Lenn Robbins in his column today unfairly slammed Rutgers and Pitt, who were horrified last year at the prospect that the Big East would accept a below-market deal. There were no ulterior motives beyond that. The only saboteurs in the Big East live in Providence. Beyond that, Robbins reports that Mike Aresco thinks the Big East can still get $100 million dollars. Here's why my PURELY SPECULATION theory comes in. We know that Mike Tranghese is pulling the strings here. Could that be the case either because Tranghese is angling to return to his commissioner's job in a reconfigured Catholic league, and/or is seeking to permanently wed Providence to Villanova/Georgetown/St. John's? If the split happens, for better or worse, they're stuck together forever. It's just something to think about. Tranghese has never, ever had the Big East's best interests at heart, so why would he start now? The man admitted to Mike Francesa of all people that he only cared about Providence College.