(10-08-2013 06:50 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  Has there ever been a call for Metro State to move up?

No. But I have a hunch the Metro State could move up shortly through the WAC this year, based on their new facilities and athletic emphasis. Denver U criticism of GCU and Chicago St. had as much do with WAC and Metro St (never wanting to associate with them) as anything else.

(10-08-2013 09:14 PM)72Tiger Wrote:  Denver should make a push for the MVC.

If Air Force was told "not interested", Denver knows it stands little change. The next public and private to be invited stand to be Ill-Chicago and Valpo: they want a bus league. Wichita St had better look elsewhere.

If the Sun Belt wants Missouri State, I wonder if they could get Wichita State to go with them. Convert New Mexico State to all sports for a 12/14 lineup and what could be a 3-bid league most years.

Two vacancies in the Missouri Valley cause UIC and Valparaiso to leave the Horizon. The Horizon adds IUPUI, IPFW, NDSU, SDSU, and Western Illinois as the departures knocked them down to 3 schools that play baseball.

The WAC then adds South Dakota, Omaha, and Denver to finish off the Summit League. Denver agrees to various conditions for atonement for their AD's comments. The WAC keeps the 3 Mountain West schools as men's soccer affiliates, but Houston Baptist becomes part of a revived Sun Belt Men's Soccer conference (App State, Georgia State, Georgia Southern, Missouri State, Belmont, Houston Baptist, Oral Roberts, Central Arkansas)

(10-10-2013 08:34 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  If the Sun Belt wants Missouri State, I wonder if they could get Wichita State to go with them. Convert New Mexico State to all sports for a 12/14 lineup and what could be a 3-bid league most years.

Two vacancies in the Missouri Valley cause UIC and Valparaiso to leave the Horizon. The Horizon adds IUPUI, IPFW, NDSU, SDSU, and Western Illinois as the departures knocked them down to 3 schools that play baseball.

The WAC then adds South Dakota, Omaha, and Denver to finish off the Summit League. Denver agrees to various conditions for atonement for their AD's comments. The WAC keeps the 3 Mountain West schools as men's soccer affiliates, but Houston Baptist becomes part of a revived Sun Belt Men's Soccer conference (App State, Georgia State, Georgia Southern, Missouri State, Belmont, Houston Baptist, Oral Roberts, Central Arkansas)

Wichita State is not considering the Sun Belt. The basketball and schools would be a major step down. But agree, Mo St and Wichita can not be happy with the direction of the Mo Valley.

The Horizon dislikes the rest of the Summit options: too low programs for the IUPUx, and too far west and no population for the XDSU's. The Horizon would ideally like to raid the OVC, but the exit fee the OVC rammed through will prevent it. It more likely the Horizon looks to the ASUN for NKU, Lispcomb, or goes east for Robert Morris.

Denver can buy its way into the Big West, like Boise almost did. Denver won't do that unless absolutely necessary.

(10-10-2013 11:10 PM)NoDak Wrote:  Denver can buy its way into the Big West, like Boise almost did. Denver won't do that unless absolutely necessary.

Why not the WCC?

(10-10-2013 11:56 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(10-10-2013 11:10 PM)NoDak Wrote:  Denver can buy its way into the Big West, like Boise almost did. Denver won't do that unless absolutely necessary.

Why not the WCC?

It had inquired and was told no thanks at this time. It doesn't mean it won't inquire again.

(10-08-2013 12:47 PM)NuMexAg Wrote:  To me, Denver appears to be in a very precarious position. Though I think the WAC would take them back if the Summit folded.

Denver has an outside shot at the Big East. They are already a member for Lacrosse and they have very good academics which is important to the Big East.

(10-11-2013 12:14 AM)Sactowndog Wrote:  

(10-08-2013 12:47 PM)NuMexAg Wrote:  To me, Denver appears to be in a very precarious position. Though I think the WAC would take them back if the Summit folded.

Denver has an outside shot at the Big East. They are already a member for Lacrosse and they have very good academics which is important to the Big East.

With St Louis, Creighton, or Gonzaga as a travel partner, there are good arguments to take them. Their basketball history is a strike against them however.

(10-10-2013 11:10 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(10-10-2013 08:34 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  If the Sun Belt wants Missouri State, I wonder if they could get Wichita State to go with them. Convert New Mexico State to all sports for a 12/14 lineup and what could be a 3-bid league most years.

Two vacancies in the Missouri Valley cause UIC and Valparaiso to leave the Horizon. The Horizon adds IUPUI, IPFW, NDSU, SDSU, and Western Illinois as the departures knocked them down to 3 schools that play baseball.

The WAC then adds South Dakota, Omaha, and Denver to finish off the Summit League. Denver agrees to various conditions for atonement for their AD's comments. The WAC keeps the 3 Mountain West schools as men's soccer affiliates, but Houston Baptist becomes part of a revived Sun Belt Men's Soccer conference (App State, Georgia State, Georgia Southern, Missouri State, Belmont, Houston Baptist, Oral Roberts, Central Arkansas)

Wichita State is not considering the Sun Belt. The basketball and schools would be a major step down. But agree, Mo St and Wichita can not be happy with the direction of the Mo Valley.

The Horizon dislikes the rest of the Summit options: too low programs for the IUPUx, and too far west and no population for the XDSU's. The Horizon would ideally like to raid the OVC, but the exit fee the OVC rammed through will prevent it. It more likely the Horizon looks to the ASUN for NKU, Lispcomb, or goes east for Robert Morris.

