(04-25-2014 10:50 PM)JMU2004 Wrote:  

(04-25-2014 10:41 PM)GoAppsGo92 Wrote:  

(04-25-2014 10:24 PM)JMU2004 Wrote:  SBC needs stability. UMass doesn't help there. Benson has a serious WAC fear.

Hope NMSU joins for all sports now. In 2 years, UMass and Idaho need to be headed elsewhere. Missouri st and EKU at that point?

UMASS works perfect, and in many ways is the best choice from purely a football perspective than any choice out there. They are a flagship school, they bring in new states and media markets, they are already FBS, they are making investments in football infrastructure NOW, and they want to join.

As for what happens in two years? Who knows! Any decision should be made by making the best choice of the available options. UMASS is the best choice by far. I prefer to think and assume UMASS and Idaho will be good members that will add value to the conference. They both have to have somewhere to go before they can leave.... And there are signs everywhere that realignment is slowing down. Should UMASS and Idaho flourish in the SBC why change? If either has something else to pursue, I'm sure the process will start over again, but I think we will be set with these teams for another 4-5 years or more. By then, EKU can prove they want to be FBS by putting money where their mouth is as well as MSU, LIBERTY can further distance itself from its past and win some football championships, and JMU can get their head out of their pompous backside and decide to finally evolve. Anything can happen.

JMU is a separate issue. I know we screwed the pooch.

JMU won't ever join the SBC. I think that has been made clear. I hate it, but I'm not in control.

UMass and Idaho aren't the answer, but they're all that's available. Better than liberty and EKU, for now.

Let's be clear: They are a hell of a lot better. Both flagship, both FBS. And "for now" could be 4 years, or it could be 10. If we get to 12 with this deal, we are good to go until further notice. None of us can predict the future, but I have to say that the SBC has fared pretty darn well in the realignment race if this deal brings in NMSU as a full member plus UMASS. Not bad at all.