BYU mulling Notre Dame path

[soonerfromgeorgia]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5472642

[yermom]

dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb

this might make sense if they owned the MWC year after year and got nowhere

the MWC just got interesting and could very likely get an auto-bid in the BCS soon. the timing on this seems bad

[agoo758]

If you really think you can compete for a MNC, then by all means do it, considering the fact that you have pretty much absolutely control over your strength of schedule. That being said, all factors considered I would strongly recommend that they don't do it.

[Jacie]

Their reasoning:

Notre Dame = The Premier Catholic School

Catholics are worldwide e.g. so is the Notre Dame fanbase

No conference needed cuz the world is their conference.

So . . .

BYU = The Only Mormon School

Mormons are worldwide e.g. so is the BYU fanbase

You get the picture.


Of course, as in most things, it is not that simple.

First, while all schools, even BYU have football tradition, Notre Dame's spelled with a capital "T"

Are Mormons (as a group) as rabid for BYU football as Catholics (as a group) are for Notre Dame football? In my experience, no. It also doesn't hurt that of the population that is rabid for football (all schools) those that are not Notre Dame fans are often anti-Notre Dame fans. That means practically every school is a "rival" at least in their own minds. Outside of the state of Utah, BYU doesn't generate that kind of emotion. Curiosity, yes . . hate, not so much.

Other considerations:

Geography and time zone works for Notre Dame, against BYU.

Catchy firght song: Notre Dame, yes . . . BYU, no.

Great looking uniforms: Notre Dame, yes . . . BYU, no.

Affiliation with a country beyond the U.S. borders: Notre Dame, yes . . . BYU, no.

Direct line to the Big Guy: Notre Dame has touchdown Jesus. BYU has The Book of Mormon?

Going independent like Notre Dame? Bad idea, BYU, bad, bad idea.

[OK2U]

^Agree, but BYU does have affiliations with countries all over the world, as there are tons of LDS followers in Africa and South America. I live in Salt Lake, so I hear all about their worldwide footprint.

Boomer

[stoopified]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[badger]

They should both join the Big 12. Adding Baylor to the mix, every other week you play a religious school and get called "heathens" while shouting "hypocrites!" back at them, because it isn't very nice to name-call others, after all.

That actually has a lot of potential for fun :D

[Fraggle145]

'Cept they use religion as an excuse to **** up scheduling...

[Jacie]

^Agree, but BYU does have affiliations with countries all over the world, as there are tons of LDS followers in Africa and South America. I live in Salt Lake, so I hear all about their worldwide footprint.

Boomer

Irish Catholic is a term I have heard many times.

Guatemalan Mormon, Liberian Mormon, anything Mormon is not . . .

[Scott D]

things went downhill for BYU when they quit playing Hawaii every year. That game was huge both in Provo and Honolulu.

[OK2U]

It's official:
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/cougars/50131959-88/byu-football-television-conference.html.csp

[Mississippi Sooner]

BYU has repeatedly expressed unhappiness with its paltry television revenue take from the Mountain West Conference. Member schools netted less than $2 million per team in football television money last year from the MWC’s television network.

I only see epic failure. BYU is NOT Notre Dame and will never have their tradition or following. Can they really make as much on their own as they can splitting conference money?

[badger]

The recipe for football tradition:

1- Steal OU's 1984 National Championship.
2- Steal Notre Dame's idea to go independent in football and football alone.
3- Steal Texas' idea of depending on your own television network rather than a conference's television network for revenue.
4- Steal Miami's idea of being known by an oddball letter... "The Y"
5- Steal Florida's idea of emphasizing previous QB greatness
6- Steal Alabama's, USC's and many other's ideas of pretending to have more national titles than you *really* do.

Now, hop on your bike and take a mission trip to independence!

[OK2U]

I wonder what BSU is thinking.
The conference they just joined now looks just as weak as the one they left.
TCU to bolt next?

[badger]

I wonder what BSU is thinking.
The conference they just joined now looks just as weak as the one they left.
TCU to bolt next?

Bois Estate is probably thinking that they are still a step above where they used to be in football.

TCU is still probably hating on Baylor for stealing its Big 12 spot back when the SWC folded.

