Conference Realignment: Here we go again

[AZGrizFan]

I have said this all along. There is NO WAY that UM has spent the money it has to build the Champions Center to stay at the FCS level. Really why do that? You have to try and position yourself as best you can. I think that’s what’s been going on here. Plus people that are in close enough to the program aren’t going to spill there information. That would just jeopardize they place.
We have watched Georgia Southern, App State and a few others make the move. They had more opportunity for conferences. They jumped to position themselves for a better conference.

When the WAC invited UM a few years ago we decided to hold off to try and position ourselves better. We saw how fragile the WAC football wise and it folded for Football until recently. UM took that vision and has built the Champions Center etc to make itself more attractive. Maybe the MWC will come calling? Maybe not.

However, this seems to be the point where UM makes a determination on its football programs future.

I will leave off with this again. Why spend the money it has without having a vision? To try and compete with UNC, Dixie State, PSU. I don’t think so.

I agree 100% Orgon. Champions Center. New locker rooms. Indoor practice facility. NONE of that is necessary to stay and compete at the FCS level. I mean, hell, just go take a look at what we're competing against in UNC, ISU, PSU, etc., etc. Their shit looks like middle school stadiums/facilities in comparison. You don't spend that kind of money without a larger plan in mind.

 

[Da Boyz Mom]

I agree with what you’re saying CDA, my problem is that he’s over exaggerating. He says nobody cares about FCS, that’s not true, there’s lots of people that care. All of us care. If we didn’t, none of us would be willing to come back to eGriz day after day. MSU fans care, NDSU fans care, SDSU fans care, etc. we care because we love our team regardless of what division we’re in. We’ve seen this place after losses and after wins. We behave the way we do because we care. Sure, people in California might not give a shit about the FCS, but people in MT care a whole lot about the Griz and the FCS. That’s the part of his statement I have a problem with.

Unlike you, I’m interested in our football team being a member of a FBS conference whereby we will play quality conference opponents on a regular basis. Schools like Wyoming, Utah State as opposed to Northern Colorado, Portland State. People like you dress up in your Griz clothes and celebrate when we destroy our opponents with no interest in the quality of the teams. Did you attend UM or are you only a critic of me whose UM family dates to the 30’s?

Legitimately trying to understand your reasoning considering the fact that Portland State went 4-4 in conference and Northern Colorado went 2-6, while Wyoming only went 2-6 in the Mountain West. If your standard for better competition is simply playing at the FBS level, then yes technically we would be playing against better competition. But no matter what level you play at, and no matter what conference you play in, there will still be plenty of bad teams. The Mountain West has UNM and UNLV which are both terrible. I don't see how that's much of an improvement over the Big Sky.

 

[HelenaHandBasket]

Unlike you, I’m interested in our football team being a member of a FBS conference whereby we will play quality conference opponents on a regular basis. Schools like Wyoming, Utah State as opposed to Northern Colorado, Portland State. People like you dress up in your Griz clothes and celebrate when we destroy our opponents with no interest in the quality of the teams. Did you attend UM or are you only a critic of me whose UM family dates to the 30’s?

Legitimately trying to understand your reasoning considering the fact that Portland State went 4-4 in conference and Northern Colorado went 2-6, while Wyoming only went 2-6 in the Mountain West. If your standard for better competition is simply playing at the FBS level, then yes technically we would be playing against better competition. But no matter what level you play at, and no matter what conference you play in, there will still be plenty of bad teams. The Mountain West has UNM and UNLV which are both terrible. I don't see how that's much of an improvement over the Big Sky.

But those bottom feeders in Wyoming and UNLV are still on par with the top BSC schools. That would make me believe that the MWC as a whole, is much better than the BSC and improved competition week in and week out.

 

[CDAGRIZ]

Legitimately trying to understand your reasoning considering the fact that Portland State went 4-4 in conference and Northern Colorado went 2-6, while Wyoming only went 2-6 in the Mountain West. If your standard for better competition is simply playing at the FBS level, then yes technically we would be playing against better competition. But no matter what level you play at, and no matter what conference you play in, there will still be plenty of bad teams. The Mountain West has UNM and UNLV which are both terrible. I don't see how that's much of an improvement over the Big Sky.

But those bottom feeders in Wyoming and UNLV are still on par with the top BSC schools. That would make me believe that the MWC as a whole, is much better than the BSC and improved competition week in and week out.

Uh, yeah. Didn’t Wyoming beat a team that kind of played in the FCS NC game?

 

[Spanky2]

The Griz record against Wyoming isn’t good. I believe 0-14.

 

[AZGrizFan]

Unlike you, I’m interested in our football team being a member of a FBS conference whereby we will play quality conference opponents on a regular basis. Schools like Wyoming, Utah State as opposed to Northern Colorado, Portland State. People like you dress up in your Griz clothes and celebrate when we destroy our opponents with no interest in the quality of the teams. Did you attend UM or are you only a critic of me whose UM family dates to the 30’s?

