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Does Rutgers belong in the Big 10?

Yes, it's futile recruiting ground and without them in it, those area kids cannot see us play, there are also large numbers of TV viewers which translates to more money and leverage during endorsement negotiations.

Plus someone has to carry the footballs and provide water
 
Did we belong when we beat Michigan two years ago? Ash is only a handful of games in. We were competitive against Iowa. It will take years to be competitive with OSU and Michigan but we will get better and eventually more kids will stay home as the B1G money comes in...
 
Did we belong when we beat Michigan two years ago? Ash is only a handful of games in. We were competitive against Iowa. It will take years to be competitive with OSU and Michigan but we will get better and eventually more kids will stay home as the B1G money comes in...

I actually agree with you on everything except ; you will not have kids start staying home if they see you get beat 78 to nothing... at least not elite players that want to go to the NFL as early as possible
 
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Yes, it's futile recruiting ground and without them in it, those area kids cannot see us play, there are also large numbers of TV viewers which translates to more money and leverage during endorsement negotiations.

Plus someone has to carry the footballs and provide water
I was asking myself this question lastnight, if they really belonged in the B1G, but what you said pretty much cleared up any doubt I had.
Now if we just need to figure out some way to trade psu for pitt.
 
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Land-grant, AAU, high-research University located in a high-populated state in the NYC-Great Lakes-Upper Midwest corridor.

Their athletics may take some time to get good --- and it's entirely possible their athletics never get that good. But they are 100% absolutely among peer schools in the B1G. They belong.
 
Do they belong MNL? Do they?

Let's go through this but let's only focus on the school.

1. Do they have BT facilities?
2. My understanding is that they are more of a commuter school.
3. Why was Rutgers added to the BT? Was it because of their athletics or a way of the Big Ten to start promoting their Eastern footprint?
4. Would Rutgers have gone into the Big Ten without the bribe? This is a marriage built up convenience and $$$$.

Rutgers is clearly not a 'peer' on the athletic front. It got invited to a conference solely based on it's location in an area. Maybe Delaney should think about adding Western Michigan and Eastern Illinois.



RM
 
Do they belong MNL? Do they?

Let's go through this but let's only focus on the school.

1. Do they have BT facilities?
2. My understanding is that they are more of a commuter school.
3. Why was Rutgers added to the BT? Was it because of their athletics or a way of the Big Ten to start promoting their Eastern footprint?
4. Would Rutgers have gone into the Big Ten without the bribe? This is a marriage built up convenience and $$$$.

Rutgers is clearly not a 'peer' on the athletic front. It got invited to a conference solely based on it's location in an area. Maybe Delaney should think about adding Western Michigan and Eastern Illinois.



RM
2 thumbs up on that WMU idea.
 
Do they belong MNL? Do they?

Let's go through this but let's only focus on the school.

1. Do they have BT facilities?
2. My understanding is that they are more of a commuter school.
3. Why was Rutgers added to the BT? Was it because of their athletics or a way of the Big Ten to start promoting their Eastern footprint?
4. Would Rutgers have gone into the Big Ten without the bribe? This is a marriage built up convenience and $$$$.

Rutgers is clearly not a 'peer' on the athletic front. It got invited to a conference solely based on it's location in an area. Maybe Delaney should think about adding Western Michigan and Eastern Illinois.



RM

(1) Basketball --- no. They do desperately need a new basketball arena.

Football --- I haven't attended a game there (I might go to PSU/Rutgers in November, still deciding). But from what I've heard, the stadium and atmosphere is perfectly fine. Their capacity (~ 53K) is in line with capacity at Minnesota, Indiana, Maryland and Purdue's stadiums. Higher than Northwestern.

(2) They're not a commuter school. Their Newark branch (Rutgers-Newark) is a commuter school, but not New Brunswick. The main campus is much like all the other B1G schools, and not like a Cincinnati or Wayne State.

Given their urban location, it's likely there are some commuters, of course. But I'm sure the same could be said for the University of Minnesota or Ohio State.

