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HoustonChronicle.com -- http://www.HoustonChronicle.com | Section: Sports

Feb. 2, 2004, 10:30PM


RICE NOTEBOOK
Owls aren't fretting over TCU's move
By BRIAN McTAGGART
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle


TCU's announcement last week that it would make the jump from Conference USA to the Mountain West Conference won't do anything to diminish Rice's impending move to C-USA, Rice athletic director Bobby May said Monday.

Rice announced last October that it would join Tulsa and SMU in leaving the Western Athletic Conference for C-USA in the summer of 2005. The decision was made to ease travel burdens and help foster some regional rivalries, with TCU helping to make both of those goals possible.

But the Horned Frogs, who were a member of the WAC before joining C-USA, plan on leaving C-USA for the MWC next year.

"It was kind of anticipated over the last several weeks or months," Rice athletic director Bobby May said. "We're excited to be a part of Conference USA with our without TCU. We're excited about replacing them and seeing who else is out there."

May said Rice will have a role in determining which school replaces TCU but didn't name any candidates. Louisiana Tech, New Mexico and Texas-El Paso have been named as the most likely replacement candidates.

"That process has barely begun, in an official sense," May said. "We'll be involved. We haven't yet developed a list of candidates, but there's some out there, and we'll do the best job we can in making a selection."

In addition to losing TCU, C-USA will also next year lose Cincinnati, Louisville, DePaul, South Florida and Marquette to the Big East and Charlotte and Saint Louis to the Atlantic 10. Joining Rice, SMU and Tulsa as additions will be Central Florida and Marshall.

Other schools left in C-USA are Memphis, Alabama-Birmingham, Southern Mississippi, Tulane and East Carolina.

AROUND THE CAMPUS


Here come the Cajuns
-- The Rice men's basketball team will face Louisiana-Lafayette at noon Feb. 21 at Autry Court in one of 10 matchups in ESPN's Bracket Buster Saturday, it was announced Monday. The game will be televised by ESPN Plus as part of its Full-Court Package.
The Ragin' Cajuns are 11-5 overall and 6-1 in the Sun Belt Conference. They have losses at No. 15 Georgia Tech, Dayton, Xavier and No. 12 Arizona as well as a home conference loss to South Alabama.

"We're just excited to be part of the Bracket Buster and have an opportunity to play a very, very good basketball team in ULL," Rice coach Willis Wilson said. "I've known (Cajuns coach) Jessie Evans a long time and he does great job of coaching. It's a team most everybody expects to really make a big splash in the Sun Belt."

Rice (15-5, 7-2 WAC) is tied for first place with Hawaii at the midpoint of the conference race. The Owls play at Texas-El Paso on Thursday before traveling to Idaho to face Boise State on Saturday.

"I think we have to take the same attitude we took the first time through (the conference) and that is expecting the unexpected," Wilson said. "We have to approach it like it were the first time and we don't know who we're playing and we haven't played against these teams."


Setting the pace
-- The Rice women's basketball team also hit the halfway point of the WAC season tied for first place with No. 8 Louisiana Tech, which has won seven games in a row since losing in overtime at Rice on Jan. 5.
The Lady Owls (11-7, 8-1 WAC) have won five in a row and seven of their last eight, including an impressive road sweep last weekend of Hawaii (61-56) and San Jose State (74-60).

"It was a good road trip because the first road trip we went 1-1 and we needed to prove to ourselves we could get two on the road," Rice coach Cristy McKinney said. "It's a tough trip at two tough places, and I'm real pleased with the effort we had."

Before embarking a tough three-game road trip next week, the Lady Owls face Texas-El Paso on Thursday and Boise State on Saturday at Autry Court to begin the second round of conference play. McKinney said she expects everyone to give Rice their best shot.

"We just have to maintain our intensity," she said. "When we play with some intensity and some enthusiasm we're pretty good."

McKinney said senior post Johnetta Hayes, a first-team all-WAC pick, is likely out for the rest of the year because of her knee.


Taking shape
-- With only one week remaining before Rice opens defense of its national championship against Sam Houston at Reckling Park, Owls coach Wayne Graham said he is pleased with how the team is taking shape.
Graham said the Owls' wealth of pitching is healthy, the lineup is showing some power and the defense has been adequate.

"We've got a lot of work to do, but we feel OK where we are right now," he said.

Graham said junior Josh Baker, who is throwing as well as anyone, will likely start the opener Tuesday, with Wade Townsend expected to pitch against Texas Tech Feb. 13 in the opener of the Minute Maid College Classic. Townsend, Jeff Niemann and Philip Humber are expected to be weekend starters, but that could change.

