Buying in to our Big 10 Identity

sheepdogmark said:
I find myself pulling for the Big 12 teams, the Big 8 specifically. I never liked the Big 10 teams and felt it was usually overrated. Now, even with us in it, I believe it to be weaker then the other major conferences ($EC, Big 12 and PAC 12), least this year.

I agree that we fit in the conference, just can't root for the other tram. Also not a fan of the commish's view on playoffs and I have never liked the Rose Bowl.

Hope that things get better in this conference and I think the B1G gets better over the next couple of years.
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This kind of sums up my feelings as well. Apparently, everyone has forgotten all the tears shed in 94' by Penn State for not being annointed the NC. They've also forgot about 97' where Michigan fans jeered they were clearly the only NC that year. Or, they've forgotten all those times Ohio State made the NC game even though they clearly didn't belong. I don't really have any ill feelings towards the Big 10, but I've always viewed them as a weaker conference as well especially in the last decade.

I do believe the Big 10 will get better in the next decade. Urban Meyer brings things to the Big 10. However, Penn State is going to fall off into no man's land. Right now, it's full of decent to good teams with zero elite teams. I've gotta believe someone will emerge in the next couple of years as an elite team. It might as well be us. I'd put my money on either us or Ohio State to get into that elite category.

 
I think it will be a natural progression for both your school and for the conference. It's probably already happening. You'll find yourself following the Big Ten story lines as the years go on and, in turn, you'll find yourself not following your old Big XII story lines. For me, that's a big part of conference identity. I know all the rivalries of the conference, who is playing who any given week and what's on the line. I know all the B1G stadium names, the cities, the coaches and the bars I like visiting when I'm there. I've got memories of traveling to other conference schools and really feeling like part of the story. There's nothing that quite attaches you to the conference happenings like saying "I was there!" After a few years of tuning out to the happenings and matchups of your old conference, those sentiments of attachment to the other schools in the Big Twelve will slowly start to fade and I think you will very naturally become more deeply involved in the happenings of your new conference. The fact that you want to be integrated and that we want you integrated has expedited this process- something that was important when the conference was looking for candidates for expansion. The Big Ten is an incredibly well-established, tradition-filled league that has remained rock solid for over 100 years. We work together on so many levels other than football that once a school is in, it becomes a member for life. Even the University of Chicago is still a member of the Big Ten even though they don't have a football team. They still collaborate with the league in a very important way. We have the best academic institutions and just as Penn State found, you will find your academic situation much improved within the next 10 years. We have the greatest stadiums, the most fans, the best pageantry, the greatest bands, and we continue to be the envy of the country. You will become a part of that and be able to share in the next 100 years of the greatest league- on every level- in college athletics.

If you haven't done a brief history check on the league, check out the wikipedia page. It's a great read and will help to get a grasp on the importance of Big Ten history and tradition.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Ten_Conference

 
Nice thoughts and write-up Wisconsin33. Enjoyed the read. I'll have to swallow the B1G "pill" you have ... that isn't a slam. I hope my "sense" changes over time.

 
With what was happening in the Big 12, I had no problem walking away. I miss the long history with Kansas and our duel with Oklahoma, but what else. What made the Big 12 so great that you would want to be back? Missouri and Texas A & M are gone now too. The Big 12 is just the ugly transition we dealt with on our way to the BIG imo.

Is the BIG less competitive this year? Yes.

Is the Big 12 a better football conference? Yes, with the addition of West Virginia and TCU

Are we better off? Of course. We are now a part of a whole that collaborates and will be more competitive in the future.

 
I'm definitely glad Nebraska's a part of the B1G.

To sum up my opinion of the Big XII: I hope WV crushes the rest of the conference.

 
The things I miss about the Big 12 are the locations of the games. I was as close to Manhattan, KS as I am Lincoln. I was much closer to Boulder than Lincoln. Plus, I would rather travel down south to play one of the Texas teams in late October early November than the frigid northeast. The Big 12 is a mess. From stictly selfish reasons, I would rather have joined the Pac 12 than the Big 10.

 
junior4949 said:
The things I miss about the Big 12 are the locations of the games. I was as close to Manhattan, KS as I am Lincoln. I was much closer to Boulder than Lincoln. Plus, I would rather travel down south to play one of the Texas teams in late October early November than the frigid northeast. The Big 12 is a mess. From stictly selfish reasons, I would rather have joined the Pac 12 than the Big 10.
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Northeast?

 
Northeast=anything north or east of central Iowa.

I concur.

Also, Ohio is not in the "midwest". It's the eastern 1/3 to 1/4 of the geographic land mass of the country... Damn easterners... :)

 
307husker said:
Northeast=anything north or east of central Iowa.

I concur.

Also, Ohio is not in the "midwest". It's the eastern 1/3 to 1/4 of the geographic land mass of the country... Damn easterners... :)
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You South Westerners are weird.

 
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No, that's Arizona/NM. Nebraska, specifically Memorial Stadium, is the center of the universe. All others adjust your terminology accordingly.

 
307husker said:
No, that's Arizona/NM. Nebraska, specifically Memorial Stadium, is the center of the universe. All others adjust your terminology accordingly.
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...and Kurt Cobain looks to have a great and lengthy career, Bob Dole will make a great president and fax machines and beepers will be here forever!

 
307husker said:
No, that's Arizona/NM. Nebraska, specifically Memorial Stadium, is the center of the universe. All others adjust your terminology accordingly.
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Yep. We are pretty close to the geographical center of the continental USA.

 
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But nobody really cares about Kansas. So Memorial Stadium will hereforth be the center of the universe.

All those in favor...

 
This is kool-aid on a level heretofore unseen. Worse than Bama fans claiming the Tide could beat an NFL team.

 
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