Paek and Mitambo all were next with five tackles each.

After the game, Heiser told his players that, with the exception of the first three minutes, he was happy with their effort. Just doing the math, it is hard to argue.

Note: Next up for the Pioneers is the home-opener against the Twin Ports Stampede at 4 p.m. Saturday, May 22, at St. Paul Humboldt High School. Go to www.pioneersfootball.org for more information.

Now that Jamarcus Russell has officially been released by the Raiders, is he the biggest bust in NFL Draft history? Sure, the Raiders paid him over $5 million per win, but I think this goes deeper than numbers. Was Russell ever really considered the “savior” of the Raiders? I don’t believe so. Nor should he have been. Jamarcus Russell is what he is (cue the Denny Green rant) and nothing more. He’s a huge man (6′6″, 270 lbs) with a rocket arm. That’s what made him the #1 overall pick. Al Davis loves throwing the deep ball. Always has, always will. He doesn’t have the mechanics or the accuracy necessary to be a star in this league. Could someone pick him up and make him at least a serviceable quarterback? Absolutely. He has some good tools.

To answer the original question, I don’t believe that Russell is the biggest draft bust in NFL history. There are a few names that come to mind for me before Russell, most notably Ryan Leaf and Tony Mandarich. Maybe some of you don’t remember this, but it was between Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf for the #1 overall pick back in 1998, and it was a much tougher choice than you may think. Leaf had all of the physical tools you could want in a quarterback, and a lot of football minds thought that San Diego had the better deal, since they chose #2 overall and could take whomever Indianapolis passed on. Obviously, it was hard to know that Leaf would end up being a total nut job and out of the league in 3 years, but still, he was THE savior of the San Diego Chargers back then. As for Mandarich, he was on the cover of Sports Illustrated before the draft, and was labeld a “can’t miss star” by almost every football scout out there. The man was a physical freak. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the footwork or agility necessary to be an NFL tackle. The only reason I rank him lower on the bust scale than Ryan Leaf is because, later in his career, Mandarich actually became a sold offensive guard for the Indianapolis Colts.

My top 5 NFL Draft busts of all time?

1. Ryan Leaf
2. Tony Mandarich
3. Jamarcus Russell
4. Brian Bosworth
5. Charles Rogers

Let’s hear what you guys think. Leave some comments and we can banter back and forth.

Rob Neumann
TenYards.com Correspondent

Giants, Jets sign off on bid to host 2014 Super Bowl

Blankets, seat-warmers and earmuffs could compete with hats and T-shirts as must-have Super Bowl souvenirs if the owners of the New York area’s two NFL teams woo football’s ultimate game to the region in 2014.

“We’ll be lucky if it snows,” Jets owner Woody Johnson quipped Wednesday at a news conference marking the official signing of the bid package that will be delivered to the league’s other 30 owners.

The theme of the new Meadowlands Stadium’s bid is “Make Some History,” and if the stadium is awarded the game, it will be the first Super Bowl to be played outdoors in a cold-weather locale. Miami and Tampa, which have hosted 14 Super Bowls between them, also are submitting bids. The owners will pick the Super Bowl site at the NFL meetings in Dallas on May 25.

Johnson, stadium chief executive Mark Lamping and New York Giants co-owners Steve Tisch and John Mara extolled the advantages of playing the game in the New York area, but they also acknowledged they will have to get other owners to revise their vision of the Super Bowl as a game that can only be played in bikini weather or in a climate-controlled dome.

“Sports fans aren’t easily intimidated by weather,” Lamping said on an unseasonably cool, drizzly day at the new stadium. “The game of football was never intended to be played in perfect conditions.”

That view was echoed by several players from both teams who attended the news conference, including Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez and Giants quarterback Eli Manning.

Manning spoke fondly of beating the Packers in the NFC championship game two years ago in bone-chilling weather at Lambeau Field.

“Some of my friends still talk about that game more than the Super Bowl,” he said. “It’s one of my all-time favorite games, being in Green Bay, in negative-20-degree weather. If the NFC championship game can be played anywhere, why can’t the Super Bowl be played in a cold-weather atmosphere?”

