Why The Wac Should Consider A Meaner Greener Future

[MeanGreen61]

FWIW a Bleacher Report article posted on the Belt board by Space Raider.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/401022-why-the-wac-should-consider-a-meaner-greener-future

[MDH]

Well, he sold me. I like his proposed divisions and the idea of a predominately Texas division.

[DeepGreen]

I have a problem with a conference that includes UTSA (no football team), and Texas State - San Marcus. And before you blast my being above those schools, let me remind everyone we have been 1A for a long, long time. And that includes pre and post 1AA purgatory. We may not be good in football, but like my La Tech friends say, we need to "separate ouselves" from UTSA TSU-San Marcus.

Like the writer says, we have a huge student body, large alumni base, a new stadium coming on stream in 2011, all new athletic facilities in most other sports, and an athletic fee kicking in soon that will give us a larger budget to work with. RV should be taking these positives and sell other conferences on UNT. Gentlemen, all UNT needs is a crack at a better conference.

[MeanMag]

all UNT needs is a crack at a better conference.

And maybe a better football coach?

[TheTastyGreek]

The WAC already wanted a meaner greener past. WE didn't want THEM. And it was the right decision.

Now, Boise is hypothetically gone, and this idea lumps us in with UTSA, Texas State, I think I saw Lamar mentioned when I very briefly skimmed the article...

Pass. Pass, pass, pass.

The WAC with Boise was a bad idea. The wreckage of a post-Boise WAC plus half the Southland Conference is even worse.

[UNTGuy5]

I'm down with any move that saves us from the Sun Belt. The plan he lays out sounds pretty fair to me. It would certainly give us some consistent, regional matchups that we've been missing. Hopefully driving up attendance, and media coverage. (Do we currently get any at all?)

[Daddy Dumpsalot]

The WAC already wanted a meaner greener past. WE didn't want THEM. And it was the right decision.

Now, Boise is hypothetically gone, and this idea lumps us in with UTSA, Texas State, I think I saw Lamar mentioned when I very briefly skimmed the article...

Pass. Pass, pass, pass.

The WAC with Boise was a bad idea. The wreckage of a post-Boise WAC plus half the Southland Conference is even worse.

Yes. We are in a much better, stronger, conference with stronger traditions, higher budgets, and better attendance.

I say (assuming the WAC even still wants us) we use their invite as leverage to get into the CUSA. If the CUSA is not interested then we accept.

I also will say that I would like to think that we are light years ahead of UTSA and TXST but that may not be the case. But I don't like the idea of playing in a conference with them either.

[DeepGreen]

The WAC already wanted a meaner greener past. WE didn't want THEM. And it was the right decision.

Now, Boise is hypothetically gone, and this idea lumps us in with UTSA, Texas State, I think I saw Lamar mentioned when I very briefly skimmed the article...

Pass. Pass, pass, pass.

The WAC with Boise was a bad idea. The wreckage of a post-Boise WAC plus half the Southland Conference is even worse.

Tasty, this thread could go down in Mean Green history. We actually agree on something.

Peace!

[MeanGoingGreen]

The WAC already wanted a meaner greener past. WE didn't want THEM. And it was the right decision.

Now, Boise is hypothetically gone, and this idea lumps us in with UTSA, Texas State, I think I saw Lamar mentioned when I very briefly skimmed the article...

Pass. Pass, pass, pass.

The WAC with Boise was a bad idea. The wreckage of a post-Boise WAC plus half the Southland Conference is even worse.

You can keep your head in the sand all you want.

If we stay in the SunBelt, and either of those schools jumps to FBS, we are in trouble.

Take SWT for example. How far behind are they from us? They too are updating their football stadium, built new softball and baseball complexes, updating facilities, $20 million dollar budget, etc etc etc

All they need is a conference invite come 2011.

Like I said, either embrace them or run faster (wac).

[MeanMag]

Have to say, if you are scared of those schools, we are already in trouble.

[RETSO]

No, NO, No, No, No , No , No, Never, Never, Never NO!

