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Not Coach Speak

If this is true, and there actually was a vote, I'm honestly a little bit stunned that the league proceeded with unanimous opposition from its coaches.
 
Sheffielder said:
If this is true, and there actually was a vote, I'm honestly a little bit stunned that the league proceeded with unanimous opposition from its coaches.
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Think the 9 game conference schedule will hurt NU, especially when trying to gain bowl eligibility. I'm fine with dropping a FCS game but adding another conference game as opposed to let's say a MAC opponent could hurt. Does this mean NU can't schedule Tulane and thus nix that trip to New Orleans?
 
I think the 9-game schedule hurts the conference in general. It guarantees an extra seven losses that stay inside the conference and hurts us when we're seen as having a "down year" in the league, which I see more of in the next 20 or so years than what the media will consider "up" years. I also think conference games tend to yield more upsets, so in that respect, I'd like to think that benefits NU in many ways, but it still potentially handicaps B1G's playoff chances. Would much rather see guidelines that mandate no FCS opponents and that encourage each program to strategically schedule for their own goals (i.e. bowl eligibility vs. national championship; academic/recruiting rivalries for us).
 
Sheffielder said:
I think the 9-game schedule hurts the conference in general. It guarantees an extra seven losses that stay inside the conference and hurts us when we're seen as having a "down year" in the league, which I see more of in the next 20 or so years than what the media will consider "up" years. I also think conference games tend to yield more upsets, so in that respect, I'd like to think that benefits NU in many ways, but it still potentially handicaps B1G's playoff chances. Would much rather see guidelines that mandate no FCS opponents and that encourage each program to strategically schedule for their own goals (i.e. bowl eligibility vs. national championship; academic/recruiting rivalries for us).
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It might affect playoff chances on occasion, but it also has effects at the bottom. And I'd rather see another Big Ten game than a 6-6 team in some crap bowl nobody cares about. That's really the trade off at the bottom.
 
For NU specifically, I'd like to see us in regular rotations with academic rivals and those who put us in "destination" cities, since I think it helps build a good traveling fan base - BC in Boston, Stanford in Palo Alto, Duke in Raleigh-Durham, even start thowing in schools like Tulane in New Orleans, maybe the University of Miami, see if we could get Vanderbilt back since Nashville is fantastic - I'd prefer a pair of these games every year to one extra B1G game, both strategically for the conference and for how it benefits our program.
 
Sheffielder said:
For NU specifically, I'd like to see us in regular rotations with academic rivals and those who put us in "destination" cities, since I think it helps build a good traveling fan base - BC in Boston, Stanford in Palo Alto, Duke in Raleigh-Durham, even start thowing in schools like Tulane in New Orleans, maybe the University of Miami, see if we could get Vanderbilt back since Nashville is fantastic - I'd prefer a pair of these games every year to one extra B1G game, both strategically for the conference and for how it benefits our program.
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Nothing prevents NU from scheduling these teams, even with the extra conference game. The Big 10 requires one OOC game against a Power 5 school and all but Tulane would meet the requirement.

The bigger issue with the new schedule it that it will be more wear and tear on the players. Replacing a FCS school with a Big 10 just makes one more really physical game. Directionally this will create more injuries. The right answer is to go back to 11 games, but this will never happen given the loss of revenue.
 
Sheffielder said:
If this is true, and there actually was a vote, I'm honestly a little bit stunned that the league proceeded with unanimous opposition from its coaches.
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The decision may not be forever and do we know if the vote came before or after the initial decision was made?
 
Sheffielder said:
For NU specifically, I'd like to see us in regular rotations with academic rivals and those who put us in "destination" cities, since I think it helps build a good traveling fan base - BC in Boston, Stanford in Palo Alto, Duke in Raleigh-Durham, even start thowing in schools like Tulane in New Orleans, maybe the University of Miami, see if we could get Vanderbilt back since Nashville is fantastic - I'd prefer a pair of these games every year to one extra B1G game, both strategically for the conference and for how it benefits our program.
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Exactly right Shef. and I might add Army, Navy, Air Force, Memphis University, Univ. of Cincinnati, Kentucky and maybe even Colorado Univ.
 
Deeringfish said:
The decision may not be forever and do we know if the vote came before or after the initial decision was made?
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This will create a big problem down the line for schools trying to get to seven home games each year when you play five BIG road games every other year. Especially for schools w/o huge attendance that can't offer big buck guarantees for home only games vs. non-conf foes.
 
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Catreporter said:
This will create a big problem down the line for schools trying to get to seven home games each year when you play five BIG road games every other year. Especially for schools w/o huge attendance that can't offer big buck guarantees for home only games vs. non-conf foes.
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Could but I would think that Army, Navy, Memphis and Cincinnati would make the trip to Evanston, if for no other reason then exposing their programs to the Chicago market.
 
villox said:
It might affect playoff chances on occasion, but it also has effects at the bottom. And I'd rather see another Big Ten game than a 6-6 team in some crap bowl nobody cares about. That's really the trade off at the bottom.
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villox,

There is no such thing as a "crap" bowl game, at least not for those schools whose teams teams play in those games. For those who say there are too many bowl games, I say if you think the game is a "crap" bowl game, don't watch it. To me, any bowl game is preferable to staying at home, for a whole bunch of reasons.
 
