Comments about ‘Utah State football: Aggies work to secure uncertain future’

As a BYU fan and one who loves to support what's right over $$$$, as I shun Professional Sports and its outrageous salaries and ego-centric owners and players, I applaud USU for keeping its word.
In all honesty, BYU should either go to the WAC as agreed, or insist the Aggies be re-invited to the MWC, forming a natural in-conference rival with USU, while both teams will easily out-shine Utah in all other sports.
Football against those Utes will be tough, always kinda a pick-em game.
Still, if BYU wants to "do the right thing," it'll form an alliance with USU as a conference partner.
While I see the WAC as bending over backwards for BYU, the MWC is playing it cards low while dealing a shifty deck.
Honestly folks, its time BYU put its words into actions and support those who supported them.

RaininTime, thanks for your words of support. The only way that I see Utah State survives this and lands on its feet is if BYU forms an alliance with the Aggies. USU can only get that invite back from the MWC if BYU makes its return to the conference contingent on USU also getting entry. Otherwise, the MWC will go for Houston or SMU or both. Utah State is to be commended for their integrity in all of this, and has shown great support for BYU. I would only hope that the Cougars would recipricate at this point. Otherwise, it doesn't look good for the Aggies.

RaininTime is right on about the MWC "dealing from the bottom of the deck",and that BYU should "do the right thing". Thompson is a real lose cannon and is not to be trusted to do the right thing. However, in all likely hood BYU will leave the MWC sooner or later. That will leave NO Utah team in that conference, which will weaken a real bad TV deal even more. Thompson will have to add someone from Utah to the MWC and that will be USU. (However, Thompson may want to go with UVU or some other crazy deal)

RaininTime:

I completely agree.

Also, since when did Nevada and Fresno State become the be-all of the WAC? They're replaceable and I don't think this should change BYU's plan one bit.
So what if you're not playing Nevada and Fresno State in football, basketball, baseball... You could replace them on your schedule with ANY OTHER team in the country and the rest of the nation would care less as long as BYU got a win out of whoever it played. Supposedly the University of Montana, Sacramento State, Portland State, and UC-Davis could all work as replacements in the WAC.

BYU should declare it's intentions for Independence NOW, and then actively work to help the WAC find two more teams. (BYU could definitely help be a big draw to the WAC.)

If you honestly think that Fresno State and Nevada were the keys to your plan for national glory, then you had one messed up plan for independence.

I say go for it, and stand by Utah State like they stood by you.

No doubt USU deserves the love for standing true to their word.

I think the UTES may find themselves in the same boat as USU. “The expansion of the Pac-10 Conference to include Colorado and Utah is not set in stone. It’s meeting some strong opposition, most notably from former UCLA chancellor Chuck Young, who is still on the Knight’s Commission for intercollegiate athletics…“He has been sending e-mails to the chancellors and presidents of Pac-10 schools, urging them to block the expansion…“Part of it is based on academic grounds. Among major conferences, the Pac-10 is the best academically, largely because of Stanford, Cal and UCLA. “Colorado is on a par with Oregon,” he said. “Utah isn’t even in the picture.” Dickey/SFExaminer

The PAC 12 haughty UTES could find themselves being the very ugly red-headed stepchild if the national college sports landscape changes before their eyes and those who voted against Prop 8 get their way. I guess the UTES and the Buffaloes can form a powerhouse conference of their own.

If BYU had an ounce of intergrity they would go to the WAC --- they won't.

And USU athletics will die.

Stay class kewgs.

Where do you start with this mess!!! First of all, the last thing this Aggie fan wants to hear is cheap "company line" dialog from Stew Morrill. No coach-the Aggies "won't" be fine. The way it looks to me right now is the Aggies are on the verge of begging for inclusion into the Big Sky conference!! The national pundits are saying that Hawaii is going independant, LA Tech is talking with Conference USA and the Sunbelt Conference, and surprise surprise-Idaho is talking with the MWC!! That leaves the Aggies in college football's gutter with New Mexico State and San Jose State. That sounds like a great foundation to re-build what's left of the WAC!! I don't think so!! The WAC is history and the Aggies are left to think about the epic stupidity of Stan Albrecht and Scott Barns for a "real" long time!! All those great coaches you talk about Stew (Coach Andersen et. al) will be gone after this season signaling the start of the ongoing demise of Aggie football while BYU, FSU and UNR will all flourish in a real football conference. Where's the honor in that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Amen to you my new brother in sports. I am extremely proud to be an Aggie and even more so now that our leaders have shown integrity and standing up for a valued rival before selfishness. For the 1st time in my life i am on BYU's side and hope they will have our back as we supported their quest for independence. Hopefully this could be a longtime partnership to not only compete in sports, but now be a partner in all sports, with the Utes gone. You now hold the cards to help us move up another level to the MWC. WE are a sleeping giant ready to show the nation our potential if only given the same chance as others have had.

