Lawsuit(s) mediation tomorrow May 19

[Loyal Coug1]

So, any thoughts on how this will pan out?

The Hyper-Intelligent Loyal One thinks the MW will offer some concessions on both the poaching fees and the exit fees, but not much. In addition to the dollars themselves, if the MW gives up too much the Pac-? will just turn around and poach UNLV. Especially since MW $ promises to UNLV are highly dependent on the poaching/exit monies.

As I have stated previously, I think the Pac-?'s lawsuit is a joke and should have simply been thrown out. Our arguments are pathetic. On the exit fees, these are standard in all conferences, although I've read where indeed they are often bargained down.

 

[Coug1990]

So, any thoughts on how this will pan out?

The Hyper-Intelligent Loyal One thinks the MW will offer some concessions on both the poaching fees and the exit fees, but not much. In addition to the dollars themselves, if the MW gives up too much the Pac-? will just turn around and poach UNLV. Especially since MW $ promises to UNLV are highly dependent on the poaching/exit monies.

As I have stated previously, I think the Pac-?'s lawsuit is a joke and should have simply been thrown out. Our arguments are pathetic. On the exit fees, these are standard in all conferences, although I've read where indeed they are often bargained down.

I feel the opposite. The P12 has the much stronger hand regarding all the lawsuits.

 

[Loyal Coug1]

I feel the opposite. The P12 has the much stronger hand regarding all the lawsuits.

Oh? And why might that be? And to clarify, the Pac is only in the poaching lawsuit, not the exit fee lawsuit. But then you knew that.

 

[Dave_86]

From reading around a variety of message boards for weeks, if not months... the PAC is expected to do quite well with the poaching fees lawsuit for two reasons...

• The poaching fees are in violation of anti-trust laws. The PAC told the MWC this when the contract for the football games was signed, but the MWC insisted on including the poaching fees clause anyway.
• The 5 traitors leaving the MWC are already paying exit fees, and those fees should already cover any damages to the MWC caused by those schools leaving.

Some people feel it's quite possible the PAC-12 will not be paying any poaching fees penalties.

The exit fees lawsuit thing should be really interesting. 2 or 3 things that I've read on a variety of message boards...

• San Diego St. & Fresno St. are not suing for a reduction in exit fees because fellow State of California school San Jose St. is a part of the MWC. So that raises the question: if Boise St., Colorado St., and Utah St. get a reduction in exit fees, will the 2 California schools automatically get one, too?
• Schools generally can get the exit fees reduced by litigating.
• Be careful when looking at what previous schools actually paid when leaving their conference for a new one. Some schools left before the media contract expired, and some waited for the contract to expire before moving on. The 5 traitors are waiting for the MWC media contract to expire before joining the PAC-12.

My guess is that Boise St, Colorado St, and Utah St. each pay about $10M to $12M to leave the MWC. Who knows what the 2 California schools will pay.

UNLV may soon become an interesting topic for discussion...

 

[Loyal Coug1]

From reading around a variety of message boards for weeks, if not months... the PAC is expected to do quite well with the poaching fees lawsuit for two reasons...

• The poaching fees are in violation of anti-trust laws. The PAC told the MWC this when the contract for the football games was signed, but the MWC insisted on including the poaching fees clause anyway.

UNLV may soon become an interesting topic for discussion...

Ok. So both conferences had attorneys (obviously) and you are telling me that the MW attorneys knew the poaching were "illegal" but included it anyway and the Pac-2 went along, knowing that they were going to poach schools?

And how do you know what the Pac-2 told the MW at the time of signing? I've never seen anything tangible to this effect. If I was the MW, essentially bailing out the Pac-2 for 2024, and they said "we'll sign this but it is not enforceable" I would have said go F-yourselves then, you are on your own, losers. Oh but I suppose then the Pac would have sued the MW for not bailing them out?

 

[mikalalas]

I feel the opposite. The P12 has the much stronger hand regarding all the lawsuits.

This. While I understand that it may seem like, come across, semi lame, etc, the argument that PAC 2 SIGNED what they SIGNED, the PAC 2 was forcefully bent over and raped, and had to take it in the rear, because IF the PAC 2 said NO, it was EXTREMELY Likely the PAC 2 would have been FCKED, SCREWED, etc.

