(05-26-2015 03:52 PM)f1do Wrote:  

(05-26-2015 01:28 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  If you have BYU in your conf you have to work around all the morman holidays, and in a conf that size in teams and Geo, that would be a nightmare.

What are these Mormon holidays you speak of?

He's talking about the mormans which based on what I've put together so far are a kind of reptile people from central Arkansas. I never have learned too much about them because you can't have a civilized conversation about mormans without a bunch of Mormons showing up and interrupting.

(05-26-2015 04:38 PM)jrj84105 Wrote:  

(05-26-2015 03:52 PM)f1do Wrote:  

(05-26-2015 01:28 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  If you have BYU in your conf you have to work around all the morman holidays, and in a conf that size in teams and Geo, that would be a nightmare.

What are these Mormon holidays you speak of?

He's talking about the mormans which based on what I've put together so far are a kind of reptile people from central Arkansas. I never have learned to much about them because you can't have a civilized conversation about mormans without a bunch of Mormons showing up and interrupting.

Lol guys i just copy pasted from my texts... relax

Still, i chuckled

(05-26-2015 04:40 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  

(05-26-2015 04:38 PM)jrj84105 Wrote:  

(05-26-2015 03:52 PM)f1do Wrote:  

(05-26-2015 01:28 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  If you have BYU in your conf you have to work around all the morman holidays, and in a conf that size in teams and Geo, that would be a nightmare.

What are these Mormon holidays you speak of?

He's talking about the mormans which based on what I've put together so far are a kind of reptile people from central Arkansas. I never have learned to much about them because you can't have a civilized conversation about mormans without a bunch of Mormons showing up and interrupting.

Lol guys i just copy pasted from my texts... relax

Still, i chuckled

I'm looking forward to our game in Dekalb. I'm a U of I alumnus as well, and most of my family still lives in the Bloomington area so I'm looking forward to that road trip.

(05-26-2015 04:44 PM)jrj84105 Wrote:  

(05-26-2015 04:40 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  

(05-26-2015 04:38 PM)jrj84105 Wrote:  

(05-26-2015 03:52 PM)f1do Wrote:  

(05-26-2015 01:28 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  If you have BYU in your conf you have to work around all the morman holidays, and in a conf that size in teams and Geo, that would be a nightmare.

What are these Mormon holidays you speak of?

He's talking about the mormans which based on what I've put together so far are a kind of reptile people from central Arkansas. I never have learned to much about them because you can't have a civilized conversation about mormans without a bunch of Mormons showing up and interrupting.

Lol guys i just copy pasted from my texts... relax

Still, i chuckled

I'm looking forward to our game in Dekalb. I'm a U of I alumnus as well, and most of my family still lives in the Bloomington area so I'm looking forward to that road trip.

Haha my friend who is a U of I alumni has family in the BLOOMINGDALE area so weird parallel. I used to go to champaign all the time for unofficial, kegs and eggs and jame-o shots at 6am were always a good time there

I have no inside info (I'm just a regular guy). I'm guessing the AAC wants to get some years under it's belt and then see how things look. If they're miles ahead of the MWC in 2025, they'll have no interest in a merger. But I could see a scenario where it might be possible.

You can't talk about the motives of the "AAC." The reality is there are 12 different motives (is that how many teams are in this thing? I can't bring myself to look) and if a merge of the top 5 of each brings those schools more money then bye-bye, form a new league.

UConn's president has been outspoken lately about how we are way underpaid in this conference. The entire sports program is effectively making what the women's T3 used to make before Aresco got his hands on us so that Tulane and Tulsa can be on TV for friends and family.

(05-26-2015 04:44 PM)jrj84105 Wrote:  

(05-26-2015 04:40 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  

(05-26-2015 04:38 PM)jrj84105 Wrote:  

(05-26-2015 03:52 PM)f1do Wrote:  

(05-26-2015 01:28 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  If you have BYU in your conf you have to work around all the morman holidays, and in a conf that size in teams and Geo, that would be a nightmare.

What are these Mormon holidays you speak of?

