Memphis Reported To Be In Serious Talks With Big East

Eagle1855 · May 16, 2008

I was thinking the same way...theres not much love for NT in the eyes of CUSA people. I do agree that CUSA would be a better overall upgrade over the Belt.

And why should they? We've had a huge bag of relative nothing for decades.

Look I like C-USA over the Sun Belt, but it's far from the answer to all our problems. I mean, if our market is so ideal, and our potential so great... why not aim higher? What's the problem? USF started a program in NINETEEN NINETY SEVEN! That's right. 11 years ago. Why not aim higher than C-USA?

Eagle1855 · May 16, 2008

oh and....

IF this actually came to fruition (and I am still somewhat skeptical) I wouldnt be surprised to see them take Troy or MTSU. They are already heavy on Texas teams... Im not saying it makes sense in my Tex-nocentric world, but it's a legitimate argument.

damned margaritas. taking forever to form a cogent-ish thought.

Edited May 16, 2008 by Eagle1855

dodgefan · May 16, 2008

I thought you guys were always talking about how good the SBC is, and that it's as good or better than CUSA? Now, you talk like your just foaming at the mouth to get in CUSA?

GrandGreen · May 16, 2008

I thought you guys were always talking about how good the SBC is, and that it's as good or better than CUSA? Now, you talk like your just foaming at the mouth to get in CUSA?

I don't think CUSA is significantly better than the Belt and in fact may not have as much potential, but it is a much better geographical fit for NT.

NT80 · May 16, 2008

I thought you guys were always talking about how good the SBC is, and that it's as good or better than CUSA? Now, you talk like your just foaming at the mouth to get in CUSA?

The SBC has improved in it's short football life. However, CUSA is still better overall, from attendance to facilities to media, etc, and Six Bowls! The western division of CUSA would be a much better geographical fit for UNT, including instant rivalries. It's not the top step, but it is the next step up the ladder.

Edited May 16, 2008 by NT80

AnotherEagleFan · May 16, 2008

Well I do not think that the Big East will pick up another team. Not yet anyway. Way to much would have to happen. And if they do take another team and if that team comes from CUSA I look for major CUSA policy changes. I think that the staples of CUSA will walk start a new conference with major penalities for leaving. Had this conference had stability from the onset it would be a AQ BCS conference. The current problem is that it is way to easy for a team to leave the conference and UofM, East Carolina and UCF are trying desperatly to get into the BigEast even if it means selling their soul to the devil. The Big East will likely only take one team if any. So in my opinion with the improvements that the schools are making CUSA can still be a better football conference then the Big East in 5 years. We are already better in Baseball. Our basketball currently sucks but really could have had 2 additional teams in the NCAA tournament. We are 2 years away from consistently sending 3-4 teams to the tournament. That is unless Memphis leaves.

UNTflyer · May 16, 2008

I thought you guys were always talking about how good the SBC is, and that it's as good or better than CUSA? Now, you talk like your just foaming at the mouth to get in CUSA?

On the field, I think the SBC is very close to CUSA. But CUSA is more recognizable with teams like SMU, UCF, Rice, UTEP, and Marshall.

I was driving a friend around campus a few weeks ago and explaining the problems with our athletics and how it is frustrating that you can get Longhorns crap everywhere in Denton, but have to hunt for UNT stuff. He goes "Yeah well, Texas is DivI-A and you guys aren't". I almost drove off the road.

Eagle1855 · May 16, 2008

I was driving a friend around campus a few weeks ago and explaining the problems with our athletics and how it is frustrating that you can get Longhorns crap everywhere in Denton, but have to hunt for UNT stuff. He goes "Yeah well, Texas is DivI-A and you guys aren't". I almost drove off the road.

This happens to me all the time. It comes with being mediocre since the 70s... win a few games, go to significant bowl games and you MIGHT be able to change that perception

VideoEagle · May 16, 2008

This happens to me all the time. It comes with being mediocre since the 70s... win a few games, go to significant bowl games and you MIGHT be able to change that perception

It will take more than just winning and a few bowl games to convince people of that. In 78 I had SWC fans tell me they thought NT played in Div. 2, even as we were trying to get into the SWC!

Arkstfan · May 17, 2008

As I set forth before, Big East isn't adding a full member any time soon.

Why would they split football / basketball? The money works like it is. The football schools split the BCS riches amongst themselves and get the richest basketball conference in America to boot. Of the top 8 in the RPI in the league, four don't play football. The football schools get a better deal on bowls because Notre Dame participates in their bowl deals outside of the BCS but the schools most attractive to Notre Dame in basketball are the other private Catholic schools and they don't play football.

The improvement of the Sun Belt is going to lead to something more sensible. If you look at CUSA and Sun Belt schedules there are some games that get played fairly regularly. I would wager that the big cheeses at Memphis, UAB, and USM more than once have had private talks amongst themselves of an ideal 9, 10 or 12 member conference and looked at the full roster of CUSA, Sun Belt and WAC member La.Tech.