[MeanGoingGreen]

... or we can just go to the WAC and stay out of trouble

[UNTflyer]

The WAC already wanted a meaner greener past. WE didn't want THEM. And it was the right decision.

Now, Boise is hypothetically gone, and this idea lumps us in with UTSA, Texas State, I think I saw Lamar mentioned when I very briefly skimmed the article...

Pass. Pass, pass, pass.

The WAC with Boise was a bad idea. The wreckage of a post-Boise WAC plus half the Southland Conference is even worse.

I agree. I want nothing to do with the WAC if it means we drag a bunch of I-AA teams with us.

However, I DO like the idea of joining the WAC if they can grab UTEP, Tulsa, and Arkansas State.

[MeanMag]

I agree. I want nothing to do with the WAC if it means we drag a bunch of I-AA teams with us.

However, I DO like the idea of joining the WAC if they can grab UTEP, Tulsa, and Arkansas State.

Yes, it's a completely different conference if that happens. The only way a WAC move makes sense is if current 1-A regional teams come with.

If we make decisions based on our own fans seemingly growing sense of penis envy of Southwest Texas State San Marcos University and University of Texas San Antonio Road Runners we're going to be in a world of regret. How about we do what makes the most sense for us at the time of offer?

[Mean Green 93-98]

However, I DO like the idea of joining the WAC if they can grab UTEP, Tulsa, and Arkansas State.

Well, sure, but why would UTEP and Tulsa leave C-USA to be demoted to the WAC?

[MeanMag]

Well, sure, but why would UTEP and Tulsa leave C-USA to be demoted to the WAC?

They might not have a choice if CUSA gets raided.

[Mean Green 93-98]

They might not have a choice if CUSA gets raided.

If things got to the point that the WAC could cherry-pick the teams they wanted out of a defunct C-USA, I doubt the WAC would be very interested in North Texas. Especially if SMU said, "We'll come back to the WAC, but not if it includes that teacher's college up I-35."

[MeanMag]

If things got to the point that the WAC could cherry-pick the teams they wanted out of a defunct C-USA, I doubt the WAC would be very interested in North Texas. Especially if SMU said, "We'll come back to the WAC, but not if it includes that teacher's college up I-35."

It just depends on who jumps first. It could be that SMU would be off the table by the time that happened.

[UNTflyer]

Well, sure, but why would UTEP and Tulsa leave C-USA to be demoted to the WAC?

Let's say the Big 12 saves itself from extinction by raiding CUSA/MWC... It takes SMU, Houston, Rice, Tulane, TCU, and Southern Miss.

The WAC gets UTEP, UNT, Arkansas State, and Tulsa to make a 12-team conference with a Pacific and Southwest division.

[ForneyGreen]

I agree. I want nothing to do with the WAC if it means we drag a bunch of I-AA teams with us.

However, I DO like the idea of joining the WAC if they can grab UTEP, Tulsa, and Arkansas State.

The upcoming conference shake-ups are a chance for us to move up in the college sports world. The article about a meaner greener WAC is an interesting view, but from a UNT point of view, it is based on the flawed view that WAC membership brings more prestige than Sun Belt membership. I really don't think that folks in DFW (or Texas for that matter) really care any more about the WAC than the Sun Belt.

We need to think bigger... what if the newest PAC-10 rumors are true and between 4-6 Big 12 teams end up moving? What does the Big 12 do at that point to survive (or does it survive at all)? I'm not suggesting that we would end up in a weakened Big 12, but the potential domino effect is incredible.

I really think we are very close to CUSA membership if the domino effect takes any CUSA members. If that member was SMU, then I think we're in.

At this point, I would view the WAC as a survival-only move - we can and should do better.

[Mean Green 93-98]

Let's say the Big 12 saves itself from extinction by raiding CUSA/MWC... It takes SMU, Houston, Rice, Tulane, TCU, and Southern Miss.

The WAC gets UTEP, UNT, Arkansas State, and Tulsa to make a 12-team conference with a Pacific and Southwest division.

