Jim Delany spoke to the nation and specifically the Nebraska family yesterday saying,
"We're a better conference today than we were yesterday as a result of Nebraska..."
I think the question now is, what does the next tomorrow bring?
Well, we all know the candidates for expansion that have been out there since the get-go. Rutgers, Pitt, and Missouri have had scenarios, time-tables theories thrown around that included them...and more-recently, we've heard about Maryland...but Delany hasn't shown his hand or said anything that he hasn't needed to say. In fact, as other conferences have scrambled, he's sat back and let the others make statements without backbone (read as anything from Dan Beebe) and ambiguity-filled statements about how great the next announcement will be (read as anything from Larry Scott)...But for 10 days, as the media clamored for info and many fans waited nervously or excitedly, Delany stayed silent.
But, he's not the only one staying quiet right now. UND's AD Jack Swarbrick has clammed up a bit, and Brian Kelly isn't saying too much these days either. A few months ago, both talked regularly of how they didn't want to be part of the BT or any other conference
According to Swarbrick, one of the best parts of independence is playing all over the country. On March 9, he said,
"It’s great when you look at the schedule and see games all over; at Yankee Stadium, at USC"
Regarding that specific game versus Army in Yankee stadium, he also said, "On a personal level, the anniversary date aspect of it, with the 1913 game, would be great, but if there’s going to be college football in Yankee Stadium, I’d like to be the first one.”
So when I read this today, I couldn't help but wonder if UND is now part of Delany's recent pregnant silence. The UND v. Navy game at Yankee Stadium, that was recently regarded as historically-significance and personally-important for Swarbrick has now been canceled because it doesn't "work" for Notre Dame.
Hmmm.
Seems to me that as things have been changing in the Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac 10, UND's perspective on joining a conference may have also changed.
If nothing else, all of the silence is deafening.