Embrace the Mountain West if need be

[idaclone]

In looking at the worst case scenario, if the big 12 falls apart, I am hoping that there is a clean sweep to the Mountain West. It could be a very good conference, and would end up being a bcs conference in football if the four left overs end up going there. It would be in the teens as far as the number of teams. If they added Boise State, you could have an east division of:
Baylor/CU
ISU
KSU
KU
TCU
CSU
Airforce

West would be:
BYU
Utah
San Diego State
UNLV
Boise St.
Wyoming
UNM

First of all, from living in this part of the world, there is a lot passion about there sports. Second, this would be a very strong football league as there have been three different BCS teams from Boise State and the existing MWC. Third, it would be strong in Basketball also. BYU, UNM, and Utah have had very strong programs over the past few years. Basically having us join would raise the bar there, possibly making it a more relevant conference than the Pac 10 in hoops.

Also we would be able to still have connections with some of the big 6 schools that we have been playing for a hundred years.

Also if there is ANY consideration of C USA or MVC it is nuts. No way would it be as strong of a conference as the new MWC would be. Hopefully the powers that be at KU, KSU, and other schools are ready to make this move in solidarity, and help spur the Mtn. West. It would agruably be as strong as the Big East in football, and up there in hoops also.

 

[cyclonepower]

In looking at the worst case scenario, if the big 12 falls apart, I am hoping that there is a clean sweep to the Mountain West. It could be a very good conference, and would end up being a bcs conference in football if the four left overs end up going there. It would be in the teens as far as the number of teams. If they added Boise State, you could have an east division of:
Baylor/CU
ISU
KSU
KU
TCU
CSU
Airforce

West would be:
BYU
Utah
San Diego State
UNLV
Boise St.
Wyoming
UNM

First of all, from living in this part of the world, there is a lot passion about there sports. Second, this would be a very strong football league as there have been three different BCS teams from Boise State and the existing MWC. Third, it would be strong in Basketball also. BYU, UNM, and Utah have had very strong programs over the past few years. Basically having us join would raise the bar there, possibly making it a more relevant conference than the Pac 10 in hoops.

Also we would be able to still have connections with some of the big 6 schools that we have been playing for a hundred years.

Also if there is ANY consideration of C USA or MVC it is nuts. No way would it be as strong of a conference as the new MWC would be. Hopefully the powers that be at KU, KSU, and other schools are ready to make this move in solidarity, and help spur the Mtn. West. It would agruably be as strong as the Big East in football, and up there in hoops also.

I dont think going to the MAC or C-USA would by choice

 

[chuckd4735]

That scenario may be the best case scenario for ISU here soon, but it would absolutely kill Iowa State University on so many levels. The ramifications of what is currently going on go far beyond athletics.

 

[bradnjen]

In looking at the worst case scenario, if the big 12 falls apart, I am hoping that there is a clean sweep to the Mountain West. It could be a very good conference, and would end up being a bcs conference in football if the four left overs end up going there. It would be in the teens as far as the number of teams. If they added Boise State, you could have an east division of:
Baylor/CU
ISU
KSU
KU
TCU
CSU
Airforce

West would be:
BYU
Utah
San Diego State
UNLV
Boise St.
Wyoming
UNM

First of all, from living in this part of the world, there is a lot passion about there sports. Second, this would be a very strong football league as there have been three different BCS teams from Boise State and the existing MWC. Third, it would be strong in Basketball also. BYU, UNM, and Utah have had very strong programs over the past few years. Basically having us join would raise the bar there, possibly making it a more relevant conference than the Pac 10 in hoops.

Also we would be able to still have connections with some of the big 6 schools that we have been playing for a hundred years.

Also if there is ANY consideration of C USA or MVC it is nuts. No way would it be as strong of a conference as the new MWC would be. Hopefully the powers that be at KU, KSU, and other schools are ready to make this move in solidarity, and help spur the Mtn. West. It would agruably be as strong as the Big East in football, and up there in hoops also.

At this point, I don't think the Mountain West is the worse case scenario.

 

[wonkadog]

If that happened I would love to still call it the Big XII and drop 2 of the following: Colorado State, Wyoming, Air Force, or New Mexico. I'd almost throw San Diego State into that group as well just because of their location but I'm guessing you keep them for that very same reason, San Diego.

 

[The Mook]

ISU as a member of the Mountain West Conference would be far from worst case IMO

 

[cyatheart]

ISU as a member of the Mountain West Conference would be far from worst case IMO

There is no guarantee the MWC would be an option. They only need 3 teams to get to 12. There may be 4 B12 teams on the outside looking in, so which one gets left out? My worry is it would be us becuase of geography.

 

[Clonehomer]

At this point, the worst case would be that the MWC takes CU, KU, and KSU while ISU gets left behind.

 

[The Mook]

There is no guarantee the MWC would be an option. They only need 3 teams to get to 12. There may be 4 B12 teams on the outside looking in, so which one gets left out? My worry is it would be us becuase of geography.

You are correct. There is no guarantee the MWC would want ISU. That's why I think there are far worse case scenarios. Unlikely? Probably. Worse? Certainly.

 

[Tornado man]

ISU as a member of the Mountain West Conference would be far from worst case IMO

Maybe not, but it would still be devastating to Iowa State University as a whole. Not belonging to a big-time athletic conference affects our recruiting of the best and brightest. Those in our esteemed College of Engineering are already very concerned.
We no longer could go toe-to-toe with the U of I for the best academic in-state students. In terms of academic prestige, it will be a three-tier state - Iowa at the top, ISU in second, then UNI.
I am so tired of the "MVC is not so bad" mantra. That is BS.

