Get some backbone, Big East!

Why doesn't the Big East stop whining and show some backbone by going after Duke and North Carolina from the ACC?

Instead of worrying  about which football rats are going to flee the sinking ship, grab Kansas from the Big Leftover and build a basketball conference to rival Tobacco Road.

If Kansas was brought in – and the nation's most historic basketball power may have nowhere else to go – then UConn might stay in the Big East.  Ditto Notre Dame.

Then Villanova, Georgetown, Marquette and the other Catholic schools would have a league that also included Duke, North Carolina, Kansas and UConn.

Tell me there's a better basketball conference out there than that.

And let big football deal with an angry congress when somebody from a left out team or conference screams "illegal monopoly."

IS IT JUST ME, or are the Phillies unwatchable right now?  I know these games don't count but shouldn't a team show some heart or pride as it enters the playoffs?  The top six hitters in the lineup tonight were a sizzling 1 for 19! Nothing like showing a little heart behind Cliff Lee.

Those clutch-hittin' Phils have scored just 14 runs behind Lee in his eight losses. They've probably cost him the Cy Young Award --- Lee has allowed four earned runs TOTAL in his last three starts but is 0-1 with two no-decisions. Shameful.

Contact Don McKee at dmckee@phillynews.com