BYU is an Independent, rest of sports in WCC

[laxwyo]

Why does BYU football need to earn more revenue???? It's a church school run by the church that has it's grubby hands in many many ventures. It's not like the LDS church needs more money. It just seems like greed. Which would be a sin. Also it seem pretty vain. Which would be another. It doesn't surprise me though for a church that was founded by a true criminal and wrote scripture from some magic stone in his hat.

[Alysa]

Okay allcoug! When you play the likes of the #3 team Boise St., #4 team Texas, #5 team TCU and the #22 team Utah every year in the same year...and win, then tell us you have a shot at a BCS bowl! But until you play a tough schedule, don't talk like you're that great. Washington has yet to have a winning season in like 5 years (plus you had a lucky call at the end of the game to beat them) Florida State isn't that tough, they just broke the top 25 this year, but with a new coach and some new players. You still only have TCU and Utah. Pretty piss poor schedule if you ask me.
And the only way you will get any extra home games is by going after the fcs schools. You burnt your bridges with two conferences with your little escapades. now you have two conferences who don't want anything to do with you. (maybe USU). What maybe the Pac-12 might play you, maybe some of the Big 12/10 (I see you have finally started to schedule a tough opponent in Texas) But year in and year out, You only have a select few games set up as "Big Games", but you have all those holes to fill where the MWC filled it well. Sorry, but I'm seeing SOS going way down for you guys. Which means if you do go undefeated and beat up on the Washington and Wash state's or maybe the Baylors and Iowa states, maybe Utep and smu, I'm still not seeing the BCS looking at you guys. Even Army and Navy will get better respect than you will.
I always hated BYU, but in the same respected them as a conference affiliate. Now, I just look at your arrogance and tell you to your face
But that's just my

Wait, kansascowboy. You gotta leave Baylor, UTEP and SMU outta that.
These days, Baylor should be stronger under Art Briles. They don't need to play BYU.
SMU may surprise you because of it's apparent progressions that are still taking place. They do have 19 commits already from seniors and a good # from juniors already and the Mustangs don't need to play BYU.
UTEP. OH UTEP???? They are dodging Mexican bullets.

[Alysa]

I don't think my sport, athletics (aka Track and Field), seems very interesting in the WCC.

[mrtnt3x]

...and wrote scripture from some magic stone in his hat.

I think the word you are looking for is "asshat"

[Cornpoke]

So what sports does BYU leave out by joining the WCC? It sure seems like a selfish decision to hang your other sports out to dry for such a selfish decision. I wonder how some of those BYU student athletes feel about this decision.

What would Joseph Smith or Brigham Young do?

[msuhunter]

Ok. Now that we all got our cheap shots in, it would be great to have a cordial debate on BYU leaving the MWC. Anyone interested? I'll start.

Let's have a cordial debate on Mountain Meadow and Brigham Young's involvement? I'll let you start.

[Adv8RU12]

After thinking it over, I think BYU will make out just fine.

Think about it: The Mormon church (like many other faith based enterprises) have a large full time contingent of very savy lawyers, MBA's, economists, and pitch men dedicated to increasing the church's wealth by bleeding money out of their constituents and engaging in other money producing enterprises, the BYU football team being one. My observation is that they don't care squat about any aspect of the team except as a revenue generator.

This move must have been years in the planning, probably by a hundred staffers. So they probably have covered every contingency. No way would they try this if the odds were not very high that the outcome would be favorable. So my conclusion is the BYU will make out just fine (sadly).

[kdwrightuwyo]

Ok. Now that we all got our cheap shots in, it would be great to have a cordial debate on BYU leaving the MWC. Anyone interested? I'll start.

To be honest leaving the MWC would not have been the first choice of BYU fans. But there are just a few issues that just had to be resolved. The main reasons are TV access, the ability to earn more revenue and access to the BCS bowl system.

With Utah leaving the MWC took a big hit in BCS qualification (which, by the way, we've had a long standing gentlemans agreement that we would stay together. They obviously decided the move to the PAC 10 was worth breaking this agreement, which I don't begrudge). And we no longer had a strong partner in the conference (Utah fans are the only ones who see our move as positive - just take a look at the different team forums). BYU and ESPN have known for years that we have valuable football program. The money we made from the Mountain was a fraction of what we actually pulled in for the conference. I have no doubt that BYU's first choice would have been to get some TV concessions from the conference and Comcast. And that was shut down.

So what does BYU do? The PAC 10 would never accept us because of our religious affiliation. The Big 12 may be on option down the road, but there are no guarantees. The only choice we really have at this point is to either join a conference that will allow us to establish our own TV relationships and, as a result, keep more of the money we earn. BYU will make a lot more money and fans around the world will now have access to the football games. The biggest risk with independence is what will access to the BCS bowls look like. Currently, any member of the MWC has to go undefeated to get into the BCS bowl games. If we go undefeated as an independent I find it hard to believe that they can keep us out.

It's a great day for BYU fans. We hold no ill will for MWC teams. Seriously.

WOW....I don't normally get into this crap, especially when dealing with BYU and Utah trolls on the Wyoming boards...but WHAT????

