Go Bearcats!

Paul Daugherty had a good article in the Enquirer, which I saw on Cinplify, about the move of UC from Conference USA to the Big East and how expensive the move has been for UC.

Mike Thomas wasn’t the athletic director when UC bought the Mercedes. He’s the one charged with paying for it. He’s not complaining, not even close. Who wouldn’t jump from Conference USA to the Big East? It’s just that, well, the big time costs. Big time.

Growing up, I was mostly a Xavier fan but I cheered for UC when they weren't playing Xavier for basketball. I remember that UC football games never came close to selling out the already small stadium. Heck, up until a few years ago the biggest crowd at Nippert was for a St. X-Elder playoff football game. I happened to be at UC Law during the time UC made the jump to the Big East, and it amazed me that UC was able to pull off such a coup. Instead of being in one of the no-name bowls every year, UC joins Ohio State as the only other college in a BCS conference.

Although I'm always going to be an Ohio State fan first, as a Cincinnatian (and UC alum) I want UC to do well too. I just don't want them to do too well. However, this quote in the article amazed me: "If the Bearcats win Thursday and next week at West Virginia, they’re in the front of the bus headed to the Orange Bowl and a payout to the conference of $17.5 million. Imagine any of this a decade ago, when UC was 2-9 and losing to Army by 17." With Ohio State losing to Penn State this past weekend, they will likely be headed to a non-BCS game. If UC goes to a BCS game while Ohio State does not, that would be absolutely huge for the city and for UC. Our pro teams may not give us much to cheer about, but at least the collegiate teams represent the city well.