If I were forced to guess I'd say that list includes UCF, ECU, and Houston. I'd think that if Marshall is on that list it is likely more out of loyalty and personal relationship. I'd bet the folks they've discussed at least fairly seriously are UNT, ASU, ULL, FAU, Troy, MT, WKU and probably La.Tech. I'd bet that FIU, ULM, UTEP, Tulsa, Rice, Tulane and SMU aren't anywhere close to that list.

NT80 · May 17, 2008

I would wager that the big cheeses at Memphis, UAB, and USM more than once have had private talks amongst themselves of an ideal 9, 10 or 12 member conference and looked at the full roster of CUSA, Sun Belt and WAC member La.Tech.
If I were forced to guess I'd say that list includes UCF, ECU, and Houston. I'd think that if Marshall is on that list it is likely more out of loyalty and personal relationship. I'd bet the folks they've discussed at least fairly seriously are UNT, ASU, ULL, FAU, Troy, MT, WKU and probably La.Tech. I'd bet that FIU, ULM, UTEP, Tulsa, Rice, Tulane and SMU aren't anywhere close to that list.

Has there been any rift in CUSA from Public schools vs Privates that would cause some breakup down the road? The Privates there seem to vote together as a block from what I've seen on different boards.

PlummMeanGreen · May 17, 2008

I think several on this forum saw the possibility of this happening as soon as UL left for the Big East.

Louisville will eventually sponsor Memphis'

candidacy for this to happen if they haven't already.

Funny how good collegiate neighbors very un$elfi$hly seem to do such things, now isn't it? :rolleyes:

Nevertheless...

GMG!

Arkstfan · May 17, 2008

Has there been any rift in CUSA from Public schools vs Privates that would cause some breakup down the road? The Privates there seem to vote together as a block from what I've seen on different boards.

I know they were bitterly divided over whether to support a 12 game season and a handful of other issues.

AnotherEagleFan · May 17, 2008

As I set forth before, Big East isn't adding a full member any time soon.
Why would they split football / basketball? The money works like it is. The football schools split the BCS riches amongst themselves and get the richest basketball conference in America to boot. Of the top 8 in the RPI in the league, four don't play football. The football schools get a better deal on bowls because Notre Dame participates in their bowl deals outside of the BCS but the schools most attractive to Notre Dame in basketball are the other private Catholic schools and they don't play football.
The improvement of the Sun Belt is going to lead to something more sensible. If you look at CUSA and Sun Belt schedules there are some games that get played fairly regularly. I would wager that the big cheeses at Memphis, UAB, and USM more than once have had private talks amongst themselves of an ideal 9, 10 or 12 member conference and looked at the full roster of CUSA, Sun Belt and WAC member La.Tech.
If I were forced to guess I'd say that list includes UCF, ECU, and Houston. I'd think that if Marshall is on that list it is likely more out of loyalty and personal relationship. I'd bet the folks they've discussed at least fairly seriously are UNT, ASU, ULL, FAU, Troy, MT, WKU and probably La.Tech. I'd bet that FIU, ULM, UTEP, Tulsa, Rice, Tulane and SMU aren't anywhere close to that list.

Tulane would definatley be in the mix. They are good in Baseball and usually fairly good in Basketball plus there is a lot of history there. I think Tulsa is higher on the list then Marshall. SMU was a mistake. We would try to get TCU back and I hear they want to come back if we can get the stability. I agree CUSA is looking at how to be more stable. We currently have the mix to be better then the Big East in everything except basketball.. UNT needs a new stadium and Baseball.

NT80 · May 17, 2008

SMU was a mistake.

Got that right! :lol:

Arkstfan · May 17, 2008

Tulane would definatley be in the mix. They are good in Baseball and usually fairly good in Basketball plus there is a lot of history there. I think Tulsa is higher on the list then Marshall. SMU was a mistake. We would try to get TCU back and I hear they want to come back if we can get the stability. I agree CUSA is looking at how to be more stable. We currently have the mix to be better then the Big East in everything except basketball.. UNT needs a new stadium and Baseball.

The problem is, Tulane was SMU's champion in the expansion. Memphis, TCU, and UAB wanted to add UCF and Marshall and be done and have 9 teams. Tulane wanted to add SMU, Rice, and Tulsa instead of Marshall and UCF. Tulsa was proffered as a compromise and Tulsa held firm that SMU and Rice be included and Tulane threatened to join the WAC if all three weren't included with TCU toying with the MWC that raised the possibility of CUSA losing its auto berth and all the basketball units earned being taken away and given to the schools that earned them rather than to the conference.

In the end they all got added and that sealed TCU's interest in the MWC.

The fans might like the history and rivalry with Tulane but at the level that matters (presidents and AD's) Tulane is a butt boil.