Realignment talk not going away

[LTbear 4,170]

11 minutes ago, Al_4_ISU said:

I do agree with your point on WVU.  They 100% fit the Big 12 in terms of how they play, fan culture, etc.  The geography is an issue, but it's really the only one.

Ya, they really do feel like a Big XII team, despite that geography. 

[notre dame joe 187]

1 hour ago, Thiefery said:

They would never delete the the CCG, too much money and so far has paid off for the winner (ouSucks) getting into the CFP

That many blue bloods would not be happy in a full round robin 10 team conf with guaranteed rematch CCG. It's too hard to slide into a 10 win season and convince fans that you're about to be great.

[Thiefery 4,995]

15 minutes ago, notre dame joe said:

That many blue bloods would not be happy in a full round robin 10 team conf with guaranteed rematch CCG. It's too hard to slide into a 10 win season and convince fans that you're about to be great.

How many bluebloods would be in the conference at that point? three?

[Win5002 2]

3 hours ago, Al_4_ISU said:

Yeah, I'm definitely not advocating Notre Dame to the Big 12.  They fit the Big 10 perfectly, and if they had joined long ago, I don't think the 2010 realignment happens the way it does.

I'm just saying if they were every willing to join the Big 10, I think the Big 10 would be happy to swap them for Nebraska who could come back to the Big 12, and then you would swap WVU for Arky with the SEC, which is also a win-win as the SEC is getting the better program over the last two decades, that is natural extension of their footprint, while we get a program that's a better geographic fit, old rivals of half the league, and a close drive for everyone.

When talking about realignment ideas/fantasies I'm surprised we don't hear more about the B1G trying to add ND along with USC, UCLA, Stanford, CAL, UW & OR.  If we went away from divisions ND could play USC, Stanford, UM, MSU & Purdue every year as conference games in that setup.  Those were all the traditional rivals ND use to play every year on their schedule.   

Edited August 27, 2019 by Win5002

[crash_davis 23,113]

fuck wvu.  they are a better cultural fit with psu and ohio st and belong in the big 10.  however, they don't have the academic prestige to belong in the big 10.  they should be in the big east.

[S11 16]

I'd be shocked if the B12 would do north/south again.   One of the reasons they stay at 10 is because the northern schools get two games in Texas every year for recruiting.    

 

If they added two I could see splitting the Big 8 schools and SWC schools and pairing the two additions and WV with either group.

 

SWC4 + 2 Newbies

Big5 + 1 newbie

 

One permanent rival mainly protects Texas-OU but also serves to get OSU and the Ks schools frequent games in Texas.

[Al_4_ISU 12,463]

2 minutes ago, S11 said:

 

If they added two I could see splitting the Big 8 schools and SWC schools and pairing the two additions and WV with either group.

 

SWC4 + 2 Newbies

Big5 + 1 newbie

 

One permanent rival mainly protects Texas-OU but also serves to get OSU and the Ks schools frequent games in Texas.

Yeah, that would be the way to do it.  Avoid the imbalance, protect games that matter, yadda yadda yadda

[S11 16]

Ya, they really do feel like a Big XII team, despite that geography. 

They are Appalachian Arkansas.

Top 20 all time wins

Rural state flagship

Located between talent rich states (PA, OH, MD, VA compared to TX, TN, LA, MO)

Not the biggest brand in their region but certainly have a lot of history and a loyal following

Draws significant tv attention in markets outside their state (WV in Pittsburgh/DC and Arky in DFW/Memphis)

[Dnaguy 11,968]

6 hours ago, Thiefery said:

East/West divisions?

If we keep Baylor and add CU + Arky you could always go w/ a 

Old Big 8 Division vs SWC+WVU division

Call it that too. Big 8 division vs SWC division 

You’d play a 9 game conference schedule w/ one of those being a permanent crossover 

OU would be that for us. IDK about the other teams yet.Here’s a thought:

SWC         Big 8

Texas        OU

TT              CU

Baylor        Kansas

TCU           K State

Arkansas  Okie ST

WVU           Iowa St.

And yes we’d be at a disadvantage compared with others but I’m willing to make that sacrifice. 

 

Edited August 27, 2019 by Dnaguy

[Dnaguy 11,968]

48 minutes ago, S11 said:

 

If they added two I could see splitting the Big 8 schools and SWC schools and pairing the two additions and WV with either group.

