More Merger Talk

shaft · January 15, 2012

Dennis Dodds at CBS Sports seems to be the only one covering the merger. Looks like everyone else is just waiting on the official press release.

http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6270202/34396819

Big East eying Temple & Navy

That really limits eastern merger candidates, which should help UNT's chances.

DeepGreen · January 15, 2012

Too bad University of North Texas never comes out with something that tells everyone UNT is positioning itself for CUSA membership. We just don't get it, do we?

LT Positions Itself

Side Show Joe · January 15, 2012

Too bad University of North Texas never comes out with something that tells everyone UNT is positioning itself for CUSA membership. We just don't get it, do we?

LT Positions Itself

Although I know the article was written as a positive story for LA Tech, I didn't read it that way. If that was their proposal to C-USA, they should get left out again. Their budget is still terrible. They still have no market. We have invested more money into our facilities. We have more students enrolled at UNT, then there are LA Tech alumni in a 250 mile radius of their school. If we made a proposal to C-USA, we have to be in a better position then LA Tech.

As long as we can keep McCarney or a coach of his ability, North Texas will continue to improve and become a team that can compete against the top teams in any non-AQ conference. If C-USA moves to expand, I honestly believe we will be ahead of LA Tech when it comes to getting an invite.

But, to be totally honest, I'd feel much better if we heard something from our athletic department regarding where we stand in all of this.

DeepGreen · January 16, 2012

Although I know the article was written as a positive story for LA Tech, I didn't read it that way. If that was their proposal to C-USA, they should get left out again. Their budget is still terrible. They still have no market. We have invested more money into our facilities. We have more students enrolled at UNT, then there are LA Tech alumni in a 250 mile radius of their school. If we made a proposal to C-USA, we have to be in a better position then LA Tech.

As long as we can keep McCarney or a coach of his ability, North Texas will continue to improve and become a team that can compete against the top teams in any non-AQ conference. If C-USA moves to expand, I honestly believe we will be ahead of LA Tech when it comes to getting an invite.

But, to be totally honest, I'd feel much better if we heard something from our athletic department regarding where we stand in all of this.

That's my point. What is UNT waiting for. THE TIME IS NOW!

GTWT · January 16, 2012

That's my point. What is UNT waiting for. THE TIME IS NOW!

Why assume UNT isn't doing everything necessary to position our program for a new conference? Negotiations are often best done in private.

GBT

DeepGreen · January 16, 2012

Anyone know.where RV was today? If not, there is no way to know if he didn't present to the CUSA presidents or for.the.merger/alliance search committee...

Yeh, you're right and I shouldn't panic. RV's on top of things.

UNTflyer · January 16, 2012

Anyone know.where RV was today? If not, there is no way to know if he didn't present to the CUSA presidents or for.the.merger/alliance search committee...

There's also no way to know that he didn't audition for "So You Think You Can Dance?"

SHOSS · January 16, 2012

There's also no way to know that he didn't audition for "So You Think You Can Dance?"

Funny, I just saw him on an episode of ow my balls..

shaft · January 16, 2012

No, we clearly missed an opportunity to run a positive PR piece today.

cwb · January 16, 2012

No, we clearly missed an opportunity to run a positive PR piece today.

Yeah, the last round we were so on top of it with Trilli telling recruits that we were moving to CUSA. Maybe this way we won't look so foolish.

GrayEagle · January 16, 2012

Why would we think that we are doing nothing? If presentations were made in the newspaper then, yeah, make it known post haste. I'm sure that both CUSA and the MWC know us backwards and forwards, strengths and weaknesses, beauty spots and warts.

Is the CUSA office not 30 minutes from our campus? Wasn't Britton Banowsky an associate commissioner of the Sun Belt? Wasn't Lane Rawlins a former NCAA board member? Hasn't Rick Villareal heard ad nauseum that we need a better conference to enhance attendance and pay for Apogee? Isn't Neinas Sports Services under contract to advance our cause? If not, would one of our Irving alums drive over to Las Colinas and tell the Conference USA office that there's a university 25 miles to the north that would like to speak to you.

I agree that if the conference(s) expand to 20 or 24 teams Louisiana Tech should be included. Football-wise, they have a strong case but in perhaps all other areas...not so much. Academically they rank 104th in the FBS based on incoming freshmen's SAT scores. They would be second in location based on mileage but they are much more difficult to travel to. Their TV market, even if they could include Shreveport, would still be behind several other candidates. They are the second smallest public university in the FBS...ahead of only their neighbor to the east ULM. Their budget/revenue is among the smallest in the FBS. To their credit though they have learned to live within their means.

Sorry for the rant but that's no doubt the way others would feel about us (minus any facts) should we toot our own horn in public. Maybe that's why we are keeping quiet.

Harry · January 16, 2012

Just rummaging around the internet, I see no school - other than La. Tech - actively promoting themselves for a spot in CUSA like this through the media. I think part of the issue is the shaky ground the WAC sits on for football. Most of the conceivable scenarios for football don't look good for the WAC and most indicate they will have to shut their doors. So in a sense, La. Tech is sort of backed into a corner and has nothing to lose. If they don't get into CUSA they most likely will have to come back to the Sun Belt with hat in hand. This promotion will make it easier to tell their fan base they tried.

