[Sly Fox]

Forget geography, that lack on common sense in these alignments from a football perspective is astounding. Talk about the what-have-you-done-lately mystique.

[LUOrange]

Mac schools only make $2.5M per year, so Toledo or NIU could double their money making the move. If only NIU leaves then the MAC could stay put with UMass incoming.

At this point nothing would surprise me. The Pac and MWC are clearly desperate and fighting over a bunch of teams that don't really make geographical sense.

Why are they still playing mid-weeks if that's all that they're making? That's just ridiculously stupid if that's true.

[LUOrange]

Forget geography, that lack on common sense in these alignments from a football perspective is astounding. Talk about the what-have-you-done-lately mystique.

Football only FBS conferences could've prevented almost all of this nonsense.

[Ill flame]

Mac schools only make $2.5M per year, so Toledo or NIU could double their money making the move. If only NIU leaves then the MAC could stay put with UMass incoming.

At this point nothing would surprise me. The Pac and MWC are clearly desperate and fighting over a bunch of teams that don't really make geographical sense.

Why are they still playing mid-weeks if that's all that they're making? That's just ridiculously stupid if that's true.

We are playing the same number of mid week games for a third of the price...

[LUOrange]

Mac schools only make $2.5M per year, so Toledo or NIU could double their money making the move. If only NIU leaves then the MAC could stay put with UMass incoming.

At this point nothing would surprise me. The Pac and MWC are clearly desperate and fighting over a bunch of teams that don't really make geographical sense.

Why are they still playing mid-weeks if that's all that they're making? That's just ridiculously stupid if that's true.

We are playing the same number of mid week games for a third of the price...

You're not helping us/CUSA either.

[paradox]

Intriguing interaction between Boise and San Jose State. Philosophical differences are profound. And yet Boise had the leverage to get into the PAC. Interesting.

[Sly Fox]

Even as the Bobcats were losing to our CUSA colleagues from Sam, they were pondering their options. Obviously a Pac invitation would be preferred. But that has not happened yet. They also must decide whether they want to go back to playing west coast teams once again. This is the decision that determines a great deal.

[LUOrange]

A very interesting tweet from JMU's beatwriter, who's a real doofus, but the info is intriguing. I think that almost every CUSA school has contacted the SBC.

Do we now have a reasonable shot at the Belt w/ODU, JMU, Marshall & the Beach Poultry hopefully still in our corner? I don't think I'd turn them dow, but I'm kinda leaning the AAC's way for my preference.

[Sly Fox]

Not happening. The hatred from Sun Belt presidents toward LU is intense. I honestly feel they'd take Norfolk State or Longwood over us. Our budget scares them to death. We're more likely to receive an invitation from the Pac than the Belt. And that is not happening either unless desperate times call for desperate mesures.

[paradox]

There's been talk about the Pac desiring to assemble a "best of the rest," regardless of location. They haven't given up on P5 yet. They may fall short. Time will tell.

Let's just say there's more than one eye in that particular keyhole. There will be moves and they will influence other moves.

[Sly Fox]

The P5 dream is basically over for the Pac. But establishing themselves as the undisputed kings of the G6 space is still a possibility. Geography is not our friend in this arena but is not a complete roadblock. I feel confident that Ian has been working the phones hard this past week.

[paradox]

Is there a limit on football-only adds once you fulfill your core-8?

[Sly Fox]

There is no limit on affiliates. Affiliates have the challenge of placing their Olympics in another league which is the primary drawback from their perspective. Affilates also have limited voting rights in conference issues and essentially along for the ride in media negotiations.

I get your implication that we could be a football affilliate out west and stuff our Olympics in some other league. It should be noted that we are not particularly attractive to the regional leagues based on our outsized budget. So it may not be as easy to find a partner as many may assume. Perhaps the A-10, SoCon or CAA? Purely guessing.

One factor that I hadn't really seriously considered is Texas State's potential impact on Sam Houston getting an upgrade. Sam is woefully behind even CUSA standards on facilities and infrastructure. But if their old rival and sister school Texas State heads to either the MWC they would most certainly follow. Sam may be the 5th or 6th or 7th most popular team in Greater Houston but they are in the market. So taking Texas State & Sam would get a league into the #35 Austin, #31 San Antonio & #6 Houston markets. That matters to the networks.

[paradox]

No limit. Interesting.

[ATrain]

There is no limit on affiliates. Affiliates have the challenge of placing their Olympics in another league which is the primary drawback from their perspective. Affilates also have limited voting rights in conference issues and essentially along for the ride in media negotiations.

I get your implication that we could be a football affilliate out west and stuff our Olympics in some other league. It should be noted that we are not particularly attractive to the regional leagues based on our outsized budget. So it may not be as easy to find a partner as many may assume. Perhaps the A-10, SoCon or CAA? Purely guessing.

One factor that I hadn't really seriously considered is Texas State's potential impact on Sam Houston getting an upgrade. Sam is woefully behind even CUSA standards on facilities and infrastructure. But if their old rival and sister school Texas State heads to either the MWC they would most certainly follow. Sam may be the 5th or 6th or 7th most popular team in Greater Houston but they are in the market. So taking Texas State & Sam would get a league into the #35 Austin, #31 San Antonio & #6 Houston markets. That matters to the networks.

I'd be cool with football being in the PAC and our Olympic sports in the A-10 with VCU, GMU, and Richmond. There is an opening in the A-10 with UMass joining the MAC. The A-10 would definitely be a basketball upgrade for both men's and women's, while our baseball and softball teams would be instant favorites.

