Delany Only For Big Ten Expansion If It's His Idea

You know those insecure jerks at work who shoot down your ideas but take full credit if they can make it seem like their own? Yeah, I think Jim Delany is like that.

JoePa is making noise about the Big Ten expanding (and, of course, he's not the only one to feel this way) to twelve teams, thus allowing an easy two divisions and a championship game for football. However, Jim Delany isn't having it.

Delany responded to Paterno's comments Monday, saying that while a league championship game has its benefits, particularly from a marketing perspective, expansion requires much more. "It's not the reason you would expand," Delany told ESPN.com.

No? What is? This is what I don't like... when someone says something's a bad idea and their justification is a bunch of nebulous, impossible-to-define nonsense.

"The issue has come up with our football coaches a couple times -- with the extra week and if we did expand, would we be more competitive?" Delany said. "I would say in some years they might be right. But has it enhanced the competitiveness of the ACC in football? Has it enhanced the competitiveness of the WAC? I don't know."

What the hell do apples have to do with jelly beans? Why go to any bowl games then? If the Big Ten doesn't look strong and is going to lose the majority of their bowl games, maybe we shouldn't do that, either, then, eh Jim?

Delany was supposedly in favor of the men's basketball tournaments being added in 1998.

"I still think the tournament's a good thing, but it wouldn't be the reason why you'd expand a conference, to have a men's basketball tournament," he said. "It's too big a question."

Wait.... it's "too big a question"? For the Big Ten commissioner? If you can't answer it, Jim, it's time to step down and find someone who can.

Another gem later in the article:

"But the point of it is, [expansion is] a very big issue, it's a fundamental issue and it's a back-burner issue right now."

Big. Fundamental. Back burner. Which of these three doesn't belong? What an idiot.

Paterno mentioned Syracuse, Rutgers and Pittsburgh as possible 12th members for the Big Ten. Delany declined to discuss specific teams from other conferences but said a school would need to fit the Big Ten, not just from a marketing perspective, but with its academic vision, athletic success and commitment, among other factors.

Yes, we wouldn't want to disrupt the conference with a team that doesn't have the winning pedigree of Northwestern basketball or Indiana football. What a bunch of complete bullsh-t.

"There's not an obvious move," Delany said. "There might be to some coaches, including coach Paterno, but it's not as obvious to the university presidents and to the athletic directors."

Yes, and therein lies the problem, Jim. There are obvious moves to most people. And then there are the a-holes such as yourself who are in charge. This is about money, plain and simple. If you could have Notre Dame join, you'd sign up in a second. But the prospect of Rutgers or Pittsburgh (not cash cows) joining is just not appealling from a money-grubbing perspective. But we'll hide behind "academic vision, athletic success and commitment."

"There are a lot [of schools] that could take a lot away, but there aren't a lot that could bring so much to make the choice an easy one. You have to have a lot to make something go like this, and it's broader than really a championship game or a basketball tournament."

More vague baloney. It's "broader" than that? Whatever. Sometimes I wonder why I like college football so much. The end of the season is a joke and the leadership is so arrogant, obnoxious and completely willing to lie to everyone's face.... it just makes me so angry.

Dag nab-it, Jim, don't F this up for everyone.

Jim Delaney is a buffoon.

Please shut your mouth and let a champion be crowned on the field.

“Just because somebody says they’re open-minded and interested in looking at other models doesn’t mean they’re committed to it.”

Well, the SEC's commish isn't just interested in a playoff, he has a plan and has brought brought it up to the BCS twice and is doing it again this week.

More reason to hate the NY Times and dislike Jim Delaney even more

"Notre Dame is the most glamorous team in college football, with a history covering Knute Rockne and Joe Montana and, if the movies are included, Pat O'Brien and Ronald Reagan."

Note to Jim "ND Shill" Delaney-
Stop fricking acting like UND is the pretty girl and the Big Ten is the dorky kid looking for a prom date.

UND is the chubby, almost pretty (in certain light), smart-ish girl with the over-rated football program and the underachieving basketball program (but a kickass women's basketball team, congrats) and you're the damned Big Ten. Act like it.

Stop kissing their asses.

IU deserved to win.