 

[The Mook]

Maybe not, but it would still be devastating to Iowa State University as a whole. Not belonging to a big-time athletic conference affects our recruiting of the best and brightest. Those in our esteemed College of Engineering are already very concerned.
We no longer could go toe-to-toe with the U of I for the best academic in-state students. In terms of academic prestige, it will be a three-tier state - Iowa at the top, ISU in second, then UNI.
I am so tired of the "MVC is not so bad" mantra. That is BS.

Oh, I'm not saying it doesn't suck ... just would suck less than other outcomes

 

[chuckd4735]

ISU as a member of the Mountain West Conference would be far from worst case IMO

It would also be far from a good thing for ISU. Everything about conference realignment has been so focused on the athletic sides of things. Its much more than just that.

 

[Clonefan32]

I would be completley ok with this scenario. There are schools in this potential league that are competitive on a national level, but it would also create a situation where we are no longer the "whipping boy" of the conference. Ideally, the Big 12 sticks around or we backdoor our way into the Big 10...but if this conference comes into existence I would also be content.

 

[chuckd4735]

I would be completley ok with this scenario. There are schools in this potential league that are competitive on a national level, but it would also create a situation where we are no longer the "whipping boy" of the conference. Ideally, the Big 12 sticks around or we backdoor our way into the Big 10...but if this conference comes into existence I would also be content.

Again, everyone is focusing on the athletic side of things here. Iowa State University loses so so much if it is not in a major conference. The negatives far outweigh any positive light you try to throw on the situation.

 

[cyclones500]

If that happened I would love to still call it the Big XII and drop 2 of the following: Colorado State, Wyoming, Air Force, or New Mexico. I'd almost throw San Diego State into that group as well just because of their location but I'm guessing you keep them for that very same reason, San Diego.

If CU didn't go to the Pac-10 (and probably wouldn't, if Texas schools and OU-OSU become the package deal for the Pac-16), CSU would not be dropped. I couldn't imagine that going over at all in Coloradoland.

I'd keep San Diego State — it stretches the conference's geographic reach to the hilt.

I would prefer it doesn't come to joining the MWC (a "merger" of some sort, I could handle — and actually, it would almost have to be a 16-team league w/ additions like Memphis and Houston).

Better than CUSA or MAC, though, if I had a gun to my head.

 

[Clonefan32]

Again, everyone is focusing on the athletic side of things here. Iowa State University loses so so much if it is not in a major conference. The negatives far outweigh any positive light you try to throw on the situation.

What exactly do they lose? The facilities remain the same, and presumably a bunch of faculty wont jump ship because the school is now affiliated with a different conference. I doubt you see any drop in enrollment, as the vast majority of students don't come to Iowa State because its a Big 12 institution, but rather because they enjoy Ames, there is a solid program in their area of study, ect.

I think this is primarily an athletic issue. Granted, we aren't on the same "tier" as Iowa now, but let's be honest, in the minds of most we haven't been for quite some time. I don't see a move to the MWC as being both athleticly and academicly apocolyptic as some, but I suppose I could be persuaded.

 

[Frak]

Again, everyone is focusing on the athletic side of things here. Iowa State University loses so so much if it is not in a major conference. The negatives far outweigh any positive light you try to throw on the situation.

Although, a 16 team MWC WOULD be a major conference. Yeah, it wouldn't be the Big 11 or Pac 16 or SEC, but it would be right there with the ACC on the next tier. BCS/Playoff, whatever, it would have an automatic qualifier. It just wouldn't have the TV money of those other conferences.

 

[Frak]

What exactly do they lose? The facilities remain the same, and presumably a bunch of faculty wont jump ship because the school is now affiliated with a different conference. I doubt you see any drop in enrollment, as the vast majority of students don't come to Iowa State because its a Big 12 institution, but rather because they enjoy Ames, there is a solid program in their area of study, ect.

I think this is primarily an athletic issue. Granted, we aren't on the same "tier" as Iowa now, but let's be honest, in the minds of most we haven't been for quite some time. I don't see a move to the MWC as being both athleticly and academicly apocolyptic as some, but I suppose I could be persuaded.

The apocolypse comes if the MWC takes KU, KSU, CU and NOT ISU. The MWC, while not a great situation, isn't worst-case at all.

 

[chuckd4735]

What exactly do they lose? The facilities remain the same, and presumably a bunch of faculty wont jump ship because the school is now affiliated with a different conference. I doubt you see any drop in enrollment, as the vast majority of students don't come to Iowa State because its a Big 12 institution, but rather because they enjoy Ames, there is a solid program in their area of study, ect.

I think this is primarily an athletic issue. Granted, we aren't on the same "tier" as Iowa now, but let's be honest, in the minds of most we haven't been for quite some time. I don't see a move to the MWC as being both athleticly and academicly apocolyptic as some, but I suppose I could be persuaded.

Research funding goes way down, leads to cuts as the State will not be able to make up for the loss of funding. Same with grant money. ISU will not be able to recruit the same level of faculty in the MWC conference, and will not be able to keep paying some they already have. Our prestige in a lot of our academic programs will take a hit, which will lead to a decline in enrollment.

 

[The Mook]

The apocolypse comes if the MWC takes KU, KSU, CU and NOT ISU. The MWC, while not a great situation, isn't worst-case at all.

DING!