What conference will the other Dakotas be in 2015?

[North Dakota]

His post was in reference to going FBS if there is a restructuring of D1 college football to three divisions. Fullerton has a plan if that comes to fruition in which certain teams, if not the whole conference, would go to FBS. If the BCS conferences break away from the rest of FBS, then those lower conferences will need more conferences in order for the division to be viable.

Again, how do have a plan for something when you do not if, how, or when it will play out?

[Risky]

I would rather be in a larger conference with a smaller piece of the pie than be in a conference where their might not be any pie to split up. The decsision to join the Big Sky looks like a genius decision right now.

[North Dakota]

Then you are the only one. No way was UND getting an invite, because:

1. UND was not a member of the SL while USD was. The SL and MVFC worked out a deal together.

2. Eastern MVFC schools didn't want USD until they were told they only had to make 1 trip to the Dakotas. With UND they would no doubt have to make 2 trips.

1. UND accepted membership into the BSC before a deal could be worked out.

2. The other MVFC schools would have told YSU to pound sand. What were they going to do about it?

[darell1976]

1. UND accepted membership into the BSC before a deal could be worked out.

2. The other MVFC schools would have told YSU to pound sand. What were they going to do about it?

What if the votes wasn't there, and if UND told the BSC no, then we would be either in Independent hell or have no football team. When your football team gets invited you don't say no, hoping someone else will invite you. Opportunity knocks...you answer it.

[southpaw]

Again, how do have a plan for something when you do not if, how, or when it will play out?

Good call... don't plan for the future.

I can see why you would want UND in the Summit. No planning for the future in that conference.

[mksioux]

1. UND accepted membership into the BSC before a deal could be worked out.

2. The other MVFC schools would have told YSU to pound sand. What were they going to do about it?

I'm on record as preferring the Summit/MVFC over the Big Sky, but UND would have been downright foolish to pass on the Big Sky. You simply cannot turn down an invitation from the Big Sky for the mere possibility that the MVFC might eventually get around to inviting you. Football is just too important to gamble like that.

All the talk on preferences, while fun conversation, is really beside the point. The Big Sky invited UND while the MVFC did not. That's all that really matters.

[Matt]

I'm on record as preferring the Summit/MVFC over the Big Sky, but UND would have been downright foolish to pass on the Big Sky. You simply cannot turn down an invitation from the Big Sky for the mere possibility that the MVFC might eventually get around to inviting you. Football is just too important to gamble like that.

All the talk on preferences, while fun conversation, is really beside the point. The Big Sky invited UND while the MVFC did not. That's all that really matters.

exactly right. The BSC was a quality bird in the hand. Many wished MVFC invite would have been forthcoming, but...wish in one hand and crap in the other...see which one gets filled first.

[SiouxVolley]

Lets be honest, the Summit League will survive. It will never be stable unless it adds Football. The WAC has proven that an AQ is to valuable for mid to low majors to let it fold.

There will be schools who look at the Summit as a chance to earn a bid to the NCAA's (much the way UMKC looked at the WAC). The question will be "who's will it be". Both the Big Sky and the Summits are almost exclusively 1 bid leagues for all sports (except football) the question would you rather be in a 1 bid league with 8 or 10 member or one with 14 or 16?

Also would you rather have your NCAA money divided by 8 or 10 or 14 or 16?

Don't agree at all in the long term or the intermediate term. IPFW and IUPUI both have desires to leave. A lot of the Horizon schools were once Summit schools, and that's where those two want to be. Denver would leave instantly if the WCC offered. Either one of those events would plunge the Summit into the abyss. Why go there unless there is some type of multimillion dollar agreement that those schools stick together?

This article states that the Summit knew for a long time that Oakland was leaving, yet the Summit still hasn't even started talks with any schools. That's utter incompetence in this day and age when a conference like the Summit should have at least 10 schools (preferably 12), just as an insurance policy.

http://www.yankton.n...1a4bcf887a.html

Naturally, the expansion question returns to the forefront. Who would the Summit League add?

“The commissioner has a long list of potential candidates, but now we have to go back and revisit those talks in earnest,” Herbster said. “We don’t want to add a team just to add, it has to be the right fit.

