Poinsettia Bowl

[Jeff Lebowski]

We will agree to disagree. We are not nearly as good, and the MWC not nearly as bad, as many BYU fans believe. The game was perfect from my perspective: Deeply bittler UW fans can't hold a win over us and say we never should have left, and our fans see that UW isn't the high school team that some BYU fans make them out to be.



I agree, and I think we had no choice but to leave the MWC based on the revenue distribution and TV rights. Still, if we were able to keep our ESPN contract I would be all for rejoining the MWC. At some point we all need to face reality, and admit that we will not have the recruiting power to get enough big talent to play in a big boy league. Playing in any league is better than playing in none, all other things being equal, because we have something to play for at the end of the season besides making it to a mediocre bowl. Sure, it's great to play big-name schools, but the only way we make the playoffs is with an undefeated season, which will always be extremely unlikely. Most of you will disagree, but I'm entitled to my opinion and you are entitled to yours. We will all continue to maintain we are right regardless of how much we discuss this.

EDIT: as an aside, I learned that BYU actually loses money on the bowl game. They pay to bring 350 people there, and are required to buy a certain number of tickets to re-sell. They rarely sell enough tickets to pay the expenses.

Disagree!

[cowboy]

Disagree!

I understand. I personally prefer to play for a conference championship every year rather than just qualifying for a bowl. Last night proved that we can have some fun games in the MWC. You and many others feel differently, but I understand why you do.

[cowboy]

Does the MWC gain anything if we hold on to our ESPN contract? I think the Board of Trustees would also want to retain our TV rights as well. I'm skeptical we could go back to the MWC under those conditions. For me, it's all about improving the program. Does independence give us a recruiting advantage over playing in the MWC?

All good questions. I think the MWC would benefit because every team in the MWC would get on ESPN at least once a year. Still, I don't know that it would be enough for the MWC to want us back.

[Flystripper]

I am in agreement but I know I am in the minority. Some people feel that indy elevates our status because we are not associated with the MWC. Its like they think it makes BYU seem more important. I think those people have an inflated opinion of who we actually are and what the nation really thinks about independent teams. In the MWC we can still schedule 2-3 big time games per year, and we get to play our traditional rivals. I really enjoyed the game yesterday, and love playing teams that that have fanbases who hate us us with the fire of 1,000,000,000,000,000 suns.

I know, I know you guys think I am an idiot. Its OK. I have a thick skin.

[byu71]

I understand. I personally prefer to play for a conference championship every year rather than just qualifying for a bowl. Last night proved that we can have some fun games in the MWC. You and many others feel differently, but I understand why you do.

I vascillate back and forth. I really enjoy some of the teams we have on our schedule thanks to Independence.

If we could schedule Wisconsin, LSU and USC plus the MWC teams, I would be happy being in the MWC. After all I think Boise and SDSU ended up with better bowl games and I believe we would have a better shot at a New Years day game. I do like being the champion of something even if it's nothing. I enjoyed having the best softball team in the whole worldwide church back in I think it was 1961 or 1962. Of course I was only 14 so what did I know??

[Jeff Lebowski]

I understand. I personally prefer to play for a conference championship every year rather than just qualifying for a bowl. Last night proved that we can have some fun games in the MWC. You and many others feel differently, but I understand why you do.

We can have fun games against teams in any conference. Last night we happened to play a team from the MWC. Meh.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I am in agreement but I know I am in the minority. Some people feel that indy elevates our status because we are not associated with the MWC. Its like they think it makes BYU seem more important. I think those people have an inflated opinion of who we actually are and what the nation really thinks about independent teams. In the MWC we can still schedule 2-3 big time games per year, and we get to play our traditional rivals. I really enjoyed the game yesterday, and love playing teams that that have fanbases who hate us us with the fire of 1,000,000,000,000,000 suns.

I know, I know you guys think I am an idiot. Its OK. I have a thick skin.

Sigh. So many strawmen, so little time....

[Eddie]

Does the MWC gain anything if we hold on to our ESPN contract? I think the Board of Trustees would also want to retain our TV rights as well. I'm skeptical we could go back to the MWC under those conditions. For me, it's all about improving the program. Does independence give us a recruiting advantage over playing in the MWC?

You're looking at too narrow of a window. Right now, BYU holds the rights to their HOME games, but for any road games the media rights are held by the team/conference BYU is visiting.

So if BYU were to join a conference like the MWC, even if they had a separate contract for home games, their is value in being able to broadcast the in-conference away games. So BYU could continue to keep all of the revenue generated from home game broadcasts. And the conference could receive the revenue of having added viewers watching conference games that BYU plays on the road.

That said -

I personally have enjoyed independence and the variety of games played in a variety of places.

I'm also the sentimental type who loved the Wyoming matchup for this game, and wouldn't mind future games against the likes of SDSU, AFA, CSU, or UNM. Of course, you can add USU to the mix now that they are in the MWC too.

So I'm torn. I say stick with independence. But I wouldn't be overly upset if BYU decided it was in their best interest to return to the MWC. I would disagree with them. But I wouldn't mind games against some of those traditional adversaries.

[Mormon Red Death]

I enjoy the bowls but I am a degenerate gambler

Amen

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

[Green Monstah]

I miss the kinder, less defensive (and offensive!), BYU-fan version of RCV.

[Shaka]

I understand. I personally prefer to play for a conference championship every year rather than just qualifying for a bowl. Last night proved that we can have some fun games in the MWC. You and many others feel differently, but I understand why you do.

I waver but I mostly fall on your side of the equation. During my athletic days we'd play bigger schools in the preseason. That was always fun but not nearly as much fun as playing for a region title and then getting the chance to go to state. A season full of exhibition games would have taken a lot of fun out of competing. There are many current and former athletes who feel the same way.

[Flystripper]

Sigh. So many strawmen, so little time....

The section in bold wasn't an argument so I am not sure how it is a strawman. It was an opinion based on my observations of how people react to the idea. Its fine you you don't share that opinion. I never thought you did.

[SeattleUte]

Sigh. So many strawmen, so little time....

Your counter-evolution and descent from enlightened dissident to company man has been disheartening, awful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VG7JAM6DQnM

[old_gregg]

I waver but I mostly fall on your side of the equation. During my athletic days we'd play bigger schools in the preseason. That was always fun but not nearly as much fun as playing for a region title and then getting the chance to go to state. A season full of exhibition games would have taken a lot of fun out of competing. There are many current and former athletes who feel the same way.

wait you mean like high school right?

[Jeff Lebowski]

You're counter-evolution and descent from enlightened dissident to company man has been disheartening, awful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VG7JAM6DQnM

Because I don't want to go back to the MWC? Lol. Ok.