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...that is good news indeed for SMU especially if ECU or USF or even Memphis is the third team in addition to Cincy and Louisville. That will leave one more spot open for expansion plus probably take away teams with which we are not really gepgraphically compatible like ECU and USF. Even if Marshall is the third team that takes away one of the biggest competitors to an SMU bid.

I'll take it. Whatever it takes to get over to C-USA.

as usual - stallion, you're ahead of the game!!!

Word around NC is that ecu is making a big push, even looking to call in political favors a la virginia tech. they want in bad.

Go Ponies!

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Stallion:
<B>...that is good news indeed for SMU especially if ECU or USF or even Memphis is the third team in addition to Cincy and Louisville. That will leave one more spot open for expansion plus probably take away teams with which we are not really gepgraphically compatible like ECU and USF. Even if Marshall is the third team that takes away one of the biggest competitors to an SMU bid.</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the speculation on the Big East football schools forming a conference of 9 schools, is based on Notre Dame joining them in all sports other than football (rather than partnering with the non-football schools).

If the Big East splinters into two separate leagues, I could see the football group possibly going larger than 8, but agree Notre Dame's willingness to schedule 4 games against the 8 member group (in exchange for being a member in all oher sports) will be the key. I don't see a down side for Notre Dame, so my guess is that we will see an 8 member Big East football group (or whatever they call themselves). That group will also be in position to schedule Army & Navy, which will help in TV negotiations.

That translates to a surviving 8 member football CUSA, which may lose it's bball only schools to reshuffling of Big East and A-10 bball schools. So, will CUSA be anxious to expand? If so, what will the entrance fee be for any newcomer? Will it be worth it to SMU, if invited? I think a 12 member CUSA is more appealing than a 12 member WAC (assuming NMSU and Utah St would be the only available teams). I really don't see any CUSA member leaving that group and paying to join the WAC just to be associated with Hawaii, Fresno & Boise...especially if there are 8 remaining teams and they have the Liberty Bowl, Ft Worth Bowl and a good shot at keeping the New Orleans and/or Mobile games, not to mention their conference bid to March Madness.

I agree SMU might have more options if the Big East expanded to 9-12 schools, but I don't see that happening. CUSA will likely hold the key to future realignments after the Big East dust settles.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Stallion:
<B>...that is good news indeed for SMU especially if ECU or USF or even Memphis is the third team in addition to Cincy and Louisville. That will leave one more spot open for expansion plus probably take away teams with which we are not really gepgraphically compatible like ECU and USF. Even if Marshall is the third team that takes away one of the biggest competitors to an SMU bid.</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE> I agree.
Marshall and ECU are sort of a tag team - if ECU stays it makes sense to get marshall; if they leave, I'm not sure marshall would even want to join with no team anywhere near them (and ecu is pretty far away themselves). UCF is obvious (unless usf blackballs, and I'm not sure they have the power to do that). SMU will be the first choice for a western c-usa expansion (unless tcu vetoes and they probably do have the power if they choose); tulsa and rice are tied for second with slight tulsa edge. The only chance of C-USA impoloding are if IF Memphis and/or TCU leave. "Binding agreements" seem unworkable to me; yet they are necessary for WAC expansion as nothing will be worse than a WAC with 3 or so scattered western teams to have to travel to like el paso, san jose and boise.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Stallion:
<B>...that is good news indeed for SMU especially if ECU or USF or even Memphis is the third team in addition to Cincy and Louisville. That will leave one more spot open for expansion plus probably take away teams with which we are not really gepgraphically compatible like ECU and USF. Even if Marshall is the third team that takes away one of the biggest competitors to an SMU bid.</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>The assumption is that the Big East will take Lousiville and Cincinnati -- if they take two -- and Memphis if they take a third school and if it is from CUSA (which it may or may not be).

The feeling in the WAC office is that if the BE takes Memphis too, then the WAC will win the tug-of-war with CUSA over TCU. In other words, CUSA dies and the WAC lives on. If Memphis stays with CUSA, then it will be a real dog fight and may depend upon factors such as what is going on in the west.

Either way, the SMU to CUSA thing is no slam dunk even if the BE goes to 9 schools.

Yoda out...

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Yoda:
<B> [QUOTE]
The feeling in the WAC office is that if the BE takes Memphis too, then the WAC will win the tug-of-war with CUSA over TCU. In other words, CUSA dies and the WAC lives on. If Memphis stays with CUSA, then it will be a real dog fight and may depend upon factors such as what is going on in the west.

Either way, the SMU to CUSA thing is no slam dunk even if the BE goes to 9 schools.

Yoda out...

</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

If Memphis leaves C-USA with cincy and lou, then the WAC has a big edge. If its just Cincy and Lou, C-USA has a big edge. Lou and Cincy plus ecu and/or usf make the wac/c-usa a tug-o-war.