Jerry Jones is probably thinking about how he can use all of this conference uncertainty to get more big games at his big stadium

[Mississippi Sooner]

Jerry Jones might wind up with his own conference. :eek:

[soonervegas]

I actually think it will work for BYU. I guess I am in the minority.

I think this maybe the first tip of the hat that other schools (eh hem Texas) will be headed if this works on any level.

[Ruf/Nek7]

Silly Mormons, Football is for Protestants!

[Ruf/Nek7]

Direct line to the Big Guy: Notre Dame has touchdown Jesus. BYU has The Book of Mormon?


Touchdown Joseph Smith?

[Mississippi Sooner]

Heh. That one angel's name was Moroni.

[badger]

Touchdown Joseph Smith?

These are the closest I could find... and they'd probably have Brigham Young, not Joseph Smith, right?

Encroachment Brigham Young:
http://partridge.parkinsonfamily.org/photos-partridge-young/by-1851-big.jpg

Throwing second flag on play Brigham Young:
http://sites.google.com/site/jkmajor/BrighamYoungUtahLegionUniform.jpg

[Mississippi Sooner]

Yeah, I don't think Joseph Smith ever made it past Missouri. He kinda got chased from town to town.

[Ruf/Nek7]

These are the closest I could find... and they'd probably have Brigham Young, not Joseph Smith, right?

Encroachment Brigham Young:
http://partridge.parkinsonfamily.org/photos-partridge-young/by-1851-big.jpg

Throwing second flag on play Brigham Young:
http://sites.google.com/site/jkmajor/BrighamYoungUtahLegionUniform.jpg

Nah, Joseph Smith was considered their "God on Earth" it would definitely be Joseph Smith. He also wrote, or translated the Book of Mormons.

[badger]

Mkay, so here goes:

Victory Formation Joseph Smith:
http://plainbookofmormon.com/images/moroni.jpg
Meerkat Offense Joseph Smith:
http://www.i4m.com/think/gif/mormon-visions.gif

[49r]

It's official:
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/cougars/50131959-88/byu-football-television-conference.html.csp


Potentially more troubling for the Mountain West: a change-of-mind by Boise State that could return the Broncos to the WAC. The WAC office source confirmed that scenario as a possibility. Boise State would face no penalty if it did wish to return, the source said.

Heh, Mountain West....PUNK'D!

TCU is now all of a sudden the one good football team in an otherwise friggin' pathetic shell of a conference that just two months ago was on the verge of becoming a BCS auto-qualifier. Wonder if TCU is now going to ponder a move?

[badger]

Wonder if TCU is now going to ponder a move?

To where, Conference USA? Cuz the Big 12 doesn't need or want them!

[Ruf/Nek7]

Technically it would be the "Mericat Offense"

[Scott D]

The part that amuses me the most of the Mountain West potentially falling apart is that it was a Texas skull****ing that started the chain of dominoes.

[King Barry's Back]

dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb


I wouldn't use the word "dumb," I mean they have to know about this than we do, but it's certainly high risk.

Assuming they get the BCS to agree to give them an automatic bid if they are top-10, their achilles heel is going to be scheduling. Who is going to go play them in November?

Assuming they do not get the BCS to give them an automatic bid, then I WOULD use the word dumb.

[jkjsooner]

Of course, as in most things, it is not that simple.

...
...


You forgot to mention that there are almost 12 Catholics in the U.S. for every Mormon...

If you took the worldwide population then that ratio skyrockets but frankly Catholics in Africa, Asia, Europe (even Ireland), or South America don't give a darn about Notre Dame football so that's pretty irrelevant.

When Notre Dame has played in Ireland it has been more of a curiosity than anything.

[yermom]

I wouldn't use the word "dumb," I mean they have to know about this than we do, but it's certainly high risk.

Assuming they get the BCS to agree to give them an automatic bid if they are top-10, their achilles heel is going to be scheduling. Who is going to go play them in November?

Assuming they do not get the BCS to give them an automatic bid, then I WOULD use the word dumb.

it's from South Park :D

http://www.southparkstudios.com/episodes/103933

[49r]

To where, Conference USA? Cuz the Big 12 doesn't need or want them!

Most likely to the WAC with BYU and Boise.