Exploratory talks have started last week between Big 10 commissioner James E. Delaney and Temple athletic director Bill Bradshaw, according to sources.
"It's a little premature," Delaney said on Tuesday, neither confirming nor denying the talks, "but we're at least intrigued by Temple."Delaney said that the Temple positives outweigh its negatives.
"Look, Temple is in the fourth largest media market, Philadelphia, and its football stadium already is larger than Northwestern's and Indiana's by a good bit," he said. "It has a state-of-the-art basketball arena that more than fits our requirements and, academically, the school fits our profile group.
"The school is on the upswing in football. Four wins two years ago. Five wins last year. There's a solid business model there now to keep that momentum going forward.
"This wouldn't be like adding, say, Wake Forest, with only 4,000 students. This is a school that has 33,000 full-time students. This is a Pennsylvania state institution on par with Pitt and Penn State in many respects."
Bradshaw wouldn't comment, but has gone on record in the past by saying "we won't get involved in an arm's race" when it comes to bidding on coaches.
That could change, one high-level supporter said, once Temple is admitted to the Big 10."It's safe to say that getting Penn State in here every other year will be terrific for both Temple and Penn State," he said. "That alone would raise Temple's average attendance profile significantly. Temple could afford to keep guys like Al Golden, if his bottom-line warrants it.
"Then you have the other issue. Getting teams like Ohio State and Michigan in here will be a big plus to the athletic department bottom line. Our attendance could go from a 20,000 average to 40-45,000 with no problem, especially if Al Golden can raise our level of competitiveness in football, which I think he can."
The money coming in from Lincoln Financial Field attendance and Big 10 television more than make any extra investment the university makes on the short term sure to be covered on the back end.
"The most important thing is that the profile of the school goes through the roof nationally. This is a self-sustaining thing, really a license to print money. In this economy, our Board of Trustees must be aggressive in pursuing this."
"It's an exciting time for Temple," the athletic supporter said. "You have 260,000 living alumni just dying to have a big-time college experience every Saturday. You get those kind of numbers of people energized behind the school and it has a domino effect. Attendance increases, revenue increases, things like donations and endownments increase. The most important thing is that the profile of the school goes through the roof nationally. This is a self-sustaining thing, really a license to print money. In this economy, our Board of Trustees must be aggressive in pursuing this.
"That said, it'll work only if Al Golden can deliver the goods. By that, I mean, an eight-, nine-, or 10-win season this year in the MAC. Anything short of that and I don't think the other 11 Big 10 presidents will pull the trigger.
"They're willing to wait on us but not for long. I say we have until the end of the year and no more."
The man struck a cautionary note, though.
"I don't like the fact that this story is coming out on April Fool's Day," he said. "Is this an April Fool's joke?"
Yes, the man was told.
It is.
Happy April's Fool's Day everybody.
I want us to have the best slogan, too.
"There's one thing both St. Joe and Temple fans agree on ... we dislike Villanova. I invite all of you to come to our game on Sept. 3 and cheer for us."
"It goes to show how many quality players inhabit the Prep's program that a quarterback who looks this good (touch, accuracy, long-ball capability) had to wait so long to get onto the field." _ Ted Silary
