The WAC has enough teams with good followings (Hawaii, Boise St, Fresno St, Nevada) to stay a live, but an interesting situation is going on with the Sun Belt. The Sun Belt should have it's own set of teams with a good following (La Tech, UNT, Western Kentucky, MT, Troy State, and Louisiana Lafayette is getting there). Should the I-A requirements in football weed out lower teams in both conferences... could the WAC and SunBelt be forced to merge and split into east/west divisions? The geography could be manageable under strict divisional alignments.... but alone either conference is on shaky ground in football under new I-A requirements.

georgia_tech_swagger Wrote:The WAC has enough teams with good followings (Hawaii, Boise St, Fresno St, Nevada) to stay a live, but an interesting situation is going on with the Sun Belt. The Sun Belt should have it's own set of teams with a good following (La Tech, UNT, Western Kentucky, MT, Troy State, and Louisiana Lafayette is getting there). Should the I-A requirements in football weed out lower teams in both conferences... could the WAC and SunBelt be forced to merge and split into east/west divisions? The geography could be manageable under strict divisional alignments.... but alone either conference is on shaky ground in football under new I-A requirements.

Looks like the attendance requirement will not be implemented, so that gives new life to many d1a teams that were struggling with attendance.

The WAC as 2 months to add teams in time for the 2005 season or stay pat with the 8 remaining teams. Next 60 days will be interesting. As of July 1, we can stop thinking and talking about conference realignment and get back to talking football.

I am looking forward to July 1!!!

Here's the big question... if La Tech were to leave the WAC for the Belt (as there are rumblings about), who does the WAC add? Idaho may be one to get to 8, but who else is out there to get to 9? Does the WAC pursue Gonzaga and Denver to round out to 10 schools, but still only 8 for football? Is there a I-AA team in the neighborhood that could make the jump up?

That was always the bigger issue with the C-USA invite. If C-USA invited La Tech, all's well. But the danger always was losing two teams... UTEP to C-USA and La Tech to financial constraints... and dropping from nine to seven.

Cane Gang Wrote:Is there a I-AA team in the neighborhood that could make the jump up?

If I were the WAC commish I would do whatever I could to convinve Montana to make the move up and add Idaho at the same time, as they view each other as rivals and play each year.

These non-bcs conferences need to get more regional. There is no sensible justification, especially in light of some of the more punative new 1A rules likely not being implemented, of having two or three conferences all spanning from Hell's half acre to BFE, IMHO.

SpaceRaider Wrote:

Cane Gang Wrote:Is there a I-AA team in the neighborhood that could make the jump up?

If I were the WAC commish I would do whatever I could to convinve Montana to make the move up and add Idaho at the same time, as they view each other as rivals and play each year.

These non-bcs conferences need to get more regional. There is no sensible justification, especially in light of some of the more punative new 1A rules likely not being implemented, of having two or three conferences all spanning from Hell's half acre to BFE, IMHO.

Idaho and Montana would be a good combination! If Montana made the jump (unlikely), it would be a package deal with Montana and Montana State!

Portland State could have some d1a potential as well.

If the WAC doesn't save Idaho, it's more likely that Idaho goes I-AA than Montana jumps I-A.

Adding Gonzaga and Denver for all-sports minus football would be a crafty move. The Zags along with Utah State, would more than make up for the loss of Tulsa and UTEP in bball. The question is, would the Zags ever leave the WCC? Even though the idea has about a 1% chance of happening, it is still a cool idea.

trerocket Wrote:Adding Gonzaga and Denver for all-sports minus football would be a crafty move. The Zags along with Utah State, would more than make up for the loss of Tulsa and UTEP in bball. The question is, would the Zags ever leave the WCC? Even though the idea has about a 1% chance of happening, it is still a cool idea. 

I think the Zags are pretty comfy in the WCC with all the other small Jesuit schools on the coast, but you never know. Whippin' the living snot out of Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine will get old after awhile (and doesn't do much for their SOS). Bring Gonzaga into the WAC with Fresno, Nevada, Utah State, Boise and Hawaii... good hoops right there.

Future of the WAC might be roundball...

Cane Gang Wrote:

trerocket Wrote:Adding Gonzaga and Denver for all-sports minus football would be a crafty move. The Zags along with Utah State, would more than make up for the loss of Tulsa and UTEP in bball. The question is, would the Zags ever leave the WCC? Even though the idea has about a 1% chance of happening, it is still a cool idea. 

I think the Zags are pretty comfy in the WCC with all the other small Jesuit schools on the coast, but you never know. Whippin' the living snot out of Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine will get old after awhile (and doesn't do much for their SOS). Bring Gonzaga into the WAC with Fresno, Nevada, Utah State, Boise and Hawaii... good hoops right there.