I too applaud USU for keeping its commitment to the WAC. I think much of this depends on how USU declined. If they said they absolutely want to be in the MWC, but gave the WAC their word they'd stick with them. That would go over better than if they just said they like the WAC and that is where they will stay. Still, why would the MWC invite USU? Ever since I started following sports in 2003, I've only known USU to win a championship in basketball. I don't think they have much to offer and can see the MWC inviting a UTEP or some other team first, should BYU bolt elsewhere.

RaininTime

I applaud Utah State for having the integrity to stick to the agreement.

BYU agreed to join an intact 8-team WAC conference in all sports except football. All 8 WAC members agreed to stay in the WAC for a minimum of 5 years.

As soon as Fresno State and Nevada left the WAC, there was no agreement.

It's like agreeing to buy a car, but right after you finalize the agreement, the seller decides to remove the engine and stereo system. Would you still buy the car?

BYU may still leave the MWC for independence which would eliminate any influence BYU might have to invite Utah State into the MWC. If BYU does decide to stay in the MWC, I'm sure they'll put in a good word for Utah State.

i am proud the ags kept their word, but in reality the nevada spokesperson said it best: "trips to louisianna and hawaii are budget killers"....i agree and only wish barnes and the pres would have sat back and said the same thing once offered a mwc invite....call that ninny craig thompson and tell him you've made a mistake and want to join the mvc....it will look like groveling, but next year at this time who cares, you will be in a regional mid-major conference that you wanted.....stu you of all people deserve better to compete agains new mex or unlv instead of cal poly or whoever ends up in 'new wac'

my other thought: school presidents make over by combining mvc and wac into 12 team conference, fire benson and thompson and do a nation wide search for a new commish and start fresh, drop the mtn network and get back on espn regardless of when they tell you to play....let byu go where the want to be, and move forward without nm st, louis tech, hawaii, idaho

Craig Thompson is not the only or biggest bad guy here BYU forced his hand in everything he has done over the past few days. in trying to force more TV exposure BYU has inadvertently delivered the hay-maker punch to USU and the WAC. BYU did not make those schools jump out on there agreement with the WAC but they were the direct cause of the invitations that thompson and the MWC extended.

one more reason i am a utah fan, they would not do something like that.

RaininTime, your words strike a harmonizing chord on this board. I agree with you that it is time for BYU to stand up and do what's right. BYU is, however, in a mode where they are only looking out for themselves. Sadly, what's "right" for them has nothing to do with doing what's "right" as defined on this board.

I admire USU for standing tall and honoring their commitment. Unfortunately these days, doing what's right seldom prevails and good guys almost always finish last...well behind the selfishness of others.

Commontater,

I don't think anyone asked you about the Utes, but thanks for offering your peripheral, mean spirited, and spiteful rumor that likely won't come to fruition.

Now, how bout your prediction for BYU's football team this year?.

Didn't think so.

@sports fan

What a crock. You and the other ute "fans" are really just haters. You left the mwc for the pac 10, good for you. You looked out for your best interests and did not for one second care about the results for the schools left in the mwc. So you hypocritically blaming BYU for looking out for their best interests is laughable and frankly embarrassing.

I personally think utah did the right thing going to the pac 10, it was a no brainer for them and they should have done it. Now BYU is doing what is best for them and you trolls want to pretend you somehow did something different with your move?

The truth is this is more jealousy on ute fans part. You could not be successfully independent. You absolutely could not cut your own tv deal with espn or any network. You could never have the pull BYU does to do anything on your own, you need the cover of better programs than yours to be viable.

You are now using those better programs to give yourself security, good for you, but you are nothing on your own. Litterally nothing.

sports fan: You're proud to be a utah fan because "they would not do something like that." The Utes jumped, snotty noses so high in the air they couldn't breathe, and that was something you can be proud of? So glad you're their fan.

BYU and everyone else are doing what's best for THEM, just as Utah did. What is the difference? Did Utah think about the impact of their bailing out of the MWC on everyone else. NO. NO. NO. What's the difference?!

sports fan | 8:58 a.m. Aug. 21, 2010 - I agree completely. Unfortunately, USU is left with a lot of empty promises. BYU simply picks up their toys and looks for another sand box in which to play.

Hard to believe a church school would do this.

sports fan

Good call. BYU was evil for exploring its options leading to unintended consequences. Utah was wonderful for joining the PAC immediately after helping get Boise into the MWC (which with Utah, BYC, TCU and Boise would have probably guaranteed a BCS invite.)

UofU good ... BYU bad

Thanks for the thoughtful input.

Get off it, UtahUtes1. You mean Utah did not do what they felt was best for them??? The hypocrisy spewing from the mouths of Utes is what drives me crazy.

As far as USU, I hope that BYU and USU end up in the same place - at least for basketball. It would have been fun to have had them both in the WAC. I also hope they continue the rivalry in football. It is great to see USU getting competitive again.

My fear is that the options don't look very good out there and if the powers that be are not careful, BYU sports, the MWC and WAC could all be negatively affected for years to come.

Y should the MWC invite USU? It's the tds that screwed everthing up. It seems as if all you zoobs want is for everyone but BYU to compromise.

At what point is BYU held accountable for this mess? Let me guess - never.