Move up no longer realistic?

[OldHornet]

I'm very curious why the administration has been so silent on this issue. Wanless did an interview with a Dakota radio station several months ago and he seemed excited about the possibility. He pointed out that he thought it was economically feasible for Sac to make the move and he gave the impression that it would be realistic. But I have not heard one thing from campus - either for or against a move. I would have thougtht that they would float the idea to gauge campus and booster support. At least they could state that they would going to hire a consultant to study the potential move - but we here nothing!!

Based on the quotes from the presidents / AD's of UCD and CP, sounds like they studied the possibility but the dollars didn't make sense. I can't imagine making a move this significant without gaining support of the boosters and community - this is the group that will ultimately determine the success at the next level (dollars = success). This group will be the one's flipping the bills for stadium enhancements and a new arena - two critical elements of this move.

For all of the noise and rumors that a couple of BSC teams will move to the WAC, only Montana has come out to say they will generate a feasibility study. UTSA and TxST have been very aggressive in their desire to move.

So SAC ST are you throwing your hat in to move to the WAC?

I sure hope so!

 

[Green Cookie Monster]

Living in the state capitol and a very liberal bastion on campus, I would think the reason there is silence is to keep the eggheads silent until something is to the point of no return to prevent pickets, riots, burning of Gonzo effigies and systematic chaos.

Or, there is no news to report.

 

[NME25]

This

Living in the state capitol and a very liberal bastion on campus, I would think the reason there is silence is to keep the eggheads silent until something is to the point of no return to prevent pickets, riots, burning of Gonzo effigies and systematic chaos.

Or, there is no news to report.

I would think that the decision to move up would be made between the school and the WAC. Nothing would be gained by going public. All you would get would be public embarrassment if you don't get an invite, or you give an opportunity for the people in Sac who oppose everything to start their protests.

 

[StungAlum]

This

Living in the state capitol and a very liberal bastion on campus, I would think the reason there is silence is to keep the eggheads silent until something is to the point of no return to prevent pickets, riots, burning of Gonzo effigies and systematic chaos.

Or, there is no news to report.

I would think that the decision to move up would be made between the school and the WAC. Nothing would be gained by going public. All you would get would be public embarrassment if you don't get an invite, or you give an opportunity for the people in Sac who oppose everything to start their protests.

Exactly!

Either you'd face embarrassment, which we all know the Bee loves to dish out, or professors and students would protest. Keep everything on the DL I say.

 

[OldHornet]

This

Living in the state capitol and a very liberal bastion on campus, I would think the reason there is silence is to keep the eggheads silent until something is to the point of no return to prevent pickets, riots, burning of Gonzo effigies and systematic chaos.

Or, there is no news to report.

I would think that the decision to move up would be made between the school and the WAC. Nothing would be gained by going public. All you would get would be public embarrassment if you don't get an invite, or you give an opportunity for the people in Sac who oppose everything to start their protests.

Exactly!

Either you'd face embarrassment, which we all know the Bee loves to dish out, or professors and students would protest. Keep everything on the DL I say.

Sounds great in theory but this will need to be done in parallel to raising significant dollars. I don't think the WAC will accept the stadium without enhancements - press box, concessions, ect. I hope you're right and I hope Gonzo and Wanless found their big donor!

 

[StungAlum]

This

Living in the state capitol and a very liberal bastion on campus, I would think the reason there is silence is to keep the eggheads silent until something is to the point of no return to prevent pickets, riots, burning of Gonzo effigies and systematic chaos.

Or, there is no news to report.

I would think that the decision to move up would be made between the school and the WAC. Nothing would be gained by going public. All you would get would be public embarrassment if you don't get an invite, or you give an opportunity for the people in Sac who oppose everything to start their protests.

Exactly!

Either you'd face embarrassment, which we all know the Bee loves to dish out, or professors and students would protest. Keep everything on the DL I say.

Sounds great in theory but this will need to be done in parallel to raising significant dollars. I don't think the WAC will accept the stadium without enhancements - press box, concessions, ect. I hope you're right and I hope Gonzo and Wanless found their big donor!

I beleive there was mention from administration that the press box was going to be upgraded after this season.

You never know, maybe they've been talking to big time donors without anyone knowing, then again, maybe they havent.

 

[NME25]

It's hard to raise money for something you may or may not do. So, until there is a formal invite, going public for donations for this particular endeavor is not a good formula in my opinion. If there are big donors out there, Sac State won't be pandering to them in the media. Who knows what's really going on. I say we're still in the running until someone comes out and says we're not.

 

[SJHornet]

I think it’s a good move to maintain silence for now. There are a thousand stories breaking every day it seems, and the landscape is changing daily. The department is hopefully watching every move with the program's best interests in mind. Wanless was no doubt informed of the Big Sky’s intentions to invite the two Cali schools way before news broke to the fans. With Fullerton making it known a 12th school is being considered, Sac could benefit once again. Fullerton mentioned he though FBS schools would possibly consider the FCS, maybe he’s speaking with Idaho or SJSU and Wanless is waiting to see what the outcome is. Maybe he’s holding discussions with the Big West. Who knows? If the WAC is a real possibility we are exploring, Wanless and Gonzo may be quietly schmoozing with the big donors trying to get the funds to make the move.

Fact is nothing is settled yet. There are so many directions the athletic department can take. We just have to keep speculating and hopefully be pleasantly surprised by the outcome. Like NME25 said Until we are openly eliminated, no one knows where we will end up.

 

[Green Cookie Monster]

Be honest, how many times have we ever been pleasantly surprised by the silence of Sac State administrators?

