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English - From chaos comes opportunity.

This round of realignment is not the end of the world. Nor is it the end of realignment. I argue that because, except for Texas A&M and the SEC, no one actually seems happy about what is happening. At this point, the whole thing is being driven by fear and momentum. Good things don't generally come out of such an evironment. Conferences and schools are running screaming into each other's arms based on an irrational and overriding fear that they will get "left behind." When the smoke clears (and it will eventually), there are going to be a lot of unhappy bedfellows. That will lead to further instability in the future.

SMU got caught napping when the SWC disbanded. SMU got caught napping when the WAC 2.0 dissolved. We've seen this movie before, and SMU is not going to get caught napping again. I have a lot of faith in Turner, Orsini, and our major boosters. I am confident that SMU is going to improve its position and end up in a good home when this settles down. Will it be the SEC? No it won't. But it will be an improvement over the current C-USA. And SMU will continue to improve its position for when the next round of conference bingo starts, which it inevitably will.

As an SMU fan and avid follower of the program I am VERY concerned about our future, but I'm also optomistic because for the first time since I started following the program in 2001, we are committed to winning at every level of the university. If SMU has proven anything over the last ten years its that when there is a unified vision and goal, that goal becomes a reality. That said, I hope our leaders acknowledge just how big of a hurdle we have to overcome in order to secure a place at the table. I think Orsini/Turner know that if the big boys stop at 64 we are not going to get in. That's okay. Reshuffle the cards and lets be creative and proactive. As I've said in previous threads regarding realignment, lots of quality programs are going to be left out. In the MWC there will be quality programs like Boise State, Air Force, San Diego State, Colorado State, and Nevada. In CUSA there will be SMU, Houston, Tulsa, Southern Miss, Central Florida, and East Carolina. The Big 12 could conceivably have Kansas State, Iowa State, and Baylor. The Big East might have TCU, Louisville, Cincinnati, and South Florida. The only option these schools have if they want to put pressure on the BCS is to BAND TOGETHER. Make it a 16 team league. Who cares what you call it, just get it done. Look at this list of teams and tell me there isn't enough there to garner some BCS attention:

Western Pod:

Boise State, Nevada, Air Force, Colorado State

Southwest Pod:

SMU, TCU, Houston, Baylor

Midwest Pod:

Iowa State, Kansas State, Cincinnati, Louisville

Southeast Pod:

East Carolina, Central Florida, South Florida, Southern Miss

Let's not forget BYU. In a world of 16-team conferences, being an independent may not work out for scheduling purposes. For ND, that all but assuredly means the Big-10. For BYU, I don't see too many good options.