 

SWC4 + 2 Newbies

Big5 + 1 newbie

 

One permanent rival mainly protects Texas-OU but also serves to get OSU and the Ks schools frequent games in Texas.

Sorry I hadnt made it to your post before posting.

[camel at sea 589]

1 hour ago, S11 said:

 

If they added two I could see splitting the Big 8 schools and SWC schools and pairing the two additions and WV with either group.

 

SWC4 + 2 Newbies

Big5 + 1 newbie

 

One permanent rival mainly protects Texas-OU but also serves to get OSU and the Ks schools frequent games in Texas.

If you're just putting up a fantasy scenario, then you could get something like:

 

NU joins the Big 12 at the end of the Big Ten's current GOR a couple years from now.  Then the Big 12 adds (probably) Houston to get to 12.  But it wouldn't really matter who #12 except that they need to fit well.  

Big 8:  OU, OSU, KU, KSU, ISU, NU

SWC:  UT, TTU, BU, TCU, UH, WVU

 

Then you just push Disney/SEC/Arky on the idea of the Pigs trading places with WVU.  WVU works well enough that you could be patient with this.  OU being in the North, cross-division rivalry games, and a 9 game conference slate would protect against the North from being forgotten/ignored by the Texas TV viewers/media (which hurt the North during Big 12 1.0.)  At that point, you have a great conference and can stop there at 12 forever.

If the Buffs want back into the Big 8 division at some point after that, and if the money works to take them at #13, then the SWC division might have some options that make sense.  Maybe Tulane if they've turned the corner.  Or Mizzou (cross-division game against KU, division game against new "rival" Arky, Wal-Mart unity, etc.)

[Machinator 32,099]

 

[Tex Long 4,400]

The solution here is to separate the Conferences from the Playoffs. By Coferences, we mean Football Conferences - far's I know, all other sports are copacetic, no?

Let teams have 9 "Conference" games and 4 "Playoff" games - 13 or so, just like we have it now, and, you want to play ony 12 or ...? Go for it. Want a Conference Championship? Go for it.

Regionalize 8 Regions with 16 teams each, and each with its own Playoff games. A total of 128 schools - not so many as now, but several more than just a few years back. By the end of the Season, each Region has an unbeaten Champion, who goes to the National Playoffs. If you want to push the NP to 4 rounds instead of "only" 3, let each Region pick another team, and let these "other" teams each play another Region's Champion in the first round. Sixteen teams (in the 4-round version) yields/replaces/played in 15 Bowl games takes care of all the decent bowl games we currently see. 

Every single team is literally in the Playoffs, no one left out, deserving or no. 

The 9 (or fewer, whatever you want, Mr Collitch Presidick) games can be all in whatever the Conference wants to arrange - OOC games, Rivalries (in or out of conference)... whatever. 

Almost as good - hell, maybe better - is that neither the in-Conference games nor the out-of-Conference games have any bearing at all on the National Championship. Those games, especially the OOC "rivalry" games, would be a LOT more fun - I'm thinking more young players get in those games, more trick plays, more ballsy go-for-it plays.

 

[notre dame joe 187]

14 hours ago, Thiefery said:

How many bluebloods would be in the conference at that point? three?

Most of the Big12 fantasy drafts were putting NU or Arky back with UT/OU.  Workable with a 12 team conference but not happy with 10. 

[6th Street 6,411]

The hicks would revolt if Arkansas ever left the SEC. It's literally all they have 

['stache 21,816]

23 minutes ago, 6th Street said:

The hicks would revolt if Arkansas ever left the SEC. It's literally all they have 

Maybe they’ll come around if we agree to name their division after Robert E. Lee.

[Doc Sam Beckett 5,793]

17 hours ago, crash_davis said:

fuck wvu.  they are a better cultural fit with psu and ohio st and belong in the big 10.  however, they don't have the academic prestige to belong in the big 10.  they should be in the big east.

 

No shit. It's a bit of a head scratcher seeing some of the WVU praise in this thread. They aren't in the ACC because of their fans, and to a lesser extent their academics. 

[Al_4_ISU 12,463]

15 minutes ago, Doc Sam Beckett said:

 

No shit. It's a bit of a head scratcher seeing some of the WVU praise in this thread. They aren't in the ACC because of their fans, and to a lesser extent their academics. 

