(10-14-2011 10:49 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  

(10-14-2011 10:42 PM)theasfldotcom Wrote:  

(10-14-2011 09:48 PM)Beagleagle23 Wrote:  http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/...e-exit-fee

Quote:According to a source with direct knowledge about Boise State's and Air Force's situations, the conferences went ahead with the alliance when Boise State indicated to the MWC that it didn't plan to leave the conference.

The source also said Air Force had soured on the Big East deal a bit when Army decided against joining the Big East and Navy became skeptical of the plan.

MWC commissioner Craig Thompson said on a conference call to announce the alliance he had been notified by the leaders of Boise State and Air Force that they had been in contact with the Big East, but the presidents of those schools also participated in the league's unanimous vote to approve the merger with C-USA.

You missed something important three paragraphs later.

Quote:The source said that if Boise State and Air Force had reservations about the MWC, C-USA or the alliance between the two, they would would have abstained or been absent from Friday's conference call. The source cited Missouri's absence from the Big 12's conference call announcing the addition of TCU as an example. Missouri The Tigers are currently deciding whether to leave the Big 12.

First, it should be noted that Andy Katz is a basketball writer and has been behind on Big East expansion throughout. The fact that he didn't edit things well enough to remove "would would" and "Missouri The Tigers" is a bit awkward, but I suppose I won't hold it against him.

Reading that paragraph, I'd believe it's safe to say he's making his reports based on an observation from a source, not anything direct from either school or the Big East.


If I were hoping the alliance works out with Boise State and Air Force, I'd be holding on tight to what he's reporting, but in trying to be as unbiased as possible, I'd put his words well below anything reported by McMurphy, Thamel, Wilner, etc in the last 12 hours. If they corroborate in the next 12 hours, rejoice.

1. All the talk is just talk.

2. Missouri has been trying to leave for well over a year already.

3. Boise and Air Force werent looking to leave so they participated in the merger talks.

4. Both Boise and Air Force had some preliminary talks with other conferences about their other sports.

5. Not all expansion moves happen the same way. A&M told the Big XII they were looking to leave, same with Mizz. Cuse and Pitt did not. Both schools took place in a vote to turn down an espn contract two months before they moved. The CUSA/MWC merger has been in talks for months already. Im sure they were already deeply involved in the talks.

None of that has anything to do with what I just posted. I'm not arguing anything regarding the end result, I'm simply stating this isn't necessarily a piece of evidence to go by.

(10-14-2011 10:50 PM)BullsFanatic Wrote:  Checking twitter, it seems a lot of the tweets propagating the idea that Boise and Air Force have officially turned down the Big East is coming from Dan Wolken. He just sounds bitter that the Big East is going to survive.

Andy Katz seems to have sources speculating that Boise and Air Force have turned the Big East down, but it sounds like nothing more than speculation to me.

Pretty sure Wolken is responding to what Katz posted.

(10-14-2011 10:51 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  

(10-14-2011 10:49 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  I think another problem is that MVC and WCC don't seem to want AFA and BSU for other sports, there was a quote from the MVC a few days ago saying they were all set w/ 10. Big Sky would have to change their bylaws to allow a non fb playing member and the WAC would have to get the NCAA to change the rule that you play fb in 1 fbs conf while belonging to another fbs conf.

Yes the MVC conference didnt seem interested but i never heard that the WCC felt the same way. They just took in BYU's sports so why would they turn down Boise and Air Force?

Because they are all private religious affiliated schools, that is very important to them. I'd bet you on it that they won't go to the WCC but...

If the BE wants to land the western school they probably need to offer a full invite, which would likely mean a split from basketball.

(10-14-2011 10:05 PM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  

(10-14-2011 10:02 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  

(10-14-2011 10:00 PM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  Anyone having any belief the BE is ever going to be stable again is kidding themselves. Maybe all those teams join, but others will leave.

Another bitter ECU fan. Sorry but if this happens the Big East will be stable and ECU will be playing Hawaii for the hopes of being selected to a BCS bowl.

