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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
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    Atlanta, GA

    New theory: The Big 10 needs maryland/Rutgers more than they need it

    Stewart Mandel of Sports Illustrated (always a good college football read) has a new long-form piece out suggesting that the B1G badly needed maryland and Rutgers due to declining demographics in the Midwest. In fact, he goes so far as to suggest that the conference is "fighting for survival," citing commissioner Jim Delany's discussion of would-be poaching from other leagues (especially the ACC) as a main reason for the additions.
    Interesting question here: Both maryland and Rutgers have said they're making the move because their athletic departments are, financially speaking, sinking ships. Now, Mandel suggests that the B1G itself is, if not a sinking ship, at least badly listing. So will two weaknesses result in one new strength? People in Indianapolis (and New York...among other things, Mandel reveals that the B1G has opened a second league office in the Big Apple, calling itself a "two-region league"), College Park, and Piscataway are certainly hoping so. Folks in the B1G's traditional footprint, though, are less impressed. It's no secret that Ohio State is tiring of being a football standout defending itself against the reputation of the increasing mediocrity around it. Mandel also points out that at Michigan, season ticket subscriptions are way down this year...apparently fans aren't all that excited about a home slate that includes conference games against Minnesota, Penn State, Indiana, and Maryland.
    I know we've discussed the conference carousel ad nauseam, but this is an interesting new take. To me, the most telling line of the piece is this quote from Delany:
    We came to the conclusion there was more risk in sitting still than there was in exploring other opportunities.
    It's interesting to me that he's speaking of risk vs. more risk, as opposed to "exciting opportunities" or some other such institution-speak. That doesn't sound much like an energized leader pounding the pavement to excite his constituents; rather, it sounds more like an embattled general trying to rally weary and/or unimpressed troops.

  2. #2
    Quote Originally Posted by wilson View Post
    Stewart Mandel of Sports Illustrated (always a good college football read) has a new long-form piece out suggesting that the B1G badly needed maryland and Rutgers due to declining demographics in the Midwest. In fact, he goes so far as to suggest that the conference is "fighting for survival," citing commissioner Jim Delany's discussion of would-be poaching from other leagues (especially the ACC) as a main reason for the additions.
    Interesting question here: Both maryland and Rutgers have said they're making the move because their athletic departments are, financially speaking, sinking ships. Now, Mandel suggests that the B1G itself is, if not a sinking ship, at least badly listing. So will two weaknesses result in one new strength? People in Indianapolis (and New York...among other things, Mandel reveals that the B1G has opened a second league office in the Big Apple, calling itself a "two-region league"), College Park, and Piscataway are certainly hoping so. Folks in the B1G's traditional footprint, though, are less impressed. It's no secret that Ohio State is tiring of being a football standout defending itself against the reputation of the increasing mediocrity around it. Mandel also points out that at Michigan, season ticket subscriptions are way down this year...apparently fans aren't all that excited about a home slate that includes conference games against Minnesota, Penn State, Indiana, and Maryland.
    I know we've discussed the conference carousel ad nauseam, but this is an interesting new take. To me, the most telling line of the piece is this quote from Delany:
    It's interesting to me that he's speaking of risk vs. more risk, as opposed to "exciting opportunities" or some other such institution-speak. That doesn't sound much like an energized leader pounding the pavement to excite his constituents; rather, it sounds more like an embattled general trying to rally weary and/or unimpressed troops.
    If the Big 10 is really "fighting for survival," and they chose to bandage the wound with Rutgers and Maryland, might be time to alert the undertaker. However, my guess is it's not nearly that serious.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Steamboat Springs, CO
    Andrew S. Grove, long-time Intel CEO: Only the Paranoid Survive

    Who's to say that Jim Delany's being a little fearful of the future isn't the right approach?
    Sage Grouse

    ---------------------------------------
    'When I got on the bus for my first road game at Duke, I saw that every player was carrying textbooks or laptops. I coached in the SEC for 25 years, and I had never seen that before, not even once.' - David Cutcliffe to Duke alumni in Washington, DC, June 2013

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Northern VA

    Speaking of MD, that "MD Reminisces" article on front page is kinda scary

    Speaking of MD, that "MD Reminisces" article on front page is really kinda scary, almost creepy, like the girl in High School who wites the ten-page letter, complete with dozens of erased sentences and rewrites, about why she really doesn't care about you or that you broke up with her...

