Army-Navy proposal alive on Big East table

[E.T.]

July 01, 2007  

Army-Navy proposal alive on Big East table

By Mitch Vingle

Sports Editor 

Since the Atlantic Coast Conference’s raid of the Big East in 2003, rumors have swirled in regard to the latter’s membership.

The Big East quelled some of that by adding Cincinnati, Louisville and South Florida in all sports and DePaul and Marquette in all but football.

Still, talk of Big East expansion remains. There’s Internet banter. And, really, with good reason.

That reason is football scheduling. Football is the lifeblood of the eight full members. Yet, in a time when schools can schedule 12 games, Big East teams are assured of but seven via their affiliation.

So the names of possible additions fly. From East Carolina, Central Florida, Navy, Memphis and, to some degree, Marshall to the far-flung notions of Kentucky, Penn State, Maryland and North Carolina.

Nothing, though, is happening because the basketball conference is overloaded with 16 teams. Absolutely no room at that inn.

But there is a solution.

It’s not a perfect solution. But it is a sensible solution that is on the Big East’s proverbial table.

Fashion a joint football-only membership for Army and Navy.

Here’s the idea. Strike an agreement with the service academies to play four games apiece each year against Big East schools.

That would accomplish goals for both sides. You may remember that Army left Conference USA at the end of the 2004 season. The objective was to have more flexibility in scheduling. Those at West Point hope to again make Army a power using the Notre Dame approach. Schedule and recruit nationally.

Navy has a like stance. The desired status is independence.

In the Big East scenario, Army and Navy can keep their independent statuses. Forget “joint membership.’’ Spin it as an “association.’’ (The schools won’t, after all, be eligible for a conference title.) And, voila, independence maintained.

Yet the service academies have a pool of Eastern schools to play each season. It’s a pool that’s been heated of late with the emergence of West Virginia, Louisville and Rutgers as national powers. The athletic departments will have to schedule but eight, not 12, games per year.

Meanwhile, each Big East team will be assured of four league home games each season. As it stands, Big East members are assured of four one year and three the next. And the goal of every major program is to have at least seven home games per season. (This isn’t, by the way, about building toward a conference championship, which takes 12 schools. Odds are that won’t happen for years, if ever.)

Multiple sources within the Big East confirmed the Army-Navy idea is alive, although, according to one “not full-blown yet.’’

Which is unfortunate. The idea makes sense. No, neither Army or Navy make the eyes pop when spotted on football schedules. But they do have nationwide appeal.

Army, for instance, will have all five home games this coming season televised by some, well, branch of the ESPN family. (The games will be on ESPN Classic, ESPN2 and ESPNU.)

Navy, meanwhile, had enough juice to steal the Meinke Car Care Bowl from the Big East last season and has already signed a deal to appear in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl this season with six wins or more.

Bottom lines: If a deal is struck, Army and Navy could play four Big East games and globetrot for the other eight. The current Big East schools could have their four-four league split and four non-conference openings. A very nice balance.

The proposal, by the way, isn’t new. Army and Navy fans know it was floated when Army left C-USA. At that time, Navy athletic director Chet Gladchuk was asked about just such a setup with C-USA.

“Independence at this time is serving us well,’’ Gladchuk wrote on Navy’s Web site. “Maybe down the road.’’

In regard to another question regarding the Big East, he wrote: “If down the road the Big East is a possibility, we’ll consider it very carefully.’’

Gladchuk is a former AD at Boston College (as well as Houston and Tulane), so he knows the Big East turf.

We’ll see if he and the others involved indeed consider this “very carefully.’’

In a conference that’s already unwieldy (see basketball-football setup, Notre Dame affiliation), it’s an idea that floats.

To contact staff writer Mitch Vingle, send e-mail to mitchvingle@wvgazette.com or call 348-4827.

http://wvgazette.com/webtools/print/Sports/Mitch+Vingle/2007063025

[USFMikeB]

Interesting proposal.  I would be interested ins seeing USF play Navy or Army each year.

[E.T.]

And I wouldn't mind trips to West Point again ... and visiting Philly.

Go BULLS !!!

[Guest]

The U.S. Naval Academy is in Annapolis... Only the Army-Navy game is played in Philly.

[JoeB]

Jim, you beat me to it.  But I think this would be great for the Big East and USF.

[80mins]

I've love to see the Bulls play regularly in Naptown or West Point (I've got family near both).

[Grateful Dad]

I like this idea.  Wish Air Force was independent.  They would draw well from MacDill.  But there would be enough Army and Navy veterans in the area to add to the crowd.

[Joe]

C-USA tried this. I mean they offered both schools the kitchen sink. However, they only drew Army and even with that Army wanted out after a year (it was later granted). The Big East made a similar proposal in the early 90s, and they refused then too.

I highly doubt that Army and Navy are going to join a conference, while the BCS would intrigue them, it's not gonna be enough because in all likelihood (and they know it) it's tough for 270lb offensive linemen to hold up each week. Further, they both have historically big names that draw well. They have their own cvontracts to get on ESPN and do frequent the network.

To set aside Air Force, the academy can around in the 60s, they don't have the "Army" and "Navy" drawing power and probably never will.

I've seen crazier things, but I fully believe Army and Navy will always be independent from here on out.

[outrunner]

I like this idea.  Wish Air Force was independent.  They would draw well from MacDill.  But there would be enough Army and Navy veterans in the area to add to the crowd.

If you got Navy to come to Tampa, that would be a pretty good draw. Now here's an idea USF-Navy in Jacksonville. With NAS JAX, Mayport, and King's Bay all right there (not to forget Camp Blanding), that could be a good game for USF. I know FSU was trying to do something similar, I think with basketball.

[HarveyGlass]

Can someone let me in on what, exactly, the BigEast gets out of this deal?

I don't think any BE teams have trouble scheduling teams of Army and Navy's caliber.  Home games even.

I'd much rather the Cards play Utah at home(like this year) than Army, and I'd much rather the Bulls play UNC at home(like this year) instead of Navy.  And what's more, I see the five non-conference games as the best of both worlds for BE teams.  We get the guaranteed power conference games, and also the scheduling flexibility that some programs apparently prefer.

What's the benefit to the BE?  I know we're not recruiting the same players as the military academies, and I seriously doubt the draw of those academies to bring a national broadcast.

I think I'd rather take my chances with the chance to schedule whoever we want as opposed to being forced to play a non-conference Army or Navy.  I think, like the Notre Dame deal, we ought to say no to partial members.  Especially these two.

Maybe I'm missing something. ???