AAC adding 6?

[PonyPride]

From the Twitter account of DMN's Joe Hoyt:

Joseph Hoyt
@JoeJHoyt

The AAC, per @PeteThamel, is set to add six new schools for football and basketball: Rice, UNT, UTSA, FAU, Charlotte and UAB.

[Insane_Pony_Posse]

Oh noooooooo

[CBpony]

Gross

[Caballo]

I thought this was a joke when my son called and told me about the schools the AAC is adding. I can't wait to hear how Hart spreads this manure and tells us how this is a good thing. UTSA has been an up and coming school in football for a few years. But the rest?

We are now in a conference with NTSU. Let that sink in.

[redpony]

If this is true then I am sure I am not the only one who will forget about attending/supporting AAC athletics. For years I have tried to plan my trips to Dallas to coincide with SMU fball games. Usually tried to set it up for two games if possible. Won't be going to watch a denton community school game or any other second level teams.

Oviously RGT, little rickey and Aresco sold us out.

[ozfan]

Gross

82nd It is not only gross it is as dumb as it gets. We would be recruiting against three other Texas schools. Marshall, Coastal Carolina, App State and maybe UTSA and a Florida team I can maybe see
but three Texas schools no h-ll no. Better to go independent and maybe pick up BYU schedule.
I dont know SMU may have just lost three family scholarships. If I sound upset I am.

[Mustangs_Maroons]

It’s all too late and the pain now is all self-inflicting, but I’m stopping any future donations to SMU. Make Turner feel the pain where it hurts most - but, what does he care, he’ll finally retire one day with all his millions, and his legacy will be putting SMU back in Conference USA. Well done…

[Arkpony]

This would be a death sentence for SMU and probably my life long support. Fire Hart and that president guy.

[SMU_Alum11]

If this isn't some master plan to scare the MWC top teams back to us, or we already have an invite somewhere then I'm 100% on-board for pushing whoever has the influence to fire Hart and RGT. We were on the f-ing committee and said "NTCC looks great bring them on". There's not strategic advantage and MWC wouldn't have added NTCC, Texas St and UTEP. There would be no benefit.

I'm just going to hope they went to 14 and picked NTC to be our fill in and UAB to fill in Memphis.

I agree, assuming no rescue plan, that doing nothing with 8 teams and waiting would have been smarter. MWC has to be laughing at us right now.

[PNW_Stang]

FAU and UAB I can see. But SMU should never be in a conference with Texas teams that weren’t in the SWC. The fact there are now two, including one in our metroplex, means this is the worst conference SMU has ever been in.

[shadowman]

I am glad to see Rice. You have to believe that Rice has made assurances that they will be committed to significantly upping their focus on athletics. They certainly have the potential donors and they are going through a big renovation of Rice Stadium. A strong Rice team benefits SMU, they would be a perfect mate to enter into a big boy conference with down the road.

Sure, we would all prefer to be in one of the power conferences, but I do not get all of the doom and gloom. Last week, the power conferences recommitted to expand the playoffs to 8-12 teams. SMU dominating the new AAC should give us a shot to make it most years. Doing that consistently would probably earn us an invitation to a power conference. We still may get there sooner rather than later. No need to hit the panic button.

If we feel we cannot stomach this, however, I am sure the MWC would take us in a heartbeat. If we could bring along Memphis and Wichita State, that should be enough to convince Gonzaga as well. The MWC would then be a strong conference in basketball and football.

I am fine, however, in staying in the AAC. I think it gives us the best shot at making the expanded playoffs as well as the best shot of getting a power conference invite sooner rather than later.

Let's stop acting like this is the end of the world. It could actually greatly benefit SMU.

[SMU_Alum11]

Most of the animosity is the brain dead decision to add NTCC. Picking Coastal Carolina would have made more sense. There's literally no upside and only downside for SMU in this pick. You cant claim recruiting grounds because already get those who we want. You can't claim media market. The only thing they have is a bigger student population, that's it and that is detrimental to us innthensame league and market.

[Caballo]

My guess is that Memphis will now do anything to get out of the conference and go anywhere that it can. Basketball is basically dead, conference wise.

Welcome to Conference USAAC.

[PonyTime]

Only way this makes sense is if the AAC is expecting two more to leave the conference in the near future (hopefully SMU and Memphis) . That is why they are adding so many schools. I sure hope that is the case and that SMU is one of the ones that is getting off this island.

Only way this could get any worse would be if Memphis and USF were 2 that leave.

[HubbaHubba]

If MWC would have us we should abandon this sinking ship. One of the reasons for the P5 conference realignments is to avoid the 12 team playoff or to exert more control over it when it does happen. SMU winning the new AAC conference will unlikely result in a guaranteed playoff spot.