Their fans were some of the friendliest people I've ever encountered when travelling to a road game.  I absolutely love WVU fans.  I've never had so much free booze and food in my damn life.

They were dicks to the Big East fans because the Big East fans were dicks to them.

[TrashMaster G 17,557]

12 hours ago, Tex Long said:

The solution here is to separate the Conferences from the Playoffs. By Coferences, we mean Football Conferences - far's I know, all other sports are copacetic, no?

Let teams have 9 "Conference" games and 4 "Playoff" games - 13 or so, just like we have it now, and, you want to play ony 12 or ...? Go for it. Want a Conference Championship? Go for it.

Regionalize 8 Regions with 16 teams each, and each with its own Playoff games. A total of 128 schools - not so many as now, but several more than just a few years back. By the end of the Season, each Region has an unbeaten Champion, who goes to the National Playoffs. If you want to push the NP to 4 rounds instead of "only" 3, let each Region pick another team, and let these "other" teams each play another Region's Champion in the first round. Sixteen teams (in the 4-round version) yields/replaces/played in 15 Bowl games takes care of all the decent bowl games we currently see. 

Every single team is literally in the Playoffs, no one left out, deserving or no. 

The 9 (or fewer, whatever you want, Mr Collitch Presidick) games can be all in whatever the Conference wants to arrange - OOC games, Rivalries (in or out of conference)... whatever. 

Almost as good - hell, maybe better - is that neither the in-Conference games nor the out-of-Conference games have any bearing at all on the National Championship. Those games, especially the OOC "rivalry" games, would be a LOT more fun - I'm thinking more young players get in those games, more trick plays, more ballsy go-for-it plays.

 

So, that's THE solution, huh?

Well, lock it up folks!  Shit's been solved.  🤣

[LTbear 4,170]

1 hour ago, Al_4_ISU said:

Their fans were some of the friendliest people I've ever encountered when travelling to a road game.  I absolutely love WVU fans.  I've never had so much free booze and food in my damn life.

They were dicks to the Big East fans because the Big East fans were dicks to them.

Co-signed. Morgantown is a damn fun game experience.

[Doc Sam Beckett 5,793]

1 hour ago, Al_4_ISU said:

Their fans were some of the friendliest people I've ever encountered when travelling to a road game.  I absolutely love WVU fans.  I've never had so much free booze and food in my damn life.

They were dicks to the Big East fans because the Big East fans were dicks to them.

Yeah, and I'm sure the Big 10 doesn't think Maryland fans are that bad either. There's a history though with them and teams from the ACC and Big East. Give them time, hell they already seem to be one of the bigger horns down fanbases in the Big 12, and not sure why.... 

[Tex Long 4,400]

59 minutes ago, TrashMaster G said:

So, that's THE solution, huh?

Well, lock it up folks!  Shit's been solved.  🤣

It's #8, right?

[Al_4_ISU 12,463]

37 minutes ago, Doc Sam Beckett said:

Yeah, and I'm sure the Big 10 doesn't think Maryland fans are that bad either. There's a history though with them and teams from the ACC and Big East. Give them time, hell they already seem to be one of the bigger horns down fanbases in the Big 12, and not sure why.... 

I think they're just to trying to make sure they're being noticed/fit in.

[SwanderedTalent 5,761]

Circa 1998, the vast majority of Texas fans would have agreed with the statement "Nebraska fans are classy and treat opposing fans well". It took them a little time to show their true colors. I am not bought into the "West Virginia fans are swell" idea yet. 

['stache 21,816]

To say an entire fanbase is "good" or "bad" is pretty ridiculous to begin with. Every fanbase has some good and some bad. OU has a large very noticeable white trash fanbase which are obnoxious "bad" fans, but if you are in Norman on a gameday you'll also find many nice fans. ISU has some great fans for the most part but I'm sure you might run into a few drunk assholes from time to time. The only fanbase that you can really peg as a whole is aggy because they are literally all the same with the 2% exception I supposed. The rest of them even acknowledge that the normal ones are only 2% of their fanbase. They are proud of that fact. 