    Anybody ever see the movie. "Fatal Attraction"??! Eeek!

    http://www.dukebasketballreport.com/...ut-hating-duke

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Quote Originally Posted by -bdbd View Post
    Speaking of MD, that "MD Reminisces" article on front page is really kinda scary, almost creepy, like the girl in High School who wites the ten-page letter, complete with dozens of erased sentences and rewrites, about why she really doesn't care about you or that you broke up with her...

    Anybody ever see the movie. "Fatal Attraction"??! Eeek!

    http://www.dukebasketballreport.com/...ut-hating-duke
    Maryland, Maryland...is that one of those square states over by Iowa?

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by -bdbd View Post
    Speaking of MD, that "MD Reminisces" article on front page is really kinda scary, almost creepy, like the girl in High School who wites the ten-page letter, complete with dozens of erased sentences and rewrites, about why she really doesn't care about you or that you broke up with her...

    Anybody ever see the movie. "Fatal Attraction"??! Eeek!

    http://www.dukebasketballreport.com/...ut-hating-duke
    When they leave Big 10 & join Conf USA , the parting shots at Northwestern and Collins should be fun.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    College Park, MD
    Quote Originally Posted by -bdbd View Post
    Speaking of MD, that "MD Reminisces" article on front page is really kinda scary, almost creepy, like the girl in High School who wites the ten-page letter, complete with dozens of erased sentences and rewrites, about why she really doesn't care about you or that you broke up with her...

    Anybody ever see the movie. "Fatal Attraction"??! Eeek!

    http://www.dukebasketballreport.com/...ut-hating-duke
    I saw that and got irritated because it came off like much research was not done. Someone just went over, saw Duke. Read a few comments and called it a day. Testudo Times is doing that for every ACC School. It's not just Duke. We are going in alphabetical order getting last thoughts in. BC was three days ago. Clemson after that.Then Duke. By the time it was posted here, we had already moved on to Florida State because it was one day each. BC's blog actually had a similar situation where they recognized it after their day expired. They are also doing a short primer on each B1G school.

    Seriously, all the Maryland reminiscing posts I've seen on this forum (Len Bias post a few threads below this one), bashing posts (a couple above me), and all the Maryland/Big Ten reporting I've seen on the front page (this one for example), I could easily go and say DBR is trying to make its fans see that it was a terrible move when we won't know if that is the case and post a bunch of links there to back it up. I could say that they would miss us or whatever I wanted to deduce from those posts, and I'm sure some members would call it disingenuous or try to defend the position as well.

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Here is a Turtle View Post
    I saw that and got irritated because it came off like much research was not done. Someone just went over, saw Duke. Read a few comments and called it a day. Testudo Times is doing that for every ACC School. It's not just Duke. We are going in alphabetical order getting last thoughts in. BC was three days ago. Clemson after that.Then Duke. By the time it was posted here, we had already moved on to Florida State because it was one day each. BC's blog actually had a similar situation where they recognized it after their day expired. They are also doing a short primer on each B1G school.

    Seriously, all the Maryland reminiscing posts I've seen on this forum (Len Bias post a few threads below this one), bashing posts (a couple above me), and all the Maryland/Big Ten reporting I've seen on the front page (this one for example), I could easily go and say DBR is trying to make its fans see that it was a terrible move when we won't know if that is the case and post a bunch of links there to back it up. I could say that they would miss us or whatever I wanted to deduce from those posts, and I'm sure some members would call it disingenuous or try to defend the position as well.
    I see where yo are coming from. But really, it's a Duke site here. Of course we pop over, see our school, post a link.