So legally, contract law usually doesn't permit 1 party RIPPING OFF the other party.

2. The MWC doing POACHING fees, penalties, is UNFAIR, ANTI COMPETITIVE, it HURTS BSU, SDSU, FSU, etc, and prevents them from competitively looking around to see what's out there for them, because IF they do, look around, go with somebody else, and they goto PAC 2, say they want to join PAC 2, then even tho they don't have to pay more then the standard exit fees, the poaching fees to the PAC 2 potentially make the PAC 2 say NO to them joining the PAC 2, like they want to join the PAC 2.

3. Industry standard. Industry wide, no on else in the entire, whole industry makes a conference pay poaching fees. The standard is that the conference teams have to pay EXIT FEES, to leave conference, join another conference, that the poaching conference may or may not help with.

4. WSU was legally informed that the Poaching Fees were illegal, wrong, etc, and informed the MWC, and were still practically semi forced to still sign. The PAC 2 grudgingly signed, and again informed the MWC that poaching fees were not enforceable, illegal, etc.

5. Because of the above points WSU has a strong legal case, even if one thinks its lame that WSU signed, then sue, etc. Lots of people do lame ass things like suing, winning lawsuits. Heck a customer lamely successfully sued Mc D's for millions over a cup of Coffee that they either knew, or should have known was EXTREMELY BOILING HOT(Duh Gee Duh George I Duh wonder why the cup of coffee has so much steam coming from it, and boiling)


WSU and MWC will probably settle somewhere in the middle. The MWC will probably not throw the smallest crumbs like you think.

 

[Dave_86]

Loyal All Knowing 1 -

The World According to America's Favorite Swimsuit Magazine

 

[mikalalas]

From reading around a variety of message boards for weeks, if not months... the PAC is expected to do quite well with the poaching fees lawsuit for two reasons...

• The poaching fees are in violation of anti-trust laws. The PAC told the MWC this when the contract for the football games was signed, but the MWC insisted on including the poaching fees clause anyway.
• The 5 traitors leaving the MWC are already paying exit fees, and those fees should already cover any damages to the MWC caused by those schools leaving.

Some people feel it's quite possible the PAC-12 will not be paying any poaching fees penalties.

The exit fees lawsuit thing should be really interesting. 2 or 3 things that I've read on a variety of message boards...

• San Diego St. & Fresno St. are not suing for a reduction in exit fees because fellow State of California school San Jose St. is a part of the MWC. So that raises the question: if Boise St., Colorado St., and Utah St. get a reduction in exit fees, will the 2 California schools automatically get one, too?
• Schools generally can get the exit fees reduced by litigating.
• Be careful when looking at what previous schools actually paid when leaving their conference for a new one. Some schools left before the media contract expired, and some waited for the contract to expire before moving on. The 5 traitors are waiting for the MWC media contract to expire before joining the PAC-12.

My guess is that Boise St, Colorado St, and Utah St. each pay about $10M to $12M to leave the MWC. Who knows what the 2 California schools will pay.

UNLV may soon become an interesting topic for discussion...

It won't be litigated. Both sides agreed to mediation. Mediation is different then litigation. Both sides will meet somewhere in the middle because they can't move forward financially, meet deadlines, etc, until this is settled, and it will take between 3 to 6 to 9 months to settle, which would at least hurt PAC. Also the mediator's job is to get both sides to meet in the middle.

 

[mikalalas]

Ok. So both conferences had attorneys (obviously) and you are telling me that the MW attorneys knew the poaching were "illegal" but included it anyway and the Pac-2 went along, knowing that they were going to poach schools?

And how do you know what the Pac-2 told the MW at the time of signing? I've never seen anything tangible to this effect. If I was the MW, essentially bailing out the Pac-2 for 2024, and they said "we'll sign this but it is not enforceable" I would have said go F-yourselves then, you are on your own, losers. Oh but I suppose then the Pac would have sued the MW for not bailing them out?

According to Wilner, Canzano, etc, and being reported all over You Tube, Instagram, Twitter, whole internet, etc, WSU did inform the MWC.

Most informed sports fans, etc, know this. Just ask them, most will tell you the same.

Your the only 1 who doesn't know this, or refuses to acknowledge, disputes, etc, etc.