He's talking about the mormans which based on what I've put together so far are a kind of reptile people from central Arkansas. I never have learned to much about them because you can't have a civilized conversation about mormans without a bunch of Mormons showing up and interrupting.

Lol guys i just copy pasted from my texts... relax

Still, i chuckled

I'm looking forward to our game in Dekalb. I'm a U of I alumnus as well, and most of my family still lives in the Bloomington area so I'm looking forward to that road trip.

I'm looking forward to that as well. We finally got an AD that decided we needed to get some good teams to play us in DeKalb occasionally. It's been a while. I hope we're able to do some stadium upgrades before then.

(05-26-2015 12:51 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  I have been a proponent of a best of MWC/AAC merger. I have cited things like better home conference games, better bowl line up etc. But let me throw this out as the biggest reason I think this is the way to go.

Right now if you are in a P5 conference, the conference winner gets an auto bid to an Access Bowl (just like under the BCS system). So if team X wins the ACC or B12, even if they are 8-4 or whatever, they still get the bid. Because of this, you really are only competing with 11 other teams (or 9 if you are in the B12, etc.) for an access bowl spot.

In the G5, the highest rated G5 gets an access bowl spot. But you are competing with what, 40 or 50 teams for this one spot.

So a P5 team is competing with 9-11 other teams for an access bowl spot and a G5 team is competing with 40 or 50 teams. In affect you have to be the best team of five conferences to get the spot, not just the best team of ONE conference like in the P5.

So...if you take the best of MWC and merge with the best of AAC, although it wouldn't be 100% guaranteed like in the P5, the winner of this conference would get the access bowl spot, let's say 95% of the time.

As time goes on, and the MWC/AAC conference winner gets the access bowl spot, that is something you can sell to recruits. "The winner of the MWC/AAC Conference has gotten the access bowl spot five years in a row" or "has gotten the access bowl spot 9 of the last 10 years" or whatever.

In essence we would be 'creating' a de-facto power conference. Maybe our bowl alliance and tv contract wouldn't be Power 5 and we would still be called the G5 by the media, but if our winner gets the access bowl spot 95%+ of the time, it would be better than we have now and at least a true tweener conference. In my mind this is making the most of a bad situation.


Thoughts?

I would like somebody to punch holes in this too. I think it's worth a discussion because although we can't force our way into the P5 club, by doing this, we can at least 'create' our own spot as the access bowl table.


And I know the big prize is the playoff, I get it, but for us G5-er's I say let's focus on getting an Access Bowl spot first. By creating this MWC/AAC merger conference I think we can at least take the Access Bowl spot 95% of the time if not more.


Here is what I had in mind:

American East:
UCONN
Cincy
NIU
ECU
UCF
USF
Temple
Navy

American West:
Memphis
UH
SMU
Boise
BYU
AF
Col St
SDSU

I have to believe the G5 access bowl participant would come out of this conference most years. And this list is just an example...Tulsa, Tulane, UNLV, Fresno, etc. would all be possibilities.

Well Fresno has been the MWC champion or co champ 2 of the last 3 years,

But Fresno aside the biggest problem you have is Boise won't come with their sweetheart deal unless they have no chance. So if you cherry pick four teams Boise will never give up their guaranteed games on ESPN and the rights to half the BCS payout.

Not only that the travel for an SDSU is significant and they have been down this road with you all before.

I think your only hope is if the championship game is deregulated and you can go with a minimum of 7 7 7. You dump one AAC team, San Jose and probably Wyoming. That would force Boise to come and give you 3 compact divisions: West, Central and East.

Make it happen

(05-26-2015 03:19 PM)jrj84105 Wrote:  You need proposed deregulation to make it work.
EAST
Cinci
UCONN
ECU
UCF
USF

CENTRAL
Houston
SMU
Tulane
Memphis
NIU

WEST
BYU
Boise
CSU
FSU
SDSU

Four games in division plus two games (H-H) versus other divisions for 8 game conference schedule. Top two division champs play in CCG (reduces the chance of a really bad CCG).

