With the future of the Big East in doubt, Connecticut women's basketball coach Gene Auriemma has lashed out at Notre Dame and its insistence on playing as a football independent.  Auriemma's comments came Thursday at the conference's media day for women's basketball when UConn was not picked No. 1 in the Big East's preseason poll for the first time since 2005. The team picked No. 1? Notre Dame.  He believes that if the Irish, who play in the Big East in all other sports, could solidify the league they joined in football.  "I'm pissed about it," he said. "We've got one school that holds the future of our league in the palm of their hand and they are not really concerned about it."  Earlier in the week, commissioner John Marinatto held a teleconference on the Big East's plan to expand to 12 football schools and said Notre Dame was working hard to ensure the leagues survival.  "I think Notre Dame is as committed, if not more committed, in this conference than any other member because they view it as a very positive place," Marinatto said.  "I think they're really committed to growing with us. I mentioned all of our schools are excited about this (12-team) model. Notre Dame is included in that in a very strong way. They like the model and I think they're excited about it as we go forward."  The arrangement of the Irish only play in non-football sports has been in place since the fall of 1995. It has been a bone of contention with other schools in the past. Auriemma thinks its time Notre Dame take the next step.  "They have been in our league, what, 18 years," he said. "How long are we going to date before we just we decide this isn't working? I'm not happy about it.  "That's not the opinion of the University of Connecticut, the Big East Conference, my president, my AD. That's just Geno Auriemma's opinion."  He traced the instability in the league back to when they were allowed to not play football and join for other sports.  "If Notre Dame had come in as a football and basketball school, all in, we wouldn't have a problem," he said. "Miami wouldn't have left. Virginia Tech wouldn't have left. Boston College wouldn't have left. We probably wouldn't have any of these issues, would we? No."  MORE: Follow Erick Smith on Twitter
Auriemma thinks it's time for the Irish to make a commitment to the Big East for football or leave the conference.