Army To Leave Conference USA?

[50's PONY]

Jul 9, 2003

Army May March Out Of C-USA
By BRETT McMURPHY
bmcmurphy@tampatrib.com

TAMPA - While Louisville has indicated a desire to speak with the Big East, another Conference USA member is considering leaving the league after the 2004 season.
Army athletic director Rick Greenspan told The Tampa Tribune in ``a week or two,'' his university would decide whether to remain in C-USA past 2004.

An independent from 1890 to 1997, Army joined C-USA as a football-only member in 1998. The Cadets, whose other athletic teams compete in the Patriot League, are 7-27 in five C-USA seasons, winning no more than two league games in a season.

``We won't make any excuses up here,'' Greenspan said. ``If we don't win games, it's something we have to square away.''

Greenspan said Army is considering the move to expand its scheduling options. Locked into eight C-USA games, plus annual contests against Navy and Air Force, Army only has one opening, limiting its non-conference opportunities.

``There are some rivalries we'd like to reinvigorate, like Notre Dame and Boston College,'' Greenspan said.

If Louisville and Army leave C-USA, that would leave the league with nine football schools. However, C-USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky said he is ``absolutely committed to fight for this conference.''

Expansion is an option, Banowsky said, but not until the 2005-06 season.

``We will do whatever necessary to preserve and make Conference USA stronger,'' he said.

Banowsky also said if the NCAA changes its rule requiring conferences to have 12 members for a league championship game, C-USA would consider one.

``Absolutely that's a possibility,'' Banowsky said. ``But we would have to look at the way we schedule and make sure we have a balanced schedule in determining division champions.''

Tampa Sports Authority executive director Henry Saavedra has said Raymond James Stadium ``would love to host'' a C-USA title game if it didn't conflict with the Bucs' schedule.

The earliest a C-USA championship game could be held would be 2004, although 2005 is more realistic.

``Charlotte chancellor James Woodward made a very strong statement to his presidential colleagues,'' C-USA consultant Chuck Neinas said. ``Now is the time for Conference USA to do some introspection; analyze what the situation is and see if there's a better way to go about the way we are.''

Banowsky said no other league members other than Louisville have expressed an interest in talking to the Big East. Banowsky and Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese have had several discussions in past weeks and maintain an open line of communication, Banowsky said.

Banowsky also told The Dallas Morning News that SMU could be included in any expansion plans. SMU was considered as an expansion candidate in 1999 by C-USA. AUBURN: Coach Tommy Tuberville is recovering from surgery to correct a pinched nerve in his neck.

Swaid Swaid performed surgery to relieve the pinched nerve Thursday at HealthSouth Medical Center in Birmingham. A news release issued Tuesday afternoon said Tuberville has battled neck pain for 20 years but expects to recover fully. NEBRASKA: Suspended offensive lineman Junior Tagoa'i pleaded no contest to an assault charge for hitting his former girlfriend while she was holding their child.

Tagoa'i, listed as the starting right guard on the Cornhuskers' depth chart following spring practice, entered his plea Monday as he was scheduled to face a jury trial on the third-degree assault charge.

The Hauula, Hawaii, native is set to be sentenced Aug. 15 in Lancaster County Court for the charge, as well as for a second, unrelated conviction for disturbing the peace.

Information from Tribune wires was used in compiling this report.

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Go Back To The Story

[Water Pony]

With

- Army exiting Conf. USA
- Louisville & Cincinnati targeted for the BE
- East Carolina working hard for ACC (will not happen) or the more likely the BE,

. . the eastern part of Conference USA will be gone, except for Charlotte in BB. With a possible merger between BE and Conf. USA BB-only schools, the result is a newly configured conference soon to be anchored by South Florida in the SE, Memphis in the mid-South and TCU in the west.

Rounding out the membership regionally in Stallions's "Conf. of the South" could happen. The WAC East will be more difficult to create with obvious opposition from TCU.

Perhaps today's Conf. USA conference call will set the criteria for their future planning.

[Hoop Fan]

Conf of the South could happen, but BE-CUSA alliance concept is gonna have to fail first. I guarantee the alliance angle being worked on first and is probably the subject of the call today. It may be semantics, but I am talking about an alliance, not an actual merger. There is alot of downside left in all this for SMU. I'm afraid us fans and our administrators are getting ahead of ourselves in this process and it could come back and bite us. Again.

[Charleston Pony]

The Big East was founded as a bball league, as was CUSA (borne out of the old Metro). I just don't see any current Big East members willingly parting ways with the Big East brand and the MSG conference tourney.

I have to wonder if the Big East has already had talks with Army/Navy, while despite being doormats in college football recently, still command a viewing audience on a national level.

The Big East currently has 6 fball/bball and 6 bball only members (counting UConn as a replacement for Temple). I could see them adding Louisville (all sports), Army & Navy (football only) and perhaps only one addt'l bball school (Marquette? Xavier?) so as to create a 9 member football conference and 14 member bball conference. This would set up divisional play in bball while not significantly diluting the revenue sharing pool. It would be a stronger than ever bball league and football mighht be strong enough to maintain interest at a national level (most certainly in the all important northeast).

That way, CUSA survives and Army gets to play opponents in the northeast (which I gather is what they really want). I would also expect Notre Dame to agree to play 4 games against Big East schools every year, with Army & Navy on the schedule every year.

Lots of possibilities!

[Southland]

Sharp thinking...totally agree on the brand identification.

add Army, Navy as football affiliates
add Louisville in all sports

...would leave them with 12 basketball members, 8 in football. It certainly works out neatly, but the question is whether or not the Big East can adopt that strategy and continue their partnerships across the BCS.

[Water Pony]

Although the scenarios mentioned above don't ensure BCS status for the BE, I am not sure adding anyone but ND would guarantee a continued role inside the BCS.

With Army withdrawing from Conf. USA, it gives them and Navy a chance to package themselves together for the BE. This step won't help the strength of schedule for the conference but attendance and TV rights are enhanced. I would personally enjoy an affiliation with both service academics but geography works against it.

With UCONN in in place of Temple, BE could comfortably add Louisville and Cincinnati, gaining Ohio audience and permitting a nice mini-division rivalry between Louisville, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and West VA. BB strength would also benefit.

Army and Navy would be FB only. The sweetner would be Notre Dame agreeing to schedule at least four BE teams annually (Navy, Army, BC and either Pitt or WVA). This effort would enhance the BE's reputation, keep ND independent and permit to qualify for a BE and/or BCS Bowl.

Formally merging with Conf. USA doesn't do anything more that what would be accomplish with two conferences. Perhaps the idea of the soon to be non-BCS BE and Conf. USA having a play-off along with MWC and WAC doing the same is a option. However, I would prefer a play-off between BCS and Mid-Major Conferences and get the David and Goliath thing going, if we ever got to a play-off system.

[This message has been edited by Water Pony (edited 07-09-2003).]

[This message has been edited by Water Pony (edited 07-10-2003).]

[This message has been edited by Water Pony (edited 07-10-2003).]