Just about an hour ago in a statement to PirateRadio1250. It should be archived in a few hours.

They were interviewing the columnist from Vegas who countered the CBSSports report about the merger being dead. They asked Ballard if he wanted to come on and he issued a statement.

Looks like each side will add to it, and they will continue collaborating toward a merger for championships.

wonder how many teams are being looked at?

I expected something like this given recent comments and leaks.

Let's grab the Sun Belt's four best schools and get this over with.

Oh, and Akron... I nearly forgot.

(04-23-2012 05:33 PM)Chappy Wrote:  Let's grab the Sun Belt's four best schools and get this over with.

Then you just become more like the Sun Belt.

Not sure if you've paid much attention to that conference but being the Sun Belt hasn't worked out too well for the Sun Belt.

Sorry Niner, I forgot that tone doesn't translate well when you're typing something... Re-read what I wrote with an air of frustrated despair...

Expand now. Collect all fees. Split the dough. Merge later.
CUSA add FIU, North TX, La Tech, Mid Tenn St to get back to 12, let ESPN have "their CCG".
MWC add Utah St, San Jose State, New Mexico St, Idaho to get back to 12 and kill the WAC at the same time.
Boise and SD State decide against the BE after the BCS revamps college football.
MWC at 14
CUSA adds ODU, UTSA
CUSA at 14
Then merge in football only and call it something new and let the Olympic sports stay in MWC / CUSA to keep 1 AQ bid each.
4 x 7 team divisions
Semis
CCG
BCS Bowl



And the alarm clock goes off,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Chappy, you can just add <sarcasm> to the end of your post!

(04-23-2012 05:51 PM)49RFootballNow Wrote:  Chappy, you can just add <sarcasm> to the end of your post!

But was it?

*****************

Going to have to listen to this then.... sounds interesting. I honestly believe BOTH conferences will do their expansion NOW and collect all the cheese they can and then align later. And I totally bet they have been scouring over possible expansion candidates regardless.

(04-23-2012 05:49 PM)ECUPirated Wrote:  Expand now. Collect all fees. Split the dough. Merge later.
CUSA add FIU, North TX, La Tech, Mid Tenn St to get back to 12, let ESPN have "their CCG".
MWC add Utah St, San Jose State, New Mexico St, Idaho to get back to 12 and kill the WAC at the same time.
Boise and SD State decide against the BE after the BCS revamps college football.
MWC at 14
CUSA adds ODU, UTSA
CUSA at 14
Then merge in football only and call it something new and let the Olympic sports stay in MWC / CUSA to keep 1 AQ bid each.
4 x 7 team divisions
Semis
CCG
BCS Bowl



And the alarm clock goes off,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

There is no way the MW will ever add Idaho or NMSU. USU is probably a given and either SJSU or UTSA.

Came across this on twitter. Just throwing it out there


9:23 AM - 23 Apr 12 via Echofon · Details Reply Retweet Favorite

Jeff Matthews @Jeffpbp



Reply

Rumor heard with my own ears over the weekend. La Tech, FIU and N. Texas to Conference USA. Maybe UTSA too.


Eric Bernal @EBER4 @Jeffpbp is the source a good one



Jeff Matthews @Jeffpbp @EBER4 yea, I believe it.

(04-23-2012 06:05 PM)1IvyDog Wrote:  

(04-23-2012 05:49 PM)ECUPirated Wrote:  Expand now. Collect all fees. Split the dough. Merge later.
CUSA add FIU, North TX, La Tech, Mid Tenn St to get back to 12, let ESPN have "their CCG".
MWC add Utah St, San Jose State, New Mexico St, Idaho to get back to 12 and kill the WAC at the same time.
Boise and SD State decide against the BE after the BCS revamps college football.
MWC at 14
CUSA adds ODU, UTSA
CUSA at 14
Then merge in football only and call it something new and let the Olympic sports stay in MWC / CUSA to keep 1 AQ bid each.
4 x 7 team divisions
Semis
CCG
BCS Bowl



And the alarm clock goes off,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

There is no way the MW will ever add Idaho or NMSU. USU is probably a given and either SJSU or UTSA.

Probably right, but you never know. I figured somebody would hit the Boise / SDS comment before NMSU/Idaho. Sounds like a poll thread to me.