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willycat said:
Could but I would think that Army, Navy, Memphis and Cincinnati would make the trip to Evanston, if for no other reason then exposing their programs to the Chicago market.
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The problem is that now we will have only 3 non conference games. BIG might mandate one OOC power 5 opponent, but why would then ever go to two? I would guess it will hurt BIG teams at the bottom. Also having an unbalance home and away in the BIG can hurt as well.
 
No coach is going to want more conference games. Most will view OOC games as higher percent chance of a win. At the end of the day, it's the number of wins you get not the teams you play that get you not fired, contract extensions, and the like. Fitz is 30-11 OOC and 30-42 in the big ten. Ferentz is 47-25 OOC and 68-60 in the big ten. If goal is to get to a bowl game, win a number of games regardless of competition, and not lose your job, you vote less big ten games. If the goal is to pack the stadium, increase ticket prices, drive up TV revenue... you vote more big ten games. As such, the ADs and presidents were thinking about money and the coaches were thinking about the number of wins. Both sides votes made sense.
 
No Chores said:
villox,

There is no such thing as a "crap" bowl game, at least not for those schools whose teams teams play in those games. For those who say there are too many bowl games, I say if you think the game is a "crap" bowl game, don't watch it. To me, any bowl game is preferable to staying at home, for a whole bunch of reasons.
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That's the problem though. People DON'T watch them, and the schools lose money on them.

i'd gladly take another meaningful Big Ten game even if it means missing out on the Foster Farms bowl on Dec 26, which I wouldn't be able to travel to anyway.
 
willycat said:
Think the 9 game conference schedule will hurt NU, especially when trying to gain bowl eligibility. I'm fine with dropping a FCS game but adding another conference game as opposed to let's say a MAC opponent could hurt. Does this mean NU can't schedule Tulane and thus nix that trip to New Orleans?
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Unless I'm missing something we can still schedule Tulane and head to New Orleans. Isn't Tulane in the American Athletic Conf., or the old Big East.
They are FBS
 
GlideCat said:
A pretty direct statement from Fitz about the 9-game conference schedule.

Link below:

http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsport...nference-schedule/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs
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The decision was obviously based on money and improving the product. As a fan, I would much rather watch a BT opponent instead of the redbirds of Illinois state. I know the coaches would never agree to that, but the Athletic directors are the power players in this business. And as my fan perspective, kudos to Dr Phillips and the BT!
 
villox said:
That's the problem though. People DON'T watch them, and the schools lose money on them.

i'd gladly take another meaningful Big Ten game even if it means missing out on the Foster Farms bowl on Dec 26, which I wouldn't be able to travel to anyway.
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Why don't you ask the players of they want to go to the crappy foster farms bowl. All big ten teams make money from football. If the kids want a trip and to play a game, I could care less if you or most people want to watch it. The team earned it.
 
shakes3858 said:
Why don't you ask the players of they want to go to the crappy foster farms bowl. All big ten teams make money from football. If the kids want a trip and to play a game, I could care less if you or most people want to watch it. The team earned it.
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The trade off is Illinois State + Foster Farms, or another Big Ten game vs an East Division opponent and potentially no bowl, assuming you needed that FCS win to get to 6-6. Of course you can win that game and get both, I'm just saying it's worth potentially risking bowl eligibility to have another Big Ten game (as a fan). Those FCS games stink!
 
villox said:
The trade off is Illinois State + Foster Farms, or another Big Ten game vs an East Division opponent and potentially no bowl, assuming you needed that FCS win to get to 6-6. Of course you can win that game and get both, I'm just saying it's worth potentially risking bowl eligibility to have another Big Ten game (as a fan). Those FCS games stink!
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First it doesn't have to be FCS game but how about the MAC team, Cincinnati, a Service Academy or yes, Tulane. Would you really be that excited seeing another Big Ten opponent like Indiana, Purdue, Minnesota, Rutgers or Maryland then seeing Army or Navy and then having the kids sit home for the holidays? Not me.
 
willycat said:
First it doesn't have to be FCS game but how about the MAC team, Cincinnati, a Service Academy or yes, Tulane. Would you really be that excited seeing another Big Ten opponent like Indiana, Purdue, Minnesota, Rutgers or Maryland then seeing Army or Navy and then having the kids sit home for the holidays? Not me.
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Minnesota and Purdue are in our division so we'll play them every year anyway. I welcome the ability to play our East Division teams more often...It's one of the things lost in all this conference expansion. Nothing prevents us from playing one of those teams you mention in our 3 remaining slots.

I just think that 6-6 bowl games aren't all that exciting.
 
willycat said:
Exactly right Shef. and I might add Army, Navy, Air Force, Memphis University, Univ. of Cincinnati, Kentucky and maybe even Colorado Univ.
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What do we have in common with Memphis, Cincinnati, Kentucky, and Colorado? Recruiting territory? None of these schools run academically selective football programs. How about Wake Forest instead?
 
villox said:
Minnesota and Purdue are in our division so we'll play them every year anyway. I welcome the ability to play our East Division teams more often...It's one of the things lost in all this conference expansion. Nothing prevents us from playing one of those teams you mention in our 3 remaining slots.

