Paterno Wants Bigger Big Ten, But Says No Irish Need Apply

Sat, May 30, 2009

Even though by ~~Lord Voldemort~~ Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany has already shot down the idea, Penn State coach Joe Paterno still thinks the league should add a twelfth teams and a championship game. JoePa added a twist on Wednesday, saying who he doesn’t want to see added to the conference: Notre Dame.

Stating the Irish have “had their chance,” Paterno wants the league to look east, as in Big East. He recommends adding Syracuse, Pitt, or Rutgers to the conference. Paterno wants to see the Big Ten pick up the New York market, which would argue against Pitt. Rutgers has to like its chances in the Big East more than in in the Big Ten. As for Syracuse, well, at this point, you couldn’t blame them if they decided to join Temple in the MAC. So there’s no school out there that makes sense as a twelfth Big Ten Team, right?

Well, what about Louisville? The Cardinals have already shown they want to be a big player in football, moving up from Conference USA to the Big East. Louisville obviously wouldn’t add the New York media market, but it is one of the top 50 TV markets, and more importantly, it would give the conference a presence in the South.

Of course, as long as Delany’s on the job, expansion and a championship game aren’t forthcoming. But if it ever should happen, I’ve already got a response to the inevitable “now the Big Ten really can’t count” crackbacks: Just tell everybody the conference has switched to base 12.