Countdown to a Conference

[filbert]

It seems like a conference invitation (or two!) may finally be just around the corner, so I thought I'd start a new thread devoted to news and discussion of the subject.

Will it be the Mid-Con that issues an invitation to SDSU? The Big Sky? Both? Which one is better for SDSU (short-run and long-run)? What happens if the Big Sky invites NDSU only? What happens to the GWFC? What if the Big Sky really torpedoes the Mid-Con and takes Southern Utah?

With Chicago State and Valparaiso both leaving the Mid-Continent Conference, that group needs new blood. Who will they take? IPFW? Texas-Pan Am? Both? Both, plus NDSU and SDSU? What's the future of the Mid-Con?

Will the Big Sky take zero, one, two, or three new members? Who will they be?

The Countdown to a Conference starts now!

[Rabbit74]

Re: Countdown to a Conference

Just my two cents worth.  Several news articles have indicated tht the MidCon has asked SDSU, NDSU and IPFW for information.  Although Pan American has been mentioned, they apparently have not been asked for info.  They are very remote, for example we are closer to Tulsa/ORU than they are, and they are well over 600 miles from Centenary/Shreveport La.  So I don't see them in the mix unless Southern Utah is invited to the Big Sky.  I don't see Southern Utah leaving however since the Commish of the Mid Con was their athletic director.  Also if I remember correctly one of the main reasons the Mid Con took Centenary was to get to the magic number of schools offering baseball to get an automatic qualifier.  With the loss of Valpo and Chicago State, both of whom played baseball, they will be under the number again and therefore need to add probably two schools at least.

So  I predict that SDSU, NDSU, and IPFW will get invites to the Mid Con.  And I think that is best for us long term.  All sports are covered then with the exception of equestrian and that is a special situation anyway.  This assumes the Gret West stays together.  The Mid Con is a much better fit geographicly and for recruiting.  

As for an invitation to the Big Sky, they have to take 1 or 3 if the main reason for adding schools is to get to an even number.  I don't see them taking 3 and taking one of the SU's doesn't really solve their travel problem as it would not be a good travel partner fit with UNC.  But they are a very unpredictable group.  I would guess that we will know about the Mid Con before we have to make a decision on the Big Sky,

[bisonguy]

Re: Countdown to a Conference

As Douple's comments about creating more of a 'synergy' between the Mid-Con and GWFC, I believe that there will be an invitation from the Mid-Con to SDSU, IPFW, and NDSU.

IFPW helps to add a buffer to protect the autobid number, and SDSU and NDSU will bring the conference to a nice, even 10 member conference. With the Texas independents going nowhere in the near future, one of them could be added in the future if a school (Centennary) should leave.


The wildcard is whether or not the Big Sky can act fast enough to have a counter-offer. I have my doubts that they will, and I don't really care if they do.


It's definitely going to be an exciting next couple of months in the Dakotas!!!

[rabidrabbit]

Re: Countdown to a Conference

IMHO, taking a longer view of what makes the best for everybody, including and especially BISON, is to forge a solid mid-con/GWFC partnership.

Why? If we are invited to the Mid-con, which looks extremely likely, the two SU's will become the nucleus schools in that combined system. It will stabilize the GWFC, and in fact, grow the GWFC. It may be a catalyst to get W ILL to join a GWFC conference, especially if NCC schools move up to it. And assuredly they would. By keeping both the GWFC and the Big Sky, there is room to grow for any move ups.

I think you will continue to see several of the mid-con schools in IN, MI, & LA move or drop over the next 5 years.

NDSU, IMHO, will be a powerhouse football team year in/out. If join the Big Sky, NDSU joins the ranks of the + MT teams competation for a playoff spot. In the GWFC, they will soon be the MT team.

I like the idea of new closer D-1 schools coming into OUR conference. In tumbling order, I predict first UND, then SCSU, MSU. I don't know if USD or UNO will ever pull off a D-1 move. But agree that the NCC is a one school away from imploding. Fell a long ways when UNC,NDS, SDS left.

Bison to Big Sky does in GWFC, and there's nowhere to move.

Actually a better fit, would be to pouch back UNC into the mid-con/GWFC, then all their programs are in a conference.

[jackrabbit1979]

Re: Countdown to a Conference

Just for the fun of speculating...IMHO, it is starting to look more and more like NDSU and SDSU just may go their separate ways as far as conference affiliation.  In order for SDSU to get a bid to the BSC I think UND had to declare their D1 intentions and we had to be part of the three team Dakota plan.  Now, without UND, it doesn't seem as the BSC would expand to 11 members.  Thus being, it would seem if the BSC expands at all they would add one school, most likely NDSU due to their strong football reputation and ease of travel into Fargo compared to Brookings.  

