According to a Thursday report from Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger, the Mountain West Conference recently approached its five departing members and the Pac-12 abo

The Mountain West Conference said Thursday it is seeking mediation in the lawsuit the Pac-12 filed against it in an attempt to avoid paying $55 million in “poaching” fees for bringing five Mountain West teams into its own league.

The Mountain West and Pac-12, along with Boise State, Colorado State and Utah State, have agreed to enter mediation in hopes of settling ongoing lawsuits related to school exit fees and a poaching penalty included in a football scheduling agreement.

Mountain West and three schools moving from one to the other are in a legal standoff that has massive financial stakes for the futures of the conferences.

According to a report by News 3 in Las Vegas, which obtained the new Mountain West’s grant-of-rights, commissioner Gloria Nevarez has pledged to “use best efforts” to maintain the current media rights distribution of $3.5 million per school per year.

Yes, the Wolf Pack has a respectable 16-12 overall record and is 8-9 in the Mountain West. That's all well and good, fine and acceptable on an everybody-gets-a-juice-box-and-a-trophy-after-the-season sort of way. Four games over .500, to be sure, is certainly no reason to start firing anyone.

The Mountain West is exploring mediation to resolve ongoing lawsuits with the Pac-12 and three departing schools over poaching penalties and exit fees, accordin