Here "IT" comes...

[asu66]

NCAA governance is about to hit the fan. The BIGS will wag this dog's tail!

Emmert says change coming for NCAA
TOMMY MAGELSSEN (Associated Press) 1 hour ago
AP - Sports

GRAPEVINE, Texas (AP) -- President Mark Emmert said Monday he expects ''a lot of change'' for the governance structure of Division I sports over the next year.

''I've said publicly on a number of occasions the only thing everybody agrees on with Division I governance is that it doesn't work,'' Emmert said during his opening remarks at a meeting of more than 100 Division I faculty athletics representatives. He later said NCAA directors are looking at the next six to eight months in particular.

''I think the board anticipates a lot of change,'' he said. ''They're going into their October and January meetings expecting to look at a whole different governance model for Division I. So it will be significantly different.''

The NCAA's annual convention is in January. The board hopes to adopt proposals at its meeting next April, and then have a special meeting for the full membership next summer.

The discussion focused on transparency and the public perception of the NCAA.

Emmert has received sharp criticism for months, for everything from the unprecedented sanctions handed to Penn State for the Jerry Sandusky child sex-abuse scandal to the botched investigation of alleged misconduct in University of Miami athletics. He, and the NCAA in general, have been singled out by conference commissioners, professional athletes and even current college football players.

Houston Texans running back Arian Foster, who says in an upcoming documentary he accepted money while at Tennessee, recently called the NCAA a bully. Some college players wore patches Saturday with the letters APU, standing for All Players United, to call for NCAA reform.

Additionally, SEC Commissioner Mike Slive suggested last week that the NCAA's rules on governing agents are part of the problem amid reports of possible problems at Alabama and Tennessee.

''I haven't talked to Mike about it, so I can't speak for him,'' Emmert said Monday.

The third-year president is fully aware of the public's perception of the NCAA. Emmert said the board and other NCAA officials have concerns about that. The public sees him as more of a commissioner of a professional sport, which Emmert said is not the case.

He said getting people to understand the NCAA is more than just him or the board of directors - decisions are driven by the hundreds of member schools - is a difficult task.

''To think that the president of the NCAA has ever been anything like the commissioner of baseball is ludicrous,'' Emmert said, ''but yet that would be the most popular perception I suspect that people have of what my job is.''

The discussion did touch briefly on whether the NCAA would consider creating a new big-school Bowl Division - in essence, splitting up the current Division I. A packet distributed at the session called ''Principles and Model for New Governance Structure'' suggests that FBS institutions and conferences that are more closely aligned in issues and athletics resources form a new division.

''The simpler the governance structure, the better,'' the packet states.

[moehler]

thought it was funny Foster waited 7 years after he left collage, became an all pro running back, and has millions and millions of dollars in the bank before he stuck his chest out and proudly admitted he took money, and is acting like he is leading the charge for players being paid.

[GreatAppSt]

thought it was funny Foster waited 7 years after he left collage, became an all pro running back, and has millions and millions of dollars in the bank before he stuck his chest out and proudly admitted he took money, and is acting like he is leading the charge for players being paid.

Why is that funny? Do you have to be a martyr to have credibility? He just smartly played his hand and there's nothing wrong with that IMHO. At least he is standing up to the hypocrisy. More than likely there are many NFL players that have millions and millions of dollars in the bank that have not come forward. I guess it' just comes down to looking at the same equation differently.

[firemoose]

No big surprise to me as I've been saying this was coming down the pipeline for the last couple of years. It fits the less than 5 years that I've been reading about and hearing from many people at lots of schools. It's why I've been telling all the people who have been deep ending it about us bowling, leaving the playoff system, and having to move to a not geographically ideal conference situation to just hang in there for bit as changes appear to be coming.

The power conferences are going to take as much of the pie as they can. The rest of the FBS conferences will have to fight over what is left. At that time the changes in alignment will begin to take place again as everyone tries to position themselves where they can get the most bang for the bucks that are left. Geographically aligning and a playoff system are two ways to both cut expenses and increase interest. The biggest thing most people miss is that this move up doesn't remove money from our budget. We are going to have to spend more money. No question there. But it's money that we are adding to our budget, however that happens. The existing FBS schools that we are joining already had their budgets. The moves by the power 5 are removing money from those schools. It's going to cost them. And the talks that are beginning are along the lines of "what do we do to lessen the losses". Mergers and realignments to more east/west divisions are the two biggest ideas that are getting louder as they wait for what's next.

We are in the division now. All we can do is sit back and see what happens next. Like it or not everyone at every level is at the mercy of what the Power 5 decide to do. What they do will trickle down to every university and every division below.

