Will be interesting to see what happens but one thing Im sure of is that BSU is not going to get an all-sports invite from the Big East. The bb schols wont go for it. BSU is too far, not the eastiest place to fly to and the time zone makes a big difference for the athletes. Not gonna happen.

(06-22-2012 06:20 PM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  

(06-22-2012 06:10 PM)army56mike Wrote:  Probably a good and smart move by Boise St. San Diego St. should probably rethink things if this is true.

New Big East Football 2014
UConn
Rutgers
Temple
Navy
Cincinnati
Louisville
Memphis
East Carolina
Central Florida
South Florida
Houston
SMU

Not nationwide. Multiple small market teams. No marquee football name. 1 top 10 finish in the last 5 years. lol....That conference is worth about 1 million a team if I remember my CUSA 1.0 contract correctly.

forget the western idea without them.

(06-22-2012 08:25 PM)Knightsweat Wrote:  It wouldn't surprise me, especially given that ESPN stands to pick up the BE TV contract for a pittance if they can devalue the conference through exclusionary behavior and a nonstop media attack on the BE, prior to contract negotiations. What better way to scare away other suitors than to undermine the BE's value in addition to repeatedly saying the BE is not a power conference? Especially given the BE's BCS bowl record vs. the ACC. But because the ACC has resigned their TV contract with ESPN, that never gets mentioned.

You undervalue something you want to buy to the seller, not the public you are going to want to resell it too. If they get the contract, they don't want the public thinking the conference is terrible, they want them watching their games.

Beyond that, ESPN has almost no access to Boise State now. If they come to the Big East, ESPN might well get it and would be more than willing to pay a little more for it.

(06-22-2012 08:25 PM)Knightsweat Wrote:  Don't even pretend that the "5 power conferences" don't want the BE dead. Every comment and decision says they want the BE dead, especially for the new playoff system they've just implemented to eliminate "BCS busters" from spoiling their party. If you truly believe that, then you're dense or too biased with your elite school, self-inflated sense of self worth to see the BCS is a good ole boy system, designed to keep "the riff raff" out of the national championship picture.

So, playoff or not, the CFB championship will still be a farce, because these bg schools are scared of a fair system, where they might have to earn something instead of the media giving them their tin crown.

The "5 power conferences" view the Big East as taking more money from the pot than its contributing. That's got nothing to do with ESPN though. ESPN wants more, not fewer power conferences. The more power is consolidated, the more power the conferences have over ESPN. More power conferences means ESPN can play them across each other.

As for the schools themselves, a fair system is in the eyes of the beholder. To me conference races and rivalries are the most important thing for the season followed by the bowls. Going to a 16 team playoff as many suggest would destroy most of what I love about the sport.

I still bet in the end something is worked out. Boise State still stands to make too much more in the Big East and the Boise State is too valuable to the Big East for this not to work out.

(06-22-2012 08:44 PM)ohio1317 Wrote:  

(06-22-2012 08:25 PM)Knightsweat Wrote:  It wouldn't surprise me, especially given that ESPN stands to pick up the BE TV contract for a pittance if they can devalue the conference through exclusionary behavior and a nonstop media attack on the BE, prior to contract negotiations. What better way to scare away other suitors than to undermine the BE's value in addition to repeatedly saying the BE is not a power conference? Especially given the BE's BCS bowl record vs. the ACC. But because the ACC has resigned their TV contract with ESPN, that never gets mentioned.

You undervalue something you want to buy to the seller, not the public you are going to want to resell it too. If they get the contract, they don't want the public thinking the conference is terrible, they want them watching their games.

Beyond that, ESPN has almost no access to Boise State now. If they come to the Big East, ESPN might well get it and would be more than willing to pay a little more for it.

(06-22-2012 08:25 PM)Knightsweat Wrote:  Don't even pretend that the "5 power conferences" don't want the BE dead. Every comment and decision says they want the BE dead, especially for the new playoff system they've just implemented to eliminate "BCS busters" from spoiling their party. If you truly believe that, then you're dense or too biased with your elite school, self-inflated sense of self worth to see the BCS is a good ole boy system, designed to keep "the riff raff" out of the national championship picture.

