Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/76097
"The job would be a little more interest- ing if that were the case." Through the process of developing a bet- brought in Colorado and Utah. Both BCS conferences ended up with ter way of determining a national cham- pion, and the positive effect it has on Notre Dame's independence, Swarbrick noted the surprising feedback he received from Irish supporters, who warmed to the idea of hav- ing to join a conference if need be. "And I appreciated that from our fans," he said. "As I've tried to articulate, it re- mains a very important goal to me. But I loved that they were sort of savvy enough and supportive enough to say, 'I hope we stay independent, but if we can't, I under- stand.' … This was a more sort of reasoned, deliberate message, and it was nice." Nice, but never easy. Not for the man 12 total schools, falling short of the 14 or 16 many believed was to be the model for major conferences moving forward. But the moves changed and continue to alter the college landscape. It seemed as if university presidents and responsible for guiding the university, and the football team in particular, through a turbulent time in college athletics. "You've seen it written that if [the Irish] really want to win a national champion- ship, they'd probably be better off in a con- ference," Swarbrick said. "That's probably statistically accurate. It's what indepen- dence does for the university that makes me so passionate about it. It's not an ath- letic issue; it's the platform it gives us. … That's why I cling to it with such vigor. If I didn't think it was delivering those re- sults for the university, it would be a much closer call." commissioner Jim Delaney revealed the league was interested in expanding the conference by one or more programs. The Big Ten added Nebraska, and the Pacific-10 It was in December 2009 that Big Ten EXAMINING REALIGNMENT said. "I think there were elements of it that weren't terribly rational. You'd have peri- ods of time where, because 'A' happened, there was a rush to 'B.' For the most part, the discussions and the deliberations had a front end that people weren't seeing. You had some sense of, if you were keeping in touch and talking to people, what was coming." The Big East, home to Notre Dame's Olympic sports, has been severely affected by conference realignment, with three of its strongest brands — Syracuse, Pittsburgh and West Virginia — defecting. Syracuse and Pitt will join the ACC in 2013 and West Virginia now calls the Big 12 home. As a result, commissioner John Marinatto re- signed in May. The league, which hopes to name a new athletic directors were pacing about with itchy trigger fingers. Swarbrick said that wasn't necessarily the case, but that com- mon sense hasn't always been a guiding light throughout the process. "I don't think it was ever frantic," he commissioner by Sept. 1, added former member Temple, which left the Mid-Amer- ican Conference, in order to compete in 2012 with eight football teams. San Diego State, Boise State, Houston, UCF, Memphis and SMU will be welcomed to the fold in 2013, leaving the Big East with 12 football AUGUST 2012 60