Get the wcc to jump to 12 with AFA and either Seattle U or Denver

(02-12-2017 07:54 PM)billybobby777 Wrote:  

(02-12-2017 07:49 PM)MJG Wrote:  They get mentioned as a logical AAC add usually with either BYU or CSU or both. It's always assumed they would be football only. I was just curious where their basketball team would go. Summit as Denver's travel partner maybe.


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Hard to picture Air Force in the Slummit, but Denver is there. Denver is a great school. Where do Air Force and Denver play hockey?
Cheers!

Air Force plays hockey in the same east coast league as Army, Atlantic Hockey. Air Force typically doesn't have the recruits of Denver's, Omaha's, and UND's hockey league, the NCHC. Hockey players with pro potential shy away from Air Force, and hence them and Atlantic Hockey are like a 'A' or 'AA' league in college hockey.

No way they would be invited for hockey. AFA faces some of the same problems in BBALL, but in that the Summit is much closer to their talent level than the MWC.

More likely Air Force and Army -- as well as Rice -- go to AAC.

Air Force joined the WAC in 1980, and played BYU, Utah, New Mexico, Wyoming, Colorado St, UTEP, San Diego St, and Hawaii through 1999, then played all of those except UTEP and Hawaii in the Mountain West until BYU and Utah left. Hawaii has returned in football, and hopefully UTEP will return in the future.


AFA is right where it should be.


Navy and Army will be non-conf games until the end of college football.

(02-17-2017 01:36 PM)connecticutguy Wrote:  More likely Air Force and Army -- as well as Rice -- go to AAC.

Rice? Are you being serious?

Cheers!

(02-12-2017 06:12 PM)billings Wrote:  add in the air force base by vegas which helps when they play unlv. no mwc is a great fit for air force


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..and Mountain Home AFB near Boise (and AFA FB does pretty well against the Broncos).

This is about as likely as Navy going to the MWC for football only.

Dumb thread is dumb.

(02-17-2017 04:47 PM)billybobby777 Wrote:  

(02-17-2017 01:36 PM)connecticutguy Wrote:  More likely Air Force and Army -- as well as Rice -- go to AAC.

Rice? Are you being serious?

Cheers!

Rice is an excellent fit for the AAC. Playing old rivals in Houston and SMU as well as regional schools wiht academic focus like Tulsa and Tulane.

If the AAC loses UConn I would expect Rice to be the replacement.

Interesting fact about Rice is they hosted a super bowl at their stadium.

Last time AFA was exploring a football only option, the MVC declined to take on their other sports. And with Wichita looking to bolt, I don't see the MVC expanding the footprint west. I also don't think you're gonna see AFA go football only into the AAC.

AAC will not pick two schools in the same market. Ditto any other conference these days, unless the school is a unique power and upgrade. The AAC has no clear academic profile, having added Tulane, and Tulsa two schools of high standards, and then in almost the same breath added ECU and Memphis; then again they chased after Boise State. They seem to focus on who is hot "now" and not who fits long term.

Anyway Rice and Houston are both Houston area schools, a duplication of markets and recruiting zones. So wont happen.

It is worth noting the AAC center of gravity (sum and average GPS coordinates), has shifted dramatically in the last realignment and is no longer a Northeastern, or even Northern conference. The center of gravity is about 20 miles northwest of Atlanta on I-75 to Chattanooga. If UConn leaves the center of gravity will shift pretty close to I-20 Between Atlanta and Birmingham near the state line. Temple in Philadelphia, would be the only school north of the Mason-Dixon. This means UMass is pretty far out of footprint. If one looks in footprint, UAB and ODU standout, but more as institutions than programs. Still the best move would be to make a play for Colorado State, although I think they would only move as part of a major group. So you are looking at UAB and ODU to choose from.

Therefore, applying all past criteria and all logic of the American, it is most likely they would replace UConn with ... Western Michigan, because they were "hot" last year.

(02-12-2017 08:51 PM)Wedge Wrote:  AFA is obviously on the wish list of AAC fans, but the move would benefit only the AAC and not AFA.

That is true for right now, because the financial difference between the MWC and AAC is slight. If, at some point in the future, the AAC becomes a much more lucrative league than the MWC, then a MWC-member would evaluate a potential move in a different light, compared to right now. That obviously hasn't happened yet and maybe it never will. But that doesn't mean that it won't.

(02-20-2017 11:23 AM)p23570 Wrote:  Interesting fact about Rice is they hosted a super bowl at their stadium.