(3) It was definitely part of a made a conscious push to move east. Smart move, IMO. Outside of California, the Boston-NYC-Washington DC corridor is the portion of America most dense in terms of $$$ and smart people. The B1G and schools like U-M should want to have exposure here.

(4) I'm sure it probably took 1 second for Rutgers to say "yes" to the B1G's invite.
 
(1) Basketball --- no. They do desperately need a new basketball arena.

Football --- I haven't attended a game there (I might go to PSU/Rutgers in November, still deciding). But from what I've heard, the stadium and atmosphere is perfectly fine. Their capacity (~ 53K) is in line with capacity at Minnesota, Indiana, Maryland and Purdue's stadiums. Higher than Northwestern.

(2) They're not a commuter school. Their Newark branch (Rutgers-Newark) is a commuter school, but not New Brunswick. The main campus is much like all the other B1G schools, and not like a Cincinnati or Wayne State.

Given their urban location, it's likely there are some commuters, of course. But I'm sure the same could be said for the University of Minnesota or Ohio State.

(3) It was definitely part of a made a conscious push to move east. Smart move, IMO. Outside of California, the Boston-NYC-Washington DC corridor is the portion of America most dense in terms of $$$ and smart people. The B1G and schools like U-M should want to have exposure here.

(4) I'm sure it probably took 1 second for Rutgers to say "yes" to the B1G's invite.

I'm sure they will build a new basket ball arena now that they are getting their cut of the B1G $
 
Last 2.5 seasons Rutgers has won 4 BIG games. Purdue has won 3. Illinois has won 5. Quite frankly all 3 teams are in the same category when it comes to football. Now Illinois and Purdue are significantly better at basketball so yes technically Rutgers is the BIG basement right now but I do think they belong.
 
I'm sure they will build a new basket ball arena now that they are getting their cut of the B1G $

From what I've read, RU is prioritizing usage of their B1G $$$ on paying debt and building a new practice facility. A new on-campus b-ball arena is down the list, because .............

RU still harbors dreams of partnering with the city and J&J (HQd in New Brunswick) to build a new arena in downtown New Brunswick.

Sounds good, but I wonder if there really is demand for that arena? Sure, RU would be a tenant, but what concerts and tours and such are going to play there? The Meadowlands arena just closed, but there are still MSG and Brooklyn (Barclays) and Newark right around the corner. Philadelphia isn't that far away either. All those areas beat New Brunswick.
 
The question going forward is Rutgers actually going to win either in basketball or football? Doesn't look like it. Purdue became good and can do it again especially being in the West as can Illinois. Rutgers good in the East? I don't know.

I see Rutgers are perennial cellar dwellers getting beaten up year after year. Think of a poor man's Vanderbilt. Rutgers would be average in the Big East and now they are in the Big Ten. Hope you enjoy the money.


RM
 
The question going forward is Rutgers actually going to win either in basketball or football? Doesn't look like it. Purdue became good and can do it again especially being in the West as can Illinois. Rutgers good in the East? I don't know.

I see Rutgers are perennial cellar dwellers getting beaten up year after year. Think of a poor man's Vanderbilt. Rutgers would be average in the Big East and now they are in the Big Ten. Hope you enjoy the money.


RM

I think they will win, and I think they showed their intentions to do so by "Stealing" a coach from Ohio State and finally putting some money behind their interest to win. That is phase 1, next is recruits. Let's look at the rankings of their next two recruiting class rankings and see if they improve before we just write them off.
 
I think they will win, and I think they showed their intentions to do so by "Stealing" a coach from Ohio State and finally putting some money behind their interest to win. That is phase 1, next is recruits. Let's look at the rankings of their next two recruiting class rankings and see if they improve before we just write them off.

I agree with this.

The problem with a "Rutgers football is Vanderbilt football analogy" (made my RM) is that Vanderbilt truly has nothing in common with their SEC peers. Private vs public, tradition, history, quality of recruiting territory, size of the fan base, potential size of the fan base, fervor of the fan base, money available to athletics, et cetera. Vanderbilt is different in all those regards vs. Alabama or UT or Ole Miss or Auburn or LSU, et cetera.

