Them changes

[Nacho]

Looking over some newspapers lots of rumors are floating around. The WAC starts its meetings today at Half Moon Bay (where is that?). Some highlights:

--MWC may consider TCU
--Hawaii may want out of the WAC if TCU and Houston aren't brought in
--Memphis looks like a viable candidate for the BE along with Louisville and Cincy

IMHO if TCU goes to the MWC we should invite 2 of the 3--Houston, Southern Miss, UNT. If Hawaii leaves then USU or NMSU would be candidates.

Scenarios change every day.

[This message has been edited by Nacho (edited 06-01-2003).]

[Charleston Pony]

Let's face it. Miami's decision (and then Syracuse & B.C.'s) whether to join the ACC is what sets everything in motion. The Big East then has to decide whether to become a bball only league, or whether to make a run at the Big East alliance by inviting the most attractive CUSA schools to join. After that, the rest of the conferences are left with the decision whether to expand to 12-14 schools in order to position themselves both for more attractive regional alignments and for possible BCS inclusion in 2006. I don't see anything coming our of these meetings other than some "what if" discussions in order to be prepared in the event Miami starts the ball rolling.

[Stallion]

What's Hawaii going to do-form a conference with Chaimanade, Hawaii-Hilo, Hawaii-Manoa et al. They ain't going nowhere.

[This message has been edited by Stallion (edited 06-01-2003).]

[Hoop Fan]

I suggested SMU better be working on selling itself to the MWC last week. With CUSA dying if Louisville leaves, the MWC is the only realistic option for potential BCS inclusion at some point. I say realistic because SMU would be selling itself against Nevada and Boise. I was hoping TCU would be preoccupied with salvaging CUSA and SMU could convice the MWC that they need a more "eastern" presence in a large market. Maybe we could package ourselves with TCU as travel partners. At least the MWC seems to be a league that cares about academics, unlike CUSA, and SMU might be view positively by them as a result.

[This message has been edited by Hoop Fan (edited 06-01-2003).]

[Nacho]

According to this writer TCU is not a prime candidate. I guess the bottom line is that we have to keep all of our options open and hope for the best.

<A HREF="http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,505037207,00.html" TARGET=_blank>http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,505037207,00.html</A>

[Charleston Pony]

At one time, Hawaii played as an independent in football and was with the Big West for all other sports. They might be the only school other than Notre Dame who could play as an independent in football. They already schedule 8 home games most years and have their own bowl game. They could negotiate a TV deal for "late night" games that start at 11:30 on the east coast, after most BCS conference games end.

[Hoop Fan]

Well, I guess that writer sees no hope for BCS inclusion in the MWCs future. No one who did could possibly include Utah State in a league over TCU, geography be damned. Thats a Utah paper so maybe that writer went to Utah State. Why expand to 10 teams who have no BCS shot? 9 is ideal for scheduling. If I was the MWC and I was trying to build football strength, markets and recruiting territory in hopes of BCS sometime soon, I would want to add Boise, Fresno, TCU and one of either SMU or Tulsa. If Tulsa had Ford Stadium, they would be obvious choice because of basketball. As it is, SMU might be more attractive. Hawaii is just too far away to not be a problem for any league. If BCS is out of the question, Utah State is probably a great fit, just like UNT fits better with SMU/TCU geographically than BYU would.

[Nacho]

I don't disagree with your logic. By the same token if the WAC is trying to be a BCS conference it will add TCU and Southern Miss, not Houston.