 

[SDHornet]

I'm very curious why the administration has been so silent on this issue. Wanless did an interview with a Dakota radio station several months ago and he seemed excited about the possibility. He pointed out that he thought it was economically feasible for Sac to make the move and he gave the impression that it would be realistic. But I have not heard one thing from campus - either for or against a move. I would have thougtht that they would float the idea to gauge campus and booster support. At least they could state that they would going to hire a consultant to study the potential move - but we here nothing!!

Based on the quotes from the presidents / AD's of UCD and CP, sounds like they studied the possibility but the dollars didn't make sense. I can't imagine making a move this significant without gaining support of the boosters and community - this is the group that will ultimately determine the success at the next level (dollars = success). This group will be the one's flipping the bills for stadium enhancements and a new arena - two critical elements of this move.

For all of the noise and rumors that a couple of BSC teams will move to the WAC, only Montana has come out to say they will generate a feasibility study. UTSA and TxST have been very aggressive in their desire to move.

So SAC ST are you throwing your hat in to move to the WAC?

I sure hope so!

I haven’t seen anywhere that cal-davis or cp has spent the 200k (yes, that’s about what an official study will cost) to do a study about the feasibility of going FBS. It’s easy to say they have thought about it, everyone has thought about it. cal-davis just cut sports, there is no way they spend money on such a study after they made that move, they'll have to let things simmer down until they officially do a study. Plus there would be complete uproar from their academics about even the thought of their admin spending the money it will take to go to FBS. The best way to go about this is to keep it on the low and make an announcement when the time comes. There is nothing more we can do (besides continue to support Hornet athletics and email them) but to hope Wanless and Gonzo are maneuvering things behind the scenes and getting their ducks in a row. Gonzo’s track record has been one of progress and movement. Sure he has done some things that make him look bad but if you sit back and look at what he has done and what he envisions for Sac State, you have to think he or his staff is working on this issue. There is no doubt in my mind they would let this opportunity pass them without at least giving it good thought and serious consideration.

 

[SJHornet]

Be honest, how many times have we ever been pleasantly surprised by the silence of Sac State administrators?

There is a first time for everything :mrgreen:

 

[superhornet]

Overall, Gonzo whomps. But compared to the Fat Man? Gonzo is almost God compared to HIM. LOL.

 

[Green Cookie Monster]

Something to consider:

Wanless is interviewing for the Georgia AD position (maybe others). I agree, if he could get a $1M/yr. gig to close out his career pushing buttons in the SEC why not. But he seems to be a person with integrity and character and if the Hornets were about to embark on going FBS he wouldn't leave the school void of an experienced AD to oversee the transistion. Especially if he is actively seeking change and not being recruited (doubtful).

This is how it should be done, IMO:

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/20100910_BIG_UPS_.html

Dear Faculty and Staff:

I am writing to share with you some recent conversations that have taken place regarding the Villanova Football program and its relationship with the Big East Conference. As you know, the program currently competes in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly known as Division I-AA. The student-athletes, coaches, and administrators are excellent representatives of the University and have established a winning tradition that culminated with a national championship last year.

The landscape of college athletics continues to face dramatic changes and there has been a great deal of speculation over the past few months regarding conference realignments nationwide. The Big East Conference has not been immune to such speculation and Villanova’s position regarding football has been frequently discussed on the internet, in the media, and among alumni around the country.

Prior to Labor Day, Big East Commissioner John Marinatto paid a visit to Villanova and reported that the football schools were interested in adding Villanova as a football member of the Conference. We currently compete in the Big East in all other varsity sports, however, joining the Conference as a football member would require that the program move up to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), formerly known as Division I-A. This would represent a significant change for the University and its Athletic Department.

As part of the University’s Strategic Planning process, the Board of Trustees Athletic Committee has been studying all of our athletic programs. After consulting with our Board’s leadership and the President’s Cabinet, we have decided that the most prudent course of action is to expedite our timeframe and embark upon an in-depth and thorough evaluation of this opportunity presented by the Big East. This is a complicated issue with many multi-dimensional factors that come into play, and it is important that we investigate scenarios related to making—or not making—such a move.

More than likely, you will read or hear speculation from outside sources as we conduct this assessment. I ask you to consider it just that – speculation. As we undertake this evaluation, I can assure you that a decision will be made only after the Board of Trustees conducts a careful and complete analysis. We will do what’s right for Villanova and will not jeopardize our community-wide commitment to meeting the University’s strategic objectives.

I will keep you informed as we move forward through this process.

Sincerely,
Father Peter Donohue, O.S.A.
President

As bad as Gerth was, he was the person who stepped out and had the Hornets join the Big Sky and join FCS and D1. He could have easily rolled over like a cabbage and dropped the sport like so many of his executive counterparts at Fullerton, Long Beach, etc.

 

[SactoHornetAlum]

GCM, the AD position at Georgia has been filled, so at this point Dr. Wanless isn't going anywhere. I like the Villanova letter, however, they are a private school. The faculty there probably don't think they rule the roost like public school professors think they do (which we know they never should) at their institutions. So hence why I think Dr. Gonzalez is quietly doing things behind the scenes.

 

[OldHornet]

http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2010/09/09/byu-utah-begin-mwc-farewell-tour/


WAC Still Exploring Its Options for Expansion

WAC commissioner Karl Benson was disappointed but not deterred by this week's news that Cal Poly and UC Davis had opted to join the Big Sky Conference in football.

Cal Poly and UC Davis were two teams on the WAC's radar, but Benson knew that both schools were talking to the Big Sky and that both might lean toward that conference for financial reasons.

"It hasn't changed our timeline," Benson said. "There are still schools in the WAC footprint that we're focusing on."

Benson said the membership committee, which consists of the athletic directors of the six remaining WAC schools, has contacted possible replacements, but said they haven't made any offers and it was too early to identify those schools.