[aj7]

I'd like to think that the money these conferences could make with Liberty overrules the bad feelings they might have had a few years ago. Liberty is basically the only school that will pay an "entry fee" of sorts, potential playoff money, and will give whichever conference they join some really good TV inventory (for G5 standards). Imagine some of these matchups...

JMU, ODU, Marshall, ECU, App St, Coastal, Charlotte. Plus G5 heavyweight matchups with Memphis, Tulane, USF.

[Humble_Opinion]

I was there when the SBC was the lowest conference and we were looking to move up from FCS to FBS. LU made trips to several SBC schools to try and establish a rapport with them and the vast majority of them had very little interest for all of the reasons mentioned (private school, unlimited resources, politics, etc.). JLFJR did hit it off with the president of U. of S. Alabama at the time and during his trip he was inspired by Moulton Tower and soon thereafter ground was broke on our own tower.

Anyways, the point is, the SBC was the lowest of the low and they still rejected us. Now that they are perceived as being near the top of the G5, they're only going to be worse. Optics like those over the weekend re: our reaction to the App St cancelation are certainly not going to help our cause either.

[Sly Fox]

Once again, you are letting logic get in the way of reality. If you thought resistance was strong among the Belt presidents the last time around, think about how they perceive the presssure on them if they have to compete with our resources. No, the Belt is not likely to be an option in this go-round.

With economics being the primary driver for the two leagues out west in this current mess, a school like ours has two factors making us a viable option:

• 1. Strong football program

• 2. National brand without significant financial constraints

I am not suggesting that the Pac would make an invitation to us. But if it did, this could work. The Pac-2 is doing everything they can to make themselves the clear #5 league but on their terms. Wazzu & OSU are desperately trying to make it as economically enriching to them as possible. They are not looking to be on equal footing with their new conference mates. They have given out all of the sweetheart deals that they intend. Should they have included UNLV & AFA in their first expansion? Unequivably the answer is yes. But that ship has sailed and now they are left with the predicament in which they find themselves. They likely will try to sweeten their offers to their targeted AAC assets. Unless it is substantially better, the answer will remain the same. At that point, they likely invite Texas State who I suspect would immediately accept. That would leave more spot to fill.

As for the MWC, they have successfully staved off extinction for now. An acquistion of Texas State would likely lead to an addition of their sister school Sam Houston. That would assure them meeting their league minumum of 8 full members. Unless AFA or UNLV bolt. That'w what many suspect that if Texas State says 'Yes' then the Bobcats will likely be part of a 4-team expansion of Texas State, Sam, UTEP & NM State. That would secure the conference's future until the next round of realignment. However if Texas State turns down the MWC either to remain in the Belt or by accepting offers from the Pac or AAC then it changes the dynamic completely. Then the MWC will have to get creative. That's why you have seen the public daliances with football-affiliate possibilities at Northn Illinois & Toledo.

For the record, it would not surprise me at all if MWC commish Gloria Narvaez has been in contact with Ian. We would only consider any type of arrangement with the Mountain West predicated on very specific circumstances. It would also not surprise me if Ian had clearly expressed to Pac leadership that we were willing to talk if they are serious about putting together a 'Best of the Rest' league. Finances wouldn't stand in our way like other schools. But once again, we'd rather not be on an island.

I honestly don't expect any of these possibilities for Liberty to ultimately come to fruition. But it is most certainly something to watch.

[Sly Fox]

Take it for what it is worth since it is frm a fan account with hardly any followers:

[Sly Fox]

FWIW it doesn't appear that anyone on the Texas State board thinks this is credible. But it is out there ans generating buzz.

[Humble_Opinion]

I did a quick look at the financials from the latest data available in the Equity in Athletics submissions for LU and each of the members of what will be the new PAC. It looks like this:

1) Oregon State - $97.8M
2) San Diego State - $96.6M
3) Washington State - $79.0M
4) Liberty - $62.5M
5) Boise State - $52.7M
6) Fresno State - $51.1M
7) Utah State - $45.6M

From a financial investment perspective, we would be a nice fit... there are not many other G5s with the resources to increase their funding of athletics to this level, much less compete on day one. While this would be a major step up in competition for us, I think we would be okay. I just worry about the travel logistics. If this were to come to fruition it would be good to have a travel partner or two out east with us to take the conference up to 10 full-time members.

[jmclaughlin]

Musical Chairs has always been a fun group game

[ballcoach15]

Liberty should ignore PAC ? and MWC. Don't even acknowledge they exist.

[Sly Fox]

Well now we know who Wyoming is lobbying internally to join the Mounatin West. Montana, Montana State and the Dakota States are actually regional for the Cowboys.

Frankly I would be slightly surprised if they wound up going this route. But there are only so many ports in a storm.

[LUOrange]

I was there when the SBC was the lowest conference and we were looking to move up from FCS to FBS. LU made trips to several SBC schools to try and establish a rapport with them and the vast majority of them had very little interest for all of the reasons mentioned (private school, unlimited resources, politics, etc.). JLFJR did hit it off with the president of U. of S. Alabama at the time and during his trip he was inspired by Moulton Tower and soon thereafter ground was broke on our own tower.

Anyways, the point is, the SBC was the lowest of the low and they still rejected us. Now that they are perceived as being near the top of the G5, they're only going to be worse. Optics like those over the weekend re: our reaction to the App St cancelation are certainly not going to help our cause either.

Come on. College presidents could care less what some immature college kids or rabid football fans say on twitter. Don't be ridiculous. They'll reject us over our wealth and faith/politics, not twitter fans.