Sources Say Air Force Leaning Towards Staying In Mwc

[Rumrunner]

Mountain West remains option for Air Force as it ponders tough realignment decision

"Although moving the football program to the Big East is an appealing option, sources with knowledge of academy superintendent Lt. Gen. Mike Gould’s thought process, who did not want their names used because Gould has not spoken publicly about realignment in weeks, said Gould might be leaning toward staying in the Mountain West."

http://www.gazette.com/sports/names-128010-gen-thompson.html

 

[MTHusky]

might be leaning toward staying in the Mountain West

Then again, he might not. This is a non story.

 

[CL82]

Keep reading...

That could change as Gould weighs the pros and cons of each path, and the worst-case scenarios about moving to the Big East. The issues include a lack of guarantees about television money and the stability of the Big East, as well as the perception of a service academy’s motives and loyalty.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Thompson is the only one on the record source for this story, so take it with a grain of salt.

If stability is an issue for Air Force, they will need an electronic timer to measure how quickly Nevada or SDSU will take their spot if they turn down a Big East invite, because a hand timer won't be quick enough.

 

[UConn64BA72JD]

Mountain West remains option for Air Force as it ponders tough realignment decision

As usual, during our wars the saying was let's wait for the Navy (i.e. the Marines) to show up. Then the Air Force and Army will follow. Ergo, Gould is waiting for the midshipmen.

 

[MattMang23]

Thompson is the only one on the record source for this story, so take it with a grain of salt.

If stability is an issue for Air Force, they will need an electronic timer to measure how quickly Nevada or SDSU will take their spot if they turn down a Big East invite, because a hand timer won't be quick enough.

Yes, and then you can time Memphis or Temple to see how quickly they take Navy's spot because Navy won't be coming either.

 

[uconNYC]

I want UConn, RU, UC, UL, USF and UCF in one division. So the other can be SMU, UH, Boise St., and any three more western schools - BYU, SDSU, Nevada/Fresno St.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Yes, and then you can time Memphis or Temple to see how quickly they take Navy's spot because Navy won't be coming either.

I think AFA and Navy will both join the Big East, but I think it is in both sides interest if they didn't. AFA and Navy will be lucky to finish .500 in the BE with their best teams, and will not receive a recruiting boost by being in the Big East.

If AFA and Navy both bail, I think the league should go west, adding Nevada and Fresno or SDSU for football only.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I think AFA and Navy will both join the Big East, but I think it is in both sides interest if they didn't. AFA and Navy will be lucky to finish .500 in the BE with their best teams, and will not receive a recruiting boost by being in the Big East.

If AFA and Navy both bail, I think the league should go west, adding Nevada and Fresno or SDSU for football only.

And the money is largely irrelevant to the service academies. I think they are better off staying out of the league. AFA's only motivation to join would come from being in with Navy. Navy probably feels the same. Since they play each other anyway, what's the point?

Boise is weighing its leverage. Nevada and SDSU will not have landing places for their olympic sports. I still believe we will soon see a request for 3-4 western teams for all sports, to go with the two Texas schools. Even Tulsa could be a fit.

 

[HartbeatHusky]

I want UConn, RU, UC, UL, USF and UCF in one division. So the other can be SMU, UH, Boise St., and any three more western schools - BYU, SDSU, Nevada/Fresno St.

That's what I want too, especially if the service academies aren't coming. I definitely want UofL and Cinci to both stay in the east though.

 

[SAMCRO]

I want UConn, RU, UC, UL, USF and UCF in one division. So the other can be SMU, UH, Boise St., and any three more western schools - BYU, SDSU, Nevada/Fresno St.

This! If we are going to proceed with this NNBE, I'd like the current 5 BE teams to stick in one division, along with a 6th (UCF makes sense). SMU, Houston, Boise, and three more (preferably BYU, AFA, and one out of Nevada, SDSU, or even S. Miss - with all but SMU and Houston as FB only) in the West, and let's call it a day.
It's a conference arragnement out of necessity/desperation, no doubt, but it is workable and definitely gives us a stronger FB league than we've ever had. The new teams win in this scenario b/c of the AQ and a HUGE increase in their usual TV contracts. The existing BE teams win (well survive really) b/c it keeps us all at the AQ table.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

And the money is largely irrelevant to the service academies. I think they are better off staying out of the league. AFA's only motivation to join would come from being in with Navy. Navy probably feels the same. Since they play each other anyway, what's the point?

