Schools playing dominoes vs. C-USA

[Harry]

Britton Banowsky has got to be feeling frustrated.

How could he not?

Every time Conference USA's veteran commissioner plugs a hole, fixes a leak or patches a crack another develops. Banowsky has used more Bondo, duct tape and spackle than a poor man's Bob Vila.

And he might not be finished.

Remember when East Carolina and Tulane announced they were leaving C-USA back on Nov. 27? Remember how the Pirates and Green Wave joined the stampede to the Big East? Remember how Banowsky quickly countered by inviting Middle Tennessee State and Florida Atlantic to join C-USA?

It was a prime example of "The Domino Effect" where every action has a reaction.

But what happens if the dominoes un-fall?

What then?

That is precisely the premise Banowsky and C-USA just might be facing.

What if East Carolina and Tulane take a hard, honest look at a Big East Conference that has been gutted like a mackerel and decide it isn't worth leaving C-USA?

It is a distinct possibility.

"East Carolina and Tulane haven't formally withdrawn from Conference USA," said Courtney Morrison-Archer, C-USA's Assistant Commissioner for Public Affairs. "They have one full year to do that."

Read more: http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x2070307741/Schools-playing-dominoes-vs-C-USA

[Mean Green 93-98]

He panicked, plain and simple.

[DallasGreen]

FAU and MTSU have more potential and are better tv markets. Let ECU and Tulane lie in the bed they made.

[GrayEagle]

Well, I say take them back if they want to come back but they have to understand that when they give notice, even if it's not formal notice, the conference can't sit still while they decide. They essentially created this mess and they have to deal with it. If it's beneath them then let them find another conference or play independent.

[ragpicker]

I really want Tulane because they are in New Orleans and are building a new stadium on campus. It was extremely disappoin-ting when they decided on the big waste. Let us hope they return like the prodigal son, or better yet, never really leave. The streetcar to campus from downtown is a treat.

[UNTcrazy727]

FAU and MTSU have more potential and are better tv markets. Let ECU and Tulane lie in the bed they made.

Wow...what the eff are you smoking?!?!?

[shaft]

FAU and MTSU have more potential and are better tv markets. Let ECU and Tulane lie in the bed they made.

I like how the author of the article already pre-empted such foolishness.

"So, C-USA would become a 16-team league, whether it wants to or not.

In football, it would have an East Division of Marshall, East Carolina, UAB, FIU, FAU, Old Dominion, Charlotte and Middle Tennessee. The West would include Tulsa, UTEP, Rice, Southern Miss, Tulane, Louisiana Tech, North Texas and UT-San Antonio.

Sounds good to me.

It's your move, East Carolina and Tulane."

[emmitt01]

FAU and MTSU have more potential and are better tv markets. Let ECU and Tulane lie in the bed they made.

They have more potential than a school that routinely brings in crowds of 40k plus and a school that is in New Orleans? Ummm, no.

[casual fan]

Not bad since Middle Tennessee, ECU, and FAU would be in the east division and it would slide S. Miss and Tulane over to the west division.

A division with Tulane, Tulsa, S. Miss, UTSA, Rice, UTEP, L. Tech and UNT is light years better than where we were.

[ragpicker]

I would take one square block of New Orleans over the entire state of Tennessee-its north, east, south, west or middle.