    I believe, truth be told, that everyone on this site would recognize on some level that losing Maryland sucks. I think we all deal with the frustration in different ways.

    It is sort of like when you head off to college - even though your little brother is annoying, you miss him. Sometimes. When you need someone to pick on or do dirty work.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Mountain_Devil_91_92_01_10 View Post
    ... It is sort of like when you head off to college - even though your little brother is annoying, you miss him ...
    Ah, yes, those annoying little rugrats who curse you with open hostility and bodily threat every moment of the day, throw glassware at every meal, and light all the furniture on fire. God love 'em.

  10. #10
    "The Big 10 needs Maryland/Rutgers more than they need it."

    That's kinda like buying cheap "bandaids" at the dollar store....

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    Undisclosed
    Quote Originally Posted by hudlow View Post
    "The Big 10 needs Maryland/Rutgers more than they need it."

    That's kinda like buying cheap "bandaids" at the dollar store....
    Codependency is an illness. They should all seek treatment.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Atlanta, GA
    Aside from the general agreement that Maryland and most of their fans are disgusting and I wish them good riddance, I have one small quibble with the article:
    Since when does a 14-year NBA career averaging 13 and 7 a game equal "couldn't hack it in the league," as they claim for Christian Laettner? He played more NBA seasons than Juan Dixon and Greivis Vasquez (the two greatest Maryland players of the last quarter century) combined, and easily outproduced both.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Durham, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by Mountain_Devil_91_92_01_10 View Post
    I believe, truth be told, that everyone on this site would recognize on some level that losing Maryland sucks. I think we all deal with the frustration in different ways.
    I don't. Really I don't. They are not a great academic school, they've mostly been bad in football and their basketball program has been inconsistent. Plus it's actually physically dangerous for Duke fans to attend a basketball game there, to the point where Coach K doesn't bring his family. At some level a rivalry stops being good natured and fun and becomes something worse. For me, Maryland is past that point.

    Howard

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by howardlander View Post
    I don't. Really I don't. They are not a great academic school, they've mostly been bad in football and their basketball program has been inconsistent. Plus it's actually physically dangerous for Duke fans to attend a basketball game there, to the point where Coach K doesn't bring his family. At some level a rivalry stops being good natured and fun and becomes something worse. For me, Maryland is past that point.

    Howard

    Agreed...I wish The Terps the best that mediocrity has to offer in their new endeavor.

    hud

  15. #15
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    Mar 2013
    Location
    College Park, MD
    Quote Originally Posted by howardlander View Post
    I don't. Really I don't. They are not a great academic school, they've mostly been bad in football and their basketball program has been inconsistent. Plus it's actually physically dangerous for Duke fans to attend a basketball game there, to the point where Coach K doesn't bring his family. At some level a rivalry stops being good natured and fun and becomes something worse. For me, Maryland is past that point.

    Howard
    Define great. Because Maryland is a top school as far as a lot of people are concerned. Is it Duke or Virginia, no. But to say it is not a great academic school when there are schools like FSU in the conference that doesn't even crack the top 100 in a lot of polls is rather disingenuous.

    My main problem with the article is the assumption that Maryland fans are incapable of moving on when I know that is not the case. Don't let the media fool you, a good number are over it. Again, I could take a bunch of articles and comments here and deduce that you're not over it and you would argue it's false.

    Also wilson, Vasquez may have a long career. You don't know that yet. What we do know is he has led the league in assists before. He is capable of being around for a long time.
    Last edited by Here is a Turtle; 06-22-2014 at 10:01 AM.

  16. #16
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    Feb 2007
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    Atlanta, GA
    Quote Originally Posted by howardlander View Post
    I don't. Really I don't. They are not a great academic school, they've mostly been bad in football and their basketball program has been inconsistent. Plus it's actually physically dangerous for Duke fans to attend a basketball game there, to the point where Coach K doesn't bring his family. At some level a rivalry stops being good natured and fun and becomes something worse. For me, Maryland is past that point.

