Big East Linkage is a news roundup feature on BECB. Feel free to send us any relevant links, stories or posts you think might be interesting to readers at bigeastcoastbias at gmail dot com.
Let the ripoffs continue!: The Fiesta Bowl will remain the in the BCS and will pay a $1 million fine. This should surprise no one when you consider the fact that nine out of the 11 people who determined the fate of the bowl participated in the "Fiesta Frolic". As BECB's Mark Ennis said on twitter "UConn got a larger fine from the Fiesta Bowl than the Fiesta Bowl did from the BCS." The Fiesta Bowl trip cost UConn almost $1.8 million. The Fiesta Bowl has plenty to pay the fine just from the nearly 15,000 tickets that UConn was forced to purchase nearly 15,000 tickets at a price tag of almost $3 million.
Playing on Saturday: Cincinnati is moving their home opener against Austin Peay from Thursday September 1 to Saturday September 3.
We Handle Expansion Business With Correspondence Because We're Old School: Big East Commissioner John Marinatto's letter to Villanova and Villanova president, Fr. Peter Donahue's response is available for your perusal over at The Nova Blog. The gist of the correspondence is that nothing is happening soon. Although...
More Expansion News: If Villanova wants in for football, all they have to do is show the conference that it will be worth more money than without the Wildcats in the new TV deal. I'm all for more money and for some decision-making on this issue so let's press the issue, Villanova.
More after the jump...
Reports Dorian Bell's Transfer to Pitt Were Greatly Exaggerated: Bell is not transferring from Ohio State to Pitt and apparently never was considering it. Pitt football coach Todd Graham was not interested in picking up Bell either.
South Florida Appears to Have Landed a Gator Transfer: This week in college football and basketball has been transfer mania. In some of the latest developments, South Florida is the likely destination for Gator wide receiver Chris Dunkley. Dunkley's teammate running back Mike Blakely could be joining him as a Bull.
Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician Would Like To Direct Your Attention: to the state of the football facilities at Syracuse (and they have the pictures for you to look at). Syracuse would like some upgrades at a price of $4 million. I think it's going to take more than that. Help out our Big East brethren so they don't end up with a "Recruiting Zone" (TWO double-wide trailers and an aluminum sided pavilion-I KID YOU NOT) like that of the University Louisiana at Lafayette.