CBS: BE in talks w/ Fresno State, UNLV, and BYU

[Stallion]

I believe we had over 60,000 for Houston one of those years. The first game under Mustang Maniawas TCU -42,000 for the Jerry Levias Bowl. TCU was not considered to be a worthy opponent. That was a huge crowd for a dormant series

[Paladin]

Back then the games were about rivalries, tradition and school spirit. How sad that today it is more about attendance numbers, TV and market ratings, and positioning for the next inevitable conference re-alignment. Have we lost something ?

[covok48]

As said before we were a tough team to beat. We held close in the big teams and killed the teams we were supposed to like a real football contender should.

Now we get blown out by any team remotely good, squeak by crap teams and even find a way to lose to worse teams.

No amount of marketing will get alumni (much less strangers) all the way down to Ford to see that.

And I'm not even mentioning the disaster that is game day presentation.

How can Vanderbilt, TCU, Baylor, ND, USC, and all the other privates get that right and we still can't figure it out after 25 years?

[Water Pony]

As said before we were a tough team to beat. We held close in the big teams and killed the teams we were supposed to like a real football contender should.

Now we get blown out by any team remotely good, squeak by crap teams and even find a way to lose to worse teams.

No amount of marketing will get alumni (much less strangers) all the way down to Ford to see that.

And I'm not even mentioning the disaster that is game day presentation.

How can Vanderbilt, TCU, Baylor, ND, USC, and all the other privates get that right and we still can't figure it out after 25 years?

Merry Christmas, Scoorge/Chicken Little

[StallionsModelT]

None of those schools have the legacy of being the only program in the history of D1A football to get the death penalty. The years following the ruling were the most damaging for athletics in the history of the school. It was the perfect storm.

SMU has only started to truly commit itself as an institution towards winning in athletics. 10 years ago there is no way in hell we get Larry Brown or June Jones to step foot on this campus. Say what you want about Jones now, but we made the hire in 07 it was a serious WOW hire. I'm ready for him to get out of here as well, but he's elevated the football program to a respectable place. Without his name recognition and our four straight bowl appearances we would be in the same conversation w/ Rice, UAB, UNT, and others in realignment instead of where we are now.

You have to hope that the university can see the writing on the wall with athletics. We have invested MILLIONS and MILLIONS towards fielding competitive revenue generating squads. The schools you mentioned agove (TCU, Baylor, ND, USC) have a huge headstart on us. With the right people in place, we can get to where we want to go.

[Water Pony]

In today's NY Post, it retells previous reports.

Big East looks to strengthen its Western base, eyes UNLV, Fresno State and maybe BYU

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/colle ... -1.1224947

[covok48]

None of those schools have the legacy of being the only program in the history of D1A football to get the death penalty. The years following the ruling were the most damaging for athletics in the history of the school. It was the perfect storm.

SMU has only started to truly commit itself as an institution towards winning in athletics. 10 years ago there is no way in hell we get Larry Brown or June Jones to step foot on this campus. Say what you want about Jones now, but we made the hire in 07 it was a serious WOW hire. I'm ready for him to get out of here as well, but he's elevated the football program to a respectable place. Without his name recognition and our four straight bowl appearances we would be in the same conversation w/ Rice, UAB, UNT, and others in realignment instead of where we are now.

You have to hope that the university can see the writing on the wall with athletics. We have invested MILLIONS and MILLIONS towards fielding competitive revenue generating squads. The schools you mentioned agove (TCU, Baylor, ND, USC) have a huge headstart on us. With the right people in place, we can get to where we want to go.

Thank you for putting it in context. Very well stated.

That being said, there are schools that commit far less to athletics and football who seem to do well, sometimes instantly or at least a shorter time frame. Wake Forest and Vandy come to mind. Hell even a public school like Rutgers has done it in a shorter time period.

The point is why are expectation for them to turn around nearly instant while we use the excuse "we need more time" for 20 seasons + the last 5 June has been here? I'm happy we're doing better but I get frustrated that the expectations bar here is so low that the common excuse is "well at least we aren't bottom 10 horrible every year" in response to the question.

[Stallion]

Vandy didn't go to a Bowl for almost 30 years and didn't win one for more than 50 years. There was no instant demand to win. They just picked a great Coach who by the way is a relentless recruiter

[Water Pony]

Vandy didn't go to a Bowl for almost 30 years and didn't win one for more than 50 years. There was no instant demand to win. They just picked a great Coach who by the way is a relentless recruiter

I agree. James Franklin is a great coach and promoter of Vanderbilt to the students and fans. And, having SE revenue doesn't hurt. My daughter went to Vandy and the Commodores have a strong, but balanced commitment to all sports. In contrast to their follow SEC members, FB does not define the university. Impressive place and degree.

[AusTxPony]

Stallion's right, it will be tough recruiting, but the right coach can keep this school winning. And aren't we in the best league we can be considering our record of wins and attendance. Quit whining. I disagree with Colishaw, this is so much better than CUSA. And if the NBE becomes an all sports league East and West, then basketball will be better too, with SDSU, UNLV and maybe UNM.

[StallionsModelT]

Anyone who is arguing that we were better off in CUSA is a complete idiot and has zero understanding of what is at the heart of realignment.

Despite all the defections, the Big East TV deal should still net b/w 5-7M per school. That is at least 5x more TV money that we were getting in CUSA. There are still some "name" programs in the Big East w/ UConn, Cincinnati, South Florida, and Boise State. We are moving up. There is no two ways about it.

If the Big East is successful in luring Fresno State, UNLV, Colorado State, BYU, and New Mexico then you are looking at a VERY stong basketball conference and clearly the top "Group of Five" football conference.

CUSA is a morgue. Period.

[covok48]

Anyone who is arguing that we were better off in CUSA is a complete idiot and has zero understanding of what is at the heart of realignment.

Despite all the defections, the Big East TV deal should still net b/w 5-7M per school. That is at least 5x more TV money that we were getting in CUSA. There are still some "name" programs in the Big East w/ UConn, Cincinnati, South Florida, and Boise State. We are moving up. There is no two ways about it.

If the Big East is successful in luring Fresno State, UNLV, Colorado State, BYU, and New Mexico then you are looking at a VERY stong basketball conference and clearly the top "Group of Five" football conference.

CUSA is a morgue. Period.

I doubt anyone disagrees with you that staying CUSA being a foolish move. In fact no one here has stated that on this thread or anywhere on this board since the latest round of realignment. The fact is though is that a strong performance now in the mainstream sports is the ticket to make it in a stronger conference.

We can't just sit back and go 7-5 & 6-6 and go to the whogivesadamn bowl every year and expect revenue and attendance to bump up. It's not going to happen. We played tough against the big boys back then. Playing weak (even when winning) against the scrubs will do nothing for our fan base due to our history. In this case our history works against us if we're mediocre in CUSA and the nBE. Fans just won't get excited and come see.