Its commonly knowledge known, or at Ultimate extreme least, believed as ultimate extremely likely true.

Is it theoretically possible that its not true. Yes, and its theoretically possible a anvil could fall out of a airplane crash thru roof and hit a person on the head too. And there is no ultimate smoking gun proof. But sources have reported it to credible sources, and many news sources have parroted, rereported it, and probably wouldn't have reported it if it wasnt credibly sourced. And where there's smoke there is likely fire.

So it's true or at worst likely true with the theoretically low possibility it could in theory be wrong.

WSU informed the MWC, and they would have been stupid not to, if they didn't inform MWC.

 

[SaveFerris]

Ok. So both conferences had attorneys (obviously) and you are telling me that the MW attorneys knew the poaching were "illegal" but included it anyway and the Pac-2 went along, knowing that they were going to poach schools?

And how do you know what the Pac-2 told the MW at the time of signing? I've never seen anything tangible to this effect. If I was the MW, essentially bailing out the Pac-2 for 2024, and they said "we'll sign this but it is not enforceable" I would have said go F-yourselves then, you are on your own, losers. Oh but I suppose then the Pac would have sued the MW for not bailing them out?

AI Lawyer says “you are not required to follow the illegal parts of a contract, and the entire contract may be deemed void if it contains illegal clauses.”

There was talk the Pac put in addendums of some kind saying that certain parts of the contract were illegal. Maybe true maybe false. Still, there’s a reason both parties went to arbitration. Seems like the Pac has a case.

 

[PeteTheChop]

WSU and MWC will probably settle somewhere in the middle. The MWC will probably not throw the smallest crumbs like you think.

So, any thoughts on how this will pan out?

if the MW gives up too much the Pac-? will just turn around and poach UNLV.

Mik, as Loyal 1 suggested, settling "somewhere in the middle" likely doesn't work for the MWC because Gloria Nevarez won't be able to deliver the financial windfall she promised last fall to prevent UNLV and Air Force from heading for the exit.

And a further devalued Mountain West conference without its two biggest brands will end up with peanuts in its upcoming media agreement, basically a half-step or so above the FCS Big Sky.

Teresa Gould's situation isn't nearly as desperate

 

[mikalalas]

Does not matter if settling in the middle works for MWC or not in regards to maybe not keeping UNLV.

The longer MWC fights a settlement in the middle, the more MWC can't won't be able to move on, won't be able or take longer, take more money, etc, to do new media deal, when old one expires, take longer to do scheduling, looks weaker, badder, risk losing all the money to PAC 12, etc.

Its in the best interest for the MWC to meet somewhere in the middle. Gloria even said as much, and also that's why the MWC ASKED that the lawsuit goto mediation. Gloria said that the reason they asked to have the lawsuit goto mediation, was because it was in the best interest financially to get some of the money, move on, do what needs to be done, get business done, etc, etc.

In mediation, usually both parties meet in the middle, and usually both parties get both a little of what they want, and some of what they don't want, and it's the job of the mediator, arbitrator to get both parties to meet in middle, etc.

So it doesn't matter in a way what MWC wants in order to maybe keep UNLV, as its very likely they meet in the middle.

 

[PeteTheChop]

Does not matter if settling in the middle works for MWC or not in regards to maybe not keeping UNLV

You may well be right that Nevarez is just looking for a "decent" settlement even if it leads to the departures of UNLV and Air Force.

Gloria's problem is Teresa Gould couyld decide to play hardball with the MWC and drag things out to where Nevarez is stuck in an expensive legal quagmire with little hope of recouping any of her costs.

Pac-12 has deeper pockets and far more upside than an MWC that is now backfilling with FCS schools like UC-Davis

 

[mikalalas]

You may well be right that Nevarez is just looking for a "decent" settlement even if it leads to the departures of UNLV and Air Force.

Gloria's problem is Teresa Gould couyld decide to play hardball with the MWC and drag things out to where Nevarez is stuck in an expensive legal quagmire with little hope of recouping any of her costs.

Pac-12 has deeper pockets and far more upside than an MWC that is now backfilling with FCS schools like UC-Davis

Teresa Gould, and the PAC 12 are not going to drag things out. They can't afford too. If they do, they risk not getting a 8th football member by the deadline. The first deadline is July 1st because after July 1st, colleges leaving their conference to join PAC 12 would have to pay even more to do so, making it more unlikely PAC would get a 8th football member in time.

