johnnylightnin

Marshall USM UAB Those three schools have budgets under 20 million. You'll have to produce that by-law. Check it out... http://www2.indystar.com/NCAA_financial_re...venue_stat/show

In the WAC, it prompted instability and the formation of the MWC. I don't see the WAC going to 14...or 12 for that matter. Benson will model his "western" conference after the Pac-10 and the MWC.

14 is too much. 12 was perfect, but Benson has ZERO interest in expanding to the East. That, in my opinion, is why he didn't offer UNT/ULL/A-State the packaged deal. He offered to UNT individually because, I think, he knew they would turn it down.

I agree. Sadly, our last home and home was scheduled during some down years for both programs. Personally, I wish ULL, UNT, and A-State would've been added with NMSU and USU to put the WAC at 12 and re-establish the E-WAC, but Karl (Benson) didn't ask me. Oh well... Good luck this season and in the future.

I suppose we'll see. And one more question: What does central Louisiana have to do with this?

Competing for East Texas recruits with a school from DFW or a school from Ruston...that's what they'll be thinking about...

It will cost a pretty penny, no doubt. Malone is kicking off the TAC improvements with the $350K he handed Reneau on Wednesday. Finally, we've started a capital fund-raising campaign. The improvements to the football stadium are being worked out through private donors and student fees. The money is there, the administration has just refused to go get it until now. I don't know what changed, but I'm glad that it did. As far as WAC membership, Tech fans feel the WAC is a stronger conference than CUSA (at least in football and basketball). Tech fans see CUSA as a lateral move at best, but it would certainly be a better geographic fit. For every fan who wants CUSA, I'd say there's at least one (maybe .75) that would prefer to stay in the WAC. Why? Competition (think TCU and MWC). So, there's no need for a back-up plan as of yet. We've got the money and Dooley and Malone are doing amazing things to bring former athletes and coaches back into the fold. So, we're fine now, and our situation is only improving. If you talk to ULM or ULL fans, they'll paint a picture of desperation with regards to Ruston...it's simply not true. We wait on CUSA. If they invite us, good. If not, we're very happy in the WAC. Now, if the MWC expands to twelve and takes the top 3 in the WAC (overall top 3 I mean...Freson/Nevada/Boise), we would be sitting smack dab in the middle of the sunbelt western edition. Under those circumstances and those circumstances only do I see Louisiana Tech requesting admission to the Sunbelt.

Unwad your panties 61...I said stebo hasn't been keeping up if he thinks tech has done nothing to improve its situation...that, is just plain dumb. Good for UNT (sadly for UNT, SMU/Rice/Houston are CUSA members who would have to vote them in).

You must not be keeping up. We've doubled our MBB and FB head-coaches salaries...we've done the same for their staff. Field-turf is installed and a jumbotron is on the way. Tech is hosting the 2008 WAC baseball tourny. FB is getting a new locker room and weight room. The basketball arena will receive a new floor, luxury boxes, new Men's locker room, new HOF...the list goes on and on. So, basically, you're wrong.

Interesting reading for this Tech fan. It is definitely true that the WAC was much better for Tech when SMU/Rice/Tulsa/Utep were our conference mates. The travel is tough, but the costs can be overcome with success. If the WAC can continue to get 4 or 5 bowl teams and begin to get 3 or 4 NCAA tourny teams, Tech will be able to survive longer. I personally would've preferred what UNT officials proposed to the WAC. That was very smart of your leadership if it really went down that way. Anyway, good luck the rest of the way out.