NM Green

I think it should stay the Sun Belt. But if it must change: The American South Conference - the Mountain West worked well for all players involved. Footprint is in the south. The Mountain West has footprint in the west but had TCU. GMG

Now if we can get into the Alliance and somehow keep Boise State, then we are talking about an even more desireable league. Don't count out BYU either. I know they have a sweet deal with ESPN for football but they cannot love the WCC for their basketball and other programs. Having two nationally ranked football powers coming from the West into the Mega League could make this very interesting. Our time is now Mean Green Nation! Lets go make a splash in the Springs, get some national pub and get ready to ROCK the Belt this fall. GMG

I want Houston SMU and Memphis gone because if SMU comes back we are toast. SMU does not control our destiny but the new mega league would only need one Metro presence. Dang I hope they stay away from our new opportunity. Boise and San Diego State are going to hate the new Big West and WAC for their bball teams. They are leaving a Mountain West that is number 5 in the country ahead of the ACC, has 3 ranked teams for the first time ever and is a league in which every team has a winning basketball record. I know football drives this bus, but when your hoops have and continue to blossom on the national stage it is something that is important to think about. The West loves basketball! GMG

Living in Mountain West country I feel like Boise State is really contemplating their move to the BE. I just don't feel the excitement from them especially since they like the rivalries with the programs out West like CSU, UNLV and UNM in basketball. Throw in AF and Wyoming in football and one has to wonder if they are the broncos if the WAC will even be there to put their other sports into. They already delayed their departure from the MW a year. I wonder if they are wanting to see if the BE survives and frankly if it makes sense for them to move especially if there is no more AQ in the coming years. I have nothing against UTSA or TSU, but we should be aspiring to join a conference with established progams like AF, Tulsa, UTEP, UNM, UNLV, Fresno, Southern Miss and Tulsa. Nothing against MTSU, the Cajuns and Arkie State but we are in a different tier than some of the programs that want to join the party. GMG

The UNLV President stated the two driving forces in expansion are academics and market size. I feel good about our chances. He also is excited about growing the UNLV brand out East while maintained regional rivalries. I look forward to growing the Mean Green brand east and west and finally nurturing our regional rivalries with Rice, Tulsa, Tulane, UTEP, New Mexico and Southern Miss. Getting nationally ranked UNLV in the Superpit will be great and I look forward to seeing us play at Marshall one day - battle of the GREEN!!!!! GMG

It helps to be slightly more confident:) I believe that we WILL win! GMG

So Aztec fans made their way to Las Vegas in droves over the weekend and the Thomas and Mack was rocking yesterday. SDSU does the I Believe We Can Win chant at Viejas Arena and they make it portable to take on the road. They jumped into it literally on cue in the upper level yesterday and made their presence known to the 18,500 in attendance. Forgive my ignorance if the Pit Crew already does this, but I think it would be great to practice in the final few home games and take it to Hot Springs. We could even tweak it up a bit and say I believe in the Mean Green! It's a little occupy like but effective and I am all about a good steal. One other one came from the gym the other day. A Bishop Gorman student was wearing a bright orange shirt that read G Block on the front. The back read "Thou shall not sit..." A nice take on a local Catholic school out here but I like it. A lot of pride in that crazy student section for their football and basketball games. The UNLV student section is called The Rebellion and they brought it yesterday. Way to go Rebels in what was one of the best college basketball games I have seen in person. As Coach Rice says, he sells The Rebellion when recruiting students to UNLV. We have a very nice program in Denton and making the Pit Crew a place to be can be exciting. It needs a name. They are the Pit Crew, but what is our student section called? That is a brainstorm and raffle in the making. Name the student section for 2012. UNLV's section use to be Kruegers Korner. I love The Rebellion and think it is here to stay for awhile. Check out youtube to hear the SDSU "I believe that we can win" chant. GMG

Las Vegas is used to big events at the Grand Garden Arena and Mandalay Bay, but today it is about the Thomas and Mack. One of the most anticipated heavyweight bouts takes place between UNLV and San Diego State. To see a future conference mate in action check out the NBC Sports Network at 3pm Dallas time. The Rebels lead in bball attendance on the West Coast and the sold out arena will be INSANE!!!!! Tailgate starts at 10:00 AM for 1:00 PM tipoff. Nothing would be finer than to see the Mean Green Nation invade Sin City on a regular basis. GMG

Heck. If SDSU can simply begin sending inuendos and get a Big East invite, I guess anything is possible. Adding the top destination city in the country with a hot up and coming bball program is not something I see happening but who knows these days! The bball talent that comes out of Las Vegas is crazy and the Big 12 could begin to dance in the Pac 12's neighborhood. I think CUSA and MWC poaching is finally over. That is why I think they decide the future of merger soon. As for thinking big we need to continue to grow our programs. The Dallas playground, 100,000 alums, baseball coming - the ACC and Pac 12 don't have a Texas presence yet. How long until they begin looking at the rich real estate. A "boise state" build by UNT could open up doors in the next 5 years as I don't see the landscape of college football ever going stagnant again. Glad the Rebels are thinking big (the AD out here in Vegas does). We should too. GMG