The only way PAC 12 drags it out, is if the PAC 12 already have a agreement worked out for a team like Texas St, New Mexico St to join PAC 12, and just haven't announced it yet.

Both the MWC, and the PAC 12, both can't afford to drag it out, and not settle in the middle, etc.

This gets settled, does not get dragged out, and both sides likely settle somewhere in the middle, and both sides get some of what they like, and don't like.

That's how Mediations by a mediator, arbitrator typically, usually work.

 

[dgibbons]

Ok. So both conferences had attorneys (obviously) and you are telling me that the MW attorneys knew the poaching were "illegal" but included it anyway and the Pac-2 went along, knowing that they were going to poach schools?

And how do you know what the Pac-2 told the MW at the time of signing? I've never seen anything tangible to this effect. If I was the MW, essentially bailing out the Pac-2 for 2024, and they said "we'll sign this but it is not enforceable" I would have said go F-yourselves then, you are on your own, losers. Oh but I suppose then the Pac would have sued the MW for not bailing them out?

An aggrieved party gets one satisfaction for any wrong. The MWC gets paid the exit fees by the departing schools. The MWC doesn't then get the poaching fee for the schools departing. This has been explained to you already.

 

[95coug]

You may well be right that Nevarez is just looking for a "decent" settlement even if it leads to the departures of UNLV and Air Force.

Gloria's problem is Teresa Gould couyld decide to play hardball with the MWC and drag things out to where Nevarez is stuck in an expensive legal quagmire with little hope of recouping any of her costs.

Pac-12 has deeper pockets and far more upside than an MWC that is now backfilling with FCS schools like UC-Davis

I think the deeper pockets depend on the outcome of mediation. And, at least the MWC is backfilling. The Pac-12 is still short a team, and the strong odds right now seem to favor pulling another FCS team too.

 

[COUGinNCW]

I think the deeper pockets depend on the outcome of mediation. And, at least the MWC is backfilling. The Pac-12 is still short a team, and the strong odds right now seem to favor pulling another FCS team too.

Sac State?

 

[95coug]

Sac State?

Seems to be about the only program in the rumor mill that hasn't already shot us down.

Of course, if the mediation goes a certain direction, UNLV, Air Force, and possibly other MWC schools may be back in play.

 

[dgibbons]

Seems to be about the only program in the rumor mill that hasn't already shot us down.

Of course, if the mediation goes a certain direction, UNLV, Air Force, and possibly other MWC schools may be back in play.

Why would the Pac want them?

 

[ttowncoug]

At this point, the best strategy is to follow Loyal's advice and to merge. Paying out money in exit fees is foolish if we can create long-term structure that helps all these teams out.

I think a "The Mountain Pacific Athletic Association" holding company - and I'd look for autonomous status - with 2 conferences, and 2 different media contracts payout amounts, could be valuable, namely if we can reboot the Pac-12 network into a new valuable property.

 

[PeteTheChop]

Of course, if the mediation goes a certain direction, UNLV, Air Force, and possibly other MWC schools may be back in play.

Air Force seriously consider joining the American Conference back in 2021, but opted to stay in the MWC. John Wellner and other media gurus seems to think they'll go that direction if Gloria can't deliver the financial windfall she promised last fall.

They've implied AFA would rather be in a multi-region conference because it likes to recruit nationally

 

[CougSinceBirth]

Whatever the "Pac" conference ends up being, it's not going to matter nationally. That's the truth.

 

[UberCougars]

Why would the Pac want them?

Missing link for Media to pay each PAC-12 school $36,000,000 for the next 10 years?

 

[dgibbons]

At this point, the best strategy is to follow Loyal's advice and to merge. Paying out money in exit fees is foolish if we can create long-term structure that helps all these teams out.

I think a "The Mountain Pacific Athletic Association" holding company - and I'd look for autonomous status - with 2 conferences, and 2 different media contracts payout amounts, could be valuable, namely if we can reboot the Pac-12 network into a new valuable property.

