Building Alliances.....

[akriesman]

Obviously, none of us really knows what is taking place behind closed doors at NT. In the forum, we keep arguing about which conference is best for us right now and in the long run.

The overriding theme has always been to try and force our way into CUSA, so that we can be with our more natural rivals (i.e. SMU).

With all the back-stabbing and conference realignments that are taking place now, we really don't know which conference is best for us in the long run. We could finally get our invite to CUSA, only to see SMU and Houston bolt for another conference. At that point, is CUSA that much better than the Sun-Belt ?

As much as we all want to have SMU as a travel partner, it's not going to happen if they don't want us. That same goes for any other regional school (i.e. Houston) that we want to have as conference mates.

Instead of worrying about a better conference right now, I hope that our administration is building alliances with other growing universities that are in a similar situtation. We need to align ourselves with other programs that can see a mutual benefit from having us as conference mates. These alliances and friendships could stabilize our situation, if things continue to crumble at the mid-major level.

For example, instead of fighting with Louisiana Tech for a spot in CUSA, I hope that we are working harder to create a partnership with them. Both schools are very similar and can benefit mutually due to the regional proximity. Perhaps we can agree to partner up and find a beneficial conference that will take both schools.

I used LT as an example. But, the same could be true for Houston, UTEP, etc. Maybe these schools want nothing to do with us. If true, we need to find schools that we can provide mutual benefit with.

We have a huge student population. Our basketball program is fast becoming one of the top programs in the region. Our football team SHOULD begin to rebound this season. Our sports facilities are excellent, with the crown jewel (stadium) opening next season. These improvements alone won't make us attractive to major programs. But, they should make us very attractive to other rising universities in a similar situation.

Here is my point. I hope that we are not rushing to find the best situation (conference) for us right now, unless we have solid commitments from those schools (regional partners) that we are trying to align ourselves with.

Louisiana Tech is a good example of what can happen, when things start to fall apart around you. Right now they have nothing. The top schools in then WAC have already moved on. They have no travel or regional partners. We are in a much better solution right now than LT.

I also don't think we should be belittling the Sun-Belt right now. To be honest, most of the schools in our conference are on similar paths as NT. A lot of schools in this conference are improving facilities and really trying to improve their athletic programs overall. Maybe it is time to stick together in the Sun-Belt and add a couple of good candidates (i.e. LT), instead of having everyone constantly looking for greener pastures.

[Mean Green 93-98]

We could finally get our invite to CUSA, only to see SMU and Houston bolt for another conference. At that point, is CUSA that much better than the Sun-Belt ?

Yep.