"It will be all based on needs," Graham said. "If we do well in conference early and establish command we might go with a more experience pitcher during midweek at one point, but we're not going to mortgage anything for conference."

Having received numerous honors and participated in a handful of banquets, Graham is glad the season is finally here.

"It will almost be a vacation for me to get back to work," he said.

Rice will hold its biennial alumni game at 2 p.m. Saturday at Reckling Park, where the players will receive their championship rings.


Owl prowl
-- Rice is expected to name a new volleyball coach as early as this week. ... The men's tennis team, which beat Arizona on Friday and Fresno State on Sunday, competes at the National Team Indoor Championships Thursday through Sunday in Seattle. ... The women's tennis team, which upset Minnesota before losing to William & Mary last weekend, competes at Florida State and at LSU on Sunday. ... The swim team will be at Texas A&M on Friday before turning home to face SMU on Saturday at 11 a.m. ... Women's track and field competes at the Houston Indoor Invitational on Saturday at the University of Houston.


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McTAGGART'S RANKINGS

How the Chronicle's Brian McTaggart ranks the basketball teams in the Western Athletic Conference (last week's rankings in parentheses):


1. Rice (3) Conference title is
the Owls' to lose.
2. Nevada (2) Wolf Pack is
untouchable at home.
3. Hawaii (1) Rainbows in good shape
with next three at home.
4. Fresno State (4) Loss to Nevada
"horrible" to Ray Lopes.
5. UTEP (5) Fans have gotten fully
behind resurgent Miners.
6. Louisiana Tech (8) Freshman Paul Millsap
nation's best-kept secret.
7. Boise State (6) Beat SMU despite 2-of-27
3-point shooting.
8. Tulsa (7) Headed for first losing
season in 16 years.
9. SMU (9) Reeling Mustangs lost
seven of last eight.
10. San Jose St. (10) Baseball season is
right around the corner.



Brian McTaggart covers Rice for the Chronicle. His notebook appears Tuesdays.


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HoustonChronicle.com -- http://www.HoustonChronicle.com | Section: Sports
This article is: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/2384560

Have any of my former fellow Houstonians ever been to Ruston, Louisiana? I worry about some of the things I hear from certain quarters of this league. TCU is laughing at some of these and telling some "I told you so", too, mark my word.

La Tech's location on a CUSA area and region's map looks like a nice round hole to put a round peg into, but if CUSA powers that be wave the "we've given up on any semblance of replacing our 4 lost TV markets" white flag by adding any small market school; anyway, if they did, that would be a huge red flag to some established CUSA schools that may cause 2 or 3 of them pulling a TCU and start looking elsewhere.

I've said much too much on this on this forum (go ahead and smack me on that one--I've got tough skin); BUT...... if CUSA were to exhibit such a non-aggressive stance with the TV moguls as to pick a small enrollment/small TV market school to replace the 4 who just left, in my heart of hearts and serious as a heart attack here: I would not want UNT to be part of a "commuter conference" where absolutely no one would unpack their bags because they would not anticipate staying for long.

"4 in '04" for the MEAN GREEN....

I'm sorry, but N. Texas doesn't deliver the Dallas/FW media market. Neither does TCU, as the Mountain West will soon discover. And neither does SMU.So discussions about market size is rather silly, IMO.

Perhaps some combination of the three would hold a candle to the rating that the University of Texas pulls in this market, but I doubt it.

Originally posted by Dooby:
I'm sorry, but N. Texas doesn't deliver the Dallas/FW media market. Neither does TCU, as the Mountain West will soon discover. And neither does SMU.So discussions about market size is rather silly, IMO.

Perhaps some combination of the three would hold a candle to the rating that the University of Texas pulls in this market, but I doubt it.

North Texas football has been televised nationally 5X's in the last 3 years and I do believe ESPN officials would beg to differ with your statement.

As posted before, the North Texas Council of Goverments (NTCOG) says there are 5.2 million population in the multi-county North Texas Metroplex. FACT: There are 28 states in the USA who have less population than the DFW area.

Give me any combination of 2 of the 3 DFW D1-A schools together in any one league scenario and you will get double the media coverage for said league. That is a no-brainer!

Some should look at their athletic future based on how things are in today's NCAA. Having a glorious athletic heritage and legacy is something to be proud of, but that and a buck will not buy you a cup of coffee in the NCAA as we all know it today. Just ask today's TV execs what they look at when they award any non BCS league a TV package.

I completely disagree with GreenScumGem...it would be adding UNT that might make some schools look at jumping...LA Tech is a much better prospect (of course, I would prefer Miami (OH) in the East)...Adding UNT would literally make C-USA a "commuter conference"...No thanks...