The calling cards of this Purdue team during the last 11 games have been timely shooting, smart defense and good free throw shooting. Until about 8:00 left in the game, our Boilers really had not done any of the three. One positive was Scott Martin played well at times and nearly took the game over. Martin desperately needed to find his confidence and his stroke for both his and his team's sake. JaJuan Johnson played well during the first half, Kramer played well in the second half and Hummel finally got on track offensively late in the game. All that said, the team that deserved to win in Ass Hall tonight was IU. D.J. White, who was clearly hobbled played tough as the underweight Purdue bigs could do nothing to answer White's effort. Eric Jordan carried, lowered his shoulder and palmed his way to quite a few points...and Armon Bassett shot very well and Purdue didn't seem to understand that he was allowed to shoot from beyond the arc.

While I'm upset about the outcome, I'm flat-out angry that Delaney's brain trust has allowed this to happen...by the way, it's this way again next season, only converse...The problem is, this is the second time in a row that the BT has given IU the only home game...it also happened in the '03 season.

I'm also pissed that Kramer didn't give EJ something extra to remember the game by. And I don't like the fact that all of the players are "buds" after the game. While I think the rivalry might be back for the fans, it's no where near where it was 10, 15, 20 years ago. That said, Matt Painter did his part in letting Sanctions know that he's not a fan of the soon-to-be ex-IU coach after the game by barely acknowledging him during the forced pleasantries.

IU Fans celebrate Tuesday Night's Victory

IU fan, enjoy the victory, your team earned it. Revel in it...and send a big thank you to Jim Delaney for taking away the possibility of retribution*. After that, say your goodbyes to your cheating coach. Your Hoosiers rallied around a losing cause over the past two games, they treaded water to keep a sinking freighter afloat, but alas this exercise is for not. McRobbie wants this issue to be put to bed, it will be so Friday afternoon, if not before. I hope your boy Greenspan's not too close to the S.S. Sanctions because the suction of a sinking vessel can be strong.
*The basketball gods will allow a rematch in Indy next month

College Football Playoff News (You Think I Didn't Like Delaney Before?)

It's been documented here that I'm not a fan of Big Ten dictator...errrrr, commissioner, Jim Delaney. Delaney has had his foot in his mouth more in the last year than any other person in a similar post across the NCAA sports landscape. Plus, our conference's officiating (in football AND basketball), that has been among the nation's worst is still weathering a storm that Delaney allowed to happen. All that said, he may be coming up on the biggest embarrassment of his mistake-riddled tenure at the BT.

Both he and Pac-10 commissioner Tom Hansen have made it clear that their "grand ole conferences" are both opposed to any form of a playoff in college football. Now, the other BCS conferences might have enough weight to finally get a system approved that utilizes two of the four major bowls as a semi-final in such a tournament...and the biggest part of the story is that the other conferences are sick of hearing Delaney's rhetoric (as am I) and might just not make it mandatory for all of the conferences to participate. If there is a college football playoff and the BT and Pac-10 decide to keep the integrity of the Rose Bowl by not getting involved in such a tournament, I will completely be on board for Purdue's new coach, current AD and others petitioning to leave the oldest collegiate sports conference...or, demanding that Delaney be ousted so someone with less of a Napoleonic complex take the helm of what used to be the best conference in America.

I've said it before, Delaney is a fool...but he's really foolish if he thinks his posturing and chest-beating is going to keep D-I playoff football from ever occurring. ESPN's big bowl contract might keep any of the heads from speaking in favor of a playoff (on camera), and Delaney and Hansen might not want it, but the fans, players and majority of the coaches want it. It will eventually happen...The question becomes "Does the conference have the foresight to have a leader who is humble enough to be a part of the change?" If not, we might see the Big-10 moniker be numerically incorrect yet again...this time because of defections.

Lastly, does he really believe that Ohio State can't compete v. the SEC because of the Big Ten's academic standards (check out the link above again, if you missed it)? His statement smacks of the hubris and elitism that has propelled my hatred for UND...furthermore, it makes me more of a proponent of Delaney's departure atop the Big Ten. You'd think his wingtips would have already gagged Jim to the point that gaffes like this couldn't occur.