ESPN: B1G No Longer on the Defensive

[Mavric]

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany didn't take the stage to "Celebration," "We Are The Champions" or even, "Damn It Feels Good To Be A Gangsta." But "Taps" wasn't playing, either, and Delany could leave his body armor at home.

For the first time in years, Delany and his Big Ten brethren weren't forced into a defensive posture at their annual media days, a promotional event that had become target practice against the tradition-rich league. Recent media days peppered Big Ten officials about why the league can't recruit top players, why it can't win major bowl games and, ultimately, why it can't win a national championship. Off-field scandals, uninspired coaching hires and an East Coast expansion greeted mostly with grumbling short-circuited the Big Ten hype machine.

There's finally reason to celebrate the Big Ten football brand again. Ohio State's national championship -- the Big Ten's first since the Buckeyes won in 2002 -- and preseason No. 1 ranking is the biggest driver, but there are other positive signs across the league. Michigan State comes off of consecutive major bowl victories (Rose, Cotton), Penn State is emerging from the shadows of scandal and Michigan made the biggest coaching move of the offseason in bringing native son Jim Harbaugh back to Ann Arbor. "A head-turning hire," Delany called it. New members Rutgers and Maryland both posted winning records in their first seasons in the conference. Despite the nation's toughest bowl lineup, the Big Ten recorded a record six bowl victories.

"It closed a lot of mouths," Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook said. "We're finally getting that respect we deserve."

 

Link

[Creed]

The stars aligned at the end of the season for OSU and MSU/Wisc played well in their bowl games but the rest of the league needs to step up its game particularly Mich, Penn State, Nebraska and Iowa. IMO the reason the B1G was torn down the last few years were

 

A. It's marquee teams were either in a down cycle and/or NCAA issues (OSU, PSU)

B Marquee teams and some 2nd tier teams crapped the bed in big/bowl games. The B1G has had the most difficult bowl alignments thanks to Delaney and when the conference is down you get parings higher ranked SEC/PAC teams playing much lower ranked or unranked B1G teams. Recipe for disaster. I think the new format will have much better bowl parings.

 

Now let's not have another terrible OOC season this September. It would be nice to have more than 3 teams in the Top 25

[WoodyHayes1951]

just proves that the Big Ten can be high profile without the wolverweenies if the other schools step up.

[Scratchtown]

just proves that the Big Ten can be high profile without the wolverweenies if the other schools step up.

 

 

It would be the same thing if Michigan and Ohio State switched. Doesn't matter who's on top.

[Redux]

If Purdue won the conference it would matter.

[True2tRA]

So if it can't be Nebraska, do any of you guys root for Ohio St. to pull it off again? Obviously we don't start the year rooting for the Phuckeyes, but if it's late season and their in the playoff, do you pull for them? I did last year.

 

Pro: It shuts up this SEC hype train for another year (okay kinda, they'll probably never really shut up) but as long as the SEC doesn't hold the title I'm happy. The longer, the better.

 

Con: The more Ohio St. dominates this conference, the easier it gets for them. Recruiting gets easier, publicity grows, Urban gets paid, better assistants want to go there......It makes it that much harder for Nebraska to overcome them.

[Landlord]

I pull for Ohio State in every game they play. I enjoy the program and I enjoy Urban Meyer. Same is true in general for almost every B1G team sans when they play us.

[Comish]

 

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany didn't take the stage to "Celebration," "We Are The Champions" or even, "Damn It Feels Good To Be A Gangsta." But "Taps" wasn't playing, either, and Delany could leave his body armor at home.

For the first time in years, Delany and his Big Ten brethren weren't forced into a defensive posture at their annual media days, a promotional event that had become target practice against the tradition-rich league. Recent media days peppered Big Ten officials about why the league can't recruit top players, why it can't win major bowl games and, ultimately, why it can't win a national championship. Off-field scandals, uninspired coaching hires and an East Coast expansion greeted mostly with grumbling short-circuited the Big Ten hype machine.