Don't forget to bring the Green Brigade Punching Bag to the off-season party! GMG

I like the way ESPN is handling this. It is a tribute to one of the greatest leaders in my lifetime. I am so glad he does not have to go through the legal mess and see another leader take over his team for a full season. God bless the victims. God bless JoPa. I love college football and all that he did for the game that I love will be remembered forever. GPSU

I am just so glad to have shed that regular gig on the Bottom 10. My friends and I smiled and were pleasantly surprised at watching win after win at Apogee last year. We had never seen them win back to back home games or had that great aftertaste in a long time. So yes the times are a changing and the horizon is Green. We will become that Green Beacon on the Hill again soon. GMG

Indeed Arkstfan. Always appreciate your posts and here is to another great year ahead!

I love the Utah campus and Salt Lake City is really nice. Park City is even greater and the entire region is a six hour drive from Vegas. I love the campus and found the city clean and welcoming. I love the mountain restaurants, trees, clean city and amazing hiking opportunities throughout the state. Moab and Zion in Utah are driveable and two of my favorite hiking places on the planet. Utah Ute sports are fun even though I feel they are a bit obscure in the Pac 12 now. GMG

Remember when the introduced SOW with those hints of what was to come. I like the idea of maximizing the mystique of the SOW. People not close to the Mean Green have to wonder why the Eagle Wings, why the Mean Green? Who are they? But I remember them. Love Gundy's OSU football shirt on the sideline tonight. I've seen the football design before in Apogee bookstore but don't recall it being that exact style - very cool. GMG

I am just impressed by the quality of coaches our league is developing and attracting. That was some nice pub for Arkie State and the league last night. Yeah yeah they never mentioned the Sun Belt but college football fans know exactly where Arkie State lives. I like our Southern affiliation and look forward to continuing the development of these rivalries while we live here. If we go CUSA So Miss Memphis Marshall and ECU would be fun to fight with in addition to our neighbors up north and down south. Until then GO BELT! GMG

Amen brother!

This screams of isolationism. They are trying to stem the tied of crazy change in college football. Who knows what the sport will even look like in 2017 if we are all even still on this planet:) GMG

and give up a shot a beating them - no, I don't think so. I have seen us beat Texas Tech twice and Baylor. We are getting strong enough to compete with them home or away. GMG

I know market is a monster selling point, but with the picking up of TCU I think national status is also very important. I truly believe the BIg 12 should have gone after BYU and Boise. Those 2 programs have proved they are going to have large solid fan bases that will follow them everywhere and fill up bowl games. Let BYU bring their network and make their money. They will not be mediocre forever as they will always replenish the Mormon pipeline. In Las Vegas this week the Strip looked like an international soccer match with small and large Boise flags flying off the vehicles up and down the Las Vegas Strip after the win. They brought another large following to Vegas 1.5 months after bringing a HUGE group to Vegas in early November when playing UNLV. Boise is keeping Petersen and will replenish the potato pipeline to excel in the Boise system. I think those two national programs with their huge and growing fanbases would rival what Baylor, TCU, Texas Tech, K State and OSU. With that I think the Big 12 survives. I am just not sure how long Texas is going to feel great about hanging with and playing the frogs, bears, wildcats and cyclones. Add the Broncos if they were invited and any of those Big East shools like Louisville and Cincy. The WVU is going to make it interesting. I am just excited which SEC programs get to roll into Aggieland next year. GMG

Not so fast my friends. Could it have been that tragic showing by the Golden Panther last night? I doubt it but this is a surprising development. I wonder if Cristobal has a shot at PSU? GMG

I am sorry but those burgers in the commercials didn't even look as tasty as the ones prepared at the Apogee tailgate. Of course I would welcome going to their bowl game next year zesty lemon wings and all. GMG BOB get a new advertising director.

I think Hawaii needed to pick someone who has done it before. They play well under fire and McMackin was not a fiery coach. I don't see Chow as a fiery coach either. I hope he succeeds but if I were Hawaii (football hungry state) I would not take a risk on a coach who has not been a successful head coach before. Plus I still think Hawaii is a great gig that gets name programs to the islands and can make solid runs to big bowl games with a fat record. Good luck Norm. Go Bows. Go Mean Green!!!!! P.S. - yes that fight was all Marshall. Cristobal will due fine at Pittsburgh. Penn State gig despite the problems will be a good job for whoever ends up with that one.

In another strange hire - I think Hawaii will stay off the football map with the hiring of Norm Chow. I don't like that one at all! So bowl slots keep on opening:) GMG

You know West Virginia fan is gonna have fun with this one: "Your new coach can't even beat Marshall!" GMG