Unpopular Opinions (sports edition)

[I-57/Route 66 Fan]

There are only 10 schools in the Big 10

According to Wikipedia, the members of the Big 10 are:

• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
• Indiana University Bloomington
• University of Iowa
• University of Maryland, College Park
• University of Michigan
• Michigan State University
• University of Minnesota Twin Cities
• University of Nebraska–Lincoln
• Northwestern University
• Ohio State University
• University of Oregon
• Pennsylvania State University
• Purdue University
• Rutgers University
• University of California, Los Angeles
• University of Southern California
• University of Washington
• University of Wisconsin-Madison

...so, uh, in your unpopular opinion, which eight are not in the Big 10?

Maryland, Nebraska, Oregon, Penn State, Rutgers, UCLA, USC, Washington

[Max Rockatansky]

There are only 10 schools in the Big 10

According to Wikipedia, the members of the Big 10 are:

• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
• Indiana University Bloomington
• University of Iowa
• University of Maryland, College Park
• University of Michigan
• Michigan State University
• University of Minnesota Twin Cities
• University of Nebraska–Lincoln
• Northwestern University
• Ohio State University
• University of Oregon
• Pennsylvania State University
• Purdue University
• Rutgers University
• University of California, Los Angeles
• University of Southern California
• University of Washington
• University of Wisconsin-Madison

...so, uh, in your unpopular opinion, which eight are not in the Big 10?

Maryland, Nebraska, Oregon, Penn State, Rutgers, UCLA, USC, Washington

Back in the day there was a lot of talk about tossing then hapless Northwestern from the Big Ten before Penn State joined up.  Somehow I doubt you'd be happy if Northwestern got the boot. 

[I-57/Route 66 Fan]

There are only 10 schools in the Big 10

According to Wikipedia, the members of the Big 10 are:

• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
• Indiana University Bloomington
• University of Iowa
• University of Maryland, College Park
• University of Michigan
• Michigan State University
• University of Minnesota Twin Cities
• University of Nebraska–Lincoln
• Northwestern University
• Ohio State University
• University of Oregon
• Pennsylvania State University
• Purdue University
• Rutgers University
• University of California, Los Angeles
• University of Southern California
• University of Washington
• University of Wisconsin-Madison

...so, uh, in your unpopular opinion, which eight are not in the Big 10?

Maryland, Nebraska, Oregon, Penn State, Rutgers, UCLA, USC, Washington

Back in the day there was a lot of talk about tossing then hapless Northwestern from the Big Ten before Penn State joined up.  Somehow I doubt you'd be happy if Northwestern got the boot. 

Northwestern is the Vanderbilt of the Big 10

[Max Rockatansky]

There are only 10 schools in the Big 10

According to Wikipedia, the members of the Big 10 are:

• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
• Indiana University Bloomington
• University of Iowa
• University of Maryland, College Park
• University of Michigan
• Michigan State University
• University of Minnesota Twin Cities
• University of Nebraska–Lincoln
• Northwestern University
• Ohio State University
• University of Oregon
• Pennsylvania State University
• Purdue University
• Rutgers University
• University of California, Los Angeles
• University of Southern California
• University of Washington
• University of Wisconsin-Madison

...so, uh, in your unpopular opinion, which eight are not in the Big 10?

Maryland, Nebraska, Oregon, Penn State, Rutgers, UCLA, USC, Washington

Back in the day there was a lot of talk about tossing then hapless Northwestern from the Big Ten before Penn State joined up.  Somehow I doubt you'd be happy if Northwestern got the boot. 

Northwestern is the Vanderbilt of the Big 10

They haven't been all that bad in football since the mid-1990s. 

Also, you still didn't answer my question.

[I-57/Route 66 Fan]

There are only 10 schools in the Big 10

According to Wikipedia, the members of the Big 10 are:

• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
• Indiana University Bloomington
• University of Iowa
• University of Maryland, College Park
• University of Michigan
• Michigan State University
• University of Minnesota Twin Cities
• University of Nebraska–Lincoln
• Northwestern University
• Ohio State University
• University of Oregon
• Pennsylvania State University
• Purdue University
• Rutgers University
• University of California, Los Angeles
• University of Southern California
• University of Washington
• University of Wisconsin-Madison

...so, uh, in your unpopular opinion, which eight are not in the Big 10?

Maryland, Nebraska, Oregon, Penn State, Rutgers, UCLA, USC, Washington

Back in the day there was a lot of talk about tossing then hapless Northwestern from the Big Ten before Penn State joined up.  Somehow I doubt you'd be happy if Northwestern got the boot. 

Northwestern is the Vanderbilt of the Big 10

They haven't been all that bad in football since the mid-1990s. 

Also, you still didn't answer my question.

It will be the Big 9 then

[hbelkins]

I call them the Big We-Can't-Count Conference.