Denver can buy its way into the Big West, like Boise almost did. Denver won't do that unless absolutely necessary.

Boise had SDSU pushing hard for them on the inside. Denver has no real advocate doing that. I have my doubts they can buy their way in or they woudl have already. No way they wanted to join the summit

(10-11-2013 12:36 AM)billings Wrote:  

(10-10-2013 11:10 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(10-10-2013 08:34 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  If the Sun Belt wants Missouri State, I wonder if they could get Wichita State to go with them. Convert New Mexico State to all sports for a 12/14 lineup and what could be a 3-bid league most years.

Two vacancies in the Missouri Valley cause UIC and Valparaiso to leave the Horizon. The Horizon adds IUPUI, IPFW, NDSU, SDSU, and Western Illinois as the departures knocked them down to 3 schools that play baseball.

The WAC then adds South Dakota, Omaha, and Denver to finish off the Summit League. Denver agrees to various conditions for atonement for their AD's comments. The WAC keeps the 3 Mountain West schools as men's soccer affiliates, but Houston Baptist becomes part of a revived Sun Belt Men's Soccer conference (App State, Georgia State, Georgia Southern, Missouri State, Belmont, Houston Baptist, Oral Roberts, Central Arkansas)

Wichita State is not considering the Sun Belt. The basketball and schools would be a major step down. But agree, Mo St and Wichita can not be happy with the direction of the Mo Valley.

The Horizon dislikes the rest of the Summit options: too low programs for the IUPUx, and too far west and no population for the XDSU's. The Horizon would ideally like to raid the OVC, but the exit fee the OVC rammed through will prevent it. It more likely the Horizon looks to the ASUN for NKU, Lispcomb, or goes east for Robert Morris.

Denver can buy its way into the Big West, like Boise almost did. Denver won't do that unless absolutely necessary.

Boise had SDSU pushing hard for them on the inside. Denver has no real advocate doing that. I have my doubts they can buy their way in or they woudl have already. No way they wanted to join the summit

The Summit was acceptable academically and was cheap, so DU found a holding spot. Ironically, if DU didn't move to the Summit, the Summit would have had to fold (Omaha is not a full DI member), so the Summit owes them. DU would have had to pay at least $500,000 annually to the Big West in travel fees, in addition to entry fees, so answer was easy. Boise didn't want to get involved it didn't have to (fees) and schools were not that enamoured with its academics. Denver doesn't provide the travel and academic objections. Also, the Summit provides an easier route to build up the basketball resume and NCAA bids. When the Summit held Chicago St, a Denver move would have been totally hypocritical.

When Pacific rejoined the WCC, they restarted men's soccer as a condition of their return. The Missouri Valley and WCC are likely to make a similar request for Denver, that they add baseball and softball. With their focus on hockey, lacrosse and skiing it may be difficult for them to add those other two sports.

Denver is an interesting character; their geography places them in the west, but their sports mix is more consistent with universities in the northeast.

(10-11-2013 12:12 AM)NoDak Wrote:  

(10-10-2013 11:56 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(10-10-2013 11:10 PM)NoDak Wrote:  Denver can buy its way into the Big West, like Boise almost did. Denver won't do that unless absolutely necessary.

Why not the WCC?

It had inquired and was told no thanks at this time. It doesn't mean it won't inquire again.

They probably will; the WCC is their target out west. If/when BYU leaves I believe Denver has a good shot to take their place. DU certainly has better odds of getting into the WCC than Seattle.

I'm still waiting for the Mountain West to take Seattle - having 11 schools creates problems with scheduling, and Seattle could slide in nicely to the West Division where Hawai'i plays football. Seattle also opens up a new market for the Mountain West.

The bad news is if the WAC loses Seattle, it's probably curtains unless if it can lure the Dakota schools out of the Summit.

(10-07-2013 11:56 AM)dbackjon Wrote:  Big Sky is full at the moment - will not expand. At 12 for all non-football sports (Idaho comes on). No reason to add anyone unless there is other movement.

UMKC just left the Summit - which was a strange move, but I think it is more likely UNO joins the WAC than UMKC goes back.

The UMKC move was strange but often it comes down to the ambition of a school president in the ever ending search for national prominence.

Louisiana Tech refusing to join the SBC for the membership in the WAC was equally a puzzling move. I know they didn't like the fact that ULM was involved with it but they would have won a lot more games by not making the move and probably kept other programs in the SBC down while doing so. An idea that is so lost on so much of the realignment thinking.

(10-11-2013 09:54 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  

(10-07-2013 11:56 AM)dbackjon Wrote:  Big Sky is full at the moment - will not expand. At 12 for all non-football sports (Idaho comes on). No reason to add anyone unless there is other movement.

UMKC just left the Summit - which was a strange move, but I think it is more likely UNO joins the WAC than UMKC goes back.

The UMKC move was strange but often it comes down to the ambition of a school president in the ever ending search for national prominence.

Louisiana Tech refusing to join the SBC for the membership in the WAC was equally a puzzling move. I know they didn't like the fact that ULM was involved with it but they would have won a lot more games by not making the move and probably kept other programs in the SBC down while doing so. An idea that is so lost on so much of the realignment thinking.

And in the process preserved ULM in FBS.

The Sun Belt wasn't enthusiastic about ULM. When football started they were only offered football only a rolling two year contract. When CUSA gutted the eastern WAC and the Belt needed to replace full-member NMSU they added ULM. If Tech had come back as a full member, ULM would probably have been pushed out of the boat shortly thereafter.