UH thoughts...

[Harry]

"Mountain West Commissioner Craig Thompson said today the league has been in talks with 3-5 teams. San Diego State -- which originally planned to join the Big East in a package deal with Boise -- is one of them. A league source says schools from Texas have recently shown interest in becoming members. UTEP, SMU, Houston and possibly Texas-San Antonio are schools to watch" - Fowler CBS Sports

Link

read more http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=215&f=2804&t=11117181

[North Texas Shep]

"Mountain West Commissioner Craig Thompson said today the league has been in talks with 3-5 teams. San Diego State -- which originally planned to join the Big East in a package deal with Boise -- is one of them. A league source says schools from Texas have recently shown interest in becoming members. UTEP, SMU, Houston and possibly Texas-San Antonio are schools to watch" - Fowler CBS Sports

Link

read more http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=215&f=2804&t=11117181

Is the MWC that much better than CUSA? I just do not see the point in Houston or SMU, or anyone else wanting to leave CUSA for MWC. Am I crazy or are they? CUSA would be even better if SMU and Houston were back. More Texas the better!

Also no way in hell do they want UTSA!

[buff64]

Is the MWC that much better than CUSA? I just do not see the point in Houston or SMU, or anyone else wanting to leave CUSA for MWC. Am I crazy or are they? CUSA would be even better if SMU and Houston were back. More Texas the better!

Also no way in hell do they want UTSA!

Yet they accepted Texas Pan-Am ?

[Arkstfan]

Yet they accepted Texas Pan-Am ?

That was the WAC.

[UNT90]

SMU will F us again and we will end up in CUSBelt.

Great.

Edited January 1, 2013 by UNT90

[Side Show Joe]

SMU will F us again and will will end up in CUSBelt.

Great.

I don't think they can. If Houston, SMU, SDSU, and even UTSA go to the MWC, UNT will get called up to the NBE with Rice, Tulsa, and Southerm Miss. The NBE needs Dallas (#5) and Houston (#10) for their media markets. I think we will be okay when the dust settles.

[MeanGreenGlory]

I don't think they can. If Houston, SMU, SDSU, and even UTSA go to the MWC, UNT will get called up to the NBE with Rice, Tulsa, and Southerm Miss. The NBE needs Dallas (#5) and Houston (#10) for their media markets. I think we will be okay when the dust settles.

Why would we go to NBE when everyone is bailing?

[Side Show Joe]

Why would we go to NBE when everyone is bailing?

Because Tulsa, Sothern Miss, Rice, UTSA, and LA Tech will all accept an invitation if they get one. The NBE still have U Conn and Cinci for now.

This could be the new look of the Big East if Houston and SMU leave for the MWC with UTEP:

Big East

U Conn

Cincinatti

South Florida

Memphis

ECU

Central Florida

Tulane

Navy (maybe)

Dan Diego State (maybe)

North Texas

Rice

Tulsa

Southern Mississippi

LA Tech (maybe)

While C-USA could look more like the Sun Belt:

C-USA

East

Marshall

UAB

FIU

FAU

ODU

Charlotte

West

UTSA

MTSU

LA Tech (maybe)

ULL

Arkansas State

Texas State

Don't get me wrong. I like the current lineup for C-USA West. But, if C-USA ends up looking something like what I just listed, I'd rather be in the New Big East.

Edited January 1, 2013 by Side Show Joe

[Arkstfan]

Side Show, your projection of La.Tech as a possible nBE brings me back around to this.

Those guys have a reality distortion field.

Louisiana Tech is 17-8 the last two years and 22-15 the last three. Drew 21,518 in 2011 and 25,841 this year helped by a strong crowd in Shreveport of 40,453, described by the AP as being evenly divided between Tech and TAMU fans. Take out the TAMU game and they averaged 22,919.

Arkansas State 19-6 the past two years and 23-14 the last three. Drew 21,257 in 2011 and 26,398 in 2012.

ArkSt is working on a $22 million football facility and isn't sitting at home because the AD tried to dictate to a bowl who to invite.

They claim Shreveport as part of their market but in 7 1/2 months living there I saw almost no cars with a Tech logo and good luck finding merchandise there. Their presence in Shreveport is nominal compared to ASU in Little Rock.