Conference names should reflect reality. Kentucky does not border the Atlantic Ocean; Louisville is in Kentucky (but I refuse to acknowledge it and would gladly cede Jefferson County to Indiana); therefore, the Atlantic Coast Conference is misnamed.

[1995hoo]

I call them the Big We-Can't-Count Conference.

Conference names should reflect reality. Kentucky does not border the Atlantic Ocean; Louisville is in Kentucky (but I refuse to acknowledge it and would gladly cede Jefferson County to Indiana); therefore, the Atlantic Coast Conference is misnamed.

Heh. The ACC also has two schools in California. Kentucky, at least, is within the Atlantic watershed (via the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers flowing into the Gulf of Mexico), as are Texas (where SMU is) and Indiana (Notre Dame; that state drains both north via the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River and south via the Ohio). But Cal and Stanford, nope.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

When Penn State joined, they at least did a "can't unsee it" alteration to their logo to display an "11" in the middle.

It's probably why they've emphasized being the "B1G" over a number.

[Max Rockatansky]

When Penn State joined, they at least did a "can't unsee it" alteration to their logo to display an "11" in the middle.

It's probably why they've emphasized being the "B1G" over a number.

I really liked the hidden 11 logo.  That was a pretty cleaver design.

[Scott5114]

There are only 10 schools in the Big 10

...so, uh, in your unpopular opinion, which eight are not in the Big 10?

Maryland, Nebraska, Oregon, Penn State, Rutgers, UCLA, USC, Washington

So your opinion is that the contracts those schools have signed to do business with the rest of the conference as a member...were never signed? Were invalid? The money changing hands between them is counterfeit? Explain.

Conference names should reflect reality. Kentucky does not border the Atlantic Ocean; Louisville is in Kentucky (but I refuse to acknowledge it and would gladly cede Jefferson County to Indiana); therefore, the Atlantic Coast Conference is misnamed.

Conferences are business entities.

There's a business entity with locations in Nevada called California Pizza Kitchen. I guess it started in California and then opened locations elsewhere. Apparently it has locations as far from California as Connecticut. Is it misnamed?

[formulanone]

Just call it Big Teen already, it's only one character more.

[Max Rockatansky]

I'd be in favor of kicking Michigan State out of the Big Ten and bringing back the University of Chicago.

[I-57/Route 66 Fan]

Conferences are business entities.

Like I said earlier in this thread, sports should not be a business.

[Scott5114]

Conferences are business entities.

Like I said earlier in this thread, sports should not be a business.

Okay, and that's an opinion you can have (and not even an unpopular one). But they are a business and merely asserting they're not isn't something you can do...

[kphoger]

So your opinion is that the contracts those schools have signed to do business with the rest of the conference as a member...were never signed? Were invalid? The money changing hands between them is counterfeit? Explain.

...

There's a business entity with locations in Nevada called California Pizza Kitchen. I guess it started in California and then opened locations elsewhere. Apparently it has locations as far from California as Connecticut. Is it misnamed?

The Big Ten is more like if the California Pizza Kitchen's name were The California Pizza Kitchen Just South of Beverly and Wilshire instead.

[hbelkins]

I call them the Big We-Can't-Count Conference.

Conference names should reflect reality. Kentucky does not border the Atlantic Ocean; Louisville is in Kentucky (but I refuse to acknowledge it and would gladly cede Jefferson County to Indiana); therefore, the Atlantic Coast Conference is misnamed.

I call them the Big We-Can't-Count Conference.

Conference names should reflect reality. Kentucky does not border the Atlantic Ocean; Louisville is in Kentucky (but I refuse to acknowledge it and would gladly cede Jefferson County to Indiana); therefore, the Atlantic Coast Conference is misnamed.

Heh. The ACC also has two schools in California. Kentucky, at least, is within the Atlantic watershed (via the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers flowing into the Gulf of Mexico), as are Texas (where SMU is) and Indiana (Notre Dame; that state drains both north via the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River and south via the Ohio). But Cal and Stanford, nope.

Heh. The ACC also has two schools in California. Kentucky, at least, is within the Atlantic watershed (via the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers flowing into the Gulf of Mexico), as are Texas (where SMU is) and Indiana (Notre Dame; that state drains both north via the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River and south via the Ohio). But Cal and Stanford, nope.

Back in the 1970s, U of L was a part of the Missouri Valley Conference. That was also geographically incorrect, as none of Kentucky drains into the Missouri River.

Conferences are business entities.

There's a business entity with locations in Nevada called California Pizza Kitchen. I guess it started in California and then opened locations elsewhere. Apparently it has locations as far from California as Connecticut. Is it misnamed?

You mean like Kentucky Fried Chicken operating in North Carolina?

On our family's vacations to the Outer Banks in the late 1960s/early 1970s, we ate at the KFC at the intersection of US 64, US 158, US 264, and NC 12 at least once on each trip.

