[4everfsu]

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story ... conference

[ALUmnus]

^^^^^ What this says:

Boise State, San Diego St, possibly Navy as football only in the Big East
Houston, SMU, and UCF as full members of the Big East.

Possible announcement tomorrow.

[PAmedic]

lets roll

[Sly Fox]

Watch how quickly C-USA and possibly MWC respond once the Big East holds its news conference. Heads are about to start spinning it appears.

[jcmanson]

lets roll

Yep, strap up. Let's go. With a new FB coach & all.

[bluedevilflame]

I know situations are always different, but this kind of thing is what does worry me about moving to FBS in the current climate

http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/daily-t ... owl-season

[phoenix]

Probably a dumb question, but is our stock lessened by the fact that we don't have a head coach right now? Or is that something that the conferences don't care about that much?

[alabama24]

Probably a dumb question, but is our stock lessened by the fact that we don't have a head coach right now? Or is that something that the conferences don't care about that much?

[Hold My Own]

[Sly Fox]

It doesn't help. Which is why I anticipate that we will find a new coach in rather rapid fashion.

[bradyfan]

Sly -

As I'm sure you're aware, Boise State, San Diego State, SMU, UCF and Houston have officially joined the Big-East. What needs to happen next?

[Schfourteenteen]

We need to keep out lines open all day Wednesday.

[jcmanson]

We need to keep out lines open all day Wednesday.

What he said. Also break out the shovels on phase II and III expansion to the Bill

[jbock13]

We need to keep out lines open all day Wednesday.

What he said. Also break out the shovels on phase II and III expansion to the Bill

I really hope this happens. We could really use some good news.

[bradyfan]

We need to keep out lines open all day Wednesday.

What he said. Also break out the shovels on phase II and III expansion to the Bill

I really hope this happens. We could really use some good news.

I'll spend my Christmas break shoveling if that's what they need to complete this. I said this earlier but I think that if we announce plans to start phase II, I think that opens our coaching possibilities.

[Sly Fox]

I'm not going to lie, the reaction of the C-USA & MWC folks has not been what I expected. Apparently Britt Banowsky is having his authority called into question and that is impacting what is happening now in reaction to the long-awaited Big East expansion. A straight merger of the CUSA-MWC with no further additions does nothing for us. In fact, it likely closes the door for all of the rest of us trying to find a way into the FBS ranks for at least a year.

Frankly a MWC-CUSA merged league is pretty ugly to look at from a national perspective. It no longer would have any chance of getting a BCS bid as was originally hoped before the five schools bolted to the Big East.

Banowsky released a comment shortly following the Big East Conference’s announcement.

“Given the underlying commercial elements and the current BCS structure, moving conferences seems to be a regular occurrence in this present culture,” Banowsky said. “We have developed some great relationships with those leaving us and appreciate the contributions they have made to our conference.

“We trust they made their decision after careful and thoughtful analysis and with the necessary assurances and wish them well.”

Banowsky said in the weeks ahead, there are plans to move forward to improve Conference USA.

“We are excited about the progress we are making with our friends from the Mountain West and look forward to completing our future membership initiatives together,” Bankowsky said. “Ultimately, our institutions will seek to align with other institutions that share our values for excellence in higher education and intercollegiate athletics, and possess the greatest potential for future growth and success.

“There is no timetable for this process, but we have a solid group of presidents that will be focused on maximizing this opportunity in a thoughtful and expedient manner.”

Click Here for Full Story

The obvious CUSA targets in the Sunbelt are FAU & FIU. Here's a story from Wednesday with their positions in the waiting game ...

As conference's shift, FAU and FIU take wait-and-see attitude
Sun Belt could end up being the right conference for them

5:14 p.m. EST, December 7, 2011

Florida Atlantic and Florida International, currently members of the Sun Belt, could be a target for Conference-USA in the wake of the raid by the Big East, but both schools say it is too early to say what might happen.

"We like where we are," said FAU Athletic Director Craig Angelos Wednesday. "That is not to say we wouldn't consider a move, but it would have to be something we felt would enhance our athletic program."

"There are too many moving parts right now," said FIU Athletic Director Pete Garcia. "Call me back in a couple weeks when things have settled down."

Click Here for Full Story

[PAmedic]

I'm trying to read between the lines there... didnt get thru the links and I don't know the background info here, but what aspect of Banowsky's authority do you see being questioned?

The proposed merger itself or the "raiding other conferences" idea?

[Sly Fox]

Banowsky is the guy who was thinking creatively and openly discussing taking C-USA or combined C-USA/MWC to combined 24 or even 32-team league. He also is the guy who famously sent out the idea to league presidents of the CUSA/MWC/Big East alignment if the Big East hadn't have been able to swing this western expansion. Nearly all of the merger talks have referenced that if the two leagues were to combine, then Banowsky would be out and the MWC commish would run the show. That tells me that some of the current C-USA member schools haven't been on board with Banowsky's leadership through this realignment circus.

[bluedevilflame]

Maybe they just unite FCS and FBS and run a NCAA tournament and call it a day. I know that will never happen, but would be curious if it's ever been discussed by higher ups.

[bradyfan]

I doubt we'll get to a tournament/playoff system that has more than 12 teams. Personally, I think that 12 is too much. I hope that the NCAA maxes out at 8 but I'd love to see 4. With that said, I do think the FBS and FCS may combine forces in the future. There is already so much talk as to getting rid of the whole AQ conference idea. I think the only barrier for it to happen is the question, of how would those lower tier teams participate in an offseason. Even if the NCAA went to 20 playoff teams, the current FCS schools would have practically no chance of making it. So, it's a possibility but they would likely have to radically change the postseason to make it happen.

[bluedevilflame]

I doubt we'll get to a tournament/playoff system that has more than 12 teams. Personally, I think that 12 is too much. I hope that the NCAA maxes out at 8 but I'd love to see 4. With that said, I do think the FBS and FCS may combine forces in the future. There is already so much talk as to getting rid of the whole AQ conference idea. I think the only barrier for it to happen is the question, of how would those lower tier teams participate in an offseason. Even if the NCAA went to 20 playoff teams, the current FCS schools would have practically no chance of making it. So, it's a possibility but they would likely have to radically change the postseason to make it happen.

I could see a 20 team tournament and the bowls turning into an NIT system of sorts for other teams

[alabama24]

I could see a 20 team tournament and the bowls turning into an NIT system of sorts for other teams

Never happen. The bowl games make too much money.

[Sly Fox]

But who makes that money? That is the primary driving force behind any upcoming changes.

[bluedevilflame]

I could see a 20 team tournament and the bowls turning into an NIT system of sorts for other teams

Never happen. The bowl games make too much money.

Unfortunately, I agree with you. I think the NCAA is missing out on how massive a tournament in football would be for them.

[Sly Fox]

They understand completely ... right now they are frozen out of the big bucks from football that they lavish themselves in from hoops. But it is the power schools that are controlling the situation right now. The NCAA knows that the big boys can pick up their toys and and go home to their own football organization (anybody remember the CFA?).