Again, I would jump at it if it happened, but I just don't see it happening. Kansas and Nebraska certainly don't see SMU, Rice, or Tulane as remotely in their class. I could see Houston and TCU, to keep a foot in the major Texas markets; but I think they would rather go back to being a "Big 8" than watering down their conference that significantly as to add the others.

But yes, I would love to be playing UTEP, Tulsa, SMU, etc. on a yearly basis.

[GrayEagle]

Again, I would jump at it if it happened, but I just don't see it happening. Kansas and Nebraska certainly don't see SMU, Rice, or Tulane as remotely in their class. I could see Houston and TCU, to keep a foot in the major Texas markets; but I think they would rather go back to being a "Big 8" than watering down their conference that significantly as to add the others.

But yes, I would love to be playing UTEP, Tulsa, SMU, etc. on a yearly basis.

Where does Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, Baylor and maybe Nebraska go? Do they see themselves as the equal of UNLV, San Diego State, Wyoming and New Mexico? They're going to wind up with some conference mates that they wouldn't want under normal circumstances. They'll just have to make the best of a bad situation.

[GrayEagle]

The WAC is an improvement over where we are now. I don't embrace Tobi's proposed alignment but neither do I condemn it.

Until we know what the Big 10, Big East, SEC, and the ACC do we won't know how it will affect CUSA. Maybe it'll be something that we want and maybe not.

I just hope that we will be proactive and at least try to aim for the best situation for us. Pick six or eight colleges close to us and try to align with as many of those as we can.

Division 1-AA schools may not be affected by any realignment done this year and if they are it will be because they have great potential. While we don't want a glut of FCS universities in one conference one or two might work. If current members can stand it so can we. If not, it won't happen anyway.

Just keep those scenarios coming. This is a fun time.

[UNTflyer]

Pick six or eight colleges close to us and try to align with as many of those as we can.

You mean schools like UALR, Arkansas State, Louisiana-Monroe, Louisiana-Lafayette, Texas State, Lamar, and UTSA?

This Big 12 shakeup does not bode well for us at all. I had always looked at realignment as an opportunity for us to get into a mid-level conference like MWC or CUSA because mid-major teams would be the only available options for them to choose from. But with the Big 12 shattering into pieces, those mid-level conferences suddenly have prettier prom dates to choose from.

I think MWC will now aggressively pursue Kansas and Kansas State to make a 12-team conference with an invite to Boise State as well. A fight over TCU may break out between the SEC and MWC, especially if A&M goes to the SEC.

Meanwhile, if CUSA breaks up with the East Coast teams running away, the WAC may suddenly look to SMU, Houston, UTEP, Tulsa and Rice instead of North Texas.

[Side Show Joe]

Circumstances surrounding this round of realignment are changing daily. Three days ago I would not have believed the Pac10 would attempt to absorb half of the Big 12. The arguments for and against a conference move are based on the information available at the time. I too think a dismantled Big 12 creates a whole new set of opportunities for North Texas. With it looking like Missouri and Nebraska will probably leave for the Big 10, and now the Pac 10's move, I think there are a few question we need to find the answers to before we make a choice that will effect our potential for success in the long term.

1. What are Baylor, Kansas State, Kansas, and Iowa State planning to do in response? They may go to the MWC or try to reform the Big 12.

2. Would the Mega Pac 16, effect the SEC's expansion plan? I don't think they want a West Coast BSC conference claiming Texas all for themselves.

3. Would the demise of the Big 12 be the straw that broke the C-USA in half? I could see every Texas school defecting for a chance to join the remaining Big 12 schools.

I think we have a fair understanding of where the Big 10 and Pac 10 are heading. When the SEC shows its cards, then we can really start to debate where our best opportunities are. I still think the WAC is an option we should not dismiss, but given the new circumstances regarding the Pac 10 and Big 12, it would be a mistake not to step back and re-evaluate our options.;

Edited June 4, 2010 by Side Show Joe