Usu Turned Down Mwc Invite

Harry · August 19, 2010

http://www.sltrib.co...tation.html.csp

“At the point in time when Utah State was contacted by the MWC we had a binding agreement with the WAC and were well positioned with nine members, which included BYU. We were simply committed to uphold our agreement with fellow WAC members. We respectfully declined MWC interest and believed all WAC members would remain committed to our agreement,” Barnes said in his statment.”

MeanGreenTexan · August 20, 2010

Barnes said USU was the first of three Western Athletic Conference schools — Fresno State and Nevada were the others — to receive formal invitations from the MWC earlier this week. But Utah State turned down the invitation, based upon a buyout agreement that the eight WAC schools forged last Friday

You know USU officials are hacked about this! That was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

I cannot wrap my mind around why the MWC would want USU and not a myriad of other teams. USU would probably be one of the last schools I would think the MWC would approach to join their conference (over the likes of Houston/UTEP, or even Idaho/NMSU).

Is the Utah TV market that big of a deal?

ColoradoEagle · August 20, 2010

Green Mean · August 20, 2010

If the MWC wanted USU....why wouldn't they even consider us? I just wonder if RV has truly tried getting into the MWC.

NT03 · August 20, 2010

Houston will be the next member of the MWC.

UNTFan23 · August 20, 2010

Now that the horse is out of the barn, USU may go back to the MWC and see if they're still wanted. If MWC says yes to USU and BYU stays, that really puts the hurt on LaTech and their plans for a CUSA invite as that puts the MWC at 12. At that point, I'd say UTEP and Houston stay with CUSA leaving LaTech the option to either (A) go independent; or ( swallow their pride to join the Sun Belt.

NMSU may come crawling back to the Belt asking for a home if USU manages to make it into the MWC. I don't think the key NT decision makers (and most fans) would have a problem bringing back NMSU as they were seen to some as a rival if for no other reason we have a long history of playing them.

I'd still put BYU as a wildcard in all this as they haven't said a thing after all of this has gone down the past 24+ hours. TCU's time in the MWC may also have a expiration date as well but I don't see it happening right at this moment.

Green Mean · August 20, 2010

Houston will be the next member of the MWC.

Yeah at this point I think our chance of the MWC has officially passed. I truly believe we had a shot before but with the aggressive strategy the MWC executed...Houston would be the next approach which they should probably take up.

wardly · August 20, 2010

If the MWC wanted USU....why wouldn't they even consider us? I just wonder if RV has truly tried getting into the MWC.

see tcu.[for same reasons smu doesn't want us in cusa]. also,i have a hard time believing utah state was invited. except for their basketball program, they bring nothing to the table.

NT80 · August 20, 2010

http://www.sltrib.co...tation.html.csp

At the point in time when Utah State was contacted by the MWC we had a binding agreement with the WAC and were well positioned with nine members, which included BYU. We were simply committed to uphold our agreement with fellow WAC members. We respectfully declined MWC interest and believed all WAC members would remain committed to our agreement, Barnes said in his statment.

The fools. Very short-sighted by the USU AD thinking agreements in football conference membership involve loyalty over desire. It's not a marriage, it's a business.

Edited August 20, 2010 by NT80

VideoEagle · August 20, 2010

see tcu.[for same reasons smu doesn't want us in cusa]. also,i have a hard time believing utah state was invited. except for their basketball program, they bring nothing to the table.

What USU brought to the MWC was a reason for dozens of cable systems in Utah not to dump the Mountain TV network if BYU followed Utah out the door. Their network gets weak carriage already, losing most of the state with the biggest penetration was would be bad enough to justify inviting USU. If BYU stays, the MWC doesn't need them. Once again, BYU can control the fate of the WAC. If the WAC loses USU, they no longer have six schools together for five years and have to start from scratch getting their champion to auto qualify for all the other NCAA sports like basketball, golf, volleyball, etc. Plus all of the basketball units going to the conference revert to the original schools who don't have to share with their current conferences. At that point, the WAC is totally dead and gone.

untgeorge · August 20, 2010

Houston will be the next member of the MWC.

UTEP

PlummMeanGreen · August 20, 2010

Houston will be the next member of the MWC.