Dolphins 24, Vikings 7. Closing days of the Nixon presidency, and the only Super Bowl among the first 16 *Not* to be played in Miami, New Orleans, or LA/Pasadena.

Air Force isn't coming to the AAC. They rejected the last BE/AAC overture and are happy in the MWC with their other range school partners in New Mexico, Colorado St, and Wyoming. They also get West coast exposure with trips to California and Hawaii in the MWC, and Boise St has replaced BYU (which they schedule OOC now) for a great competitive rivalry. The MWC also gives the Air Force Academy a home for all of its sports too. There is no Patriot League out there for their other sports like Army and Navy have in the East where they can be competitive for their BB and Olympic sports with minimal travel for those sports. The Air Force Academy gets enough eastern exposure with an annual trip to either Army or Navy every year. There is no reason for AF to leave the MWC conference right now where they are very competitive in FB and can get by there for the rest of their other sports without the headaches of playing in 2 distant conferences.

Quote:Missouri Valley maybe.

I believe it's pretty much a rule you can't permanently be in an FBS conference in football, and be with an FCS conference that has a football program in it for Everything else (ie Basketball)? I know Idaho's like that, but they were Independent, but when joining Sun Belt for football in '14, they were on their way out back to FCS, which they're not going to be in next year or so.

It may not be a rule, but I think it's pretty much only what an Independent can do. Maybe the Sun Belt would allow that, but I can't see why AAC would want a team to join just for football -- if they're that Good, I can't see why they'd deny them for all other sports.... or why AF out west in the MW would want to jump over to the AAC. I don't see the benefit for the conference or AF as a team.

(02-21-2017 03:55 AM)toddjnsn Wrote:  

Quote:Missouri Valley maybe.

I believe it's pretty much a rule you can't permanently be in an FBS conference in football, and be with an FCS conference that has a football program in it for Everything else (ie Basketball)? I know Idaho's like that, but they were Independent, but when joining Sun Belt for football in '14, they were on their way out back to FCS, which they're not going to be in next year or so.

It may not be a rule, but I think it's pretty much only what an Independent can do. Maybe the Sun Belt would allow that, but I can't see why AAC would want a team to join just for football -- if they're that Good, I can't see why they'd deny them for all other sports.... or why AF out west in the MW would want to jump over to the AAC. I don't see the benefit for the conference or AF as a team.

Technically, the MVC doesn't sponsor football. The MVFC is a separate entity. With that said, the MVC declined the opportunity to take in AFA sports when they were talking about a football only with the Big East. The MVC is unlikely to add anyone that far outside of the current footprint.

I always laugh when people talk about not having schools in the same market. I completely disagree, especially in g-5 conferences. Having schools who duplicate markets only strengthens the conference reach in those areas. Adding schools like Rice or Southern Miss only strengthens the AAC conference in Houston and New Orleans.

Looking at C-USA and the SB now they are completely spread out which means nothing but a travel cost burden for the university and lack of fans for road games. That didn't used to be the case.

I wonder if the American would offer Colorado St, New Mexico and Air Force as a package should UConn leave, setting up a true Western Division with Tulsa, SMU, Houston and either Memphis or Tulane.

Each would benefit enormously from TV exposure compared to the viewership they are now getting.

The American would add the Denver market to its mix.

All of them are among the top academic schools in the MWC.

(02-21-2017 02:15 AM)panite Wrote:  Air Force isn't coming to the AAC. They rejected the last BE/AAC overture and are happy in the MWC with their other range school partners in New Mexico, Colorado St, and Wyoming. They also get West coast exposure with trips to California and Hawaii in the MWC, and Boise St has replaced BYU (which they schedule OOC now) for a great competitive rivalry. The MWC also gives the Air Force Academy a home for all of its sports too. There is no Patriot League out there for their other sports like Army and Navy have in the East where they can be competitive for their BB and Olympic sports with minimal travel for those sports. The Air Force Academy gets enough eastern exposure with an annual trip to either Army or Navy every year. There is no reason for AF to leave the MWC conference right now where they are very competitive in FB and can get by there for the rest of their other sports without the headaches of playing in 2 distant conferences.

Air Force doesn't want anything to do with that lot.

(02-22-2017 07:13 AM)CougarRed Wrote:  I wonder if the American would offer Colorado St, New Mexico and Air Force as a package should UConn leave, setting up a true Western Division with Tulsa, SMU, Houston and either Memphis or Tulane.

It'd be one thing if you were proposing a conference of: CSU/AFA, UNM/UTEP, Houston/Rice, SMU/Tulsa, Wichita St bball