How is it that Craid Thompson can unilaterally invite 2 new schools to the MWC?

[Katy Lied]

When TCU was added: months and months of deliberation and slow percolations etc etc.

When Boise was added: months and months of rumors and announcements that the MWC would move at its own pace and emphasis of the importance of getting every school to buy into the invite.

When Fresno/Nevada was added: One day for the USU invite and rebuff, next day for the Fresno and Nevada invites. What happened to getting agreement from every school in the MWC. For sure BYU would have vetoed it, and probably Utah would have as well, since they dont have a dog in the fight now and would want to help out BYU.

Can Thompson run around inviting any team he wants without consultation with any of the existing schools in the league?

[Flystripper]

I think Thompson got approval from the schools. I doubt Utah has a vote anymore and since it does not take a unanimous vote to invite other teams, I am sure BYU voted yes because voting no would only mean further alienation in a conference that they may still need.

[creekster]

We have discussed this a little in other threads. I am unaware of any evidence that these invites were done in the last minute. In my mind, that these were being discussed helps explain the step by BYU to try to assure that the WAC stay together. That the WAC schools can respnd so quickly is on them, but the invite itself was almost certainly in the works long before.

[Jacob]

I think Thompson got approval from the schools. I doubt Utah has a vote anymore and since it does not take a unanimous vote to invite other teams, I am sure BYU voted yes because voting no would only mean further alienation in a conference that they may still need.

We know that Samuelson left the conference call, and then the rest of the schools decided to invite Fresno and NV without BYU's vote.

[creekster]

We know that Samuelson left the conference call, and then the rest of the schools decided to invite Fresno and NV without BYU's vote.

We dont knbow thatm, some of us infer that from a sketchy recitation of the call. Moreover, it is most likely that the call was merely the final approval to extend the invites. I doubt it was the first time they were discussed.

[Flystripper]

We know that Samuelson left the conference call, and then the rest of the schools decided to invite Fresno and NV without BYU's vote.

either way BYU's vote was not needed and I am sure that he had all the approval from the other institutions that he needed in order to extend the invitation.

[Katy Lied]

We know that Samuelson left the conference call, and then the rest of the schools decided to invite Fresno and NV without BYU's vote.

There is no reason for Utah to vote with the conference. I dont think they'd vote yes just to spite BYU.

What's not to prevent BYU from going Indie and then participating with another conference in the other sports?

(Sorry I havent had the time to read through the proper threads)

[EuropeanFootballMale]

They didn't need to hurry to invite BSU. It seems likely to me that this is how the whole thing went down.

1. BYU lets WAC know what they are thinking and gets deal to stick together
2. Fresno, Nevada or both give Hair a phone call saying I know something you don't know
3. Hair raises the alarm with MWC schools and they decide what to do

[creekster]

They didn't need to hurry to invite BSU. It seems likely to me that this is how the whole thing went down.

1. BYU lets WAC know what they are thinking and gets deal to stick together
2. Fresno, Nevada or both give Hair a phone call saying I know something you don't know
3. Hair raises the alarm with MWC schools and they decide what to do

maybe. I thikn it was likely more involved than that.

-Utah leaves;BSU joins
-MWC consaiders options, such as adding Wac schools; BYU considers options, such as going inde
-Hair and MWC mull; BYU decides Inde makes sense if the non FB sports land; WAC is the best place; they approach WAC in light of the MWC mulling invites, BYU asks WAC to commit to at least 5 years, and asks for a finaicial penalty like the Big 12 to give the ocmmitment some teeth.
-WAC, including FSU and UNR (and its disappearing ink) agree to the commitment and BYU then begins steps to make its move;
-news leaks, Hair and the MWC freaks; FSU and UNR confirm and fill in the blanks; Hair moves up the invite procvess to try to leverage BYU
-FSU and UNR wnat MWC football and when invite comes, and the finacial issue is apparently assited by the MWC, they jump, despite their commitment to the WAC
-BYU, not having announced, waits for smoke to clear to decide what to do;

this is all pure guesswork

[SeattleUte]

We have discussed this a little in other threads. I am unaware of any evidence that these invites were done in the last minute. In my mind, that these were being discussed helps explain the step by BYU to try to assure that the WAC stay together. That the WAC schools can respnd so quickly is on them, but the invite itself was almost certainly in the works long before.

