The Lions' Pride

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They need to change the name of the conference first. It's embarrassing to be associated with a conference that can't even count past 10.

Yea, among other reasons, this is one reason I don't like this report. We've been able to recruit MD and NJ very well. One factor in that has been the lack of a "real" football team in a major conference in those areas, especially NJ. I agree that this move would "legitimize" Rutgers and make it a bit harder for PSU to recruit players in NJ. Now, even though the BIG is down, PSU can play the "come play in a major conference" line and it holds some weight. This move would eliminate that argument. Not saying it's huge but it counts for something.

I wasn't being a d!ck about anything, I find it amusing that Steve is considered a great media source for B1G football expansion because some listen to him on PSU radio. Go to Maryland's site and let them know that Steve says it's a done deal and see if that seals the deal for their fan base. The story broke yesterday on an ESPN affiliate, for all we know that was what Steve was going off of. ESPN and Yahoo are running with the story too, but as they are both saying it is not a done deal yet. Texas to the PAC 12. ND to the B1G every year. Missouri in talks with the B1G.

And no I didn't know who Fran Fisher was until I googled his name. I live in the Midwestern plains and watch PSU on TV. There was no PSU radio coverage until streaming internet radio made that a possibility and by that time almost all PSU games were on ABC/ESPN/B1G making radio a poor media choice in comparison. I have listened to Ham cover a few games I could not find a stream for, so I am sure I have heard Steve call a game, but remember the play-by-play announcer is not something that defines my fandom.

Leftcoast you can't be serious with your post? He is a pseudo PSU employee so if he says something it's true? Come on. And he reported what an ESPN affiliate radio show broke yesterday, so he reported what ESPN already reported.

I think it helps because we'd be playing and hopefully in most years beating UMD and Rutgers. Nothing like first hand exposure to help with recruiting.

Though it also gives other B1G teams a foothold in those states. Although OSU, Wisc, and Nebraska already have pretty good recruiting connections in NJ, and OSU has occasionally pulled recruits from DC/MD.

[edit: this was in response to JT's question about whether this helps PSU's recruiting in NJ and MD]

I don't think that can be the consensus....it makes the most sense from a rivalry and location standpoint....but I think it offsets the balance of power in the conference pretty badly. Our division would be:
PSU
OSU
Illinois
Purdue
Indiana
Maryland
Rutgers
....that essentially means PSU/OSU will be playing each other for the division title 9/10 years.

Meanwhile, the other division would be pretty loaded top to bottom with historically decent teams in the B1G. UM/Nebraska/Iowa/Wisconsin/MSU...yikes.

Phil Grosz (BWI) mentioned on his radio pregame show that his sources said that Indiana or Purdue would move to the Legends division with MD and Rutgers joining the Leaders. Phil has been wrong before, but he was the first to break this story so maybe he is correct this time.

I've seen speculation that Illinois may be the team that moves to the west division and Wisconsin would stay. That maintains the balance of power a bit better. Just guesses at this point, but it looks like expansion is definitely happening...

The protected rivalry games may need to change as well. They'll keep OSU-Michigan, but after that, who knows?

East West
OSU Michigan
PSU Nebraska
Wisconsin Iowa

Purdue Michigan St
Indiana Northwestern
Rutgers Illinois
Maryland Minnesota

No real rivalries that I can create...

Does anyone really believe the B1G will put OSU and UM in the same division and eliminate the possibility of them in the championship game?

Sorry, if you don't know who Fran Fisher or Steve Jones are, you have no credibility as a PSU fan. Seriously. That is insane. I think there needs to be a 10 question quiz to pass to get onto this site .... things like, who is Spider? Who is Fran? Who is Steve Jones? Who is the Wig? Who is the new "Iron" Lion? Who forced Troy Smith's fumble? What is a Blue Sapphire? Why does the term 2 seconds cause you to cringe? What is/are the Big Ugly's? Etc...

If you don't get 9 outta 10 without googling you are not allowed at Lions247. If you fail the quiz your browser automatically taken to Scout Audibles pages where you belong...