By the way, please go away...don't you have something better to do in Denton that invade the SMU board? :hmm:

Originally posted by echothat1:
I completely disagree with GreenScumGem...it would be adding UNT that might make some schools look at jumping...LA Tech is a much better prospect (of course, I would prefer Miami (OH) in the East)...Adding UNT would literally make C-USA a "commuter conference"...No thanks...

By the way, please go away...don't you have something better to do in Denton that invade the SMU board? :hmm:

First of all, I am merely one of 100,000 plus North Texas Exes who lives in the Metroplex but not in the city of Denton. Fort Worth is home base for me, but actually I live a few miles west of Cowtown. NOTE: By reading the bottom of a post, it usually denotes where the poster is from .

Secondly, I know when I've hit a "truth nerve" when some smackers relegate themselves to name-calling.

Thirdly, I'd wager that La Techsters have many who post on this board who "very bravely" try to hide or disguise themselves as SMU fans.

Fourthly, the addition of La Tech would have Memphis, East Carolina and/or Southern Miss checking other conference options. La Tech as a CUSA member would have TV execs shaking their heads for what used to be.

Fifthly, hope you enjoy watching NORTH TEXAS being nationally televised in the 4'th annual NEW ORLEANS BOWL this next December! "4 in '04!"

<small>[ 02-03-2004, 08:55 AM: Message edited by: MeanGreenGem ]</small>

Originally posted by MeanGreenGem:

Originally posted by Dooby:
[b] I'm sorry, but N. Texas doesn't deliver the Dallas/FW media market. Neither does TCU, as the Mountain West will soon discover. And neither does SMU.So discussions about market size is rather silly, IMO.

Perhaps some combination of the three would hold a candle to the rating that the University of Texas pulls in this market, but I doubt it.

North Texas football has been televised nationally 5X's in the last 3 years and I do believe ESPN officials would beg to differ with your statement.

As posted before, the North Texas Council of Goverments (NTCOG) says there are 5.2 million population in the multi-county North Texas Metroplex. FACT: There are 28 states in the USA who have less population than the DFW area.

Give me any combination of 2 of the 3 DFW D1-A schools together in any one league scenario and you will get double the media coverage for said league. That is a no-brainer!

Some should look at their athletic future based on how things are in today's NCAA. Having a glorious athletic heritage and legacy is something to be proud of, but that and a buck will not buy you a cup of coffee in the NCAA as we all know it today. Just ask today's TV execs what they look at when they award any non BCS league a TV package. [/b]

I've worked in television a long time, and can tell you with absolute certainty that networks could give a bottle of monkey [deleted] about SMU, TCU, North Texas, Rice, Houston, et al... and could care less where they are from.

Texas, Texas ATM a distant second.

UNT and TCU have had conference games on the ESPN package because they are schools at the top of their football league... trade East Carolina and TCU in the football standings, you would also trade their television exposure within the CUSA package. On the mid-major level, it has nothing to do with marketplace, and everything to do with filling the schedule with timely games that will draw a rating.

The non-conference mid-major games that are televised as part of the ESPN commitment are entirely based on the national draw of their opponent. It gives ESPN a chance to exploit the BCS property, but book the game as a piece of their mid-major commitment.

Hence, you play a school like Oklahoma or Texas, you get on ESPN.

EX: when ESPN aired Texas-Rice, they didn't look at the game and say, "great we can leverage the Houston market." Instead they said, "great, we can leverage UT's popularity and use it as a WAC game."

UNT and TCU have had conference games on the ESPN package because they are schools at the top of their football league... trade East Carolina and TCU in the football standings, you would also trade their television exposure within the CUSA package. On the mid-major level, it has nothing to do with marketplace, and everything to do with filling the schedule with timely games that will draw a rating.

The non-conference mid-major games that are televised as part of the ESPN commitment are entirely based on the national draw of their opponent. It gives ESPN a chance to exploit the BCS property, but book the game as a piece of their mid-major commitment.

Hence, you play a school like Oklahoma or Texas, you get on ESPN.

EX: when ESPN aired Texas-Rice, they didn't look at the game and say, "great we can leverage the Houston market." Instead they said, "great, we can leverage UT's popularity and use it as a WAC game." [/QB][/QUOTE]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>

Actually, last year's OU/North Texas game was on Fox Sports Net in a nationally televised game. I am not naive' as to why that game was televised nationally but there was a time if UNT were to be the opponent, the TV gurus would have NEVER televised the game no matter the opponent.

I don't quite get all of what you are saying but Texas football doesn't merely begin and end with Longhorns and Aggies. Granted, they have a large piece of the Lone Star state TV audience pie as 2 flagship schools should, but other schools have growing constituencies that bear watching (and televising).

