Comments about ‘Expansion talk in the Pac-10 has created a stir’

I completely disagree with this article, you suggest that BYU and Utah should jump ship ASAP. Why? The ship is in it's best shape....ever. Utah, BYU and TCU have turned this dingy into a Goliath slayer. We're 2 years away from the end of the BSC evaluation and we're scoring well in their 3 scoring areas. If we stay the course, Utah, BYU, and TCU have an easier path the the national title than in any other conference. You get to use WY, CSU, NMU, UNLV, and SDSU as your punch bags. Once Boise joins in, we'll be there. A new powerhouse ready to tear down the whole system into a playoff system. I hope Utah ignores the instant money and holds out for similar cash and easier glory by sticking with the MWC. Otherwise, they'll be a mediocre team and become the next Arizona or ASU in the overrated elitist PAC-12

It would be a shame if BYU and Utah end up in different conferences. The BYU Utah rivalry is one of the best rivalries in the country, period. It's not just the rivalry game itself that matters, but the intensity that builds up to it throughout the season as each team slogs through the same conference opponents. Splitting up BYU and Utah is like splitting up peanut butter and jelly. It's just wrong. The two belong together.


If either team gets an invite, they should insist that the other come along as a "package deal." They should say, "It's both of us or neither of us." Though BYU and Utah are rivals on the field, this is the time for them to stand together.

I disagree with Brad Rock's logic that the Pac-10 will never consider BYU because they are too conservative. Since when does a school's political or religious views have anything to do with whether they make a good member of an athletic conference? If a conservative religious school like Notre Dame or TCU were located close to the West Coast, do you think the Pac-10 would automatically rule them out? No way.

What rules in college athletics is money, and BYU can deliver it...loads of it.

Any team in the Mountain West would jump to the PAC 10 and if Boise State had the same shot they would pass up the MWC in a flash. I would like to see BYU and Utah go to the PAC together. After reading articles from many source, I have concluded that BYU may be out of the race for all the wrong reasons.

I never thought, I would see such an outright display of discrimination from some of the best universities in the world.

Unfortunately, those that control college sports are the University Presidents and the so called intellectuals that call for inclusiveness and diversity with a cult like zeal. Just make sure you believe in the same liberal (progressive), socialistic views they share or forget joining their exclusive lunch club. PS, I guess the profit motive is a great idea if you are in higher education and not a capitalist pig.

If Utah jumps ship and BYU doesn't get an invite, BYU is on a sinking ship. Most likely TCU will also get an invite to some other league and take it if Utah jumps. That leaves BYU with a 7-team MWC without TCU and Utah's wins during an evaluation. That MWC is no better than the WAC and even combining the WAC best with the MWC best won't get them in the BCS. That would be the last straw. The BCS will have won and will be able to close the door on all NAQ schools for good.

BYU needs to get an invite,and that means getting Steve Young to lobby the SF-based PAC into taking on BYU for it huge fan-base, great athletics program, TV numbers (SLC is BYU), and arenas. Utah has no fan base and denying BYU due to religion is a crime and Hatch will have to switch from antitrust against the BCS to discrimination against Mormons.

No one would deny ND because they are Catholics.

Come on Steve, start talking to your friends in California NOW!

FINALLY a DesNews writer that actually knows his stuff. Concisely built and accurate. You need to leave of few copies of this article laying on some other "writers'" desks. Cough ....Harmon ....Cough

Maybe he can learn you don't have to be a total homer to write for the paper.

Though I like the Mountain West as it's currently configured, I don't see Utah turning down a PAC-10 invitation.

The PAC-12 would split into two divisions. Most likely combination in my mind is:

Utah
Colorado
Washington
Washington State
Oregon
Oregon State


USC
UCLA
Arizona
Arizona State
California
Stanford

Each team would play five games in its own division and then play three teams from the other division, rotating them each year.

If Utah leaves the Mountain West, Boise State would be willing to replace them in a heart beat.

Though BYU has a shot at the Big 12, it's by no means guaranteed. For various reasons, TCU might be the chosen over BYU.

That would leave BYU and Boise State as the Big Fish in the Mountain West. At that point, adding Fresno State to fill in the last hole would in my mind be a good choice.

That combination would still make the Mountain West a strong conference.

There is no reason to leave. The MWC is getting better and better. They have been at least as good as the Pac 10 over the past several years. Stay the course and stop the embarrassing groveling. WE DON'T WANT IT.

"Never trust people to do the right thing when the wrong thing makes more money." That is the best quote since, "Some people would rather tell a lie, even if the truth sounded better." BYU going to the Big 12 would be awesome! Let Utah go to a PAC-12 and hopefully we'll be a non-conference game each year, kind of like Stanford/USC vs Notre Dame each year.

This is just the BCS breaking up the Mt. West so they don't need to include them. I wish we would just ride it out and make them include us. It won't happen of coarse...too much quick money but long term Utah, TCU and BYU are better off staying together. If one team goes and we add Boise St. Mt. West is ok... that is why two conferences will expand...

