Back to the second tier

[Gonzo]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ncaa-poise ... ntentstory

Well, it's happening. We're still better off with the ECU's of the world than we were with the Samfords.

[firemoose]

No surprise. I've been seeing this for a while. It's just another step in the process of being about where we were but with peer schools instead of a bunch of smaller, private schools. And when CUSA's TV deal is up in 2016 those schools are going to get a shock to the wallet. At that time the G5 schools will be looking to realign more regionally to save money. And with the new revenue agreement in place it's being discussed about conference mergers to combine money and set up east and west (or north/south) divisions to cut down on travel expenses. This has been in the works for several years now. We've got a ways to go but the P5 will get their way and we'll be back in the playoffs again. Just a matter of time.

[Saint3333]

You take the G5, add the Big Sky, CAA, MVC, and maybe Southland and that is the subdivision we should be in.

[TheMoody1]

Instead of pretending to have "student athletes" just let the P5 sponsor their own pro teams. The Crimson Tide sponsored by the University of Alabama. Think of the teams they can have when you throw out silly things like having to take the SAT and attend classes.

[Gonzo]

You take the G5, add the Big Sky, CAA, MVC, and maybe Southland and that is the subdivision we should be in.

I disagree. Maybe the Montana schools, Delaware, JMU and NDSU would fit well, but Elon, Maine ect have no business in the same subdivision as some of those AAC schools, or even App for the matter.

I think the GO5 is much stronger without including all the little tikes. And ECU, Cincinnati ect would sooner drop football than be relegated to such a league.

[Maddog1956]

Instead of pretending to have "student athletes" just let the P5 sponsor their own pro teams. The Crimson Tide sponsored by the University of Alabama. Think of the teams they can have when you throw out silly things like having to take the SAT and attend classes.

I agree, that's why my interest in the "nation football championship" is about like Synchronized Swimming, if it's on, and I'm in a bar I'll watch it.

[JTApps1]

You take the G5, add the Big Sky, CAA, MVC, and maybe Southland and that is the subdivision we should be in.

I disagree. Maybe the Montana schools, Delaware, JMU and NDSU would fit well, but Elon, Maine ect have no business in the same subdivision as some of those AAC schools, or even App for the matter.

I think the GO5 is much stronger without including all the little tikes. And ECU, Cincinnati ect would sooner drop football than be relegated to such a league.

Im with you Gonzo. There are a few schools in each of those leagues that could hang with the G5, but the vast majority of FCS programs have no business at that level. I'd say there are maybe 15 schools that could realistically move up.

[Kgfish]

You take the G5, add the Big Sky, CAA, MVC, and maybe Southland and that is the subdivision we should be in.

Other than the possible additions of JMU, Del and Montana the G5 is just fine as it is.

[appst89]

If this happens, the gap between P5 and G5 will be exponentially larger than the current gap between FBS and FCS.

One question comes immediately to mind; what will happen if some G5 schools want to give the full cost stipend and some don't? I would guess there may be some MWC and AAC schools that could pull it off, but I don't see anyone else in G5 that could realistically hope to cover that cost.

This could get really interesting.

[Yosef84]

Unless the stipend changes radically, I don't see that becoming the dividing point between G5 & P5. The dollars there aren't really overwhelming in the grand scheme. Most of the teams in the SunBelt could swing a stipend although it could be a breaker for a few (ULM has major budget issues). The separate voting block and the ultimate impact it will have on revenue sharing is going to be the issue. The structure of championships, bowls, and playoffs will also be huge. There will definitely be a distancing between the P5 & the G5 but it will be interesting to see how it plays out because most of the P5 actually NEED to have the G5 teams in order to maintain the appearance of a successful program. For every Bama, Florida, Georgia, Ohio State, or Texas there is a Wake Forest, Duke, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State who would fail miserably if forced to build a program against ONLY P5 programs.

I tend to think it will be more positive if the P5 gets to vote separately and the lines can be drawn that way than if the rules are imposed to all FBS and they are left with only the option of financially breaking those who oppose them. The latter could get ugly for a LOT of G5 programs....including App. Remember that the separate voting block issue started more with the division between FBS and FCS than it did between P5 and G5.

[Saint3333]

I am against the slippery slope of paying players.

[AppSt94]

I could see a couple of schools breaking away from the G5 rankcs out of Academic integrity. Duke and Vandy are two. I know money talks but we have to hold out hope that there are some people with common sense.

