Extravaganza 2/3: The Expansion Edition (addition)
- Leading off, I have to say a BIG thank you to everyone for all the support and kind words I have received about the site in the past 4 days. It has meant a lot to me! Go ahead and comment on the blog if you can!
- Hey Commissioner of the Big 10 (11) Jim Delaney, do you see those Big 12 schools that everyone else is talking about, that you refuse to speak of directly? You know, the proverbial ‘elephant in the room’ in the Big 10 Conference expansion talks. Well, if you dont mind, that ‘Elephant’ would like to speak now, and he wants in. It has been rumored for about a year that they Big 10 was looking at expanding, and that Missouri and then Nebraska would be near the top of the Big 10′s shopping list. All that speculation has really picked up over the past month as reports have come out that the Big 10 had already made offers to 4 schools (Nebraska, Mizzou, Notre Dame, and Rutgers) with the option of expanding to 16 teams if Notre Dame accepted. It was also speculated that the Big 10 administrators were going to take a vote during this weeks meetings to accept those 4 schools listed and a possible 5th school. Here is what we know as of this minute: there have been no offers officially made to any outside schools. Jim Delaney also announced the expansion vote would not happen at this weeks meetings either. All signs point to a longer term decision process for this to happen. What we know for certain is that the Big 10 is going to expand, it’s just who and when that are the questions left to be answered.
- In my humble opinion, the Big 10 needs to expand to 12 or 14 to be a viable BCS league. Anything more than 14 gets too messy and bloated for my tastes. Adding programs like Nebraska, Notre Dame, Mizzou, Kansas, Rutgers ect. would make the conference much more rounded in every sport and at least able to keep up with the SEC and Pac-10, if not strongly compete for titles every year.
- Oh boy, could the Big XII be up s*** creek without a paddle if the Big 10 swoops up Texas, Nebraska, Mizzou, or Kansas. When you let 1 team (Texas) dominate every decision in the league, and don’t work for a better revenue sharing system, that’s what happens. But, I’m not pointing any blame —> cough, Big XII Commisioner Dan Beebe, cough.
- From Nebraska’s standpoint there are many more pro’s than con’s to moving to the Big 10. The con’s are that recruiting could get tough, Nebraska will lose a couple rivalries in the Big XII, move to a perceived weaker conference, and have longer away trips for fans to travel to. Here is the bright side: 1) Due to the Big 10 Network, Nebraska would almost be guaranteed to have all games televised. 2) Geographically, Nebraska fits the Big 10 region. 3) A chance to beat up on Iowa every year would be outstanding. Also, getting a chance to play Ohio St, Michigan, Penn St., Wisconsin ect. would be exciting as well. 4) Can you say EQUAL REVENUE SHARING? Nebraska would gain as much as 15 million more dollars per year by just being in the Big 10. 5) Joining the Big 10 also means that Nebraska would increase its academic prestige, which means a degree would be worth more to employers. 6)Finally, the reason most people don’t think about: the Big 10 is a fraternity. They are a tight-knit group that does what is best for the conference, not for just 1 or 2 schools. Back when the Big XII was formed, Tom Osborne reluctantly had Nebraska join, even though he feared that there would be a dramatic shift of power to the South division and especially Texas. Well, Dr. Osborne was prophetic in that statement, and probably wishes he would have joined the Big 10 in the 90′s after seeing Texas write the rules for the past 14 years. You wont get that in the Big 10. Each school holds value and is looked at like a teammate instead of opposition. I like the move for Nebraska, especially because I dont want them to be left without a conference if the Big XII dissolves. It’ll be a big change, but the potential match-ups are something to really look forward to.
- Lincoln voted YES on the new Haymarket arena last Tuesday, and I’m ecstatic. This arena will give indoor Nebraska athletics a much needed new facility, and also attract big time recruits. Also, it should be an awesome downtown attraction and help Lincoln’s 2015 Vision to be a more attractive city to move to.
