Conference realignment 3.0

[Crank]

^^It's basically the same Bloomberg article, just reprinted in the Chicago Tribune

[DoctorJ]

^

It said that they should fire Whipple because he will be getting a pension from the state.

^ Best post ever!!

[njumass08]

A little food for thought for the folks like Max Page calling for UMass to drop to FCS.

Idaho is dropping to FCS and now they are requesting an additional $1,000,000.00 in funding from the state to make up for all the lost income and donations because they are dropping down.

https://tubsattheclub.com/2017/02/13/ui ... -sky-drop/

[stevemaz]

exactly. I think moving up in football has contributed to increased donations and higher Public college ranking. Max Page is a dope.

[69MG]

Any thoughts on how or if this might impact our future?
http://www.fanragsports.com/cbb/rothste ... expansion/

[njumass08]

Any thoughts on how or if this might impact our future?
http://www.fanragsports.com/cbb/rothste ... expansion/

Gives us another Indy Football partner for scheduling if they make the move. Could help us out as we wait for 2020 and the next round of expansion.

[Crank]

It would also open up a spot in the AAC for all sports-I can't imagine they'd let UConn stay football only

[mdogt12]

Brett McMurphy ‏@McMurphyESPN 50m50 minutes ago
UConn AD David Benedict: “There is no truth to rumors & reports UConn has had discussions with the Big East for possible membership”

If you believe this. The key to the AAC was having UConn and Temple.

[MV Digga]

If UConn leaves the AAC for the Big East, there is no way they stay a football member only in that conference. I can see Temple following them to the Big East as well. If this happens, I think you might see UConn, Temple, UMass and possibly James Madison (who are looking to move up) becoming football only members of a conference (like the MAC)...

If UConn does end up leaving though, I think it signals that they are throwing in the towel on their ACC dreams.

[Old Cage]

Here's another indy for us to schedule:

The Big South announces Liberty has been granted an NCAA waiver to move to FBS as independent.
Recently hired former Baylor AD Ian McCaw"

Maybe we get re-acquainted with the Grey Wolf.

[mdogt12]

Brett McMurphy ‏@McMurphyESPN 2h2 hours ago
Liberty will become FBS independent in 2019, after two seasons transitioning from FCS

[Steve81]

Liberty has hired Ian McCaw as their ADD, god bless them.

[Merlin Samuels]

Could there be some benefit in joining the MAC all-sports with Liberty? Hell, I can easily watch pretty much every MAC football, and men's and women's basketball games through the ESPN app. Now I have to watch UMass get throttled while listening to Duquesne homer announcers. It also provides solidarity for the football program.

Anyone saying it will kill basketball just needs to look at Davidson before they were in the A10, or how about the number one team in the land that is absolutely pile driving everyone in their league, but schedules big-time out of conference. I feel like the program sells itself, not the conference.

Rhode Island is our only true rival in the A10 anymore, and it's not like it's a bus league either, with teams spread from NC to Missouri.

[njumass08]

^ I don't see how a conference could take Liberty. Too much baggage with that born again school.

But it does help to give us another independent team to schedule, and I would love to beat them into the ground.

And regarding the MAC, I said back when the ultimatum came down that it wasn't a bad idea to just go all in and win the conference every year and get to the tourney.

Honestly, at this point UMass Lowell will win the American East and get in the tourney before we get into the tourney again.

[Puffton395]

^ I don't see how a conference could take Liberty. Too much baggage with that born again school.

But it does help to give us another independent team to schedule, and I would love to beat them into the ground.

And regarding the MAC, I said back when the ultimatum came down that it wasn't a bad idea to just go all in and win the conference every year and get to the tourney.

Honestly, at this point UMass Lowell will win the American East and get in the tourney before we get into the tourney again.

Not that I hate the Independent life, but I'd be perfectly fine with the MAC. They are not the gold standard by any means, but, it's a home that wanted us.