Rutgers at least has some things in common with their B1G peers. They have a large alumni base, those folk could get interested with some success, NJ is a great recruiting area, as is right-next-door PA and MD. It will be an uphill battle, but they have a chance.
 
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Rutgers fits in as a Big Ten school in nearly every category besides traditional geography. It's a big jump coming into the Big Ten, especially the East, where the conference currently stands.

I think over time Rutgers will be fine. To the potential level as an OSU, Michigan, or PSU if they can ever get their stuff together, not so sure. But to win at least half their total games, be bowl eligible, with an occasional run for the Championship, sure.
 
I agree with this.

The problem with a "Rutgers football is Vanderbilt football analogy" (made my RM) is that Vanderbilt truly has nothing in common with their SEC peers. Private vs public, tradition, history, quality of recruiting territory, size of the fan base, potential size of the fan base, fervor of the fan base, money available to athletics, et cetera. Vanderbilt is different in all those regards vs. Alabama or UT or Ole Miss or Auburn or LSU, et cetera.

Rutgers at least has some things in common with their B1G peers. They have a large alumni base, those folk could get interested with some success, NJ is a great recruiting area, as is right-next-door PA and MD. It will be an uphill battle, but they have a chance.
http://www.offtackleempire.com/2016/10/9/13217666/jim-delany-kicks-rutgers-out-of-the-big-ten

Funny. Vanderbilt has some great sports team and is a prestigious school just like Northwestern. Is a southern school with some southern culture.

The big difference between Rutgers and the rest of the Big Ten is Rutgers has basically no shot of ever consistently competing in the major sports. Is it possible? Sure. But it's also possible Northwestern can dominate in basketball and football.

Why didn't the Big Ten just take the Naval Academy or Columbia? Both are great schools with athletic programs. Why Rutgers? Because it was located in the right spot with lots of alumni but that doesn't mean it can compete athletically.

Let me ask you this question. Give me a probability/percentage that Rutgers can consistently finish in the top 3 of football or basketball for a 5 year period. 2%?

Why did Rutgers struggle before they got in the Big Ten? Are they going to stop their NJ high school players from going to PSU or other areas?

There just isn't enough guys to feed the Rutgers program when you now have the top programs picking the high end talent away. Ask Kentucky how easy it is or Purdue to go up the food chain.

The Big Ten with Meyer, Dantonio, Harbaugh and others along with Izzo, Matta. It is unbelievably hard to get to the top or EVEN the middle of the conference. Rutgers is fighting with one and half hands behind their back with one foot.

I don't blame Rutgers. It's not their fault and I understand why they wanted the Big Ten. I put the blame on Delaney who wanted the East Coast presence and is using Rutgers as a punching bag across the athletic spectrum.

I am not quite as convinced as some of you that Rutgers is going to turn this thing around. Rutgers is not qualified for this job. :) Delaney should take some heat for this 'hire'. He should apologize to Rutgers.

78-0? Shame on Delaney.


RM
 
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I think the best case scenario is a once every 10-15 year run like Purdue in the late 90's/early 00's. I think their just fine academically and location wise but the main sports (football/basketball) will never be consistently competitive. No NJ kids have ever stayed and never will. Rutgers is going to be a stepping stone or graveyard for coaches. I don't see them landing a guy that will lead them to the promise land and then stick around 10+ seasons.

I also think it will be at least 20 years before they even make a conference title game if ever.
 
http://www.offtackleempire.com/2016/10/9/13217666/jim-delany-kicks-rutgers-out-of-the-big-ten

Funny. Vanderbilt has some great sports team and is a prestigious school just like Northwestern. Is a southern school with some southern culture.

The big difference between Rutgers and the rest of the Big Ten is Rutgers has basically no shot of ever consistently competing in the major sports. Is it possible? Sure. But it's also possible Northwestern can dominate in basketball and football.

Why didn't the Big Ten just take the Naval Academy or Columbia? Both are great schools with athletic programs. Why Rutgers? Because it was located in the right spot with lots of alumni but that doesn't mean it can compete athletically.

Let me ask you this question. Give me a probability/percentage that Rutgers can consistently finish in the top 3 of football or basketball for a 5 year period. 2%?

