Obviously, the news about conference affiliation changing is moving at warp speed and the media has got no real clue what is going on, so when reports surfaced late last night that Boise State and Air Force were likely to decline Big East invitations that may or may not have actually been sent, it was greeted with general relief from the pro-ECU folks.
It got me thinking more about Boise State. Don’t know about you guys, but every time I read about them and hear how they go about things, I take greater and greater pride in our win in Hawaii against them. Moreover, they appear to be a James Dean of college football. They rage against the machine and pursue acceptance on their own terms. I love it. Of course, they may sell out in a heartbeat and prove me wrong, but something tells me that Boise State knows that the hold the ticket not only for the Big East but also for the MWC-CUSA alliance. If you do some cursory math and look at the teams currently in the Big East (suspend reality now that the BE does not have enough football members to hold an AQ bid), but if you look purely at the top teams in the current BE vs. the top teams in the MWC-CUSA Alliance, you can add up quickly that with BSU BCS final standings stature over the last four years (currently they are #5), they would pull the MWC-CUSA merger up ahead of the BE. In fact, the MWC really could threaten the BE alone given Nevada and SDSU (they are joining right?) recent play, but with ECU, Houston, UCF, Tulsa and SMU (and even Rice helps from a couple of years ago) combined with BSU, Nevada, and a little help from Colorado State, we surpass the BE in 2 of the 3 measures already. Granted the BCS formula also unfairly skews the numbers with their weighting for competition played (which is pulled right out of the air), the big issue really is patience and what the BCS does next.
If BSU and Houston stick with their respective conferences, two years from now – IF THE BCS DOESN’T RE-RIG THE FORMULA – the BE would hand over the AQ status the alliance. So, what the alliance members are asking of the five programs that appear to be on the BE’s list is to hold out. Let the BE die as an example to all the BCS conferences that have actively hurt all of our programs, not jump to join them.
I sure hope that BSU and AFA say no. I hope that ECU says no and sticks with the alliance and keeps the rest of our teams in CUSA. We have waited this long…we can wait a couple more years.
I know if the BE dies for this, I will be very satisfy (even though I live in the heart of BE country and would get to see my Pirates live more often). Principles are important and the BE has disrespected us to a new level.
A Port of the Pirate Nation 
not yea, but HELL YEA Ron! Here’s hoping your predictions hit the mark… most likely Central Florida Community College (that’s my new name for them, as they are just a glorified community college) will accept the BE invite… but you are right… Boise holds the key to both these conferences’ (BE and CUSA/MW) future. Just like when Cliff Lee snubbed the Yankees to go the Phillies.. if BSU snubbs the BE to stay in this new conference, I will have even greater respect for them! oh, and I hope SMU beats the pants off CFCC this afternoon!!!
Chris, I am so with you on the CFCC (I like that…) game!