Re: Leadership (we can only hope)

[Charleston Pony]

Dr Turner and Mr Copeland do a better job for SMU in the expected conference realignment discusions than Hawaii's leadership is doing. Appears Hawaii's leadership is prepared to go into this with very limited options.

<A HREF="http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2003/May/24/sp/sp10a.html" TARGET=_blank>http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2003/May/24/sp/sp10a.html</A>

Meanwhile, whatever happens, I just hope we can find a way to reunite with our former SWC mates TCU & Houston and that Rice wants to come along, as well. Let's decide as a group who we want to play with and get this SWC thing going again.

[Nacho]

How does an alignment of schools from the BE, C-USA and SMU sound? Farfetched? Stranger things have happened. It would be a 12 team BCS conference.

VT
WV
UConn
Cincy
Lousiville
TCU
Memphis
EC
USM
UCF
SMU
Rice

(Pitt goes to the Big 10)

[NavyCrimson]

it would be potent if it did work out - nacho!

[Charleston Pony]

Wht would that eastern group favor SMU and Rice over Houston? TCU is the only football program among the former SWC schools that has done anything to warrant consideration.

[FloridaMustang]

Anyone seen the DMN article today?

<A HREF="http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/colleges/smu/stories/052503dnspocolsmusider.69077.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/colleges/smu/stories/052503dnspocolsmusider.69077.html</A>

Seems to me that Coepland would be happy if the WAC expanded to 12 teams... would that satisfy anyone?

[Johnny Rock]

I also would like to see SMU in another conference with regional competition. However, if a conference realignment occurs, I will not be suprised to see SMU left out again. The university has made a great commitment to the football program with a great stadium and a great coach. But the university has not made that same commitment with its other athletic programs. Our men's basketball has underachieved since Dement has taken over as coach. We need to upgrade Moody and we need a new coach. However, nothing has been done. Our men's soccer program is excellent, but it does not generate revenue. We need better swimming facilities and a new tennis courts. Again, nothing has been done by the university. We also have an athletic director that is rumored to be looking elsewhere for employment. When I think SMU, I usually think 'first class' and for the most part, the univeristy is 'first class', especially compared to many of the state schools in the region. But we need a better commitment from the university to our athletic program to be attractive to other conferences, such as C-USA. There was a reason we were not selected with TCU. Unfortuneately, I believe we may not be selected the second time around for those same reasons. Wake up Copeland and Turner before its too late. As always, it was a pleasure voiceing my opion on this board whether its agreed with or not. Until next time, go Mustangs!!!

[Charleston Pony]

While Hawaii's president was not too bright to come out and comdemn the WAC right now, I think just about everyone in the league knows the WAC is a problem due to it's far flung geography. While the DMN article talks about 12 teams, I've always felt the WAC should be looking at 14 teams, if it hopes to survive.

By doing so, each division could play 6 of 8 football games reasonably close to home and 12 of 16 bball games. With 2 football cross-over games and 4 bball, that means only one long distance road trip each year...just enough to keep the "east vs west" rivalry alive. Football championship game has to be played on someone's home field (for attendance and interest) and bball tourney would have to have opening round(s) on schools' home courts, giving a 1st round bye to the division winners and then allowing them to host 2nd round games before the 4 second round winners travel to one of the division winner's home to play the final four. It would by no means be a powerhouse group, but if we could add TCU, Houston & UNT in the east to join SMU, Tulsa, La Tech & Rice and then have UTEP and either Utah St on NMSU join the western group, that just might work.

The problem with the WAC remains the bowl situation for the eastern group. Without TCU, there is still NOTHING for the east. I still like the idea of a reconstructed SWC with schools in Texas, Okla, Louisiana & possibly Arkansas (as the article mentions, Ark St is on the bubble). I wonder if the folks at Tulane are starting to think they'd be just as well off in a conference with La Tech and La-Lafayette?

People will blast me for thinking small time or "minor league", but I'll admit I'm influenced by living in a minor league sports town. It's time for SMU to admit we are not going to compete with UT and A$M going forward, at least not in football (no reason we can't in all other sports). It's a shame we can't compete in the same conference as Baylor, but time will tell. Watching mid-major bball and I-AA football in the Southern Conference has made me appreciate the rivalries that exist between these smaller schools, and the game day atmosphere is very enjoyable when these smaller venues (15-20,000 for football and 3-5,000 for bball) are packed. I'd like to think the new SWC could generate just as good, or better attendance, than we are experiencing today and I don't think you'd see anyone dominate the league year after year.

[EastStang]

I think Coach Bennett hit the nail on the head. TCU, SMU, Rice and Houston should be in the same conference, a regional conference. There are numerous names that can be thrown out there, but the core has to start with those four together. If it does, and if you can add Tulsa for its basketball, La. Tech for its women's bball. UTEP for its crowd. You've got a great start to a solid mid-major regional conference. Nine would be the ideal number, but 8 is doable. You've got Tulane, USM, UAB, UNT, Ark. State, NMS, La. Mon. La.-Laf., Troy State, to choose from. It would cut travel costs by a huge amount, allow bands to travel and create ample road trip opportunities.