all indications are....

[Stallion]

Attila- I notice you put Memphis in the West instead of Southern Miss who is often kept in the West along with its close neighbor Tulane-any input about the switch-or is it to match Tulsa and Memphis in BB. I guess Tulane gets the tradeoff of playing private schools with which it has some tradition rather than Southern Miss its closest rival.

[Diehard Pony]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by ponyte:
<B>I would see a bigger advantage of having Rice over Tulsa. Rice is in a large media market, has a recent NCAA championship (on national TV) and a big, beautiful stadium.

I understand Tulsa with its strong basketball could be attractive to CUSA. But I think Rice brings better football and baseball exposure to the conference.</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

CUSA already has a Houston presence, and as to Rice's stadium, it is big, ugly and ancient. You must never have been there.

[Damon'sDaMan]

Hey Coog, thanks for the tip. Sure hope you're right about that alignment. That division you have set up with SMU, UH, Tulsa, Tulane, Memphis and TCU sounds like it makes so much more sense than the current arrangement.

I, for one, would make roadtrips to every one of those schools to see the Ponies play. The schools in the eastern division might be a little tough, but those are very doable. And Houston, New Orleans and Memphis can be fun.

Any idea, Coog, when this might be announced?

[This message has been edited by Damon'sDaMan (edited 09-22-2003).]

[Water Pony]

This scenario is better than a west coast dominated WAC for us and our efforts of recovery are noticed, despite our poor results on the field up to this point. However, our tradition, market and natural rivarlies give us the consideration some feel we don't deserve. Our circumstance, especially as a Conf. USA member, is and will continue to improve. Recruiting will be an improving asset.

However, if I had a vote, I would add Rice, keep Tulsa but challenge adding Marshall from the MAC and ask whether UAB is truly committed to long term to excellence. They have questioned it themselves.

As for Marshall, beating K State is a big deal, but the MAC has other great schools too. Northern Illinois, Toledo, Bowling Green, Miami, etc. Why does Marshall get in VS others? WVA is a difficult market for a conference to manage, despite success in only one dimension, FB.

[AtillatheCoog]

Adding Marshall will really help as they seem to ba a real comer. The question I am interested in is Cincinnati. They seem to be having some real difficulties getting into the Big East. lets say they leave Cincy and take East carolina or South Fla. That will be a real boost for CUSA basketball. I am hoping we can keep them.
As for Rice, there is some support for them and la tech as well but I guess they will have to wait. Obviously if an opening were to occur they would have a good shot.
Who does the WAC replace you with? UNT and NM St.?

[Water Pony]

The problem for WAC is continued support for La Tech and Rice as the only Central Time (CT)Zone members.

Their choice is to recommit to CT or re-orient to the MT and PT zones. Given MWC will steal at least one or two schools, Benson and the WAC are stuck in a reaction mode.

Therefore, NM State is a given, maybe Ut State, for MT members. If CT, then UNT and Arkansas State. Not attractive options for WAC or Rice.

[ponyte]

Actually Diehard, I have played in Rice stadium. And why would one believe that Tulsa, in its market, could expect to draw strong attendance to games such as a Texas or a Texas A&M (or an OSU or OU for that matter)? The incentive to play Tulsa by OU or OSU is small. They gain little to nothing in the state by playing Tulsa. TU and T A&M do gain Houston exposure and satisfy a large alumni base by playing a Houston market team. Houston is a huge market (#4 in the nation) with the potential for huge draws. Large draws equal large exposure for the conference. Tulsa doesn’t have a large stadium (and it is much older and for the record I have been to that stadium as well). Tulsa is less likely to draw a large alumni based team into Tulsa whereas Rice can draw large alumni teams to Houston.

[smudad]

So, would we play 5 Conference games in our own division, 3 out of our division and 3 OOC games per year? If we manage to continue to schedule the Tech's, OSU's, Baylor's, (I hope we get Old Miss again sometime soon), all the travel/road games are possible. Like the others, I hope you're right and wonder what we've done to deserve such good fortune. I would look forward to seeing Art Briles coached teams play as well.

[AtillatheCoog]

Yeah...it will be great to get the series going again. I think SMU deserves the spot because of 100 years of great Texas football. its hard to beat tradition and it takes decades to build. CUSA badly needs some of that tradition now. Hopefully we will get lucky and keep Cincinnati, we'll know in the next week or two.

[LA_Mustang]

If so, smudad, I love that schedule.

[OldPony]

Ponyte- The same arguments you make for UT or A&M playing Rice or Houston are ones for OU and OSU playing Tulsa. Tulsa at least brings good basketball. I don't think CUSA wants to dilute the Houston market. I'm sure they have a hard enough time with SMU/TCU. My guess is that Copeland convinced them hat it was 2 different markets and that it would bring old rivalries back together. That's a harder sell with Rice/Houston IMHO.

[Cheesesteak]

I hope that our lead researcher, Nacho, will verify the validity of this breaking C-USA news as more sources become available.

After the OSU Cowboys stampeded a huge herd of mean and angry livestock across the Mustang's grazing pasture Saturday night, I needed positive news like this.

[FWMustang]

What happens to Army? Do they just get dropped because of their distance from the other schools?

[MizterTea]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by FWMustang:
<B>What happens to Army? Do they just get dropped because of their distance from the other schools?</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

umm.... they are leaving CUSA after this year (voluntarily)



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"I can remember when the air was clean and sex was dirty."
- George Burns

[FloridaMustang]

Did we forget about the commish cup? CUSA needs a team that brings a solid athletic program to the conference.. and I think they're smarter than most of you damn whiners on this board and realize that SMU football is on the right track, plus B-Hop is getting a lot of press in basketball. We bring more to the table than most WAC teams IMHO. We're a very profitable program in a very attractive sports market.