I agree but I still think Boise doesn't give up their sweetheart deal. I think you would have to add a couple to each

EAST
Cinci
UCONN
ECU
UCF
USF
Temple
Navy

CENTRAL
Houston
SMU
Tulane or New Mexico
Memphis
NIU
CSU
Air Force

WEST
BYU
Boise
FSU
SDSU
UNLV
Utah State
Hawaii

(05-26-2015 03:28 PM)MWC Tex Wrote:  

(05-26-2015 03:19 PM)jrj84105 Wrote:  You need proposed deregulation to make it work.
EAST
Cinci
UCONN
ECU
UCF
USF

CENTRAL
Houston
SMU
Tulane
Memphis
NIU

WEST
BYU
Boise
CSU
FSU
SDSU

Four games in division plus two games (H-H) versus other divisions for 8 game conference schedule. Top two division champs play in CCG (reduces the chance of a really bad CCG).

3 divisions will never work.

It does if the conference championship game gets deregulated. In fact, it works better because the top 2 ranked teams play which generate more interest.

Agree with the premise that some of the AAC/MWC schools could be doing better than the their present situation.

The answer I think though is for a group of the richer schools in that conference to split off and go Independent and sign their own bowl games for more $$$

Memphis: 8.2 million/11.6 million
Boise State: 8.2 million/11.1 million
UConn: 8.9 million/7.2 million
New Mexico: 6.7 million/9.0 million
UNLV: 6.4 million/7.7 million
East Carolina: 6.8 million/5.7 million
San Diego St: 5.3 million/5.6 million
Cincinnati: 7.4 million/5.2 million

That way they could score an automatic to say the Liberty Bowl for themselves as the highest ranked team with #2 going to the Sun Bowl.

With the SOS of this group an undefeated team qualifying for the CFP shouldn't be a problem at all, IMO.

I've longed thought that a coast-to-coast football-only "best of the rest" conference ought to be considered.

However, BYU is now the white whale for the G5 conferences in the way Notre Dame has been a white whale for the P5 conferences. There simply is no viable plan to convince BYU to join a G5 conference at this point no matter what money numbers are thrown out there - they're either going to be independent or P5 for branding purposes. Like I've said here before, being independent allows BYU to brand themselves as "special" in a way that even many other P5 schools aren't able to do (i.e. "We have the power to be independent in a way that Utah can't!"), whereas joining a G5 conference unambiguously cements second-class status in their minds. Second-class status simply isn't an option even if there's an increase in TV money by joining a G5 league (which, to be sure, isn't even the case right now). As a result, any realistic G5 conference realignment plan should NOT include BYU (which inherently changes the financial attractiveness of that realignment), just as any realistic P5 conference realignment plan should NOT include Notre Dame.

(05-27-2015 10:06 AM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  I've longed thought that a coast-to-coast football-only "best of the rest" conference ought to be considered.

However, BYU is now the white whale for the G5 conferences in the way Notre Dame has been a white whale for the P5 conferences. There simply is no viable plan to convince BYU to join a G5 conference at this point no matter what money numbers are thrown out there - they're either going to be independent or P5 for branding purposes. Like I've said here before, being independent allows BYU to brand themselves as "special" in a way that even many other P5 schools aren't able to do (i.e. "We have the power to be independent in a way that Utah can't!"), whereas joining a G5 conference unambiguously cements second-class status in their minds. Second-class status simply isn't an option even if there's an increase in TV money by joining a G5 league (which, to be sure, isn't even the case right now). As a result, any realistic G5 conference realignment plan should NOT include BYU (which inherently changes the financial attractiveness of that realignment), just as any realistic P5 conference realignment plan should NOT include Notre Dame.

Frank I think you are absolutely correct. I for one will accept the fact that BYU will never join a G5 conference. So I guess I will change my thoughts on realignment accordingly.

EAST DIVISION

Cincy
Uconn
ECU
UCF
USF
Memphis
Houston
SMU

WEST DIVISION

Boise
Air Force
Colorado State
New Mexico
UNLV
Fresno
San Diego State
Navy

Minimizes travel issues. Each team play seven division teams and rotate two from the other division. With Navy in the same division as Air Force and San Diego State it simplifies their scheduling the Air Force every year, plus they like playing in San Diego, because of the huge Naval base there.