You know, TCU and MWC officials are going to do their dead-level best to challenge the Big 12 for more DFW coverage whether that is with a more focussed than ever televising of Mountain West Conference games as well as getting more print and local TV/radio media coverage. Which 2 local schools does all this leavue for 3'rd rung on the "media-coverage ladder?

UNT is really honest to goodness not so desparate to change leagues (as La Tech understandably is) as the 'Belt has been a great vehicle for us to get our program jump-started and in 4'th gear. Yet, what I am looking at with recent changes is the Big 12, TCU now in a Mountain West Conference that IS going to make their DFW presence known among local media types and then you have, uh, SMU/UNT. The Big 12 is insurmountable for now, but in what place would anyone from SMU and UNT prefer, that is, 2'nd or 3'rd behind the Big 12? It is a foregone conclusion where TCU and the Mountain West are going to try to do on that ladder of media coverage.

Being in a league with SMU would be nice but it is not our ultimate panacea as we've done well recently in Denton without any semblance of athletic association with the Mustangs. We are on the verge of our best "rated" recruiting class in history. Life is good now as it is.

YET....It's just I think an SMU/CUSA/UNT merger would make sense (& cents) and can help all 3 capture a sizable part of fan interest in this 5.2 million populated Metroplex; and to capture interest with the group that it would be most important, ie, all facets of the Metroplex media. The Big 12 naturally has its following, but TCU as a brand new Mountain West Conference member are going to work hard as a duo to make sure they are intrenched in a solid 2'nd place and they won't give a fling leap as to how SMU/UNT fight for the leftovers. It's more because of that scenario that I think the local private/public school conference merger would make sense and keep us at least at the level of TCU and who knows, maybe even ahead of the Horned Frogs in some years.

I've been in the DFW Metroplex since 1972 by way of Houston and have followed local collegiate sports very closely in that span of 32 years. It's with that background as a Metroplex college sports fan thatis the basis of all the aforementioned ideas I've posted on several threads of PonyFans.com the last few days.

<small>[ 02-03-2004, 10:33 AM: Message edited by: MeanGreenGem ]</small>

TCU is going to find out just how little the DFW market cares about the MWC. They have made in my view the biggest marketing blunder since Schlitz changed their recipe. Except for AFA and BYU no one cares about the teams in the MWC in DFW. So, I'm really not upset about what the MWC will do, because it won't work.

I agree with those that say CUSA shouldn't count on winning over DFW either with SMU or with SMU & UNT. Bottom line is, DFW is a big XII market, regardless of what the other three D-I football schools do now or ever do. A lot of that probably has to do with the UT folk at Belo, but a lot of it doesn't.

By way of comparison, is New Orleans a C-USA town or do they more share in the big easy because Tulane is a member? No. Are there more Tulane games on TV because of their C-USA ties? No. New Orleans is an SEC town, and will always be an SEC town. Tulane has its following and always will, but everyone...everyone...knows what is first and foremost in that market. Same with DFW.

Originally posted by EastStang:
TCU is going to find out just how little the DFW market cares about the MWC. They have made in my view the biggest marketing blunder since Schlitz changed their recipe. Except for AFA and BYU no one cares about the teams in the MWC in DFW. So, I'm really not upset about what the MWC will do, because it won't work.

I totally agree, EastStang...

Yet I think the MWC officials want a big chunk of this market real bad and they will assist TCU in whatever they need to do in an aggressive campaign to get a huge piece of the Metroplex pie (and do that at the expense of 2 other schools we both hold near and dear to our hearts).

What can they do? They only have trash in the conference, now more in some folks view. It will stink no matter what they try. Bring them on, we don't care. Even if they give TCU home dates its first year with BYU, UNM, AFA and CSU, that only means that the following year they're stuck having to market: Utah, SDS, Wyoming, and UNLV. We've seen those teams before and we know how bad they draw here. That would also mean that TCU its first year would have to travel to Utah where they will lose at altitude. No championship for TCU, nobody notices them.

I wouldn't lose any sleep over the MWC in the metroplex. I'm absolutely shocked that TCU made the move, but as an SMU fan, I'm glad- it can only help us and hurt them. I'm stunned that TCU would make such a highly questionable and risky decision after so carefully working to built their program. But it's now their problem, good riddance.

Now, on to new business. New member for the conference. LA Tech has some good traditon. North Texas is an up-and-coming school, both of whom very much want to be part of the CUSA. Neither makes sense. Discussion of UTEP and New Mexico make even less sense. None of these schools deliver enough market to be significantly worthwhile from an advertiser's point of view, and let's face it, it's money that's making this whole thing go 'round. Not that SMU and Rice add much in the financial sense either, but they bring traditions and solid all-sports programs, but they are at least geographically close.

