Go Back to SBC? Might as well give up

[Harry]

Consider a few facts about those three leagues.

Five C-USA football teams went to bowl games last season, and they went 4-1. So did five teams from the Mountain West. They also finished with four wins in five tries. The Sun Belt sent three teams to the postseason and went 1-2.

Over the last two seasons, four different Conference USA football teams finished the season ranked in the top 25. Only three other leagues had more: the SEC, Big Ten and Big 12.

The differences are even more striking in basketball. As of Saturday's conference RPI rankings on WarrenNolan.com., the Mountain West was the No. 5 league in the land, just behind the SEC and ahead of the ACC. Conference USA was No. 9, one spot ahead of the Pac-12.

The Sun Belt? No. 19. Six of the eight Mountain West teams and seven of the 12 C-USA teams had a higher RPI than the No. 2 team in the Sun Belt.

Oh, and Craig Thompson didn't leave the Mountain West to become commissioner of the Sun Belt. He left the Sun Belt to become commissioner of the Mountain West. One more thing. Mackin said that "most" of the Sun Belt schools had inquired about joining Conference USA.

Sure, the rosters of C-USA and the Mountain West are changing, and they're losing quality programs such as Memphis, Houston and San Diego State. That's why a merger makes so much sense. Together, they'll be stronger.

This is no time for UAB to go back. Going back is almost giving up, and giving up, whether the suggestion comes from inside or out, is not part of UAB's DNA. If it was, Bartow never would've kick-started this start-up in the first place.

Read more: http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/02/go_back_to_the_sun_belt_uab_mi.html

[shaft]

UAB has has one winning season in the last decade. Their not really in a position to throw stones.

[Rudy]

They may not even have a choice in the matter if their state legislature has any say in the matter.