[Eggo 3,977]

6 minutes ago, 'stache said:

To say an entire fanbase is "good" or "bad" is pretty ridiculous to begin with. Every fanbase has some good and some bad. OU has a large very noticeable white trash fanbase which are obnoxious "bad" fans, but if you are in Norman on a gameday you'll also find many nice fans. ISU has some great fans for the most part but I'm sure you might run into a few drunk assholes from time to time. The only fanbase that you can really peg as a whole is aggy because they are literally all the same with the 2% exception I supposed. The rest of them even acknowledge that the normal ones are only 2% of their fanbase. They are proud of that fact. 

Thank God we'll never have to 

[crash_davis 23,113]

5 hours ago, Al_4_ISU said:

Their fans were some of the friendliest people I've ever encountered when travelling to a road game.  I absolutely love WVU fans.  I've never had so much free booze and food in my damn life.

They were dicks to the Big East fans because the Big East fans were dicks to them.

wvu welcome week.  seems like a good idea.

https://welcomeweek.wvu.edu/

 

wvu welcome week signs.  they love the horns down as much as blowu.  fuck those inbred trash motherfuckers.

[Gaffords 755]

5 hours ago, Al_4_ISU said:

Their fans were some of the friendliest people I've ever encountered when travelling to a road game.  I absolutely love WVU fans.  I've never had so much free booze and food in my damn life.

They were dicks to the Big East fans because the Big East fans were dicks to them.

Corn used to be very friendly also until about the 3th or 4th loss and then they weren't near as polite.

[camel at sea 589]

5 hours ago, Al_4_ISU said:

Their fans were some of the friendliest people I've ever encountered when travelling to a road game.  I absolutely love WVU fans.  I've never had so much free booze and food in my damn life.

They were dicks to the Big East fans because the Big East fans were dicks to them.

Yeah. They're going into about year 8 and I have never heard any bad stories about trips to Morgantown from any Big 12 fanbase.  Maybe the fanbases from the Great Plains just mix better with Appalachia based folk than Big East fanbases did.  

They started throwing the Horns Down a lot in the last calendar year because Sills got flagged for it in last year's game.  But pretty much everyone in the country started throwing Horns down after that game.  ESPN had a big write-up about the history of it, too.  https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/27160980/the-petty-wonderful-delightfully-weird-rise-horns-down

There's a segment of UT fans who react to the Horns down gesture the way that aggy reacts to someone walking on their grass.  That's a big part of why people do it.  If Florida fans got all up in their feelings about a mock Gator chomp you'd see that go national, too.

[Al_4_ISU 12,463]

25 minutes ago, Gaffords said:

Corn used to be very friendly also until about the 3th or 4th loss and then they weren't near as polite.

Their politeness was always phony and self congratulatory, IMO.

WVU people were legitimately excited to be in a conference where people gave a shit about football, and didn't turn their noses down at them.

[Al_4_ISU 12,463]

19 minutes ago, camel at sea said:

Yeah. They're going into about year 8 and I have never heard any bad stories about trips to Morgantown from any Big 12 fanbase.  Maybe the fanbases from the Great Plains just mix better with Appalachia based folk than Big East fanbases did.  

They started throwing the Horns Down a lot in the last calendar year because Sills got flagged for it in last year's game.  But pretty much everyone in the country started throwing Horns down after that game.  ESPN had a big write-up about the history of it, too.  https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/27160980/the-petty-wonderful-delightfully-weird-rise-horns-down

There's a segment of UT fans who react to the Horns down gesture the way that aggy reacts to someone walking on their grass.  That's a big part of why people do it.  If Florida fans got all up in their feelings about a mock Gator chomp you'd see that go national, too.

I think there is something to this.  West Virginia is a flyover state in a conference that was dominated by East Coast schools.  They might be geographically close, but they were regarded as trash by the Big East fanbases, and I think they just took that and played right back into it.

The Big 12 fanbases being from the Great Plains vs. the East Coast didn't bring that kind of bias/superiority complex.

Edited August 28, 2019 by Al_4_ISU

[crash_davis 23,113]

23 minutes ago, camel at sea said:

Yeah. They're going into about year 8 and I have never heard any bad stories about trips to Morgantown from any Big 12 fanbase.  Maybe the fanbases from the Great Plains just mix better with Appalachia based folk than Big East fanbases did.  

