• Hi Guest, want to participate in the discussions, keep track of read/unread posts and more? Create your free account and increase the benefits of your WyoNation.com experience today!

Idaho AD sweatin': WAC/Sun Belt merger?

MrTitleist

Administrator
Staff member
http://www.nationalfootballauthority.com/2012/02/karl-benson-exit-c-usa-mountain-west.html

Interesting article.. Idaho's AD wants a merger.. I think he fears he may have to return to the Big Sky if things go South..
 
After Idaho lost its "flagship university" title this week, he's been having a rough time with all of this realignment talk. Idaho is destined for the Big Sky, but pride is going a long ways to prevent that.
 
The problem with Idaho is they're a geographic outlier, they've struggled since moving up due to poor funding and support, and it's nearly impossible to talk kids into living in Moscow for 4-5 years. Without success no one cares about you. If Idaho was winning some football this wouldn't be a conversation and we'd probably see them in Conference WTF.
 
MrTitleist said:
The problem with Idaho is they're a geographic outlier, they've struggled since moving up due to poor funding and support, and it's nearly impossible to talk kids into living in Moscow for 4-5 years. Without success no one cares about you. If Idaho was winning some football this wouldn't be a conversation and we'd probably see them in Conference WTF.
Yep......being a few miles away from Pullman has always hurt them. They won't leave for the Big Sky until their hand is forced.......which could be soon.
 
Problem with going to the Big Sky is they will probably lose some significant donor $$$.. among other things.
 
MrTitleist said:
Problem with going to the Big Sky is they will probably lose some significant donor $$$.. among other things.
Is there even room left for expansion in the Big Sky? Regardless, they're don't have a lot of financial support. There's not much to lose. They lose like crazy, and thus Vandal home games are like what you would see at Portland State. The only time they sell out that 15K dome is when an opponent with a significant fan base fills it up for them. Soon here they'll be running out of choices altogether. Big decisions are going to have to be made soon....
 
J-Rod said:
After Idaho lost its "flagship university" title this week...

I took a look at the story about changing the Mission Statement for the university. I had to roll my eyes because it also says that Boise State calls itself a "research university." The Carniege Foundation does not agree. From a research and academic standpoint, my understanding is that BSU is a joke compared to the University of Idaho.

Personally, I think it is an unfair and inaccurate treatment of the University of Idaho. The were demoted from Flagship & Land Grant (like Wyoming, Nebraska, Arizona, MIssouri and several Big Ten schools) to "land grant" which is more like CSU, Utah State, New Mexico State, and Auburn relative to the primary schools that have Law Schools and other major departments.

Idaho still is the flagship school and is academically the most respectable public school in the state. I always thought that Idaho was better than to insist on dumbing-down their education system so that the also-rans can feel better about themselves.

This is the first peice of institutional evidence that argues against the long-term potential of the University of Idaho as a conference partner with teams like Wyoming. It is not like they are any more remote or academically inferior to U.W. Boise, Fresno, UNLV, and New Mexico State are all a step down from us. If you are a non-athlete, which name do you want on your diploma when you are looking for a job or admission into graduate or post-graduate programs? It is certainly not Fresno State or Boise State.
 
WyoExpat said:
J-Rod said:
BSU is a joke compared to the University of Idaho.

Academically...truer words have never been written. BSU is merely a truck driver community college. Goes to show what a winning "front porch" does for a University. Another fine example is UNLV in the late 80's / early 90's with basketball...prior to that, UNLV had an enrollment of 7 or 8k, and was a full commuter campus.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top