If You Could Make a New Conference...

by **Peruna_Ate_My_Rolex** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 9:39 am

As long as we can have a conference with Whatsamotta U, I think we'll be fine.

by **EastStang** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 10:46 am

Unless a BCS conference comes calling, we are in CUSA and that's where we need to stay. We have six natural geographic rivals that we can build on. We have some eastern programs to give us eastern time zone exposure. As far as a Magnolia League (or Ivy II) with the privates, not a bad idea if Baylor, Miami, Duke, WF, and the Military academies signed on. With the academies, you would have teams that have a national following for attendance. I agree with Stallion otherwise, you would have teams that would not draw flies. I don't see that every happening because the three ACC schools would never leave their natural rivals and the Academies would not want to give up their independence of scheduling to fit their needs. Baylor would never leave the Big XII voluntarily. If Baylor and TCU wanted to band with the Western Division of CUSA and you added Memphis, you would probably have a decent conference. I could see TCU jumping back our direction if the MWC expands and puts TCU in a red-eyed step child division with Boise State, NM, UNLV, SDS, Nevada (or Fresno), and TCU. That way they'd only see BYU, AFA, and Utah every four years.

by **lwjr** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 12:08 pm

Unless there is a major shift in Division I College Football, we are stuck in C-USA. If JJ can bring this FB program back from the dead, the downside is going to be no one will want to schedule us for non conference games. I hope that is one problem we have to deal with one day.

PONY UP!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jack the Lumberjacks!!!!!!!!

by **MrMustang1965** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 5:52 pm

Stallion wrote:I'm not surprised you would like that idea-you are clueless. You want to fade away into oblivion because that's what you are suggesting. A private school conference is one of the stupiest ideas I've heard. Its economic suicide. None of those rational schools would draw flies and the schools that would are not interested. The remaining private schools would not be able to even attract a national TV contract and bowls would run like hell from having to invite private schools to their bowls. Do any of you have a clue. You know I'm not naive enough to suggest that SMU would be invited to join a conference where SMU might actually reach its potential but at least TCU has goals to reach the highest levels possible. The goal I thought was to be Top 25 in every sport. The SMU I grew up with apparently died with the death penalty because some of you are perfectly happy with mediocre results in a lower level Division 1A conference. And that's your highest goal for the program. Sad.

What's sad is that SMU will never return to the level of competition that it enjoyed (albeit at a great cost!) in the early '80s. SMU has landed EXACTLY where the NCAA wanted it to when the 'death penalty' was levied. Alumni stay away from games because they'd rather be associated with a 'winning' program like UT or TT rather than SMU. Students stay away from games for the same reason(s) or they just don't give a damn about football and would rather camp out on The Blvd. and get drunk. And try to draw 'new fans' into the fold? Please. The laughter is outrageous.

I'll keep hoping and praying that SMU will have a winning football (and basketball) program.

by **Charleston Pony** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 6:35 pm

I think when Doherty said he envisioned the potential for SMU to become the "Duke of Dallas" he was spot on with an assessment of what is SMU's best chance of returning to relevance.

If only we could recruit 2-3 REAL STUDS who can turn a bball program around in a heartbeat. We may have missed an opportunity to capitalize on Memphis' recent success and build a program that can compete with anyone on a national level.

I know that Texas is football country, but the system is rigged against us in football and everyone knows it. I suppose if we could go unbeaten for 3 consecutive years as a member of CUSA and do so with a non-conference that included victories against programs like Texas Tech, TCU, Texas A$M & Navy, we might actually have a shot to play in the National Championship game...but realistically the system is designed to keep the non-BCS programs from EVER having a shot at a national championship in football. Basketball...that's another story and if we had a Final Four caliber program and a TCU like football program, opportunities just might open up.

by **Stallion** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 8:24 pm

Geez let's have a pity party. Its a whole new ballgame now-I realize that its very unlikely that SMU joins a BCS level conference. I also know that every SMU fan used to believe we were better than TCU in every thing we did. We need more people that know that's a fact. If TCU can annually compete for conference championships, Top 20 finishes and even BCS bowls I think SMU might just be able to top that now that SMU's era of stupidity is largely gone. We are a better university, in a better city, with better facilities and more prominent alumni. What's the problem.

by **NavyCrimson** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 1:04 pm

A simple play-off system for all Div I football like all other sports. Then it doesn't matter what conference you're in because EVERYONE would have an equal chance.

"...but realistically the system is designed to keep the non-BCS programs from EVER having a shot at a national championship in football..."

Well said Charleston. You nailed it!

by **Charleston Pony** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 2:05 pm

NavyCrimson wrote:A simple play-off system for all Div I football like all other sports. Then it doesn't matter what conference you're in because EVERYONE would have an equal chance.

While that would be nice (a 16 team playoff just like the FCS schools manage to run), there would have to be "rule" limiting eligibility. Clearly the conference champs from CUSA, the Sun Belt and MAC would have no business participating and would essentially be the equivalent of a 15/16 seed in college basketball.

