Possibly, as there's precedence now with TCU at the very least, though it will still cost them.

The BE probably promised these affected schools much to come on-board, and the schools got caught-up in the anticipated grand expectations related to the BCS, the BE's last big dangling carrot per fb. Certain assumed tangibles at the time, though, are not put into writing, but the costly ones are.

The administrators of SDSU & BSU who approved the moves want to save-face and not be seen as having squandered precious institutional revenue over ill decisions.

Given the loss of most of their core schools, the playoff developments, and the end of the BCS; the BE is struggling to keep the idea they are the #6 fb conference while refusing to split. They shall remain in constant turmoil; and being recipents of exit fees from established departing schools, and schools that joined but never played a game with them and are ready to disassociate; is not a legacy to be proud of.

The Air Force Academy was the smartest institution in this particular expansion saga.

How true !

BYU apparently also decided to avoid this house of cards....

I think Boise State would be inclined to step back to the MWC, except Kustra will have egg on his face explaining to boosters how he pissed away $5 million on this ill-fated adventure.
If Boise renegs on the Big East, SDSU will likely do the same. They however, coul dkeep their Oly sports in the Big West to miror Hawai'i.
If those 2 came back (with SDSU for FB only) the MWC would be 12 / 10.

You never know with BYU, and even when you do, one has to wonder when they do speak about these things whether they don't speak like a PR firm, not giving you truthful, objective information. All that is to preface this: was a full, all-sports invite ever on the table for them? Does anyone know if it's only ever been football membership that's been on the table, or was football the only thing BYU said it would consider?

I just can't imagine the Big East not extending a full invite to BYU. I mean, if the Cougars haven't gotten one, maybe that's why they won't take the BEF invite? They are certainly more deserving of "the total package" than all of the schools invited the last two years.

No, we'd want all of SDSU's sports back. Not just their 1 coach wonder(who's gone) sport of football. SDSU basketball is their selling point. I'm sure they'd rather play basketball in the MWC anyway.

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So is Boise State going to have to make a decision by THIS SATURDAY June 30th ?
And if they are pulling out of the BE, and returning to (actually not leaving) MWC, will they give SDSU a "heads up" in time to follow suit ?

This could be getting dicey....

If they both stay MWC, it leaves BE (in 2013) at:
10 (all sports)
8 (non-BE FB = 7 + Notre Dame)
+ Navy coming aboard for FB only in 2015.

Marinatto gone, perhaps if the new guy exhibits some sanity, they could sit tight and work on Army for FB only in 2015.
Alternative could be UMass for FB only in 2015.

What a huge break that would be for UMass. Them and Army are the only other schools besides Navy and BYU that don't have to find an other sports home if the BE took them. I'm sure the BE would prefer a fb only over having 19 full members.

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['08 NCAA BASEBALL CHAMPS]

As nice as that would be for UMass, I'm sure ECU would get the 1st call, with the CAA or SoCon gladly offering them a home for other sports.

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Don't you have a whole thread dedicated to ECU not ever getting invited to the BE? I do think if you're going on quality of fb, BYU, S.Miss, ECU are the top options.

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['08 NCAA BASEBALL CHAMPS]

tute79, agree Army would be the most logical to work on per fb only; they would not have to re-locate their other sports from the Patriot League.

Army seems very reluctant to give up fb independence. I am sure their unsuccessful results while in C-USA weigh heavily in their viewpoint. However, during those years, most any mid-major could have defeated Army.
Given their unique criteria per recruiting along with the military regimen, maybe the risk is seen as too great. On the other hand, Air force has a long conference history and usually fairly competitive with their conference peers. And, Navy seems to think they can handle BE fb OK.
I often thought Army would be a decent MAC fb addition.

ECU & USM put a lot of emphasis on fb. It may prove to be a mistake for the BE to have ignored them in favor of more far-flung choices.
Southern Miss fb is good almost every year; even when coaches change. And, that gulf coast region (Jackson, Mobile, Meridian, New Orleans, etc.) is not a bad spot to have a footprint.

BYU is not interested as they were already contacted. Could that change, sure, but for sake of discussion, no meant no.