- Football (soccer) time now: I am extremely happy to say that Chelsea have won both the Premier League and FA Cup trophies in the same season for the first time in club history! Through all of the on-and-off the field issues, the players stuck with Carlo Ancelotti’s system and it payed off in a HUGE way. The character of the team shined through during the biggest moments in the biggest games. They absolutely deserved to be crowned champions. Not only did they win trophies, but the Blues also set a league record for goals in a season with 103 (previous record was 99). Didier Drogba capped off his remarkable season with a hat trick in the last game of the season, taking his talley to 29 and winning the Premier League Golden Boot (most goals in a season). Peter Cech also won the Golden Gloves (most clean-sheets or shutouts in a season by a goalkeeper), barely edging out Liverpool’s Pepe Reina by 1 game. Great season by Chelsea!
Terry, Lampard, Cech, and Drogba with the Premier League and FA Cup Trophies!
Golden Gloves, Premier League Trophy, Golden Boot
- In off-season transfer news, Barcelona signed Valencia and Spain Striker David Villa to a 4 year, $40 million deal. First reaction to this, lethal. You have to think that signing Villa means the end of Zlatan Ibrahimovic in Camp Nou. Rumors are out that he is headed back to Juventus. At this point nobody knows, but he seems to suit the Italian style of football better than the Spanish style. Chelsea have also been rumored to sign Liverpool striker Fernando Torres to a big money deal over the summer, in the range of $120 million dollars. Liverpool are going to sell him, that’s for sure. They are in a lot of debt and could use the money for him to stabilize the club and find new ownership. Im not sure I like the move though for a couple of reasons. 1) I dont know how Torres would play with Drogba, who for my money is the best striker in world football on his day. If Nico Anelka and Drogba can’t play together, how will Torres and Drogba if they both need the ball. 2) Chelsea has reportedly signed Sergio Aguero, Atletico Madrid striker to a 4 year deal. So they would have about 6 legitmate strikers on the squad and pay Torres the most out of any of them to ride the bench. 3) Chelsea needs to develop English youth talent. The FA is requiring a certain percentage of all Premier League squads to be English, so picking up the Spanish international would be questionable from that angle as well. Its all speculation at this point, but it should be an interesting summer in football to say the least.
- Now on to a story that dampened my hopes a little for the U.S.A. in the world cup, the absence of Charlie Davies from the World Cup squad. When this was first announced, I was extremely angry with Bob Bradley for leaving the emotional heartbeat of the squad at home to watch. Then details have leaked that they President of Sochaux (Davies club team) wrote a letter to Bradley saying that Davies wasnt ready and the club wouldnt release him. Im showing Alexandre Lacombe a RED CARD for not allowing Davies to try and make the US Roster. He worked his ass off to try and make it back to play for you this season. Davies has become one of the better stories in sports, after nearly dying in an October car accident. Bradley should have fought to get him to training to at least see what he was capable of, and if he wasnt ready, then leave him at home. CD9 deserves to be in South Africa, at the very least to serve as an inspiration to the squad.
- I’m also showing Portsmouth’s Kevin Prince Boateng a RED CARD for this tackle that has made Germany Captain Michael Ballack unavailable for the World Cup. Im not a huge Ballack fan, but that is dirty football by Boateng.
- Finally, the Champions League Final is Saturday, and I am picking Inter Milan to take home the trophy over Bayern Munich. Go Mourinho. Inevitably though, because I picked them, they will lose. Sorry Inter.
- The Atlanta Braves came back from a 9-1 deficit on Thursday to plate 7 runs in the 9th inning and win the game on a walk-off grand slam home run, 10-9. Might be the game of the year in baseball.
- Hockey rarely makes it onto the blog, but there are a couple historic stories going on in the Stanley Cup Playoffs that need to be mentioned. 1) The Philadelphia Flyers historic comeback against the Boston Bruins was something else. The Flyers were dead, down 3 games to 0 going into game 4. It took a miracle overtime victory to beat the Bruins that night, and then all the Flyers did from that point was play lights out in games 5 & 6 to force a game 7. Problem was, it was in Boston and the Bruins had a 3-0 lead in the game. The Flyers once again made a historic come back winning the game 4-3 and taking the series 4 games to 3. Wow.