Except for the obvious problem of no one in the Pac wanting to be in the same conference with Wyoming, Hawaii, Nevada and New Mexico. That's why BSU, SDSU, FSU, CSU and USU jumped on the opportunity to leave, and why WSU and OSU didn't want to invite them.

 

[dgibbons]

Whatever the "Pac" conference ends up being, it's not going to matter nationally. That's the truth.

IF (note the emphasis) the rule providing that five highest ranked conference champs (or something close to it) remains in place, the Pac will positioned for a berth in the CFP. That's about as good as we can expect until the next wave of realignment hits, the B1G and SEC do their own thing, or whatever happens.

 

[Flatlandcoug]

Except for the obvious problem of no one in the Pac wanting to be in the same conference with Wyoming, Hawaii, Nevada and New Mexico. That's why BSU, SDSU, FSU, CSU and USU jumped on the opportunity to leave, and why WSU and OSU didn't want to invite them.

People keep talking about a merge and it's not something that the involved parties in the new Pac-X want. The MWC is going to be a low budget Sun Belt without the five teams we are taking. Air Force and UNLV were dumb to not leave too. Of course, I think Air Force is going to be gone to join Army and Navy soon enough.

 

[COUGinNCW]

Seems to be about the only program in the rumor mill that hasn't already shot us down.

Of course, if the mediation goes a certain direction, UNLV, Air Force, and possibly other MWC schools may be back in play.

Just spent a weekend in SAC. Seems like they could be the new Boise State in a few years with more upside.

 

[mikalalas]

At this point, the best strategy is to follow Loyal's advice and to merge. Paying out money in exit fees is foolish if we can create long-term structure that helps all these teams out.

I think a "The Mountain Pacific Athletic Association" holding company - and I'd look for autonomous status - with 2 conferences, and 2 different media contracts payout amounts, could be valuable, namely if we can reboot the Pac-12 network into a new valuable property.

No, the best strategy is not merging.

If the MWC, Gloria hadn't raped the PAC 2 with exorbitant scheduling fees, and hadn't played hardball, and had been willing to Kick Hawai, Nevada, New Mexico, the bottom 3,4 consistently TRASH teams to the CURB, etc, then the PAC 2 would have merged.

If BSU, FSU, SDSU had not been desperate to not have to be in the same conference with consistently BOTTOM DWELLING TRASH, then PAC 2 would have merged.

And if MWC hadn't backfilled with UTEP, another consistently TRASH team, PAC 2 may have merged.

MWC, Gloria brought this on themselves.

BSU, FSU, SDSU, DESPERATELY WANTED TO LEAVE THE MWC, AND JOIN THE PAC 2 BECAUSE THEY DID NOT WANT TO BE WITH THE CONSISTENTLY BOTTOM 3,4 TRASH TEAMS. AND THEY DO NOT WANT TO BE IN THE SAME CONFERENCE AS UTEP.

THEY ALSO WANT A BETTER SHOT AT THE CFP. IF BSU, FSU MERGE WITH MWC, AND BE WITH HAWAI, NEVADA, NEW MEXICO, UTEP, WYOMING, ETC, THEY WILL PROBABLY NOT GOTO CFP, EVEN IF THEY GO 11-1.

If they in PAC 12, going against BSU, FSU, SDSU, Utah St, WSU, Ore St, CSU, UNLV, Texas St, Memphis, Tulane, etc, then they will goto CFP if they go 11-2, 12-1, 13-0, and will go to CFP over a 11-1 MWC champ, or 11-1 AAC champ, or 11-1 C-USA champ, or 11-1 Sun Belt champ etc.

But in a watered down MWC, if they merged with a watered down MWC, the AAC champ, etc, would goto CFP over MWC champ.

The other factor, is that there is now to much bad blood between PAC 12 and MWC, between commissioners, too much hate, the legal disputes, etc.

So its not best that PAC 12 merge with MWC, and they won't merge with MWC.

The only ones thinking Merging is best, and wanting a merger to happen is Loyal, you, MWC fans, etc.

The rest of the sports fans, and the rest of the so called experts, pundits, media, etc, either don't want a merger to happen, don't think a merger is best, don't think a merger will happen, etc.

 

[95coug]

Why would the Pac want them?

