I Bleed Blue and White

In a must-read report for SNY, Adam Zagoria discusses former Big East Commissioner Mike Tranghese’s role in Memphis Athletics since he left the conference. According to Zagoria, Memphis desperately wants to join the Big East, but there are several areas that don’t seem like a fit.

The Tigers wanted to join along with South Florida, Cincinnati and Louisville back in 2004, but they weren’t invited. One thing working in their favor is the Big East’s desire to add more football programs to the small 8 teams they currently have. With conference championship games becoming more popular, Memphis is an attraction.

It’s more difficult on the basketball side, however. There are already 16 teams in what is by many considered to be a conference that is too big. Adding a 17th, and therefore probably an 18th, would border on crazy.

…I would love Memphis to join the basketball ranks, and for them and the Big East, it makes complete sense from a football standpoint…but the numbers of teams would just be crazy…would they really kick one of the basketball schools out?…

…Any thoughts on this?…

ZagsBlog is reporting that Memphis will have to forfeit its Final 4 appearance as well as all 38 wins from its 2008 season. The NCAA began an investigation in January into whether somebody else forged Derrick Rose’s ACT test. Rose, now with the Chicago Bulls, has not spoken to the matter.

“Honestly, I don’t care,” Antonio Anderson, a member of the ‘08 team told Jeff Goodman of FoxSports.com. “We know what we did. We didn’t do anything wrong, but it is what it is.”

This will be the 2nd time that newly anointed Kentucky coach John Calipari has had to forfeit a Final 4. The first time was in 1996 when he was the coach at Massachusetts and Marcus Camby took money from an agent.

…Well, we’re in a head on battle with the cheater for Michael Gilchrist’s signature, so this only tarnish’s Cal’s reputation more…the guy is such a slimeball in my opinion…

…On the other hand, I feel bad for some of those kids, because more than likely most of them did nothing wrong, and now they’ve lost a great accomplishment…