Legitimately trying to understand your reasoning considering the fact that Portland State went 4-4 in conference and Northern Colorado went 2-6, while Wyoming only went 2-6 in the Mountain West. If your standard for better competition is simply playing at the FBS level, then yes technically we would be playing against better competition. But no matter what level you play at, and no matter what conference you play in, there will still be plenty of bad teams. The Mountain West has UNM and UNLV which are both terrible. I don't see how that's much of an improvement over the Big Sky.

My reasoning has nothing to do with their record and more to do with being the flagship university and playing peers. Not directional schools or commuter schools named after cities (like PSU, SUU, UNC, NAU, etc., etc.). Play Wyoming. Utah State. Colorado State. University of Nevada…(OK, the argument kind of falls apart when you include SDSU and Fresno State and San Jose State, but I’m thinking more from a “regional” standpoint”)…. :lol:

 

[Da Boyz Mom]

This logic is like saying that a division 2 team should want to move up to FCS because they'll be playing better competition. Of course you will - you will always be paying better competition when you move up a division. My point is that the bottom feeders in a not so great conference are still the bottom feeders in not so great conference. I honestly don't understand how beating Wyoming when you have the same number of scholarships as them is any great feat. They're not a great team. And yes, most FCS schools who play FBS schools lose. That's how it works. Some of this logic is incredibly illogical.

 

[Griz til I die]

I have not, but I can tell you that I do not enjoy watching them on tv. I'm sure they're better in person just like everything is, but I still do not like the idea of watching the Griz play in a meaningless bowl game. That's just my opinion. Obviously there's people on here that like bowl games, and that's fine, I don't think any differently of those people. I just like the idea of being able to compete for a little more than a bowl game, regardless of what people say about the FCS being washed out. Like I've said, let's get a playoff system at the G5 level and I will have absolutely no problem with moving up. That's my opinion.

OK, fair enough. I've been to several bowl games and always had an absolute blast.

Next question: Do you watch the other FCS playoff games that don't include the Griz? Like, did you watch the Florida A&M/SELA game? Or the Sacred Heart/Holy Cross game? How about the Davidson/Kennesaw St. game?

Yes I actually do watch the other games. I find it kind of entertaining to watch the other teams at our level compete that we don't know much about.

 

[CDAGRIZ]

OK, fair enough. I've been to several bowl games and always had an absolute blast.

Next question: Do you watch the other FCS playoff games that don't include the Griz? Like, did you watch the Florida A&M/SELA game? Or the Sacred Heart/Holy Cross game? How about the Davidson/Kennesaw St. game?

Yes I actually do watch the other games. I find it kind of entertaining to watch the other teams at our level compete that we don't know much about.

Good on you, GTID. I think it’s interesting too. Unfortunately, I was unable to watch Holy Cross v. Sacred Heart this year because there was a Bill Dance re-run on ESPN2 instead.

 

[Griz til I die]

Yes I actually do watch the other games. I find it kind of entertaining to watch the other teams at our level compete that we don't know much about.

Good on you, GTID. I think it’s interesting too. Unfortunately, I was unable to watch Holy Cross v. Sacred Heart this year because there was a Bill Dance re-run on ESPN2 instead.

LOL. I get it, it's not for everyone but I do enjoy it. Ironically, that Sacred Heart vs. Holy Cross game might've been the best game of the first round. Holy Cross completed a hail mary for a TD on the last play of the game. It was actually an insane game.

 

[Spanky2]

This logic is like saying that a division 2 team should want to move up to FCS because they'll be playing better competition. Of course you will - you will always be paying better competition when you move up a division. My point is that the bottom feeders in a not so great conference are still the bottom feeders in not so great conference. I honestly don't understand how beating Wyoming when you have the same number of scholarships as them is any great feat. They're not a great team. And yes, most FCS schools who play FBS schools lose. That's how it works. Some of this logic is incredibly illogical.

I listed Wyoming and Utah State because those are two schools close to us that we used to play. The conference I have in mind is the Mountain West which includes many good football schools. If you pick out Wyoming and call my reasoning illogical to justify remaining in FCS, likely the only individual you will convince is yourself.

 

[HelenaHandBasket]

This logic is like saying that a division 2 team should want to move up to FCS because they'll be playing better competition. Of course you will - you will always be paying better competition when you move up a division. My point is that the bottom feeders in a not so great conference are still the bottom feeders in not so great conference. I honestly don't understand how beating Wyoming when you have the same number of scholarships as them is any great feat. They're not a great team. And yes, most FCS schools who play FBS schools lose. That's how it works. Some of this logic is incredibly illogical.

