Whoa... Could this be true?!?

[MKE_GoldenEagleFan]

http://m.si.com/627787/whats-next-fo...ic-7-big-east/

Pete Thamel says 12 teams and 3 million per school isn't unrealistic for a TV deal... Whoa Nellie...

[Mark Miller]

I like the 12 teams involved. Might go for VCU over Saint Louis for the 12th spot, but am excited to add Xavier, Butler, Creighton and Saint Louis. Heck of a basketball league.

[MKE_GoldenEagleFan]

I prefer St. Louis over VCU only because it balances things out more between the Midwest and East.. LOVE Creighton being involved, and the $3 million idea would be huge... I'm ready for this to start next year!

[WindyCityGoldenEagle]

Hate his comments about certain teams like VCU possibly not being a good fit due to lack of religion at the school----I REALLY REALLY hope the key decision makers for this new conference do not have this as even a minor factor in their decision equation.

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

I could see this accelerating with Boise State pulling out of the new Big East. It only makes that conference less appealing to many of the teams slated to join, and as it looks like they'll be putting together a league from scratch, it could make it easier for us to pull out now. Especially because while the current Big East has a 2013 football television deal, there is no deal in place for the 2013-14 basketball season. What is the advantage to sticking around, and who will even be interested in bidding on a league knowing that two of the most marketable basketball programs (MU and GT) would be gone after the first year of the deal?

[Mucrisco]

Anticipating all of the too far to travel comments, if it could be the C7, Butler, Xavier, Creighton, Dayton, and the Zags, I would be ecstatic. I include Dayton because one of my best friends from high school went there and we always talk about the potential this conference would have. I realize people would rather have SLU or VCU.

[MKE_GoldenEagleFan]

It seems the Zaga idea has lost some steam, at first a lot of folks were discussing it, but now that things have began to get more serious they aren't mentioned as prominently anymore. I guess for me I don't care as much about team #12, I care more about timing, TV deals and stuff like that... I want to get this thing going!

I will say this, I have a rule that I won't do any road trips over 8 hours away, so I'm excited about Dayton, Xavier, and Creighton and St. Louis being added because it gives me new places to add to the list

[Mucrisco]

If this could happen for next season, that would be another reason why I'd be ecstatic. I'd miss our last game with Louisville, but let's get this going, now!

[Phantom Warrior]

Just because there has not been a great deal of public discussion regarding Gonzaga means nothing. The real issue is what is going on behind the scenes.

When Pitt and Syracuse left, it shocked everyone. No one outside of the ACC and the two schools knew. The rest of the league was blindsided. The same with Maryland bolting for the Big 10. Even ND joining the ACC pretty much came out of the blue.

I'm not giving up hope on Gonzaga being added.

By the way, still waiting for some public announcement vis a vis Xavier and Butler. Those reports of an announcement this past week by various in-the-know journalists haven't exactly panned out.

I don't think the press knows any more than most of us do. Just a whole lot of speculation because they have to write something and pretend like they know.

[kneelb4zerg]

Just because there has not been a great deal of public discussion regarding Gonzaga means nothing. The real issue is what is going on behind the scenes.

When Pitt and Syracuse left, it shocked everyone. No one outside of the ACC and the two schools knew. The rest of the league was blindsided. The same with Maryland bolting for the Big 10. Even ND joining the ACC pretty much came out of the blue.

I'm not giving up hope on Gonzaga being added.

By the way, still waiting for some public announcement vis a vis Xavier and Butler. Those reports of an announcement this past week by various in-the-know journalists haven't exactly panned out.

I don't think the press knows any more than most of us do. Just a whole lot of speculation because they have to write something and pretend like they know.

I don't need an announcement to tell me X and Butler will be in this league.