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The ACC isn't dead yet.
The new rumors are that Missouri still wants to go to the Big 10. If that's at all true then the ACC has a chance to deflect a raid by the Big10, possibly cutting off additional raiding.

Whatever. I still don't believe it's going to be 4 conferences. Even with 16 schools in each conference, you are going to be leaving alot of talent out in the cold if it's only 4. Granted, schools like UConn, BC, Pitt, Iowa State, Wake Forest, or even possibly a Duke or Miami could get left out in the cold in that scenario. Not huge factors by themselves, but together you could have a problem leaving these schools out.

I can't see any team leaving the SEC for the Big Ten. Clearly, the ACC is about to be fileted. The powers that be are not going to let UNC, FSU, GT, and Clemson sit on the outside. Watch for the SEC, B12, and Big Ten to gobble up those four teams in some manner. Then the ACC with the likes of UVA, NCSU, WF, Miami, VT, Duke, BC, Pitt, Louisville and Syracuse and the BE leftovers to make some sort of deal. Actually that would be an interesting conference with those teams and perhaps UConn, Cincy, USF, SMU, UH,Temple, and ND (for all sports). UCF, Memphis, Tulane, and ECU would have some issues with that. But that would be a fun conference to land in. However, I would point out that such a conference would kill ticket sales at SMU. None of those teams would be a huge draw in Dallas except perhaps the U and VT.

EastStang wrote:But that would be a fun conference to land in. However, I would point out that such a conference would kill ticket sales at SMU. None of those teams would be a huge draw in Dallas except perhaps the U and VT.

Neither is anybody in CUSA.

We win & win CONSISTENTLY & MARKET our product - the crowds will take care of themselves. They'll be there. Especially with - finally - an opportunity to compete in the 'big leagues'.

gostangs wrote:no way. MWC = being sent to siberia

Who knew that there would be a team each and every year from Siberia in the BCS... After the MWC conference chanpionship game between Boise/BYU and Houston every year, they will have the 6th spot at the table. Meanwile, the Big East (or whatever it will be called after the 7 schools take the name back) will not have a conference championship game and will be maybe a notch above Conference USA/Sun Belt. All of you dilusional people that think the Big East is still viable will be the same people wondering what the hell happened when we are in a bad place in 12 months. "But we will play in the Eastern Time Zone" Guess what, so does Harvard and Yale and I don't see people lining up to see them. What big TV deal do they have? I hate to break it to everyone, but we are no different then those schools in they eyes of everyone on the east coast (as far as football is concerned) Nobody on the East Coast is going to tune into SMU v East Carolina when every team worth watching is already playing during that time slot. We are the ones that started the dominos of conference realignment almost 25 years ago, so we need to get over this false pride we have towards the MWC and join them. Unfortunately, the conference blows but it is the best option we have for the forseeable future. People need to stop being Butt Hurt that the "WAC-16" left us behind becuase if I were in their shoes, I would have done the same thing. I was in shcool during the WAC years and he had ZERO commitment towards Athletics. When you are going 1-11 every year and getting blown out by 50+ pts to NAVY (who was pathetic at that time) you are going to get left behind by even the fat chicks at the party.

To anyone paying attention, there was nothing new in the article which kicked off this thread. The bowl decisions were as expected.

As for the Big East and MWC made up argument, we can give it a break. Until San Diego State makes up its mind or BYU pulls a surprise and reverses course as an Independent (very unlikely at this time), we are wringing our hands for no reason. Candidly, ACC is the richer target and we have no say until we become a consistent FB performer.

Too many shoes still need to drop and, in the absence of any clear path, we have chosen our course, while being Chicken Little and running blindly to the MWC would create new or even greater challenges financially, uneven strength of schedule and weak media attention (not to mention being on the dark side of the moon playing away games in MT and PT.)

We don't care about the MWC and the teams that screwed us in the past. It doesn't matter. East Is superior in every way possible for SMU. What does the MWC offer now that won't be available in 2-3 years if the BE and ACC falls apart? Nothing.