So, playoff or not, the CFB championship will still be a farce, because these bg schools are scared of a fair system, where they might have to earn something instead of the media giving them their tin crown.

The "5 power conferences" view the Big East as taking more money from the pot than its contributing. That's got nothing to do with ESPN though. ESPN wants more, not fewer power conferences. The more power is consolidated, the more power the conferences have over ESPN. More power conferences means ESPN can play them across each other.

As for the schools themselves, a fair system is in the eyes of the beholder. To me conference races and rivalries are the most important thing for the season followed by the bowls. Going to a 16 team playoff as many suggest would destroy most of what I love about the sport.

All hogwash. You're saying that because your team is on the winning side. The judge, and not the judged. If I still only followed OU (my alma mater) I'd probsbly feel entitled just like you. I don't want 16 teams for a playoff. I do want 8 with the 6 conference champs, and 2 at-large. Hell even an 8 team with the last conference champ slot being the higher ranked of BE/CUSA/MWC champ being the last slot. At least that's a seat at the table, if you earn it.

I'm not asking for a free ride for the BE. But you're saying it's okay to always exclude the BE because the current conference configuration is unproven. That's a permanent punishment for a temporary situation. But yeah, you're right, the BE deserves to be exiled. Nice view you got there from Buckeye land. Talk about chronic obtuseness.

(06-22-2012 06:37 PM)miko33 Wrote:  This will be a pretty big blow to the BE if true. I thought for some time that the real advantage Boise gets out of the BE would be the BCS tag. Now that the BCS tag is basically gone, then there isn't much of a reason for Boise to join. Unfortunately, it will also help to torpedo the BE TV contract being negotiated as well. Maybe the BE rethinks a number of moves now. I can see the following conference materialize for FB:

Louisville
Cincy
Memphis
USF
UCF
Rutgers
Houston
SMU
Temple
UCONN

That's a 10 school FB conference. Play 9 game round robin and you basically have the same set up as the Big12. I don't think the Big12 expands anytime soon, so I think 10 schools will do it. Makes a good geographical conference that will do some good things in FB. Make the Liberty Bowl the marquee bowl game and I think everyone could be happy with that set up.

Of course. What a brilliant thought. Thats worked incredibly well for CUSA! Oh, wait...

Miko. Please step away from the beer. Nobody would be happy with that set up along with the Libery Bowl as the pot of gold at the end of the seasons rainbow. Between that and people suggesting the Big East add everything from Ohio and UMass to Old Friggin Dominion---Im about ready to thow my monitor into a wood chipper and just start over with a new computer.

IF I were ECU, how would the BE stack up with CUSA for being a T4 team for a BCS bowl?

Heh..... about even...why do all the moving.

(06-22-2012 08:53 PM)Knightsweat Wrote:  All hogwash. You're saying that because your team is on the winning side. The judge, and not the judged. If I still only followed OU (my alma mater) I'd probsbly feel entitled just like you. I don't want 16 teams for a playoff. I do want 8 with the 6 conference champs, and 2 at-large. Hell even an 8 team with the last conference champ slot being the higher ranked of BE/CUSA/MWC champ being the last slot. At least that's a seat at the table, if you earn it.

I'm not asking for a free ride for the BE. But you're saying it's okay to always exclude the BE because the current conference configuration is unproven. That's a permanent punishment for a temporary situation. But yeah, you're right, the BE deserves to be exiled. Nice view you got there from Buckeye land. Talk about chronic obtuseness.

I've been following the Big East closer than any other conference besides the Big Ten since I started reading the Big East board at least 5 years ago (at the time it was the only one seriously talking about expansion and that was before the board split off (now twice)).

1. I'm not hoping for its downfall.
2. This system is going to include the Big East. An undefeated Big East team will be in the playoffs. The same couldn't be said before. It will probably almost always include an undefeated team from a current non-AQ too (outside of a crazy year we end up with once a decade or so). The talk about this being the big boys and no one else is just internet talk and radio shows pushing controversy.
3. There are very valid reasons for not wanting an expanded playoff besides control. Some of us love the actual bowl system. Going to 4 teams is damaging it, but not terribly. Going to 8 would essentially end what is left of most the important elements of it.

