Mtn. West set to move

[Water Pony]

Mountain West is committed to adding one, but probably four schools. They have persuaded themselves that they can be next in-line for BCS. Boise State, Fresno State, Nevada and Hawaii are targets but these schools won't dramatically effect national perceptions of MWC strength. In any case, they might be second movers when ACC/BE situation is clarified.

<A HREF="http://espn.go.com/ncf/columns/graney_ed/1571740.html" TARGET=_blank>http://espn.go.com/ncf/columns/graney_ed/1571740.html</A>

[This message has been edited by Water Pony (edited 06-23-2003).]

[EastStang]

One article that I saw, also mentioned our Ft. Worth friends, TCU. But there are some issues. They'll want FSU to stop taking non-qualfiers. They'll want Hawaii to resume travel subsidies. And they'll want a big check from anyone who joins. Will these four schools want to write that kind of a check, or will they find it more inviting to try and lure 2 schools from the MWC, like UNLV and SDS at no cost to them? Also, the MWC needs to be very careful. They didn't get sued last time. They could get sued this time if that crazy BE lawsuit actually produces a verdict in favor of the BE leftovers.

[Water Pony]

TCU going to MWC by themselves doesn't make sense as the only Central Time (CT) Zone Team. Also, TCU would need to feel that this move would be much better than Conf. USA. or its' subsequent, reconfigured model.

TCU may not admit it, but they would greatly benefit, as we would, from the strongest possible SW alignment, e.g. Conf. USA, WAC-East or Private SW,plus Navy and Army.

It also begs the question of they're up and we are down. That is not a permanment condition. I fully expect us to be a player. They can only hope to maintain what they have earned. Neither school will ever be a true BCS school based on being private with a limited fan base.

Finally, I hope the President of Tulane makes progress in easing the choke-hold of the BCS schools. If he or others don't, the future is dark for everyone, including the BCS schools themselves. (They will be the last to know.)

[Southland]

TCU wouldn't go to the MWC anyway; their AD has already said the school prefers to align itself with Eastern schools.

Best thing for TCU would be for CUSA to shed the non-football schools, and then align 10 all-sports schools, with Army and Navy as football only affiliates.

That way, they get their cake (football championship) and eat it too (play home-and-homes across the conference).

Most likely, they will lose Louisville and South Florida in football, which means adding two all-sports schools. We would have a chance, but who knows…
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Best thing for us would be for the non-football schools to leave CUSA (Big East, A10) and for the Big East to pick up Louisville, Cincinnati and East Carolina. Then have CUSA pick up SMU, Rice and UCF

SMU-TCU (no intermediate flight)
Rice-Houston (no intermediate flight)
Tulane-So Miss (no intermediate flight)
South Florida-Central Florida (no intermediate flight)
Memphis-UAB (intermediate flight required)
Army-Navy (football-only)

[Hoop Fan]

The best thing about all of this is we now have ESPN.com referring to the BCS as a cartel in print. That bodes well for some reform at some point. The name of the game is survival in the meantime and finding the best conference setup possible. At this point, I think its 50/50. SMU could hit a homerun and end up in a league with TCU, Memphis, Cincy and Tulane or we could end up in a Sun Belt. Personally, I avoid playing Ark State and ULaLa like the plague. I even enter an independent alliance of some kind with Army and Navy if need be to avoid Sun Belt. Now before you MeanGreen trolls get your panties in a wad, games against UNT are fine, the other Sun Belters are suicide.

[Water Pony]

My only addition would be to find a home for Tulsa in the deal. Great basketball and a competitor for Memphis. UAB may drop from 1A or don't go after Central Florida. The rest works.

[Southland]

Sun Belt isn't an option.

In the event that we are not invited to CUSA, the WAC explodes with 4 defecting to MWC, and San Jose dropping from Division 1A, SMU-Tulsa-Rice-La Tech will keep the WAC name and NCAA bid and form it's own conference with the few Sun Belt schools that survive the Division 1A status rules.

The SunBelt is like CUSA without the money or glitz. It is a league with full members, football-only affiliates, non-football members... it is a mess that we would never get involved with.

I'd say we are the favorite to be invited to CUSA given they have two spots available. Of the candidates they have to choose from, none would improve the variance of revenue to cost. SMU can be added without a large incremental expense, unlike Marshall, UCF and Tulsa.

[Stallion]

SMU fans should not consider SMU the favorite for anything. If you don't believe me go to the CUSA board. Once again, if only one or 2 spots are open we got our work cut out for us.

[This message has been edited by Stallion (edited 06-23-2003).]

[Charleston Pony]

the timing of the ACC's decision, assuming they vote to expand and the BE schools accept before June 30th, means that unless the other conferences have made the necessary arrangements, other changes are likely a year away.

My guess is that the Big East is ready to invite Louisville to replace Miami, if the ACC only invites Miami. If they take 3 or 4, I'd be surprised if the Big East can move that quickly to lure the top remaining CUSA programs. I would expect the Mountain West to wait until the ACC/Big East/ CUSA mess settles before deciding whether they are going to destroy the WAC.

Bottom line is that only the MWC has the ability to destroy the WAC, with virtually every WWAC school being in a position where they would probably jump on an invite. And...I agree with Stallion. SMU is in no position to make any choices. We're like the little kid at the sandlot game hoping we don't suffer the embarrassment of being picked last. Yes, we bring a pretty healthy "all sports" program to the table, but conference realignments are fball/bball driven and our track record in those sports since the deah penalty speaks for itself!

[EastStang]

Actually, we would want to keep SJS around for a year or two (at least for basketball) to keep the automatic NCAA bid. The rule as I understand it is six teams together for at least 2 years. After two years, they can move to another conference, and we could retain the automatic bid. The question is whether new conference mates would accept that arrangement to keep the autobid. SJS also has the rights I believe to the Silicon Valley Bowl which while dying is still certified. We might want to keep them around until that can be moved to another site. (If we were to get involved with Army and Navy perhaps a bowl site in East Rutherford or Washington, DC might be a good place to move that Bowl.) If they choose Washington DC, Russ Potts might even be able to organize it.

[Southland]

Stallion, while your fatalist mentality gives me a good laugh now and again, in this instance I would say consider the source.

Fans don't consider budget restrictions and most are short sighted when it comes to monetary partnerships. I wouldn't use message boards as outsourcing for hard news.

Nonetheless, you go on hating young man...