"TCU and Boise State headed to Mountain West" ...

[NavyCrimson]

let the purple goo go!!!!

let's just fight the bcs-bs in the courts & get this damn thing over with!!!! u got everyone wanting to join them with these conference hop-skotching yet half-ass fighting them to dissolve the bcs-bs...its time to fight it & win it & get it over with!

quit the hypocrisy & start the fight b/c division-1 football is getting ready to lose the opportunity of being much bigger than it will ever be having the bcs-bs inplace!

IT IS NOT A ZERO-SUM GAIN!

in other words - screw 'em!!!!!!!!!

http://www.mwcboard.com/webbbs_config.cgi?noframes;read=89471

By RICK ALONZO
The Dallas Morning News
December 20, 2003

FORT WORTH – TCU and Boise State will meet for the first time Tuesday in the inaugural PlainsCapital Fort Worth Bowl. The game may be a prelude to a future conference rivalry.

Both schools are considered expansion candidates for the Mountain West Conference, which could issue invitations to one or two schools as soon as next month.

"Maybe this will be a game that will be replayed in future years," Boise State president Bob Kustra said.

Kustra isn't shy about his desire to steer Boise State out of the far-flung Western Athletic Conference and into the tidier Mountain West. He said the league would be a natural fit geographically.

Earlier this week, Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson publicly for the first time singled out TCU as a candidate for expansion. Thompson said the Mountain West would like to decide by mid- to late-January whether to expand. But at this point, it seems the decision is not whether to expand but rather how many members to add.

"Every discussion we've had has pretty much centered on nine or 10 [members], and there is still some debate on the number," Thompson said. "I don't see any interest in 11 or 12."

It appears those in charge of helping shape TCU's future may lean toward heading west. TCU provost William Koehler said Thompson's comments about TCU are a compliment to the university. Koehler reaffirmed the Frogs are keeping their options open about expansion.

Last month, a high-ranking TCU source told The News that the Frogs were weighing and anticipated invitation from the league. The Mountain West's stability is among the attractions to join the conference, the source said.

Frogs coach Gary Patterson said the Mountain West could be the next league to gain entry into the Bowl Championship Series after the current contract expires in two seasons. He said the Big East Conference may lose its BCS tie because of the loss of Miami and Virginia Tech to the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Boise State (12-1) and TCU (11-1) are ranked No. 18 and No. 19 in the Associated Press media poll. Adding two nationally ranked programs could improve the Mountain West's standing. But there's no guarantee ...

"It's still two non-BCS schools going into a non-BCS league," Patterson said. "If they don't change the rules of the game, it doesn't make much of a difference."

<small>[ 12-20-2003, 11:18 AM: Message edited by: Navy&Crimson ]</small>

[Charleston Pony]

don't begrudge TCU a MWC invite. If they decide it's best for them, so be it. If TCU goes, let's hope CUSA responds quickly and invites La Tech to back-fill in CUSA-west. Another Louisiana school should help continue the New Orleans Bowl relationship. Memphis, New Orlean and Mobile are all good bowls for CUSA.

Assuming we keep playing TCU regardless, this move would keep our schedule more regional, which is probably good for the operating budget.

Regardless of who we are playing with as conference mates, SMU just needs to get it's act together and contribute more than we did for the WAC.

[VarsityShop]

re: don't begrudge TCU a MWC invite. If they decide it's best for them, so be it

Yeah if TCU decides they want a very expensive travel budget,and be arriving back at TCU from road games at 4am....so be it!

<img src="http://www.jjbradshaw.com/Images/awake-at-4am.gif" alt=" - " />

[Sam I Am]

Let's help pack their bags. C-USA will have more appeal for the metroplex than MWC. SMU gains by losing TCU. :p

[Jim Rome]

Originally posted by Charleston Pony:
don't begrudge TCU a MWC invite. If they decide it's best for them, so be it. If TCU goes, let's hope CUSA responds quickly and invites La Tech to back-fill in CUSA-west. Another Louisiana school should help continue the New Orleans Bowl relationship....

Not to mention the fact that Louisiana cranks out some good recruits every year. If SMU plays Tulane AND LaTech each year, the coaches might be able to pluck a couple of players out of Louisiana in the future.

[geno]

All you geography expert Mustangs who talk about TCU's possible travel budget problems if they go to the MWC (nice of you to worry about TCU, incidentally) forget that in Conf USA TCU has to play games in eastern North Carolina, West Virginia, Southern Florida, Southern Mississippi, Southern Alabama, Southern Louisiana--and look it up, not one of them is in East Texas.

