Here's what just happened

meangreenbob · February 15, 2012

The WAC and the Sun Belt just merged, the teams in the new conference will be determined by the ones left after the new CUSA/MWC alliance cherry picks the Belt.

Probably has been in the planning for a long time.

Edited February 15, 2012 by meangreenbob

UNT90 · February 15, 2012

So depressing.

meangreenbob · February 15, 2012

I know I posted on another thread that I was unhappy about Benson being the new commish of the Belt but maybe smarter minds prevailed and they realized what needed to be done to protect all the current members of the Belt and Wac.

The fact that the Sun Belt teams are all really being quiet about wanting to get into the alliance is another smart move by all the members of the Belt.

Think we might be OK!

MDH · February 15, 2012

Did I miss something? Source?

shutter · February 15, 2012

Really, don't post this stuff without a source.

UNT90 · February 15, 2012

The source quacks, waddles, and has feathers.

keith · February 15, 2012

It's all being done "behind the scenes." Lots of lobbying and stuff. Don't worry, everything's fine.

Keith

greenjoe · February 15, 2012

How much did Wright Waters make as Commissioner of the Sun Belt, how much did Karl Benson make as Comish of the WAC and how much will Benson make as top guy in the Sun Belt ?

Get well soon Coach MaC

GO MEAN GREEN

GreenFlag · February 15, 2012

It's all being done "behind the scenes." Lots of lobbying and stuff. Don't worry, everything's fine.

Keith

Bob, could you elaborate or provide a source? If not please don't post stuff like this.

Eagle-96 · February 15, 2012

Schools are in survival mode at this point. The MW/CUSA league has 2-8 spots to fill at this point. They will cherry pick from the Belt and WAC(and A-10 to an extent). If you're not already in the alliance then your best bet is to campaign behind the scenes to get into the alliance. If you are left out then hope and pray that you are in position to be in the new Belt. We will be ok either way. If we are invited to the MW/CUSA then we will have what looks to be a better TV deal(more $$$) and some good regional games(Tulsa, Rice, Tulane). If we are not invited then we will still be in the SunBelt with the addition of some established WAC teams. The schools with the real worry are teams like UTSA, Texas State San Marcos, and La Tech who may not have a home if/when the WAC implodes. I just think the Belt is more stable and, as such, the WAC will be the one to go away. My best guess is that the MW/CUSA goes to either 20 or 24 teams. At 20 I like Temple(Hawaii balance), FIU(Miami market), and UNT(DFW market) in the east with Utah State with UTEP moving west. This gives 9 conference games and 3 OOC. At 24 I like the above with additions of WKU(basketball), MTSU(travel partner) east and SJSU and NMSU(barring block from UTEP and UNM) out west. This give 4 pods of 6 teams(2 east and 2 west). 5 pod games and 3 games against the other pod in your division with 3 OOC games. Then you get into the semifinal rounds and championship.

UNT90 · February 15, 2012

Every team left out will "be in position to be in the new Belt"

Being stuck as last choice is never a good option.

Edited February 15, 2012 by UNT90

Eagle-96 · February 15, 2012

Every team left out will "be in position to be in the new Belt"

Being stuck as last choice is never a good option.

I guess what I am getting at is that UNT will already be in the Belt and will, at the very least, not be on the outside looking in without a home at all. If TV drives this whole thing then schools like TXST and La Tech could be in serious trouble and play in Independent Hell.

keith · February 15, 2012

<snip>
Then you get into the semifinal rounds and championship.
</snip>

And then the you get to play the winner of the Sun Belt/MAC champion for the national championship. Well, not *the* national championship, but *a* national championship. Just like the I-AA days. All without even firing a shot.

Keith

UNTLifer · February 15, 2012

There's going to be a rush at the local physical therapy clinics treating sore knees and lower extremities due to the knee jerking and jumping to conclusions.

UNT90 · February 15, 2012

And then the you get to play the winner of the Sun Belt/MAC champion for the national championship. Well, not *the* national championship, but *a* national championship. Just like the I-AA days. All without even firing a shot.

Keith

It's early, but it appears this is the road we are headed down.

Then, if you have enough success, you can promote to the Big East, which will be the tweener conference for teams looking to move up. From the Big East, you can go to any of the Big 5.

If they grace you with permission to join.

Travis · February 15, 2012

no moves like this can happen without the approval of the schools within the conference already. I struggle seeing how those currently in the belt would want the schools far out west except for NMSU.

I could see us raiding the WAC for La Tech, UTSA, and TSU. That would make more sense.