Don't know how it is that they are able to cloud minds and create the impression they are some sort of rising superstar.

[ntmeangreen11]

Is the MWC that much better than CUSA? I just do not see the point in Houston or SMU, or anyone else wanting to leave CUSA for MWC. Am I crazy or are they? CUSA would be even better if SMU and Houston were back. More Texas the better!

Also no way in hell do they want UTSA!

UTSA turned down the MWC before.

I'm sorry but they're higher on the list than we are(if we're on it at all)

[Side Show Joe]

Side Show, your projection of La.Tech as a possible nBE brings me back around to this.

Those guys have a reality distortion field.

Louisiana Tech is 17-8 the last two years and 22-15 the last three. Drew 21,518 in 2011 and 25,841 this year helped by a strong crowd in Shreveport of 40,453, described by the AP as being evenly divided between Tech and TAMU fans. Take out the TAMU game and they averaged 22,919.

Arkansas State 19-6 the past two years and 23-14 the last three. Drew 21,257 in 2011 and 26,398 in 2012.

ArkSt is working on a $22 million football facility and isn't sitting at home because the AD tried to dictate to a bowl who to invite.

They claim Shreveport as part of their market but in 7 1/2 months living there I saw almost no cars with a Tech logo and good luck finding merchandise there. Their presence in Shreveport is nominal compared to ASU in Little Rock.

Don't know how it is that they are able to cloud minds and create the impression they are some sort of rising superstar.

LA Tech was ranked this season and has a decent football history with a few NFL Hall of Famers. They also have a history with some of the programs already in the NBE. Nothing against Arkansas State. I really respect your program and fans. You guys have always been a class act. I just don't think Arkansas State will be on the NBE's radar.

[Mean Green 93-98]

UTSA turned down the MWC before.

When did the Mountain West extend an invite to UTSA?!?

[UNTexas]

When did the Mountain West extend an invite to UTSA?!?

They didn't from what I remember. The WAC was a different story.

[PlummMeanGreen]

Side Show, your projection of La.Tech as a possible nBE brings me back around to this.

Those guys have a reality distortion field.

Louisiana Tech is 17-8 the last two years and 22-15 the last three. Drew 21,518 in 2011 and 25,841 this year helped by a strong crowd in Shreveport of 40,453, described by the AP as being evenly divided between Tech and TAMU fans. Take out the TAMU game and they averaged 22,919.

Arkansas State 19-6 the past two years and 23-14 the last three. Drew 21,257 in 2011 and 26,398 in 2012.

ArkSt is working on a $22 million football facility and isn't sitting at home because the AD tried to dictate to a bowl who to invite.

They claim Shreveport as part of their market but in 7 1/2 months living there I saw almost no cars with a Tech logo and good luck finding merchandise there. Their presence in Shreveport is nominal compared to ASU in Little Rock.

Don't know how it is that they are able to cloud minds and create the impression they are some sort of rising superstar.

Agree, ArkStfan, on the La Tech part. I do admire what La Tech has done with smaller budgets in a smaller market with a few big time wins at different intervals of their program plus a recent Top 25 ranking during part of last season but on the other hand.......

........La Tech must have one helluva' P.R. or sports information office that has an uncanny ability to conjure up mass memory loss with some of these upward bound conferences and their respective message board posters who think of La Tech as the 2'nd coming of Notre Dame with all that still based on as many losing seasons as winning ones for the Dawgs the last 30 or so years; or in other words, we are hardly talking dynasty here. This link sorta' proves that with the Dawg's football roller coaster ride of the last few decades. http://mcubed.net/ncaaf/teams/latech.shtml

(I'd still trade what they've done recently over what we've done of late but some fans on other message boards have still gone a bit overboard with what I see as limited La Tech gridiron successes as the above link very plainly indicates).

GMG!

Edited January 1, 2013 by PlummMeanGreen

[North Texas Shep]

UTSA turned down the MWC before.

I'm sorry but they're higher on the list than we are(if we're on it at all)

I would rather stay in the CUSA then go to the MWC. The regional competition is what matters to me. We will get to play Texas teams in CUSA and still have chance to go to a bowl. Screw playing Colorado State and New Mexico State.

