I’ve been looking around with all the conference switching mess that’s going on in the NCAA, and I’m wondering how long before we will get an invite from another conference. I think OU is perfect for the Big East. They have already considered Temple, and with the teams they are inviting, there is no reason for us to not get at least a consideration. People can say OUr football stadium isn’t big enough..Huston and SMU have invites and they are under 33,000. We could easily add another 5,000-8,000 seats if needed. Cincinnati gets it done with 35,000. The Convo is without a question big enough..it would be the 3^rd biggest big east basketball arena next year throwing out Syracuse when they leave. And Recruiting will do nothing but get better, especially with the steps the programs are making now, so we would become more competitive. OUr enrollment is towards the upper 75% of the Big East if we were plugged into the conference right now, if u was wondering that. And there is no way we could lose money from leaving the MAC and going to the Big East.

OUr programs are growing; I don’t think anyone can deny that. The basketball program has made steps, football is getting consistent and having great seasons, and the volleyball program is great even outside of the MAC.

Football: Winning MAC championships 3 of the 6 years, and improving the program every year, and really establishing a “base” the last 6 or so years. Frank has improved the program tremendously with what he has done, and seems like we have been going bowling a lot lately..that first bowl win will come soon, especially with Tettleton, this kid is for real, if he was taller he might be in line to be taking snaps at a top 25 school. We did just have Taylor Price get drafted (2nd round i believe) before anyone from the school in Columbus, and i see Brazill getting looked at pretty hard by NFL scouts.

Basketball: Coach Groce hasn’t had us way over .500 in his short stint here, but I sure hope he stays around. From his recruits and his coaching style, I can’t argue any of it. He has a great staff, and hopefully he can keep them all around. Since he took the helm here the program is making big strides. Records are not always everything, he proved that when he took us to the NCAA tournament 2 years ago. We are a good big man from being a great team (top 25 vote worthy) this year and next with this guard play, because Baltic makes a great 4 man. DJ and Offutt are 2 of the best in the conference, and Kellogg is certainly up there.. I know you could say we couldn’t compete, but take last season, DePaul was 1-17 in the conference, 7 wins overall? And Seton Hall, Providence, South Florida and Rutgers all finished under .500. I know we can do better than that, I mean, “What’s a Hoya?”

Thats for sure. You have brought a different aspect to the table, what it would do for the area. What students or fans of other schools, in a bigger conference like the big east does not want to travel here to have a night at the number one party school in the nation? Athens would grow on this move

What kind of dope is being smoked on this board?

It ain't happening people. They don't want us and we can't afford them.

Money.Media market. No.

Agreed.  Instead of looking for a better conference we need to look at ways to make the conference better. I think a lot of good work has been done in that area just by some of the recent hires in the MAC West.

This is just my opinion but I believe OHIO should and and has the resources to get a lot more serious about men's basketball. Ohio should be playing schools like Temple, Butler, VCU home and away every season. Louisville AND Kentucky on the road yearly. I don't mind playing 3-4 tune up games against the MEAC or Southland Conference but I think the fans of the Convo deserve more. The best aspect about the Hunter regime was scheduling. Ohio played schedules back in those days that were the envy of the league in those days. The goal here should be to build a program that is worthy of an at-large bid to the NCAAs and with a significant amount of TV time. Win the MAC East something Ohio has never done in Men's basketball.

Exactly....conferences care a lot more about media markets than facilities or attendance. The size of your media market directly determines what kind of TV deal the conference can receive. We do not bring ANYTHING in terms of this, and thus are not (and will not) be on the radar. Any notions of hopping to the BCS should be put to bed quickly - let's just enjoy the MAC for now.

+2!!

How many times do we have to go through this? Please, just stop.

• Oklahoma State = BCS and one of three FBS schools in its state with a state-wide following
• Mississippi State = BCS and one of three FBS schools in its state with a state-wide following
• Virginia Tech= BCS and one of two FBS schools in its state with a devoted state-wide following
• West Virginia = Flagship state university, BCS and one of two FBS schools in its state
• Ole Miss = BCS and one of three FBS schools in its state with a state-wide following
• Iowa State = BSC and one of two FBS schools in its state with a state-wide following
• Penn State = Flagship state university, BCS, and strong regional following
• Auburn = BCS, and one of four FBS schools in its state with a strong regional following
• Alabama = BCS, and one of four FBS schools in its state with a strong regional following

Ohio = One of eight FBS schools in the state, no regional following, no state-wide following, not BCS, in a state dominated exclusively by poisonous nuts (to the point where hundreds of Ohio students wore Bucknut gear with OU gear to both O$U games -- I witnessed this in person). Ohio is so dominated by O$U that most Ohioans literally don't even realize that UC is a BCS school. But yeah, we can be the Auburn of Ohio if we just hope hard enough.

Wanting what's best for Ohio is great. Being delusional is not helpful.

Yea, nice post R.J., but this is a basketball thread and I was talking about local media markets.  Both Mississippi and West Virginia are two of the least populated states in the nation.  Stillwater, Oklahoma sits in the middle of nowhere as well as Oxford, Starksville, Blacksburg, Morgantown, State College, Ames and the other locations I mentioned.  As for VT, go back 25-30 years and you will find their football stadium small by any comparison.  Old Mountaineer field in Morgantown was lucky to seat 33K on a good day and until recently they still had a hard time filling the new stadium.  Ole Miss played the No. 1 team in the nation last Saturday night and by the end of the 1st quarter people were already leaving.  By the start of the second half there were less people in the stands then what we had for Miami in Peden for Tuesday night, and most of those were either players' parents/family, some students and a lot of L.S.U. faithful.  But yea, nice post R.J., way to think small.  If we really want to put ourselves out of our misery, why not join the O.A.C.?  Perhaps we are already headed in that direction with the scheduling of a regular season game with Marietta?

The key is changing the attitude of alumni. That attitude changes when the school starts to play on a bigger stage then just contending for division titles. OHIO needs to step the schedule up and treat the alumni to some real non-conference competition. Joining a "BCS" conference isn't necessary as much as winning on a bigger stage. That will give the school a statewide following. Playing high profile games in Cleveland in football and basketball and winning will get the state behind the OHIO brand. Every school that has made itself into a significant brand out of nowhere whether that is Boise State, Virginia Tech or Gonzaga has done it by winning big in the non-conference AND big in the postseason.

Pitino has always given the Cats love. Said the same things when we played UK tough years ago.

You all are going to need to sell a lot more tickets to your stadium expand it and it can't have anything to do with those closed off bleacher sections before you're in the Big East.

Not trying to put you all down, but it felt like I was in a high school football visiting section there... and if we sold that whole area out and then some, imagine Louisville what Cincinnati would do.