Poll: Do You Want UM To Leave?

[weberwildcat]

should UM leave for the WAC? Would this be good or bad for us and the conference? thoughts?

there are a lot of articles today online about fresno and nev joining the wac and it now only has 6 teams. maybe now it really would happen with UM moving on.

 

[WILDCAT]

Montana does not have the required amount of sports to move up, and although I dont really like UM I do like competing with them and beating them.

But having said that it wouldnt hurt my feelings if I never had to listen to thier obnoxious fanbase again.

 

[Skippy]

As an Idaho State fan, I surely do not want Montana to leave. There are only three Big Sky teams that "travel" with fans to Idaho State games -- Weber State, Montana and MSU. Those are also the only three teams that anybody in Pocatello cares about. If Montana leaves, we will lose one of our three biggest draws for football and men's and women's basketball.

And, if Montana leaves, you are also opening the door for MSU to leave, if not immediately, then certainly shortly thereafter. The Big Sky is already a shell of what it once was when Boise State, Idaho and Nevada-Reno were in the league. If Montana leaves, the conference will be hollow.

 

[wordup]

As an Idaho State fan, I surely do not want Montana to leave. There are only three Big Sky teams that "travel" with fans to Idaho State games -- Weber State, Montana and MSU. Those are also the only three teams that anybody in Pocatello cares about. If Montana leaves, we will lose one of our three biggest draws for football and men's and women's basketball.

And, if Montana leaves, you are also opening the door for MSU to leave, if not immediately, then certainly shortly thereafter. The Big Sky is already a shell of what it once was when Boise State, Idaho and Nevada-Reno were in the league. If Montana leaves, the conference will be hollow.

Was Utah State ever part of the BSC or were they Big West? WAC officials had talked a lot about building the WAC to 12 teams and splitting then into 2 subdivisions. I would imagine that doing that would be the only way to save the WAC since FSU and UN-Reno have left. No sense bringing in just 2 or 3 more teams, might as well bring in 6 new teams. The WAC wants California and Texas schools. FCS teams out of those states would probably have first dibs.

 

[weberwildcat]

i would think if only fcs are added to the current wac 6 that usu could be a new power (lol). what about hawaii, will they really go indepedent or stay? anyone know? bulla, u still on here? what about la tech? i dont like the idea really of losing teams because i dont want any DII's to join.

i keep hearing sac, psu, um are candidates along with poly and davis. how do we know who is really on the wac's list. assuming there will be a wac.

it would suck to not have the montanas in the big sky but trying to in a football title becomes easier. as well it would affect basketball somewhat. UM is top 3 about every year on the hardwood much like we are.

there are no teams we have played more in basketball in the nation in our history than UM/MSU/ISU - every year since 1963.

 

[wordup]

i would think if only fcs are added to the current wac 6 that usu could be a new power (lol). what about hawaii, will they really go indepedent or stay? anyone know? bulla, u still on here? what about la tech? i dont like the idea really of losing teams because i dont want any DII's to join.

i keep hearing sac, psu, um are candidates along with poly and davis. how do we know who is really on the wac's list. assuming there will be a wac.

it would suck to not have the montanas in the big sky but trying to in a football title becomes easier. as well it would affect basketball somewhat. UM is top 3 about every year on the hardwood much like we are.

there are no teams we have played more in basketball in the nation in our history than UM/MSU/ISU - every year since 1963.

I read an article about Hawaii becoming an Independent, but it ended saying that the option was probably not feasible because of funding. Something like they would loose the support of having a conference. Independents apparently have higher costs for some reason and UH would not be able to break even.

 

[weberwildcat1]

http://www.utahstateaggies.com/genrel/081910aab.html

USU says not to Mountain West. This may or may not affect us considering the Western Athletic has some Big Sky schools on its radar.


An open letter from Utah State Athletics Director Scott Barnes,



I know you have been closely following Wednesday’s news that Nevada and Fresno State announced they are leaving the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) to join the Mountain West Conference (MWC). In a 12-hour period we have gone from looking forward to participating in an expanded WAC with a bright and prosperous future to one of some uncertainty.