Why did Rutgers struggle before they got in the Big Ten? Are they going to stop their NJ high school players from going to PSU or other areas?

There just isn't enough guys to feed the Rutgers program when you now have the top programs picking the high end talent away. Ask Kentucky how easy it is or Purdue to go up the food chain.

The Big Ten with Meyer, Dantonio, Harbaugh and others along with Izzo, Matta. It is unbelievably hard to get to the top or EVEN the middle of the conference. Rutgers is fighting with one and half hands behind their back with one foot.

I don't blame Rutgers. It's not their fault and I understand why they wanted the Big Ten. I put the blame on Delaney who wanted the East Coast presence and is using Rutgers as a punching bag across the athletic spectrum.

I am not quite as convinced as some of you that Rutgers is going to turn this thing around. Rutgers is not qualified for this job. :) Delaney should take some heat for this 'hire'. He should apologize to Rutgers.

78-0? Shame on Delaney.


RM

One thing I always think about: while Rutgers being in the B1G sure seems strange to us --- it won't seem strange in a generation when today's kids grow up to be tomorrow's parents.

In a generation, people will be used to U-M playing Maryland & Rutgers annually. They will be used to U-M playing Iowa & Illinois & Minnesota on a much more sporadic basis. That will BECOME the new normal.

There are still living alumni who remember when Rutgers played in the same conference as Lafayette & Lehigh, and played Princeton annually, and viewed those three as Rutgers' chief rivals.

But just like those U-M folk who want the B1G to contract back to 10 teams, those Rutgers folk are slowly dying away. The new generation will eventually replace them. In the long run, I do think they'll be fine. Rutgers is actually in a state with a ton of football talent. That's a structural factor that helps them out, more so vs. a Purdue or Kentucky or Iowa or Nebraska or Indiana or Minnesota or Northwestern, et cetera. Rutgers is a very long-term play for the B1G, but I do think it was a correct play.
 
Yes ! It helps Illinois , Indiana, Minny and Purdue have a better chance at winning when they play Rutgers. Someone has to sit at the bottom and establish the Foundation for the BT tower. "74
 
Hey 74, missed you this time around. The PSU game was enjoyable. Btw, don't dismiss Indiana any longer. Minny made, in my opinion, a bad hire who immediately sacked his OC last season. This season? Not so much. Rutgers will be like Purdue, win once in a while. If I was one of the 200 recruits in attendance, I'd hide in the coatroom rather than serve as cannon fodder.
 
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No, Rutgers needs to go to the Pa Athletic conference and play Westchester, Stroudsburg , California , PA , Clarion , Shippensburg, and the OCC game should be OSU for Ash ( Co-DC at OSU last year )to get back to his friends in Columbus. "74
 
I was asking myself this question lastnight, if they really belonged in the B1G, but what you said pretty much cleared up any doubt I had.
Now if we just need to figure out some way to trade psu for pitt.
Reading the cry babies in Happy Valley (l0l), so many of their fans are unhappy w the Big Ten Conf, because the refs are predj, the conf schedules against them, etc., they should volunteer to change with Pitt, starting next yr.
 
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Reading the cry babies in Happy Valley (l0l), so many of their fans are unhappy w the Big Ten Conf, because the refs are predj, the conf schedules against them, etc., they should volunteer to change with Pitt, starting next yr.
They could join the MAC and get beat up on by the rest of the Michigan schools. Lol.
 
As long as Michigan is regularly signing top recruits out of New Jersey, I can live with Rutgers in the conference.
 
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Yes, it's futile recruiting ground and without them in it, those area kids cannot see us play, there are also large numbers of TV viewers which translates to more money and leverage during endorsement negotiations.

Plus someone has to carry the footballs and provide water

Hope you meant it is a "fertile" recruiting ground rather than futile recruiting ground.
 
i think had schiano stayed with the success they had with ray rice they would be competitive right now maybe even over 500

they remained competitive for acouple years after rice was gone but recruiting went back down after schiano
 
Yes for sure. If the other teams want a "W" they need to be in there as cannon fodder for the young kids to practice against. "74
 
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