[H-towngreen]

While the MWC might end up being the better conference in terms of on the field play. CUSA still would be better for UNT. More regional teams within driving distance. No late night games. And in the end it's all about winning, CUSA should provide more winnable games.

[Wag Tag]

Because Tulsa, Sothern Miss, Rice, UTSA, and LA Tech will all accept an invitation if they get one. The NBE still have U Conn and Cinci for now.

This could be the new look of the Big East if Houston and SMU leave for the MWC with UTEP:

Big East

U Conn

Cincinatti

South Florida

Memphis

ECU

Central Florida

Tulane

Navy (maybe)

Dan Diego State (maybe)

North Texas

Rice

Tulsa

Southern Mississippi

LA Tech (maybe)

While C-USA could look more like the Sun Belt:

C-USA

East

Marshall

UAB

FIU

FAU

ODU

Charlotte

West

UTSA

MTSU

LA Tech (maybe)

ULL

Arkansas State

Texas State

Don't get me wrong. I like the current lineup for C-USA West. But, if C-USA ends up looking something like what I just listed, I'd rather be in the New Big East.

Big Easy will loose Cincy and Uconn,nix SDSU and Navy what do you have? Add Marshall and UTSA . You may have something! We must keep regional competition. I would not have any interest in the MWC, unless they had an eastern conference. ( that even sounds strange UNT in an eastern conf)

[Arkstfan]

LA Tech was ranked this season and has a decent football history with a few NFL Hall of Famers. They also have a history with some of the programs already in the NBE. Nothing against Arkansas State. I really respect your program and fans. You guys have always been a class act. I just don't think Arkansas State will be on the NBE's radar.

I not only don't think ASU is on the Big East radar, we aren't on CUSA's radar. It's the idea that La.Tech is some unique rising superstar that leaves me baffled.

We don't go around claiming Little Rock is OUR MARKET as they do with Shreveport but Little Rock TV carries our coach's show, carried one game last year would have carried two this year but our deposed AD turned down one of the chances and then a production issue on game day at Troy scotched the other one. One Little Rock station is offering to carry several games in 2013.

While we might be touting Little Rock in private conversations, we aren't bellowing that it is our market.

[NM Green]

La Tech is a truly bizarre program. For a school that is 3 hours east of DFW, they have lived out west for so long that I just don't see them until I care to look. This was even when I was in WAC country and I would tune in to see what Hawaii did out in Ruston. Yet, I go to Southern LA and there is more of a Ragin Cajun feel than even a Tulane, Monroe or La Tech buzz. I have almost heard as much if not more about Monroe as I have about La Tech. I did tune in the night they played A&M from the West Coast. Starting in 2013 I look forward to sparking our conference rivalry, but for a program that has been around for a long time they seem to have been misplaced for about a decade. CUSA will be good for them. ASU is a bear and us pure fballers know just how good the Indians...erh Red Wolves have been for quite some time.

GMG

[Side Show Joe]

Big Easy will loose Cincy and Uconn,nix SDSU and Navy what do you have? Add Marshall and UTSA . You may have something! We must keep regional competition. I would not have any interest in the MWC, unless they had an eastern conference. ( that even sounds strange UNT in an eastern conf)

I think we see this thing about the same. I really like the way C-USA West is going to look right now. If Boise staying in the MWC changes Houston's and SMU's opinion about being in the NBE, I think we can keep most of the teams from C-USA West together. I think UNT and Rice need to stick together like Houston and SMU are doing, for it to work.

Edited January 2, 2013 by Side Show Joe

[Side Show Joe]

I not only don't think ASU is on the Big East radar, we aren't on CUSA's radar. It's the idea that La.Tech is some unique rising superstar that leaves me baffled.

We don't go around claiming Little Rock is OUR MARKET as they do with Shreveport but Little Rock TV carries our coach's show, carried one game last year would have carried two this year but our deposed AD turned down one of the chances and then a production issue on game day at Troy scotched the other one. One Little Rock station is offering to carry several games in 2013.

While we might be touting Little Rock in private conversations, we aren't bellowing that it is our market.

Oh I agree with you. LA Tech is not Boise State, but some of their fans think they are. I think they are a good program, and they have done well with what they have, but some of their fans are crazy. You are right they are not in the Shreveport media market, yet you can't tell them that. There must be something in the water in Loiuisana. The ULL fans have issues too.