Recently, Utah State, under President Stan Albrecht’s strong leadership, played a major role in exploring the possibility of bringing BYU into the WAC. As of Tuesday, BYU was on the verge of joining the WAC in all sports but football.



As part of the WAC’s conversations with BYU, the current eight conference members (excluding departing Boise State) agreed to remain together as a conference for at least five years. This stability was important to BYU, to other current members, and would have been critical as other expansion options were explored. WAC members signed a letter of commitment that included a $5M membership buyout. When the possibility of BYU leaving became known, MWC leadership contacted three WAC members inquiring about their interest in joining the MWC. Utah State was the first of these three contacts.



At the point in time when Utah State was contacted by the MWC we had a binding agreement with the WAC and were well positioned with nine members, which included BYU. We were simply committed to uphold our agreement with fellow WAC members. We respectfully declined MWC interest and believed all WAC members would remain committed to our agreement.

As the WAC currently stands we are a nine-member conference for the 2010-11 academic year and an eight-member conference in 2012-13 (after Boise State departs). The NCAA minimum to be recognized as an affiliated conference is six members, which the WAC still meets after Nevada and Fresno State leave.



This is a dynamic phase in college athletic conference alignments. We anticipate additional changes in conference membership on a national scale for the foreseeable future.



That said, Utah State Intercollegiate Athletics continues to be in growth mode. We have excellent coaches in place who have recruited and mentored nearly 350 student-athletes who are excelling in competition and in the classroom.



We have created significantly more resources in operating budgets, enhanced facilities, and have developed a strategic plan to guide us in our continued growth and success.



I do not take lightly the negative effect that recent changes in the composition of the WAC will have on us, but these are not insurmountable. We have persevered through many changes in the athletic landscape and are prepared and better equipped to do so again. We will continue to focus on building programs that win championships, graduate talented student–athletes, as well as excite and unify Aggies everywhere.



Go Aggies

 

[Uncbears1]

I don't want UM to leave until UNC and other Big Sky schools crush them for several years. But it is time UM moved on from the Big Sky.

www.sports-glory.com

 

[wsucatfan]

Screw UM it's WSU that needs to move now to the WAC. Who would you rather play Hawaii, USU, and BYU, or NAU, ISU, and (insert any other big sky school).

 

[PURPLEFORLIFE]

Screw UM it's WSU that needs to move now to the WAC. Who would you rather play Hawaii, USU, and BYU, or NAU, ISU, and (insert any other big sky school).

AGREED!!!

However, is there really a difference between playing Idaho State and Idaho?

 

[oldrunner]

Montana is not leaving. They have some sort of a deal with Montana State to stay in the same conf. MSU can't afford it and does not wish to leave. The WAC does not have any good solutions. For now, Utah State is scr***d. The Big Sky probably won't change, unless we pick up some fallout from the breakup of the WAC. We could become a 10 team league.

 

[WILDCAT]

The WAC has expressed interest in teams from Texas and California, Teams like Sac, Davis, Poly, Texas St and Texas San Antonio, the only other team the WAC has interest in thats not from Texas and Cali is Portland State.

Very soon we could be playing Southern Utah every year, and we could also see teams like North Dakota and Denver in as single sport members.

 

[oldrunner]

WILDCAT;

If the WAC moves the way you are suggesting, they become, without a doubt, the worst FBS football league in the country. I think there are a lot of people at UI who wish they were back in the glory days of competing for a National Championship every year, as apposed to being DFL in the worst league in the country. As far as baskettball goes, They would be on par with, or a little bellow the Big Sky. Travel would be horendous and it will take a few years for the league to re-establish any kind of identity. I think that it is even money that the WAC folds for 2011. Of the remaining schools, the more established programs are looking for alternatives as we speak. Phones are ringing off the hook. The dust cloud won't clear for a few months. What ever happens, you can bet that the Big Sky won't rush to include schools that just don't fit. We might be small market, by some standards, but we are large enough and stable enough to attract the right kind of school.