With only 16 invites and the top conferences sometimes having as many as 2-3 teams that deserve a shot at playing for a national championship, I'd like to see a rule that only the champions of 12 member conferences get automatic bids. That might encourage the Big 10, PAC 10 and Big East to add teams and could lead to realignment of the WAC/MWC and CUSA/SBC, reducing the number of conferences to 9 and creating 7 at-large bids

I'd like to see the PAC 10 add Utah & Boise, the Big 10 finally get Notre Dame and the Big East start by taking BC back, then add Marshall, Central Florida & Navy. That would open the door for ECU to join the ACC like they've dreamed of for years.

Realign the WAC/MWC and CUSA/SBC into 14 member leagues that would hopefully create more regional games and reduce travel costs.

Given that none of what anyone would like to see is going to happen, what I'd really like to see is June Jones build up SMU football to the point where we roll to a 13-0 season and see if that earns us an invitation to play in one of the BCS games. That may be as close as SMU will ever come to playing for another national championship in football. At least we know that CAN be accomplished under today's system

by **mr. pony** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 6:16 pm

I'd probably have Hitzges there, Dale Hansen, maybe Chuck Cooperstein, Cowlishaw......

Oh, I thought you said news conference.

by **NavyCrimson** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 6:49 pm

I'm sitting here working at the desk watching Rice get beat by LSU. Go Cal-State Fullerton!!!

It just seems every year that the bcs-BS schools are getting better in both baseball & basketball extending their hold & dominance over all the schools that are not a member of the cartel. Even the Little11 & Little East are improving in college baseball.

If these non-bcs-BS schools don't get off their lazy butts, we'll all be dropping down to div 2 status which of course the cartel would like & have been hoping for decades. The schools like SMOOOO - on the outside - are going to wonder what happened. Of course they know what would happen. Then when the donations dry up, they'll be pointing their fingers & blaming the alums for lack of donations!!! :idea:

by **mrydel** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 9:26 pm

NavyCrimson wrote:I'm sitting here working at the desk watching Rice get beat by LSU. Go Cal-State Fullerton!!!

It just seems every year that the bcs-BS schools are getting better in both baseball & basketball extending their hold & dominance over all the schools that are not a member of the cartel. Even the Little11 & Little East are improving in college baseball.

If these non-bcs-BS schools don't get off their lazy butts, we'll all be dropping down to div 2 status which of course the cartel would like & have been hoping for decades. The schools like SMOOOO - on the outside - are going to wonder what happened. Of course they know what would happen. Then when the donations dry up, they'll be pointing their fingers & blaming the alums for lack of donations!!!

Division 2 has it better in one sense in that transfers are immediately eligible. That is why I keep screaming for the Mrydel Rule to go into effect. Let BCS school transfers to mid-major Div 1 schools be immediately eligible. That could help by letting those kids that were good enough to sign with the big boys but not getting enough playing time or being homesick, etc., to come to their senses and transfer to a good Div 1 mid major and play immediately. It is a win win. The BCS school opens up a scholarship and a mid-major gets the quick help from a high level athlete rather then watching him go to a lower level of play.

This would be a simple rule change that would not hurt the integrity of the game, or the academic future of the athlete, quite the contrary actually, and would level the feld just a bit.

by **NavyCrimson** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 9:36 pm

I like it, mrydel.

It makes way too much sense for the ncaa to pass it. Moreover, it defeats the whole purpose of the cartel's existence - to create the "Super Conference" they always dreamed of. :idea:

by **KnuckleStang** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 11:09 pm

Remember the guy who came on here a couple years ago and was actively campaigning for the revival of that Magnolia League concept. Guy got savaged on here. Had website and everything. Whatever happened to that dude
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Ivies

by **EastStang** » Mon Jun 08, 2009 1:36 pm

KnuckleStang wrote:Remember the guy who came on here a couple years ago and was actively campaigning for the revival of that Magnolia League concept. Guy got savaged on here. Had website and everything. Whatever happened to that dude
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Ivies

I think he got a life. He lives here in the Alexandria Va area and I used to see him when I made a rare visit to Joe Theismann's Restaurant.

by **MustangStealth** » Mon Jun 08, 2009 4:14 pm

Blvd_Stang wrote:Ok well everyone is obsessed with pipe euphemisms...So put this in your pipe and smoke it. The most realistic legit future conference in my eyes:

(This is assuming June Jones brings us to the glory land)

All Academic Conference - with a few added teams for legitimacy

SMU
Notre Dame
TCU
Rice
BYU
Tulane
Memphis
Temple
Boise St.

How is that in any way realistic? Do you think Notre Dame is giving the Big 10 the cold shoulder because they're waiting for SMU, Rice, and Temple to call? Most of you guys live in a fantasy world.

If You Could Make a New Conference...

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