Increasing desperation. The Pac has to have an 8th team and has 14.5 months to get it. All of the FBS-level options that seem viable have already either been rejected or have rejected us. The math could change based on the mediation, but if it doesn't...an FCS team is the only real choice. And of the FCS teams in the region, Sac State probably has the biggest upside.

 

[ttowncoug]

Except for the obvious problem of no one in the Pac wanting to be in the same conference with Wyoming, Hawaii, Nevada and New Mexico. That's why BSU, SDSU, FSU, CSU and USU jumped on the opportunity to leave, and why WSU and OSU didn't want to invite them.

My thought is you have two conference. Mountain West. Pac-12. Get economies of scale by eliminating the 2 conference admin offices.

On the media payouts, pay out a dollar amount to Pac-12 schools, a separate amount to MWC schools. Whatever their value is they get.

If you wanted to reboot the networks, and find a JV partner like Fox Sports - maybe even brand it as Fox College Sports - maybe rope in an east coast conference or some independents for added time slots and inventory.

Where both conference might get value is with scheduling agreements. You could really get creative and allow for midseason games to get added. Think MWC #1 vs. Pac-12 #1 is a November ESPN late game, or late season "flex games." It's all about creating compelling TV matches that will draw viewers.

I think an expanded conference, if set up correctly, is worth exploring namely if it creates value. Eliminating these exit fees creates a ton of value.

Will they? Nope. Should they? Yes.

 

[dgibbons]

My thought is you have two conference. Mountain West. Pac-12. Get economies of scale by eliminating the 2 conference admin offices.

On the media payouts, pay out a dollar amount to Pac-12 schools, a separate amount to MWC schools. Whatever their value is they get.

If you wanted to reboot the networks, and find a JV partner like Fox Sports - maybe even brand it as Fox College Sports - maybe rope in an east coast conference or some independents for added time slots and inventory.

Where both conference might get value is with scheduling agreements. You could really get creative and allow for midseason games to get added. Think MWC #1 vs. Pac-12 #1 is a November ESPN late game, or late season "flex games." It's all about creating compelling TV matches that will draw viewers.

I think an expanded conference, if set up correctly, is worth exploring namely if it creates value. Eliminating these exit fees creates a ton of value.

Will they? Nope. Should they? Yes.

Has the new Pac said revenue distributions would be equal? Creating value nowadays means cutting some schools out (like WSU and OSU were cut out). It's not going to happen (not enough anyway) with Nevada, Wyoming, New Mexico and Hawaii in the conference.

 

[COUGinNCW]

Increasing desperation. The Pac has to have an 8th team and has 14.5 months to get it. All of the FBS-level options that seem viable have already either been rejected or have rejected us. The math could change based on the mediation, but if it doesn't...an FCS team is the only real choice. And of the FCS teams in the region, Sac State probably has the biggest upside.

Bring back Long Beach State football!

 

[95coug]

Bring back Long Beach State football!

Walla walla CC?

 

[Dave_86]

No, the best strategy is not merging.

If the MWC, Gloria hadn't raped the PAC 2 with exorbitant scheduling fees, and hadn't played hardball, and had been willing to Kick Hawai, Nevada, New Mexico, the bottom 3,4 consistently TRASH teams to the CURB, etc, then the PAC 2 would have merged.

If BSU, FSU, SDSU had not been desperate to not have to be in the same conference with consistently BOTTOM DWELLING TRASH, then PAC 2 would have merged.

And if MWC hadn't backfilled with UTEP, another consistently TRASH team, PAC 2 may have merged.

MWC, Gloria brought this on themselves.

BSU, FSU, SDSU, DESPERATELY WANTED TO LEAVE THE MWC, AND JOIN THE PAC 2 BECAUSE THEY DID NOT WANT TO BE WITH THE CONSISTENTLY BOTTOM 3,4 TRASH TEAMS. AND THEY DO NOT WANT TO BE IN THE SAME CONFERENCE AS UTEP.

THEY ALSO WANT A BETTER SHOT AT THE CFP. IF BSU, FSU MERGE WITH MWC, AND BE WITH HAWAI, NEVADA, NEW MEXICO, UTEP, WYOMING, ETC, THEY WILL PROBABLY NOT GOTO CFP, EVEN IF THEY GO 11-1.