If this scenario goes down (and with the way the BSC acts who the hell knows what will happen) I then see SDSU, IPFW, and UTVS added to the Mid-Con.  We become a travel partner to UMKC in a revamped Mid-Con fresh off the loss of two members in Valpo and Chicago State (89 Rabbit and Filbert smile from ear to ear as they get to see their beloved Rabbits numersous times a year in KC ).  Both conferences are at ten teams and seem pretty stable until further conference shuffling happens in a few years when possibly the Big East splits to two leagues and causes another domino effect.  

When or if this happens, how does the jackrabbit nation feel about the separation from our rival to the north in NDSU.  How does our football team survive with most likely no conference as the Great West shrinks to 4 teams (unless we can squeeze into the Gateway ).  How do we feel about being in the Mid-Con without Valpo, NDSU, etc?  

Looking long term the situation may not be so bad...imagine SDSU in the mid con with a revamped Men's BBall team battling for a NCAA bid year in and year out.  It wouldn't be too far off as we played and defeated UMKC this year, with our nightmare roster, and they were a pretty decent team in their conference.  In a perfect world we could become a basketball power in the MidCon, annually have a great shot at the NCAA's, and attract quality recruits from the areas we are currently recruiiting in KC, Chicago, Minn., SD, IA, etc.  By doing this the program would only grow stronger.  With much success, and a conference shakeup, maybe make our way into the Gateway/MVC as a quality mid-major in the midwest.  I don't see the same possibities if we would start in the BSC now.  That is a dream scenario but could be possible.  However, with that said our Football team would most likely go into independent purgatory for the next few years and would have a hard time having much success during the process.  I guess it's give or take...what does everybody else think.  It will be an interesting two months for sure.

[tony]

Re: Countdown to a Conference

From an NDSU perspective, having NDSU and SDSU in separate conferences makes non-conference scheduling easier.

My nightmare scenario: The Big Sky adds Denver. The Mid-Con adds Fort Wayne (or Fort Wayne, SDSU, and UVSC). I realize I've come to a design meeting sans pants (oh, wait, that last thing is a different nightmare scenario).

[rabidrabbit]

Re: Countdown to a Conference

NDSU into Big Sky and SDSU into mid-con is VERY BAD for Rabbit fans. It will grossly undermine SDSU football. It also basically folds the fledgling GWFC.

I know that there will conference bidding going on. Either of the schools looking to the Big Sky should not get a softball/baseball invite if go that way from mid-con. If go mid-con, there needs to be a mid-con commitment to address football only membership, and make GWFC a workable conference.

Man, I'd love to see W Ill join a mid-con football conference.

[Jacks-D1]

Re: Countdown to a Conference

The Big Sky could add SDSU, NDSU, and Southern Utah.  Southern Utah and UNC become travel partners, and SDSU and NDSU become travel partners.  The league is 12 and splits into 2 divisions.  I like this mostly because I believe the Big Sky is more prestigious than the Mid-Con because the schools in the Big Sky are much more recognizable than the Mid-Con.  The disadvantage would be travel and geography as the territory of this conference on a map would be about half the United States.  Eventually Portland St and Sac St drop out (just my speculation) and the remaining 10 could remain in a conference for a long long time.

The Mid-Con schools are just not very recognizable to the average fan, and it seems very unstable.  But I think a main advantage is that SDSU would probably be at the top of the conference in most sports every year.  

Just my thougts.

[89rabbit]

Re: Countdown to a Conference

From what I have read this morning I think NDSU, SDSU and IPFW will all be in the Mid-Con soon. Sounds like the Big Sky couldn't be ready to vote until October at the earliest and I think it will have the Mid-Con Logos on the Frost Arena floor by then.

As we have seen, things can change in a hurry, but my best guess in the Mid-Con.

Go State!

[jackrabbit1979]

Re: Countdown to a Conference

From what I have read this morning I think NDSU, SDSU and IPFW will all be in the Mid-Con soon.  Sounds like the Big Sky couldn't be ready to vote until October at the earliest and I think it will have the Mid-Con Logos on the Frost Arena floor by then.    

As we have seen, things can change in a hurry, but my best guess in the Mid-Con.

Go State!  

I agree 89, from this mornings articles it looks as if the Big Sky will just not have the time to act soon enough.  Only half of the Presidents will be present at next weeks meeting and i doubt anything serious will come with a group like that.  Sounds as if October is the earliest they would consider offering membership.  Of course this is according to Fullerton who we all have our doubts about as to what he says...