In December, the league gave the Giants and Jets the right to bid on the Super Bowl despite the traditional requirement that the host region have either a minimum temperature of 50 degrees or a stadium with a roof.

The new, US$1.6-billion Meadowlands stadium, which both teams will call home beginning this fall, does not have a retractable roof, but Lamping pointed out that it does have “two of everything” including medical facilities and state-of-the art locker rooms, as well as more than 10,000 club seats and four huge HD video screens in the stadium’s four corners. The Giants’ training facility is on site, and the Jets’ in nearby Florham Park.

Lamping said the bid envisions holding the traditional Saturday night Super Bowl party at Liberty State Park in Jersey City against a backdrop of the Statue of Liberty and the New York skyline. He mentioned New York’s Jacob A. Javits Center and Ellis Island as possible sites for other pre-game events.

He also said the stadium would offer fans amenities like hand-warmers, blankets and self-warming seat cushions, as well as fire pits in the parking lot for tailgaters.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in February that holding the Super Bowl at the Meadowlands “could have tremendous benefits.”

Mara was cautiously optimistic Wednesday, saying that while he has gotten a thumbs-down from some owners already, he has received support from others.

“We’ve already got two votes,” he said, referring to himself and Johnson. “We only need 15 more.”

Matt Field
TenYards.com Sports Editor

Big Ten Expansion – Good or bad?

The Big Ten Conference has been talking about expanding for a few years now, with most of the speculation centering on Notre Dame. The Big Ten has been sitting at 11 teams since Penn State was admitted back in the mid-90’s, and conventional wisdom has the Big Ten adding a 12th team to even things out.

Not so fast, however, as it seems the Big Ten might aiming for bigger and better things. Recent speculation has the conference going to 14, or possibly even 16 teams, which would make one of the largest conferences in the NCAA.

But what’s the reason behind adding more teams? It’s simple. Money. The Big Ten Network has been wildly successful and profitable, and more teams means more games, which means more people watching, which, of course, means more revenue.

But which teams should be added? Rumor has it the teams being considered are Nebraska, Missouri, Rutgers, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, and Notre Dame. Why would Nebraska and Missouri, longtime members of the Big 12, leave? My guess would be competition. Football is kind at those schools, and with Texas and Oklahoma usually ruling the Big 12 football world, they could come into the Big Ten and be immediate contenders. So I can see the logic there. Same with Pittsburgh and Rutgers. They’re in the loaded Big East conference, where basketball rules. Pitt has had success in basketball in recent years, but Rutgers is always at the bottom of the conference. Both teams have had moderate success in football as well, but I think this move would be all about basketball.

The two that don’t make any sense are Syracuse and Notre Dame. Both teams are in the Big East. Syracuse is almost always near the top of the conference in basketball, but in recent years they have been terrible in football. Notre Dame, of course, is a legendary name in college football. I just can’t see them giving up their independent football schedule, or their TV contract with NBC. That move to me just doesn’t make sense from a monetary standpoint. Competitively, it might make sense for Notre Dame to move into the Big Ten. They already play Michigan, Michigan State, and Purdue every year. They talk about being an elite program, but play teams like Navy and Boston College every year, and those schools aren’t exactly football factories. I think it would help their recruiting to get into a conference, but I just don’t see it happening.

My best guess? I think only Missouri ends up in the Big Ten, and the conference goes to 12 teams. Geographically, it makes sense. Competitively, for Missouri, it makes sense. I just can’t see Nebraska leaving the Big 12, and I really don’t think that Pittsburgh and Rutgers are good options. Pitt could make for an interesting Pitt-Penn State rivalry, but what sense does Rutgers make?

Should the Big Ten expand? Yes. The conference should have an even number of teams. Get it to 12, and it makes sense for both football and basketball. But to do any more than that, I believe, is just overkill. It will be interesting to see what happens here though, and I believe we’re at least a year or two away from anything concrete being put into place.

Rob Neumann
TenYards.com Correspondent