(04-23-2012 06:05 PM)SATXBOSSMAN Wrote:  Came across this on twitter. Just throwing it out there


9:23 AM - 23 Apr 12 via Echofon · Details Reply Retweet Favorite

Jeff Matthews @Jeffpbp



Reply

Rumor heard with my own ears over the weekend. La Tech, FIU and N. Texas to Conference USA. Maybe UTSA too.


Eric Bernal @EBER4 @Jeffpbp is the source a good one



Jeff Matthews @Jeffpbp @EBER4 yea, I believe it.

If true, then I can only say for those that thought Terry Holland was pulling the strings, that CUSA will have no more of an Eastern presence then it ever did. FIU (UCF) NTX (SMU) UTSA (Houston) LA Tech (Memphis).

I've always liked CUSA, but we're (Marshall/ECU) still gonna be in the same boat and without some kind of Alliance going through with the MWC, probably making less money than we did before.

(04-23-2012 06:17 PM)ECUPirated Wrote:  

(04-23-2012 06:05 PM)SATXBOSSMAN Wrote:  Came across this on twitter. Just throwing it out there


9:23 AM - 23 Apr 12 via Echofon · Details Reply Retweet Favorite

Jeff Matthews @Jeffpbp



Reply

Rumor heard with my own ears over the weekend. La Tech, FIU and N. Texas to Conference USA. Maybe UTSA too.


Eric Bernal @EBER4 @Jeffpbp is the source a good one



Jeff Matthews @Jeffpbp @EBER4 yea, I believe it.

If true, then I can only say for those that thought Terry Holland was pulling the strings, that CUSA will have no more of an Eastern presence then it ever did. FIU (UCF) NTX (SMU) UTSA (Houston) LA Tech (Memphis).

I've always liked CUSA, but we're (Marshall/ECU) still gonna be in the same boat and without some kind of Alliance going through with the MWC, probably making less money than we did before.

What FBS programs make sense to fill in that gap? They won't take a move up right now IMO.

Only regional help I could envision is if they added a quality non-fb addition like College of Charleston. Next closest school I could see added for all sports is MTSU.

(04-23-2012 06:28 PM)Sammy11 Wrote:  

(04-23-2012 06:17 PM)ECUPirated Wrote:  

(04-23-2012 06:05 PM)SATXBOSSMAN Wrote:  Came across this on twitter. Just throwing it out there


9:23 AM - 23 Apr 12 via Echofon · Details Reply Retweet Favorite

Jeff Matthews @Jeffpbp



Reply

Rumor heard with my own ears over the weekend. La Tech, FIU and N. Texas to Conference USA. Maybe UTSA too.


Eric Bernal @EBER4 @Jeffpbp is the source a good one



Jeff Matthews @Jeffpbp @EBER4 yea, I believe it.

If true, then I can only say for those that thought Terry Holland was pulling the strings, that CUSA will have no more of an Eastern presence then it ever did. FIU (UCF) NTX (SMU) UTSA (Houston) LA Tech (Memphis).

I've always liked CUSA, but we're (Marshall/ECU) still gonna be in the same boat and without some kind of Alliance going through with the MWC, probably making less money than we did before.

What FBS programs make sense to fill in that gap? They won't take a move up right now IMO.

Only regional help I could envision is if they added a quality non-fb addition like College of Charleston. Next closest school I could see added for all sports is MTSU.

MTSU definitely makes sense. Georgia State would have bridged the gap. Don't get me wrong, the ones mentioned probably have the most upside when it comes to potential, but the main point I was trying to make (and I've seen many posts) is TH can't be pulling all the strings. On the flip side if CUSA decided to go to 14 in a few years after an ODU or Charlotte has made the jump up and bring those schools in, then it would appear that CUSA is attempting to get more of a real East/West split and helping ECU/Marshall in the process.

I just don't get it. I don't see what the merger is supposed to do, or how it is supposed to do it.

MTSU/WKU would be a nice pair for their basketball and bridging the gap between ECU/Marshall and the rest of the conference.

(04-23-2012 05:51 PM)49RFootballNow Wrote:  Chappy, you can just add <sarcasm> to the end of your post!

Wasn't really going for sarcasm... more like defeat. :(

Just to add, he also said in the statement that "it is more complicated than we ever imagined" in reference to the merger.

Archive up now:
http://www.pirateradio1250.com/pod/laf/laf042312.mp3

Can't tell you when stuff starts or whatever because I am listening NAO.