it doesn't necessarily have to be a "basketball only," it could be an "everything but football". Pac-12 teams regularly play Gonzaga baseball, etc. would make sense for both.
UConn, back in Big East makes that BB conf viable or more so... No reason why the Zags can't elevate the Pac., Kansas would be a sure fire winner, adding with SDSU, for football and BB
I think coaches would welcome Gonzaga. After losing UCLA the PAC needs Gonzaga to maintain credibility as a major basketball conference. Also forget SDSU, Kansas as an AAU research university fits the PAC much better and will add more athletically too. Arizona originally joined PAC to enhance academic reputation, this would also attract Kansas. Adding Kansas and Gonzaga makes PAC the major basketball conference in the country
Not sure. It's definitely more competition. There have been some recruiting battles with Arizona and Oregon in particular. Will be interesting to see as this unfolds.
They’re recruiting against these schools now. Nothing changes if they’re in the same conference, except that those schools can no longer use the WCC against Gonzaga.
Kansas and football? I think SDSU brings more to the tale has a good basketball program as well. Football recruiting in SO Cal is huge ,not so much in Kansas WE all know that football is the main thing. ,Olympic sports are window dressing.
Oooooo. What an idea! I have always rooted for the Zags. Does it seem odd, though, to have a PAC something for football, a Pac something for basketball, etc.?
Zags play a really difficult non-conference schedule at the beginning of the season then sleepwalk through the WCC. Difficulty getting sharp again when the Big Dance rolls around. The PAC-12 would enable them to stay sharp all season with much stronger competition.
Everything wrong with the Pac 12 right here. If Pac can get Ganzaga it should jump st the opportunity. Because nothing says National Champion contender like Pac 12 Conference Champ.
And if we are going to go down the religious-affiliated schools why not look at BYU? You can't tell me they wouldn't love the natural rivalries of Utah and Colorado over the Big 12. They have a HUGE fan base, just the amount of blue at Autzen was amazing.
i think that one of the reasons Gonzaga has not won a championship is because they have not had the competition during the regular season they would have had in a higher conference. I also want to point out ia that Few is the main reason they have done so well and, when he retires, they will probably do less well.
I just want to point out that you’re probably wrong. Don’t forget that nobody thought Gonzaga would repeat their tournament success after Dan Monson left for Minnesota and Mark Few was handed the keys to the program. In the ensuing decades, Mark has built up the program such that it will sustain itself into the future.
I know I heard this back in July when the realignment thing blew up. I thought the idea came from you, John, but maybe it was Wilner. Either way, I think it makes great sense and also makes sense to add the Zags in all sports. Their WBB and baseball programs would compete. I think WSU M/WBB would welcome them from a competitive standpoint and guaranteeing sellouts and/or huge crowds. Also, the other in-state Pac 12 school couldn't side-step them in the future.
Basically each college AD would choose where to spend budget to buy their way into select leagues for specific sports. To go after the ROI of those leagues. And they would decide how much budget to spend on recruiting and NLI rights/enablement, and viola, your business plan is in place!
GU won’t play Wazzu in mens basketball right now. Why would they want to join the conference? Also, kids go to GU for a chance at national championships. The road would be a lot tougher to accomplish this in the Pac.
This is fascinating. I was just in a city where University of North Dakota was taking on an NHL team in a game last week. (tons of UND fans for hockey, wow) UND the rest of the time is in the Big Sky Conference taking on folks like Weber State or PSU. So that's interesting. No idea if their D1 hockey program shares any of that revenue into the Big Sky for other athletic programs (their football team usually performs well too).
It really backfired on U of Idaho to have a "football only" step up into the big leagues and now they're fully back into Big Sky Conference for all sports.
it doesn't necessarily have to be a "basketball only," it could be an "everything but football". Pac-12 teams regularly play Gonzaga baseball, etc. would make sense for both.
Could be... good point. Gonzaga in mens and Womens hoops would be a winner.
