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Grab the popcorn, folks. This is a doozy.
If this afternoon's blog from Mark Blaudschun of AJerseyGuy.com is correct, Mountain West Conference commissioner Craig Thompson may be adding the head of Big East commish Mike Aresco on the wall next to the head of the guy who last tried to break up the MWC -- former WAC Commish Karl Benson.
That's because of a bombshell that came out of the Big East meetings in Dallas on Friday.
There was no consensus reached about if the San Diego St. Aztecs would be returning to the Mountain West Conference or going forward with their commitment to the Big East this July.
However, The Jersey Guy quotes sources saying the Connecticut Huskies and Cincinnati Bearcats are "pursuing a plan" that would align them with the Catholic 7 schools, and go create a basketball/Olympic sports-only league along with Butler, Xavier and Saint Louis.
But UConn and Cincy need a home for football. Right? That's where it gets interesting.
...And while nothing officially has been offered, a plan in which the Huskies and Cincinnati would join the Mountain West was being considered as part of an overall expansion plan for the MWC which would expand from 10 teams to 12, 14 or 16 teams...
Woah.
Or rather, Craig Thompson is. Because just days ago Mike Aresco was going to raid the MWC and take a few more teams along with San Diego State and the Boise St. Broncos.
Now, it appears, the tables could be about to turn.
And Mike Aresco seems to have all the credibility of that Kevin Bacon in "Animal House" screeching "ALL IS WELLLLLLLL!" while people scurry around him taking cover.
The end of the blog doesn't sound good for Mr. Aresco:
Caught in the middle of this tug of war is Big East commissioner Mike Aresco, who Friday put on a positive face about the talks in Dallas. But Aresco could also be working for the new non-football playing Big East in the future as well, something he is already doing as he negotiates a new contract in basketball for next season for all the schools still connected to the Big East.
This is your life as Big East Commissioner, Mr. Aresco. And it's ending one minute at a time. The thing to remember here is that as good as Blaudschun has been in the past, he has been off base as well.
But if this all comes to pass, it would be a tremendous coup for Craig Thomspon and the Mountain West Conference and a death blow to Aresco's tenure as Big East Commish - not to mention a severe blow to the new Big East's credibility and potential TV contract.
Stay tuned.
And remember, the first rule of Fight Club is "You do not talk about Fight Club."
Right Mr. Aresco?