Air Force Eyes Big East, Missouri Valley

[TexasTerror]

Interesting information on Air Force. If they were to leave the MWC for the Big East from a football-standpoint, while slotting their remaining sports in the Missouri Valley - that would truly change the landscape significantly.

Air Force also claims to have turned down the Big 12 when they were approached - saying they can't recruit against Oklahoma and Texas. Yet, they are gung ho for the Big East... ;)


SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Get ready to kiss Air Force goodbye. The Mountain West Conference is on the verge of losing a charter member.

The Falcons are looking to fly far away to save the Big East from disintegration, with the hope that fellow military academies Navy and Army will join them in the league.

"Our interest is high in the Big East. That's fair to say," Air Force athletic director Hans Mueh told me Saturday.

"This stuff is moving fast."

He expects that the future of Air Force athletics will be decided by the end of October. The plan would have the Falcons joining the Big East only in football, while moving teams in other sports to the Missouri Valley Conference.

http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_19073868#ixzz1aIqT2Y3o

[TexasTerror]

Perhaps the WAC for the other Air Force sports? League is desperate and would be willing to do it - particularly with Denver already in the league...


"I have had a hypothetical conversation with Air Force for their sports, and the answer was that if and when you want to talk about Air Force as a non-football member that we would be willing to discuss it," WAC commissioner Karl Benson said Sunday night. "Air Force as a football member in the Big East is doable. That means about four airplane trips. You could say that Colorado Springs to Honolulu (to play Hawaii when the Warriors join the MWC in 2012 as a football only member) isn't a whole lot different than going to New Jersey or Connecticut or West Virginia. I don't think that is something that should be dismissed."

Benson said he'd be willing to work with Air Force, which was in the WAC when Benson was commissioner, before the Falcons joined seven others to split to form the MWC in 1998. The Falcons would make sense in the WAC with the league adding Denver for 2012. Denver and Seattle are joining the WAC in all sports but football.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/7082348/air-force-falcons-exploring-options-other-sports-football-joins-big-east

[TexasTerror]

Utah State is already lobbying to take Air Force's spot if they should leave... this would really cause some problems for the WAC.


2. Utah State athletic director Scott Barnes said the Aggies would be interested in replacing Air Force in the Mountain West if the Falcons bolt. Now this is a move both sides should support. The MWC can get the state of Utah back in its footprint. Utah State basketball is an upgrade over any other recent addition (Boise State, Fresno State, Nevada). Utah State would immediately be a contender with UNLV, New Mexico and San Diego State every season (waiting on Colorado State to get there, too). Utah State coach Stew Morrill deserves one more shot in an established league (even though the MWC is looking more like the old WAC).

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/36433/3-point-shot-utah-state-fits-mountain-west

[superman7515]

Strange considering how public they were with their holier than thou "We turned down the MWC unlike our traitorous conference brethren" in the summer.

[TheValleyRaider]

Strange considering how public they were with their holier than thou "We turned down the MWC unlike our traitorous conference brethren" in the summer.

Which may or may not be related to their alleged role in pulling BYU to the WAC for all sports while letting them go Independent in FB, which would have killed the MWC at the expense of the WAC. They might not have had enough MW friends to pull off an invitation at that time

[TexasTerror]

Big East visits Colorado Springs, Colorado to talk to AIR FORCE...


COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Air Force officials met with members of the Big East Conference for more than two hours and listened to their presentation on why the league would be a good fit for the Falcons.

Academy spokesman David Cannon said Wednesday night that it was just an informational meeting with Big East commissioner John Marinatto and Nick Carparelli, the league's senior associate commissioner.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/7154660/air-force-falcons-meet-big-east-commissioner

[TexasTerror]

Air Force still weighing options... MWC is happy by the means they are doing it.


Air Force’s decision on conference realignment has been a difficult one, with many issues being considered.

Although moving the football program to the Big East is an appealing option, sources with knowledge of academy superintendent Lt. Gen. Mike Gould’s thought process, who did not want their names used because Gould has not spoken publicly about realignment in weeks, said Gould might be leaning toward staying in the Mountain West.

That could change as Gould weighs the pros and cons of each path, and the worst-case scenarios about moving to the Big East. The issues include a lack of guarantees about television money and the stability of the Big East, as well as the perception of a service academy’s motives and loyalty.

Read more: http://www.gazette.com/articles/names-128010-gen-thompson.html#ixzz1d1lfWLY4

[TexasTerror]

Air Force update... no decision until after football season...?


Air Force officials remained silent Monday about any plans to move from the Mountain West to the Big East Conference in football. Academy spokesman David Cannon said Superintendent Lt. Gen. Michael Gould probably won't take up the issue until the football season is over. A person close to the discussions at the Big East said the expansion focus for teams in the West may have shifted to Brigham Young and Boise State and that Air Force might not be involved in the initial phase of adding new conference members.

http://www.denverpost.com/afa/ci_19345046#ixzz1du3GMJrg

[TexasTerror]

No go for AFA...


Air Force Academy superintendent Lt. Gen. Michael Gould told the Big East Conference that the academy is remaining in the Mountain West. AFA hopes to be an influence in commissioner Craig Thompson's efforts to stabilize the MW after Boise State and San Diego State bolted Wednesday to the Big East.

"Last Friday, I called the Big East Conference commissioner and told him that right now isn't the time for Air Force to move to the Big East," Gen. Gould said. "We intend to stay put and do what we can to shore up the Mountain West."

Earlier in the day, the Big East announced that Houston, Central Florida and SMU were being added for all sports and Boise State and San Diego State were joining in football only. Commissioner John Marinatto said the Big East hoped to add at least two more teams.

http://www.denverpost.com/afa/ci_19491419