- How about the Montreal Canadiens? They only had to beat the best regular season team and player in the league, the Washington Capitals and Alex Ovechkin, and then beat the defending Stanley Cup Champions and Sidney Crosby to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. They did that for the first time since the 1950′s.
- To catch up on the world of Horse Racing, Super Saver won the Kentucky Derby with jockey Calvin Borel riding the rail all the way to the title. It is fun to watch Borel win, because to me, it seems as if every time he crosses the finish line in first, he looks like it is his first time ever winning anything. It is a joy to try and understand in his interviews with that thick Louisiana accent. Looking at Lucky won the Preakness last weekend as well, although the theme for this years Preakness was most definitely better than the actual race. The theme was “Get Your Preak On”. Honestly, thats a ridiculous theme for a horse race, but I think it was hilarious.
- In a sad note, my favorite celebrity figure, Chad OchoCinco was voted off Dancing with the Stars on Tuesday after making it to the Final 4. Him and Cheryl Burke got edged out by Erin Andrews. Look, Im sure at some level Chad was doing this for publicity, but he seemed to be legitimately invested in dancing to try and get better every week, and he did. Transitioning from football to dancing is very hard and I commend him for his effort. Plus, in my mind, spending 2 months with Cheryl Burke makes him a winner already, hot damn.
- The Washington Wizards won the NBA Draft Lottery on Wednesday, making them near locks to take Point Guard John Wall out of Kentucky. Wall is a legitmate PG that the Wizards havent had in a long time. Mock NBA Draft to come soon.
- Love this SNL Skit: REALLY? “That’s like comparing apples to prostitutes.”
- Now onto my favorite part of the blog: GET A GRIP. Today’s is a 3-for-1 special.
- To the Lincoln East students who threw green cards at the Omaha South players after East won the Boys State Soccer Title, GET A GRIP. Honestly, you are pathetic and really did a good job of tainting your fellow classmates undefeated season. Omaha South was a great story, and it doesn’t matter if you say ‘it meant nothing and we are young kids having fun’, that action was racially charged and in a different era, you would have been dealt with behind a woodshed.
- T.V. show LOST, seriously, GET A GRIP. I can see it now, next season: LOST-er, or FOUND. Im bidding you a fond farewell.
- Former Tour de France winner Floyd Landis, GET A GRIP. Landis came out Wednesday admitting that he used Performance Enhancing Drugs throughout his cycling career. Thats not a big shock to anyone, we already knew that from his positive tests. But the reason Im telling him to get a grip is because he is now trying to justify doing it “because everyone else was”, and dragging other names through the mud as well, like Lance Armstrong. Landis is trying to rescue his image by appearing as the next Jose Canseco, i.e. user turned informant, but he has no proof and at this point is making claims that have no backing. He lost his title, his marriage, his money, and now his self-respect.
-Most of the group at my Launch party last Sunday! Thanks to my mom, dad, sister, Rick, Josh Silvers and gf, K-boss, Chris, Nate, Kenton, Jon, Jeff, and Eddie for coming out! A special thanks to Chris Stockton for helping me get this all set-up and running smoothly! Great work!
I like how you said, “This arena will give indoor Nebraska athletics a much needed new facility, and also attract big time recruits.” If Nebraska plans on using this facility for athletics (which they do), shouldn’t they have been required to put far more than $10 million towards the $344 million project? They should be footing close to half the bill to actually building the arena. All I can say is I’m glad I’m moving from Lincoln so that I don’t have to experience the disaster that that project will turn out to be.
I’m glad to see hockey too. The Flyers comeback was one for the ages, but no all that surprising. The Bruins have lacked an offensive punch all year long and having Krejci go down in game 3 was disastrous for them.
I truly believe the arena will succeed and give the University a facelift. Now, I agree on them footing more of the bill, but you and I both know as former students that they are not about to lose money….on anything.