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Here is where I'm at on it all after way too much time spent working contacts across multiple leagues. My Big 10 contact says the league has known about this for a few days and will likely accelerate their expansion. Big 10 may be done by a week from Friday (June 18). The stance has changed from courting Notre Dame to giving them an ultimatum. The Irish don't respond well to those but the odds are they get royally hosed if they fail to join. If Notre Dame says no, Big 10 probably takes Nebraska and Missouri with Rutgers but there is some sentiment to pursue Maryland, Duke, and North Carolina instead of Rutgers. If Notre Dame joins, its Nebraska, Missouri and possibly Rutgers and Syracuse. SEC is going to make a last play for Texas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma. Texas is a almost assuredly a definite no. Oklahoma probably is as well. TAMU feels they are being bullied into the Pac-10 and not being treated as an equal. The question is are they willing to ditch Texas, Texas Tech, and OU over mashed feelings. If it were the AD's call probably yes, but I think the academics and politics of it all lean toward TAMU going along. SEC is going to have a serious fight over expanding. They are looking at a Duke/UNC combo, UVA/VPI combo, and considering Florida State, Maryland, Georgia Tech and Miami. If TAMU comes along, Duke/UNC, Florida State is the probable preference. If TAMU goes SEC, Pac-10 will try to get Kansas alone and might fall back to Utah. Big XII is probably left with Kansas, Kansas State, Baylor and Iowa State. There will be an attempt by MWC to grab all four. Big East will make a play as well. Most likely the four try start a new conference with TCU, SMU, Rice, Houston, Tulsa, Memphis, Louisville and Cincinnati. If they choose to go to 14 or 16, they probably look at New Mexico, Colorado State, Air Force, BYU, Utah, UTEP, Tulane and outside shot of Southern Miss. ACC is left with 8 and Big East is at 4 to 6, probably 4. The two consolidate into a 12 team league, and probably add Temple and UCF. Less likely but still possible, ECU comes in. If Miami is gone FAU or FIU might sneak in but the thinking is Miami is left out. 16th spot is between Marshall and UAB if they go to 16 to keep up with everyone else. CUSA at this point is expected to lose at least six, maybe 8. If they lose 8, it is game over. If they lose six they retain their units but have to immediately add two just to remain an FBS league. Sun Belt likely absorbs CUSA probably taking CUSA name, if they are at 6 the units stay with the league, if they are at 4 they are gone. If CUSA is at 6, All Sun Belt football with possible exception of either USA or ULM goes into CUSA along with La.Tech. WAC is at 7 MWC is at as many as 9 and as few 5. If MWC is at 7 or 9 they take Fresno, Nevada, Hawaii, and think about Idaho, NMSU, USU, and SJSU and may or may not take all or some. If they are at 5 they are absorbed by the WAC and only debate is whether to use the MWC name or WAC name. Most likely no impact at all on the MAC other than losing football only member Temple. If the pace holds with rapid movements, by July 1, we are reading articles about this being the last season of 11 FBS conferences before going to an 8 conference alignment.

None of this stuff bothers me at all. UNT can take care of all of it by continuing to develop the program into one that wins consistently. When you have the record UNT has had the last few years it is not surprising to be "forgotten" or shown a bit of media "disrespect". That does not give me any sort of UNT fan inferiority complex. It is well past time that UNT's fan base, students, faculty, etc., etc. stopped thinking that UNT has anything ANYTHING to apologize about. UNT is a fine university and has an excellent academic and athletic program overall. Until the UNT faithful stop acting "small" and letting this "stuff" convince them that they are somehow "inferior", one simply cannot expect the rest of the world to think anything else. It starts at home folks. It starts on this board, it starts at the sports bars, it starts on campus, it starts by getting fans and students to actually attend games, it starts by alums and friends actually joining the Alumni Association and the Mean Green Club, it starts by buying season and single game tickets and by touting the "greatness" that is UNT at every opportunity. I take a back seat to no one and I don't back up to the "pay window" when I talk about UNT. I am proud of UNT and my association with it, and that may be one reason I don't understand some of the negative stuff from our own fan base. Winning starts with a winning attitude...on the field and in the classroom and on the streets. Wear UNT green proudly and be proud of your association with UNT. You might be surprised how much that might help to turn some attitudes around. I don't select coaches and I don't draw up plays and I don't get to sign players. But there are some things I can do to help UNT. I'll concentrate on the things I can do to help. And, I'll have a great time doing it. GO MEAN GREEN!

Thank God. I'd hate to miss out on that trip to Monroe, LA every other year.

