This clearly means Gary Barta is a prophet: Yesterday, we mentioned that Gary Barta had brought up national demographic trends as a prime determinant for conference expansion. Barta was pretty much the only person talking like that on Monday. Tuesday? Ehhhhhveryone, from the commissioner on down, was talking about it. Observe:
(Video courtesy an expansive collection from the day's meetings, by--as if you had to guess--Morehouse. All the others are properly focused. Promise.)
As HS mentioned yesterday, this portends well for Rutgers, Mizzou, and Texas. After seeing the nearly singular focus on demography from all parties involved, however, we're less inclined to take certain colleges (Pitt, Cuse, Electoral) off the table, and more inclined to put more on--specifically just about everyone in the ACC outside of the Carolinas. That's Boston all the way down to Miami, and eyes especially trained on D.C., Atlanta, and the state of Virginia. And as Delaney noted, he's not going to be shy about asking schools--or, at least, not too afraid of getting a "no" back to ask a school if he wants to invite them. That's not to guarantee any ACC school is getting The Call or anything--if Delany doesn't know yet, then we sure as hell don't either--but it's really worth keeping in mind that there are many other attractive population bases on the eastern seaboard than just New York.
Also, if adjusting to shifting population trends to keep the BXI atop the NCAA in market share is really Delany's goal, Texas is getting called. No telling if they'll listen, but they're getting called.
But we can still bring the turkey fryer to the tailgate, right?: Apparently, there had been some casual discussion of moving the annual Iowa-Minnesota slaughter fiercely contested rivalry to the Friday after Thanksgiving. You'll never guess who TRY CHAMPION BEST GOPHER STALIN thought that might not be such a hot idea:
"We’re just keeping where it’s at," Minnesota Coach Tim Brewster said. "There hasn’t been any discussion of moving the game.
"I feel good about playing the game where it is right now."
Awwwww. Tim. Buddy. Friend. Don't leave us out in the cold like that. We thought more attention is what you always wanted.
We're actually of mixed emotions about the notion of an Iowa-Minnesota Friday game too. That's mainly due to the fact that if last year's game had been on national TV on Friday, Iowa would have been tossed straight out of the Top 25... and they're the team that won. Minnesota? They might have been kicked out of the conference. You can hide a crap performance on a Saturday morning. Not on a Friday.
ITEMZ OF INTEREST:
- Contrary to popular belief--inasmuch as there can be a "popular belief" about Iowa basketball other than "holy god that Lickliter thing did not work"--Fran McCaffery and his Fran McStaffery are not done recruiting,and they're looking for one or two more guys for next year's basketball team. We should hope so, really, since he's only added one new recruit and two walkons, while he let three potential impact players walk--albeit with solid reasons. There was Anthony Salter (academic concerns), Cody Larson (alcohol and drug issues), and Ben Brust (white). All three deal-breakers.
- If you haven't yet, check out the Hawkeye Confessions from the fanposts. Highlight: RossWB totally booed Broadway Kyle. We knew he was a hater.
- TRE says Iowa's weak link is the offensive line. Huh. We were guessing it was the basketball team.
- The spring I-Club tour is taking a bit of a break these days, with only a May 21 date in Ottumwa and a June 1 meeting in Dubuque taking place between now and June 7. The Dubuque date is the one that features Norm Parker and Tom Brands, so, with all due respect to Kirk Ferentz and Lisa Bluder... you're better off going to Dubuque. The lull is good news for us at BHGP, since it means we can spend the entire Memorial Day break thinking up a dialogue that's half as entertaining as the real thing. Here's all we have so far.
SO THE COP SAYS, STARING AT PEOPLE WHILE THEY UNDRESS FROM OUTSIDE THEIR BEDROOM WINDOWS IS NO LAUGHING MATTER
AND THEN I SAY, WELL IF IT'S NOT, THEN WHY DO I ALWAYS DO IT IN THIS HERE CLOWN SUIT?
HAHAHAHAHA, so true! Knee-slapper there, big guy! Who in the audience wants to fight me!
(horrified silence)
YEAH, VANDERBILT WAS GREAT
And finally, GENUFLECT BEFORE THE AWESOME AND TERRIFYING POWER OF VOODOO ARMS:
Needless to say, the Magic would end up losing this game.