"the ability to earn more revenue and access to the BCS bowl system. "??? You did get a contract, from what I've read, from ESPN. Congrats. But you do not have better access to the BCS. At least if you won out in the MWC, you had a chance at something. But now that you're independent, you'll have to fight harder and have a much harder schedule and more wins for the BCS to care.

"And we no longer had a strong partner in the conference" ??? Ok...what about TCU and BSU? They are both better teams this year than either TCU and Utah? I know we took a hit when Utah left (I didn't want to see them go), but to say that there is not another strong partner for you in the conference is dumb. You have two of the top teams in the country, which you could play year in and year out....and you blew it.

"BYU will make a lot more money and fans around the world will now have access to the football games." ??? Assuming that the "fans around the world" will all be Mormon, or just not know how self-righteous you guys are.

"The biggest risk with independence is what will access to the BCS bowls look like. Currently, any member of the MWC has to go undefeated to get into the BCS bowl games. If we go undefeated as an independent I find it hard to believe that they can keep us out." ??? If you go undefeated as an independent, the BCS guys will still see that you beat Hawaii, San Jose State, and the other weak schools that agree to play with you when all the "big boys" are playing their conference games.

Alright allcoug...I know a bunch of other people on here have asked that you stop trolling our boards. I know you won't, because it helps you feed your need to "feel important". Maybe if you convince us that BYU is poop-hot, they'll count that as your mission? Is it too much to ask an admin to boot him?

I don't like that we lost BYU and Utah. (I wouldn't have minded losing the self-righteous/arrogant fans from either team, but the sports teams were fine) It hurt the conference. We were on the verge (without Nevada and Fresno) of being the next BCS conference. The Mtn is a craptastic network, and the MWC should never have agreed to it. ESPN would have been a better fit, and would have provided better access to the conference.

[Fullback41]

What I don't understand is why AllCoug cares what we think over on our site. You chose to leave, why try and defend it to us, who gives a darn...your gone.

I also find it comical that the official stance of BYU is that they backstabbed an entire conference that has been working toward AQ status by suggesting buyout clauses in the WAC when they knew the MWC discussed inviting a couple of them and blame the whole thing on Utah leaving...........talk about lack of morals, and taking no responsibility or accountability for your actions......uhm, kinda like the whole holier than thou attitude the entire conference has complained about was right on, even in the end.

Go away AllCoug, we don't care what you think, we aren't on your forum, why do you torture yourself by trying to convince us that BYU did no wrong, is your conscience that guilty? You made your choice, go live with it.

Maybe it will work out for you, maybe it won't, just leave us alone..we don't care to hear your excuses.

[Cheywypoke]

I can kind of see BYU's thinking here, unfortunately, I think this whole thing is brought on by greed and ego. They've always treated the Utes as their little brother, unfortunately for BYU, little brother has grown to be bigger and stronger, which is evidenced by Utah's recent football successes, which includes a BCS bowl (something BYU has never done), and the Utes invitation to the Pac-10. I've heard some interviews where BYU claims the whole independent thing is an attempt to promote the LDS church on a larger, national scale through athletics. To that I say, Bull. The only way this whole independent thing will work for BYU is if the football team gets really, really good. I'm talking Top Five good. Anything short and BYU's games will be seen on BYUTV (preaching to the choir if you believe the promote the religion rhetoric) or late night games on a Tues. or Thurs. on ESPNU -- not ESPN or even ESPN2, but ESPNU or one of the network's other lesser channels (which by the way is nationwide, but mostly on only high end cable and dish packages.) As for some of BYU's olympic sports such as swimming and diving, track and field, men's volleyball or softball, those athletes have just been sold down the river. Men's volleyball may already be in a special volleyball conference similar to UW's wrestling team, I'm not sure about that, however, the other sports, especially softball are screwed. The softball team is now without a conference which will severely hamper them getting into the national championship tournament. Swimming and track is a little better off since they can qualify for nationals with qualifying times. They don't really need a conference for that, however scheduling could be a problem. Allcoug will disagree, but I think this could be a big, big gamble for BYU. On a side note, there are some rumors that the MWC and Conference USA have had preliminary discussions to try to do something to strengthen both conferences. Two rumors I have read are that the two conferences would have a championship football game with the winner getting a BCS bid, and the second being that the conferences would combine and then ask for AQ status. Wouldn't it just be funnier than hell if the MWC teams would somehow gain BCS status before the independent BYU does? Now, that would be hillarious.

[WYO1016]

I go to every home game and it's a fun environment.

I've been to games in Provo when Wyoming had away games there. It's easily the worst place I've ever been to watch a football game. (ANY football game. The atmosphere at the high school games in my tiny Wyoming town is better than the atmosphere in Provo.) I've never seen so many people sit quietly to watch a football game. Part of the group I was with was kicked out in the 2nd quarter of the last game I went to for cheering too loudly. Not being profane or rude, but too loud. At a football game.

In closing, shove it up your collective asses, BYU. Life in this conference will be much better since you've realized you are not wanted.