(05-26-2015 08:40 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(05-26-2015 04:44 PM)jrj84105 Wrote:  

(05-26-2015 04:40 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  

(05-26-2015 04:38 PM)jrj84105 Wrote:  

(05-26-2015 03:52 PM)f1do Wrote:  What are these Mormon holidays you speak of?

He's talking about the mormans which based on what I've put together so far are a kind of reptile people from central Arkansas. I never have learned to much about them because you can't have a civilized conversation about mormans without a bunch of Mormons showing up and interrupting.

Lol guys i just copy pasted from my texts... relax

Still, i chuckled

I'm looking forward to our game in Dekalb. I'm a U of I alumnus as well, and most of my family still lives in the Bloomington area so I'm looking forward to that road trip.

I'm looking forward to that as well. We finally got an AD that decided we needed to get some good teams to play us in DeKalb occasionally. It's been a while. I hope we're able to do some stadium upgrades before then.

The East side skybox & club is planned to be open for the home opener vs Utah. The South bowl will depend on funding.

(05-26-2015 12:51 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  I have been a proponent of a best of MWC/AAC merger. I have cited things like better home conference games, better bowl line up etc. But let me throw this out as the biggest reason I think this is the way to go.

Right now if you are in a P5 conference, the conference winner gets an auto bid to an Access Bowl (just like under the BCS system). So if team X wins the ACC or B12, even if they are 8-4 or whatever, they still get the bid. Because of this, you really are only competing with 11 other teams (or 9 if you are in the B12, etc.) for an access bowl spot.

In the G5, the highest rated G5 gets an access bowl spot. But you are competing with what, 40 or 50 teams for this one spot.

So a P5 team is competing with 9-11 other teams for an access bowl spot and a G5 team is competing with 40 or 50 teams. In affect you have to be the best team of five conferences to get the spot, not just the best team of ONE conference like in the P5.

So...if you take the best of MWC and merge with the best of AAC, although it wouldn't be 100% guaranteed like in the P5, the winner of this conference would get the access bowl spot, let's say 95% of the time.

As time goes on, and the MWC/AAC conference winner gets the access bowl spot, that is something you can sell to recruits. "The winner of the MWC/AAC Conference has gotten the access bowl spot five years in a row" or "has gotten the access bowl spot 9 of the last 10 years" or whatever.

In essence we would be 'creating' a de-facto power conference. Maybe our bowl alliance and tv contract wouldn't be Power 5 and we would still be called the G5 by the media, but if our winner gets the access bowl spot 95%+ of the time, it would be better than we have now and at least a true tweener conference. In my mind this is making the most of a bad situation.


Thoughts?

I would like somebody to punch holes in this too. I think it's worth a discussion because although we can't force our way into the P5 club, by doing this, we can at least 'create' our own spot as the access bowl table.


And I know the big prize is the playoff, I get it, but for us G5-er's I say let's focus on getting an Access Bowl spot first. By creating this MWC/AAC merger conference I think we can at least take the Access Bowl spot 95% of the time if not more.


Here is what I had in mind:

American East:
UCONN
Cincy
NIU
ECU
UCF
USF
Temple
Navy

American West:
Memphis
UH
SMU
Boise
BYU
AF
Col St
SDSU

I have to believe the G5 access bowl participant would come out of this conference most years. And this list is just an example...Tulsa, Tulane, UNLV, Fresno, etc. would all be possibilities.

Throw Fresno and Tulsa (Or Fresno and UNLV) in the west and move Memphis to the East division. Yes at that point you're an 18 school conference. So do 9 conference games, 8 division games and 1 rotating out of division opponent. (If Air Force and Navy want to play in years they're not scheduled in-conference, they can each burn an OOC game on it.) Or if the CCG deregulation goes through, go division-less and get X number of locked in opponents and Y number of rotating opponents. I'd actually go that route. Then let the two highest ranked teams play for the conference championship.

(05-27-2015 10:06 AM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  I've longed thought that a coast-to-coast football-only "best of the rest" conference ought to be considered.

