Requiem for the Big East

[phoostal]

Great 30 for 30 last night on ESPN with the Requiem for the Big East. Growing up in the early 80's this is how I was brought up on basketball. I still think this was the best conference in college basketball. Huge Georgetown fan and I loved the rivalry angle with Syracuse (plenty of discussions with Dolfan on this one) also love the sweater game with the Johnnies and the painful Villanova loss. It's too bad greed and football destroyed this great basketball conference. There was a sign in the stands during the documentary from last year's Big East Tourny that read "You can take my conference but you can't take my memories!" Amen it was bittersweet. I'm going to miss the high intensity games the Big East always had with one another.

[Guest]

Strange, I was almost sure that the ACC won more Championships (10) than the Big East (7) since 1979. And I could have sworn that the majority of those years the Big East had more members than the ACC (1979 ACC had one more, 80 to 82 tied, 82 and on the Big East had many many more).

I always hated discussion comparing the ACC and Big East, because it wasn't a comparison. Especially around 1995 when the Big East expanded to 13 members and the ACC had 9, some dickbag from ESPN would claim that since the Big East had more teams in the dance they were the best conference. Uh, no. They weren't. They had 40% more teams. They should have had more teams.

[phoostal]

Strange, I was almost sure that the ACC won more Championships (10) than the Big East (7) since 1979. And I could have sworn that the majority of those years the Big East had more members than the ACC (1979 ACC had one more, 80 to 82 tied, 82 and on the Big East had many many more).

I always hated discussion comparing the ACC and Big East, because it wasn't a comparison. Especially around 1995 when the Big East expanded to 13 members and the ACC had 9, some dickbag from ESPN would claim that since the Big East had more teams in the dance they were the best conference. Uh, no. They weren't. They had 40% more teams. They should have had more teams.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, I liked the Big East the best. I always felt the ACC was top heavy and didn't have to go through the rigors of a Big East schedule. I'm not here to argue the ACC. I loved the Big East and still do, the way they played basketball is what I appreciated. Some don't like the physical style and like the ACC and that is fine we can discuss that when they do a 30 for 30 on the ACC. It's good they have strong football programs or they could be going the route of the Big East.

[Guest]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, I liked the Big East the best. I always felt the ACC was top heavy and didn't have to go through the rigors of a Big East schedule. I'm not here to argue the ACC. I loved the Big East and still do, the way they played basketball is what I appreciated. Some don't like the physical style and like the ACC and that is fine we can discuss that when they do a 30 for 30 on the ACC. It's good they have strong football programs or they could be going the route of the Big East.

I'm not so sure they are comparable. The ACC has more history than the Big East, from a conference standpoint and for each team. About the only ACC team in the 80s that wasn't consistently good was Clemson, but even then they had a few monster teams with Tree and Horace, so I am not sure where the top-heavy comment comes from. The Big East definitely had some stinkers with Providence and Seton Hall and Boston College early on.

UNC and NC State (Survive and Advance, pretty sure that is the most well known 30 for 30 with basketball) won championships in the 80s which was the only decade the Big East tied the ACC. UNC and Duke in the 90s, Duke and UNC and Maryland in the 00s. So each decade the ACC had more championships. Again, all with less teams than the Big East had. Add in championship games and Final Fours and the ACC really starts to pull away.

I know I'm being an ACC homer and taking away what the Big East did, but that is what I do.

[phoostal]

We get it you love the ACC, I love the Big East. Maybe the ACC is better but I don't care the title of the thread was Requiem of the Big East not the Requiem of the ACC. I wanted to discuss the doc from last night not the history of the ACC. I appreciate the ACC but I would much rather watch Big East basketball.

[Guest]

@phoostal I was able to get you to admit the ACC might be better, my job is done.I still don't get the Big East hype, never will. But it wasn't bad (very good actually) and it's hey day was probably before my time. I'm still bitter over those 18 team Big East leagues, of course they will have more teams in the tournament! And their top 8 were probably better than the ACC, but let's use some math here, ESPN.