I just think that 6-6 bowl games aren't all that exciting.
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The less often we play football factories like osu the better it is for NU. Also if we never play pen st. would be fine by me.
 
Turk said:
The decision was obviously based on money and improving the product. As a fan, I would much rather watch a BT opponent instead of the redbirds of Illinois state. I know the coaches would never agree to that, but the Athletic directors are the power players in this business. And as my fan perspective, kudos to Dr Phillips and the BT!
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Turk, I'm right with you here.

For me, seeing a conference opponent in week four of the season is great. I hope the schedule maintains consistency (that is, same three crossover opponents for back to back seasons. You'd miss one crossover for four years, but that's not so big a deal for me.)

I think the entertainment value of an extra conference game versus a crap opponent is worth the risk of playing in a bowl game. Though I lament missing bowl games when it happens, a 6-6 bowl game isn't the most interesting thing in the world anyway. So I'll take the game in September that I almost always want to watch over the 6-6 bowl game that I fit in.
 
villox said:
i'd gladly take another meaningful Big Ten game even if it means missing out on the Foster Farms bowl on Dec 26, which I wouldn't be able to travel to anyway.
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If you miss out on the Foster Farms Bowl, that extra Big Ten game wasn't meaningful, apart from possibly determining your eligibility to go to the Foster Farms Bowl.

I like to ask people whether they enjoyed the 2004 or 2008 season more, and what that answer should tell them about scheduling preferences.
 
I can see why a middling coach would want a 8 game conference schedule. Better chance at making a bowl and saving your job. Seems cowardly though.
 
willycat said:
Exactly right Shef. and I might add Army, Navy, Air Force, Memphis University, Univ. of Cincinnati, Kentucky and maybe even Colorado Univ.
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Are we considering those academic peers (outside of the Academies)?
 
The schedule with three non-conference games and 9 conference games is difficult and makes it more difficult for NU to slip into a bowl at 6-6. We have been scheduling at least 1 or 2 non-conference games versus a team from a Power 5 conference for years. BTN "commentator", Gerry DiNardo, always has been critical of NU scheduling schools in the non-conference from Power 5 conferences. I guess he was not tipped that would be the Big 10's new policy.
 
If the coaches are going to continue to go for million dollar-plus salaries, and we're going to give four-year scholarships worth more than $200,000 plus stipends, we're going to need to bring in money. Nobody wants to see Eastern Illinois play NU in football. The extra B1G game is needed.
 
pawildcat said:
If the coaches are going to continue to go for million dollar-plus salaries, and we're going to give four-year scholarships worth more than $200,000 plus stipends, we're going to need to bring in money. Nobody wants to see Eastern Illinois play NU in football. The extra B1G game is needed.
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2014 attendance
Western Illinois (11 AM): 32,016
Illinois (11 AM): 31,137
 
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shakes3858 said:
Why don't you ask the players of they want to go to the crappy foster farms bowl. All big ten teams make money from football. If the kids want a trip and to play a game, I could care less if you or most people want to watch it. The team earned it.
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shakes,

I'm with you all the way on this one. Any scheduling which enhances our opportunity to go to a bowl game is preferable in my opinion. Among other things, it gets us a bunch of additional practices not otherwise available to the 'Cats. People who don't wish to attend or watch are not forced to do so, however, I can't imagine any NU fan not even watching on t.v. This is the point I was trying to make to villox in my earlier response to his post. (I've been to every NU bowl game except the '49 Rose bowl, and at my age, I'm running out of time.)
 
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No Chores said:
shakes,

I'm with you all the way on this one. Any scheduling which enhances our opportunity to go to a bowl game is preferable in my opinion. Among other things, it gets us a bunch of additional practices not otherwise available to the 'Cats. People who don't wish to attend or watch are not forced to do so, however, I can't imagine any NU fan not even watching on t.v. This is the point I was trying to make to villox in my earlier response to his post. (I've been to every NU bowl game except the '49 Rose bowl, and at my age, I'm running out of time.)
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Plus 100, Mr. Chores! A bowl is preferable for the reasons you noted, plus it's a reward for the players. Or we could just want to watch Illinois or Purdue in November, wow.
 
No Chores said:
shakes,

I'm with you all the way on this one. Any scheduling which enhances our opportunity to go to a bowl game is preferable in my opinion. Among other things, it gets us a bunch of additional practices not otherwise available to the 'Cats. People who don't wish to attend or watch are not forced to do so, however, I can't imagine any NU fan not even watching on t.v. This is the point I was trying to make to villox in my earlier response to his post. (I've been to every NU bowl game except the '49 Rose bowl, and at my age, I'm running out of time.)
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I'll add that it extends the season for the fans as well. I enjoy hearing about the extra practices and having 5 more weeks of NU football to talk about. It also lets the Srs have more games.
 
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