After all these years, the fingers still point and the arguments grow heated.
Who screwed up Eastern football?
Who FUBARed football in the East?
Penn State points to Big East basketball, who refused them entrance.
Big East football teams say it was Penn State demanding two home games for every road game they played.
Greed goes both ways.
As does dumbness.
Penn State's move to the Big Ten set in motion events still unfolding.
The Big East survived, just barely survived at times. But the Big East has grown stronger as a whole over the past five years, while Penn State has floundered in the Big Ten.
After Penn State jumped ship, the Miami Hurricanes, near the peak of their power, went south to the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Then the 'Canes Football program really went south—to the lower levels of the weak ACC.
Boston College promised to stay the course in the Big East—but then the ACC bigwigs dangled the dough in front of the greedy hands of the BC leaders, and they dashed to the ACC. But the Eagles still remained a solid program in all sports.
The dark swirling waters of Virginia politics demanded Virginia Tech join the ACC to complete the deal, and the Hokies dove in.
The Hokie program has remained solid.
To survive, the Big East grabbed Louisville, Cincinnati, South Florida, and UConn to fill football spots in the reeling conference.
They begged Notre Dame to join for football, but seeking the almighty NBC dollar, the Irish declined.
Luckily for Big East Football, as flagship programs at Syracuse and Pittsburgh severely declined, West Virginia became a powerhouse program.
Louisville stepped up its talent level, while South Florida, a massive school, showed signs of becoming a very good football program in a big market.
Rutgers, revitalized, and UConn seized a share of the vital New York City area market.
The Big East survived.
The Big East strengthened.
Penn State has mostly floundered.
The Lions captured two Big Ten titles but seemed unable to compete annually with Michigan and Ohio State, the premier programs in the Big Ten.
When they do beat the Buckeyes or the Wolverines, it is always an upset.
Suddenly Penn State is second tier.
Instead of playing the Pittsburgh Panthers, Penn State forced contrived matchups on the fans.
Games like "The Governor's Victory Bowl" against the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
And then they only went 6-4 against the Golden Gophers.
Instead of playing West Virginia, Penn State plays in something called the "Land Grant Bowl" against the Michigan State Spartans.
Penn State fans, which would ya rather see?
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