Tigers

[SMU89]

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/20 ... loaked-in/

[ponyscott]

Also this article mentions the Fed Ex tie in....Memphis has to use its 'best efforts' to secure FED Ex to sponsorship opportunities....Fed Ex was such a big part of this we all know. Mentions Memphis has to play Boise State and SDSU in basketball as part of the contract also.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/20 ... -contract/

[Stallion]

"No one had Dessert"?

[Digetydog]

Also this article mentions the Fed Ex tie in....Memphis has to use its 'best efforts' to secure FED Ex to sponsorship opportunities....Fed Ex was such a big part of this we all know. Mentions Memphis has to play Boise State and SDSU in basketball as part of the contract also.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/20 ... -contract/

FedEx is and will be an important employer in the Memphis area. Unfortunately, Memphis has never had a great (and arguably even good) state University nearby. Just like all the Texas corporations need SMU, Texas, TAMU, UTD, UTA, and even UNT churning out students, Fed Ex needs Memphis churning out students. With that in mind, they have helped Memphis transition into a decent (and improving) university.

While Vandy is not that far away, Tennessee is LONG LONG way from Memphis. The last time I drove from Memphis to Knoxville, I remember think that it was like driving to El Paso.

I would bet serious money that Fed Ex has/will commit big bucks to support the Big East BB (and FB if it ever happens) championship.

[Water Pony]

A couple of observations. When you read the article you can not help but feel excited for Tiger fans. We should recognize the emotion, since no one has had a longer drought or more difficult path back to the future than SMU. If Memphis revitalizes their FB program and is competitive (I think they will), the BE and its schools and fans will be very happy with the addition of UM.

I noticed the mention of the FEDEX Forum with the BE Tournament. We should assume that NYC MSG will remain the host. However, the addition of Memphis BB helps repair the damage from the departure of WVA, Syracuse and Pittsburgh, plus helping keep Louisville in the fold.

So, subject to long term possibility of addtional FB football schools, i.e. AFA and BYU , who might revisit their decision not to join the BE, the Big East looks set with the following regional FB groups:

East: CT, Rutgers and Navy
Florida: USF and UCF
Great Rivers: Cincinnati, Louisville and Memphis
Texas: Houston and SMU
West: Boise State and San Diego State

I am going to guess that Louisville plays in an Eastern Division to placate UoL by giving them annual FB trips to Florida. The West would then be BSU, Cincinnati, Houston, Memphis, San Diego State and your SMU Mustangs.

Finally, "Embrace the East". Secretly wishing for a Big XII invitation in a few years should be off the table. With a view to being a national university and media name, located in Dallas, SMU should be "all in" for the BE and be grateful, as Memphis Tiger fans are right now, 'lest we forget'. Welcome aboard Memphis.

[SMU 86]

Also this article mentions the Fed Ex tie in....Memphis has to use its 'best efforts' to secure FED Ex to sponsorship opportunities....Fed Ex was such a big part of this we all know. Mentions Memphis has to play Boise State and SDSU in basketball as part of the contract also.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/20 ... -contract/

I thought Boise and SDSU were football only going to the BE.

[Water Pony]

Also this article mentions the Fed Ex tie in....Memphis has to use its 'best efforts' to secure FED Ex to sponsorship opportunities....Fed Ex was such a big part of this we all know. Mentions Memphis has to play Boise State and SDSU in basketball as part of the contract also.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/20 ... -contract/

I thought Boise and SDSU were football only going to the BE.

Correct, but there is apparently a commitment to support our BE FB only mates with some BB games too. Memphis is a national BB brand and would help both schools, who will be in smaller conference for all other sports besides FB. I wonder if Houston and SMU have similarly been asked to exchange visits between BSU, SDSU and Texas sites?

[JayhawkPony]

Bottom line: Memphis sucks and the Big East got worse when the Ghetto Juco got added. Spin it how you want.

[BigT3x]

This really cheapens our move to the BE. No one gives a damn about basketball and we've just added - literally - the worst football team in the FBS. Oh and the school and town are both complete dumps. Awesome.

[SMUer]

Still a lot of room for quality as we head towards 16 teams. If Memphis can get a Fedora/Skip Holtz type-coach, they'll be fine and quickly get on track. We'll need cheap divisional wins in the beginning.

[Digetydog]

Also this article mentions the Fed Ex tie in....Memphis has to use its 'best efforts' to secure FED Ex to sponsorship opportunities....Fed Ex was such a big part of this we all know. Mentions Memphis has to play Boise State and SDSU in basketball as part of the contract also.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/20 ... -contract/

I thought Boise and SDSU were football only going to the BE.

That is correct. But one of the upsides of the BE is that they have a lot of opportunities to throw "bones" to each other.

For example, I have heard that ND "REALLY" wants the BE to survive b/c they like being an independent in FB and would likely be forced into the ACC or Big Ten if it folds. If so, they can throw the BE a bone or two by scheduling FB games against BE teams.

For Boise and SDSU, they are going to end up in a very weak BB conference with no name teams with small followings (kind of like most of the CUSA). Getting home/home games against a quality, "name" team like Memphis will help them with their own home fans and will help them in recruiting. The only downside is the travel costs for games that won't draw huge crowds.

[Digetydog]

This really cheapens our move to the BE. No one gives a damn about basketball and we've just added - literally - the worst football team in the FBS. Oh and the school and town are both complete dumps. Awesome.

Not to long ago, SMU was the worst team in FBS. When we made the commitment to improve, it was possible b/c of the resources available. Memphis is no different. Better invest in a project like Memphis with upside than it is to sign up a "good" program like Southern Miss, Tulsa, or ECU with no upside.

[jtoutloud]

I don't think adding them as a football school will be good in the short term as they are pretty terrible. Watching SMU DESTROY them this past year, I made the comment, "Man, these guys stink..."

However, if they can lean on Fed-Ex for financial support, perhaps they can build it up over the next several years.

Either way, it makes me excited for their fans. Good story.

[leopold]

I genuinely believe Memphis has as much upside as any football school in the country, but that doesn't negate the fact that the school does NOTHING to help the FB team.

I both respect and feel somewhat sorry for Fred Smith. Memphis is not a proactive town - it is very passive aggressive and lacks the confidence to get things done. As such, the town relies way too much on a few individuals to get things done, and he tops the list. If he wanted to he could become the football sugar-daddy to Memphis that Knight and Pickens are to their respective schools, but Pickens is also retired and Knight basically writes Oregon a blank check, something that Smith may not be willling to do, especially considering the COMPLETE lack of vision and leadership that school has.

But Memphis will be a good addition to the conference. I'm happy for the school and my hometown. I only hope this spurs the alumni and others to get more involved and help that school on a number of levels.