I really don't know that the Shreveport Times article will do much to sway the opinions of the voters though. That article read like it was coming directly from the La. Tech AD.

NorthTexan95 · January 16, 2012

Just rummaging around the internet, I see no school - other than La. Tech - actively promoting themselves for a spot in CUSA like this through the media. I think part of the issue is the shaky ground the WAC sits on for football. Most of the conceivable scenarios for football don't look good for the WAC and most indicate they will have to shut their doors. So in a sense, La. Tech is sort of backed into a corner and has nothing to lose. If they don't get into CUSA they most likely will have to come back to the Sun Belt with hat in hand. This promotion will make it easier to tell their fan base they tried.

I really don't know that the Shreveport Times article will do much to sway the opinions of the voters though. That article read like it was coming directly from the La. Tech AD.

I think you make some excellent points, Harry.

shaft · January 16, 2012

I like our fans trying to spin this.

What LA Tech did was a good idea, we wish we would have done this it.

VideoEagle · January 16, 2012

I like our fans trying to spin this.
What LA Tech did was a good idea, we wish we would have done this it.

Not sure how many mergers/acquisitions you have been involved with. The real action ALWAYS takes place quietly, behind closed doors without any publicity. When thing go public, there is ALWAYS a problem.

shutter · January 16, 2012

I hope so Vid, but it seems NT has been left behind so many times its hard to be optimistic. I will still go to the games, club member and season ticket holder.

shaft · January 16, 2012

Not sure how many mergers/acquisitions you have been involved with. The real action ALWAYS takes place quietly, behind closed doors without any publicity. When thing go public, there is ALWAYS a problem.

Yeah, because someone else is going to swoop in and buy up all our stock and raise the price.

Let's face it, we missed a chance for a well timed PR move.

This weekend's meeting wasn't the final close to the final meeting. It was the 90 day mark from when they announced the merger meeting. But LA Tech showed why they are the front runner.

emmitt01 · January 16, 2012

Look, I get it. A lot goes on behind closed doors. But NOTHING regarding NT has been mentioned. No blogs of questionable repute spouting hearsay or scuttlebutt. No individual blogger floating a rumor he heard at a pub from his "inside source." Nothing.

If we'll all recall, the Texas to Pac12 rumors were out there LONG before anything was official...and that didn't even come true! SMU's move was "leaked" way before anything was official. There is nothing, nada, zip out there about NT making a move. Not even a story that RV or Rawlins can neither confirm nor deny.

Where there is smoke there is fire. As it is I'm looking directly at the house and don't even see a kid playing with matches.

GreenFlag · January 16, 2012

I hope so Vid, but it seems NT has been left behind so many times its hard to be optimistic. I will still go to the games, club member and season ticket holder.

We have been left behind so many times before because we did not have the institutional commitment to add any value to another conference. Things are different now. We now have the facilities and budget to compete at a higher level. At least we can be considered a serious candidate now. With that being said, we just need to keep doing what we are doing and we'll be fine whether it's in the MWC, CUSA, or the Sun Belt.

I know the AD and Prez are doing everything they can to improve our situation.

GrayEagle · January 16, 2012

Okay, this has been reported as factual...Craig Thompson was quoted that he wanted to extend the Mountain West Conference as far east as Texas. At the time no mention had been made of UTEP switching conferences so he must have talking about North Texas.

So there's your rumor...North Texas to the MWC. You're free to take it and run with it. Post it daily if you like. That should help get us in.

Daddy Dumpsalot · January 16, 2012

Anyone know.where RV was today? If not, there is no way to know if he didn't present to the CUSA presidents or for.the.merger/alliance search committee...

He was probably meeting with Sunbelt officials on how we can make this conference a dominant power house....

...among the FCS.

wardly · January 16, 2012

Okay, this has been reported as factual...Craig Thompson was quoted that he wanted to extend the Mountain West Conference as far east as Texas. At the time no mention had been made of UTEP switching conferences so he must have talking about North Texas.

So there's your rumor...North Texas to the MWC. You're free to take it and run with it. Post it daily if you like. That should help get us in.

probably talking about UTSA, but your point is well taken, at least by some.

Mean Green Matt · January 16, 2012

He was probably meeting with Sunbelt officials on how we can make this conference a dominant power house....

...among the FCS.

As much as I hate the Sun Belt with everything in me, I think it is undeniable that the conference is at least improving.

GrayEagle · January 16, 2012

probably talking about UTSA, but your point is well taken, at least by some.

I suppose it could have been but people have to realize that UTSA won't be in the FBS until 2014. Expansion talk that would include them in an above entry-level conference is way premature.

DJstars21 · January 16, 2012

Look, I get it. A lot goes on behind closed doors. But NOTHING regarding NT has been mentioned. No blogs of questionable repute spouting hearsay or scuttlebutt. No individual blogger floating a rumor he heard at a pub from his "inside source." Nothing.

If we'll all recall, the Texas to Pac12 rumors were out there LONG before anything was official...and that didn't even come true! SMU's move was "leaked" way before anything was official. There is nothing, nada, zip out there about NT making a move. Not even a story that RV or Rawlins can neither confirm nor deny.

Where there is smoke there is fire. As it is I'm looking directly at the house and don't even see a kid playing with matches.

I hated having to +1 you on that, but you speak the truth.