LA Tech invitation?

[The eagle in the gym]

Take this for what it is worth, which is not much, for the moment at least. The LATech board is claiming TV and radio reports of impending invitation by C-USA. Someone is either having a fun poke getting their hopes up or our wait is over.

http://www.latechbbb.com/index.php?name ... pic&t=6852

Go C-USA!

www.eagletalk.net

[Sam I Am]

I hope that the rumors are true about La Tech joining the C-USA. If the games are played in Shreveport, I'll be there.

[H-E-B Mustang]

According to the LaTech message board (assuming they are invited to C-USA), conference football games in 2005, 2006, and 2007 would be at the Independence Bowl in Shreveport. They will need to make improvements to the stadium in Ruston, and can begin playing conference home games there starting in 2008.

[DallasDiehard]

I would think LaTech would be a perfect fit. I hope the speculation that they're going to get the offer turns out to be true.

[Dooby]

According to the folks on the CUSABBS, this is bubkis and the thread was deleted by the message board upon which it was first posted and is a hoax.

[Big Easy Pony]

Aw hell.
So who gets the offer now?

[EastStang]

Basically there are several schools that are being talked to. Temple, UTEP, La. Tech, Toledo, Bowling Green, and Miami of Ohio. If the conference moves to 14, they might go for the three Ohio schools (if they want to come). If not they will probably choose between the first three mentioned. There is no frontrunner. Toledo, La. Tech, UTEP are very interested. Temple, Bowling Green, and Miami are cool to cold. There is also the Army/Navy partial affiliation rumor still churning. So we'll know when it happens I guess.

[SMUstang]

I think that UNT is also a candidate who is very interested. My take is that they would accept in a heartbeat if offered.

[JayM]

It's on the North Texas board that CUSA reps will be back for a 2nd visit this week. Should be something in today's DMN.

[LATech]

Thanks for the comments president Turner.

Louisiana Tech has ally for C-USA bid

FRESNO, Calif. – SMU president Gerald Turner said the incoming members of Conference USA will tentatively meet in April to discuss adding another school for 2005. Conference USA needed to add another school when TCU decided to leave for the Mountain West. Several schools have sent proposals to C-USA officials hoping to be included.

"We want a tight division," Turner said. "It's no secret we are interested in Louisiana Tech. Any schools from east of Dallas would be considered."

[Higher Authority]

Without knowing the economic details of the decision-making process (and we all know these decisions are governed by dollars), I would vote for LaTech. More eastern (sort of) voters can't hurt, and it would give us another way to sell Louisiana recruits on coming to play for SMU (since Tulane already is in C-USA and since Coach Bennett says we're going to expand our recruiting area into northern Louisiana).

[MeanGreenGem]

I think that UNT is also a candidate who is very interested. My take is that they would accept in a heartbeat if offered.

SMUstang, from all accounts UNT would be interested, but our very life, soul and existence will not begin or end with such a membership (and I speak for myself and a few fellow alums on that who feel the same).

After all, UNT has been able to get its football house (somewhat) in order without a CUSA membership. Much like Marshall was able to do with its dominance of the MAC and subsequent bowl appearances that elevated their entire program. Don't know about you, but I do like photos of their filled stadium and that being against no matter who they play. Their successful run thru the MAC has caused all that to happen for the Herd.

If UNT needs to dominate the SBC and keep going to a CUSA bowl (namely the NO's Bowl) which is hosted by the SBC champion then so be it as I am sure that will continue to be a positive for us. I've never seen when winning was not a positive to be truthful and in the non BCS, does it really matter what your stage, vehicle, platform or conference is for winning?

Surely, there are some things you can do that makes economical sense; things you can do that puts a bit of spice into the mix like playing schools your fans can travel to and visa-versa. But that really has to be important for both parties concerned for it to benefit both. I don't see too many real knock down/drag out rivalries in the non BCS, SBC or CUSA for what its worth; that is, rivalries where fans will travel en mass to watch some good old fashioned "slobber-knockin' " college football.


Yet, on the other hand, haven't we all seen that non BCS leagues are like the Texas weather; you know, if you don't like the membership of a league at the moment just wait a minute because it will change?

[SMUstang]

For the life of me I can't figure out what MGG just said. I think he was taking issue with me that UNT may not be as anxious to jump to C-USA as I suggested.

[MeanGreenGem]

For the life of me I can't figure out what MGG just said. I think he was taking issue with me that UNT may not be as anxious to jump to C-USA as I suggested.

Was the WAC SMU's panacea? Will CUSA be? Will your crowds against Rice, UH, Tulsa (and maybe) La Tech be magically larger because you all just changed conference labels? I think you know the answer to that. I will add that none of those schools will ever bring 10-12,000 of their fans to SMU's Ford Stadium like a winning North Texas football program would. I would bet a nice pay check on that.

CUSA? I am saying (and I speak for myself) that UNT would be interested but no one is going to stop what we have going on now in Mean Green Country if we are not voted in this go around. Cream rises to the top no matter which milk bottle its in.

[Charleston Pony]

MGG: big mistake to draw any comparison of UNT to Marshall. If you look into their history, Marshall football has overcome the ultimate death penalty...they lost their entire program in a plane crash years ago. The entire community rallied around the school and it's football program after that, and Marshall came back as a very strong I-AA program. They traveled in large numbers as members of the Southern Conference and went on to win a national championship before moving to I-A as a member of the MAC. They had support and success long before winning MAC titles.

I do agree with the point that although UNT would undoubtedly love to be invited into CUSA, they are doing just fine in the SunBelt and that conference will get better with the addition of Troy St, Fla Atlantic, FIU and eventually Fla A&M. I assume all the current SBC members will make every effort to protect their I-A football status. Idaho remains a big question mark and the SBC needs to do something about it's bball arrangement, too. Denver belongs with one of the western groups, as does Idaho.

If CUSA expands by just one in the western group, La Tech seems to be the best fit because they bring a much needed baseball team. CUSA has some very strong baseball programs with Rice, Houston, Tulane, USM, UCF & ECU, but needs to add another team to the mix since Tulsa and SMU don't play either baseball or softball.