What Now?

[giacfsp]

FWIW, Canzano claims PAC 4 will expand and not merge. Goal is 10 to 12 teams. So hold your tickets, we may have options.

OK, let's say that's true. Who do they go after?
San Diego State, UNLV, Colorado State, Fresno State, Boise State ... SMU?
That would give them 10. I'm making up those names, but who knows?

[giacfsp]

PAC4 meeting w/MWC tomorrow for merger discussions then immediately meeting with Apple and a few AAC schools to discuss expansion. Again all options are on the table but their preference is to expand and continue on.

If that league stays afloat in any form, Kliavkoff might not be the buffoon he currently appears to be. From all appearances, that ship is halfway underwater already.

[rodrod5]

One other bit of information. In an interview released in the last day or so the president of ASU was ask about The Rose Bowl and stated clearly it is half owned by the PAC 12 and half by the Big 10. So that is something that helps the PAC 12 stick together because there is a lot of value in that bowl game. There is also a lot of cache for playing in it and I think that will continue.

[mrydel]

The Rose Bowl no longer exists in its old form. It is a playoff bowl now.

[Charleston Pony]

[quote="rodrod5"] Talk with Rice and Tulane frequently. No matter what academics are still going to matter to Stanford and Cal even if it to the detriment of on the field and court performance. /quote]

So...work to put together a "western" version of the Magnolia Conference? That sounds like a guaranteed path to irrelevance athletically but Ken Pye would be pleased!

[rodrod5]

The Rose Bowl no longer exists in its old form. It is a playoff bowl now.

Well the president of ASU made clear the PAC 12 and Big 10 own it half and half I think he would know. In addition The Rose Bowl was the loan hold out to getting the expanded playoffs so it is still a major player in the CFB Playoffs. More than likely it will not be a playoff bowl every year or there is a chance that the facility itself will have a playoff, but the bowl game will continue.

With the 12 team playoff there will be 4 games the first round and they are talking about those being on campus of the higher ranked teams. So The Rose Bowl would not be a player there. After that there are 4 more games with The Cotton, Sugar, Orange, Peach, Rose, Fiesta, certainly involved and with the chance that others will want in. So that is 6 places for 4 spots right there. Yes there will be 2 games and then the NC after that, but they are going to open up the bidding for that for sure. SoFi, Hard Rock, Levis, NRG, Ford, US Bank and perhaps others will be making bids.

I am pretty certain that the Rose, Cotton, Orange, Fiesta, and Sugar bowls will continue as major bowl games for the best teams from the associated conferences to play in after the playoffs are filled and the Peach will be a major player too.

[rodrod5]

Talk with Rice and Tulane frequently. No matter what academics are still going to matter to Stanford and Cal even if it to the detriment of on the field and court performance. /quote]

So...work to put together a "western" version of the Magnolia Conference? That sounds like a guaranteed path to irrelevance athletically but Ken Pye would be pleased!

Or SMU can sit around wallowing with north Texas state in the AAC pretending that the ACC is falling apart in a year or two and that after it falls apart SMU will have something to join that will be better than Syracuse, Duke, Wake Forest, and BC. You know the eastern block of The Magnolia Conference. Would that be more pleasing because it is "to the east"?

Or do you think that Louisville, Pitt, NcState, and VT will not find a home? Or will the slight possibility of GT and UVA being left around with those 4 private schools listed above make it more appealing?

[RunningStang]

Win conference and sellout the season and pack Ford!! This is the best team since 1984 and I think they are going to win conference.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Water Pony]

If we can get in something with Stanford then I'm in. Otherwise no thanks.
Stanford has the best athletic department in the country. They've gotta be in panic mode right now.

mtrout makes a point I share.

Stanford is a unique university, academically and athletically. At a result, they will act in their own interest and lead the restructuring of the PAC-4.

First, I can’t imagine they would entertain moving to the Mountain West or bringing many of the MWC schools into “their” conference. They may have been passive so far, but from now on they will be driving an agenda for a new PAC Conference, which will include Cal, OSU, and WSU.

If I were them, I would work with Apple to create something new with the following criteria.
1. Establish a western coast with pod or core with the other 3 in PAC4, plus SDSU despite the exit fee problem which doubled due to the failure to not invite them before July. (5 schools)
2. Identify universities which are acceptable academically and athletically now or could be if they made the financial commitment. Think SMU, Tulane, and perhaps Rice. (2 or 3 schools)
3. Strengthen MBB. Think Gonzaga, Wichita State, and perhaps Memphis + FB (2 or 3 schools)
4. Add one other MWC school, CSU, to gain Colorado and/or UNLV.
5. USF is a good option and adds Tampa, but Florida is likely too far for Stanford/Cal
6. I like the service academics. Great brands, fan following, and academics. But geographically too far except for AFA.

We should be calling Stanford and stay close to their decision makers. And, the PAC4 may be able to control remaining funds and even the Rose Bowl. They have assets will may accrue to these remaining PAC-12 schools, the Final 4.

P.S. ACC is a preferred destination, but it is hard to see a path there in the near future.

[PonyEnergy]

West-
Stan
Cal
OSU
WSU
SDSU
Boise St
(Gonzaga)

East -
CSU
AFA
SMU
Rice
Tulane
Memphis
(Wichita St)

12 football teams, 14 bball teams. I’d take this in a heartbeat.

[mustangxc]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs9MFNa ... x=1&t=605s

1. SMU is the top football brand available!
2. Boise State
3. Colorado State
4. San Diego State
5. Memphis
6. UNLV
7. USF
8. Tulane

Add 6-8 to get to 10-12. Secure a tv deal. Invest heavily to keep the results closer to the power conferences than the G5 conferences. If Gonzaga is interested add them along with St. Mary's or Wichita State.

[ALEX LIFESON]

[quote="RunningStang"]Win conference and sellout the season and pack Ford!! This is the best team since 1984 and I think they are going to win conference.

It's a great thought, but we have fans that won't go to the games now. We are weeks away from the home opener, what is SMU doing to "sellout Ford"?

[Charleston Pony]

Win conference and sellout the season and pack Ford!! This is the best team since 1984 and I think they are going to win conference.

It's a great thought, but we have fans that won't go to the games now. We are weeks away from the home opener, what is SMU doing to "sellout Ford"?

I wonder how many La Tech will bring? We always need help from our visitors and they will probably do better than most of our AAC conference mates. Attendance wise we are fortunate to have UNT & Navy at Ford this year

[mtrout]

Win conference and sellout the season and pack Ford!! This is the best team since 1984 and I think they are going to win conference.

It's a great thought, but we have fans that won't go to the games now. We are weeks away from the home opener, what is SMU doing to "sellout Ford"?

We have fans that won't go to the games now? What is that referring to? Because the home schedule sucks or like #sherwood?

[Hop Sing]

Stanford football is currently on a 4 year losing season streak, and basketball isn’t much better. Football attendance is abysmal. They are great in the sports that don’t matter, and they are a “status” school, but they aren’t going to save us. They aren’t doing NIL and that tells you everything about their football and basketball commitments. The PAC dream is dead, and the only thing that can save us is winning big. Beating Oklahoma would be a start