The Big East Is So Wide Shut!

[Cane from the Bend]

Right now; after watching the Cinci/Louisville game, the realization has settled.

The only formidable team, at least this season, dangling around in the Big East, is West Virginia.

Glancing across the board, and seeing the win/loss of each team, as well as their on filed performance, I feel that the Mountaineers could likely even lose one in conference game, and still come out ahead of the pack.


Pitt is looking insufficient, and they are starting Conference play tomorrow. But with Syracuse's win last week, @ So Florida, Pitt could have a difficult time in the Carrier Dome.

So Florida... where in the world did they go? Many would say the change of a coach will always set you back, however, anyone who has truly paid attention to this team, they'd know the Bulls started their decline while Leavitt was still the coach, and Grothe ( their would be second coming ) was the man behind center... Coaching changes and player woes are not a recent turn of events with this program... they have plummeted almost as fast as they rose...

Cincinnati is tested, and have been in dog fights this year... The Bearcats have faced teams that took them the distance, seriously pushing their mettle... although, other than their win vs Louisville, Cinci has lost most of those games... and one has to wonder how much it is taking away from this team, playing in that many close contests weekly... 2 of their key starters went out in tonight's game with injuries... how deep are they, and how thin can they spread themselves?

Rutgers is a team who peaked a couple of seasons ago, then, were expected to just keep climbing, improving, polishing their way into significance... so the media wanted us to believe... yet, Rutgers has become what they are... Rutgers, the team who steps up every now and again, to take down another team of their mediocrity or maybe slightly better from appearances... They are by no means a national threat, outside of possibly stepping up once in a while, to knock someone else contending, off of their quest for national respect... go on and keep choppin' wood you Scarlet Knights, and maintain the balance @ the bottom.

UConn, Louisville & Syracuse; all seem to be looking for an identity... None of them are raising the bar... none of them are contending for their conference ( let alone national attention )... and none of them have shown the ability to improve...

The prestige of being in an automatic qualifier conference has done nothing to help the Big East... as quite a few people had predicted... and others assumed differently.

If the teams from this conference break one-another apart with losses, their may not be anything worthwhile enough left to continue the facade of disreputed hype the press tries so diligently to persuade us to buy in to.

West Va may very well need to run the rest of the table in order to give what little hope their is left to a fading memory, of what the Big East use to evoke... or, they could jump ship, leave the fragments of what was never to be behind, and join one of the other big six...

huh... I completely intended on this post to be about how West Virginia has the best chance of making a BCS appearance out of the less than prosperous East... but somehow it turned more-so into pity & somewhat disdain... hmm.... anyhow, from all vantages at this time in the season; The Mountianeers look to be head & shoulders above the group, and I doubt any other Big East team could come away with enough conference wins to take home the Crown over West Va...


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[Brian Roastbeef]

Hey, Syracuse is 4-1, has a fair chance of beating Pitt, and is on their way. 11-1 is in the cards for them They're going to win the Big..

Yeah, I can't keep a straight face even typing that... Still, with the way much of the Big East looks, 'Cuse actually has a fair chance of pulling a 7-5 record and landing themselves in a bowl.

[Cane from the Bend]

I would actually like to see that.

Syracuse had a string of decent years in the nineties. People easily forget that the Orangemen use to be an otherwise good team.

They were 10-3 in 2001.

But, something happened sometime around 2003, when they followed up a disappointing season, by being disappointing.

They tried to rebound in `04, making it back into the bowl seen, only to run into Georgia Tech, who dropped the sledge hammer on them 51-14 ( ChampSports Bowl ).

That loss must have been their undoing, because `Cuse hasn't recovered, and just hope to have a signature win each year, to keep them relevant.

Though, you're right; with the Big East conference is tumbling like a UK bridge, Syracuse could find themselves playing for a post season... especially since they started off Big East play by beating So Fla.

They have Pitt @ home on homecoming night; and seeing how Pitt has struggled, the Orange could start off 5-1, 2-0 in conference... so, maybe.

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[WoVeU]

Yeh, I have to go with West Virginia. This team looks great on offense and defense. Hopefully the injury bug will not bite them. Looks like WV is the most complete team in the Big East. The loss to LSU was close, and outside of Tennessee, WV allowed LSU (6-0) the lowest points for the Tigers this season. I can honestly see the Mountaineers going 11-1 this season.

LSU didn't do squat against the WVU D, special teams, which still lets the team down here and there. Slowly improving but not good enough yet.

[WoVeU]

Much I don't like.

Cincy is better than people think and UofL is coming pretty fast. Syracuse has something but I haven't seen them play. That leaves Pitt (big rival), UConn (always dangerous due to execution), and Rutgers...has balance problems and had no identity outside of one player, but that freshman QB is good, but he is a freshman. I'd think the Eer take a loss in conference, but likely win it.

[Cane from the Bend]

Well; the possibility for a loss is never exempt from anyone... however, if there is a team in the Big East that could go unscathed in-conference, West Virginia is that team.

On-the-other-hand, as posted above, I agree... the Mountaineers could lose a Big East game, and still walk away as conference champs... ( maybe even two )

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[WoVeU]

I just get nervous when people start crowning WVU. They don't front run really well, they have improved in this area, but I still get nervous.