So you really think there isn't going to be another BE member leaving? You can't be that stupid. Someone is going to be the SEC #14, either an ACC team, Mizzu, or WVU. Any way that shakes out the BE is losing at least one more. Every single football school is looking to leave and will as soon as any opportunity presents itself. If that's your idea of stable then sure the BE is on really solid footing.

More like quick sand.

(10-14-2011 10:51 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  

(10-14-2011 10:49 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  I think another problem is that MVC and WCC don't seem to want AFA and BSU for other sports, there was a quote from the MVC a few days ago saying they were all set w/ 10. Big Sky would have to change their bylaws to allow a non fb playing member and the WAC would have to get the NCAA to change the rule that you play fb in 1 fbs conf while belonging to another fbs conf.

Yes the MVC conference didnt seem interested but i never heard that the WCC felt the same way. They just took in BYU's sports so why would they turn down Boise and Air Force?

The WCC is about half religion-affiliated schools and entirely private schools. Boise State would technically fit better in the Big West...not entirely sure if Air Force would fit in any of the western conferences.

(10-14-2011 10:18 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  

(10-14-2011 10:05 PM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  

(10-14-2011 10:02 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  

(10-14-2011 10:00 PM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  Anyone having any belief the BE is ever going to be stable again is kidding themselves. Maybe all those teams join, but others will leave.

Another bitter ECU fan. Sorry but if this happens the Big East will be stable and ECU will be playing Hawaii for the hopes of being selected to a BCS bowl.

So you really think there isn't going to be another BE member leaving? You can't be that stupid. Someone is going to be the SEC #14, either an ACC team, Mizzu, or WVU. Any way that shakes out the BE is losing at least one more. Every single football school is looking to leave and will as soon as any opportunity presents itself. If that's your idea of stable then sure the BE is on really solid footing.

The ACC and SEC has publicly said they have no interest in WVU.

The BC AD has publicly bragged about keeping UConn out and unless someone else goes to 16 the ACC stands still.

Believe it or not BYU is still in the mix for the Big XII.

The Big Ten isn't expanding without Notre Dame.

With an increased buy out and new members coming in the remaining 6 will stay intact for at least the next few years.

I know we all love doomsday scenarios but in the real world they rarely happen. Just remember that if the Big East loses it's AQ bid it has some ammo for the enemies of the BCS.

That's right. Marinatto will be out there throwing meatballs at em.

(10-14-2011 10:56 PM)theasfldotcom Wrote:  

(10-14-2011 10:51 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  

(10-14-2011 10:49 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  I think another problem is that MVC and WCC don't seem to want AFA and BSU for other sports, there was a quote from the MVC a few days ago saying they were all set w/ 10. Big Sky would have to change their bylaws to allow a non fb playing member and the WAC would have to get the NCAA to change the rule that you play fb in 1 fbs conf while belonging to another fbs conf.

Yes the MVC conference didnt seem interested but i never heard that the WCC felt the same way. They just took in BYU's sports so why would they turn down Boise and Air Force?

The WCC is about half religion-affiliated schools and entirely private schools. Boise State would technically fit better in the Big West...not entirely sure if Air Force would fit in any of the western conferences.

Big West only took Hawaii because they offered travel compensation, otherwise they'd still be the CA bus league.

I believe all WCC school have been religious affiliated at one time or another. I know Pepperdine isn't anymore but they were. Someone would have to look it up.

(10-14-2011 10:53 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  

(10-14-2011 10:51 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  

(10-14-2011 10:49 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  I think another problem is that MVC and WCC don't seem to want AFA and BSU for other sports, there was a quote from the MVC a few days ago saying they were all set w/ 10. Big Sky would have to change their bylaws to allow a non fb playing member and the WAC would have to get the NCAA to change the rule that you play fb in 1 fbs conf while belonging to another fbs conf.

Yes the MVC conference didnt seem interested but i never heard that the WCC felt the same way. They just took in BYU's sports so why would they turn down Boise and Air Force?

Because they are all private religious affiliated schools, that is very important to them. I'd bet you on it that they won't go to the WCC but...

If the BE wants to land the western school they probably need to offer a full invite, which would likely mean a split from basketball.

Boise doesnt want an all sports invite. No way no how they want to send their Baseball and Soccer teams all the way across the country.