GrandGreen · February 16, 2012

Not exactly a leap in logic, but there is no evidence that the Belt is going to do anything with the WAC. Why should they, unless it is to replace teams? I think most in the Belt don't want any part of the West. The Belt is spread out enough as is. La Tech is in the Belt footprint but there are a lot of fences to mend. The Belt could have the Texas Twins at any time, don't know why they would look more appealing now.

Rudy · February 16, 2012

There's going to be a rush at the local physical therapy clinics treating sore knees and lower extremities due to the knee jerking and jumping to conclusions.

Yeah. It looks like it's time to buy stock in Advil and Trojan.

The Fake Lonnie Finch · February 16, 2012

If the NCAA and BCS (which are supposed to be separate entities...ha!) dissolve the AQ thing, I say UNT explore Independence. And, let me say, this is the first time I've advocated it.

Under AQ, I'd say stay in a conference. But, if AQ is dropped and they really open the thing up, I don't think we'd have a problem filling a schedule. As it is, there are many major players looking for games this season alone.

I'd approach long time rivals about long term home and homes, similar to the Arkansas-A&M 10 year deal...before A&M went ahead and joined Arkansas in the SEC.

I'd open every season the same way - two home games: one against a HBCU like Texas Southern, Grambling, the other at home against an FCS.

I'd like 10-year deals with New Mexico State, Tulsa, Texas State, UTSA for four more games.

I'd then go for home and homes against MAC/CUSA/MWC/WAC schools three or four more.

Because BYU is Indy, and there is a large mormon population in the DFW area, I'd try to hit them for home and homes.

I'd go the final two or three with home and home with the lower end of the former AQs - Kansas State travels to smaller places, Oklahoma State has gone to Louisiana, Baylor is going to ULM next year. These things can be done. Iowa State.

The big picture thing that doesn't make sense to me is, if they are going to eliminate the AQs, it pretty much eliminates the need for geographically nonsensical conferences.

Being on the outside looking in for so long, I really do think I'd rather we just say bullocks to all of them and go our own way.

GrandGreen · February 16, 2012

If the NCAA and BCS (which are supposed to be separate entities...ha!) dissolve the AQ thing, I say UNT explore Independence. And, let me say, this is the first time I've advocated it.

Under AQ, I'd say stay in a conference. But, if AQ is dropped and they really open the thing up, I don't think we'd have a problem filling a schedule. As it is, there are many major players looking for games this season alone.

I'd approach long time rivals about long term home and homes, similar to the Arkansas-A&M 10 year deal...before A&M went ahead and joined Arkansas in the SEC.

I'd open every season the same way - two home games: one against a HBCU like Texas Southern, Grambling, the other at home against an FCS.

I'd like 10-year deals with New Mexico State, Tulsa, Texas State, UTSA for four more games.

I'd then go for home and homes against MAC/CUSA/MWC/WAC schools three or four more.

Because BYU is Indy, and there is a large mormon population in the DFW area, I'd try to hit them for home and homes.

I'd go the final two or three with home and home with the lower end of the former AQs - Kansas State travels to smaller places, Oklahoma State has gone to Louisiana, Baylor is going to ULM next year. These things can be done. Iowa State.

The big picture thing that doesn't make sense to me is, if they are going to eliminate the AQs, it pretty much eliminates the need for geographically nonsensical conferences.

Being on the outside looking in for so long, I really do think I'd rather we just say bullocks to all of them and go our own way.

Well, you just hit on a sure fire way to make our position even worse than it is now. Unless you have a very well established program and name ala Notre Dame or a service academy, independence does not work. First off, your minor sports will deteriorate quickly. They get little recognition now and if you take away the conference races and honors, you are going diminish interest even more. Fry had some luck with it but those were different times, and he ultimately flamed out. Even though Blakeley success was as an independent, I think it helped destroy his basketball program. The class he lived on was recruited when NT was a member of the MVC and he never could come close to replacing those players.

Scheduling would be a nightmare in all sports unless you can park your minor sports in a suitable conference which is not likely. Your scheduling dreams are just that, with conferences getting larger the need for OC games is going down not up. Why would anyone want a 10 year scheduling deal with an independent NT, answer; they would not.

I agree with the logic, these nation wide conferences make little sense but that does not mean that gong independent does. You think NT gets scant coverage now and the Belt tv contacts are lacking, how does no coverage sound? Fry went independent because he thought it was an important step to getting into the SWC and the MVC was quickly dissolving as a football conference, not a big risk for football but it was deadly to other sports. NT going independent now doesn't help anything including chances to move up in the athletic world.