Great article by Dan Wetzel (one of the co Authors of "Death to the BCS") who seems as disillusioned with college football as I am.
Here are some excerpts:
In a move that could make dollars, but not necessarily (football) sense, Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany has his league in advanced talks to make a bold change, one that should cement his legacy in the history of college athletics, one way or the other.
Still, the money from potentially being able to jam the Big Ten Network into the home of every cable subscriber in each state (combined population: 14.6 million), is significant. It also allows the league to extend some reach into major Eastern media markets such as Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia and even New York City. That said, the Big Ten added the Terrapins and Scarlet Knights, not the Giants, Jets, Eagles, Ravens and Redskins. College football just isn't that big of a deal.
And sure, Big Ten Network money is nice, but at what is a lightly watched, if highly profitable, cable channel determining the direction of the Big Ten itself? This seems like the tail wagging the dog. It's not like Big Ten programs were hurting for revenue or resources. When is enough money enough? Does it really matter to students and fans if the athletic director's already opulent oversized office gets remodeled … again?
This is a dramatic change in not just how the league will operate, but how it will feel. East Coast cities are East Coast cities, not the traditional rural roots of the Big Ten.
This is the lunacy of conference realignment, one that college athletics hoped was over for the time being.
Then Jim Delany decided to enter discussions about one more – one last – power play and potentially gamble that a bunch of East Coast TV sets are worth the risk to everything Big Ten football once held dear.
At first glance, it could be one pretty price to pay.
I love the comment about the "tail wagging the dog". Wetzel basically stated now instead of the BTN broadcasting Big Ten programming, it is now become the goal to which everything is subordinated to. Because honestly, I am not sure if the folks outside of State College are really thrilled with this move. And I am sure everyone west of say I75 is decidedly not thrilled.
I'd been watching "The Men Who Built America" on the History Channel for the last month, or so & this has an eerily similar feel to it, like they have taken the step too far that will bring about their own demise.
"the tail wagging the dog"