Independence, when will be the time to move on? - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

BlueK · 05-12-2015, 05:34 PM

So as optimistic as I like to be, I can't see a P5 conference invitation coming any time soon. The Big 12 has seemed like the most likely possibility for joining a P5 league, but it's still an extreme longshot. I just heard the Big 12 commissioner interviewed on the radio. Clueless would be a good word to describe him and his league, IMO. He actually said he doesn't think any more changes or expansion will be happening in any of the P5 leagues for the next ten years. And maybe he just says such things for PR purposes, but it actually made me believe even more that at some point in the near future the other P5 leagues are going to find a way to stage an all-out assault on his league. He seemed to think the way they've arranged their TV contract and granting of rights will prevent his league from getting picked over but I have doubts that it would be enforceable, especially if things happened quickly. If the P12, Big 10, ACC, and SEC all decided to descend like vultures at the exact same time, they could have everything of value picked out of the B12 with essentially no league left over to try to enforce anything.

And while I do like being able to play a nationally ranging schedule in football and the ESPN deal. I just don't see it being a longterm solution. Heck, even Bronco has made recent statements to that affect.

Therefore I'm starting to fall into the camp that believes we just need to bite the bullet and be proactive rather than reactive. I think it's time to join a league, and not the one most people would think. I don't want any part of the MWC, geography notwithstanding. There is nothing of value for us there that we can't do already, like playing Boise State.

I propose we join a maybe not great, but credible league that already likes us. I think we need to join the American and do it for all sports. It's the best among a lot of less than great options. The football isn't terrible and we're playing a lot of those teams anyway. The basketball would be an immediate upgrade into a major conference. Maybe this looks better to me because my fandom is so basketball-centric, but it's not like football as an indy is really that great right now, so why not. At least we'd have a conference championship (and NY6 bowl) to play for. Face it, we're not going to be making the CFP any time soon, and the way things are right now, even if we went 11-1 against a good indy schedule the system is stacked against us from getting into a New Years Bowl because of the lack of available slots. As champions of the AAC we'd have a shot at going to a bowl like that.

Again, granted, the lineup doesn't excite me that much for football, but it would be a very good basketball league for us. Maybe we could get Boise to go with us. They almost joined them once.

SMU
Tulsa
Temple
Cincinnati
UConn
Memphis
Tulane
E. Carolina
UCF
Houston
S. Florida
BYU

MikeWaters · 05-12-2015, 05:37 PM

that's a gawdawful football conference for sure. Houston, SMU for starters are the football armpits of Texas.

BlueK · 05-12-2015, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

that's a gawdawful football conference for sure. Houston, SMU for starters are the football armpits of Texas.

Well, I admit football is almost an afterthought for me right now. We'll have to see how this year goes. I'm afraid another 8-5 year is only going to serve to push us even further into irrelevance.

MikeWaters · 05-12-2015, 05:51 PM

We are irrelevant, but face it, we are usually irrelevant, and most years in the future we will be irrelevant as well.

If we were in the Big 12, we would not be a threat to win the conference. In either sport. We would have more money though, and play the role of spoiler. And be in more meaningful games. And have a better home schedule.

BlueK · 05-12-2015, 05:55 PM

After listening to the Big 12 commissioner I'm really starting to think it's only a matter of time before the Big 12 as we know it comes apart. We may suddenly become attractive to them at that point, but it would be a league without any of the big boys, IMO. Texas can write their own ticket and someday they just will and go join the P12, Big 12 or SEC.

MikeWaters · 05-12-2015, 06:01 PM

The dregs of the Big 12 are better than what we have right now.

BlueK · 05-12-2015, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

The dregs of the Big 12 are better than what we have right now.

Maybe in basketball. The football schedule this year has some nice names on it. I'd rather play Nebraska, Michigan, Boise State, UCLA, Missouri more than Iowa State, Texas Tech, Kansas...

MikeWaters · 05-13-2015, 02:01 AM

If we give up on independence, we will go back to the MWC.

Traditional rivals, geographical proximity. I don't think the money would be any better in the American.

05-12-2015, 05:34 PM	#1
BlueK Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 2,368	Independence, when will be the time to move on? So as optimistic as I like to be, I can't see a P5 conference invitation coming any time soon. The Big 12 has seemed like the most likely possibility for joining a P5 league, but it's still an extreme longshot. I just heard the Big 12 commissioner interviewed on the radio. Clueless would be a good word to describe him and his league, IMO. He actually said he doesn't think any more changes or expansion will be happening in any of the P5 leagues for the next ten years. And maybe he just says such things for PR purposes, but it actually made me believe even more that at some point in the near future the other P5 leagues are going to find a way to stage an all-out assault on his league. He seemed to think the way they've arranged their TV contract and granting of rights will prevent his league from getting picked over but I have doubts that it would be enforceable, especially if things happened quickly. If the P12, Big 10, ACC, and SEC all decided to descend like vultures at the exact same time, they could have everything of value picked out of the B12 with essentially no league left over to try to enforce anything. And while I do like being able to play a nationally ranging schedule in football and the ESPN deal. I just don't see it being a longterm solution. Heck, even Bronco has made recent statements to that affect. Therefore I'm starting to fall into the camp that believes we just need to bite the bullet and be proactive rather than reactive. I think it's time to join a league, and not the one most people would think. I don't want any part of the MWC, geography notwithstanding. There is nothing of value for us there that we can't do already, like playing Boise State. I propose we join a maybe not great, but credible league that already likes us. I think we need to join the American and do it for all sports. It's the best among a lot of less than great options. The football isn't terrible and we're playing a lot of those teams anyway. The basketball would be an immediate upgrade into a major conference. Maybe this looks better to me because my fandom is so basketball-centric, but it's not like football as an indy is really that great right now, so why not. At least we'd have a conference championship (and NY6 bowl) to play for. Face it, we're not going to be making the CFP any time soon, and the way things are right now, even if we went 11-1 against a good indy schedule the system is stacked against us from getting into a New Years Bowl because of the lack of available slots. As champions of the AAC we'd have a shot at going to a bowl like that. Again, granted, the lineup doesn't excite me that much for football, but it would be a very good basketball league for us. Maybe we could get Boise to go with us. They almost joined them once. SMU Tulsa Temple Cincinnati UConn Memphis Tulane E. Carolina UCF Houston S. Florida BYU Last edited by BlueK; 05-12-2015 at 05:36 PM.

05-12-2015, 05:55 PM	#5
BlueK Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 2,368	After listening to the Big 12 commissioner I'm really starting to think it's only a matter of time before the Big 12 as we know it comes apart. We may suddenly become attractive to them at that point, but it would be a league without any of the big boys, IMO. Texas can write their own ticket and someday they just will and go join the P12, Big 12 or SEC. Last edited by BlueK; 05-12-2015 at 05:58 PM.

05-12-2015, 05:37 PM	#2
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	that's a gawdawful football conference for sure. Houston, SMU for starters are the football armpits of Texas.

05-12-2015, 05:51 PM	#4
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	We are irrelevant, but face it, we are usually irrelevant, and most years in the future we will be irrelevant as well. If we were in the Big 12, we would not be a threat to win the conference. In either sport. We would have more money though, and play the role of spoiler. And be in more meaningful games. And have a better home schedule.

05-12-2015, 06:01 PM	#6
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	The dregs of the Big 12 are better than what we have right now.

05-13-2015, 02:01 AM	#8
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	If we give up on independence, we will go back to the MWC. Traditional rivals, geographical proximity. I don't think the money would be any better in the American.