    Howard
    I agree. The only opposing fans who've ever gotten in my face to curse at me have been Maryland fans (multiple times, the first when I was all of 13 years old). The only opposing fans who have ever thrown things at me have been Maryland fans (again, multiple times). The only fans I know of who make a habit of audibly chanting obscenities on national television are Maryland fans. I will not miss the Twerps.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Atlanta, GA
    Quote Originally Posted by Here is a Turtle
    Also wilson, Vasquez may have a long career. You don't know that yet. What we do know is he has led the league in assists before. He is capable of being around for a long time.
    A fair point. But really, my point is just this: Laettner wasn't an NBA superstar, but to look at his career length and stats and claim that he "couldn't hack it" is downright silly.

  18. #18
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    Mar 2013
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    College Park, MD
    Quote Originally Posted by wilson View Post
    I agree. The only opposing fans who've ever gotten in my face to curse at me have been Maryland fans (multiple times, the first when I was all of 13 years old). The only opposing fans who have ever thrown things at me have been Maryland fans (again, multiple times). The only fans I know of who make a habit of audibly chanting obscenities on national television are Maryland fans. I will not miss the Twerps.
    Really? My roommate has been cused out by Tar Heel fans when he wore a Maryland shirt to a Tar Heel game with his girlfriend who goes to UNC. I hear obscenities being yelled at most schools, including Duke's over the television. I have been cussed out by Clemson fans, Virginia fans, Michigan fans, and West Virginia fans (who are the absolute worst might I add). It's not just Maryland that cusses in the ACC. I have heard every school in the ACC at one point or another yell obscenities or in Vasquez's case flat out racist stuff.

    Please stop acting like Maryland is the only one guilty of this.

    I do agree with you about the Lattner couldn't hack it stuff though. Thought he did fine in the league.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Lewisville, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by Here is a Turtle View Post
    Really? My roommate has been cused out by Tar Heel fans when he wore a Maryland shirt to a Tar Heel game with his girlfriend who goes to UNC. I hear obscenities being yelled at most schools, including Duke's over the television. I have been cussed out by Clemson fans, Virginia fans, Michigan fans, and West Virginia fans (who are the absolute worst might I add). It's not just Maryland that cusses in the ACC. I have heard every school in the ACC at one point or another yell obscenities or in Vasquez's case flat out racist stuff.

    Please stop acting like Maryland is the only one guilty of this.

    I do agree with you about the Lattner couldn't hack it stuff though. Thought he did fine in the league.
    Oh, okay. Those Terp fans really aren't that bad. (sarcasm)

    See ya.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
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    Rent free in tarheels’ heads
    Quote Originally Posted by Here is a Turtle View Post
    Really? My roommate has been cused out by Tar Heel fans when he wore a Maryland shirt to a Tar Heel game with his girlfriend who goes to UNC. I hear obscenities being yelled at most schools, including Duke's over the television. I have been cussed out by Clemson fans, Virginia fans, Michigan fans, and West Virginia fans (who are the absolute worst might I add). It's not just Maryland that cusses in the ACC. I have heard every school in the ACC at one point or another yell obscenities or in Vasquez's case flat out racist stuff.

    Please stop acting like Maryland is the only one guilty of this.

    I do agree with you about the Lattner couldn't hack it stuff though. Thought he did fine in the league.
    Turtle, it's about the degree and amount of venom spewed. No other school has come within a hundred miles of acting the way your entire crowd has acted during many a basketball game. Forget the obscenities for a minute and reflect on how much you all relished Neal's purposeful take out of Nolan Smith. Laughter, cheering, glee (probably still to this day). That says it all.

    For my part, all I have to say to Maryland is... watch out that door doesn't hit ya'll in the rear.
    “Coach said no 3s.” - Zion on The Block

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