[moehler]

I look at it as a guy who waited until he was completely safe and untouchable before he decided to try and become a spokesman for this movement, it's easy to try and become a leader when you have nothing to lose in the fight

[appbio91]

This is crap. Where do these kids get off saying they are not getting paid? By my math a full scholarship football player at App makes about $ 1, 200 dollars per game. That's pretty gad damn good pay from where I am sitting. Yes at the huge money schools millions are being made off of these players. But life ain't fair, now is as good a time as any to accept it. The company I work for makes billions off it's employees backs. Do we cry and try to change the rules? All these money grubbers are trying to do is stack the deck so that those who can buy championships can do so without the NCAA interfering. I say take away the rule that says you have to play (or wait) threee years and let those who want to be professional athletes go do it. Putting more money in college athletics will make it more corrupt than it already is. But on the other hand if it will create a playoff system for the have nots (us) then who cares let them do whatever the hell they want. The only down side I see for us is TV money. It will all go to the big boys and we will get the PBS crumbs

[appbio91]

This is crap. Where do these kids get off saying they are not getting paid? By my math a full scholarship football player at App makes about $ 1, 200 dollars per game. That's pretty gad damn good pay from where I am sitting. Yes at the huge money schools millions are being made off of these players. But life ain't fair, now is as good a time as any to accept it. The company I work for makes billions off it's employees backs. Do we cry and try to change the rules? All these money grubbers are trying to do is stack the deck so that those who can buy championships can do so without the NCAA interfering. I say take away the rule that says you have to play (or wait) threee years and let those who want to be professional athletes go do it. Putting more money in college athletics will make it more corrupt than it already is. But on the other hand if it will create a playoff system for the have nots (us) then who cares let them do whatever the hell they want. The only down side I see for us is TV money. It will all go to the big boys and we will get the PBS crumbs

[appbio91]

I am so smart I posted my pontification twice!

[moehler]

I agree 100%. Im tired of the Jay Bilas of the world crying that these poor athletes are being taken advantage of and that the system is so unfair, if your not smart enough to take advantage of a 40 to 60 thousand dollar education, that's your own fault. Whats sad is if schools start paying players, the money has to come from somewhere, mostly likely a large portion would come from non revenue sports. That seems real fair that for example, the tennis team program would be eliminated and the players would lose any financial help they had been receiving to have it given to a football player who doesn't even attend classes.

[Kgfish]

Looks like we may got on one of the two last boats to leave the FCS dock. Probably 1 more chance. JMU you paying attention?

[hapapp]

Looks like we may got on one of the two last boats to leave the FCS dock. Probably 1 more chance. JMU you paying attention?

Some of their folks are convinced the AAC will come calling. As a native and current resident of Virginia, I find it interesting that they have such a superior attitude about their standing in the world both athletically and academically.

I'm hopeful that JMU makes the jump even if it isn't the SBC. They would make a natural OOC opponent on a regular basis.

[appstate77]

There was a good article in USA Today yesterday saying all the fbs conferences will stick together and support each other, meaning we will be included in whatever the power 5 conferences do.

[HeffnerIV]

There was a good article in USA Today yesterday saying all the fbs conferences will stick together and support each other, meaning we will be included in whatever the power 5 conferences do.

Do you have a link?

Thanks

[ASUGoose]

Looks like we may got on one of the two last boats to leave the FCS dock. Probably 1 more chance. JMU you paying attention?

Some of their folks are convinced the AAC will come calling. As a native and current resident of Virginia, I find it interesting that they have such a superior attitude about their standing in the world both athletically and academically.

I'm hopeful that JMU makes the jump even if it isn't the SBC. They would make a natural OOC opponent on a regular basis.

No kidding! But I would love to see JMU round out the northern/eastern part of the Sun Belt so we can get that conference championship in Boone

[moehler]

cant see any situation where JM gets invited to AAC, I think they have waited too long and now, their only hope is the MAC, I think both USA and Sunbelt have already moved forward, and atleast for the next 2 or 3 years probably are not going to even consider adding members. I don't know what the plans are for the MAC, but they seem to be very happy with their current membership, and do not seem to be in a hurry to add members. I think any JMU fan who believes a AAC invitation is coming, realizes how, at the present time, their school is screwed, and are just hoping for a miracle.

[GoAppsGo92]

There was a good article in USA Today yesterday saying all the fbs conferences will stick together and support each other, meaning we will be included in whatever the power 5 conferences do.

Do you have a link?

Thanks

Do a search on it and you should find it. It has been widely reported that the split will involve all 10 FBS leagues from the rest of the NCAA divisions. In fact, if you go on the Sun Belt message board and look up the realignment section, you will see a link with the NCAA committee's recommendation to move all FBS conferences to a new division with it's own governance which will allow it to make its own rules, as well as a process to either accept or reject rules voted and passed by the lower divisions... all without leaving the NCAA.

I think once the dust settles, Cobb and Peacock will be given tons of credit for their determination, foresight and finally, for their successful efforts to move Appalachian State into D4.

[GoAppsGo92]

JMU to CUSA rumors are false per CUSA officials.

http://hamptonroads.com/2013/09/reports ... r-be-false

[AppGrad78]

JMU to CUSA rumors are false per CUSA officials.

http://hamptonroads.com/2013/09/reports ... r-be-false

Interesting read. Thanks for posting.

[YesAppCan]

Good find 92! Thanks.

[hapapp]

Basically, the JMU board is discounting it. They are still convinced they are heading to the CUSA.