It's A Simple Question, Norm

[greenminer]

If the WAC was made of green cheese...

Not really. A recent post by RaiderintheZone inspires this simple pole*cough*poll.

Some here are convinced that NO MATTER WHAT, the Belt never passes the WAC. Is this true? Per ARKSTFAN:

I love the armchair experts touting the greatness of the WAC yet in the past five years at least six Division I-A institutions have examined membership in the WAC and turned it down and in the last decade 13 schools have abandoned the league.

RaiderintheZone says, to paraphrase "Stop kissing Water's ars. These defections/rejections don't change a thing."

...they don't? It might be ahead of the Belters right now, but I challenge someone to make a case of WAC - top to bottom - making progress.

I myself am not a WAC fan. Joining it seems a knee-jerk, myopic move with no real long term benefits. Maybe I am naive to think the numbers stated above reflect a negative perception of Benson and what he has done with the WAC the past 10-something years.

Edited July 7, 2008 by greenminer

[SilverEagle]

I'm wondering how high fuel prices have to go before people will stop talking about joining the WAC. As it is, all of us in the Metroplex might have to start working out ride share arrangements just to get to Denton.

[NT80]

The WAC as is, is a bad fit for UNT. Many can argue that the SBC, as is, is also a bad fit for UNT. The nearest SBC conference mate is nearly 300 miles away, and extends on up to 1500+ miles from Denton. The best UNT can hope for is a reshuffle of CUSA/WAC/SBC to make more geographic sense, or a Big12 south invite, take your pick.

[Guest GrayEagleOne]

If I understand this poll it's not about our joining or not joining the WAC; only who's sthe stronger conference.

In spite of the three duds from the Belt, the WAC still wins, although we inch up a little closer.

Over the last three seasons (loss of New Mexico State, Utah State, Idaho and the addition of the two Floridas, the Sun Belt teams won 118 and lost 173 for a winning percentage of .341. The last three seasons in the WAC show a combined 160-176 for a percentage of .476. This past season the Sun Belt won 38 and lost 59 which raised the winning percentage a whopping .050. Last year's winning percentage for the WAC was .478; .02 higher than the three years combined.

The three exiles from the Sun Belt had a combined 21-86 record over the last three. The combined record of the six member without the Sun Belt additions would have resulted in a winning percentage of .607. So you see, we actually improved the Sun Belt by sending the WAC three of our lowest teams, although they did fare a little better in the Belt than they are in the WAC.

So there's my football case for the WAC but I don't have the records in other sports.

[Travis]

I can't answer this... I would say no if it was just us. Yes if it was us plus three or four others from the belt.

[MDH]

BSU, FSU, UH and UNR could woop up on or beat any of the SBelt (although I'd like to see UNR and Troy battle it out). With the exit of BSU and FSU in the near future it then becomes a little closer but WAC is still better.

[Mean Green 93-98]

My understanding of this poll is quite different than the two previously posted. I do not understand this poll to be asking which conference is the better fit for UNT. I do not understand this poll to be asking which is the stronger conference currently. I understand this poll to be asking whether the WAC would continue to be a stronger conference than the Sun Belt over the coming years, or whether the Belt will overtake them.

[Mean Green 93-98]

BSU, FSU, UH and UNR could woop up on or beat any of the SBelt (although I'd like to see UNR and Troy battle it out). With the exit of BSU and FSU in the near future it then becomes a little closer but WAC is still better.

Who's UNR?

[MeanGreen61]

Who's UNR?

Nevada

[Mean Green 93-98]

Nevada

Gotcha--Reno. Thanks.