So, who will be the 12th?

[JasonB]

Stallion, Louisville makes great sense. Same region, and it would appease the bball schools after taking Miami and VT, two horrible teams. That makes perfect sense.

[Southland]

Opinions differ on who fits well...it's going to be a Big East school that can add value to broadcast packages.

Once Miami and VA Tech come aboard, the pro-ACC 12 schools will have 9 votes, and can approve anyone they want (in opposition to Duke and UNC) to begin play in 2005.

Syracuse, Pitt, BC will all be in the mix; although, I'm sure the ACC will explore a lot of options (including SEC schools and the Big East's Notre Dame).

I'd be very surprised if the ACC would add a program from a small market (like Louisville, ECU, etc.)

[ReedFrawg]

I think almost all (if not all) real TCU fans know that the Big 12, SEC and ACC are pipe dreams. However, we've all got our share of...shall we say overly optimistic fans. TCU's best options at this point seem to be either a Big East/CUSA merger (hopefully we can make it despite our geography), a 9-team CUSA without Louisville and one other school or a 12 team CUSA with 2 or 3 additions. Beyond that, I think most TCU fans would be crushed if we go back to the WAC or form a new SWC. If SMU was in our position then I believe all of you would feel the same way. That being said, I'd rather form a regional conference than rejoin the MWC (unless there's a pending BCS bid) but a lot of TCU fans seem to prefer playing late-night football and bball games in Wyoming and Utah.

Every fan is just so biased when it comes to all of this realignment stuff that its hard to take anything seriously. I doubt our respective ADs are monitoring the internet forums to make their decisions. Whatever happens will happen - whether we like it or not. Looking forward to the visit to Ford this fall...and hoping there isn't another ticket fiasco at the Will Call window like there was 2 years ago. Seriously, I was so pi$$ed off but at the same time embarassed for SMU. Good luck - I'm pulling for Bennett!

[gostangs]

Thanks for the note Reed. Have looked over the comments on your page, and I am also mystified at the love of the mountain conference - I think your faithful are so distraught to imagine that all of your successes have really not earned you anything but a revisit to the SWC cast -offs, that they would rather go anywhere then admit that. Fact is no new conferences are going to be added to the BCS without a lawsuit, and TCU would be better off lowering expenses then flying all over the West to play teams no better then Rice and Tulsa anyway.

[ReedFrawg]

You're right. I just don't see much, if any gain, from playing in the MWC unless a BCS bid is tied to it (not very likely). The travel costs for all sports would be huge...at least in a spread out CUSA that fact can be countered with some measure of east coast media exposure. I seriously doubt that we would go back to the MWC - I have no inside info but surely it would not make financial sense. Worst case scenario I see for TCU is a regional SW Conference and it would be a tough pill to swallow...even for a relatively humble Frog fan like myself. I know it would help on a lot of levels but I think it would put a large dent into the our football program on the national level. Maybe I'm wrong about that???

[Charleston Pony]

Sometimes it's hard to tell who is joking and who is serious on this board. Vandy to the ACC? Hello??? If anything, the SEC would like to dump Vandy and the Big XII would like to dump Baylor, if they knew they could strengthen their position. The SEC people are already talking about how Miami & Va Tech will make the ACC as strong as the SEC.

Hard to say what will come of this, but the issue for TCU is whether the Big East decides to plunder CUSA. Gotta figure Louisville & Cincy could be invited and have to assume they would jump at the opportunity to align with what might then be the strongest bball conference in the country.

If CUSA loses only Louisville & Cincy, the conference can remain in tact with 9 fball and 12 bball members playing with the same group they have now. Memphis & Marquette will be disappointed, as CUSA bball is weakened dramatically. ECU, S. Fla & Marquette are all still being talked about by Big East and ACC and if that group gets invited away from CUSA, it becomes a free-for-all.