(06-22-2012 09:08 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  IF I were ECU, how would the BE stack up with CUSA for being a T4 team for a BCS bowl?

Heh..... about even...why do all the moving.

For a long time I've always said if you replaced the cellar dwellers in CUSA, it's a pretty decent conference. I won't mention specific teams, but there were several programs that were an anchor around CUSA's neck, as far as conference ranking is concerned.

If you had taken the top 6 six programs from MWC & CUSA and merge them into an all-sports conference, it would definately equal the pre realigned BE. Water under the bridge now. Also, if BSU and SDSU do drop out of the nBE, I still would want USM and ECU to replace them, and let's move forward, and prove the nBE's worth on the field. Always felt USM and ECU deserved to be in the BE.

Staying in MWC makes sense. No tv $$$, 0 playoff access, crummy bowls, what else could Boise want.

Brian Murphy, the sports columnist for the Idaho Statesman, tweets-

Brian Murphy ‏@murphsturph
I think Boise State will withdraw from the Mountain West before June 30 after which point the penalty for leaving in 2013 would go up.
Expand Reply Retweet Favorite

This was after he had reported that Boise had not withdrawn from the MWC.

(06-22-2012 06:53 PM)UpStreamRedTeam Wrote:  

(06-22-2012 06:44 PM)War Torn Ruston Wrote:  

(06-22-2012 06:37 PM)miko33 Wrote:  This will be a pretty big blow to the BE if true. I thought for some time that the real advantage Boise gets out of the BE would be the BCS tag. Now that the BCS tag is basically gone, then there isn't much of a reason for Boise to join. Unfortunately, it will also help to torpedo the BE TV contract being negotiated as well. Maybe the BE rethinks a number of moves now. I can see the following conference materialize for FB:

Louisville
Cincy
Memphis
USF
UCF
Rutgers
Houston
SMU
Temple
UCONN

That's a 10 school FB conference. Play 9 game round robin and you basically have the same set up as the Big12. I don't think the Big12 expands anytime soon, so I think 10 schools will do it. Makes a good geographical conference that will do some good things in FB. Make the Liberty Bowl the marquee bowl game and I think everyone could be happy with that set up.

I think they stay at 10 as well. No one else is gonna add any value to the TV contract except for the military schools and BYU. But BYU has been notoriously hard to work with according to The Big 12 so I would say it is Army or Air Force added with Navy or bust.
Eleven in the MWC for Boise assuming BSU and SDSU goes back to the MWC. They need to tell Colorado State to deal with it and add Denver or NMSU for Olympic sports only. Their football has fell to far behind to play FBS football.

That's not unreasonable, except for the Liberty Bowl being the marquee bowl. Right now the LB would be the BE's #5 game. Even if we lost the BCS game the Champs/Belk/Pinstripe Bowl would be better than the Liberty Bowl.

Not if the Liberty Bowl gets a sponsor to kick up the payout by a lot.

(06-22-2012 06:09 PM)bitcruncher Wrote:  Interesting development. But it's not like it was totally unexpected...

That's exactly right. Why would anyone be surprised by this? I always though it was a better than 50% chance that they ended up staying.

(06-22-2012 09:12 PM)ohio1317 Wrote:  

(06-22-2012 08:53 PM)Knightsweat Wrote:  All hogwash. You're saying that because your team is on the winning side. The judge, and not the judged. If I still only followed OU (my alma mater) I'd probsbly feel entitled just like you. I don't want 16 teams for a playoff. I do want 8 with the 6 conference champs, and 2 at-large. Hell even an 8 team with the last conference champ slot being the higher ranked of BE/CUSA/MWC champ being the last slot. At least that's a seat at the table, if you earn it.

I'm not asking for a free ride for the BE. But you're saying it's okay to always exclude the BE because the current conference configuration is unproven. That's a permanent punishment for a temporary situation. But yeah, you're right, the BE deserves to be exiled. Nice view you got there from Buckeye land. Talk about chronic obtuseness.

