Originally posted by Charleston Pony:
MGG: you are looking for an explanation and I will offer my 2 cents. Remember that I am in the minority on this board and actually would favor a rebuilt SWC for SMU long term and believe SMU, TCU & UNT should all be part of that conference....but having said that, I can give you a couple of reasons why CUSA may favor La Tech to UNT at this time.
First, while you have every reason to be proud of your improved football program, winning the Sun Belt 3 yrs running hasn't brought you any more respect and noteriety that La Tech has earned with road wins against programs like Alabama and Michigan State.
Second, since SMU & Tulsa don't field baseball teams, the fact that La Tech would add another baseball program to the conference is a big plus for them.
Third: your point about CUSA east being loaded with public schools (and notably stronger football programs) is well taken. I think the eastern group will clearly favor adding the strongest public school program available and that's why UTEP is under consideration. One thing working against BOTH UTEP and UNT is the fact you are in Texas. I expect the eastern group is leary of concentrating TOO MUCH in Texas. Two schools in La may be better than 4 in Texas where they are concerned.
No question this decision will be primarily about football, so you have a chance. If basketball comes into the picture, your hopes diminish against La Tech (decent men's program and top ranked women's) or UTEP (quickly improving, good attendance and a national championship in their history)
Just my thoughts. It will definitely be an interesting choice, but my gut feeling is that La Tech gets the invite.
Charleston Pony, I have always enjoyed reading your posts and respect your opinions and insight (as those of others on PonyFans.com who I really think are true SMU'ers on this board that I don't necessarily agree; but discussion like these are what these forums are all about now aren't they?
La Tech is a specialist in beating a Big Boy ever so often, but then they will lose to those they are supposed to beat that would enable them to gain a bowl berth which would be a nationally televised reward.
Granted, the Bulldogs beat the MSU Spartans this year but only weeks later were trying to garnish alumnus support to have their head football coach fired after losing to schools they were supposed to beat. Haven't we all at one time caught lightning in a bottle against some of the Big Boys for what its worth? Ours have been a few wins over Texas Tech and near wins over the Texas Longhorns thru the years. SMU's has been an uncanny dominance over the Arkansas Razorbacks.
Yet I believe CUSA powers that be are going to be more concerned about what La Tech does on the Ruston home front and if their athletic budget is (or can ever be) comparable to most other CUSA members.
Can't recall the score but didn't SMU play La Tech a fairly competitive game last Fall yet in a crowd some on this board said was less than 10,000 real butts in seats? NOTE: Last time SMU played UNT in Denton in a locally televised game, we had to turn 2,000 students away because the Denton Fire Marshall decreed that there would be no more fans allowed in the stadium.
But concerning La Tech, let me add this: CUSA cannot afford Ruston, Louisiana, and their limited TV and population center and here is a reason why. CUSA Commish' Banowsky must somehow find a way to replace to some extent the combined losses of total CUSA TV's and viewership potential of the 4 schools his league has only recently lost.
Some die-hard SMU traditionalists are not going to like this statement but UNT has proven to ESPN II officials in the last 3 years (according to the SBC Commish) that we can more than pull merely nominal local TV ratings, yet have been much higher. But what is this Metroplex TV market? The North Texas Council of Goverment (NTCOG) says there are 5. 2 million citizens in the Metroplex which (get this) is a larger population center than that of 28 states in the USA.
CUSA has been all but gutted with the loss of TV viewership from the loss of the 4 schools. IMO, if CUSA chooses La Tech, that will be a signal to 2 (maybe 3) present CUSA schools that they are not interested in trying to recover any semblance of their lost TV market. That would be a red flag CUSA Commish' Banowsky is not going to want to raise.
Can UNT alone bring it for CUSA and the battle for Nielsen TV ratings against the Big 12 and the MWC/TCU partnership in the Metroplex? I don't think so...Can the SMU Mustangs pull the feat by themselves? I don't think so... Can SMU and UNT as CUSA members together keep their presence among the TV media types as they'd compete against the Big 12 and MWC/TCU coverage? I believe this private/public school combo in CUSA would go a long ways in helping CUSA recover some lost TV sets.
Some should try to understand this CUSA realignment thing is not about a popularity contest or trying to fit round pegs into sometime not so round holes. CUSA is concerned with survival among the TV network gurus who are the final word in the approval of conference packages.
If this elite group of TV moguls do not play a significant part of CUSA's future, then there will be no viable CUSA presence compared to the other non BCS leagues but rather a glorified 1-AA type conference with no semblance of TV interest from those who put conference TV packages together.
<small>[ 02-02-2004, 05:28 PM: Message edited by: MeanGreenGem ]</small>