Boise is weighing its leverage. Nevada and SDSU will not have landing places for their olympic sports. I still believe we will soon see a request for 3-4 western teams for all sports, to go with the two Texas schools. Even Tulsa could be a fit.

No one west of Texas is even asking for an all-sports membership. Other than SDSU, the basketball programs are light years from being Big East caliber, and travel for the olympic sports would be prohibitive.

 

[HartbeatHusky]

No one west of Texas is even asking for an all-sports membership. Other than SDSU, the basketball programs are light years from being Big East caliber, and travel for the olympic sports would be prohibitive.

SDSU and BYU would both be competitive BE bball members.

 

[HuskyHawk]

No one west of Texas is even asking for an all-sports membership. Other than SDSU, the basketball programs are light years from being Big East caliber, and travel for the olympic sports would be prohibitive.

I agree travel is bad. You say no one is requesting this, but (1) Boise wants western teams to play and (2) it's unlikely any western team other than BYU will secure a different conference for its olympic sports. So I think we're looking at the inevitable, as I've been saying for a week now. The Texas and Florida schools are already bad for travel. So make two big divisions, maybe 7-8 schools each, and play inter-divisional games only rarely. We'd need to split from the BB schools.

UConn, RU, UL, Cincy, USF, UCF, Temple
Boise, Nevada, SMU, Houston, Tulsa, BYU, SDSU or UNLV

If Nova can upgrade, add both SDSU and UNLV. I really don't see how this is going to work otherwise.

 

[HartbeatHusky]

I agree travel is bad. You say no one is requesting this, but (1) Boise wants western teams to play and (2) it's unlikely any western team other than BYU will secure a different conference for its olympic sports. So I think we're looking at the inevitable, as I've been saying for a week now. The Texas and Florida schools are already bad for travel. So make two big divisions, maybe 7-8 schools each, and play inter-divisional games only rarely. We'd need to split from the BB schools.

UConn, RU, UL, Cincy, USF, UCF, Temple
Boise, Nevada, SMU, Houston, Tulsa, BYU, SDSU or UNLV

If Nova can upgrade, add both SDSU and UNLV. I really don't see how this is going to work otherwise.

There will be no split. I agree about the two divisions for all sports but seriously don't think there is going to be a split.

 

[HuskyHawk]

There will be no split. I agree about the two divisions for all sports but seriously don't think there is going to be a split.

If there is no split, there is no way any team west of Dallas comes in for all sports.

 

[HartbeatHusky]

If there is no split, there is no way any team west of Dallas comes in for all sports.

That is your working assumption not mine. Adding the 6 that have been discussed with only the service academies being football-only would give us 20 bball schools until Cuse, Pitt, and WVU leave. Replacing them with 3 more all sports members would bring it back to 20. The BE could easily make it work with 20 basketball teams. They wouldn't even have to go to divisions if they didn't want to.

 

[HuskyHawk]

That is your working assumption not mine. Adding the 6 that have been discussed with only the service academies being football-only would give us 20 bball schools until Cuse, Pitt, and WVU leave. Replacing them with 3 more all sports members would bring it back to 20. The BE could easily make it work with 20 basketball teams. They wouldn't even have to go to divisions if they didn't want to.

It's not just numbers, it's budgets and travel. PC Volleyball is not going travel to Nevada, or St. Johns field hockey to Idaho. Those schools add nothing to the BB only schools. They are mostly dilutive for basketball and would increase travel costs for schools with smaller athletic budgets. I am surprised that they are allowing UCF, Houston and SMU, and I think they are only to keep UConn and Louisville.

 

[Vowelguy]

It's not just numbers, it's budgets and travel. PC Volleyball is not going travel to Nevada, or St. Johns field hockey to Idaho. Those schools add nothing to the BB only schools. They are mostly dilutive for basketball and would increase travel costs for schools with smaller athletic budgets.

Agreed

I am surprised that they are allowing UCF, Houston and SMU.

One trip to Texas to play Hou & SMU, with home games against the FL schools.
Following year: flip it.

That's not much travel. In fact, it may just replace a non-conference trip that the teams may have made.