Three years.
Conference realignment once looked like it would be the length of the Mexican-American War but now it's creeping toward the length of the Civil War.
We could have suffered a couple tumultuous offseasons and then moved on with a new paradigm for a decade before launching back into this mess. But it looks like college football is on the Vietnam plan---a nice long and drawn out conflict.
I wonder when the dust settles if we'll view this realignment in the same light as 'Nam.
"What the hell just happened?"
"Why did we do that?"
"Are we better off for the long-term?"
Many seem to think that we're destined to land with 4 large 16-team superconferences, but with another offseason of realignment have we moved any close to such a world?
When does it all end?
As a Notre Dame fan I should be watching this movement and rampant rumors like a hawk, but I'm approaching apathy with each passing day.
Sure I want the Irish to stay independent in football but it's getting pretty tiresome having to go through the merry go-round of dialogue on the topic so often. It almost makes me want Notre Dame to jump both feet into a new conference it's getting so irksome.
Almost.
Does anybody enjoy the conference realignment debates anymore? University and athletic department are scrambling in a tizzy just to chase a few million dollars in order to balance their budgets. That sounds like a good idea...until its not 8 months later when there's more shifting.
Earlier, Pittsburgh and Syracuse jumped to the ACC, and now the ACC is about to crumble as Florida State, Clemson, Miami and even Georgia Tech may be jumping ship to the Big 12. And the Big 12 was thought to be dead this time last year but now they've come back to life.
Isn't this fun!
At least the Orange and Panthers aren't in the Big East anymore though. But maybe the ACC will become the new Big East in 5 years---who knows.
Is there any hope for the Big East anymore? I mean, the conference was lead by this guy until very recently:
Under Marinatto's watch West Virginia, Pittsburgh, and Syracuse left town while UCF, Houston, SMU, Memphis, Boise State, San Diego State, and Navy will join in varying forms.
What are the odds that half those teams stay in the Big East for more than 5 years?
While the Big East has officially been demoted as a football conference power, it really doesn't affect Notre Dame football at all. The big issue is allowing Notre Dame to participate in a playoff and that problem should be resolved this summer.
Are superconferences really on the horizon? That is another problem for Notre Dame in regards to its football independence but does anyone really see that happening when crazy-ass college football is adding programs to the D-I ranks? Seriously, athletic departments are hemorrhaging money and there are all kinds of problems with programs finding stable conferences and participating in a fair and reasonable playoff.
HEY LET'S ADD MORE TEAMS TO THE MIX!
Massachusetts, South Alabama, Texas State, and San Antonio are coming this year, while Georgia State and Old Dominion are a couple years away.
It's like a man of meager means gaining entrance to a posh country club.
"Good luck staying afloat financially when you have to buy $12 drinks in the clubhouse and pay your membership fees. And oh yeah, you still have to go out and get your tail handed to you on the tennis court. Oh, you actually beat a bunch of players? I'm sorry you're not eligible for the club championship thanks for showing up."
All of this in a college football world where 85 out of 100 "country clubs" can't keep themselves in the black.
So now the headlines read Florida State and a few other ACC schools are starting to pack their bags for the Big 12 and of course the discussion has to come back to what Notre Dame will do.
I hate to say it, but I just don't care anymore---in the sense that its useless to try and predict what Notre Dame will do and where the Irish are going in the future.
Every offseason this realignment is like having a handful of robbers come to terrorize our home. After a month it appears that they've left but then bam---they come back again.
FLORIDA STATE TO THE BIG 12 SOON WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO NOTRE DAME?
Look at me, I've gone caps lock twice now. This is like psychological warfare. Conference realignment keeps stalking around outside but never actually breaks into the house of Notre Dame.
Just rob the place so we can get this over with, damn it.
But no, we must remain independent, and Notre Dame likely will for football. For the most part, that's all that really matters in the grand scheme of things. Fighting Irish sports will be fine no matter where they end up. In case you're not up to date on This Week in Notre Dame Athletics the Irish are pretty dope in a lot of sports.
I'm just mentally checked out of the never-ending conference realignment.
"Florida State's board of trustees are meeting this Thursday!"
"My school is going to make $22 million a year and your school only makes $18!"
Such riveting stuff it is.
Where's Notre Dame headed? Big XII? Big 10? ACC? A combination of Big East and ACC teams?
Is anyone else bored by all of this?