Big Ten -- Most Overrated Conference Ever?

[Mikovio]

Just saw one of those Big Ten pseudo-rap commercials and it made me sick. This is easily the most over-exposed and over-rated conference in the nation, and I'm thinking that applies both to football and basketball. I'm convinced Ohio State and Wisconsin are going to flop this year in basketball just like Ohio State and Michigan did in football.

A few things that commercial forgot to mention....

-The Big Ten has only 1 national title since 1989.
-The Big Ten sent 2 fewer teams to the Sweet 16 last year than the Valley.
-After splitting last season, the Valley took this year's 9-game series.
-Missouri State is STILL Wisky's only loss.
-Most of the Big Ten's bandwagoneering fan base has never darkened the door of a college classroom or dentist.

[amckillip]

I completely disagree as a Valley fan I still feel that Big Ten is a very good conference and really, probably, as of now, should be ahead of the MVC, bradley ahd its chance twice to prove other wise and came up short. And the Big Ten has had some great teams as of late, in basketball they've had Illinois, MSU, and IU make the final four recently, Wisconsin and Ohio State have been tough, and in football OSU is one of the most consistent teams in the nation. And by the way lets not insult the Big Tens academics because with schools like Michigan, Northwestern, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Penn State, you have a pedigree the Valley cant even began to compare with.

[Mikovio]

I completely disagree as a Valley fan I still feel that Big Ten is a very good conference and really, probably, as of now, should be ahead of the MVC, bradley ahd its chance twice to prove other wise and came up short. And the Big Ten has had some great teams as of late, in basketball they've had Illinois, MSU, and IU make the final four recently, Wisconsin and Ohio State have been tough, and in football OSU is one of the most consistent teams in the nation. And by the way lets not insult the Big Tens academics because with schools like Michigan, Northwestern, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Penn State, you have a pedigree the Valley cant even began to compare with.

I'm not saying the Big Ten isn't a good conference. They just don't live up to their excessive hype. You can still be a good conference and also overrated.

I never said the Valley was better than the B10. This year, I think they're pretty even. The difference being, the Valley has little-to-no hype to live up to, while many Big Ten fans I know still talk about themselves as the best conference in the nation.

And even with BU's two disappointing losses, the MVC still has a winning record in the series.

As for academics, I never brought that into question. Clearly, with my last line, I was referring to the uneducated, toothless segment of their fans. I give them the benefit of the doubt that there is little crossover here.

But now that you mention it, I have to disagree with your academic assessment of the Valley vs. that of the Big Ten.... at least at the undergraduate level. The difference is as simple as the missions of the schools: research vs. teaching. At B10 schools, you're taught by TA's (some of whom don't even have their undergraduate degree yet), sometimes via cold Powerpoint reading, in oversized classrooms in an assembly line fashion. Few profs make themselves accessible, especially if they have tenure or are overburdened with research.

Due to their size, B10 schools just happen to be some of the worst offenders of this.

Illinois is more difficult to get into than BU or ISU, but BU and ISU are more difficult to graduate from. Profs actually read what you write in Valley schools for the most part, as opposed to heavy Scantron testing.

So, give me UNI or Drake instead of Iowa. BU or ISU instead of UIUC.

If you plan on getting a degree in Indiana, come to Evansville or Terre Haute. If you just want to hit da gym and da club, go to Bloomington....

[IlliBraves]

I wouldn't reccommend anyone attend ISU. It simply lacks the prestige of IU from an academic standpoint. UE is just a waste of money. I visited there and found it to be a waste of money compared to IU.

One question: How do you figure ISU is harder to graduate from than UIUC? I might agree with you on BU, since BU is a private school. I thought BU and UIUC were equally hard to get into. I know UIUC is pretty tough.

If you plan on getting a degree in Indiana, come to Evansville or Terre Haute. If you just want to hit da gym and da club, go to Bloomington....[/quote]

[Mikovio]

I wouldn't reccommend anyone attend ISU. It simply lacks the prestige of IU from an academic standpoint.

See, you're arguing perception, while I'm arguing reality. I'm also just focusing on the undergraduate experience.... Reasearch-wise, Indiana is clearly the superior school. That helps with prestige, yet has nothing to do (and is actually detrimental) to the typical undergraduate.

UE is just a waste of money. I visited there and found it to be a waste of money compared to IU.

Visited, as in what? Toured?

One question: How do you figure ISU is harder to graduate from than UIUC? I might agree with you on BU, since BU is a private school. I thought BU and UIUC were equally hard to get into. I know UIUC is pretty tough.

Look, I'm certainly no fan of ISU. But their size and mission make it one of the best, if not THE best, public school choices in the state. Their reputation has improved greatly over the last few decades.

Enough of that. Time to kick the tar out of those Deadbirds