(06-24-2015 03:50 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  

(06-24-2015 03:19 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  

(06-24-2015 02:52 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  

(06-24-2015 02:35 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  Two .500 records against sub-par competition, two appearances in a third-tier tournament where they bought home games and a win against a .500 New Mexico as their big accomplishments does not scream "major conference upgrade" to me.

They're still completing the D1 transition. They have to start somewhere.

I agree, but I'm answering the question posed in the thread title, and not only are they at least two moves away from the WCC from where they are now, it may be that they're never a fit for it (certainly not before Denver and Seattle).

I wouldn't say two moves, but rather one big move. Reverting back to a non-profit would make GCU an automatic shoe-in for WCC inclusion. Their location matches up, their lack of football ambition matches up, they're private. The RPI concerns are valid but we can't judge them fairly until they finish the D1 transition and are eligible for NCAA postseason competition. What we can see though, is that they are building themselves up at a furious pace.

I would have no problem taking GCU. They've got money and the Big West needs to get back to 10 with another non-CA member. I'd welcome them even more if they were non-profit again. In any case, as long as GCU doesn't plan to start football, the Big Sky won't look at them. That only leaves the WCC and Big West as their potential homes.

Perhaps, but look at how the WCC has been structured. Take away BYU, which was a too-good-to-pass-up addition, and not only are the conference's members all Catholic or mainline Protestant affiliations, but the only other addition since 1979 was a prodigal member come home (Pacific). Grand Canyon is private and Christian, but their approach seems at odds with the rest of the conference (again, excepting BYU, but that's a marriage of convenience that probably won't stand the test of time once they find a place for their football).

that marriage of convenience between BYU and the WCC is entering year five. That's probably longer than what most people expected and I expect it to last through decade's end at least.

(06-24-2015 03:05 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(06-24-2015 02:56 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(06-24-2015 02:35 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  

(06-24-2015 02:28 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(06-23-2015 07:16 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  The main point of the objection in the opinion piece is that GCU adds nothing, and is such a weak program at this point it hurts BYU's RPI to have them in the conference.

As far as RPI - I think that is a fair concern for a conference that is trying to maintain multi-bid status. GCU would have to improve it's RPI significantly to be a help. As a new DI program, that will take time.

As far as markets, BYU already has a significant presence in Phoenix, so playing GCU isn't going to help them.

Grand Canyon U. went 17-15 in men's basketball and went to the CIT tournament this year. The year before, they went 15-15 and finished 3rd in WAC and went to the CIT tournament as well.

They defeated the almighty Lobos last year.

Two .500 records against sub-par competition, two appearances in a third-tier tournament where they bought home games and a win against a .500 New Mexico as their big accomplishments does not scream "major conference upgrade" to me.

Bingo.
This year they were 15-15 against DI competition, with an RPI in the bottom 25%. 7 of the 15 wins were against teams with RPI of 300+. Only the UNM win was against a team with a RPI below 200.

They bought a home game in the CIT, and couldn't even beat NAU who was without their head coach.

Prior year they were 12-15 against DI competition, with best win against #243 CSU-Bakersfield.

Who knows, they may become the next Gonzaga. But right now they have not shown anything. It is early in their DI career, too early to even think about a jump to a conference like the WCC.

Northern Arizona 75-70 Grand Canyon U.

I would not say it was a big blown out lost.

Did I say it was? It was on GCU's home floor, and NAU was without HC, who was suspended a game.

It reality it should have been a blowout, but Jerry's refs kept them in it.

(06-24-2015 04:06 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  that marriage of convenience between BYU and the WCC is entering year five. That's probably longer than what most people expected and I expect it to last through decade's end at least.

It'll last as long as it takes for
a) the Big 12 to come calling
b) Cal and Stanford to drop their objections to adding a religious school to the Pac-12
c) A "best of the rest" conference that get P5 consideration comes into being, either from whole cloth or a massive expansion of the AAC (unlikely, but what's summer on a college sports board without the occasional flight of fancy?)
d) BYU swallows its pride and returns to the MWC