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From Wednesday's DMN:

WAC commissioner disappointed by meeting

WAC commissioner Karl Benson expressed disappointment that SMU, Rice and Tulsa chose to meet with Army, Navy and Tulane last week to discuss forming a new conference.

Benson has been stressing league unity in anticipation of a wave of conference realignments started by the ACC. But the three eastern WAC members said they were concerned about possible Mountain West Conference expansion that could weaken the league.

"I can understand their need to look for possible options," Benson said. "I still think that the best option for all of our schools is to band together as a 10-team league and try to put together the east as a Central Time Zone division."

— Keith Whitmire

If I thought for one minute that SMU future was tied to the WAC, I'd care.

Karl Benson's opinion is irrelevant.

See post on Warning to WAC West schools. Keky Univ. Presidents parade themselves in front of the Mtn. West and Benson appears unconcerned about the plight of the WAC East schools.

This thing is in motion and the WAC better be proactive.

The WAC can't pipe dream here. If the WAC west teams are making eyes at the MWC, the east teams will bolt as well. If the east teams want to make eyes the west teams will bolt. The problem is that I don't see TCU, Houston or Tulane wanting the WAC, and I don't see SDS or UNLV leaving the MWC. The key remains what will the BE do to CUSA after it loses three teams. If they take three schools plus two basketball schools, CUSA is toast. At that point TCU, Houston, Tulane and USM might very well be interested in WAC east membership. At that point the WAC has 8 eastern teams, and six western teams (including UTEP which wants to be in the east). You could probably add NMS and USU, but would you want to? Then you could have a 7-1 schedule for conference play.

I can't see the BE destroying another conference to fill its own depleted ranks. It's hypocrisy. There will be a lot of schools crying foul if they do something like that to C-USA.

I would like to agree with you. The Big East is geographically stuck. Who do they add? Louisville. Marshall? UCF? Navy? After those schools who is left? Cincy, Army, Memphis, USF, TCU, Tulane, all CUSA schools. Marshall is on probation. UCF is just starting football. Navy might fit, but if you're the BE and trying to save BCS status would you prefer Navy (one of the worst football and basketball teams) or Cincy (two straight bowl years and a dance team in basketball). Would you choose Marshall or USF? Meaning Florida market vs. West Va. market that you already have via W. Va. The Big East can raid and blame the ACC for putting them in the position of having to do it.

The Big East would add Louisville and Cincinnati, who is physically between Louisivlle and Pittsburgh on the Ohio River. This permits natural rivalries to be enhanced.

If more than two, Memphis views Louisville as it's biggest rival in BB. This would create a Ohio River contingent. The Florida schools are tougher geographically and Memphis would add the Liberty Bowl to the mix. Marshall doesn't match well except in FB and WVA may not want to help them in recruiting by having them in BE.

The BE will definitely raid C-USA. Should take them about one second to think about it after the ACC expands. 2-3 C-USA schools will have a new home in the BE--definitely Louisville and 2 of Cincy, South Florida (or CF from the MAC), East Carolina or Memphis.

funny how its 'not' ok for the big east (soon to be little east) to be raided by the acc or another conference but its ok for them to raid another conference...tranghese at his best of hypocrisy...or is that just college football in general these days?

[This message has been edited by Navy&Crimson (edited 06-18-2003).]

UCF has been in D-1A since 1996. USF just started up in 2001. UCF is going to stay in the MAC is my guess. USF, on the other hand...

Benson has been working hard to promote the interests of the E-WAC but he's got a difficult job -- how many of you have 10 bosses, each professing to promote a corporate agenda but each having a personal agenda which may in fact conflict with the corporate one.

Your problem isn't Benson. If the WAC falls apart, Benson and all his employees are out of work. He's trying to placate the various interests but the W-WAC in particular has proven to be a real pain in the pattutti.

The E-WAC wants the five year agreement and he has been promoting it. But the W-WAC keeps shooting it down. I don't know that Benson supports my WAC 14 -- I suspect he doesn't. But it may be the compromise that allows the W-WAC to save face with their constituencies and sign the binding agreement.

Hard to say what will happen.

Yoda out...

If the Big East loses 3, only Louisville is a lock to be invited. Don't be surprised to see them try to keep the Fla market by taking both UCF & USF, both of whom have shown they have very competitive I-A football programs, not to mention the fact they play in the Orlando & Tampa markets!

CUSA will have an opportunity to survive, but it will have as much trouble as the WAC currently has with it's membership. I think CUSA's problems are compounded by the bball only schools.

Right now, it's a war between the ACC & Big East. In the aftermath, there's a very real possibility that one of the non-BCS conferences ceases to exist.

Sorry that I'm a couple of days late on this, but of course Benson is bummed we are not interested. He'll be made t olook a fool. Plus, we won the inaugural Commissioner's Cup, and now we want to walk away.

I just hope we can survive.

Go Ponies!