There's finally reason to celebrate the Big Ten football brand again. Ohio State's national championship -- the Big Ten's first since the Buckeyes won in 2002 -- and preseason No. 1 ranking is the biggest driver, but there are other positive signs across the league. Michigan State comes off of consecutive major bowl victories (Rose, Cotton), Penn State is emerging from the shadows of scandal and Michigan made the biggest coaching move of the offseason in bringing native son Jim Harbaugh back to Ann Arbor. "A head-turning hire," Delany called it. New members Rutgers and Maryland both posted winning records in their first seasons in the conference. Despite the nation's toughest bowl lineup, the Big Ten recorded a record six bowl victories.

"It closed a lot of mouths," Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook said. "We're finally getting that respect we deserve."

 

Link

 

Interesting that Huskers don't even merit a mention...........even under the "off-season coaching hires" mantle.........

More irrelevance on the national scene...?

[Scratchtown]

I pull for Ohio State in every game they play. I enjoy the program and I enjoy Urban Meyer. Same is true in general for almost every B1G team sans when they play us.

How do you choose which team then, when conference play is going on? Or do you just not care? Root for the team with the better record?

 

5-3 Iowa vs 6-2 Maryland....who would you pick?

[WoodyHayes1951]

 

just proves that the Big Ten can be high profile without the wolverweenies if the other schools step up.

 

 

It would be the same thing if Michigan and Ohio State switched. Doesn't matter who's on top.

 

 

True, but the whole "collapse of the Big Ten" started after The Appalachian State game and most people in the conference felt it couldn't get back unless they were back to being the program they were in the 90s.

[Moiraine]

 

 

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany didn't take the stage to "Celebration," "We Are The Champions" or even, "Damn It Feels Good To Be A Gangsta." But "Taps" wasn't playing, either, and Delany could leave his body armor at home.

For the first time in years, Delany and his Big Ten brethren weren't forced into a defensive posture at their annual media days, a promotional event that had become target practice against the tradition-rich league. Recent media days peppered Big Ten officials about why the league can't recruit top players, why it can't win major bowl games and, ultimately, why it can't win a national championship. Off-field scandals, uninspired coaching hires and an East Coast expansion greeted mostly with grumbling short-circuited the Big Ten hype machine.

There's finally reason to celebrate the Big Ten football brand again. Ohio State's national championship -- the Big Ten's first since the Buckeyes won in 2002 -- and preseason No. 1 ranking is the biggest driver, but there are other positive signs across the league. Michigan State comes off of consecutive major bowl victories (Rose, Cotton), Penn State is emerging from the shadows of scandal and Michigan made the biggest coaching move of the offseason in bringing native son Jim Harbaugh back to Ann Arbor. "A head-turning hire," Delany called it. New members Rutgers and Maryland both posted winning records in their first seasons in the conference. Despite the nation's toughest bowl lineup, the Big Ten recorded a record six bowl victories.

"It closed a lot of mouths," Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook said. "We're finally getting that respect we deserve."

 

Link

 

Interesting that Huskers don't even merit a mention...........even under the "off-season coaching hires" mantle.........

More irrelevance on the national scene...?

 

 

Who cares? If he does what he was hired to do it won't matter how much attention his hiring received.

 

As to the question of cheering for Ohio State, it depends on who they're playing. Against most teams I'd cheer for them because they're in the same conference as Nebraska. But if there's an underdog I really like who's never won a national championship I might cheer for them. Honestly as annoying as KSU's fans are I'd probably cheer for KSU against OSU (only in a NC game) because I like Snyder.

[Landlord]

 

I pull for Ohio State in every game they play. I enjoy the program and I enjoy Urban Meyer. Same is true in general for almost every B1G team sans when they play us.

How do you choose which team then, when conference play is going on? Or do you just not care? Root for the team with the better record?

 

5-3 Iowa vs 6-2 Maryland....who would you pick?

 

 

 

Usually I just hope to watch good football, but of course I'll root against Iowa

[Moiraine]

 

I pull for Ohio State in every game they play. I enjoy the program and I enjoy Urban Meyer. Same is true in general for almost every B1G team sans when they play us.

How do you choose which team then, when conference play is going on? Or do you just not care? Root for the team with the better record?

 

5-3 Iowa vs 6-2 Maryland....who would you pick?

 

 

If we played both Maryland and Iowa, I'd cheer for Maryland. If we only play Iowa, I'd cheer for Iowa.

 

I'd much rather play a 7-2 team and a 5-4 team then a 6-3 team and a 6-3 team.