Really sad that they would consider every school in the state except North Texas.

Considering the school's location next to a prison, probably pole.

Agree TFLF

I've spent a lot of time in the gym during the time of playing high school, collegiate, and professional athletics (unfortunately, once the career was over that time has been reduced significantly) and get the whole incline thing. I don't think we need to make a big deal about a prospective UNT football player lifting 120lb dumbbells is all I'm saying. That's happening in every weight room in the country, including Juco, DIII, DII, DI, and NAIA. I'm not discounting the abilities of this player, but the fact of the matter is the fanbase should not be wowed by this. This falls in line with the 'small-time' mindset. Walk in TCU's weight room down the highway. I guarantee you all of their DE's can execute that same lift, and then some.

I wish that I could be in charge of the promotions for this game. It will likely be the only game this season that the DFW news stations send crews to cover. Here's a couple of ideas: First, I would send a pair of tickets to this game to every soul that buys football season tickets. Not only does that fill your arena with your most loyal fans, it rewards the people that already support the university, and exposes your main target audience for future basketball ticket sales to North Texas basketball at it's finest. If they have a great time, those people are likely to buy basketball season tickets as well. Get a game-day sponsor, preferably an auto dealership, that will supply Sky Trackers for each corner of the Pit. The Super Pit is damn dark outside at night whether a game is being played or not. Having Sky Trackers lighting each corner of the building would show all Denton that something big was happening there that night. Make sure ALL lights are lit and ALL concession stands are staffed and functioning. For one night a year the small-time-mentality has to be put aside. Image is important and this is the biggest event at which North Texas basketball has a chance to present it's image. Have a competition between campus organizations, preferably with some type of half-court, three point, or free throw shooting contests. A monetary prize, and a contest that isn't finalized until after the game will not only bring out students from those organizations, it will keep those students around for the duration of the game.

The upcoming conference shake-ups are a chance for us to move up in the college sports world. The article about a meaner greener WAC is an interesting view, but from a UNT point of view, it is based on the flawed view that WAC membership brings more prestige than Sun Belt membership. I really don't think that folks in DFW (or Texas for that matter) really care any more about the WAC than the Sun Belt. We need to think bigger... what if the newest PAC-10 rumors are true and between 4-6 Big 12 teams end up moving? What does the Big 12 do at that point to survive (or does it survive at all)? I'm not suggesting that we would end up in a weakened Big 12, but the potential domino effect is incredible. I really think we are very close to CUSA membership if the domino effect takes any CUSA members. If that member was SMU, then I think we're in. At this point, I would view the WAC as a survival-only move - we can and should do better.

I agree. I want nothing to do with the WAC if it means we drag a bunch of I-AA teams with us. However, I DO like the idea of joining the WAC if they can grab UTEP, Tulsa, and Arkansas State.

And maybe a better football coach?

It depends. Much of the Big 12 footprint is already in Texas. What if they tried to salvage as much as possible of the Texas market? They could salvage two Top 10 markets by adding TCU, SMU and North Texas for the DFW market and Houston and Rice for the Houston market. Tulsa could hold their own and be a bridge between the north and the south. In fact, why not make it a 16-team league as well and invite Memphis, Louisiana Tech, Southern Miss and Tulane. With the exception of Missouri and Arkansas that would give a healthy portion of the Midlands. I know, I know. We've been nothing for the last five years. Does that mean our 326,000 alums go away forever? Does the largest number of alumni in the #4 market not count for anything? Does 45 years in the FBS not count? Do 36,000 students all go home on the weekend? I contend that given the same conference and a similar schedule to Houston that we can top their attendance. Sell potential. We have a lot more than we used to have.

This is bogus. Texas Tech and Oklahoma State are Tier 3 schools. Stanford would go ballistic. There is also no reason to go to 16 unless the Big 10 starts going that direction. I'd say Texas, Texas A&M, Colorado, and BYU would be the most likely expansion candidates for now.

http://www.youtube.c...player_embedded

Sorry if this news has been posted already: http://ourfieldhouse.com/articles/h-town-footballers-committing-getting-offers

This is a sort-of funny look at the Big 12/PAC-10 drama. Language warning. And there is no Belt love either.

All offseason discussion should begin like this thread did.

Craig Robertson told me at the downtown event...that Eddrick Gilmore is playing pro football in Poland. Anyway, I pull for all our exes. Hope Eddrick is doing well.

My PM had better be in the mail already, Senator Broseph McCarthy.

I can't go into that kind of detail...it was told to me in confidence. Send me a PM and I'll let you know if you have the same info.

