(05-25-2020 12:16 PM)pvk75 Wrote:  To join another conference, you have to have an invite. Not likely from the MVC ... or anyone else.

I attended NIU in the early to mid-'70s and developed into a really serious alumni-fan by the early 1980s when Bill Mallory was HC, and the talk got serious about some day being in the Big 12. That ship sailed a long time ago, or maybe bad moves by NIU just sank it.

Schools that are candidates for moving up probably include UCF, USF, Boise State, San Diego State, Cincinnati, Memphis, Houston, BYU, etc etc. Add others at will. If there is any relignment, the P5 may take 1-2 schools. That's why the AAC is trying so hard to become the "P6th" ... no room at the inn in the P5. Adding UConn bball made the Big East stronger, just as losing it complicated things for the AAC because MBB is right behind FB as the lead sports. In any case, the list in front of MAC schools is long and perhaps getting longer (e.g., where were USF and UCF 10 years ago?)

Imo, fans of most schools in conferences like those in the MAC (except Buffalo ... maybe! ... in future) have to learn to accept that they are not moving up. Each MAC school needs to focus on how it -- in its own market and with individual circumstances -- can a) stabilize post Covid-19, b) concentrate on rebuilding interest locally, which means taking care of its own (alumni, community, students and employees), and c) get a foot in the door on a higher stage (P5 games, tournaments, etc.).

Post-crisis, this means a change in AD attitude (this is NOT the Big10 or SEC) and either work around, over or through the MAC HQ and its penchant for sacrificing local to get national.

Summary: Northern has to get hard-a--ed about its own future first. It cannot carry the conference and the conference cannot carry Northern.

I know he won't see my comment since he's on hiatus. But I don't think the ship sailed on joining the Big 12 because I don't think it ever came in to harbor.

I know there was a lot of talk and I'm well aware of the Facebook page, but that was all wishful thinking and was never actually a possibility. It was just fan's wishing on something that wasn't a reality.

Boise State couldn't even get in to a P5 conference and NIU was going to? I never put any kind of serious energy in to listening to that stuff. It was fun and all to think about, but I never, even once, thought it would actually happen.