Wah-hoo-wah! BYU @ Virginia

[The_Douger]

For those who find their interest waning as a result of independence, how has that manifest itself? Are you attending or watching fewer games? Do you care less now if BYU loses to Utah? I read several on the board bemoaning the downsides to Independence, but I don't see these people posting less about BYU football or expressing more apathy after losses. I'm trying to understand how independence correlates with your own personal enthusiasm.

I didn't buy season tickets last year. I went to a couple games, one pair of tickets was given to me. We decided to buy tickets to the Oregon State game. I have found myself going elsewhere to watch BYU play good teams. So, we went to 2 games instead of the usual six at LES.

I still follow the team, but I don't really give a crap about playing Middle Tennessee or Houston. I always want to win every game, but I'll admit I like to play regional teams like Boise, Utah, and other MWC squads more than play some of the teams we've been playing.

I really go back and forth about it. I'm more interested in the games we can get at home, but if nobody wants to come play us, like next year, then I'm more likely to travel somewhere with friends to see BYU play.

[Eddie]

As for players who've chosen Boise over BYU, in the last two years, there have been 5 who ranked 3 stars or better according to scout. Shay Fields, Hawkins Mann, Alec Dhaenens, Tanner Shipley, and Tutulepeata Mataele.

I don't seem to recall reading anywhere that these folks all chose Boise due to conference affiliation. Can you link their quotes? I mean, since we are saying that conference affiliation is the reason for recruiting problems and these players are being help up as evidence - I assume that it is known that they chose Boise over BYU due to conference affiliation.

[woot]

Okay, so they win the MWC and they get to go to a slightly less crappy bowl game?

Yep. BYU getting into the least-crappy bowl game they could used to be very interesting to me.

How is that different? I only paid attention to conference games because I wanted to see what BYU would be up against. I pay attention to everyone on BYU's schedule now just the same.

But it wasn't only about seeing what you're up against, was it? Even after you've played a conference member you still have rooting interests for or against them, either because you want the conference as a whole to look good, or because you need certain teams to lose. I used to get very wrapped up in all that with BYU, and am currently all wrapped up in the B10 in the same way.

[Donuthole]

That's my point. We watch who we play. We only watched MWC teams because we played them. It's no different now. We watch the teams on the schedule. We're fans of the team, not the conference.

Not to mention, those of us who live outside Utah can actually watch BYU play 12 games a year now (which wasn't the case for a 2-3 year window).

[woot]

Not to mention, those of us who live outside Utah can actually watch BYU play 12 games a year now (which wasn't the case for a 2-3 year window).

This is definitely true. I hated the MTN. Still, I'd rather be very interested and frustrated that I have to watch a shady internet stream than being bored watching in HD.

[wapiti]

Agreed. It's fun to have a rooting interest in a bunch of games every week. Without a conference, one's rooting interests are independent.

I don't see losing interest in the UNLV vs Wyoming game as a bad thing.

[Hsaru]

One interesting thing about being in a conference is you really get familiarity with the head coaches and QBs and star players of the other teams in conference and you are interested in watching how they perform during the year. Is anyone really getting that invested in anything about New Mexico St. or Middle Tennessee State? The games seem incredibly disposable.

[Blueintheface]

I bought season tickets this year for the first time in a few years because of the schedule and because I had expectations for the immediate future 2014-2015. I don't think after 1 game that I've altered those expectations one bit.

(Need I remind some of you that I have had epic meltdowns in the past on this very board for much less? That alone should give some of you naybobs of negativity momentary pause )

[Blueintheface]

One interesting thing about being in a conference is you really get familiarity with the head coaches and QBs and star players of the other teams in conference and you are interested in watching how they perform during the year. Is anyone really getting that invested in anything about New Mexico St. or Middle Tennessee State? The games seem incredibly disposable.

As disposable as say...JAKE HEAPS!!! (cue lightning crash and scary music) Just kidding, Hsaru.

[Flystripper]

I have been thinking more about recruiting and independence. The long term view bothers me quite a bit. I think the biggest risk with respect to recruiting as an independent long term is that that the longer we are independent the more we get lumped in with Army, Navy, Idaho, NMSU and the less we will get compared to ND. Yikes. Just like Utah is enjoying a bump in perception due to affiliation I think that BYU is teetering on the edge of slipping below the perception of the MWC due to the company that we keep. ND can have any conference they want. Other independents can't find a conference to take them...I think we are more like the latter than the former and this is not lost on recruits.

[wapiti]

One interesting thing about being in a conference is you really get familiarity with the head coaches and QBs and star players of the other teams in conference and you are interested in watching how they perform during the year. Is anyone really getting that invested in anything about New Mexico St. or Middle Tennessee State? The games seem incredibly disposable.

I'm not really missing my intimate knowledge of New Mexico's coaching staff.

[Surfah]

Not to mention, those of us who live outside Utah can actually watch BYU play 12 games a year now (which wasn't the case for a 2-3 year window).

Amen to that. People who want to go back to the MWC in football are nuts. Basketball and other sports you have a solid argument. But independence is so much better than the MWC for football I can't even comprehend arguments against it.

[Flystripper]

Amen to that. People who want to go back to the MWC in football are nuts. Basketball and other sports you have a solid argument. But independence is so much better than the MWC for football I can't even comprehend arguments against it.

I am totally nuts!

[Surfah]

I also don't buy the scheduling sucks argument. They sucked most years in the MWC especially since the only two good teams we played in Utah and TCU were always home or away in the same year. Even AF was lumped in with Utah and TCU. So every other year in the MWC the home schedule was pretty lame and the best MWC school we'd see was SDSU and maybe a mid tier BCS team in a non-con at the beginning of the year. I think the scheduling now is so much better. At least we have interesting road games when the home schedule is lacking. We never had that in the MWC.

[Surfah]

I am totally nuts!

I like you dude, but you are totally nuts with this one.