Pac-10 is a pretty big academic snob league.

Boise's magical ride likely to roll on in Mountain West

I believe a wise man once said: "The buck stops with Lee Jackson."

Could be...check your PM

I did not read "American" in that post at all. Is what SUMG didn't say so relevant? Gilmore playing futbol football would definitely be a sight to see!

Shows how much SunBelt membership has done to raise our National perception.

I'd rather take this poll after seeing what the SEC is planning to do. After the Pac 10 news, I'd be surprised if at least one of these conferences isn't out of FBS business by 2012. I'll let you guys debate which of the conferences that could be.

I'm really sick of the chip-on-the-shoulder Tech fan. DMN writer, Chuck Carlton, blogs about the question the shunned Big XII members are all asking themselves this morning - Why Tech got the nod ahead of Kansas, Baylor He even adds this comment, "(Don't take offense, Red Raider fans. It's a fair question)." Still, the Tech fans fail to understand why their invite is even being questioned and cite absurd claims about Lubbock being the "second largest city in the Big XII" as legitimate rationale as to why they were chosen over Kansas. Tech has been riding the coattails of Texas and A&M for far too long now and they are just too damn ignorant to realize it. I wish nothing but failure for Texas Tech and hope the new conference alignment, if it materializes, brings them several winless conference records (they'll continue to fill their non-conference schedule with FCS teams, so a winless season is pretty much out of the question.) I think it would be awesome if Tech became the same thing to the Pac 16 as Baylor was to the Big XII. Lubbock is a wasteland that even Mad Max would find intolerable.

Circumstances surrounding this round of realignment are changing daily. Three days ago I would not have believed the Pac10 would attempt to absorb half of the Big 12. The arguments for and against a conference move are based on the information available at the time. I too think a dismantled Big 12 creates a whole new set of opportunities for North Texas. With it looking like Missouri and Nebraska will probably leave for the Big 10, and now the Pac 10's move, I think there are a few question we need to find the answers to before we make a choice that will effect our potential for success in the long term. 1. What are Baylor, Kansas State, Kansas, and Iowa State planning to do in response? They may go to the MWC or try to reform the Big 12. 2. Would the Mega Pac 16, effect the SEC's expansion plan? I don't think they want a West Coast BSC conference claiming Texas all for themselves. 3. Would the demise of the Big 12 be the straw that broke the C-USA in half? I could see every Texas school defecting for a chance to join the remaining Big 12 schools. I think we have a fair understanding of where the Big 10 and Pac 10 are heading. When the SEC shows its cards, then we can really start to debate where our best opportunities are. I still think the WAC is an option we should not dismiss, but given the new circumstances regarding the Pac 10 and Big 12, it would be a mistake not to step back and re-evaluate our options.;

I'd be willing to wager that his Polish Defensive Coordinator knows where better to play him(defensive end) than the Kevlar Gary.

My bride and I went. It was a very nice event with some food and drinks being provided. The walls of the room were set up with easels and various drawings and photos of the stadium. "Final" images were not changed from what we have seen previously. I was told that the stadium would "open" with seating near the 35,000 range. I think that's been bantered about enough. Talked to RV for a good bit of time. He said he is very very busy with the construction and that things are progressing very well. Cooper was there doing his thing to sell seats and get folks revved up about the stadium and all it means to UNT and the community. Hank was there, but I failed to notice any coaches around while we were in the room but we were there early...around 5:45-6:30PM and then we took off for the Square across the street to enjoy a bit of the "Music on the Square" Thursday night event. Saw several fellow GMG.com folks at the event. All in all it was very nice and well done. I am very glad to see UNT getting "out and about" with this sort of thing. It was a very nice way to let the Denton Community (those perhaps not so close to the program) see what the new stadium is all about. We had a great chat with RV and Cooper. If you can't get excited about what this new stadium means for UNT and Denton, then you must have a very hard time getting excited about anything. Anyway, nice event. Thanks to RV and the dept. for getting it set up. Oh, BTW, there were UNT cheerleaders manning (or should I say "lady'ing") the door to UNT on the Square. I thought that was a nice touch. Thanks to the Cheer squad members for turning out and helping as well. GO MEAN GREEN!

Again, I would jump at it if it happened, but I just don't see it happening. Kansas and Nebraska certainly don't see SMU, Rice, or Tulane as remotely in their class. I could see Houston and TCU, to keep a foot in the major Texas markets; but I think they would rather go back to being a "Big 8" than watering down their conference that significantly as to add the others. But yes, I would love to be playing UTEP, Tulsa, SMU, etc. on a yearly basis.

