Tim Cowlishaw Top 6 Big 12 Expansion Candidates

[Harry]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/college-sports/headlines/20110817-tim-cowlishaw_s-6-possible-expansion-targets-for-the-big-12-to-consider.ece

[UNTMike81]

What an SMU homer!!

[All About UNT]

I don't see much wrong with list?

[Keith7]

I don't see much wrong with list?

I don't see the point in this list. Just repeating what everybody already knows.

[MeanGreen61]

6. SMU Sounds good at moment but small stadium, alumni base makes unrealistic

[oldschoollefty]

At least one of the commenters had a little sense. I would only put Notre Dame, BYU, and TCU clearly ahead of North Texas. Louisville and Air Force, even or slightly ahead, and SMU...*giggle*

[NM Green]

Agreed. When you look at big picture I don't see why anyone would want to elevate and invite a program like SMU or Tulane or Tulsa. Programs like North Texas, UTSA are much more attractive based on size of alumni bases and potential. If UTSA plans on 50,000 for their opener, don't you think given the right line up they could be a great program to partner with. Now I am not talking Big 12 with UTSA because Texas is right there, but the Big 12 targets should be Boise and BYU. North Texas is a better target than SMU if they were interested in a DFW school. TCU is only a good target because of football.

On a separate note I get the UNLV updates and they had a strange message the other day talking about bracing for conference realignment. It was almost as if they were preparing fans for a Boise to bolt. Strange message from the AD with a weird vibe.

Big 12: go get Boise, BYU, TCU and Air Force. Come get us here at North Texas. Heck Air Force almost took it Oklahoma in Norman. If you want a destination city, bowl game and solid hoops program go get UNLV. Big 10 teams love to come to Vegas for football games early in the season - heck all of those programs in the Big 12 would love to have some trips to Sin City for football and basketball games. There are lot of options out there 150 times better than picking up small private schools.

Rock Apogee 9.10.11

GMG

[LongJim]

BYU is the only team on the list with any realistic shot.

[meanJewGreen]

we may have large alumni numbers, but we don't act like it. Let's fill the stadium and turn our potential into action

[Mean Green 93-98]

BYU is the only team on the list with any realistic shot.

I know you are posting this based on good information, but I'm not sure what your information is. Why do you think TCU wouldn't have a good shot? Almost everything that made them an attractive candidate to the Big East should make them attractive to the Big 12. And plucking them from the Big East before they ever get there will keep the Big East from making recruiting gains into the state.

[ColoradoEagle]

I know you are posting this based on good information, but I'm not sure what your information is. Why do you think TCU wouldn't have a good shot? Almost everything that made them an attractive candidate to the Big East should make them attractive to the Big 12. And plucking them from the Big East before they ever get there will keep the Big East from making recruiting gains into the state.

Well, that's not entirely accurate. What made TCU so attractive to the Big East was a one-two punch that managed to solidify their own claim to being an AQ conference while removing legitimacy from the MWC's pursuit of AQ status.

If TCU weren't in that unique position, I don't see them getting the Big East invite.

[bstnsportsfan3]

we may have large alumni numbers, but we don't act like it. Let's fill the stadium and turn our potential into action

THIS!!!!

[LongJim]

I know you are posting this based on good information, but I'm not sure what your information is. Why do you think TCU wouldn't have a good shot? Almost everything that made them an attractive candidate to the Big East should make them attractive to the Big 12.

No, they're not really the same. The reason they're attractive to the Big East is because of their location--Texas--which delivers the DFW DMA to the Big East, along with an inroad to Texas recruits for the other conference members.

However, their location is NOT a postive for Big 12 inclusion. They're not seen by the Big 12 as delivering enough in the way of TV's that aren't already delivered by existing Big 12 schools. Nothing against their program, at all.

[Mean Green 93-98]

No, they're not really the same. The reason they're attractive to the Big East is because of their location--Texas--which delivers the DFW DMA to the Big East, along with an inroad to Texas recruits for the other conference members.

However, their location is NOT a postive for Big 12 inclusion. They're not seen by the Big 12 as delivering enough in the way of TV's that aren't already delivered by existing Big 12 schools. Nothing against their program, at all.

But wouldn't the Big 12 want to keep the Big East from making those inroads into Texas via TCU? Kind of the "kill or be killed" mentality?

[LongJim]

But wouldn't the Big 12 want to keep the Big East from making those inroads into Texas via TCU? Kind of the "kill or be killed" mentality?

That's a legitimate point, but I think the answer is that the Big East isn't really seen as a threat. Oh, they'll get some recruits from the state, but they're seen as more of an incursion at the level of say a CUSA-level conference rather than an SEC/Big10/PAC10.