[Sam I Am]

Hey, Geno, wake up and smell the astroturf. C-USA will be divided into two divisions, and the Western schedule will be very cozy with only a few games in the East. There will be much less traveling for C-USA in the future. What you won't like about the MWC is the time zone problems, or have you forgotten what playing the WAC Far West used to be like? The pony fans have commented about the TCU travel based on our recent experience, not because we are trying to prevent your transfer into the MWC. We're going to be playing you every year whereever you go, so what's the difference? If moving into the MWC solves your non-BCS problems, good for you. We don't think the BCS cartel is going to open up for anybody unless a law suit forces them to do it. Bye. :w00t:

[Matt97]

I just do not see TCU bolting UNLESS they will have increased access to the BCS by moving to the MWC. Look for them to wait until they have a better idea of how the new system will work before making a decision. Conference commissioners are due to meet again in next month or so.

C-USA is a better overall conference than the MWC in hoops and baseball. BCS access would be the only good reason to move.

Arrrgghhh! Go Pirates!

[Greenwich Pony]

I wouldn't sweat a BCS bid to the Mountain West. The word is that the Big East won't be losing it's bid; the people at ESPN and ABC don't want to lose the ad revenue if they do. The MWC simply doesn't (and won't even if they add Boise and Fort Worth) doesn't have the demographics to make up for the loss in revenue, and friends, that's what it is all about. The new CUSA won't be any more or less attractive in the end because the product won't be appreciatively worse than the MWC, and they are A) largely located in larger markets, and B) closer to the East Coast Media.

I'm all for adding another team to the CUSA East and pushing Southern Miss or Memphis west, and let TCU go. TCU had a good year, and has had a good run- it ends almost overnight if they head west. I'd be sad for them; they have worked hard. But it's their wrists, they can do what they want with them...

[MizterTea]

Originally posted by geno:
All you geography expert Mustangs who talk about TCU's possible travel budget problems if they go to the MWC (nice of you to worry about TCU, incidentally) forget that in Conf USA TCU has to play games in eastern North Carolina, West Virginia, Southern Florida, Southern Mississippi, Southern Alabama, Southern Louisiana--and look it up, not one of them is in East Texas.

you don't know what you are talking about...

and the Big East will NOT lose its BCS bid

<small>[ 12-22-2003, 07:49 AM: Message edited by: MizterTea ]</small>

[MizterTea]

I am just posting this so that the original thread JUMPS over little johnny rock's pouting session (since he is too cool to post his comments with the rest of us)

[Water Pony]

Greenwich:

Good summary. I too am afraid that the Frogs' egos are getting in the way of making the right long term decision for them. MWC will not get into BCS, even with the addition of current darlings Boise State (their coach is in demand) and TCU. The status of Big East won't effect this long shot either way.

The sad reality is that few in Fort Worth would benefit from such a move, especially not playing in front of friends at away games for FB and BB and for all events for non-revenue sports (Vs playing regionally with CUSA West).

The rejection of playing Miami of Ohio (boy, were they impressive all season?)at GMAC Bowl because of academics (?) is totally inconsistent with the perpetual demands on traveling West routinely for everyone.

Oh well. Good luck. Two parties will regret this possible choice: TCU and MWC.

"Blind Eye Delivers a Good Cry"

:wacko:

<small>[ 12-22-2003, 08:24 AM: Message edited by: Water Pony ]</small>

[EastStang]

My view that if the Frogs leave, and I hope they don't, that CUSA look at Miami of Ohio and Temple as two candidates. That would put So. Miss in our division and they are a good draw. Also, Temple and Miami of Ohio would help keep our eastern flank strong.

[Greenwich Pony]

Temple would be interesting, and would certainly give the CUSA east coast exposure. I'm not sure they would join. Miami-Ohio would add another good tradition-rich program. Not sure it would help tremendously with the media, but who knows?

The MWC won't be crying if they take TCU. Once the BCS passes them over again and the luster wears off of TCU, they'll drop them like a hot potato again. They did it before. You'd think that TCU would learn. They'll do it again. Then where TCU will wind up is anybody's guess. Assuming the CUSA backfills, there's no need to take them back. The big 12, if it finally cuts Baylor loose, sure as heck won't fill that hole with a another small private university, and that might even include Notre Dame in another decade. The WAC and the Sunbelt are the only leagues in the region left, and TCU would have to swallow a hard pill on either.

I just don't think the Frogs are that dumb; they could have basically the same deal, and rule the CUSA roost, get more East Coast coverage, and God forbid if we ever field a competant team again, TCU-SMU might even be able to make inroads back into our own TV market. Is it BCS? No. But it will be better than the MWC in the long term. SOmeone over in accounting in Fort Worth has to have figured that out by now.

[Dooby]

Through fate, I married the product of two Miami-Ohio grads. I know way too much about Miami football for my own good.

Let me assure you, Miami-Ohio will never leave the MAC. If you look at the MAC, especially after Marhall and UCF leave, damn near the whole thing is in Ohio. Miami was established as part of a network of small public-private universities in Ohio that includes Kent State, Ohio, Ball State, Bowling Green. They all stick together. Miami will never leave that. If they did leave, all their non-conference games would be taken up playing those other teams in an effort to maintain those rivalries, and that still wouldn't be enough. Miami will never do it.