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| Sources say this is the likely split in money. |
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| Would the Philadelphia Inquirer do this for us? |
Good riddance to the Catholic schools, I say.
According to some pretty good sources, Temple recently negotiated an upward swing in its cash payout.
The Owls were set to be lumped in with the new 2013 schools.
Temple wanted the same kind of split that Cincinnati, UConn and USF received, but those schools argued that they were here longer.
Temple argued that it was here longer than the newbies, so the above schools each chipped in to give Temple a higher payout than the newbies.
After UConn, USF and Cincinnati took the largest portion of the money and the Catholic 7 got $10 million, the rest had to be negotiated.
Since the payouts to UConn, USF and Cincy (and even Temple) are installments, that's a further incentive to stay.
Temple is in a better place now and not just money-wise.
OK, so the Owls don't play Villanova in a Big East basketball game next year but what good was Villanova to Temple?
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| My original choice for the new conference name. |
When you look at the big picture, this new conference (I kind of like the name BAM ... Big America Conference, which was suggested by Kent in the post below) will be a better one for Temple.
My second choice is Metro America, which incorporates the big-city theme of the all-sports schools.
The Owls get to keep all of their old basketball rivals as nonleague games.
Playing Villanova, LaSalle, St. Joe's and Penn will continue. The Owls will just have to drop the Towsons, Caniniuses and Detroits of the world. I don't think anyone has a problem with that. The MAC affilation is basically over, although I'd like to see Buffalo added (big city, former quasi rival) should someone else leave.
This is about football and when you look at where the Owls were and where they are going, they become instantly more competitive. Heck, I could see them winning the title this year ('chip, as the kids say) if everybody stays healthy. Since that rarely happens, I see seven wins within sight.
I thought they should have been competitive in the Big East last year, but I blame that on Steve Addazio.
Addazio blamed it on a youth movement, but the youth movement was of his making. In the home opener against Villanova, nine of the 11 starters on defense were either juniors or seniors. By the time they played Syracuse in the season finale, nine of the 11 starters were sophomores or freshmen.
People say he had MAC talent going up against Big East talent but Kent State had MAC talent going up against Rutgers, Toledo had MAC talent going up against Cincinnati and Ohio had MAC talent going up against Penn State and they all accomplished what Addazio wasn't able to do:Win against those same foes.
Could Addazio have AT LEAST been competitive? With better coaching and a more balanced offensive approach, I think so.
Addazio blamed it on a youth movement, but the youth movement was of his making. In the home opener against Villanova, nine of the 11 starters on defense were either juniors or seniors.
By the time they played Syracuse in the season finale, nine of the 11 starters were sophomores or freshmen.
Convenient excuse.
New coach Matt Rhule will throw the ball on first and second downs, which should immediately improve the whole structure of down and distance for four quarters. I only hope and pray that Phil Snow is as good as Rhule says he is.
Now while newcomers like SMU and Houston figure to be tough, Temple can be competitive against them.
Kent State beat Rutgers by blitzing its linebackers and putting constant pressure on quarterback Gary Nova, forcing him into six interceptions. Hint: Temple's got fast linebackers.
A win over regional rival Rutgers, a going-away gift to the Big 10, would be nice.
Good riddance, and welcome.
The door is open for Temple to win a title now if it has the courage to walk through it.