If they in PAC 12, going against BSU, FSU, SDSU, Utah St, WSU, Ore St, CSU, UNLV, Texas St, Memphis, Tulane, etc, then they will goto CFP if they go 11-2, 12-1, 13-0, and will go to CFP over a 11-1 MWC champ, or 11-1 AAC champ, or 11-1 C-USA champ, or 11-1 Sun Belt champ etc.

But in a watered down MWC, if they merged with a watered down MWC, the AAC champ, etc, would goto CFP over MWC champ.

The other factor, is that there is now to much bad blood between PAC 12 and MWC, between commissioners, too much hate, the legal disputes, etc.

So its not best that PAC 12 merge with MWC, and they won't merge with MWC.

The only ones thinking Merging is best, and wanting a merger to happen is Loyal, you, MWC fans, etc.

The rest of the sports fans, and the rest of the so called experts, pundits, media, etc, either don't want a merger to happen, don't think a merger is best, don't think a merger will happen, etc.

Wow, Mikalalas, what a rant! While there's been several times I've disagreed with what you have written, not this time! Simply well done.

Post of the year.

I started thinking about a month or two ago that we have completely overrated Gloria Nevarez as a conference commissioner. Her failure, just as Mikalalas wrote, was that she took care of her dregs (Nevada, Wyoming, New Mexico, SDSU, Hawaii) at the expense of her marquee schools (Boise State, San Diego State, Fresno State). And the 2024 football scheduling agreement with the PAC-12 mistreated Oregon State U. and Washington State U. in so many different ways.

At every turn, Nevarez has mistreated the best brands in and outside of her conference. There's a reason the better schools have left the MWC and have joined together in the PAC-12, and it's Nevarez's leadership.

 

[Loyal Coug1]

Boy. I go out of town for the day and the thread explodes. Good! But I disagree with damn near all of what you all say.

Gibby, your comments are silly. You are not some expert in this kind of shit. Ain't your field and you know it.

Mik, etc. Oh yeah, the mighty Pac-2 didn't want the shitty MW bottom feeders. So now we are stuck hoping that a Sun Belt team (Tx St. or New Mexico State) will join us. Yeah, way better than UNLV, Wyoming, etc. Talk about bottom feeders (the Sun Belt).

And the Pac has what leverage? We still need an 8th team. Who? NOBODY WANTS US. And all this BS about the MW "raping" the Pac. First of all, it offends me as a decent man and human being to have that term even used. Completely out of bounds. The Pac went begging and the MW accommodated us. Then we turn around and backstab them. They should have just said F-off from the get-go.

And the BS about how a merged Pac/MW conference would be aced out of the CFP because of the "bottom feeders"? What a joke. The P4 conferences all have bottom feeders. Who cares? What matters is the top teams. Vandy or Rutgers or whoever don't drag down Alabama or Michigan or whoever.

 

[Sea-Coug]

Boy. I go out of town for the day and the thread explodes. Good! But I disagree with damn near all of what you all say.

Gibby, your comments are silly. You are not some expert in this kind of shit. Ain't your field and you know it.

Mik, etc. Oh yeah, the mighty Pac-2 didn't want the shitty MW bottom feeders. So now we are stuck hoping that a Sun Belt team (Tx St. or New Mexico State) will join us. Yeah, way better than UNLV, Wyoming, etc. Talk about bottom feeders (the Sun Belt).

And the Pac has what leverage? We still need an 8th team. Who? NOBODY WANTS US. And all this BS about the MW "raping" the Pac. First of all, it offends me as a decent man and human being to have that term even used. Completely out of bounds. The Pac went begging and the MW accommodated us. Then we turn around and backstab them. They should have just said F-off from the get-go.

And the BS about how a merged Pac/MW conference would be aced out of the CFP because of the "bottom feeders"? What a joke. The P4 conferences all have bottom feeders. Who cares? What matters is the top teams. Vandy or Rutgers or whoever don't drag down Alabama or Michigan or whoever.

Dude, you started this message with a question, “So, any thoughts on how this will pan out?” People responded to how they think it will pan out. And you go and just trash everyone’s point of view that doesn’t support your narrative. I’m beginning to think that you didn’t really start this post really wanting to know everybody's thoughts…I think the loyal one just wants to keep droning on about HIS thoughts and how much better his thoughts are than everyone else’s.