 

[WILDCAT]

WILDCAT;

If the WAC moves the way you are suggesting, they become, without a doubt, the worst FBS football league in the country. I think there are a lot of people at UI who wish they were back in the glory days of competing for a National Championship every year, as apposed to being DFL in the worst league in the country. As far as baskettball goes, They would be on par with, or a little bellow the Big Sky. Travel would be horendous and it will take a few years for the league to re-establish any kind of identity. I think that it is even money that the WAC folds for 2011. Of the remaining schools, the more established programs are looking for alternatives as we speak. Phones are ringing off the hook. The dust cloud won't clear for a few months. What ever happens, you can bet that the Big Sky won't rush to include schools that just don't fit. We might be small market, by some standards, but we are large enough and stable enough to attract the right kind of school.

Things will be getting interesting very soon, Utah State said no to the MWC not too long ago, but has admited that they are actually still interested in joining the MWC, the WAC is going for the Texas Schools and Cali schools mostly to try to keep Hawaii and Lou Tech in the WAC, Hawaii is strongly considering independence and Lou Tech is considering joining the Sun Belt or C-USA and if the WAC does happen to take both Texas State and Texas San Antonio plus Sac, Poly and Port St then the Great West will be in big trouble with only N.Dakota, S.Dakota, S.Utah and UC Davis remaining. I believe the Big Sky would absorb both Davis and SUU, maybe even the Dakota's unless they join the Ohio Valley or the MVC. Fullerton said not too long ago that he was considering allowing single sport only members into the Sky, and I heard a while back that the Sun Belt Basketball conference was trying to push Denver out, Denver Basketball would be a perfect fit for the Sky, they are rivals to UNC, and they could be perfect travel partners with the Bears.

Thanks BYU for throwing the world of college sports BACK into pandemonium

 

[oldrunner]

The more established programs, that are left in the WAC, are looking to get out. The $5 mil buyout deal is cooked because of BYU backing out of the deal. A lot still hinges on what BYU does or doesn't do. They have the option of staying put, brokering a deal to stay put for everything but football, or joining the WCC for everything but football. If they were to join the WCC, it may spur USU and UH to do something similar. If the second option happens, it may open the door for USU to enter the MWC, with the possibility of one more team joining to make it an even 12 for football. If BYU takes the first option, there still could be room for one more school in the MWC. If any one or two of the more established schools in the WAC choose to leave the WAC, that will leave the league and the remaining schools with not a lot of good options. That is why all of the schools left in the WAC are exploring all options. I have heard that the NCAA has some kind of a deadline for these kind of moves and that the deadline is 1-Sep. Everyone is expecting some kind of anouncement from BYU this week. All of the elements that made them consider going independant in football are still there, if not even more so. With more mouths to feed in the MWC, BYUs slice of the pie just got smaller and the TV deal with the MTN is still the same. Through all of this there has been a back room deal with ESPN and BYU/BYU Broadcasting and BYU cann't do it and stay in the MWC. It is probably a $15 mil per year decision for BYU.

 

[wsucatfan]

Looks like the latest rumors have byu staying in the mtn west. Tucking their tails and going back to their master like a whipped puppy. So now what happens to the WAC? Will UH leave, can USU get invited back to join the mtn? Can the WAC rebuild with the teams remaining? So many variables. Any word from WSU specifically Jerry Bovee on WSU and our options? Do we have a plan to move up? Would we need to add sports like UM would? Why is WSU rarely mentioned as a WAC replacement member? Would USU freak out and try and block our admittance? I don't want to stay in the Big Sky if we add some of the teams on the UM forum discussion, Carrol College, Dixie St. etc.

