Lights Out

Both the WAC and the Big West have offered to take on BSU's other sports.

Boise and Air Force are getting football-only invites. Problem solved.

I don't. Having AQ status until 2015 is better than not even sniffing AQ status in that ridiculous merger. Might as well take the Big East money now and move up to a better conference the second one comes calling.

I loved the '90s Reebok college basketball uniforms with the elaborate scripts.

Pathetically, there's actually serious talk of the Big Least, Conference USA, and Mountain West merging into a 32-team conference. No, I am not making this up. Boise State and Houston need to get the hell out while they can.

No... Oregon fans don't like Boise because after all the smack you talked to us Boise fans, your team ended up 0-2 against BSU.

This just in: the Mountain West is desperate and pathetic.

Is it just me, or are nested quotes beyond three posts being quoted not working anymore?

Point of order: BSU and AFA have not turned down the Big East, as they haven't received their invites yet. That was just ESPN doing their usual fabrication, as they desperately want the Big East to fold for some reason.

According to Craig Thompson, Boise State and Air Force have been in contact with the Big East. Yup, they're gone. Wouldn't be surprised to see Houston, UCF, and perhaps SMU go next.

Why not endorse it, since it looks like they're on the way out anyway? Craig Thompson is officially insane and desperate. No way does this hair-brained scheme result in an AQ bid.

According to various media outlets, Big East invitations are pretty much certain to be on the way for Boise State, Air Force, Navy, and UCF by next week at the latest.

So much for the ludicrous fantasy of the NHL getting a "boost" from the NBA lockout. Outside of a select few markets, it's obvious that nobody cares about the NHL. The fans don't, the front offices don't, and the owners don't.

Correct - they didn't feel they could compete weekly in the Big East.

So I guess the six schools the Big East is adding look to be Boise State, Temple, UCF, Air Force, Navy(?), and one other school. Who would be the sixth?

Plus, the SEC name has cachet. That'll help in recruiting. Can't really argue with how successful the SEC has been - and Mizzou and A&M can now sell a chance to be a part of it to recruits.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/college/os-murschel-college-insider-09182011-20110918,0,5035606.column That need, plus the impending lack of any not-suck-awful non-AQ conference, will keep the Big East off the hot seat, IMO.

Who exactly would be in line to replace the Big East? The WAC and MAC... LOL. The Mountain West isn't looking much better with Boise, Air Force, TCU, BYU, Utah, and perhaps even San Diego State either already gone or on the way out. And Conference USA is going to get raided too. Remember, the BCS has already come out and said they need six power conferences in order to function. With no passable non-AQ conferences left to replace them, the Big East is pretty much guaranteed their bid if BSU and AFA go AQ. That, plus the arguments laid out by Clay Travis in the article I linked to, pretty much solidifies my opinion that they aren't losing their bid. Bottom line: will it be fair if/when the Big East gets to keep its automatic-qualifier bid, considering how poor the quality of play has become in the conference? No... but you can blame this realignment frenzy if/when it happens.

From the Colorado Springs Gazette: As for Navy... well, I thought they were ready to make the jump, but apparently now they're waiting for stability before moving to the Big East. Then again, it's the typical say-nothing statement from a college AD, so who the hell knows, really? Not a chance - not with the lack of any better non-AQ conferences (the MWC without Boise, TCU, Air Force, BYU, and Utah is pretty much as bad as the WAC) out there, and especially not with ESPN's influence on conference realignment and the fear of legal action on the part of the Big East if their AQ bid were to get revoked.

By all accounts, Navy is still gung-ho about the Big East, and Air Force is ready to make the jump if invited over the protestations of their fanbase.

According to the New York Post, invitations from the Big East to Boise State and Temple are "imminent". I know I've talked a lot about the various realignment rumors swirling around Boise in this thread lately, so I'll just bring this up: Temple being invited back to the Big East is shocking, to say the least. I thought the bridges were burned when the Big East kicked Temple out after 2004 for underperforming. Either the Big East is desperate or Temple's actually improved enough to warrant a second look - I can't decide which conclusion is true.

Now its just getting ridiculous. If that is the direction this realignment is going to take place, then what is the point of even having conferences? Simple - to concentrate money and bargaining power between groups of schools. Let's not pretend it's about academics or geography... it's all about keeping that AQ power status and bringing in whoever can keep the bowl payouts rolling in.

According to the Boston Globe, the Big Least is considering adding Boise State, Air Force, and Navy for football only. Temple and UCF would be added in all sports. If this happens, I hope it's just a stepping stone to the Big 12 (like what happened with TCU).

There's apparently rumors floating around of the Big Least adding UCF, SMU, Houston, and Boise State. Did I mention that I can't stand Big Least football?