They started throwing the Horns Down a lot in the last calendar year because Sills got flagged for it in last year's game.  But pretty much everyone in the country started throwing Horns down after that game.  ESPN had a big write-up about the history of it, too.  https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/27160980/the-petty-wonderful-delightfully-weird-rise-horns-down

There's a segment of UT fans who react to the Horns down gesture the way that aggy reacts to someone walking on their grass.  That's a big part of why people do it.  If Florida fans got all up in their feelings about a mock Gator chomp you'd see that go national, too.

no issues with horns down if we are playing them.  horns down on welcome week signs and pics which has nothing to do with texas or any athletic event?  the fuck?  get that stupid classless shit out of here.  

[S11 16]

I think there is something to this.  West Virginia is a flyover state in a conference that was dominated by East Coast schools.  They might be geographically close, but they were regarded as trash by the Big East fanbases, and I think they just took that and played right back into it.
The Big 12 fanbases being from the Great Plains vs. the East Coast didn't bring that kind of bias/superiority complex.

Also WV is similar culturally to much of the conference if you take BusinessInsider’s word for it.

https://www.businessinsider.com/regional-differences-united-states-2018-1

[S11 16]

Also WV is similar culturally to much of the conference if you take BusinessInsider’s word for it.

https://www.businessinsider.com/regional-differences-united-states-2018-1

Other than VT and Pitt the original Big East would have been in a different cultural region on this map and Pitt is an urban campus.

[Al_4_ISU 12,463]

1 hour ago, S11 said:

 

 

Also WV is similar culturally to much of the conference if you take BusinessInsider’s word for it.

https://www.businessinsider.com/regional-differences-united-states-2018-1

 

 

Every member school covered by The Midlands or Greater Appalachia.

Interesting map.  Weird that they slide the northern counties of Iowa in with Minnesota and Yankeedom.  Despite our accent, we're much more culturally similar to the rest of Iowa than Minnesota.  The far eastern counties definitely align with their neighboring states, so that part makes sense.

Edited August 28, 2019 by Al_4_ISU

[S11 16]

Every member school covered by The Midlands or Greater Appalachia.
Interesting map.  Weird that they slide the northern counties of Iowa in with Minnesota and Yankeedom.  Despite our accent, we're much more culturally similar to the rest of Iowa than Minnesota.  The far eastern counties definitely align with their neighboring states, so that part makes sense.

The boundaries can certainly blur a bit (I disagree on where exactly in TX the Deep South ends for instance) but generally provides some idea of cultural fits.

[Al_4_ISU 12,463]

1 minute ago, S11 said:

 

The boundaries can certainly blur a bit (I disagree on where exactly in TX the Deep South ends for instance) but generally provides some idea of cultural fits.

 

Yeah, overall I think it's pretty spot on.

[flatdawgs 1,278]

8 hours ago, S11 said:

 

 

Also WV is similar culturally to much of the conference if you take BusinessInsider’s word for it.

https://www.businessinsider.com/regional-differences-united-states-2018-1

 

 

Colin Woodard's book (from whence the map and story came) is fascinating and well worth the read.  I too think it's pretty spot on.

[Ace000087 18]

9 hours ago, Al_4_ISU said:

I think there is something to this.  West Virginia is a flyover state in a conference that was dominated by East Coast schools.  They might be geographically close, but they were regarded as trash by the Big East fanbases, and I think they just took that and played right back into it.

The Big 12 fanbases being from the Great Plains vs. the East Coast didn't bring that kind of bias/superiority complex.

[Treefidy 1,463]

12 hours ago, 'stache said:

To say an entire fanbase is "good" or "bad" is pretty ridiculous to begin with. Every fanbase has some good and some bad. OU has a large very noticeable white trash fanbase which are obnoxious "bad" fans, but if you are in Norman on a gameday you'll also find many nice fans. ISU has some great fans for the most part but I'm sure you might run into a few drunk assholes from time to time. The only fanbase that you can really peg as a whole is aggy because they are literally all the same with the 2% exception I supposed. The rest of them even acknowledge that the normal ones are only 2% of their fanbase. They are proud of that fact. 

tOSU entire fan base sucks.

aggy entire fan base is fucking weird. 

[VaLonghorn99 341]

We should add:

BYU: I need more teams to despise in the conf

Cin Bearcats: WV partner. Good in both big sports

UConn: Become a power conf in Bball too with all of the above.

