Post by Fred Noonan on Jan 3, 2013 13:38:21 GMT -8
I've been reading with interest all of the strongly held opinions posted about the MWC/BE. I've tried to figure out the money involved (remember, ALWAYS follow the money) but have met with a total lack of success. The inability to understand based on fact has led to a lot of internal soul searching about how I, as a fan rather than a bookkeeper, really feel about all of this.
My conclusion? I probably won't be satisfied whichever way it goes and I don't see any future that will leave me happy about our conference affiliation. So, why do I--at least for today--feel that way?
Well, as a fan, what is it that we look for in a conference that isn't decided by how many TV sets can be cornered into a deal that will fill network time slots and generate corporate bottom lines? First, we want to have teams in all sports that play schools that our friends, co-workers, family and acquaintances are somehow associated with (marriage, lived there as kids, have a best pal's son going there, etc). We want to be able to talk sports and trash talk our pals. It's fun and it's relevant.
Second, and I don't mean to set this forth in order of importance, we want to go to games where it makes sense for us. We like to travel once or twice a year and we'd rather go places where we have friends, pals, relatives, etc. It just makes it more fun, especially if those pals/etc. have some sort of association with the team we are traveling to play. Again, it makes it more fun for us and I suppose I'm to the point that's all I'm really thinking about anymore.
Third, it's always more fun when the visiting team brings our pals to town to go to the game, hang out at the Beachcomber and laugh with us.
Finally, we'd like to end the season playing someone from outside our friendly and familiar landscape. A national bowl that meant something, was something to look forward to and then talk about for the rest of the year with the aforementioned pals.
So, with that criteria for a football conference affiliation why do I feel so left out by it all? Well, I suppose it's because the only places that meet my criteria for people in the neighborhood, pals out of town, etc. are teams in LA, SF, Phoenix and Tucson. And, maybe Washington with a couple Oregon pals thrown in. As for the chances of that one ever happening, good luck it's not in the cards.
So, how many pals, etc. do I have in Laramie, Colorado Springs, Logan (even Provostan, for that matter), Albuquerque, San Jose (well, maybe I can go to SF on the way), Boise, and other sparsely populated Southwest Basin destinations? In other words, who really cares about going there, winning there or losing here, etc. when there really isn't anyone in San Diego that cares about those places?
Then again, how many folks can I share my teams success/losses with in USF (not sure where that is except Florida someplace and when I first saw it in print I thought USF San Francisco was getting back into football), Philadelphia, Memphis, or whatever else is left in the nBE thingamajig.
Guess what has hit me is that no matter where we end up I'm not going to be satisfied with it, nor I suspect will most San Diegans. Outsiders sometimes consider us arrogant as they think we are too good for their conference. It's not that at all, in fact no one in their right mind could say we are too good competitively for the MWC. I do not belittle or think ill of the good folks in the MWC (well, maybe I would if the Borg returned) or the nBE. The problem is that we just don't have anything whatsoever in common with either the MWC or the nBE. There is nothing for us to get excited about, argue with our co-workers about, razz our friends over or get pumped up for an outta town trip.
Bottom line, I guess, is we are stuck with the only thing we have in common with either conference and that is cash, money, loot, etc. That's it. So, when the dust settles we'll be wherever the cash register rings the loudest and not where I can enjoy any kind of rivalry with anyone I know or care about.
Am I feeling a little out of sorts by all of this??? Yes, I guess so. On reading this it even sounds like I'm feeling a little sorry for myself. No, I think I'm feeling a little sorry for the good citizens of San Diego who deserve to have access to the fun and enjoyment of college football, basketball and the rest. The people that deserve to be able to go to work in the morning and talk with their pals who went to school up the coast and around the bend. Something for them to be interested in.
Given what's going on, and how it will end, I will support Sterk and his efforts to at least better our lot so that someday my dream of competing against schools our community cares about will come true. Until that time, take the cash and do everything we can to win and position ourselves for the next conference shake up. Maybe by preparation we can meet opportunity next time around since we failed to do so for the last 15-20 years.
Fred Noonan.
My conclusion? I probably won't be satisfied whichever way it goes and I don't see any future that will leave me happy about our conference affiliation. So, why do I--at least for today--feel that way?
Well, as a fan, what is it that we look for in a conference that isn't decided by how many TV sets can be cornered into a deal that will fill network time slots and generate corporate bottom lines? First, we want to have teams in all sports that play schools that our friends, co-workers, family and acquaintances are somehow associated with (marriage, lived there as kids, have a best pal's son going there, etc). We want to be able to talk sports and trash talk our pals. It's fun and it's relevant.
Second, and I don't mean to set this forth in order of importance, we want to go to games where it makes sense for us. We like to travel once or twice a year and we'd rather go places where we have friends, pals, relatives, etc. It just makes it more fun, especially if those pals/etc. have some sort of association with the team we are traveling to play. Again, it makes it more fun for us and I suppose I'm to the point that's all I'm really thinking about anymore.
Third, it's always more fun when the visiting team brings our pals to town to go to the game, hang out at the Beachcomber and laugh with us.
Finally, we'd like to end the season playing someone from outside our friendly and familiar landscape. A national bowl that meant something, was something to look forward to and then talk about for the rest of the year with the aforementioned pals.
So, with that criteria for a football conference affiliation why do I feel so left out by it all? Well, I suppose it's because the only places that meet my criteria for people in the neighborhood, pals out of town, etc. are teams in LA, SF, Phoenix and Tucson. And, maybe Washington with a couple Oregon pals thrown in. As for the chances of that one ever happening, good luck it's not in the cards.
So, how many pals, etc. do I have in Laramie, Colorado Springs, Logan (even Provostan, for that matter), Albuquerque, San Jose (well, maybe I can go to SF on the way), Boise, and other sparsely populated Southwest Basin destinations? In other words, who really cares about going there, winning there or losing here, etc. when there really isn't anyone in San Diego that cares about those places?
Then again, how many folks can I share my teams success/losses with in USF (not sure where that is except Florida someplace and when I first saw it in print I thought USF San Francisco was getting back into football), Philadelphia, Memphis, or whatever else is left in the nBE thingamajig.
Guess what has hit me is that no matter where we end up I'm not going to be satisfied with it, nor I suspect will most San Diegans. Outsiders sometimes consider us arrogant as they think we are too good for their conference. It's not that at all, in fact no one in their right mind could say we are too good competitively for the MWC. I do not belittle or think ill of the good folks in the MWC (well, maybe I would if the Borg returned) or the nBE. The problem is that we just don't have anything whatsoever in common with either the MWC or the nBE. There is nothing for us to get excited about, argue with our co-workers about, razz our friends over or get pumped up for an outta town trip.
Bottom line, I guess, is we are stuck with the only thing we have in common with either conference and that is cash, money, loot, etc. That's it. So, when the dust settles we'll be wherever the cash register rings the loudest and not where I can enjoy any kind of rivalry with anyone I know or care about.
Am I feeling a little out of sorts by all of this??? Yes, I guess so. On reading this it even sounds like I'm feeling a little sorry for myself. No, I think I'm feeling a little sorry for the good citizens of San Diego who deserve to have access to the fun and enjoyment of college football, basketball and the rest. The people that deserve to be able to go to work in the morning and talk with their pals who went to school up the coast and around the bend. Something for them to be interested in.
Given what's going on, and how it will end, I will support Sterk and his efforts to at least better our lot so that someday my dream of competing against schools our community cares about will come true. Until that time, take the cash and do everything we can to win and position ourselves for the next conference shake up. Maybe by preparation we can meet opportunity next time around since we failed to do so for the last 15-20 years.
Fred Noonan.