However, BYU is now the white whale for the G5 conferences in the way Notre Dame has been a white whale for the P5 conferences. There simply is no viable plan to convince BYU to join a G5 conference at this point no matter what money numbers are thrown out there - they're either going to be independent or P5 for branding purposes. Like I've said here before, being independent allows BYU to brand themselves as "special" in a way that even many other P5 schools aren't able to do (i.e. "We have the power to be independent in a way that Utah can't!"), whereas joining a G5 conference unambiguously cements second-class status in their minds. Second-class status simply isn't an option even if there's an increase in TV money by joining a G5 league (which, to be sure, isn't even the case right now). As a result, any realistic G5 conference realignment plan should NOT include BYU (which inherently changes the financial attractiveness of that realignment), just as any realistic P5 conference realignment plan should NOT include Notre Dame.

I'm in the substantial minority of BYU fans who wouldn't mind to see BYU as part of a new, expanded American conference. Most of the recent BYU v. AAC games have been exciting and competitive. I'm looking forward to the matchups with Cincinnati and ECU this year. I would like to see BYU and Boise St. in the American.

But, I must agree that the vast majority of BYU fans and the BYU administration see P5-ness as the only alternative to independence right now.

BYU and American teams need to continue to schedule each other. As mentioned, the games have been exciting and competitive. They can help each other to get on TV on better channels and in better timeslots. Plus, they can help each other improve their bowl prospects.

With that said, I still think the American needs to expand westward.

What about this?

EAST
Cincinnati
UConn
ECU
Temple
UCF
USF
Tulane
Memphis

WEST
Houston
Navy
SMU
Tulsa
Air Force
Army
Boise St.
SDSU/Fresno St.

(Or, with 16 teams, you separate into 4 scheduling pods - with Navy and Army w/ SMU and Houston)

This still lands the military trifecta (great for the conference brand) and the best G5 TV ratings by far.

Then, the American and BYU continue their informal "quasi-affiliation" to get 4 or 5 games each year, including 2 or 3 of those games in AAC stadiums. If desired, I am certain the BYU would consider an Olympic sports membership in this conference, if it included AFA, Boise, and SDSU/Fresno.

The American TV deal will definitely increase the per team payout upon renewal regardless, but this expansion will attract many of the dollars that the networks would otherwise have spent on MWC inventory - mainly because of Boise St., but also because of the military synergies and the affiliation with BYU (2 or 3 home games v. BYU now part of AAC TV deal).

Then, secure the following Bowl lineup (where BYU can be selected for non-Access bowls within certain limitations):

NY6 Bowl
Military v. ACC
Las Vegas v. P12
Birmingham v. SEC
Armed Forces v. B1G
St. Petersburg v. CUSA/ACC
Poinsettia v. MWC
Miami Beach v. CUSA
Hawaii v. MWC
Boca Raton v. MAC
Cure v. Sun Belt
Austin v. Sun Belt

(NY6 and 5 eastern, 3 western, and 3 central bowl games)

No Boise or NIU.

Add BYU, Air Force, San Diego St, Fresno St, Colorado St & UNLV in the order. Turn the MWC into the SunBelt/MAC/CUSA.

East:
UConn
Temple
Navy
ECU
Cincinnati
Memphis
Tulane
UCF
USF

West:
Houston
SMU
Tulsa
Colorado St
Air Force
BYU
UNLV
Fresno St
San Diego St.

Let Boise die on the vine of their sweetheart deal.

(05-27-2015 10:37 AM)SMUmustangs Wrote:  

(05-27-2015 10:06 AM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  I've longed thought that a coast-to-coast football-only "best of the rest" conference ought to be considered.

However, BYU is now the white whale for the G5 conferences in the way Notre Dame has been a white whale for the P5 conferences. There simply is no viable plan to convince BYU to join a G5 conference at this point no matter what money numbers are thrown out there - they're either going to be independent or P5 for branding purposes. Like I've said here before, being independent allows BYU to brand themselves as "special" in a way that even many other P5 schools aren't able to do (i.e. "We have the power to be independent in a way that Utah can't!"), whereas joining a G5 conference unambiguously cements second-class status in their minds. Second-class status simply isn't an option even if there's an increase in TV money by joining a G5 league (which, to be sure, isn't even the case right now). As a result, any realistic G5 conference realignment plan should NOT include BYU (which inherently changes the financial attractiveness of that realignment), just as any realistic P5 conference realignment plan should NOT include Notre Dame.