Future of the WAC might be roundball...

Almost all D1A football conferences do not have non-football members. CUSA is shedding their non-football schools and that will only leave the Big East with non-football members and I don't think that will last a long time. I really do not want Boise State to be part of conference that has non-football members.

I know, my bias is showing. I hate Hockey too! That last comment was for BoiseBro!

broncobob Wrote:

Cane Gang Wrote:

trerocket Wrote:Adding Gonzaga and Denver for all-sports minus football would be a crafty move. The Zags along with Utah State, would more than make up for the loss of Tulsa and UTEP in bball. The question is, would the Zags ever leave the WCC? Even though the idea has about a 1% chance of happening, it is still a cool idea. 

I think the Zags are pretty comfy in the WCC with all the other small Jesuit schools on the coast, but you never know. Whippin' the living snot out of Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine will get old after awhile (and doesn't do much for their SOS). Bring Gonzaga into the WAC with Fresno, Nevada, Utah State, Boise and Hawaii... good hoops right there.

Future of the WAC might be roundball...

Almost all D1A football conferences do not have non-football members. CUSA is shedding their non-football schools and that will only leave the Big East with non-football members and I don't think that will last a long time. I really do not want Boise State to be part of conference that has non-football members.

I know, my bias is showing. I hate Hockey too! That last comment was for BoiseBro!

Desperate times, and all that...

It would be a big shift for the conference to take that step. Obviously, it wouldn't be taken lightly. But with relatively few schools to choose from out West, it might be necessary... and financially sound to boot.

If the WAC loaded up on basketball schools and solidified a solid place above the MWC in perception, then the NCAA revenue from putting several teams into the dance might help to keep some of the football schools in place. That's a 'maybe' at best.

But without it?

La Tech can't leave the WAC til 2006 at the earliest. Too much basketball $ at risk for the league. Besides one unstable conference is as good as another! LOL!!

Dawg81 Wrote:Too much basketball $ at risk for the league.

Exactly. go go go!

Dawg81 Wrote:Besides one unstable conference is as good as another! LOL!!

This is what is going to cause Tech to go Bankrupt.

don't mind broncobob regarding his sporadic rantings about hockey.

we mock what we do not understand.

he'll come around on hockey, once he fully understands its grace and dignity and blood. and then, he'll endorse my idea of adding women's hockey to the WAC.

which will mean nothing, of course.

yet, women's hockey is the future of the WAC. not roundball. as if basketball is the only sport that plays with a round ball. by that logic baseball is also roundball. as is soccer. and everyone living in a democratic society hates soccer. evil, evil sport.

but hockey? and women? a perfect pair. a perfect match. heaven on icy earth. ice and ice queens. chicks and sticks. pucks and...um...babes.

bob will come around. oh yes.

btw: what was this thread about again?

oh yeah. WAC TEAMS SHOULD SELL BOOZE DURING EVENTS!!!!

there. bob already agrees with that, at least.

does too.

does TOO.

1boisebro Wrote:don't mind broncobob regarding his sporadic rantings about hockey.

we mock what we do not understand.

he'll come around on hockey, once he fully understands its grace and dignity and blood. and then, he'll endorse my idea of adding women's hockey to the WAC.

which will mean nothing, of course.

yet, women's hockey is the future of the WAC. not roundball. as if basketball is the only sport that plays with a round ball. by that logic baseball is also roundball. as is soccer. and everyone living in a democratic society hates soccer. evil, evil sport.

but hockey? and women? a perfect pair. a perfect match. heaven on icy earth. ice and ice queens. chicks and sticks. pucks and...um...babes.

bob will come around. oh yes.

btw: what was this thread about again?

oh yeah. WAC TEAMS SHOULD SELL BOOZE DURING EVENTS!!!!

there. bob already agrees with that, at least.

does too.

does TOO.

Can they wear bikinis AND play hockey???

How fast can you type Bro????

I LOVE HOCKEY! 2004 Women's NCAA title was won by??? Come on Boisebro. If you can answer that, I will support your drive to add women's hocky.

faster than i can think. (obviously).

and yes, they can wear bikinis, though that would be slightly dangerous considering each young lady will be wearing a KNIFE ON BOTH FEET.

minnesota golden gophers, yah hey. (my home state, btw).

though i was hoping for wisconsin...

1boisebro Wrote:minnesota golden gophers, yah hey. (my home state, btw).

though i was hoping for wisconsin...

Hey! I'm from Minnesota too!

Spit spit on Wisconsin! What could cause you to sin like that?!?

i may have been born in minnesota, but i suckled at the ample yet supple, glorious teat of wisconsin.

and what a teat!





what. did i cross the line?