[SuperJon]

What will hurt us won't be the fact that we are a "religious" school. It will be the fact that we are primarily a political institution at this point.

Oh snap Jamal.

[Schfourteenteen]

What will hurt us won't be the fact that we are a "religious" school. It will be the fact that we are primarily a political institution at this point.

HAHAHAHA

It doesn't hurt Cal-Berkley though.

[Sly Fox]

Out television capabilities means absolutely nothing the Big Boys. But to regional FBS leagues it has some value. There simply aren't many Sunbelt or MAC TV packages. And what there is would be greatly enhanced by us producing our games.

But jk37 is correct that joining a league could restrict what we can do with television. Even being in the Big South we have seen that the past couple of years.

[flamesfilmguy]

I'm really liking the blunt honesty in this thread.

[prototype]

I was reading an article on ESPN that mentioned Cal blocking Baylor's entrance into the new Pac 10. Most felt that Baylor was blocked because Colorado was more attractive in terms of TV revenue because of the Denver market. However, some felt that Baylor's religious views held them back.

So I am wondering... Do you think Liberty's Christian views would hurt them when they: 1) move up to a FBS conference or 2) try to form a new FBS conference with other FCS teams?

They are getting left out because they are a private school...period. PAC 10 is trying to get all public schools and why would Baylor be a great addition anyways?

[ATrain]

I was reading an article on ESPN that mentioned Cal blocking Baylor's entrance into the new Pac 10. Most felt that Baylor was blocked because Colorado was more attractive in terms of TV revenue because of the Denver market. However, some felt that Baylor's religious views held them back.

So I am wondering... Do you think Liberty's Christian views would hurt them when they: 1) move up to a FBS conference or 2) try to form a new FBS conference with other FCS teams?

They are getting left out because they are a private school...period. PAC 10 is trying to get all public schools and why would Baylor be a great addition anyways?

So does that mean Stanford is a public school?

[Sly Fox]

While Proto's premise is correct, there is unquestionably an element to idealogy in the Pac-10 choosing Colorado over Baylor. Neither brings much to the table or has a decent track record over the past decade in football. And before you mention the Denver TV market, hardly anyone in the Mile High City gives a rip about the Buffs including most of their alumni. CU leans WAY to the left & BU leans WAY to the right. It looks right now like the Baptists in Waco will likely end up in a league with the Mormons in Provo. That could be fun.

Our idealogy has affected our conference affiliation for a quarter century. Schools in the SoCon, CAA & A-10 have made sure they were never tied to the Jerry Falwell school. Primarily that opposition has come from other privates. Most publics have been more concerned about economics.

[From the class of 09]

Our idealogy has affected our conference affiliation for a quarter century. Schools in the SoCon, CAA & A-10 have made sure they were never tied to the Jerry Falwell school. Primarily that opposition has come from other privates. Most publics have been more concerned about economics.

Your wording of the "Jerry Falwell School" is exactly what scared other conferences away from LU. I think that as the university continues to move out of Jerry's shadow. This will be less and less of an issue as Jerry’s generation continues to pass on.

[LUconn]

disagree

[ATrain]

disagree

Very succint

[LUconn]

Well it was a side note that belongs in the other thread. Is there a way to merge them because it's really just 2 parts of the same topic and it's impossible to keep them separated.

[Sly Fox]

I had been on the verge of doing before you asked. Then we you suggested it the choice was easy. Our distinctive appearance to the rest of the world certainly plays a role in our realignment positioning.

[SuperJon]

If it came down to the two issues (politics vs academics) I think the political avenue that our school is taking will hurt us more than the academics.

[LUconn]

While I agree that if those 2 issues are an issue, they would be a deterrent to 90% of other schools, they are not an issue. These are athletic conferences. They are about money, tradition, and money. Whining about academics is pure posturing and done primarily by fans. The only time it ever matters is the acceptance of partial and/or non qualifiers onto your teams because that's an uneven recruiting playing field. And that can be easily remedied. If we could make the Big 10 more money than Texas, they'd be asking us, as dumb as I feel making that comparison.

[Sly Fox]

That is true to a certain degree, but academics play a MAJOR role in why Texas is not even considering the SEC. Let's stop beating around the bush on this topic, the SEC's academic reputation is a major issue and one reason that I doubt UVa would be interested in an invite unless the money were ridiculously sick. UVa & Texas are much more in line academically with the Big Ten & Pac-10 outside of where they sit right now.

[ALAFlamesFan]

IMO it is a simple formula

WIN Games = More Fans = More Money = Better Conference.

Better Facilities help
Less politics helps
Better academics help some

If we could prove to be a signifcant financial asset to another conference the politics and religion cards will not trump the finances.

[ALAFlamesFan]

Also somewhat related: I feel completely confident that our current AD is on top of this. I am very comfortable with JB getting us the best deal possible in any realignment.

[jcmanson]

We're not going anywhere anytime soon.

[From the class of 09]

We're not going anywhere anytime soon.

I wouldn't bet much money on that with the way things are going. Why couldn't we be moving in the next 5 years?

[jcmanson]

We're not going anywhere anytime soon.

I wouldn't bet much money on that with the way things are going. Why couldn't we be moving in the next 5 years?

We could, I wouldn't bet on it though

And I hope I have to eat my words.

[SuperJon]

We're not going anywhere anytime soon.

I wouldn't bet much money on that with the way things are going. Why couldn't we be moving in the next 5 years?

No one's going to come to us. We have to go petition wherever we end up going. It can be done, but if you think some conference expansion is going to sit and say, "Hey, I think Liberty would be a good option" then you are mistaken. We have to pursue the hot girl and convince her that we're a better date for the prom than the four other guys asking her as well.

[From the class of 09]

We're not going anywhere anytime soon.

I wouldn't bet much money on that with the way things are going. Why couldn't we be moving in the next 5 years?

No one's going to come to us. We have to go petition wherever we end up going. It can be done, but if you think some conference expansion is going to sit and say, "Hey, I think Liberty would be a good option" then you are mistaken. We have to pursue the hot girl and convince her that we're a better date for the prom than the four other guys asking her as well.

Maybe we would have to be proactive (nothing wrong with that). But if there are going to be 15+ major schools moving around you can guarantee that there will be a lot of moving on the lower levels including FCS football leaving ample opportunities to move up in the world.

[SuperJon]

The only way there's a huge shake up out of this at our level is if these conferences start taking a bunch of teams at the lower level. If they just keep taking the BCS schools and one or two small schools then there will only be one or two small school openings.

[ALAFlamesFan]

When I was in school Boise State and LU were in the same classification I-AA. Just sayin. Look what a few years can do.

[Sly Fox]

Right now, there are no opportunities. But the way the dominoes fall the next week or so could change the complexion of the landscape completely. Frankly the Big East getting cherry-picked is where things really start getting interesting from our perspective.