Gonzaga joining the Big East...

[ephoya04]

Is what ESPN's Mid Major "expert" Kyle Whelliston suggested in his blog today. Just a snippet from the entry...

"There's a conference out there that's perfect for Gonzaga, one that would give the school everything it needs: top-tier competition, constant television coverage and a cemented legacy as one of America's great programs. All it would take is a little imagination and a lot of airline miles.

The Big East doesn't seem to have any sort of size limit, and it doesn't require tackle football for membership (only half of its schools get busy on the gridiron). And officials wouldn't have to change the conference's name, because Gonzaga's campus is east of the Pacific Ocean, just like the current 16 members. Size wouldn't matter, either -- despite the "Big" in the Big East, the conference has a history of catering to little schools. Gonzaga's enrollment is roughly equivalent to Providence's: around 4,000 students.

The Big East already has stretched into the Central Time Zone with Marquette, so adding a team that plays three hours behind wouldn't be too difficult. Gonzaga's basketball team is used to travelling long distances -- flying to Hawaii, Memphis and Oklahoma to beat up on power-conference schools -- and all that extra TV money would help with the airfare. (Plus, if the Sun Belt can do Denver-to-Miami, the Big East certainly can do Spokane-to-Syracuse.)

So when you add it all up, Gonzaga in the Big East just works. Imagine how great it would be: all the Gonzaga-UConn and Gonzaga-Cincinnati matchups ESPN could handle, and a crowning achievement for one of the greatest basketball ascendancy stories of all time. Most importantly, St. Mary's and San Diego would go back to enjoying a fair shot at an NCAA Tournament bid every year."

Obviously its an absurd idea but who would've ever thought about that one!

[Big Dog]

Chicago was also in the Central Time Zone last time checked.

[HoyaSox04]

Isn't everything west and south of DC all the same anyways?

[kchoya]

Three hours behind what?

[ephoya04]

Uh I hope thats a rhetorical question... (East coast time in case you were actually serious)

[Gold Hoya]

EP, you have once again demonstrated why there is no need to read ESPN.com. (I thought your employer censored that site anyway?)

[HoyaLawya]

ephoya04 said:

Obviously its an absurd idea but who would've ever thought about that one!

Rhetorical answer to equally rhetorical question:

An ESPN writer up against a deadline, with nothing of substance to write?

[ephoya04]

Thank god they haven't blocked ESPN.com, I'm pretty sure I'd quit if that happened

[ncaaball2]

How about Gonzaga as an expansion target to go along with the other Big East BB only catholic schools? Team #9 (or 8 depending on ND) should the league split in a few years.

Is a plane ticket to Washington really more expensive than DC to Providence or Milwaukee or Chicago?

[RBHoya]

It wouldn't be so bad for us, because it'd be one west coast trip in-conference per year. However, I think it'd suck for them, as they'd have to fly east a bunch of different times. Would probably be really bad for their student-athletes.

[ncaaball2]

How much longer would their flights be than say what Washington has to do in the Pac 10 or what BC has to do in the ACC or even Gonzaga's current travel situation? An additional 30 minutes of air time? Definitely wouldn't be good for their non-revenue sports, but it is not like they are a short car trip from Santa Clara or St. Mary's or Pepperdine as is.

The opportunity to align themselves with the top catholic hoops institutions in the nation, located in some of the biggest tv markets in the country, might be pretty attractive.

I don't know the answer to this, but I think it could be interesting.

[washingtonhoya]

Considerably longer. Seattle-LAX is about a 2 to 2 1/2 hour flight, so I'd say the longest flight anyone in the Pac-10 makes is 2 1/2 hours. Flying east from Seattle, you can get to Chicago in about 3 1/2 to 4 hours because you get a tailwind, but DC you're looking at 4 1/2 minimum, 5 hours more likely. Flying back west you're looking at 5 1/2 hours into the wind. Not to mention there's no way in hell that Gonzaga can fly direct from Spokane to Reagan. More likely they'd have to connect to a flight through Denver or Chicago.

As for theoretical plane fare, I'm flying Reagan-Seattle in eight days, and I got a good deal for $230 round trip.

I'd love to see Gonzaga in the Big East, and not just so I could have an excuse to fly back and watch a game in the Kennel and taunt my Zaga friends, but because they would be a solid addition to the conference. If it weren't logistically impossible, I'd be leading the charge right now.

PS: If anyone else wants to know the schematics of flying between DC and Seattle, I can tell you just about anything. The best and worst flights of my life have both been nonstops between Seattle and either Reagan or Dulles.

[HoyaSinceBirth]

yeah imagine the worst of it a Gonzaga USF game talk about distance.
The obvious solution is to pick up gonzaga and move it some where on the east coast.
One idea have them and GW switch places. That'd be a great local rivalry game us and gonzaga.

[washingtonhoya]

hoyasincebirth said:

The obvious solution is to pick up gonzaga and move it some where on the east coast.

This right here is why I nominate you, sir, to be Hoya Blue's Ideas Man-in-waiting to succeed Segner. How quickly can you change your middle initial to R?

[DuddingtonHoya]

The Big East might not make sense, but whatabout a cross-continental rivarly? The story lines are similar: small jesuit school becomes basketball power to generate national attention. We played UVa 3 or 4 times a while back over 5 years or so, and Duke now. Maybe we could do the same with the Zags. Would love to start rivalries in the non-conf that would generate national interest.

[HoyaLawya]

;D ;D ;D

They'd probably go for it ... but first, you must promise to venerate the holy relics at the shrine of St. Ammo

msnbc.msn.com/id/11545489/

[PDRHoya99]

washingtonhoya said:

Not to mention there's no way in hell that Gonzaga can fly direct from Spokane to Reagan. More likely they'd have to connect to a flight through Denver or Chicago.

Having made the DC to Spokane trip for work multiple times, I can tell you that it would be an all day affair. As I recall flying into Spokane (airport code GEG), first required a visit to SEA-TAC. After that 45 minute flight you would wait for your connection to IAD and then get a 5 hour flight. So no, I don't see them joining the Big East unless some alum wants to first donate a new international airport. Gonzaga really could use a new international airport."

[washingtonhoya]

You had to fly Spokane to Sea-Tac before flying to DC? That's harsh. I assumed you could get a flight to Denver from Spokane. Fortunately the only time I've had to fly into/out of Spokane was from Portland.

[SoCal Hoya85]

We dont need the Zags, GW, or anyone else to be our rivals- we got those ignorant orange to the north. Not to mention between YouCon, Villanova, and others in the BE I don't have enough spare hate to go around.


PS nice sig line WasH