Houston: State of TX is huge and the conf can take one more to keep TX talent in TX. Heck bring in SMU too for bigger better SWC 2.0. Other candidates: Colorado State, Utah State, UCF

Edited August 31, 2019 by VaLonghorn99

[US183 125]

Add Memphis 

[US183 125]

36 minutes ago, VaLonghorn99 said:

We should add:

BYU: I need more teams to despise in the conf

Cin Bearcats: WV partner. Good in both big sports

UConn: Become a power conf in Bball too with all of the above.

Houston: State of TX is huge and the conf can take one more to keep TX talent in TX. Heck bring in SMU too for bigger better SWC 2.0. Other candidates: Colorado State, Utah State, UCF

BYU—— NO

CIN——NO

UConn—Hell NO

HOU—-Maybe

[Lone Star Horn 2,016]

39 minutes ago, US183 said:

BYU—— NO

CIN——NO

UConn—Hell NO

HOU—-Maybe Hell NO

fify

[DCLonghorn 244]

There no good reason to get into bed with the dead.

“Last fall, there were 4,000 more high school football players in Texas than in the entire Pac-12 footprint.”


wordpress.com: “The Pac-12 just doesn’t have the numbers.”.
https://blutarsky.wordpress.com/2019/09/05/the-pac-12-just-doesnt-have-the-numbers/


The Mercury News: The Pac-12’s talent pipeline at risk: Football participation continues to drop in high schools across the footprint.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/09/04/the-pac-12s-talent-pipeline-at-risk-football-participation-continues-to-drop-in-high-schools-across-the-footprint/

[TrashMaster G 17,557]

On 8/31/2019 at 11:58 AM, VaLonghorn99 said:

We should add:

BYU: I need more teams to despise in the conf

Cin Bearcats: WV partner. Good in both big sports

UConn: Become a power conf in Bball too with all of the above.

Houston: State of TX is huge and the conf can take one more to keep TX talent in TX. Heck bring in SMU too for bigger better SWC 2.0. Other candidates: Colorado State, Utah State, UCF

Fuck Tillman Ferttita and UH.

[DFW Horn 6,124]

On 8/27/2019 at 4:38 PM, Dnaguy said:

If we keep Baylor and add CU add Nebraska + Arky you could always go w/ a 

Old Big 8 Division vs SWC+WVU division

Call it that too. Big 8 division vs SWC division 

You’d play a 9 game conference schedule w/ one of those being a permanent crossover: 

SWC         Big 8

Texas        OU

TT              CU  Nebraska

Baylor        Kansas

TCU           K State

Arkansas  Okie ST

WVU           Iowa St.

And yes we’d be at a disadvantage compared with others but I’m willing to make that sacrifice. 

 

FIFY

Let's review Nebraska's last 3 B1G games; Illinois - close win, tOSU - got blown out in Lincoln, Minnesota - embarrassing loss.

Have those Arkansas hillbillies figured out their better off aligned with Texas yet?

Both need better exposure and access to Texas recruiting or they'll continue to be shit. 

Edited October 13, 2019 by DFW Horn

[markstanco 12,577]

I dont recall if I read it here or elsewhere, but what happened with LSU being upset with the sec? And how likely is it that they put out feelers to other conferences (if true)?

[SwanderedTalent 5,761]

2 hours ago, markstanco said:

what happened with LSU being upset with the sec?

Nothing, and there was never any chance any of their grumbling was going to amount to anything. LSU isn't leaving the SEC, ever, for any reason, unless you get into the almost science-fiction level shit like "what if the states of Alabama, Georgia, and Florida pass a likeness-compensation act so they can pay players but Louisiana can't get one through its legislature". 

[utee94 15,824]

5 hours ago, SwanderedTalent said:

Nothing, and there was never any chance any of their grumbling was going to amount to anything. LSU isn't leaving the SEC, ever, for any reason, unless you get into the almost science-fiction level shit like "what if the states of Alabama, Georgia, and Florida pass a likeness-compensation act so they can pay players but Louisiana can't get one through its legislature". 

Agree, and let's be realistic-- if Alabama, Georgia, and Florida were to pass such legislation, there's absolutely no way the greasy politicos in Lousiana would allow their SEC rivals to gain that kind of competitive advantage.  Their polticians-for-sale would quickly be pocketed by LSU's boosters.