(04-08-2017 02:41 PM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(04-07-2017 11:43 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(04-07-2017 11:25 PM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(04-07-2017 11:01 PM)Columbia Blue Wrote:  I'm just not seeing what exactly UCSD offers the WAC. Basically if invited they will come in with a D2 roster, and drag down the WAC's RPI while in transition. Not everybody can compete right out of D2 like GCU. As soon as they get acclimated to Division 1, and the kinks are worked out, they will jump to the Big West.

So in essence, the WAC is acting as kind of a triple AAA affiliate for a conference which is only marginally stronger than them (if at all).

UCSD is not joining the WAC. They have this laser focus on the Big West. They were not interested in the WAC seven years ago when they were rejected by the Big West. UCSD said at the time that they were not interested in any other D1 conference. They have not changed. They are still focused on the Big West.

It would take many years for UCSD to really be of any help to a conference. They are a terrific academic add and in a market that the WAC would love to be in, but adding a second D2 move up with CBU is not a good idea. Better to focus on D1 schools that might be willing to leave their conferences.

And which DI schools are those? There are plenty of DI's, but name one that would go to the WAC.

Sacramento State for the following reasons:

1. The WAC is also a better basketball conference. Better RPI, more upside. The Big Sky just lost one of their best coaches to a WAC school. That tells you all you need to know.

2. The WAC is a better Olympic sports conference. The Big Sky is a football conference that also plays basketball. They don't offer baseball or men's soccer. Sac State plays baseball in the WAC and men's soccer in the Big West. They could easily move their Olympic sports programs to the WAC.

3. Sacramento State needs to change the direction of their basketball program. They need a conference change (WAC or Big West), they need to build the Events Center to give the basketball program a decent venue to play in and recruit to. They need to spend more money on their basketball program. They are the only school in the Big Sky to have never made the NCAA tournament.

4. Leaving the Big Sky Conference will leave the BSC at an even 10 Olympic schools, a better number for basketball than 11 schools. They can keep their football program in the Big Sky similar to what UC Davis and Cal Poly currently are doing.

5. The markets and the travel are just better in the WAC for Sac State. Playing in a conference with two other California schools, direct flights to Seattle, Phoenix, Chicago and Salt Lake City.

Bottom line for Sac State is that this does not hurt the Big Sky and the only reason to be in the Big Sky is football.

I will concede Sac St may be interested, but there is an issue with football and Sac St still plays in a Jr High gym, which doesn't even meet lowly Big Sky basketball standards.