BWConfidential: There's a lot of talk as to why Boise State wouldn't be wanted in the Big West. Convince me otherwise.
KL: As
someone who finds conference realignment xx, I have half a mind to say
that the Big West can be justified saying and doing and deciding
whatever it wants. That said, I'm a Boise State homer, so the Big West's
not wanting the Broncos is an egregious mistake that will ruin them.
Boise State brings national cachet and competitive sports teams that are
as good but not so good as to be that much better than existing Big
West schools. The Broncos are more of a geographic fit than Hawaii;
Idaho and California practically touch. If the Big West wants to keep
growing with quality programs, Boise State is one of the West's best.
And we're single.
BWConfidential: There's an issue of "Boise State is a bigger school in athletics, therefore will be more dominant." Is this true?
KL: The Broncos will probably
compete at the higher end of the Big West, but that's not to say that
Boise State is going to dominate the conference. The BSU budget will be
larger than the others, but I'm pretty sure that the football team gets
the credits and debits of the budget and the rest of the sports pull
from petty cash.
BWConfidential: Scenario: BSU joins the Big West. Who (other than Hawaii or SDSU) becomes the Broncos biggest and most natural rival?
KL: I would like to think that
Long Beach State would fit as Boise State's biggest rival, if only
because there is some recent shared basketball history there. But the
obvious answer is UC Davis for the obvious - and tangential -
relationship to Coach Pete and the football team.
BWConfidential: Scenario: The Big West declines BSU's application, and now Boise State
has to look for other options. Is the only option available to go back
to the Mountain West?
KL:Considering how
quickly things change in NCAA conferences nowadays, I find it hard to
believe that Boise State would have no options if the Big West falls
through. I don't consider the Mountain West to be an option because of
the football component. I could see the Broncos taking some sort of
weird independent walkabout for a year or two before college god
reshuffles the cosmic dominoes and an opening is created in, say, the
Big West Sky (a combination of the WCC and the Big Sky, natch).
BWConfidential: This is a question inspired by your blog bets: On a scale of
fast food restaraunts, the high being Dairy Queen and the low being Taco
Bell, how excited do you think Bronco Nation is to be even considered
for the Big West? Are we just a second-hand rag to them, or will the
conference be treated with respect?
KL: Assuming Bronco Nation cares
about sports other than football, I would say the Big West option is a
firm Chick-fil-A (less than a Dairy Queen, but not by much). BSU fans
greatest fear would be losing the Big East option or living with
relegation on par with whatever fate the University of Idaho finds for
itself. That a conference with the clout of the Big West and the
familiar faces in San Diego State and Hawaii thinks of us when we're not
around is a lot nicer than the alternatives.
Thanks a lot to Kevan for being willing to participate. If you've never done so, GO READ OBNUG! You get the analysis of all the Bronco football you need, plus a dabbling of the Olympic sports as well.
Awesome interview. As a boise state homer myself I am flattered that we are being considered for a conference like the Big West. I agree with Kevan that we would be competetive but not dominate in a lot of sports, which is more exciting than watching our team get trounced by all the MW schools :)
ReplyDeleteBoise State bring nothing to the BW. They have not shown any loyalty to their previous conference affiliations, always searching for greener pastures with no regard for others. Not having the necessary BW votes, I hope they pay that 5-10 million penalty to Big East.
ReplyDelete