[bcoach]

I could see a couple of schools breaking away from the G5 rankcs out of Academic integrity. Duke and Vandy are two. I know money talks but we have to hold out hope that there are some people with common sense.

Where would Duke go? I can't see them leaving the ACC with their BB program.

[MountainMan]

There will definitely be a distancing between the P5 & the G5 but it will be interesting to see how it plays out because most of the P5 actually NEED to have the G5 teams in order to maintain the appearance of a successful program. For every Bama, Florida, Georgia, Ohio State, or Texas there is a Wake Forest, Duke, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State who would fail miserably if forced to build a program against ONLY P5 programs.

Agree. This is significant. Unless the rules change for bowl eligibility and/or the number of bowls are reduced, the P5 will have to have the G5, or a big slice of the P5 will be sitting at home during bowl season.

[appst89]

Unless the stipend changes radically, I don't see that becoming the dividing point between G5 & P5. The dollars there aren't really overwhelming in the grand scheme. Most of the teams in the SunBelt could swing a stipend although it could be a breaker for a few (ULM has major budget issues). The separate voting block and the ultimate impact it will have on revenue sharing is going to be the issue. The structure of championships, bowls, and playoffs will also be huge. There will definitely be a distancing between the P5 & the G5 but it will be interesting to see how it plays out because most of the P5 actually NEED to have the G5 teams in order to maintain the appearance of a successful program. For every Bama, Florida, Georgia, Ohio State, or Texas there is a Wake Forest, Duke, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State who would fail miserably if forced to build a program against ONLY P5 programs.

I tend to think it will be more positive if the P5 gets to vote separately and the lines can be drawn that way than if the rules are imposed to all FBS and they are left with only the option of financially breaking those who oppose them. The latter could get ugly for a LOT of G5 programs....including App. Remember that the separate voting block issue started more with the division between FBS and FCS than it did between P5 and G5.

I think it is significant because it opens the door, and once the door is opened it can never be closed. They will start out with full cost of attendance, which could vary by institution, and from there, if they have the voting power, they can raise the bar until none of the G5 schools can possibly keep up.

The only power the G5 has is to be united and threaten to not play any games against the P5. I do not believe that unity currently exists because there are some G5 schools that are determined to try to match dollars with the P5.

This is Pandora's box. If it is opened, there is nothing good to come from it for the G5.

[AppSt94]

I could see a couple of schools breaking away from the G5 rankcs out of Academic integrity. Duke and Vandy are two. I know money talks but we have to hold out hope that there are some people with common sense.

Where would Duke go? I can't see them leaving the ACC with their BB program.

That would be a question that can only be answered once there are available options. Again, I realize that money talks, but how do you think the academic folks at Duke feel about being associated with Carolina right about now.? So If these schools in the ACC and SEC become sports factories instead of institutions of higher learning then do you think the Duke and Vandy would want to stay associated with them?

[moehler]

after reading the article what really scares me is there seems to be alot of questions, especially with the G5 schools, that if done properly would probably take atleast another 1 or 2 years to answer, but they plan to have this wrapped up by the summer. That tells me there is little or no consideration being given to the G5 schools, and that once this thing passes, the P5 schools will be in total control of collagent sports.

[bcoach]

I could see a couple of schools breaking away from the G5 rankcs out of Academic integrity. Duke and Vandy are two. I know money talks but we have to hold out hope that there are some people with common sense.

Where would Duke go? I can't see them leaving the ACC with their BB program.

That would be a question that can only be answered once there are available options. Again, I realize that money talks, but how do you think the academic folks at Duke feel about being associated with Carolina right about now.? So If these schools in the ACC and SEC become sports factories instead of institutions of higher learning then do you think the Duke and Vandy would want to stay associated with them?

I don't know. I am just one that thinks this whole academic association thing is not really that big a concern to the schools. If it was a real factor for duke they would be in conference with the ivy league schools. I truly think that the driving force is money. If academic standing were the driving force we would not have gone to the sun belt we would have stayed where we were.

[DoubleA]

I don't know. I am just one that thinks this whole academic association thing is not really that big a concern to the schools. If it was a real factor for duke they would be in conference with the ivy league schools. I truly think that the driving force is money. If academic standing were the driving force we would not have gone to the sun belt we would have stayed where we were.

Bingo, you hit the nail on the head.

[JTApps1]

I'm not sure if I would say "back" to the second tier. There were already 3 (some would say 4) levels in D1. The FCS is and will remain the third tier so we're still better off than we were before. The gap may grow between the P5 and G5, but I believe the gap between FBS and FCS will grow even larger.