I've been following the Big East closer than any other conference besides the Big Ten since I started reading the Big East board at least 5 years ago (at the time it was the only one seriously talking about expansion and that was before the board split off (now twice)).

1. I'm not hoping for its downfall.
2. This system is going to include the Big East. An undefeated Big East team will be in the playoffs. The same couldn't be said before. It will probably almost always include an undefeated team from a current non-AQ too (outside of a crazy year we end up with once a decade or so). The talk about this being the big boys and no one else is just internet talk and radio shows pushing controversy.
3. There are very valid reasons for not wanting an expanded playoff besides control. Some of us love the actual bowl system. Going to 4 teams is damaging it, but not terribly. Going to 8 would essentially end what is left of most the important elements of it.

First, let me apologize if I seem to be attacking you. I feel pretty passionate about this and I mean no offense to you personally. But to your point about an undefeated BE team getting into a playoff, I give you the undefeated Auburn Tigers a few years ago, that got excluded from the national championship game. And I only bring that up because it speaks to the bias of these "voters" who decide who gets to play and who doesn't.

Now Auburn is an SEC team (basically CFB's sacred cow) and if they can get passed over, what chance does a UCF have? The answer is ZERO. UCF or any other BE team would have to go multiple seasons undefeated to even get a fair vote. I can say this because CFB's selection process for BCS bowls have always been biased towards the historically dominant programs. As a Sooners fan, we were given multiple free passes to championship games that we had no business being in. Just ask USC(2005), and LSU(20??). I can be honest. We didn't deserve a NC game those years, but the good ole boy system gave them the nod and a wink. So now apply that same logic to ANY BE team and you have to come to the same conclusion. No way the BE gets a decent TV deal now, or a shot at a national championship. The 4 power conferences havenust made sure that's true.

I personally am hoping for Boise and SDSU to stay in the MWC. Get UTEP to come out to the MWC. CUSA can easily replace them and if CUSA and MWC are serious about working together then CUSA should let them go. With the upcoming additions of the best programs from the WAC, the Mountain West will be alright. It may not have TCU and Utah anymore but that just allows some other teams to step up and get that limelight. If they do it for enough seasons in a row then they will be in the same position. It is all about perception.

The MWC and CUSA can once again get back out in front of pushing The Agenda.

I have no idea what the Big East would do after that. They still have those Texas teams now. Does the conference fill in the footprint further with programs like Tulsa or does it consolidate up in the Northeast again?

Either way, I think it is a bad idea for Boise State and SDSU to make that move. The main offer the Big East had to entice them is now going to be gone. It isn't worth it.

(06-22-2012 09:31 PM)TripleA Wrote:  

(06-22-2012 06:53 PM)UpStreamRedTeam Wrote:  

(06-22-2012 06:44 PM)War Torn Ruston Wrote:  

(06-22-2012 06:37 PM)miko33 Wrote:  This will be a pretty big blow to the BE if true. I thought for some time that the real advantage Boise gets out of the BE would be the BCS tag. Now that the BCS tag is basically gone, then there isn't much of a reason for Boise to join. Unfortunately, it will also help to torpedo the BE TV contract being negotiated as well. Maybe the BE rethinks a number of moves now. I can see the following conference materialize for FB:

Louisville
Cincy
Memphis
USF
UCF
Rutgers
Houston
SMU
Temple
UCONN

That's a 10 school FB conference. Play 9 game round robin and you basically have the same set up as the Big12. I don't think the Big12 expands anytime soon, so I think 10 schools will do it. Makes a good geographical conference that will do some good things in FB. Make the Liberty Bowl the marquee bowl game and I think everyone could be happy with that set up.

I think they stay at 10 as well. No one else is gonna add any value to the TV contract except for the military schools and BYU. But BYU has been notoriously hard to work with according to The Big 12 so I would say it is Army or Air Force added with Navy or bust.
Eleven in the MWC for Boise assuming BSU and SDSU goes back to the MWC. They need to tell Colorado State to deal with it and add Denver or NMSU for Olympic sports only. Their football has fell to far behind to play FBS football.

