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| If Temple enters the BE, every home hoop game could have this kind of crowd. |
Today was supposed to be D-Day for Temple.
Decision Day. It's been canceled, but hopefully that's just to finalize exit contracts for the MAC and the A-10.
The item on the agenda of today's Board of Trustees conference call was to be "a discussion on athletics" but it is really much more than that.
It's a discussion on the future of the school and its nationwide image.
Temple has two great coaches in place of its two marquee sports programs, Steve Addazio and Fran Dunphy.
If you believe in these guys, and I do, then you know the Temple brand is in good hands.
You know they will make Temple a marquee name not only regionally but across the country.
Nothing would help these guys advance the brand better than a BCS conference affiliation.
As I see it, today's decision is, to use a sports term, a slam dunk.
Just say yes to the Big East.
I hated the Big East for years because it allowed a small private school to have the power to block Temple. A small private school afraid of competition. Contrast that to Temple, which sponsored a small private school, LaSalle, when it attempted to re-enter the Atlantic 10. Temple, though, belongs in the Big East, with fellow like-minded Eastern institutions.
I'm on pins and needles waiting for the good news but because I'm a Temple fan I'm used to bitter disappointment and I realize this could easily go the other way with our teams sentenced a lifetime of mediocrity in the MAC and A10.
In 2010, the Owls were the only 8-4 team in history who beat a BCS conference champion (BE) refused a bowl and that was a bitter day. That day would have never happened if the Owls were 8-4 in the Big East. Heck, the team they beat, UConn, was 8-4 and headed to the Fiesta Bowl.
ESPN basketball analyst Doug Gottlieb said the Owls moved up to a deserving No. 2 seed in NCAA hoops a couple of years ago but instead got a No. 5 and a game against a 24-1 No. 12. (Gottlieb, by the way, is the best at what he does and should be doing the seeding.)
Another disappointing day.
Then I read an article that will appear in today's Inky that says Temple should turn down the BE.
Huh?
Turn it down for exactly what?
Are the representatives of the ACC and the Big 10 waiting outside the BOT's door?
No.
I hope the rest of the BOT doesn't read or put any credence in that guy's misguided and misinformed (he didn't even know it was an all-sports invite) opinion.
On a day the columnists should salute Temple's persistence, this is what we get?
The official call at 3 p.m. to discuss athletics has been canceled, but there is an executive committee call at 2 p.m. to discuss "contracts."
Hopefully, that will include getting out of the MAC contract.
Temple is running out of time to get this done and should be operating post-haste.