CUSA, if it is going to continue to be viable needs to look east or the southeast, and there are no perfect candidates. Need to grab a team that will grab the media's interest and attention. The Army/Navy football deal would help alot from an advertiser's view, but it doesn't solve all the issues. Temple would probably the best to fill the bill, if they are interested. They are a good-sized public school, in a large eastern media center, they have an excellent Bball program to team up with Memphis, but they stink at football (so they'd fit in, but not really help there). Miami-Ohio would be great, but I doubt they're going anywhere. But in the end, if the CUSA is to remain viable, that is where we need to look.

Originally posted by MeanGreenGem:

Actually, last year's OU/North Texas game was on Fox Sports Net in a nationally televised game. I am not naive' as to why that game was televised nationally but there was a time if UNT were to be the opponent, the TV gurus would have NEVER televised the game no matter the opponent.

I don't quite get all of what you are saying but Texas football doesn't merely begin and end with Longhorns and Aggies. Granted, they have a large piece of the Lone Star state TV audience pie as 2 flagship schools should, but other schools have growing constituencies that bear watching (and televising).

You know, TCU and MWC officials are going to do their dead-level best to challenge the Big 12 for more DFW coverage whether that is with a more focussed than ever televising of Mountain West Conference games as well as getting more print and local TV/radio media coverage. Which 2 local schools does all this leavue for 3'rd rung on the "media-coverage ladder?

UNT is really honest to goodness not so desparate to change leagues (as La Tech understandably is) as the 'Belt has been a great vehicle for us to get our program jump-started and in 4'th gear. Yet, what I am looking at with recent changes is the Big 12, TCU now in a Mountain West Conference that IS going to make their DFW presence known among local media types and then you have, uh, SMU/UNT. The Big 12 is insurmountable for now, but in what place would anyone from SMU and UNT prefer, that is, 2'nd or 3'rd behind the Big 12? It is a foregone conclusion where TCU and the Mountain West are going to try to do on that ladder of media coverage.

Being in a league with SMU would be nice but it is not our ultimate panacea as we've done well recently in Denton without any semblance of athletic association with the Mustangs. We are on the verge of our best "rated" recruiting class in history. Life is good now as it is.

YET....It's just I think an SMU/CUSA/UNT merger would make sense (& cents) and can help all 3 capture a sizable part of fan interest in this 5.2 million populated Metroplex; and to capture interest with the group that it would be most important, ie, all facets of the Metroplex media. The Big 12 naturally has its following, but TCU as a brand new Mountain West Conference member are going to work hard as a duo to make sure they are intrenched in a solid 2'nd place and they won't give a fling leap as to how SMU/UNT fight for the leftovers. It's more because of that scenario that I think the local private/public school conference merger would make sense and keep us at least at the level of TCU and who knows, maybe even ahead of the Horned Frogs in some years.

I've been in the DFW Metroplex since 1972 by way of Houston and have followed local collegiate sports very closely in that span of 32 years. It's with that background as a Metroplex college sports fan thatis the basis of all the aforementioned ideas I've posted on several threads of PonyFans.com the last few days.

Sorry, UNT-OU was a regional game... unless you're one of those people who think Texas is it's own country - then yes it was national.

UNT has been on TV via the Sunbelt's limited TV agreement with ESPN to carry a small package on ESPN Plus (which are not national games).

UNT has had 3 national games the past two years: @ New Mexico State this year, and the past two New Orleans Bowls.

<small>[ 02-03-2004, 03:54 PM: Message edited by: Southland ]</small>

[/qb][/QUOTE]Sorry, UNT-OU was a regional game... unless you're one of those people who think Texas is it's own country - then yes it was national.

UNT has been on TV via the Sunbelt's limited TV agreement with ESPN to carry a small package on ESPN Plus (which are not national games).

UNT has had 3 national games the past two years: @ New Mexico State this year, and the past two New Orleans Bowls. [/QB][/QUOTE]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>

Actually, when I subscribed to FSN for the very reason to watch the OU/North Texas football game, the person at "The Dish" told me it was a national game, but I'll take your word on it.

TEXAS: A Whole New Country? Well, as a descendent of an early Texas pioneer family some of you Texas history buffs would be most aware of their pre-Republic of Texas adventure, I might just be one to call a game televised in the Lone Star state a national broadcast!

<small>[ 02-04-2004, 04:54 AM: Message edited by: MeanGreenGem ]</small>