 

[talhadfoursteals]

Are you really putting any thought into what the Grizz faithful are saying? 90% of their fan base have no clue whats happening in the Sky or with UM. They have these illusions of granduer, but if they move up, most likely they will end up like Marshall or Idaho. Let them play in the Humanitarian Bowl every year. I'd rather be in the playoffs, with the chance to win a legitimate championship. Granted, it would be nice to get some better teams into the Dee every year, but hell, we might get rid of some really bad ones, SUC State.

The question that needs to be asked is...Does Weber really want to join the WAC?

The WAC's main choices are:

DAVIS
TEXAS ST.
TEXAS S.A.
POLY
UM
SUC
PSU

SERIOUSLY?? This is the best they can do? Only one team in that group is a viable candidate (UM). The rest are blah blah blah. Hell, Texas S.A. doesn't even have a team and wont be ready to play till, what 2012. I'm sure the NCAA will let them go directly into FBS. UCONN didn't even get to do that.

 

[wsucatfan]

Are you really putting any thought into what the Grizz faithful are saying? 90% of their fan base have no clue whats happening in the Sky or with UM. They have these illusions of granduer, but if they move up, most likely they will end up like Marshall or Idaho. Let them play in the Humanitarian Bowl every year. I'd rather be in the playoffs, with the chance to win a legitimate championship. Granted, it would be nice to get some better teams into the Dee every year, but hell, we might get rid of some really bad ones, SUC State.

The question that needs to be asked is...Does Weber really want to join the WAC?

The WAC's main choices are:

DAVIS
TEXAS ST.
TEXAS S.A.
POLY
UM
SUC
PSU

SERIOUSLY?? This is the best they can do? Only one team in that group is a viable candidate (UM). The rest are blah blah blah. Hell, Texas S.A. doesn't even have a team and wont be ready to play till, what 2012. I'm sure the NCAA will let them go directly into FBS. UCONN didn't even get to do that.

Not putting much into what the UM forum says but for discussion's sake, what happens if the WAC reloads with UM, and a few other Big Sky teams and we get left behind. I am just wondering what our options are and if the WSU leadership has any direction.

 

[Wildcat 100]

Are you really putting any thought into what the Grizz faithful are saying? 90% of their fan base have no clue whats happening in the Sky or with UM. They have these illusions of granduer, but if they move up, most likely they will end up like Marshall or Idaho. Let them play in the Humanitarian Bowl every year. I'd rather be in the playoffs, with the chance to win a legitimate championship. Granted, it would be nice to get some better teams into the Dee every year, but hell, we might get rid of some really bad ones, SUC State.

The question that needs to be asked is...Does Weber really want to join the WAC?

The WAC's main choices are:

DAVIS
TEXAS ST.
TEXAS S.A.
POLY
UM
SUC
PSU

SERIOUSLY?? This is the best they can do? Only one team in that group is a viable candidate (UM). The rest are blah blah blah. Hell, Texas S.A. doesn't even have a team and wont be ready to play till, what 2012. I'm sure the NCAA will let them go directly into FBS. UCONN didn't even get to do that.

I hear you and agree with you, WAC = What A Catastrophe

 

[WILDCAT]

I believe that Montana wont be able to leave without MSU, not to mention I dont think Montana is ready financially. I believe the WAC will take Port St, Sac St, Cal Poly and both Texas Schools, (Davis has to make loads of upgrades before the WAC will take them) That would give the the WAC 11 (If Lou Tech and Hawaii stay)- USU, Idaho, Hawaii, Lou Tech, San Jose St, N.Mex State, PSU, SAC, Cal Poly, Texas St and Texas SA,

And the Big Sky will be left with 7 teams, Weber, Montana, Montana State, EWU, NAU, UNC and Idaho State,

If the Sky were to lose both Sac and PSU, I think Fullerton would try to change the rules and make it so the Sky can have single sport members. To SUU's great joy the Sky will absorb them as a full member (perfect Bball travel partner for NAU), and then add Davis and North Dakota as Football only members. That would give us 10 Football teams, and 8 basketball teams, that would be the best way to do things. We could add Denver as B-ball only members, but doing that will give us 9 bball members and we'll have to go through that whole lone wolf scenario again.