[phoostal]

I hear you and I really don't feel like doing the leg work on the research, but besides national titles would like to see overall records, head to head records in the tourny, final top 25 rankings, how many teams in the tournament in relation to teams in each conference, strength of each conference for each year, most final fours, etc. This starting from 79 to last year that would be good a gauge on which conference is better. The only reason the big east kept adding teams towards the end was to keep the football schools happy and to get more money coming into the conference.

[capstone21]

Watching highlights of players like Ewing, mullin and other great stars of the 80s ... I realized that college basketball will never be as good as it was back then. If Ewing or mullin played to today it would be for one year. Players stayed in school back then and the programs developed chemistry and the players developed. Ewing was a senior when he went to the nba. I don't fault kids following the money now but it hurts them and it hurts the game. Look at Kentucky with their dream recruit class...they don't have chemistry and so they are not very good. Those guys are going to leave again and it will be starting all over again. If they stayed for a few years they would be dangerous. It's too bad that they all leave now. The college game hasn't been the same

[Admin]

For me the Big East was always Syracuse and Georgetown and a bunch of other teams. I haven't seen that special yet but am looking forward to watching it.

[phoostal]

I would love to hear what you think once you do, they do mostly talk about G'town and Syracuse

[Admin]

I would love to hear what you think once you do, they do mostly talk about G'town and Syracuse

Who else is there to talk about?? :)

[Admin]

Well @phoostal I finally got around to watching this and man it almost brought a tear to my eye. Hard to let go of what Big East basketball used to be about and those amazing rivalries that we grew up with. Back in the day when they played with swagger and would knock your ass to the ground instead of allowing an easy layup.

I hated John Thompson and G'Town growing up but certainly have a great respect for him (not the school!!!) now as he was one of a kind. I think I was really too young to appreciate just how good Ewing and The Pearl were back in college and I'd completely forgotten about Chris Mullen.

I love college football but it's a shame that it had to ruin something special like this.

[Admin]

@phoostal I was able to get you to admit the ACC might be better, my job is done.I still don't get the Big East hype, never will. But it wasn't bad (very good actually) and it's hey day was probably before my time. I'm still bitter over those 18 team Big East leagues, of course they will have more teams in the tournament! And their top 8 were probably better than the ACC, but let's use some math here, ESPN.

Before the Big East were that huge they were a small group of schools who got together, formed their own conference and within a few years were the best conference in the land. What they did was truly unbelievable now that I know the facts of it all.

[ATLien_]

 

Before the Big East were that huge they were a small group of schools who got together, formed their own conference and within a few years were the best conference in the land.  What they did was truly unbelievable now that I know the facts of it all.  

Ironically the guy that just dominated your conference is on your bust list :) Trex arms and all.

[Admin]

Ironically the guy that just dominated your conference is on your bust list Trex arms and all.

 

That's cause Syracuse is no longer in the Big East. :)

 

Seriously though if we take him I will pray for the best but I'm praying we don't take him!  I'd rather have Saric at this point!

[ATLien_]

Jordan will take him you have nothing to worry about.

[Admin]

Jordan will take him you have nothing to worry about.

 

No way Jordan blows ANOTHER draft pick, especially not on ANOTHER great white hype after Adam Morrison. But I wouldn't put it past him to blow the draft for them again. 

[DrReality]

Football has to change with the major conferences gaining all the power, attention and money.  Will be interesting to see where this goes cuz it doesn't look like the big conferences will need the NCAA. 

[NJHAWK]

Oh man do I miss the old Big East. Always a battle everynite, the Big East tourney !!!  My God just the 6 foul factor let you know you were playing with the big boys, the tough guys. Im a die hard Xavier fan and I realize they had ziltch to do with the old conferance but I wish it didnt break up just add a team or 2.  Nice job winning the crosstown over Cincy tonite GO X

Edited February 19, 2015 by NJHAWK