New Powerhouse Emerging

Way back in 1979, I was visiting my Uncle, who had cable, something I would not have for decades, and I saw a sports network broadcasting the basketball games of a league I had never heard of, that being the Big East. I loved my hometown team in Nashville and the conference they represented (Vanderbilt in the Southeastern Conference) with Charles Davis leading the charge.  I was hearing much of "Magic" Johnson at Michigan State and a fellow named "Bird" at little Indiana State, but watched a dynamo named "John Pinone" at a place called "Villanova" that night, and told Uncle Manuel that those city kids were fantastic, "they could really play". Well all these years later, the Big East has a bunch of basketball titles, and even  has a basketball team Connecticut still vying for this year's national title. Another team competing this season comes from what has been a rather obscure conference, that being Florida Atlantic University from Conference USA. This heretofore little known conference really knows how to play with some phenomenal athletes and great coaches. Both teams, North Texas and UAB in the NIT final come from Conference USA and the third post-season tournament was won by Charlotte from the same league. These guys are ballers who are well led, and they may be the next, up and coming Big East. In basketball, they were demonstrably better this season than my beloved SEC. I have no idea if the Owls advance, but I would hire their coach for the highest level program, if he is willing to leave.