I'm sure BYU is pure in all of this. BYU charitably stuck its neck out only to try to save the WAC (for old time's sake) and people totally misunderstood and are now crucifying it.

[Uncle Ted]

What gets me is Thompson said that the MWC is better off with FSU and Nevada. If that is really the case then why were they not invited at the same time as BSU?

Thompson seems full of crap just like when he was trying to sell the Mtn channel years ago at the TCU-BYU game (and none of us in Texas could get the Mtn channel). I have a feeling if BYU leaves then TCU and maybe AFA are going to bolt to the C-USA and Thompson will be the commissioner of the new "WAC". The guy better take a page from Dan Beebe's play book (on dealing with major asset teams) and give BYU what they want if he is going to save the MWC.

Edit: also if he had given invites at the same time as BSU then he would have save the conference $5M and FSU/Nevada $2.5M each.

[creekster]

I'm sure BYU is pure in all of this. BYU charitably stuck its neck out only to try to save the WAC (for old time's sake) and people totally misunderstood and are now crucifying it.

What? What are you talking about? I didnt say that nor did I imply that. BYU acted in an uncharacerisitically but totally appropriate slef-interested way. Having waltzed off to the PAC-12 I am sure you can apprecaite it.

[EuropeanFootballMale]

maybe. I thikn it was likely more involved than that.

-Utah leaves;BSU joins
-MWC consaiders options, such as adding Wac schools; BYU considers options, such as going inde
-Hair and MWC mull; BYU decides Inde makes sense if the non FB sports land; WAC is the best place; they approach WAC in light of the MWC mulling invites, BYU asks WAC to commit to at least 5 years, and asks for a finaicial penalty like the Big 12 to give the ocmmitment some teeth.
-WAC, including FSU and UNR (and its disappearing ink) agree to the commitment and BYU then begins steps to make its move;
-news leaks, Hair and the MWC freaks; FSU and UNR confirm and fill in the blanks; Hair moves up the invite procvess to try to leverage BYU
-FSU and UNR wnat MWC football and when invite comes, and the finacial issue is apparently assited by the MWC, they jump, despite their commitment to the WAC
-BYU, not having announced, waits for smoke to clear to decide what to do;

this is all pure guesswork

Clearly it had been discussed previously. The MWC has probably talked with most of the WAC teams at some time or another. I just imagine that Fresno and Nevada went to Hair and said "remember how we were talking about maybe hooking up at some point? I'd do it right now."

[creekster]

Clearly it had been discussed previously. The MWC has probably talked with most of the WAC teams at some time or another. I just imagine that Fresno and Nevada went to Hair and said "remember how we were talking about maybe hooking up at some point? I'd do it right now."

that's probabyl true.

[ERCougar]

What gets me is Thompson said that the MWC is better off with FSU and Nevada. If that is really the case then why were they not invited at the same time as BSU?

Thompson seems full of crap just like when he was trying to sell the Mtn channel years ago at the TCU-BYU game (and none of us in Texas could get the Mtn channel). I have a feeling if BYU leaves then TCU and maybe AFA are going to bolt to the C-USA and Thompson will be the commissioner of the new "WAC". The guy better take a page from Dan Beebe's play book (on dealing with major asset teams) and give BYU what they want if he is going to save the MWC.

Edit: also if he had given invites at the same time as BSU then he would have save the conference $5M and FSU/Nevada $2.5M each.

And gotten them a year sooner. That's part of what's so funny about all this--Fresno and Nevada still have two years of WAC play ahead of them. Can you imagine the buzzkill that must be?

Yup Hair (and Fresno/Nevada)--brilliantly planned and executed move.