The Big 14

Before I get to my point on why adding Maryland and Rutgers is a bad idea for the Big Ten, let me first demonstrate how out of touch media personnel are with the subjects they are covering.

Today I had the radio tuned to the David Glenn Show while driving in my car to work. Glenn is a regional radio host whose show airs in Charlotte, Raleigh and areas in between; his main area of focus is ACC football and basketball.  A beat writer for the University of Maryland was featured as the hot topic of the day was the Maryland leaving the ACC for the Big 10. Kevin Anderson, the Athletic Director at Maryland, was on record last spring as saying that the ACC was what was best for the University of Maryland and its athletic programs. Despite being one of two schools voting against raising the exit fee for programs wanting to leave the ACC from $20 million to $50 million, Maryland as a charter member of the ACC was committed to continuing its long relationship with the conference.

                After announcing that Maryland would be jumping to the Big 10 today the beat writer felt betrayed by Anderson and Maryland over the past year. Obviously Maryland had known it was not 100% committed to the ACC long term, they must have had internal conversations leading up to the vote last spring, why hadn’t they shared their possible departure; they were outright liars.

                 How could the beat writer expect outright honesty? How does he not understand the roles the parties are playing here? Alex Rodriguez did not use performance-enhancing drugs and he is willing to testify to all of America on 60 Minutes that his entire career has been clean….until the day we find out it’s not. The coach on the hot seat is our coach, the overpaid player is not being traded and the franchise has roots In the city and is not going anywhere until the day the coach gets fired, the player got shipped out of town for prospects and the proposed stadium deal the public had voted down WAS the straw that broke the owner’s back. Candor is not part a part of this relationship. Interactions between reporters and their subjects are not fair exchanges built on trust. If we know one thing about sports figures and politicians they will lie up until the very point there is undisputed evidence to contradict what they are saying. Or the cost of lying monetarily outweighs the benefit of the lie. Most recent example, Lance Armstrong.

Now to the Turtle and Knight.  I think that the addition of Maryland and subsequently Rutgers (because if we’re not going to have ten teams we need to have an even number), is a bad idea for the Big Ten. Neither school is bringing a strong football resume. We already have an Indiana for football, we don’t need two more. As for hoops Maryland had some formative years under Gary Williams, but since they’ve been a middling ACC program and they’ll be a middling Big Ten school. Rutgers best showing in basketball is as an NIT runner up in 2003-2004; again, we already have a Minnesota, we don’t need two more.

                Maryland may benefit from the $24 million television package that goes along with being a Big Ten member. They may benefit as the $50 million exit fee required by the ACC looks to be iron clad. The Big Ten will benefit from the exposure it gets from the DC and New Jersey/New York markets. What about the product though. Even though it was a venture out of the Great Lakes region, Penn State brought a rich tradition of winning and a culture of toughness when it joined the Big Ten in 1993. Nebraska allowed the conference to align two sub-divisions and host a conference championship game. Adding Nebraska was a decision based on the quality of the athletics department and the commitment of the fan base. If nothing else, Maryland and Rutgers do not FEEL Big Ten, they don’t smell like Big Ten, walk like Big Ten or play like Big Ten. They are East Coast, Jersey Shore, DC suit, NY city wanna be’s. I like my corn with a side of milk and I like my Big Ten with a little more beef.