I agree...TCU is presently the chairman of the board as far as football goes in the Mountain West Conference and whoever they sponsor would mostl likely get the nod from MWC members & that would probably be U of Houston. As has been said in other threads, TCU seems to not want to be in any league with SMU and with the Horned Frogs football successes of late, that seems to have paid off (that is, not being in a league with SMU).

In another thread on GMG.com a few were gently ribbing some of us posters who speculated weeks ago about the possibility of UNT being in the WAC, but I think such "speculation" was accompanied with the idea that that may have been a worthwhile venture only if there were an eastern division of the WAC. A WAC Eastern Division which would include UNT, LaTech, ArkSt and you fill in the blanks for another eastern school or 2. The apparent implosion of the WAC obviously makes it easy for UNT to drop any future speculations for such a move.

NorthTexan95 · August 20, 2010

I agree...TCU is presently the chairman of the board as far as football goes in the Mountain West Conference and whoever they sponsor would mostl likely get the nod from MWC members & that would probably be U of Houston. As has been said in other threads, TCU seems to not want to be in any league with SMU and with the Horned Frogs football successes of late, that seems to have paid off (that is, not being in a league with SMU).

In another thread on GMG.com a few were gently ribbing some of us posters who speculated weeks ago about the possibility of UNT being in the WAC, but I think such "speculation" was accompanied with the idea that that may have been a worthwhile venture only if there were an eastern division of the WAC. A WAC Eastern Division which would include UNT, LaTech, ArkSt and you fill in the blanks for another eastern school or 2. The apparent implosion of the WAC obviously makes it easy for UNT to drop any future speculations for such a move.

Things look bleak for the WAC right now but I wouldn't give up on Karl Benson. I wouldn't be surprised if he somehow pulls something off so the WAC remains viable. Creation of an eastern division could be in that plan.

If they wanted Utah (or even Nevada) over us then it just tells me location is more important to the conference or TCU is really blocking us.

Arkstfan · August 20, 2010

USU invite tells me all I need to know.

You don't want to be in a backalley knife fight with the MWC. They went for them first to provide maximum screwing to BYU.

MeanGreenTexan · August 20, 2010

USU invite tells me all I need to know.

You don't want to be in a backalley knife fight with the MWC. They went for them first to provide maximum screwing to BYU.

I don't understand how inviting USU to replace BYU is "screwing" anyone but the conference itself.

Imagine if UNT left the SBC for reasons we thought were best for us, and Wright Waters invited Texas St. to replace us in a "screwing" of UNT... :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: We would all (well maybe not you Arkstfan) think that's hilarious. I'm sure BYU feels the same.

Edited August 20, 2010 by MeanGreenTexan

MeanGreenTeeth · August 20, 2010

USU invite tells me all I need to know.

You don't want to be in a backalley knife fight with the MWC. They went for them first to provide maximum screwing to BYU.

So... it looks like Utah State ended up being hung out to dry for sticking with BYU. Should the Sunbelt consider adding Utah State as a condition to get BYU as a non-football member?

Edited August 20, 2010 by MeanGreenTeeth

stebo · August 21, 2010

Karma is a bitch. USU screwed over the Belt a few years back... hehe... That is some funny stuff.

Arkstfan · August 21, 2010

I don't understand how inviting USU to replace BYU is "screwing" anyone but the conference itself.
Imagine if UNT left the SBC for reasons we thought were best for us, and Wright Waters invited Texas St. to replace us in a "screwing" of UNT... :lol: :lol: We would all (well maybe not you Arkstfan) think that's hilarious. I'm sure BYU feels the same.

You missed the point by a mile and three-quarters.

BYU as an independent needed the WAC's ability to provide them with four games per year. They needed a home for their other sports. Killing the WAC means no one giving them four games per year and their preferred home dying is a screwing of BYU.

Your analogy isn't remotely close to what happened.

More apt would be the Sun Belt working a deal to get SMU and Houston to join and CUSA offering UNT a spot, UNT rejecting it and CUSA raiding the rest of the Sun Belt so that it is no longer able to be a league.

And for anyone who think USU was acting with honor in rejecting the MWC, isn't paying attention. USU wanted to affiliate with the most popular program in the state (by a wide margin), a program that outdraws MOST BCS teams. Their interest wasn't WAC or MWC but rather BYU,