I talked to someone higher up in the athletic department (long time friend of mine) and he told me that according to Bowen as early as 2016, he's expecting the P5 conference teams to break from the NCAA in football only.

This is nothing new.

What is new is that according to Bowen, he believes Memphis (as well as UCONN, BYU, ND, UCF, USF, Cincy, etc.) will be a part of this as independents.

In other words, any school who can meet the bylaws of the new league in terms of paying athletes and would like to play in the new association can opt in as an independent).

There would even be the obvious option of these independent schools combining to form a 6th conference once accepted. The key is having the money to keep up with the Jones's in terms of providing player stipends.

FWIW, Bowen thinks Memphis is in good shape in this likely scenario.

Provides an interesting twist indeed.

So the independents would gain in power as a group because they could keep up with the big boy spending? Would the big boys agree to play them? I thought that was a major issue, or am I not keeping up now? lol

I guess the only issue I see is how could Memphis, as an Indy, get its own lucrative tv deal?

(10-17-2014 12:38 PM)BIGDTiger Wrote:  I guess the only issue I see is how could Memphis, as an Indy, get its own lucrative tv deal?

Being independent is only temporary to set up for an eventual new league

(10-17-2014 12:46 PM)BigTigerMike Wrote:  

(10-17-2014 12:38 PM)BIGDTiger Wrote:  I guess the only issue I see is how could Memphis, as an Indy, get its own lucrative tv deal?

Being independent is only temporary to set up for an eventual new league

But aren't we already in that league?

Pretty much because ND and BYU won't join our new league.

Sounds great but we just joined a new league. The Big East, I mean the American.

(10-17-2014 12:27 PM)TonyDaTiger Wrote:  I talked to someone higher up in the athletic department (long time friend of mine) and he told me that according to Bowen as early as 2016, he's expecting the P5 conference teams to break from the NCAA in football only.

This is nothing new.

What is new is that according to Bowen, he believes Memphis (as well as UCONN, BYU, ND, UCF, USF, Cincy, etc.) will be a part of this as independents.

In other words, any school who can meet the bylaws of the new league in terms of paying athletes and would like to play in the new association can opt in as an independent).

There would even be the obvious option of these independent schools combining to form a 6th conference once accepted. The key is having the money to keep up with the Jones's in terms of providing player stipends.

FWIW, Bowen thinks Memphis is in good shape in this likely scenario.

If the P5 schools leave for football only, those schools should not be eligible for the NCAA basketball tournament.

Other than that, I doubt the football scenario unfolds like you mention.

Memphis as an independent in football would be virtually invisible.

(10-17-2014 01:40 PM)TigerTimmy Wrote:  Sounds great but we just joined a new league. The Big East, I mean the American, I mean CUSA 2.0

Fyp

(10-17-2014 03:43 PM)Brother Bluto Wrote:  

(10-17-2014 01:40 PM)TigerTimmy Wrote:  Sounds great but we just joined a new league. The Big East, I mean the American, I mean CUSA 2.0

Fyp

^^^

When they break off, they will swoop in and pick up other schools. I agree with the teams listed but be prepared for a new division of 5 16 team leagues.

They'd like to break into 4 conferences doe. I can see Texas abandoning the Big XII with a quickness if that happens

The problem with our conference situation is that we routinely jump to a new conference every 10-20 years. But that's just the beginning. We then go on to basicly reconstruct the exact same failed conference we just ran from. Placing a new name & logo on the same group of schools, hoping for a different result. Maybe "the American" should have been a little patient before adding the same failed programs like Tulsa & Tulane & waited for the next Florida st to emerge. Like say a Georgia St or Texas St. I get laughed at everytime I mention that,but that isn't an approach that's proven to fail. But we continue to put lipstick on a pig & say it ain't a pig. IMO LA tech, Arkansas ST, Georgia St, Texas ST & Umass should all be added & Tulsa, Tulane should be kicked out. Those are programs that have never had the support of a decent league. Put them in the American & they would succeed.

But of course I'm wrong. Even though we all know this conference was doomed to fail before it began.

(10-18-2014 08:29 PM)BIGDTiger Wrote:  The problem with our conference situation is that we routinely jump to a new conference every 10-20 years. But that's just the beginning. We then go on to basicly reconstruct the exact same failed conference we just ran from. Placing a new name & logo on the same group of schools, hoping for a different result. Maybe "the American" should have been a little patient before adding the same failed programs like Tulsa & Tulane & waited for the next Florida st to emerge. Like say a Georgia St or Texas St. I get laughed at everytime I mention that,but that isn't an approach that's proven to fail. But we continue to put lipstick on a pig & say it ain't a pig. IMO LA tech, Arkansas ST, Georgia St, Texas ST & Umass should all be added & Tulsa, Tulane should be kicked out. Those are programs that have never had the support of a decent league. Put them in the American & they would succeed.

But of course I'm wrong. Even though we all know this conference was doomed to fail before it began.

We have moved up, baby steps, but have moved up nonetheless. It's obvious, look at CUSA and how some of our long time rivals are enjoying it. They would switch places in a nanosecond.

(10-17-2014 12:27 PM)TonyDaTiger Wrote:  I talked to someone higher up in the athletic department (long time friend of mine) and he told me that according to Bowen as early as 2016, he's expecting the P5 conference teams to break from the NCAA in football only.

This is nothing new.

What is new is that according to Bowen, he believes Memphis (as well as UCONN, BYU, ND, UCF, USF, Cincy, etc.) will be a part of this as independents.

In other words, any school who can meet the bylaws of the new league in terms of paying athletes and would like to play in the new association can opt in as an independent).

There would even be the obvious option of these independent schools combining to form a 6th conference once accepted. The key is having the money to keep up with the Jones's in terms of providing player stipends.

FWIW, Bowen thinks Memphis is in good shape in this likely scenario.

A respectful question.

That's a big announcement to attribute to Bowen.
Why would he share that with you without an understanding that it go no further?

The American was not "Mrs. Right", just "Mrs. Right Now".

(10-19-2014 07:21 AM)Tigerx3 Wrote:  

(10-17-2014 12:27 PM)TonyDaTiger Wrote:  I talked to someone higher up in the athletic department (long time friend of mine) and he told me that according to Bowen as early as 2016, he's expecting the P5 conference teams to break from the NCAA in football only.

This is nothing new.

What is new is that according to Bowen, he believes Memphis (as well as UCONN, BYU, ND, UCF, USF, Cincy, etc.) will be a part of this as independents.

In other words, any school who can meet the bylaws of the new league in terms of paying athletes and would like to play in the new association can opt in as an independent).

There would even be the obvious option of these independent schools combining to form a 6th conference once accepted. The key is having the money to keep up with the Jones's in terms of providing player stipends.

FWIW, Bowen thinks Memphis is in good shape in this likely scenario.

A respectful question.

That's a big announcement to attribute to Bowen.
Why would he share that with you without an understanding that it go no further?

^^This^^ Confidentiality is an important criteria to be afforded information not generally given to the public, IMO.

How many beers in was he?

(10-19-2014 07:21 AM)Tigerx3 Wrote:  A respectful question.

That's a big announcement to attribute to Bowen.
Why would he share that with you without an understanding that it go no further?

Then again, I don't see it as an "annoucement" at all. I could just as easily see it as Bowen's musings that he thinks Memphis is in good shape going forward.

The "announcement" that would be newsworthy would be if he said the opposite, and no AD would say that in any case.