Future of 1-AA

[wbtfg]

blackgecko: i think msu can get away with that because it's given as a lump sum, and msu brings in significantly more research dollars.

Yep, hit the nail on the head. MSU is leaps and bounds ahead of UM in the ability to snag research dollars. I think the last article I read on research money at MSU was like in the 85 million dollar a year range and has been growing by like 10-15% a year? AWESOME!

Not leaps and bounds any more and in fact, our research dollars are growing at a faster pace the msu. Last year we had 65.7 million in snagged research dollars

I believe that MSU had $88 mil in research expenditures, which puts us in the top 70 or so schools in the nation. We "snagged" a lot more money than that, but spend $88 mil.

Also, we will more than likely break $100 mil. this year.

[CatfaninGA]

Only good thing if the frizzlies moved up to 1-a and we stayed at the 1-AA level, is the frizzlies would have to pay MSU a nice big fat check in order for us to continue to play them.

Unless home-and-home deals were used.

Yeah lots of 1-A teams go into a smaller stadium to play a 1-aa team, not.

[Eastcoastgriz]

Only good thing if the frizzlies moved up to 1-a and we stayed at the 1-AA level, is the frizzlies would have to pay MSU a nice big fat check in order for us to continue to play them.

Unless home-and-home deals were used.

Yeah lots of 1-A teams go into a smaller stadium to play a 1-aa team, not.

Idaho did until recently.

[kmax]

Only good thing if the frizzlies moved up to 1-a and we stayed at the 1-AA level, is the frizzlies would have to pay MSU a nice big fat check in order for us to continue to play them.

Unless home-and-home deals were used.

Yeah lots of 1-A teams go into a smaller stadium to play a 1-aa team, not.

Idaho did until recently.

I thought the Griz wouldn't end up like Idaho if they went to I-A?

Sorry, couldn't resist.

[CatfaninGA]

Idaho has no home, and I don't consider them 1-A, they suck. They have to play where ever there is a field to play on, I'm surprised the NCAA has not come down on them hard.

[mquast53000]

I thought the Griz wouldn't end up like Idaho if they went to I-A?

Sorry, couldn't resist.

LOL

[Cat-theotherwhitemeat]

Idaho's problems can be mostly traced to the lame conference they joined. No one cares about the games, alumni don't give as much, etc. Being in the WAC will help them tremendously and they should be moving up in every catagory soon. Of course, where else can they go.

MSU-Billings has made the same sort of choices. Join any conference at all, even if it's lame. Yeah, that'll bring people to the games.

[Grizlaw]

Idaho did until recently.

I thought the Griz wouldn't end up like Idaho if they went to I-A?

Sorry, couldn't resist.[/quote]

While I can see the humor in this post, I would hope that if the Griz do go I-A, the rivalry will continue as it always has (including having the game played in Bozeman every other year). I know that I-A teams don't usually travel to I-AAs, but I would want to see an exception made for Griz-Cat.

On the bigger question -- I don't think UM would turn out like Idaho if they moved up. Maybe they wouldn't turn out like BSU, either; most likely they'd be somewhere in between. The reality is, people who oppose the move always point to Idaho and say "See! That's what we'll become if we move!!" The reality is, Idaho is the worst possible example of a team moving from I-AA to I-A, and while it's a possibility, it's not the likely outcome (especially if the Griz moved into the WAC, and not into the SBC.)

I don't know -- I've always been opposed to moving up, but in the past couple years I've started to warm up to the idea. Now I'd say I'm at the point where I maybe *slightly* favor moving up -- I would miss the BSC and the I-AA playoff atmosphere, but the idea of playing tougher competition every week of the season is exciting to me.

Just my .02 worth...

[Bleedinbluengold]

Actually, there might be somebody worse than Idaho. I read that FLA International was moving back down to I-AA in FB.

[mquast53000]

Actually, there might be somebody worse than Idaho. I read that FLA International was moving back down to I-AA in FB.

Yeah and then there is Florida A&M, University of Central Florida and Middle Tennessee State… UFC has had a little success, but they have done poorly and the other two just suck. So there are 5 universities that have done nothing, but UM wouldn’t join those schools.

I think that the class change would end the Cat/Griz game. Look at NDSU & UND, a great rivalry that has not been played for the past two seasons.

[CARDIAC_CATS]

While I can see the humor in this post, I would hope that if the Griz do go I-A, the rivalry will continue as it always has (including having the game played in Bozeman every other year). I know that I-A teams don't usually travel to I-AAs, but I would want to see an exception made for Griz-Cat.

On the bigger question -- I don't think UM would turn out like Idaho if they moved up. Maybe they wouldn't turn out like BSU, either; most likely they'd be somewhere in between. The reality is, people who oppose the move always point to Idaho and say "See! That's what we'll become if we move!!" The reality is, Idaho is the worst possible example of a team moving from I-AA to I-A, and while it's a possibility, it's not the likely outcome (especially if the Griz moved into the WAC, and not into the SBC.)

I don't know -- I've always been opposed to moving up, but in the past couple years I've started to warm up to the idea. Now I'd say I'm at the point where I maybe *slightly* favor moving up -- I would miss the BSC and the I-AA playoff atmosphere, but the idea of playing tougher competition every week of the season is exciting to me.

The Cat/Griz rivalry would be GONE if the Griz moved up to 1-A. 1) The Griz would never play a 1-AA team away from their stadium 2) Tons more scholarships wouldn't even make it fair if they did play each other 3) The Griz aren't even competitive in half their other sports (and don't even support those very well), so if football/basketball success falls off. You may end up with crickets chirping in your stadium. Most griz fans I know LIKE A WINNER .. and will only follow a team if they are winning. If Griz did move to 1-A, it would be very interesting indeed to watch their fan base.

[Grizlaw]

[2) Tons more scholarships wouldn't even make it fair if they did play each other

Wait -- aren't Cat fans always saying that the Griz are going to turn out like Idaho if they move up? And doesn't Idaho usually lose when they play BSC teams?

You can't have it both ways, folks. If we're going to become another Idaho if we move up, then you can't argue that it "wouldn't be fair" for the teams to play each other; by making that argument, you're tacitly admitting that the Griz could be a decent team at the I-A level.

[CARDIAC_CATS]

[2) Tons more scholarships wouldn't even make it fair if they did play each other

Wait -- aren't Cat fans always saying that the Griz are going to turn out like Idaho if they move up? And doesn't Idaho usually lose when they play BSC teams?

You can't have it both ways, folks. If we're going to become another Idaho if we move up, then you can't argue that it "wouldn't be fair" for the teams to play each other; by making that argument, you're tacitly admitting that the Griz could be a decent team at the I-A level.

No, I'm saying the Griz will be better than Idaho when they move up. However, that isn't saying much since Idaho would probably be 2nd or 3rd in the Big Sky right now if they played in our conference The Griz would be a 'middle of the pack' team in any 1-A conference they joined out west (not counting PAC - 10). I am pretty sure of that. Would they become a power like Boise? It would remain to be seen.

[catatac]

So, back to topic - sounds like nobody really knows if there is a written rule stating that neither school can move up without the other...

I'm guessing that if either school wanted it bad enough and presented their case well enough - the regents would approve.