UConn, back in Big East makes that BB conf viable or more so... No reason why the Zags can't elevate the Pac., Kansas would be a sure fire winner, adding with SDSU, for football and BB
I think coaches would welcome Gonzaga. After losing UCLA the PAC needs Gonzaga to maintain credibility as a major basketball conference. Also forget SDSU, Kansas as an AAU research university fits the PAC much better and will add more athletically too. Arizona originally joined PAC to enhance academic reputation, this would also attract Kansas. Adding Kansas and Gonzaga makes PAC the major basketball conference in the country
Not sure. It's definitely more competition. There have been some recruiting battles with Arizona and Oregon in particular. Will be interesting to see as this unfolds.
They’re recruiting against these schools now. Nothing changes if they’re in the same conference, except that those schools can no longer use the WCC against Gonzaga.
Kansas and football? I think SDSU brings more to the tale has a good basketball program as well. Football recruiting in SO Cal is huge ,not so much in Kansas WE all know that football is the main thing. ,Olympic sports are window dressing.
I don’t think it would happen but if it did, they wouldn’t be mentioned as a “mid major” any more simply because of the PAC12 basketball chops.
Would definitely help the brand.
Oooooo. What an idea! I have always rooted for the Zags. Does it seem odd, though, to have a PAC something for football, a Pac something for basketball, etc.?
It would be non-traditional. The purist in me doesn't welcome it... but our Rose Bowl is likely not going to be the same.
Zags play a really difficult non-conference schedule at the beginning of the season then sleepwalk through the WCC. Difficulty getting sharp again when the Big Dance rolls around. The PAC-12 would enable them to stay sharp all season with much stronger competition.
Fixes a problem there. Spokane geography makes it a natural fit.
Everything wrong with the Pac 12 right here. If Pac can get Ganzaga it should jump st the opportunity. Because nothing says National Champion contender like Pac 12 Conference Champ.
I can think of just one that would be against the Zags: WSU.
And do the Presidents and Chancellors want to admit a religious-affiliated school for just hoops?
And if we are going to go down the religious-affiliated schools why not look at BYU? You can't tell me they wouldn't love the natural rivalries of Utah and Colorado over the Big 12. They have a HUGE fan base, just the amount of blue at Autzen was amazing.
You may not wanna hear it, but BYU is known to be more of a concern than a Catholic or Methodist-affiliated University.
And didn’t BYU just move to B12.
Home cookin'.
???
i think that one of the reasons Gonzaga has not won a championship is because they have not had the competition during the regular season they would have had in a higher conference. I also want to point out ia that Few is the main reason they have done so well and, when he retires, they will probably do less well.
I just want to point out that you’re probably wrong. Don’t forget that nobody thought Gonzaga would repeat their tournament success after Dan Monson left for Minnesota and Mark Few was handed the keys to the program. In the ensuing decades, Mark has built up the program such that it will sustain itself into the future.
I know I heard this back in July when the realignment thing blew up. I thought the idea came from you, John, but maybe it was Wilner. Either way, I think it makes great sense and also makes sense to add the Zags in all sports. Their WBB and baseball programs would compete. I think WSU M/WBB would welcome them from a competitive standpoint and guaranteeing sellouts and/or huge crowds. Also, the other in-state Pac 12 school couldn't side-step them in the future.
Basically each college AD would choose where to spend budget to buy their way into select leagues for specific sports. To go after the ROI of those leagues. And they would decide how much budget to spend on recruiting and NLI rights/enablement, and viola, your business plan is in place!
GU won’t play Wazzu in mens basketball right now. Why would they want to join the conference? Also, kids go to GU for a chance at national championships. The road would be a lot tougher to accomplish this in the Pac.
This is fascinating. I was just in a city where University of North Dakota was taking on an NHL team in a game last week. (tons of UND fans for hockey, wow) UND the rest of the time is in the Big Sky Conference taking on folks like Weber State or PSU. So that's interesting. No idea if their D1 hockey program shares any of that revenue into the Big Sky for other athletic programs (their football team usually performs well too).
It really backfired on U of Idaho to have a "football only" step up into the big leagues and now they're fully back into Big Sky Conference for all sports.
San Diego State makes sense to me. They are a good club.
Wow !! I never thought of this. It would give me someone to root for along with the Ducks!
I'm sure it's the stigma of the WCC that's holding Few back from advancing his program.
There's players that want to play in better conferences against the best competition, plus
he's taken the Gonzaga brand as far as it's going without making a move.
More speculation about what could happen. Wasted words....