If you had your choice, would you pick Texas Tech and Oklahoma State or would you select Utah and Kansas? Nothing against Tech and OSU, but they would basically be filler. The Pac 10 is aiming for the top and Utah and Kansas add excellent programs and additional markets within the new Pac-16 footprint. I think the Pac 16 would even include New Mexico before Tech would be seriously considered. This expansion is strictly about selecting academically suitable flagship schools that will increase conference revenue. Adding Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Colorado, Utah, and Kansas gives the Pac 16 control of every major market in the western U.S. Knockout punch delivered.

... or we can just go to the WAC and stay out of trouble

You can keep your head in the sand all you want. If we stay in the SunBelt, and either of those schools jumps to FBS, we are in trouble. Take SWT for example. How far behind are they from us? They too are updating their football stadium, built new softball and baseball complexes, updating facilities, $20 million dollar budget, etc etc etc All they need is a conference invite come 2011. Like I said, either embrace them or run faster (wac).

Texas isn't going to the Pac-10. I would be very surprised if this happens.

That looks like the winter edition. I hope you didn't buy it

Agree 100%. I am often amazed at how little people know about Memorial Day and what it signifies, and how little they care to know about it other than it's a "day off".

Considering Memorial Day is the day to remember those that lost their lives fighting for our freedom, I would hope most people would spend some of the day in rememberance of those men and women that are no longer with us. Veteran's Day would be more appropriate to thank a veteran for your freedom to make the choice as to how to spend your day off. Just my opinion.

it is not raining in the gulf yet but 8 major hurricanes are predicted by november. people know things are going to happen.

I disagree. We could simply be left out of all expansion scenarios and end up staying in a Sun Belt conference that is begging the NCAA to lift the moratorium so we could pick up minor universities. Even worse, we could end up dropping down to I-AA. IMHO joining the WAC, a conference that has been around for almost 50 years, is far from the worst scenario.

This isn't first grade soccer; there's no trophy for participation. The reality is that we are behind UT-Austin, A&M, Tech, Houston, Baylor, UTEP, and TCU. We're about even or better than SMU in athletics, no matter how much they've deluded themselves. Our immediate goal should be catching up with Houston, and more long-term catching up with Tech. These past few years of being one of the worst teams in FBS football, and being in the spare parts conference we're in don't help our case for advancement. Going to the NCAA tournament twice and having a brand new, impressive stadium do. We have a long way to go in research, academics, and endowment, unfortunately.

This should really be a non-issue. Was it politically smart for this President who, right or wrong (not a debate we're having here), is generall considered weak on defense and military issues? Probably not. ...but there is no prescident that a sitting President MUST attend the ceremony. They often do, and no President has totally ignored Memorial day. ...but taking a family vacation over the Memorial day weekend when it is already an issue your political opposition beats you over the head with is probably not the best political move. ...but for all the things I fault this President for (and you all know the list is long) this isn't one of them. He attended a Memorial day Ceremony and the Vice President did a wonderful job delivering a great speach on the President's behalf at Arlington.

Yes, losing in the WAC would be much more impressive than losing in the Belt. Where is all this love for the WAC coming from? It is too far West and if Boise leaves is not much of an upgrade. All these development of a regional Eastern division scenarios that would make the WAC attractive are not more likely to happen than the Belt developing a football Western Division or inclusion in some regional combination of CUSA and/or the Belt. Do you really think that the current members of the WAC with the exception of La Tech want to expand eastward? Yes, the conference could be blown up if several teams go to other conferences and they are forced to go East but at that point, it is a much less attractive option. If we are going to dream about some newly minted regional division, I would rather it be connected to the South than the West Coast.

You didn't ask what conference we wanted to be in, you asked what conference are we likely to be in. You should do another poll and ask what conference do we want to be in

FWIW a Bleacher Report article posted on the Belt board by Space Raider. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/401022-why-the-wac-should-consider-a-meaner-greener-future

I'm down with any move that saves us from the Sun Belt. The plan he lays out sounds pretty fair to me. It would certainly give us some consistent, regional matchups that we've been missing. Hopefully driving up attendance, and media coverage. (Do we currently get any at all?)

Not ANZAC Day.

The WAC already wanted a meaner greener past. WE didn't want THEM. And it was the right decision. Now, Boise is hypothetically gone, and this idea lumps us in with UTSA, Texas State, I think I saw Lamar mentioned when I very briefly skimmed the article... Pass. Pass, pass, pass. The WAC with Boise was a bad idea. The wreckage of a post-Boise WAC plus half the Southland Conference is even worse.