BE is the best place for SMU for the time being.

fifty wrote:Boo hoo. Rather be in Conference USA next year playing UNCC, FIU, UNT, UTSA, and Middle Tenn St? Or how about touring Idaho and New Mexico for prime exposure to the abyss of the midwest?

I've been clear on what I'd do, Skippy.
1) Go indie
2) Open SMU @ Manoa
3) Play a 12-game home slate at Aloha Stadium

(Ford automatically becomes the finest collegiate soccer facility in America.)

mr. pony wrote:

fifty wrote: 3) Play a 12-game home slate at Aloha Stadium

Playing in Hawaii would let us schedule 13 games. We would still have room for traditional rival SFA!

Where is our leader in all of this? Too bad Orsini isn't still around to be proactive instead of the yes man. I hate that we have an AD who is wet beyond the ears and learning on the job during such a volatile period.

All the big conferences want to know in terms of letting a team in is what do you bring to the table "for them". What do they get out of it, i.e. $$$$ ? We have no fans, a tier iii team, and a small stadium. However, we do have money. Thus, SMU needs to just be the first and buy our way into one of these conferences. Be the first school to pay an entrance fee, say $100 Million (Of course, fully refundable if teams leave the conference). Agree to take zero cut of the TV contract pie for the first 5 years and then after 5 years only 50% of what other teams get. I know we would be the joke of the conference, but right now it's about survival, so who cares. 100 Million will look cheap compared to what the school will lose in 8 years if we are out of Big Boy Football.

This idea may suck, but it sure beats waiting around in the Big East waiting for someone else to make a move, and then finding out it's too late and welcome to the college football subconference.

Turn' er around by getting rid of the Turner mechanism

Johnny Utah wrote:Where is our leader in all of this? Too bad Orsini isn't still around to be proactive instead of the yes man. I hate that we have an AD who is wet beyond the ears and learning on the job during such a volatile period.

All the big conferences want to know in terms of letting a team in is what do you bring to the table "for them". What do they get out of it, i.e. $$$$ ? We have no fans, a tier iii team, and a small stadium. However, we do have money. Thus, SMU needs to just be the first and buy our way into one of these conferences. Be the first school to pay an entrance fee, say $100 Million (Of course, fully refundable if teams leave the conference). Agree to take zero cut of the TV contract pie for the first 5 years and then after 5 years only 50% of what other teams get. I know we would be the joke of the conference, but right now it's about survival, so who cares. 100 Million will look cheap compared to what the school will lose in 8 years if we are out of Big Boy Football.

This idea may suck, but it sure beats waiting around in the Big East waiting for someone else to make a move, and then finding out it's too late and welcome to the college football subconference.

I like the idea but I feel like this scheme only works if there is some stability and teams aren't changing conferences like someone changing their socks. If we could be locked in to a legit conference, I would be all for this.

Johnny Utah wrote:Where is our leader in all of this? Too bad Orsini isn't still around to be proactive instead of the yes man. I hate that we have an AD who is wet beyond the ears and learning on the job during such a volatile period.

All the big conferences want to know in terms of letting a team in is what do you bring to the table "for them". What do they get out of it, i.e. $$$$ ? We have no fans, a tier iii team, and a small stadium.

You're a rass role We are #57 ranked team by Sagarin which beats the ell outta #149
or probably worse just 4 years ago

We are selling out Ford or close when playing former SWC foes lately. Attendance has improved greatly

Do it in several stages. For example, the ACC is up in the air right now, but what if we paid them $100 million to get in with an agreement that if certain schools leave in the first 5 years, we get a 75% refund. If the conference breaks up then we just go to the next conference and so on. I don't really see how it wouldn't work. For example, everyone thinks UTSA is garbage, but if Tulane got paid 10 Million to let them in the big east, they would get in. SMU just needs to buy itself a little time to build a brand/following in a real conference. The rest will take care of itself. I mean, we are already known for buying success, this wouldn't be total shocker.

Eitherway, SMU needs to make their move now. I just hope our dear leader isn't just happy to be in the Big East.