Lets face it, the Pac-10 is looking to increase its revenue. Adding Salt Lake and Denver seems to be the logical choice. Since the mwc is weaker than the Pac-10 anyone who is invited to join the big boys would jump in a heartbeat. Say goodbye to the mwc, its over.

Stories bouncing around the Big 12 region is that Texas is being courted by both the Big 10 and the Pac 10.

Maybe Utah and BYU are just back up plans after the real prize of Texas slips away from the Pac 10.

re: no to PAC-10
Are you kidding me? If either Utah or BYU get a chance to join a BCS conference that shouldn't even take a second to say YES! I realize that the MWC is doing well against the BCS criteria at this point. But, I don't really trust the BCS to do the right thing and admit the MWC as a BCS conference. My view is that if you've got a "bird in the hand" you had better take it! There is no guarantee that the BCS will ever add a 7th AQ conference. There is just too much money at stake.

It is ignorant for you to think that Utah or BYU would ignore the invite to get out of the worst TV contract in any conference being "The MTN". The increase in money would be dramatic for the schools and their not staying around to try and be hero's in "2" supposed years when we get into the BCS automatic aqualifying status or when the "playoff" system happens. Thats not ever going to happen, I say jump ship and get out of the MWC which is a worthless conference, Utah goto the PAC-10 and Big 12 please invite us to leave - I am tired of watching ESPN and never seeing MWC highlights or games and praying BYU will go undefeated so we can mabye mabye get into a BCS game. Were 22-3 in basketball and were not even ranked in the top 15, there are teams ahead of us with twice as many losses, we need to play better competition to get more respect and playing 1 school a year like Oklahoma in football wont do. So keep dreaming.

If I am the Big 12 I invite the Y and the U and TCU all in to the league. Make the move before the Pac 10 invites the U.

I was born and raised in the PAC-10. I was admitted to the honors program at one of the schools and offered an academic scholarship. I choose BYU.

As for BYU not having a med school, ASU, WSU, Cal, and the two Oregon schools don't either. I don't know why Med school is relevant. As for academics, it is interesting to look at incoming students. For example incoming National Merit Scholars. The number to the left of each school in the list below indicates the number of incoming National Merit Freshman in the year 2008 (latest year available). BYU is at the top of MWC and in the middle of the PAC10.

229 USC
162 Arizona State
110 Stanford
91 Cal Berkeley
87 BYU
78 UArizona
37 UWashington
24 UCLA
13 UOregon
11 TCU
10 Utah
9 Colorado State
9 UColorado
8 Oregon State
3 Washington State
2 Boise State
2 UNew Mexico
2 Utah State
2 UWyoming
(Not Mentioned: Air Force, SDSU, UNLV)

Source (National Merit Scholarship Corporation, Annual Report 2008-2009)

Rock is right about the Pac-10 not inviting BYU. Two years ago? Maybe. After Prop 8? No way. California has become a State beholden to the liberal left. The political pressure against inviting "the Mormon" school will be IMMENSE. BYU will be fine in whatever conference it is in. It would be sad indeed for BYU fans if Utah bolts. But the rivalry will remain just the same.

Isn't it interesting that only Utah papers are writing stories about Utah going to the PAC10 and BYU left out. I have been reading something completely different, about what others have been saying in SF, LA, and AZ. Most of what I hear seems to be that BYU is the most viable option, especially concerning the amount of $ and fan support that they bring to the PAC-10 table. So do the UTES with their RECENT success on the Football field. Colorado? Other than their liberal party-like atmosphere, do not bring anything to the table. Neither of their money-making sports (i.e. Football and Basketball) bring absolutely nothing to the table, and even worse, are geographically out of sight...Go read these recent articles in the SF Chronical, and the LA Daily News that follow the exact logic I've just explained. Mr. Rock, is just another UTE-loving anti-BYU homer like the rest of the local SLC news media. Besides, if BYU gets snubbed, and UTAH goes, BYU will be the one that will shine anyway, whereas the UTES will disappear into oblivion. Just ask ASU and AZ how their PAC10 experience has been...

One thing you got wrong---the rivalry WOULD change. It would still be a rivalry, but less intense. I lived in the South, and I can tell you first hand that Florida/Florida State really isn't that much of a rivalry. Florida/Georgia is ... because they are in the same conference and usually near the top of it. Lately, it's been Florida/Alabama. Florida/FSU doesn't have much luster.

Similarly, Georgia loves beating Georgia Tech, but that's not really that much of a rivalry either. It doesn't make or break a season. Again, it's Georgia/Florida, or Georgia/Tennessee.

Moral of the story? The Utah/BYU rivalry would still be fun, but it would lose its luster. It just would. Considering the hate spewed out on these discussion boards, that might not be a bad thing.

Still, I hope the schools can move (or stay) in the same conference together. We shall see.

Do you even follow this stuff? They have approached BYU about it before. If you weren't full of so much hate for BYU, you'd acknowledge that Bronco has already addressed this. Get off your Utah high horse. They've both said the other won't leave without the other. Gee, we don't even follow this stuff for a full-time job and we know more than you!