Once I heard about the tv deal it made a lot of sense for buy to do this. I still don't like it.

Little Danny;467891 wrote:The P10 will never allow BYU in their conference. One of the many reasons schools are in a conference is because they have a similar missions. BYU is run by Mormons. Stanford, Cal and Oregon would be radically opposed to allowing a religious institution join their conference. Ditto for Texas A&M (not because they are a religious school but because of the role the ROTC has at the university).

This.

The news reports I have heard have repeatedly said that the PAC-10 or any other conference doesn't want anything to do with BYU because of academics. While schools like TCU and Southern Methodist and Notre Dame are all religious institutions, they all provide academic freedom. In other words, they can teach whatever they want, even if it goes against church doctrine.

At BYU, however, they can only teach what is in line with the doctrine, and while the Mormons may be fine with this, it doesn't sit well with anyone else. The major conferences won't stand for this.

Then again, with money driving all of this, who the hell knows.

One thing is for sure, at least for me. I hate BYU. I've never liked them much, but I pulled for them because they were one of the better non BCS teams. But this move shows what huge massive fucking donkey dicks they are. I fucking hate them more than Michigan and ND combined now. I swear to God as my witness I hope they never win another game. Those fuckers can go slum it in the WCC while their football team brags about how they got a six game contract with a team who has won one bowl game in 17 years. Their religious ties I mean no disrespect, but this going independent is pure bullshit. There is no way this is going to increase fan base or recruitment, and if it hasn't worked for ND in 22 years, then why in fucking hell would they try to do it now? Fuckers.

To conclude, I hate BYU.

I would fucking shit myself with joy if the MWC suddenly picked up Loyola Marymount and Gonzaga.

refalcon - Geez, dude. Did some mormons interrupt you during dinner or something?

No, I just really hate BYU for this.

redfalcon;469913 wrote:No, I just really hate BYU for this.

Redfalcon - I'd read in a couple of creditable sources that the Pac-10 office had wanted to bring Utah and BYU into the league, and had overcome member concerns about BYU's religious activities until about a year ago. The university then took a very active (and official) role in the Prop 8 issue in California, contributing funds and organizing student groups to work in California for the repeal. While this is entirely within their rights, it's said that all four of the California schools were upset by this. Cal and Stanford in particular had vowed to block BYU's inclusion as a result - and that was all that was needed to put BYU's membership out of the picture.

Do you think BYU really wanted to go independent, or were victimized by poor timing and have to make the best of it?

I have regained my levelheadedness since my earlier rant. All the sources I have heard points out how liberal the schools are in the PAC-10 (even U. of Utah is pretty far left), and it just makes more sense to take them. Again, the Pac-10 wants nothing to do with an institution of higher learning that is ran by and dictated by a church. BYU has no academic freedom and the PAC-10 won't stand for it, especially after some of their more recent actions, such as the gay marriage issues.

redfalcon;470990 wrote:I have regained my levelheadedness since my earlier rant. All the sources I have heard points out how liberal the schools are in the PAC-10 (even U. of Utah is pretty far left), and it just makes more sense to take them. Again, the Pac-10 wants nothing to do with an institution of higher learning that is ran by and dictated by a church. BYU has no academic freedom and the PAC-10 won't stand for it, especially after some of their more recent actions, such as the gay marriage issues.

Does the Pac 10 want "freedom" or schools that agree with them politically? It seems like blocking a school because they took the moral side on a political issue isn't exactly allowing "freedom" of ideas.

At risk of this descending into a political discourse, the "freedom" referred to above concerns primarily rights for tenured professors and faithe requirements for students.

BYU specifically reserves the right to restrict faculty members to express certain views counter to LDS policies, and can restrict them from attending certain symposiums and conferences. Dismissal is an option. In terms of student life, the university states that an endorsement from your spiritual leader is required for admittance ( I don't know if that actually means they would deny admission to atheists or agnostics, especially if they are 6'4" and can run a 4.4 40 in pads ). Supposedly, the PAC-10 leadership had gradually persuaded its members that BYU had grown more philosophical about the matter - until Prop 8 and the their involvement in out-of-state politics.

Back to football! Did BYU actually WANT to go ndependent, or did they get caught faking a hand-off to the Big XII?

BYU wants BCS recognition, btu since Utah went to the PAC-10 and the Big 12 hasn't invited them, they felt slighted and decided they could survive as an independent. And so far, it has worked all to well for them.

I will be interested to see what there schedule looks like when it is complete. If they put together a tough schedule, it would make a strong case for going to a BCS game when they have a good season.

Can they really even get accepted into one? The at large spots are meant for conferences, and ND has a deal, but BYU doesn't. They would have to be in the top 8 or something.

redfalcon;472034 wrote:Can they really even get accepted into one? The at large spots are meant for conferences, and ND has a deal, but BYU doesn't. They would have to be in the top 8 or something.

Yes they would have to earn there way (just like they do in their present conference), but if they put together a challenging schedule, they would have the opportunity to earn their way there. I would like to see some of the other teams that want to make to the jump to the next level (TCU, Boise, etc.) step up there schedule.