USM offers nothing, even less than ECU. Would they NEVER make the list, no. But there are ample schools higher then them since other schools actually offer the things the Big East is looking for. Would USM join the Southland? Atlantic Sun? Not so sure they'd do that knowing the Big East as a BCS conference is over, as is the BCS as we know it.

So for USM, yes, I would see UMass VERY high above them, simply for the region they are in located in and market access into Boston, where UMass plays it's games and where some over 80% of the alumni live.

But I'd still see ECU much HIGHER than UMass since ECU is a more proven product on the field and in the stands.

ECU was left out of the last round, and rightly so, since Memphis, Houston, UCF and SMU bring a lot more to the table. But if we're talking FB only, and we're talking about the western schools OUT (Boise St. and SDSU), AND we're talking about the Big East looking at ONLY a FB ONLY school, or course ECU is back on the list...since we're talking about ECU joining for only ONE sport, football.

More importantly, the SoCon will take ECU today as a member, and be excited about it.

The CAA would likely do the same once their football membership numbers are taken care of. If the CAA is waiting until Xmas to decide on their future, it's not like they'd be "full" and have no room for ECU. Of course, the CAA might be full by then, or not interested due to fears ECU will leave again for Big East full-time, which is why it comes back to the SoCon always being an option.

Just important to remember that it's not just about the QUALITY of the football on-the-field product, it's the quality of the football program. And ECU sells a lot of tickets, little travel overhead to get to ECU for the Big East members. Is the overhead a problem for an all-sports invite, sure. Arte their other sports not BE worthy? Sure, that argument is there. But it's hard to exclude ECU when we're talking about a conference in desperation mode (if they lose Boise St. and SDSU) and only have options like ECU, UMass, USM, Tulsa, Tulane, Buffalo, App St., Marshall, etc.

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I'd bet with both hands that either/both USM and ECU will get their invites once Louisville leaves. Louisville fought so hard to keep ECU out of C-USA that it almost cost the Cardinals their spot.

UMass will get that call after UConn leaves.

It's politics. That's how the Big East rolls...just ask Temple and UCF.

I'd agree. All conferences have their politics and petty behaviors. But the real solid ones make strategic decisions and able to overcome much of the internal differences to reach the common good and enhancement.

Since the days when BE bb dissed Penn State, and when there was little cooperation to create an all-sports conference of all the top eastern teams; the BE has been short-sighted and placating internal factions and certain individual schools. Coupled with, in for bb, in for fb only, etc.; it got more and more disjointed.

Quinn,

What the "BE is looking for" is baffling. OK, we know who they don't want by their prior choices. But if it is to be some sort of national, coast-to-coast powerhouse; the quality ingredients, cohesion, and commonality of purpose, appear sorely lacking.
But perhaps, they'll have spectacular success with Memphis fb.

I wonder if the new BE commissioner is formalizing a new "vision", different from that of Marinatto....

The BE "plan" over the last 2 years has baffled everyone, with the "Villanova foray" and then this crazy coast-to-coast adventure,
with random calls to Boise State, BYU, Air Force, SDSU, who else ?
Most of us following this chaos found it laughable. It's hardly laughable to a school inside the BE conference, with so much at stake, however.

Why was Marinatto fired ? Lack of coherent vision ? Letting a few loopy college presidents lead him around by the nose, against his better judgement ?

Does the new commisioner have a new clear set of marching orders ? Or has he articulated some clear vision of wher ehte BE should be headed ?

I never said any of them would get in or that BYU all of a sudden would go. I said those are the best fb options. As in on the field in order BYU then USM then ECU. USM is better than ECU. Neither has a market so if they are thinking of them then they'd be going off of on the field. If they want a market, UMass is right there. They could wait and add Charlotte or ODU, those are markets.

_________________

WRANGLERS 153-55-1 CVFL CHAMPS '04 '05 '09 '12

NFL CHAMPS '29 '30 '31 '36 '39 '44 '61 '62 '65 '66 '67 '96 '10

BW/WAC/MWC CHAMPS '77 '82 '85 '88 '89 '91 '92 '93 '99 '12
['08 NCAA BASEBALL CHAMPS]