So the Summit had the foresight to do two schedules for next year depending on if Oakland stays or goes, but didn't have the foresight to even begin any kinds of talks? Either the options aren't really interested in the Summit, or the options are all DII schools, which don't help for four years.

The more immediate concern is scheduling for the upcoming 2013-14 seasons. Summit League schools were issued updated schedules on Tuesday, proof, Herbster said, that “we were prepared as a league.”

[SiouxVolley]

Would also have to add that NDSU and SDSU fans were all having wet dreams about the MVC and Horizon. It wouldn't have bothered them in the least if they left behind the rest of their Summit breathren whom they claim to deeply care about and love and flush them down along with the Summit. After not getting an ounce of love from the MVC or Horizon in expansion talks, both NDSU and SDSU know that the Summit is the only sure thing they have. All of the sudden IUPUI and IPFW are dearly loved brothers (that are vitally important to SDSU and NDSU's survival), instead of orphans that they would rather toss overboard.

But now NDSU and SDUS fans want UND to join that dysfunctional conference, where the goal is not to build each other up, but to ensure you are the first to leave all the while saying you are committed. It's all a liars game.

[GeauxSioux]

Would also have to add that NDSU and SDSU fans were all having wet dreams about the MVC and Horizon. It wouldn't have bothered them in the least if they left behind the rest of their Summit breathren whom they claim to deeply care about and love and flush them down along with the Summit. After not getting an ounce of love from the MVC or Horizon in expansion talks, both NDSU and SDSU know that the Summit is the only sure thing they have. All of the sudden IUPUI and IPFW are dearly loved brothers (that are vitally important to SDSU and NDSU's survival), instead of orphans that they would rather toss overboard.

But now NDSU and SDUS fans want UND to join that dysfunctional conference, where the goal is not to build each other up, but to ensure you are the first to leave all the while saying you are committed. It's all a liars game.

Additionally, if there is a change classification systems to three tiers, there is going to be more movement of teams to conferences that are in the second tier. I can see SDSU and FU being part of the second tier and wanting to align themselves in the right conference for that, but what about USD (small budget) and Omaha (no football). They would be left behind. The Summit is, has been and will be a way station.

UND belongs in the Big Sky. It is a stable conference, with a forward thinking commissioner who has his eye on the next move. If there is a move to a 3 tier system, UND is in the right place. If there is no move to a 3 tier system, UND is in the right place.

[darell1976]

Would also have to add that NDSU and SDSU fans were all having wet dreams about the MVC and Horizon. It wouldn't have bothered them in the least if they left behind the rest of their Summit breathren whom they claim to deeply care about and love and flush them down along with the Summit. After not getting an ounce of love from the MVC or Horizon in expansion talks, both NDSU and SDSU know that the Summit is the only sure thing they have. All of the sudden IUPUI and IPFW are dearly loved brothers (that are vitally important to SDSU and NDSU's survival), instead of orphans that they would rather toss overboard.

But now NDSU and SDUS fans want UND to join that dysfunctional conference, where the goal is not to build each other up, but to ensure you are the first to leave all the while saying you are committed. It's all a liars game.

Perfectly said. Sorry SU's....please join so we can bail in a heartbeat is NOT going to work.

[North Dakota]

Perfectly said. Sorry SU's....please join so we can bail in a heartbeat is NOT going to work.

Where would they bail to?

[darell1976]

Where would they bail to?

Anywhere but the Slummit.

[North Dakota]

Anywhere but the Slummit.

Didn't really answer my question. Which conference would offer them an invite? Why would they choose said conference?

[GeauxSioux]

Live Chat should be fun today... http://undhockey.areavoices.com/?p=94330

[SiouxVolley]

Where would they bail to?

That is the problem. They don't have a place to bail to, so they are at the mercy of IUPUI and Ipfw and Denver, all of which want to bail. Since they can't control them they want to control us, they want us in the same sinking boat rather than thriving They always are willing to tell us what to do and be their bitch, but have never done anything positive for us. Look at our transition as proof.

Separation is a very positive thing.

[homer]

1. UND accepted membership into the BSC before a deal could be worked out.

2. The other MVFC schools would have told YSU to pound sand. What were they going to do about it?

The MVFC commish is on record saying USD's invitation only came after UND was in the BSC and they found out they weren't a package deal. She made it pretty clear that both were not getting in.