Gene Taylor from NDSU says publically that they will not turn down a conference offer, so unless the Big Sky gets their poop in a group at next weeks meeting, both SU's land in the Mid-Con by the time fireworks fill the sky this summer!  It's great for SDSU football if this happens as the GWFC lives to see another day, and hopefully NDSU and SDSU will start to battle it out in the Mid-Con come 2007-2008.

[89rabbit]

Re: Countdown to a Conference

From the Grand Forks Herald

http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandf...s/14605947.htm

D-I deadline too soon for UND
Big Sky commissioner says conference could take a look at North Dakota schools
By Kevin Fee
Herald Staff Writer

The deadline to move from NCAA Division II to Division I is fast approaching.

It's coming even faster than UND athletic director Tom Buning had thought earlier this week.

The NCAA deadline to announce plans to move from Division II athletics to Division I is June 1, according to NCAA spokesperson Jennifer Kearns.

"That's much quicker than we thought going into it," Buning said of UND's classification study. "I think most of us had our eyes on the end of the summer."

Since UND's NCAA Classification Task Force report isn't even finalized, it appears the school will have to wait until at least 2007-08 to have its NCAA Division I exploratory year.

The task force won't give President Charles Kupchella its final report until the end of the month, at the earliest. That would make it hard for Kupchella to make any recommendation prior to June 1.

"A decision of that magnitude, I'm sure, is not going to be made in 72 hours," said Phil Harmeson, UND faculty athletic representative and senior associate to Kupchella.  .  .  .

Fullerton said he doesn't believe the Big Sky would rule out UND, though UND is behind schools such as NDSU and South Dakota State in the reclassification process. There is a five-year transition process for teams moving from Division II to Division I.

He said UND has strong points. "You're talking about a brand that's bigger than Division II, in my mind," Fullerton said.

Fullerton said he doesn't believe any decision regarding which schools to take a look at will be made until an October Big Sky meeting. Nearly half of the school presidents will miss Tuesday's meeting for various reasons.

In October, the conference could decide which schools it might want to visit to consider for expansion, Fullerton said.

"I don't think it would be any earlier," Fullerton said of the school presidents. "They're very measured in their deliberations, at least they have been."  .  .  . (read more)



Sounds like the same old Big Sky to me.  :-?


Go State!  

[MilwaukeeJacksAlum]

Re: Countdown to a Conference

The Big Sky thought they could string us along until we were through the transition period and then just pick us up like renting a couple movies for the weekend. We were the 2 little brothers they kept patting on the head and telling us to go play somewhere else whenever we asked to be part of the latest pick-up basketball game. Now, all of a sudden, we're being asked to play on the other side's pickup team and we've suddenly become desireable. On that point alone, I hope we get in with the Mid Con. I'm I being petty with those feelings? Definitely. But, they've been stringing us along long enough. Enjoy UNC. We'll do just fine in the Mid Con, thank you. Plus, from a purely selfish standpoint, I have more chances to watch the Jacks play if they join the Mid Con.

[tony]

Re: Countdown to a Conference

Well, I was never worried about NDSU being independent in football - heck, Youngstown State and Georgia Southern had most of their success as independents. Anyway, suppose SDSU goes Mid-Con and NDSU goes Big Sky, SDSU has a very good chance to get into the Gateway down the road which would help recruiting a lot more than being the Big Sky.

That said, I think it's much more likely that the State U's both end up in the Mid-Con and eventually the Gateway.

[filbert]

Re: Countdown to a Conference

From the conferences' points of view:

The Mid-con HAS to expand.
The Big Sky maybe, kinda, sorta wants to think about expansion, eventually, maybe now, maybe later, if all the Presidents agree.

Advantage: Mid-Con.

Also, consider the advantages to the Big Sky in a relatively healthy GWFC out west, making out-of-conference football scheduling much, much, much easier. The Sky schools may decide that it's not in their long-term interest to gut the GWFC.

Advantage once again: Mid-Con.

[OKC_Poke]

Re: Countdown to a Conference

My advice: take whoever is extending an invitation FIRST even if it is the Big Sky that offers. I know some of you do NOT want SDSU to be in the Big Sky but, if I was your school's AD or president, I wouldn't give a damn which conference invites ya just as long as they do! So,...if the Big Sky invites ya, BE HAPPY ABOUT IT, guys!

Football-wise the Big Sky is the best place for Jackrabbits. Everyone knows the Big Sky plus, you get an automatic 8 games per year without worry. Whereas a Mid-Con without Valpo in it will drop the conference's name down to the level of, say, the Big South or MEAC where hardly anyone knows who's in the conference.

The bigger the name, the better it is to recruit.