PonyFans.com

Thats the question it seems to me. All indications are that CUSA will lose a couple schools, but should have enough to hold together. Then they become picky about who they add if anybody between Marshall, UCF, SMU, Tulsa and Rice. It sucks that SMU might be competing with Tulsa and Rice for a single spot, but it looks likely. Watch for CUSA to create a bidding war on entry fees, particularly TCU after they paid big $$$ a few short years ago. Its going to be a game of poker. Will we ante up? Can we afford to call their bluff? I think not.

No, we can't afford to low-ball or call their bluff. There should be a limit on what we'd pay, but none of us can speculate what that limit should be (unless some rich alum gives a blank check.) If this was the Big 12 we were talking about here, you might almost go with the blank-check scenario, because whatever the fee is, that money would be recouped shortly through NCAA hoops and bowl monies.

If the offer is extended, we have to take it, and I don't see us having any bargaining leverage.

Diehard, I agree with you. What seems obvious to me however, does not mean SMU will see it that way. We have cheaped out before, I just hope those days are behind us. Surely Lamar and Gerry won't fail us now...I say that sarcastically, I am certainly not on a first name basis with Mssrs. Hunt and Ford.

[This message has been edited by Hoop Fan (edited 07-22-2003).]

I'm sure Mr. Ford would like to see his stadium full as often as possible. I believe he would chip in as much as he could to make that possible.

Tulsa, SMU and Rice ought to say they are a package deal. Let CUSA decide if they want those three more than UCF and Marshall (remember Marshall is about to get rocked by the NCAA). USM, TCU and Tulane might very well veto those two schools. Also, you have the interesting possiblity of the WAC offering them as well and perhaps offering to pay their CUSA exit fees. Tulsa, Rice and SMU are three really similar schools with different strengths that have a good geographic base.

I like Rice and Tulsa also and hope we are in a league with them for a long time - however no way should we give anybody any package deal scenarios - if we are lucky enough to get the nod we take it - the other schools will gain entry if they are found deserving - this is not the time to use the buddy system - we could be left outside looking in again.

We're not paying anything until the 10-school championship rule works itself out. If CUSA loses 4 schools to the Big East, it will be left with 6; not all have been in the conference for 5 years.

NCAA rule: must have a minimum of 6 schools that have been members for 5 years to continue as a conference.


Why pay when there is a strong possibility of CUSA no longer existing in 2005?

SMU has no bargaining power to say they are going to stick together as a package with Tulsa and Rice. That would be a huge mistake for your program, because I think CUSA has been in talks with your school joining. UL and UC are the only ones going to get an invite, and they will not move until the 2005-2006 season. Don't be hasty about making bargains with CUSA, the other school will definately not go for it.

That's not to say that if UC and UL leave, that if TCU gets a bid from the MWC, they might accept it. From a personal standpoint, you need to do whats in the best interest of SMU... not Tulsa, Rice, La Tech...

I would like to see a revised conference of TCU, SMU, Tulane, Houston, Rice, USM, UAB, Memphis, USF and ECU. Thats a pretty good 10 team conference...

Who knows what might happen though with the grassroots effort, and congressional hearing on the BCS.

Soutland makes a good point. Until the dust settles there may be nothing to buy by paying $$$ to CUSA. Just ask TCU about that.

TCU backer raises another example, however unlikely or ill advised, that TCU or others might jump elsewhere.

NCAA issues like 10-team championship games and some Div IA schools being forced to drop out along with changes to the BCS can rewrite the landscape.

It is a bit too early to talk about spending money.

You guys are assuming this is going to play out in a rational and transparent way. We can hope, but think about what the remaining CUSA schools are going to try to do. For purely financial reasons they are going to try to hold the league together to take as much advantage as possible of tv contracts, and Marquettes Final Four money. They are going to position themselves to get as much in entry fees as possible too. To do that, they will make invites and demands long before SMU or whoever will have the benefit of knowing the exact landscape. Thats why the poker analogy is entirely relevant. If we try to stonewall or bluff, just watch, it could be another slap in the face.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Hoop Fan:
<B>they will make invites and demands long before SMU or whoever will have the benefit of knowing the exact landscape. Thats why the poker analogy is entirely relevant. If we try to stonewall or bluff, just watch, it could be another slap in the face. </B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

It doesn't matter who CUSA adds, if they don't retain 6 schools that have had membership for 5 years, the conference disbands.... doesn't matter if add 10 schools between now and April.

It would be incredibly foolish for any school to pay an entry fee before April. If invited, SMU may choose to accept the invite, but will not discuss paying anything until June 2004 at the earliest... At which point, CUSA may not exist.

Well, I would agree with you if I thought it was likely that CUSA would be left with less than 6 members. If Tranghese is anything less than a complete and total hypocrit, the BE will be careful not to destroy CUSA. They might decimate it, but you have to believe at this point they will stop short of destroying it. Too many indicators to that effect,including comments by CUSA commish. If CUSA is left somewhat viable, you can bet they will be trying to squeeze whatever value they can out of their brand.

Last I saw, Gerald Ford was extimated in value at over $1 billion. Surely he's got a few coins in the couch he can throw toward CUSA membership.

Apples to Oranges...

Remember, this won't be a Big East expansion... it will be the start of a new confernece; hence "they" won't be stealing anyone. Second, those schools have the support of the northeast media. They might get some hot grease for a week, but that's all...

The question that the current Big East schools, Louisville and Cincinnati will ask themselves: why launch with 8 when 10 will get us a championship game?

CUSA's only chance is that those schools in the new conference partner with a Temple or UCF over a Memphis or South Florida.

I think Swafford's final point is very telling... no one (outside former members) cares that the SWC is gone, nor will anyone care that the Big East, CUSA, WAC or Sunbelt is gone.

<A HREF="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/college/news/2003/07/22/tranghese_apology_ap/" TARGET=_blank>http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/college/news/2003/07/22/tranghese_apology_ap/</A>