 

[Loyal Coug1]

Dude, you started this message with a question, “So, any thoughts on how this will pan out?” People responded to how they think it will pan out. And you go and just trash everyone’s point of view that doesn’t support your narrative. I’m beginning to think that you didn’t really start this post really wanting to know everybody's thoughts…I think the loyal one just wants to keep droning on about HIS thoughts and how much better his thoughts are than everyone else’s.

Shit. You saw through my facade.

But in my defense, I was replying to crappy opinions of others whose silliness lowers my superior IQ just reading them.

 

[mikalalas]

Increasing desperation. The Pac has to have an 8th team and has 14.5 months to get it. All of the FBS-level options that seem viable have already either been rejected or have rejected us. The math could change based on the mediation, but if it doesn't...an FCS team is the only real choice. And of the FCS teams in the region, Sac State probably has the biggest upside.

Texas State is still a option. Yes they said no to a lowball offer, but they did say they wanted a full bowl of soup, instead of a partial bowl, implying that they are open to a right offer.

As PAC 12 gets desperate enough, PAC 12 would offer them the right offer to get them.

Another possibility is New Mexico St. PAC 12 has been negotiating with NM ST behind the scenes, and has them on emergency standby, if everything else falls through.

As bad as NM ST would be, they are, would still be better then SAC ST.

SAC ST has to be FBS for at least 1 full year before they can join PAC 12. That's why the PAC 12 won't invite them unless Texas St, New Mexico St, UNLV, Memphis, Tulane, UNT, Rice, Tulsa, etc, all fall through, which isn't likely to happen.

 

[mikalalas]

Boy. I go out of town for the day and the thread explodes. Good! But I disagree with damn near all of what you all say.

Gibby, your comments are silly. You are not some expert in this kind of shit. Ain't your field and you know it.

Mik, etc. Oh yeah, the mighty Pac-2 didn't want the shitty MW bottom feeders. So now we are stuck hoping that a Sun Belt team (Tx St. or New Mexico State) will join us. Yeah, way better than UNLV, Wyoming, etc. Talk about bottom feeders (the Sun Belt).

And the Pac has what leverage? We still need an 8th team. Who? NOBODY WANTS US. And all this BS about the MW "raping" the Pac. First of all, it offends me as a decent man and human being to have that term even used. Completely out of bounds. The Pac went begging and the MW accommodated us. Then we turn around and backstab them. They should have just said F-off from the get-go.

And the BS about how a merged Pac/MW conference would be aced out of the CFP because of the "bottom feeders"? What a joke. The P4 conferences all have bottom feeders. Who cares? What matters is the top teams. Vandy or Rutgers or whoever don't drag down Alabama or Michigan or whoever.

Just because Teresa Gould was just as bad of a Commish as Gloria, does not, did not make the decision not to merge bad.

Teresa Gould LOWBALLED Memphis, Tulane, USF, UTSA, Texas St, etc.

IF Teresa Gould had done her job right AFTER the decision not to Merge with MWC, the PAC 12 would probably have had BSU, Memphis, Tulane, USF, FSU, SDSU, WSU, Ore St, Utah St, UTSA, CSU, Gonzage, etc, and would have had about a 13 mil per team per year media deal, would have been the best conference behind Big 10, SEC, Big 12, ACC, P4, and would have been a hybrid P5, G5 conference, would have gotten 3 to 5 to 7 mil per year from CFP, instead of just only 1.8 mil from CFP each year, and would have had conference champ goto CFP over all the other G5 champs, about 99% of time, and would have had the Alamo Bowl, Holiday Bowl, Las Vegas Bowl, etc, over, instead of the Famous Idaho Potato Head bowl for the MWC champ that doesn't goto CFP.

So because Teresa Gould blew it, The PAC 12 will have 1, and only 1 consistent bottom dweller trash team in either Texas St, or New Mexico St, over, instead of the 4,5 consistent bottom dweller trash teams, HAWAI, NEVADA, NEW MEXICO, UTEP, WYOMING.

Having only 1 trash team,(That the PAC 12 can get rid of later), instead of 5 MWC trash teams is better, best.

The decision not to merge was better, best, its just that Teresa Gould FCKED UP the low hanging fruit, best decision, that was to not merge with MWC.