OU/Texas/OSU are not worried about being out recruited by any team in the Big East. They may suffer a little in basketball, but IMO, it would be negligible, and it's a much better alternative than cutting another slice of the pie for a program that doesn't open another TV market.

[PlummMeanGreen]

http://www.dallasnew...to-consider.ece

And while those 6 are dreaming about the Big 12 is another golden opportunity for North Texas to tell the Mountain West Conferences Commish Craig Thompson: "We are as good a fit for your league than many of the 6 the Big 12 are supposed to be looking at and we feel like we would bring much to the table in your league."

Coach Johnny Jones Mean Green baskeball program is our school's shining star which most of us on this forum believe will be joined by Coach Mac's football program sooner than later.

Being in a league that has had any of its members in a BSC bowl once or twice or more is an advancment for North Texas IMO. The MWC Boise State has broken the BCS bowl barrier that some FBS leagues are probably 10 or more years away from breaking.

I love CUSA and its proximity but still the SMU problem may always be our albatross, but even a CUSA school may be as far from a BCS bowl invite as any from the Sun Belt because of our own lack of respect from major media sports scribes who make things like Top 25 rankings happen. Our league has not had one inside that lofty group of football schools in our existence albeit I believe Troy U received a handful of votes among many other schools with a few votes one year.

Edited August 18, 2011 by PlummMeanGreen

[Mean Green 93-98]

That's a legitimate point, but I think the answer is that the Big East isn't really seen as a threat. Oh, they'll get some recruits from the state, but they're seen as more of an incursion at the level of say a CUSA-level conference rather than an SEC/Big10/PAC10.

OU/Texas/OSU are not worried about being out recruited by any team in the Big East. They may suffer a little in basketball, but IMO, it would be negligible, and it's a much better alternative than cutting another slice of the pie for a program that doesn't open another TV market.

Thanks for the insight.

Of course, based on that reasoning, North Texas will never have a chance to get in the Big 12 (in anything near its present form) even if we start winning BCS bowls and selling out a 50k seat stadium.

[eppy4life]

I don't see the point in this list. Just repeating what everybody already knows.

Post a 2 minute blog entry ranking college football programs (no matter what's being ranked) and you'll get many page views. Especially if you open it up for comments.

[LongJim]

"It may discourage diehard alums who pine for the old SWC days, but Del Conte is not sitting by the telephone all day, waiting for the Big 12 to call.

Sources have confirmed that the Big 12 has already informed TCU that it would not be considered in the event that Texas A&M leaves...Again, let me offer an educated guess -- the league will invite BYU. Having dipped their toes in the chilling waters of independence, the BYU family, also beholden to ESPN, would likely race to join a BCS league."

Gil Lebreton in FWST This AM

Edited August 19, 2011 by LongJim

[LongJim]

Of course, based on that reasoning, North Texas will never have a chance to get in the Big 12 (in anything near its present form) even if we start winning BCS bowls and selling out a 50k seat stadium.

I think that's probably correct. But you know what? Who cares? UNT can take care of its business and build its brand wherever they are, and pull a Boise or a TCU themselves. Nothing says that UNT ever has to be in a conference with the aTm's, OU's and UT's of the world. Dominate your league and make people start demanding tickets and TV, and see where it gets you. That's what UNT has to focus on--building itself up by increasing support and winning consistently. In the past, it always appeared to me that Fouts was not the "in" place to be on Saturdays. That, I believe, is going to change in a hurry with Apogee.

[untjim1995]

I think that's probably correct. But you know what? Who cares? UNT can take care of its business and build its brand wherever they are, and pull a Boise or a TCU themselves. Nothing says that UNT ever has to be in a conference with the aTm's, OU's and UT's of the world. Dominate your league and make people start demanding tickets and TV, and see where it gets you. That's what UNT has to focus on--building itself up by increasing support and winning consistently. In the past, it always appeared to me that Fouts was not the "in" place to be on Saturdays. That, I believe, is going to change in a hurry with Apogee.

This is dead-on. UH will never be in the Big XII because the conference already owns the Houston market, even if A&M leaves. Its the same for us. TCU has proven all of this, as their own AD admitted when they joined the Big East that being in DFW would have never gotten them a Big 12 invite, so they have had to go other directions. Now, if the big Texas schools leave and the other teams remain (OU, KU, MU, etc..), then some of those MWC/CUSA schools and TCU would probably get calls in a heartbeat, since the remianing schools would have to get Texas schools into the conference. Its doubtful that would happen, though.