That's not unreasonable, except for the Liberty Bowl being the marquee bowl. Right now the LB would be the BE's #5 game. Even if we lost the BCS game the Champs/Belk/Pinstripe Bowl would be better than the Liberty Bowl.

Not if the Liberty Bowl gets a sponsor to kick up the payout by a lot.

lol...They cant pay enough---the BCS Bowls pay about 17 million.

(06-22-2012 09:38 PM)He1nousOne Wrote:  I personally am hoping for Boise and SDSU to stay in the MWC. Get UTEP to come out to the MWC. CUSA can easily replace them and if CUSA and MWC are serious about working together then CUSA should let them go. With the upcoming additions of the best programs from the WAC, the Mountain West will be alright. It may not have TCU and Utah anymore but that just allows some other teams to step up and get that limelight. If they do it for enough seasons in a row then they will be in the same position. It is all about perception.

The MWC and CUSA can once again get back out in front of pushing The Agenda.

I have no idea what the Big East would do after that. They still have those Texas teams now. Does the conference fill in the footprint further with programs like Tulsa or does it consolidate up in the Northeast again?

Either way, I think it is a bad idea for Boise State and SDSU to make that move. The main offer the Big East had to entice them is now going to be gone. It isn't worth it.

I too think it would be better for CFB fans to see Boise and SDSU remain in the west. Having too much of a concentration in the east is not good for the overall fan experience. If I were the BE, and the interest is there for growning to 12 and consolidating the northeast, then I roll with the 10 schools that I posted earlier plus UMASS and Buffalo. That puts the BE back in NY and MA for FB. Nova is no longer needed because of Temple. So the league could look like this:

East
UMASS
Buffalo
UCONN
Rutgers
USF
Temple

West
SMU
Houston
Memphis
Louisville
Cincy
UCF

Play the Champ game at the Liberty Bowl and/or Yankee Stadium.

Staying in the MWC sounds like it is a safe move for them, but can't see them really going anywhere with this move. They should make the move to the BE to see where it will take them. How much will it really cost them to find out.

(06-22-2012 07:22 PM)HR_Poke Wrote:  

(06-22-2012 07:11 PM)Ned Low Wrote:  

(06-22-2012 07:05 PM)BamaScorpio69 Wrote:  

(06-22-2012 06:09 PM)Ned Low Wrote:  If that's the case, CUSA needs to invite Boise, Fresno State, UNLV, Colorado State, Utah State and New Mexico NOW (I picked those schools due to keep everything as geographically tight as possible).

Why? And preferably with an explanation that makes some type of sense.

Why not? It seems pretty obvious that Boise wants out of the MWC and CUSA WILL get a higher-paying contract -even if SDSU and BSU stay home- than the MWC will. We could offer them (1) more money, (2) more exposure and (3) a way out of the MWC. It's just a matter of inviting the right schools.

You have to be joking with all this right? Boise wanted out of the MWC to get more TV money. The MWC currently is under a bridge agreement on the TV deal and is renegotiating a new contract that will range from 2-3.4 million per team depending on the make up of the conference and championship game. Can CUSA get that much per school? The MWC exposure is just fine. They have CBS sports sold some games to ESPN and gave the schools their third tier rights back. Boise has 10 games on national TV with the MWC. CUSA just raided a bunch of FCS schools and you think Boise is going to jump at the chance to join that?

I'm not joking. CUSA had a better contract than the MWC when y'all had Utah, BYU and TCU (if I'm not mistaken). Now that those schools are gone, I don't see how you're going to get a better deal.

UNT is a huge school in Dallas, FIU is a REALY huge school in Miami. As for the FCS schools, UTSA is a HUGE school in a growing state and a large city that is getting larger. ODU is in a HUGE area and is a large school, with great support that is in a great recruiting market.

Seriously, ODU already averages more people per game than Wyoming (once again, if I'm not mistaken... and this is not intended as a slam on the Pokes... I was actually looking forward to visiting if the "merger" would have gone as planned).

I've thought about it more and Fresno State, SDSU, Boise State and UNLV might listen, especially if Houston comes along.

It's going to be an interesting couple of weeks...