Big Sky Conferernce gains 2!(?)

[Sytes]

So, an exception was made for UC DAVIS and CAL POLY to join even though the do not match the requirements for the schools to play in the same 14 games...

Griz STOMPED their opponent and were bumped to #1...

Villanova - whoops! Lost.... ahh, how sad.

So, maybe UC DAVIS or CAL POLY will bring us Griz some actual... competition??? Wishful thinking...

 

[shoots-straight]

Cal Poly gave the griz a game last year, AT Washington Grizzly stadium in front of the home crowd. I would expect tougher conditions at home.

 

[Big Slick]

I'm still trying to figure out why Northern Colorado joined the Big Sky! They suck!

 

[smalls]

Yay, the Griz beat a Div. II team for their season opener! Congrats on a creampuff schedule!!! There other non-conference opponent this year.... UND (who lost to a NAIA school last season). Granted they (and the B'cats) did schedule NDSU in football in a couple of years. My guess is that the Bison will hang another rare L for a Griz home game.

Meanwhile, NDSU beat a Big 12 team on their field while holding them to 3 points for their season opener.

Outside of Missoula, the Big Sky pretty well blows for athletics. I will say Washington Griz stadium has a pretty good atmosphere for football though. BTW, did Jimmy Wilson get cleared to play after his assault run-in?

 

[shoots-straight]

Next year they start the season with Tennessee.

 

[Sytes]

#21 was cleared by NCAA and Pflugrad to play. The assault charge stands at the moment as "not guilty". I don't think he played in the 73-2 whomping. Almost think he will continue with practise though as for game time... benched until resolution(?) Just my guess.

I certainly agree - the game was a "see-saw" having one side never leaving the ground... Though that was the team lined up.

I am hoping the 'stangs bring a bit of competition and hopefully Weber brings their A game. I love it when the Griz win... though I would rather have tense fights for the win than games such as this last one.

Not too familiar with UC DAVIS - any thoughts on their game play?

http://bisonmedia.areavoices.com/ Interesting article and link to other article.

Interesting comments by Big Sky commissioner Doug Fullerton in this article in the Ogden Standard-Examiner newspaper. I’m not a fan of reading between the lines, but I will read between this quote, which is in response to academic fit:

“That’s what made (Cal Poly and UC Davis) an easy sell. We were past that hurdle very quickly,” Fullerton said. “That’s the same hurdle they will look at first with looking for a full member. After that, it goes to the kind of athletic program they’ve got, to make sure they ramp up sports. Geography comes into play, ease of travel.”

There are only three candidates that I can figure: UND, USD and Southern Utah. So, in theory, the third Big Sky addition would come down to this: Are the Big Sky presidents OK with the academic standards of Southern Utah in exchange for the geographical footprint or would they prefer the academic makeup of either USD or UND and sacrifice the ease of travel benefit?

We know the Summit would not mind losing Southern Utah, for that travel reason and Summit commissioner Tom Douple has in a sense already braced the league for that possibility. USD is already in the Summit and UND is close, but those schools would be left without a football home in the Summit.

 

[Sytes]

Commissioner of WAC is "seriously" considering UM as it looks for new members. "UM is high on our list"...

IMO, I think this would be a decent consideration. Equal pro's and con's... Mainly the pro of elevating our game. Competition has been pretty much minimal in past years. Think UM would have to fight to get their mojo going - however... I wonder how many weightless bobble heads would defect to other teams as a result of UM taking a beating more than snatching a win...

Meh, Currently, UM is not doing too well though to be expected, new coach (good one, IMO) and some good members are off to bigger and better things. Who knows... Maybe this will revive the fierce competition UM has been desiring... in its current state.

I would much rather support a team with tough fights than 73-2 scores.

 

[shoots-straight]

It's better to a big fish in a little pond, than a little fish is a big one. The thing I don't like about going up, is that the local boys would be SOL. White boys just aren't fast enough to play big time football.

 

[Nemont]

The Griz would be making a big mistake to jump to Div 1. Given how fickle the fans are already there is no way they are going to turn out in the numbers they do if the Griz finish every year 5-6 or 6-5 and to NEVER again compete for a national championship.

It will mean alot of Montana kids will end up at the other school because in order to compete on the national scene Missoula would have recruit more none Montana athletes.

Why not work to make the Big Sky a better conference rather than move to Div 1?

Nemont

 

[idnative1948]

The Griz would be making a big mistake to jump to Div 1. Given how fickle the fans are already there is no way they are going to turn out in the numbers they do if the Griz finish every year 5-6 or 6-5 and to NEVER again compete for a national championship.

It will mean alot of Montana kids will end up at the other school because in order to compete on the national scene Missoula would have recruit more none Montana athletes.

Why not work to make the Big Sky a better conference rather than move to Div 1?

Nemont

I have to agree. Look at University of Idaho... when they decided to go WAC. Had they stayed Big Sky you never know. If they don't keep their ship afloat for the next two years, they may be headed back. Big boosters or not. Just sayin.......

 

[2pointslayr]

there was a total of 5 schools invited to the wac montana being one

 

[Sytes]

O’Day said UM’s football program costs about $6.5 million per year to operate at the Championship division level, but an elite program in the FBS uses upwards of $50 million annually.
There’s also the question of rival Montana State. It’s been suggested in the past that the Grizzlies would not be able to move up without the Bobcats.

“That’s a question that really has not been answered,” O’Day said. “Another piece that goes into this is retaining rivalries. There aren’t near enough rivalries in the country. Even in the Big Sky. The one real rivalry is Montana vs. Montana State. You’d like to get it so there are more, but there’s so much distance between the schools in our conference.

“In Montana you’re either a Griz fan or a Bobcat fan. We share the same borders. And that’s very special and it’s what makes both of us very attractive to a league like the WAC. We’d all hate to lose that rivalry.”

http://billingsgazette.com/sports/c...cle_d356a5e0-b31a-11df-928d-001cc4c002e0.html

Will be interesting to see the assessment, once complete. Think they raised 20k privately to fund the review.
I can not see how Missoula, et al will be able to raise10 x's the amount - though I would imagine it will advance funding.

I lean towards Nemonts perspective... though on the fence pending final review by the independent assessment. Interesting to think a package to include Bobcats... though I really do not see that happening.

 

[TOM IN TENNESSEE]

"Start their season at Tennessee"----ummm...everyone would like that opportunity....we suck....but I aint gonna bitch unless 2012 is bad! I give Dooley three years to get us back but not a day more!

 

[TOM IN TENNESSEE]

Griz need to beat UT next year because we are coming back!
I always go to Champs game in Chattanooga just to see damn fine football!
If any you Griz fans decide to come this year, give me a shout! I live 25 muiles from stdium! i can sleep five of you in beds and more on couches, recliners, and floor!
Store my email addy in case you make it again
[email protected]

 

[TOM IN TENNESSEE]

WELL HELL!!! Forget my offer to host Griz fans...NCAA took champs game away from us---it is gonna be sumwhar in TX...