Say a prayer for UTEP

[UNTexas]

22 minutes ago, shaft said:

It's pretty tacky to start piling on schools excluded from the expansion (Just like some people on this board continue to demean the Sun Belt).   UNT is one of the worst teams in D1 football right now and would not have made the cut if the AAC went to 12.  So let's show a little class, celebrate our win, and not start making a list of other programs shortcomings.

I don’t think anyone is being tacky. Half my family and a lot of friends went there  and they are angry about a lot about the university in general even outside athletics.

20 minutes ago, El Paso Eagle said:

I agree. It's just hearing so many out hear talk about how UNT did not deserve and years of their BS attitude towards NMSU. But, your right.

Tell them to look at the money UNT invested that they didn’t. Coaches pay. Facilities. Academics for the University and specifically athletics has done great. We absolutely have geography and a better market. That’s true. We are also almost double the size of them in a huge market. How have all their sports performed in the past 10 years? Football has been to 1 bowl game. Basketball fell off the map. (They use to be great when we had season tickets growing up.) I know most UTEP fans get it. Some think the world ends at the state line or Horizon City. I think some are probably mad because schools like UNT and UTSA came in, took advantage of opportunities, and moved on. And hopefully it works out for us. 
 

 

[El Paso Eagle]

3 minutes ago, laxtonto said:

Most of the UTEP problems is bad blood between the original members of the MWC (or former members of the WAC more appropriately) and UTEPs unwillingness to go with the WAC16 idea years and years ago.

UTEPs rigidness then is being repaid in spades.

 

I have no ill will to UTEP, but I can’t fault schools that have a long institutional memory either.

Natalicio was a behind the scenes killer of the Football program at UTEP.  

[Eagle71]

5 hours ago, Coach Bill Lewis said:

These guys are in a really bad spot.  Travel costs will kill them in non-FB sports.

They'll need to find another conference like the WAC

They have no budget.  I don't see what their future is and it is a shame.

 

Is Sun Belt not an option?

[UNT Texas Hooligan]

7 minutes ago, El Paso Eagle said:

Natalicio was a behind the scenes killer of the Football program at UTEP.  

This was mainly on Natalicio. She gutted the athletics department and gave Stull crumbs to work with. Their coaches are always the worst paid in the conference. They have decent facilities but made no effort to build more or improve what they currently have. 

[wardly]

1 hour ago, Eagle71 said:

Is Sun Belt not an option?

No. Its not in their footprint. That's why they kicked NMSU and Idaho out a few years ago. Adding  So. Miss.and FIU ties in nicely with the rest of their programs. Texas State, Arkansas State, ULL, ULM, So.Miss, Troy, USA,  F.I.U., Georgia State, Georgia Southern, Coastal Carolina, and App. State  should cover all their bases.

[greenminer]

1 hour ago, laxtonto said:

UTEPs unwillingness to go with the WAC16 idea years and years ago.

UTEP was invited and declined?

[laxtonto]

29 minutes ago, greenminer said:

UTEP was invited and declined?

No. They killed the WAC16 idea and so the infamous airport meeting at the Denver airport led to the split off into the MWC. Several schools ended up getting screwed in this and all these years later, some of the MWC schools still hold the judge.

[MDH]

21 minutes ago, laxtonto said:

No. They killed the WAC16 idea and so the infamous airport meeting at the Denver airport led to the split off into the MWC. Several schools ended up getting screwed in this and all these years later, some of the MWC schools still hold the judge.

Fresno st remembers

[MeanGreenRoadrunner]

UTEP just needs to sit tight a bit.  The realigning is long from over.   With BYU in the Big12, they will need some western friends *cough* Boise *cough*.   The Mountain west won't say no to them for long.  Unless that long aged grudge is still there and they back fill with New Mexico State out of spite. 

[Arkstfan]

4 hours ago, Harry said:

@Arkstfanand I were talking about this and he had a good idea adding NMSU as a travel partner.  UTEP won't like it but they may not have a choice.

In men’s and women’s hoops and volleyball you typically play twice a week. Getting two games in on that flight to El Paso alleviates a bit of the hassle.

[greenminer]

1 hour ago, laxtonto said:

No. They killed the WAC16 idea and so the infamous airport meeting at the Denver airport led to the split off into the MWC. Several schools ended up getting screwed in this and all these years later, some of the MWC schools still hold the judge.

But the WAC16 wasn't just an idea, it happened.  I think I am misreading what you're trying to say?

I never heard of anything that suggested UTEP killed the WAC16.  My understanding was 5 teams got sick of the division setup that did not let them play annually, UTEP not one of them, and they had the airport meeting.  Recruited 3 more schools to meet the minimum of 8 - again, UTEP not part of this - and thus the MWC was born.