Frank I think you are absolutely correct. I for one will accept the fact that BYU will never join a G5 conference. So I guess I will change my thoughts accordingly.

EAST DIVISION

Cincy
Uconn
ECU
UCF
USF
Memphis
Houston
SMU

WEST DIVISION

Boise
Air Force
Colorado State
New Mexico
UNLV
Fresno
San Diego State
Navy

Minimizes travel issues.

If we are leaving out BYU. We should leave out Boise too. Let 'em wither away.

East:
UConn
Temple
Navy
ECU
Cincinnati
Memphis
UCF
USF

West:
Houston
SMU
New Mexico
UNLV
Colorado St.
Air Force
Fresno St
San Diego St.

(05-26-2015 09:25 PM)Sactowndog Wrote:  

(05-26-2015 12:51 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  I have been a proponent of a best of MWC/AAC merger. I have cited things like better home conference games, better bowl line up etc. But let me throw this out as the biggest reason I think this is the way to go.

Right now if you are in a P5 conference, the conference winner gets an auto bid to an Access Bowl (just like under the BCS system). So if team X wins the ACC or B12, even if they are 8-4 or whatever, they still get the bid. Because of this, you really are only competing with 11 other teams (or 9 if you are in the B12, etc.) for an access bowl spot.

In the G5, the highest rated G5 gets an access bowl spot. But you are competing with what, 40 or 50 teams for this one spot.

So a P5 team is competing with 9-11 other teams for an access bowl spot and a G5 team is competing with 40 or 50 teams. In affect you have to be the best team of five conferences to get the spot, not just the best team of ONE conference like in the P5.

So...if you take the best of MWC and merge with the best of AAC, although it wouldn't be 100% guaranteed like in the P5, the winner of this conference would get the access bowl spot, let's say 95% of the time.

As time goes on, and the MWC/AAC conference winner gets the access bowl spot, that is something you can sell to recruits. "The winner of the MWC/AAC Conference has gotten the access bowl spot five years in a row" or "has gotten the access bowl spot 9 of the last 10 years" or whatever.

In essence we would be 'creating' a de-facto power conference. Maybe our bowl alliance and tv contract wouldn't be Power 5 and we would still be called the G5 by the media, but if our winner gets the access bowl spot 95%+ of the time, it would be better than we have now and at least a true tweener conference. In my mind this is making the most of a bad situation.


Thoughts?

I would like somebody to punch holes in this too. I think it's worth a discussion because although we can't force our way into the P5 club, by doing this, we can at least 'create' our own spot as the access bowl table.


And I know the big prize is the playoff, I get it, but for us G5-er's I say let's focus on getting an Access Bowl spot first. By creating this MWC/AAC merger conference I think we can at least take the Access Bowl spot 95% of the time if not more.


Here is what I had in mind:

American East:
UCONN
Cincy
NIU
ECU
UCF
USF
Temple
Navy

American West:
Memphis
UH
SMU
Boise
BYU
AF
Col St
SDSU

I have to believe the G5 access bowl participant would come out of this conference most years. And this list is just an example...Tulsa, Tulane, UNLV, Fresno, etc. would all be possibilities.

Well Fresno has been the MWC champion or co champ 2 of the last 3 years,

But Fresno aside the biggest problem you have is Boise won't come with their sweetheart deal unless they have no chance. So if you cherry pick four teams Boise will never give up their guaranteed games on ESPN and the rights to half the BCS payout.

Not only that the travel for an SDSU is significant and they have been down this road with you all before.

I think your only hope is if the championship game is deregulated and you can go with a minimum of 7 7 7. You dump one AAC team, San Jose and probably Wyoming. That would force Boise to come and give you 3 compact divisions: West, Central and East.

The 1/2 BCS payout goes to any team in the MW that makes it to the access bowl, it's not Boise exclusive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!