I guess many would like to beat Wyoming, Colorado St, etc with an equal number of scholarships than Northern Colorado, Portland St, and Sacramento St with an equal number of scholarships. I am not sure why this is such an illogical aspiration.

 

[Da Boyz Mom]

This logic is like saying that a division 2 team should want to move up to FCS because they'll be playing better competition. Of course you will - you will always be paying better competition when you move up a division. My point is that the bottom feeders in a not so great conference are still the bottom feeders in not so great conference. I honestly don't understand how beating Wyoming when you have the same number of scholarships as them is any great feat. They're not a great team. And yes, most FCS schools who play FBS schools lose. That's how it works. Some of this logic is incredibly illogical.

I guess many would like to beat Wyoming, Colorado St, etc with an equal number of scholarships than Northern Colorado, Portland St, and Sacramento St with an equal number of scholarships. I am not sure why this is such an illogical aspiration.

What's the difference? You beat bad FCS teams or you beat bad FBS teams. I guess I don't see how it makes much of a difference. But I guess for some people the label is everything.

 

[Spanky2]

Another school I would like to see on our schedule is Washington State.

 

[HelenaHandBasket]

I guess many would like to beat Wyoming, Colorado St, etc with an equal number of scholarships than Northern Colorado, Portland St, and Sacramento St with an equal number of scholarships. I am not sure why this is such an illogical aspiration.

What's the difference? You beat bad FCS teams or you beat bad FBS teams. I guess I don't see how it makes much of a difference. But I guess for some people the label is everything.

The difference is having a team that is comparable to a bottom feeder MWC team that wins 9-10 games per year at FCS or having aspirations of a team that is comparable to a top MWC team that can win 9-10 games at that level. I get it, you are fine with the status quo, but there is nothing illogical about wanting more.

 

[kemajic]

Another school I would like to see on our schedule is Washington State.

I'm sure Haslam has tried; they likely can't or won't pay what we need.

 

[AZGrizFan]

I guess many would like to beat Wyoming, Colorado St, etc with an equal number of scholarships than Northern Colorado, Portland St, and Sacramento St with an equal number of scholarships. I am not sure why this is such an illogical aspiration.

What's the difference? You beat bad FCS teams or you beat bad FBS teams. I guess I don't see how it makes much of a difference. But I guess for some people the label is everything.

The difference is this: Would you rather go on a roadie and watch the Griz play Colorado State in front of 35,000? Or go watch them play UNC in front of 3,500? Or Utah state in front of 40,000 or Weber in front of 4,000? How about Idaho in front of 6,000 or Washington State in front of 40,000?

Having gone to school at an FCS school but just 7 miles from an FBS school, I can assure you the atmosphere, pageantry and tailgating experience was light years better at the FBS school.

Montana has the atmosphere, pageantry and tailgating experience of an FBS school. We have the facilities of an FBS school. Yet here we sit….playing SUU, UNC, PSU, etc., every year. It just doesn’t make sense.

 

[Da Boyz Mom]

What's the difference? You beat bad FCS teams or you beat bad FBS teams. I guess I don't see how it makes much of a difference. But I guess for some people the label is everything.

The difference is this: Would you rather go on a roadie and watch the Griz play Colorado State in front of 35,000? Or go watch them play UNC in front of 3,500? Or Utah state in front of 40,000 or Weber in front of 4,000? How about Idaho in front of 6,000 or Washington State in front of 40,000?

Having gone to school at an FCS school but just 7 miles from an FBS school, I can assure you the atmosphere, pageantry and tailgating experience was light years better at the FBS school.

Montana has the atmosphere, pageantry and tailgating experience of an FBS school. We have the facilities of an FBS school. Yet here we sit….playing SUU, UNC, PSU, etc., every year. It just doesn’t make sense.

The people who went to the UW game sure got their money's worth. I almost had my hubby convinced to go then I decided I didn't want to spend that kind of money to watch us lose. Boy was I wrong.

Honestly, I don't really have a dog in this fight. I know people feel passionately about it on both sides but I'm going to be a Griz fan no matter what. It is kind of fun to get people riled up though.

Also - if moving up means the Griz become mediocre and lose a bunch more games then I'm just not for that. And I know the rationale is that somehow the Griz will excel at the next level also, but there's definitely no guarantee of that. It's all just blather on a message board anyway until something different actually happens.

 

[Butte5518]

I laugh EVERY year this topic comes up. The Griz Fan demands to jump up in competition even though they have not even sniffed at a conference championship since 2009. :thumb: :clap:

 

[grizindabox]

I laugh EVERY year this topic comes up. The Griz Fan demands to jump up in competition even though they have not even sniffed at a conference championship since 2009. :thumb: :clap:

Yeah, because that is the main factor behind a decision to move up or down even. If Conference Championships were the deciding factor, the Kittens would have been D2 a decade ago, but alas, here they are.