[homer]

Didn't really answer my question. Which conference would offer them an invite? Why would they choose said conference?

17 schools in the last 20 years have choosen another conference over the Summit and left. How is that suddenly going to change? I don't think anyone can name a conference but if an offer comes, history says a Summit school is going to accept.

[SiouxVolley]

The Summit's vision was to be the Great Plains version of the Great Lake's Horizon. Well that vision crashed and burned when first Oral Roberts left and then UMKC left. Urban Basketball schools in the Plains south of Nebraska want nothing to do with the Summit. The Summit doesn't have any vision anymore except the NCC Rev. II (including Missouri and Kansas DII's), which is of no interest to the Indiana schools or or W. Ill. The Summit will need to add five or six DII schools just to compensate for the eventual loss of IUPUI, IPFW, W Ill, and Denver.

So UND is supposed to wade through 10 more years of inevitable DII transitions in order to finally have a stable Summit conference and be peers with Mankato, Winona, Augustana, Pittsburgh, and NW Mo St. B.S. on that!

[FSSD]

I disagree with this. With UND they would have a solid core. UND, NDSU, USD, SDSU, WIU, UNO & DU would make for a stable conference. I don't see anywhere else for those schools to go that would be a better fit. You would have at least 5 baseball members, 6 if USD decided to restart.

The question is would the MVFC schools be willing to add UND. They may if YSU decided to leave which has been discussed before.

WIU and DU are outliners that could be looking at other conferences. I am not sure the DU basketball program is going to be crazy about going to SF for basketball games.

[jdub27]

WIU and DU are outliners that could be looking at other conferences. I am not sure the DU basketball program is going to be crazy about going to SF for basketball games.

Who knows what DU's plan is, with their AD I wouldn't rule much out.

[SiouxVolley]

When the Summit League didn't respond with adding somebody after UMKC left, that was rather telling that TSL didn't have anybody in their back pocket. They might have a DII team somewhere, but many of those choices would force NDSU etc to pull out of the MVFC so the DII team has a place to park football in the Summit. Thought there was an article by Kolpack a while ago where Bresciani was celebrating having a small league: think that was code for refusing to pull NDSU out of the MVFC to save the Summit.

There has go to be a lot of divisiveness on which direction to go within the Summit Presidents, otherwise a DII team would have been accepted right after UMKC left. DU doesn't want DII teams, while IUPUI and IPFW and WIll would want DII teams near them.

Another thing for NDSU is that somehow they need to schedule two more basketball games. Since they already use up the DII limit by playing Moorhead, Mayville, and Valley City at home, they likely have to go on the road for two more games. Sucks to be in the Summit. Maybe DU can get an extra DI game at home, but the rest of the Summit will take an RPI hit.

[darell1976]

When the Summit League didn't respond with adding somebody after UMKC left, that was rather telling that TSL didn't have anybody in their back pocket. They might have a DII team somewhere, but many of those choices would force NDSU etc to pull out of the MVFC so the DII team has a place to park football in the Summit. Thought there was an article by Kolpack a while ago where Bresciani was celebrating having a small league: think that was code for refusing to pull NDSU out of the MVFC to save the Summit.

There has go to be a lot of divisiveness on which direction to go within the Summit Presidents, otherwise a DII team would have been accepted right after UMKC left. DU doesn't want DII teams, while IUPUI and IPFW and WIll would want DII teams near them.

Another thing for NDSU is that somehow they need to schedule two more basketball games. Since they already use up the DII limit by playing Moorhead, Mayville, and Valley City at home, they likely have to go on the road for two more games. Sucks to be in the Summit. Maybe DU can get an extra DI game at home, but the rest of the Summit will take an RPI hit.

Maybe they will try to schedule UND twice. Hey I would be all for that.

[SiouxVolley]

Maybe they will try to schedule UND twice. Hey I would be all for that.

Since we host them this year, it would need to be a home/home for next two years.

[darell1976]

Since we host them this year, it would need to be a home/home for next two years.

So just a preview when the Bison leave the Summit for the BSC.