Found this on the UNT board. This guy has contacts all over and I consider him the most reliable poster from all Sun Belt schools:
"Apr 30 2004, 12:22 PM
WKU going to the MAC just ain't on the radar.
MAC folks don't know anything about it.
Folks at the Sun Belt office don't know about it.
Folks at WKU called the Sun Belt asking if they had a clue where that was coming from.
The epicenter of this rumor was Lexington, KY, that's three hours from Bowling Green and the media there does not regularly cover WKU. Lexington is two hours from the nearest MAC school and again the media there does not cover the MAC. This is roughly equal to the DRC telling us that Texas A&M CC is joining the Mid-Con."
What you say very well may be true, kajun, but the newscaster that broke the "story" or "rumor" is a WKU graduate.......I think he might've even played football for WKU.
ex Cincy Kid Wrote:What you say very well may be true, kajun, but the newscaster that broke the "story" or "rumor" is a WKU graduate.......I think he might've even played football for WKU.
Personally I don't have a clue.
But this guy has been right about everything he posts.
Here's a link to the thread
<a href='http://www.gomeangreen.com/board2/index.php?act=ST&f=1&t=14113&st=15' target='_blank'>http://www.gomeangreen.com/board2/index.ph...1&t=14113&st=15</a>
Sorry that I did not provide that earlier.
We're hearing zilch here at MT.
Fair points Kajun Raider. I will be very dissappointed if this is bs. On the other hand Jim Tirey actually has something to lose by saying what he did on the air where as most internet posters do not. That gives him more credibility in my eyes.
ex Cincy Kid Wrote:What you say very well may be true, kajun, but the newscaster that broke the "story" or "rumor" is a WKU graduate.......I think he might've even played football for WKU.
The Western Kentucky folks say he did play football there.
Looks like the macbbs may need a expansion forum like CUSA.
I still don't understand why the MAC would even consider adding WKU or MTSU.If the MAC were to lose several teams to 1A why add one team that already should be 1A and another that is 1AA and averages 12,000 fans
The rumors are out there. Most WKU fans think it will happen, all other SBC schools fans think it won't.
I subscribe to the wait and see attitude. I would like WKU to go 1A in the MAC. But who knows what will happen. All the conference rumors have made it difficult to figure out what is truely happening, IF anything.
All this tells me , is people have vivid imaginations. Or there is new dope on the streets.
paladin1aa Wrote:All this tells me , is people have vivid imaginations. Or there is new dope on the streets.
Ah the guy with no dog to race speaks again.
Here is a place you can talk about your mutt:
<a href='http://www.thegatewayconnection.com/cgi-bin/ib3/ikonboard.cgi?;act=SF;f=1' target='_blank'>The Gateway Connection</a>
Not only did the WKU graduate and former football player say this on the radio, but I have heard things from WKU fans for about a month or two. Something quietly started to go around back then.
Also, I remember Nick saying that MAC Media personnel had said that there were rumors about the MAC being interested in WKU and MTSU back at the MAC Basketball Tournament in March.
I don't think the MAC would want this. WKU has good basketball, but questionable football since they're still 1-AA. Thats a gamble. MTSU offers little to nothing, including bad fan support. That wouldn't be appealing to the MAC.
Want a real solution? STAY AT 12!
A few points to throw out there for everyone. I have no clue where or if WKU is going anywhere. However, why would someone from North Texas no anything more than any of the WKU and MAC folks with contacts about things concerning those two entities? Also, why WKU care enough where rumors were coming from to actually call the Sun Belt? If the rumors aren't true, why would they even care about the rumors?
Next up night, WKU brings EXCELLENT men's and women's basketball. As for football, WKU already has a strong I-AA team that already rates above many I-A teams. If WKU makes a move to I-A, that should only mean we get stronger. I can't really argue attendance, but going I-A with some extra marketing should be able to get WKU over the 15,000 mark (if that is even going to remain part of the rule). Additionally, the thing that many posters seem to forget is that if WKU came in all sports, there are only 3 sports that the MAC currently sponsors which WKU would does not field teams for (wrestling, gymnastics, and field hockey). Basically, this means that WKU would be a good fit for the MAC.
With that said, is the rumor true? Don't know. I'm of the wait and see attitude. There are a lot of things to take into conideration as the rest of the conference shuffling takes place now that UTEP is officially headed to C-USA.
Look for the WAC to go after Idaho and N. Texas now........the question is: Will the lose of N. Texas inspire WKU and MTSU to be more inclined to move to the MAC? And, of course, the bigger question, does the MAC even want to expand??
Keep tuning in here for more off-season "fodder"!
The Knight Time Wrote:Want a real solution? STAY AT 12!
We can't expand our footprint that way.
WKU and MTSU are very logical ways to go about this.
The Knight Time Wrote:I don't think the MAC would want this. WKU has good basketball, but questionable football since they're still 1-AA. Thats a gamble. MTSU offers little to nothing, including bad fan support. That wouldn't be appealing to the MAC.
Want a real solution? STAY AT 12!
You forget that the MAC was the only conference that would take Marshall back when they wanted to jump to I-A. I would say that Marshall made the jump nicely.
WKU won the 2002 I-AA National Championship so I don't see why they couldn't make the move.
Also, the MAC was the only conference that would originally take in UCF after they sat as an independent for a while after joining I-A.
The MAC likes to take these risks and they really don't have much to lose by taking them.
Quote:QUOTE (paladin1aa @ Apr 30 2004, 02:43 PM)
All this tells me , is people have vivid imaginations. Or there is new dope on the streets.
Ah the guy with no dog to race speaks again.
Here is a place you can talk about your mutt:
The Gateway Connection
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
No matter what, diddle bum, hope you stay!
Well, maybe Kajunraider's "deep throat" insider info was accurate after all, eh?
Call me jaded ex-Cincy kid, but unfortunately, I don't put complete stock on anything that is said by people in positions of power...including university presidents. Sometimes they have to do and say things out of political necessity (WKU once had a university president deny that he'd applied for another job, even though he'd left a rejection letter from the other school on his desk where and eagle eyed newspaper staffer saw the letter). However, the Sun Belt CEOs declaration of unity could be legit. I believe that conference realignment for everyone has been built upon scenarios of "if this happens, then...". Not only are conferences and individual schools having to take looks at each other, they are also having to consider NCAA regulations and their effects.
With all due respect to WKU and MTSU, the only way that adding them to the MAC at this time makes sense would be if the NCAA attendance requirements were going to cause us to lose some teams. The timing of this announcement of solidarity would seem to support that idea.
Respect for MAC football has grown by leaps and bounds in the last couple years. Adding two I-AA teams would hurt perception, no matter what the reality of the situation would be. Accepting Temple for football only would be bad for us, as well. A wait and see approach would be prudent at this time, imo.
OK, people the key is what the WAC does. If the SBC teams shun the WAC then WKU/MTSU will likely stay(and LaTech will proabably return). If the WAC raids the SBC then something will happen. What our AD and president say at this point is worthless. Right now it's not about the MAC and WKU, it's about the WAC.