The Big East was a conference of small religious institutions to once. This way though their members know they wont have the problem the Big East had since its members already have FB membership elsewhere.

(10-14-2011 11:01 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  

(10-14-2011 10:53 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  

(10-14-2011 10:51 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  

(10-14-2011 10:49 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  I think another problem is that MVC and WCC don't seem to want AFA and BSU for other sports, there was a quote from the MVC a few days ago saying they were all set w/ 10. Big Sky would have to change their bylaws to allow a non fb playing member and the WAC would have to get the NCAA to change the rule that you play fb in 1 fbs conf while belonging to another fbs conf.

Yes the MVC conference didnt seem interested but i never heard that the WCC felt the same way. They just took in BYU's sports so why would they turn down Boise and Air Force?

Because they are all private religious affiliated schools, that is very important to them. I'd bet you on it that they won't go to the WCC but...

If the BE wants to land the western school they probably need to offer a full invite, which would likely mean a split from basketball.

Boise doesnt want an all sports invite. No way no how they want to send their Baseball and Soccer teams all the way across the country.

The Big East was a conference of small religious institutions to once. This way though their members know they wont have the problem the Big East had since its members already have FB membership elsewhere.

So they're kinda stuck then. Mount USA or BE and ??? GWC non AQ not a real conf that goes from NJ to Utah to Texas to Illinois w only 5 members. I don't think the WCC doesn't want to recreate the mess that has become the BE. It's not like AFA and BSU are worth a damn at bball like UConn is.

(10-14-2011 10:53 PM)d1owls4life Wrote:  

(10-14-2011 10:50 PM)BullsFanatic Wrote:  Checking twitter, it seems a lot of the tweets propagating the idea that Boise and Air Force have officially turned down the Big East is coming from Dan Wolken. He just sounds bitter that the Big East is going to survive.

Andy Katz seems to have sources speculating that Boise and Air Force have turned the Big East down, but it sounds like nothing more than speculation to me.

Pretty sure Wolken is responding to what Katz posted.

He's taking it to another level. The Big East is doomed because they are losing one more team, and teams like SMU are now garbage for jumping to the Big East. He just strikes me as bitter about the whole thing.

(10-14-2011 11:01 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  

(10-14-2011 10:53 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  

(10-14-2011 10:51 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  

(10-14-2011 10:49 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  I think another problem is that MVC and WCC don't seem to want AFA and BSU for other sports, there was a quote from the MVC a few days ago saying they were all set w/ 10. Big Sky would have to change their bylaws to allow a non fb playing member and the WAC would have to get the NCAA to change the rule that you play fb in 1 fbs conf while belonging to another fbs conf.

Yes the MVC conference didnt seem interested but i never heard that the WCC felt the same way. They just took in BYU's sports so why would they turn down Boise and Air Force?

Because they are all private religious affiliated schools, that is very important to them. I'd bet you on it that they won't go to the WCC but...

If the BE wants to land the western school they probably need to offer a full invite, which would likely mean a split from basketball.

Boise doesnt want an all sports invite. No way no how they want to send their Baseball and Soccer teams all the way across the country.

The Big East was a conference of small religious institutions to once. This way though their members know they wont have the problem the Big East had since its members already have FB membership elsewhere.

Boise doesn't have a baseball team.

(10-14-2011 11:08 PM)BullsFanatic Wrote:  

(10-14-2011 10:53 PM)d1owls4life Wrote:  

(10-14-2011 10:50 PM)BullsFanatic Wrote:  Checking twitter, it seems a lot of the tweets propagating the idea that Boise and Air Force have officially turned down the Big East is coming from Dan Wolken. He just sounds bitter that the Big East is going to survive.

Andy Katz seems to have sources speculating that Boise and Air Force have turned the Big East down, but it sounds like nothing more than speculation to me.

Pretty sure Wolken is responding to what Katz posted.

He's taking it to another level. The Big East is doomed because they are losing one more team, and teams like SMU are now garbage for jumping to the Big East. He just strikes me as bitter about the whole thing.

Why would be be bitter? He's a sportswriter for a national publication based in NYC. His tone is sarcastic all the time. About everything. But he is no dummy, and doesn't seem to have an agenda. Just strong opinions.