[untjim1995]

The MWC has Hawaii, SJSU, Fresno State, Nevada, UNLV, Boise State, Colorado State, Wyoming, Utah State, New Mexico, and Air Force. Soon, they will get San Diego State back. That gives them 12. I expect BYU to come back to them. That leaves three openings--UH and UTEP seem like no-brainers here, so that gets you to 15. I see SMU being next. If not them, Tulsa will go in a heartbeat, and may still go if BYU stays independent.

The BECUSA will be Navy, Temple, Memphis, ECU, Tulane, UCF, and South Florida. I expect UConn and Cincy will soon be in the ACC. I'm sure that Tulsa (if available), Rice, Southern Miss, UAB, and Marshall will get included. That's 12. Of course, there are some MAC schools that might be interested, too, in joining, but I'm going on the assumption that the MAC schools are going to stay together.

SBCUSA then replaces Tulsa, Rice, Southern Miss, UAB, and Marshall with these SBC schools: Western Kentucky (replaces Marshall), Troy (replaces UAB), Arkansas State (replaces Southern Miss), Texas State (replaces Rice), Louisiana-Lafayette (replaces Rice), and New Mexico State (replaces UTEP). There's no way La Tech lets ULM join. It would set up this conference:

North Texas, Texas State, Texas-San Antonio, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana Tech, Arkansas State, New Mexico State

Middle Tennessee, Western Kentucky, Florida International, Florida Atlantic, Troy, Charlotte, Old Dominion

Not great, but names we know, with closer travel games than the current Sun Belt, and the added allure of finally have conference mates in state again, even if they are ones that no one cares about.

[Side Show Joe]

The MWC has Hawaii, SJSU, Fresno State, Nevada, UNLV, Boise State, Colorado State, Wyoming, Utah State, New Mexico, and Air Force. Soon, they will get San Diego State back. That gives them 12. I expect BYU to come back to them. That leaves three openings--UH and UTEP seem like no-brainers here, so that gets you to 15. I see SMU being next. If not them, Tulsa will go in a heartbeat, and may still go if BYU stays independent.

The BECUSA will be Navy, Temple, Memphis, ECU, Tulane, UCF, and South Florida. I expect UConn and Cincy will soon be in the ACC. I'm sure that Tulsa (if available), Rice, Southern Miss, UAB, and Marshall will get included. That's 12. Of course, there are some MAC schools that might be interested, too, in joining, but I'm going on the assumption that the MAC schools are going to stay together.

SBCUSA then replaces Tulsa, Rice, Southern Miss, UAB, and Marshall with these SBC schools: Western Kentucky (replaces Marshall), Troy (replaces UAB), Arkansas State (replaces Southern Miss), Texas State (replaces Rice), Louisiana-Lafayette (replaces Rice), and New Mexico State (replaces UTEP). There's no way La Tech lets ULM join. It would set up this conference:

North Texas, Texas State, Texas-San Antonio, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana Tech, Arkansas State, New Mexico State

Middle Tennessee, Western Kentucky, Florida International, Florida Atlantic, Troy, Charlotte, Old Dominion

Not great, but names we know, with closer travel games than the current Sun Belt, and the added allure of finally have conference mates in state again, even if they are ones that no one cares about.

If that is allowed to happen, then everyone in our administration should be fired. Even under the worst of situations, North Texas' Dallas market will make it desirable. UAB and/or Marshall might get left out.

[PlummMeanGreen]

If that is allowed to happen, then everyone in our administration should be fired. Even under the worst of situations, North Texas' Dallas market will make it desirable. UAB and/or Marshall might get left out.

___________________________

And why some of these college & conference smack board posters cannot seem to understand that the school which has the largest constituency (enrollment, area alumnus numbers, very healthy city/county population numbers, etc etc, etc) in that large TV market is most likely the one school that can deliver said markets TV ratings is beyond me. He whose school's constituency obviously has the most TV's in said U.S. Top 10 TV market wins? We could only wish that would be the case instead of much smaller schools who do one helluva' job with Smoke & Mirrors to make things appear to be something that they are not.

Seems to be more difficult to understand with even some of these "Gang of 5" conference commissioners, too..

Edited January 2, 2013 by PlummMeanGreen