TCU Fans Starting to Face Reality

[Stallion]

....for the last few months every time it became obvious to the rest of the world that TCU would not be invited to the Big East or a CUSA/Big East Merger mostly because of basic geography there has been one TCU fan(Buckeroo 63) with "secret sources" which insisted that TCU would be included. This one poster has kept the hopes of hordes of TCU fans as well as CUSA fans completely out of touch with reality based on his unsubstantiated rumors. Well it appears that old Buckeroo63 is raising the white flag and now he is essentially agreeing that the BE/CUSA merger is dead, that Cincy, Louisville and several CUSA BB schools will join the BE and that CUSA will likely become a more regional conference adding from among Marshall, SMU, Tulsa, Rice, Louisiana Tech and Central Florida. See the Tim Stephens article from the Birmingham paper posted today. Now I'm sure we can look forward to the really ridiculous TCU fans who are grasping at an invitation from the Gang of 5 making the MWC its 4th conference in 10 years and moving into a conference with just about every member a thousand miles away . You know I almost wish they would make that fatal jump-because it would be the single most stupid decision made by a school in NCAA history especially if SMU were to join CUSA will a host of regional(and by that I mean Southern not NTSU, NMSU and Arkansas St.) rivals. The 2nd slightly less desirable option of inviting TCU, UH, Southern Miss and Tulane to the WAC would be fine with me too but again TCU's pride will likely doom that. I really think that some western WAC teams don't understand that Tulane, Southern Miss, Houston and TCU will want to stay together so that either they all get invited or the WAC will lose out to CUSA expansion. The WAC will probably lose out to CUSA expansion anyway but adding those 4 schools is their best and really only option. Some of those TCU guys really let pride cloud their judgment.

[This message has been edited by Stallion (edited 07-19-2003).]

[Sam I Am]

You da man, Stallion. TCU is fading in its quest to become BCS. Don't the non-BCS schools realize that the BCS is a closed club? Only a lawsuit will change that. I hope the Tulane School President has started something with his attempts to contact the non-BCS schools in hopes of changing the NCAA.

[GoRedGoBlue]

I completely agree.

TCU's best option is for the best of the West CUSA to join with the East WAC in some form or fashion - either by joining the WAC, or by expanding CUSA to include the Wac-east...

As far as joining the MWC...let's remember that MIAMI and will have less revenue in the new ACC, but even less EXPENSES...which is why moving to the ACC made sense rather than continue to send women's soccer to Boston and upstate NYC year over year.

If TCU joins the MWC, they will be moving in the opposite direction...longer commutes, and further away from East and Central Time Zone coverage.

[Charleston Pony]

There is little doubt that the Big East still controls everyone else's fate and certainly will affect TCU's future. If the BE fball group goes to a 12 member conference, they will most likely destroy CUSA. If they go to 8-9 members and form the much talked about Big East Alliance, they will change the look of both CUSA and the WAC, but both will most likely survive.

The WAC is likely to find itself in a power struggle with CUSA...with CUSA looking at the EWAC schools as the key to their viability and the WAC looking at TCU, Tulane, USM & Houston to solidify the conference. I think both the WAC and CUSA would be wise to expand to at least 12 members during this round of realignment.

The WAC would actually be better off in terms of divisional splits if only 3 CUSA schools were available. The WAC could go to 14 members with an eastern group of Tulsa, SMU, Rice, Houston, La Tech, Tulane & USM and a western group of UTEP, Hawaii, Boise, Fresno, Nevada, San Jose and could invite Utah St to round things out. I like 14 members (rather than 12) in these far flung conferences because it reduces travel costs and sets up closer divisional rivalries, while still allowing cross-over competition covering a huge territory. Revenue sharing is not that big a deal in these non-BCS conferences and should not dictate the size of the conference.

Although I think CUSA will have the upper hand in any power struggle with the WAC, I agree TCU would be making a huge mistake not to align with their regional peers.

[GoRedGoBlue]

14 sounds good for either CUSA or WAC, since they are stretched across so many miles

[BenW]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Charleston Pony:
<B> I like 14 members (rather than 12) in these far flung conferences because it reduces travel costs and sets up closer divisional rivalries, while still allowing cross-over competition covering a huge territory. Revenue sharing is not that big a deal in these non-BCS conferences and should not dictate the size of the conference.

Although I think CUSA will have the upper hand in any power struggle with the WAC, I agree TCU would be making a huge mistake not to align with their regional peers.</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

You need travel partners to make leagues cost-effective and that doesn't work with 14 if you also want divisions. The best is to have a situation in which you play on Thursday/Saturday and take a bus ride between games. New Mexico State is an obvious choice to cut travel costs.
Tulane/USM; Houston/Rice; SMU/TCU; UTEP/NMex State would be the bus rides. Then you'd have a La Tech/Tulsa and then however you can configure the west: hawaii, fresno, san jose, nevada, boise and add utah state. UTEP wouldn't want to go west, but they may not have a choice. Still an expensive, expensive league for the west. Ideally, it would be nice to restrict west coast play to football and maybe 1 basketball and baseball trip a year, but I doubt that could work.

[GoRedGoBlue]

You need to explain travel partners more.

There is no cost savings in 'travel expenses' since I don't think TCU and SMU ever went to BYU/UTAH on the same plane during their 'travel partner' weekend.

The reason I would shoot for 14 is simply because 14 teams would be more BCS-able since the perception is that the these conferences would not be quite as good...and mainly because in order to get some sort of geographical critical mass, it may be easier to get two divisions of 7 than 6.

[TCU_backer1]

I am all for SMU joining CUSA... but I think that CUSA might stay at only 8 if UL and UC leave. I think SMU would be a good candidate for 9th member. Its really all up in the air with the basketball-only schools.

If SMU joined CUSA, would they add baseball to their program line-up?

[Stallion]

8 team conferences are not likely in the future because of the new NCAA rule requiring at least 5 home games. An 8 team league leaves you will 3 home games in alternate years making it more difficult for members to meet the NCAA rule

[Charleston Pony]

I think Stallion is right about the problems(scheduling) associated with an 8 team conference. I think there's a good chance the Big East will stay at 8, because they can work with Notre Dame, Army & Navy to help with scheduling...but CUSA & the MWC will likely go to at least 9 members for that very reason (to take care of 4 of the 5 required I-A home games)

[TCU_backer1]

I completely agree. I don't think CUSA will make any move until late 2004, early 2005. Meaning, if SMU gets invited, it will not be until those dates. Meanwhile, CUSA stays at 8 teams.

With the ACC petitioning for a rule change on 12-team conference game rule, there is probably a 50/50 split whether or not it will pass. If this rule does pass, I am all for expanding to 10 teams, if their are programs that are deserving. I am not for adding teams just for the sake of adding.

As for SMU, I have no idea what your true feelings are with the WAC. I do remember when TCU was in the WAC, and I hated it. When CUSA was in talks with both schools a few years back, I was pretty sure both would get invites. The question is, if you get the invite now, would you accept and leave the other WAC schools back, granted your the only team invited?

I also would not mind seeing a Gulf 9 Conference of, TCU, SMU, Houston, Rice, Tulane, USM, Memphis, USF and ECU. That's probably about third on the list of "who know's."

All I know is that both SMU and TCU need to play well this year in OOC and Conference games. That's all we can truly do.

[03Mustang]

bahahahaha I had to bump this

[One Trick Pony]

[03Mustang]

[One Trick Pony]

Seems Awfully bright over there..