[Scott5114]

You mean like Kentucky Fried Chicken operating in North Carolina?

Exactly like that. ACC operating outside the Atlantic Coast region is no different than KFC operating outside Kentucky. (Leaving aside that the first restaurant to bear the name KFC was actually in Utah, since that was where Colonel Sanders first franchised his chicken to.)

You could argue that maybe they should adopt less geographically-tied names to avoid this, though I'm not sure what other sort of names you could use. When I went to Missouri State they were in the "Gateway Conference", which included the St. Louis Gateway Arch in its logo. If they ever wanted to be less Missouri-themed I guess they could just pick a different logo since people don't necessarily assume Gateway = Missouri.

[kphoger]

To me, there's a fundamental difference between something having started in one area and then expanded (Kentucky Fried Chicken) or its faraway-location-based name evoking something about the product it sells (Texas Roadhouse) on the one hand—and the number ten not meaning the number ten on the other hand.

[I-57/Route 66 Fan]

The MVP Award should be allowed to go to a player on the losing team.

[Big John]

The MVP Award should be allowed to go to a player on the losing team.

Chuck Howley won MVP for the losing Cowboys in Super Bowl V.

[I-57/Route 66 Fan]

The MVP Award should be allowed to go to a player on the losing team.

Chuck Howley won MVP for the losing Cowboys in Super Bowl V.

I think it should happen more

[SP Cook]

If you want to get serious about the college football conferences.

- The Southeastern Conference, well you have the issue of Missouri.  Parts of Missouri are culturally southern.  Parts are culturally other things.  But its OK.

- The Atlantic Coast Conference, as noted above has teams on the Pacific Coast, as well as in the Ohio Valley, Texas, and for that matter Syracuse is in the St. Lawrence drainage.  Better name, the We Couldn't Get Into The SEC Conference.

- The Big 10 has 18 members, several of which are not particularly "big".  Better name, the American Association.  Baseball fans will remember that the midwestern AAA league was called that back in the day, and all the Big 10 is is a bunch of paid professionals looking to move up to the "show" just like AAA baseball.

- The Big 12 has 16 members, NONE of which are actually "big">  Better name is easy, the Leftovers.  The league is the teams that not ever the ACC wants. 

As to the "group of six" which is a stupid name in itself.

- The American is, well, a conference in America, so there you go. 

- Conference USA is, likewise, a conference in the USA.

- The Mid-American, well I'm OK with SUNY-Buffalo.  Buffalo is way more midwestern rust belt-y than it is east coast.  Similar to Pittsburgh, Cleveland, etc.  But then you have Massachusetts.  No one pays attention to UMass sports anyway, so no one will notice, so MAC is OK.

- The Mountain West, which has new members this year, includes now North Dakota State, which is flat and well east of the continental divide, and two schools in California plus Hawaii.  If not for the California schools, you could call it The Empty Quarter Conference, but Mountain West sounds good and most teams are at least arguably there.

= The Sun Belt Conference has teams in the mountains of Virginia, North Carolina and West Virginia, none of which anyone would call the sun belt.  But no other name seems to work either.

- The reconstituted Pacific 12, has 9 full members, half of which are not even in states that drain to the Pacific, and only one, San Diego State, actually anywhere near the ocean.  Better name, the Kidding Ourselves Conference, as that is what these programs are doing.

[gonealookin]

- The Mid-American, well I'm OK with SUNY-Buffalo.  Buffalo is way more midwestern rust belt-y than it is east coast.  Similar to Pittsburgh, Cleveland, etc.  But then you have Massachusetts.  No one pays attention to UMass sports anyway, so no one will notice, so MAC is OK.

- The Mountain West, which has new members this year, includes now North Dakota State, which is flat and well east of the continental divide, and two schools in California plus Hawaii.  If not for the California schools, you could call it The Empty Quarter Conference, but Mountain West sounds good and most teams are at least arguably there.

Northern Illinois has also moved from the MAC to the Mountain West.

To replace the Huskies, the MAC accepted...Sacramento State, which is upgrading from FCS (Big Sky) to FBS this year.

[1995hoo]

The MVP Award should be allowed to go to a player on the losing team.

Chuck Howley won MVP for the losing Cowboys in Super Bowl V.

I think it should happen more

It's happened several times in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

[Scott5114]

Really I think the whole issue with conference names hints at the bigger problem—conferences shouldn't exist to begin with, as they are artificial constructs that exist for business purposes and aren't actually useful for organizing teams in a logical manner, which is why naming them in a logical manner can't be done. (I'm not so sure that's an unpopular opinion, but the next sentence probably will be.)

If they have to exist they should be named the same way as another thing that started out as a geographical arrangement which grew to have no geographic meaning for business reasons—1990s telephone companies.