(12-10-2013 09:17 AM)Tallgrass Wrote:  

(12-09-2013 11:13 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(12-09-2013 10:57 PM)JRsec Wrote:  Tallgrass, I agree with your reasoning and it would be wise for the non-BCS schools to unify more coherently, but the end result of their demands will be a total breakaway, or new upper division. It's headed there anyway, the only question is how long it will take and how many new evolutions of the old system have to be occur before we get there. My bet is it won't take much now to make that happen. But the unification of the non-BCS schools needs to happen anyway. They'll need the cohesion to navigate some of the changes the economy and demographics are bringing anyway.

They don't need any cohesion to navigate a demotion to a lower level. Any school can pull that off without even trying too hard. If and when such a demotion occurs, the carnage will massive and many well known programs will simply not survive. I doubt my own school's football program would survive. There would be zero interest in a FCS level program in a city like Houston. G-5 FBS football is a hard enough sell---a college program not competing in the top football division would be a non-starter in Houston.

No---the real trick is to be one of the handful of mid-majors that don't get demoted---which is why you see the competitive maneuvering that Tallgrass is referring to. That said, it appears the G5 cooperate well enough when the end result is of resonable benefit to everyone. However, just like in the P-5, when it is in a schools best interests not to cooperate---there will be no cooperation.

Regarding your statement that I have put in bold letters, it has already occurred. Houston U has lost two Head Coaches in a row, and TCU just hired your offensive coordinator. Nothing upsets the stability of a college athletic program as losing a coach.

Stupidity is defined as doing the same thing over and over...and expecting a different result. It is time for NonBCS schools and conferences to organize in a united and coordinated efforts to push back on BCS nation.

NonBCS schools and conferences can certainly do those things they regard in their best interest. I have no problem with that. But that doesn't mean that all NonBCS schools and conferences can also organize and push as one united voice. Why does everyone assume this is in conflict?

It's not necessarily in conflict---it's also not going to be that effective. The reason this situation exists is that the G5 have little leverage either individually or apart. The bowls and TV contracts prove that. The P5 threat to break away says everything you need to know. The P5 can break away at any time and get every benefit of having the G6 around. Even if we, as a group, refuse to play the P5 after the split---they will just replace us with FCS schools and those FCS schools will receive a lift in recruiting and exposure from the relationship.

I still say the best bet is create new divisional rules that could make large nationwide conferences with regional pod systems viable. That's the first step in trying a different dynamic is to create more powerful, interesting, G5 conferences that can earn larger network contracts and who have a national presence---but can still offer bowls strong regional ties. If you have a national conference---but it has a SW pod with 6 teams in and around Texas----that's attractive to a Texas bowl. That SW pod would be part of a nationwide footprint with as many as 18 other schools. That's a lot of conference fan bases that might have an interest in watching a bowl game featuring a conference mate.

Not to mention--once established---the nationwide aspect causes there to be incidental interest in a conference mates Flordia game to far flung members of the conferences regional pods across the country. That helps build ratings and regional intersect everywhere in a national networks footprint. In my opinion, that's the future if the G5 hopes to survive in the top level of college football football. All other roads lead to eventual demotion.