Winners & Losers
by Idle on Aug 21, 2010 10:17 AM PDT
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Boise State Broncos, Nevada Wolfpack & Fresno State Bulldogs - finally get to join their peers in the MWC. They're good schools & football teams and it's win-win for them/the current MWC teams & the MWC.
Houston Cougars - get to go to a soon-to-be BCS conference. They didn't fit in well with Rice, SMU, Tulsa & Tulane in C-USA West as the big public school & had to share the city with Rice.
San Diego State, UNLV, BYU, TCU - get natural rivals with the addition of the 3 WAC teams & Houston.
Mountain West escapes from expansion virtually unscathed. Losing Utah sucks but it's understandable. BYU is stuck with the MWC after the WAC raid. The Pac-12 won't add anymore MWC schools. Big IIX won't add any Texas schools so TCU & Houston are staying put. MWC can create 2 smart 6-team divisions with 2 CA, 2 NV, 1 ID, 1 UT schools in the West & 2 TX, 2 CO, 1 NM & 1 WY schools in the East/Mountain. Creates a Championship Game to be played in Las Vegas, San Diego, Salt Lake City, Houston, Dallas and/or Denver. Really carved out a niche as the in between Pac-12 & Big IIX conference. Should become a BCS conference without the Super Mountain C-USA game. The only at-risk move would be Big IIX coming after New Mexico, Colorado State, Air Force or BYU.
BYU - gets MWC closer to a BCS bid by instigating the expansion to 12 teams by plotting to put their other sports in the WAC forcing this whole thing. Now quit whining & prove it on the field if you think you're so much better than everyone else.
Nevada & Fresno State win double because there won't be any WAC to cut a $5 million check to. They should call Benson up & say $20 mil would've been fine with them.
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs finally get to go back East by replacing Houston in the C-USA & aren't stuck going down with the rest of the WAC
LOSERS
BYU - Pac 10 didn't want you. Big IIX doesn't want you. Utah abandoned you.There's no WAC left. You're non-revenue sports are too good for WCC & Big West. Your Independent football dream is shot. I do agree your too good for Utah State though.
Unwanted Five:
Hawaii Warriors have been in the WAC since 1979 & have seen 16 schools leave it. Unlike the rest of the 'Unwanted Five" they are a good football team - 8 wins/year in the 2000s & a BCS Sugar Bowl. Hawaii will go Independent in football & try to schedule home&home's with good teams. Hawaii has the most to lose because they're the only team that has ever won. Rest of its' sports join the non-football Big West's 9 California schools.
New Mexico State Aggies, Utah State Aggies & Idaho Vandals - Go back with their tails between their legs to football-only Sun Belt members after 6-7 failed WAC seasons. Good riddens. Rest of sports join Hawaii in the Big West (where they belong).
San Jose State Spartans are completely left out in the cold. There's not a geographic reason like in Hawaii's case why nobody wants them. They're not as bad as the above 3 teams but they're not good either so unless the state of California cuts their football to save money they must be an Independent. There's no safety Sun Belt to land in. Other sports could join he now crowded 14 team Big West.
WAC - 1962 to 2012. RIP.
Utah State loses twice because they were invited to fill the MWC's possible Utah void with BYU becoming Independent & they said no. Good luck now ever amounting to anything.
Big IIX - there are 8 12-team leagues with Championship games now. Only you and the Big East can't get it together. The allowances you made Texas have destroyed your conference.
OTHER WINNERS
Sun Belt gets to 12 football teams & gets a Football Championship probably in New Orleans Super Dome.
I think the Big East will add a 9th football team for 8 conference games - ideally Navy since they have their baggage sports in the Patriot League so the addition won't affect previous Big East basketball. But I think Central Florida is more likely for all sports to give South Florida a travel partner. North Texas replaces them in C-USA (West) / LA Tech moves to C-USA East. Sun Belt replaces N Texas with South Alabama's new football team in 2013.
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I agree with you
I love this quote:
WAC – 1962-2012. RIP.
Mountain West Connection - The best site for MWC Sports.
UNLV is going all the way this year!
by rebelfan1 on Aug 21, 2010 11:48 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
karl benson hates you at this moment.
I'm all about covering the spread and moneylines. Glory favors the bold. Chance favors the prepared mind. Luck, well i have that too. University of Utah goes to the Pac-12 conference in 2011. I expect them to compete immediately for the conference CG. Brock Lesnar will defeat Cain Velasquez. Womens MMA, the next big thing in sports. 10 days till the first game of college football. UTAH vs Pitt. September 2nd 2010.
by wolfmanshowlforever on Aug 22, 2010 7:32 PM PDT up reply actions
Houston's staying in the C-USA
And they’ve “fit in”with Rice and SMU for decades, since the old SWC days. I’d say they fit in better with Rice and SMU then Wyoming and Nevada and maybe Utah State, wouldn’t you?
Axes Up. Miner Rush - For UTEP Miners Fans
Doesn't matter who they fit in with
It’s about where they’ll make the most money.
Mountain West Connection - The best site for MWC Sports.
UNLV is going all the way this year!
Apples to apples, etc.
Houston would also have a nice rivalry with TCU – another SWC foe of old. Wyoming and Nevada is more like East Carolina and UAB in terms of historical relevance to Houston.
That said, I get the feeling you’re stumping a bit for UTEP to be considered. We seem to be pretty high on Houston around here, but UTEP isn’t a bad option either. It’s just that adding Houston gives the MWC a team in the Dallas and Houston areas; even though they won’t be close to Texas or A&M in popularity, that’s still a much better reason for Texans to watch MWC football than without those teams.
If money wasn’t such a driving factor in all of this, UTEP’s location would make more sense for the MWC than Houston.
by David Hooper on Aug 21, 2010 7:21 PM PDT up reply actions
Not stumping - Really
Back in April when grumblings first started about realignment, I kind of figured the MWC would get hit- at that time thinking Utah or BYU would go to the Pac 10 along with Colorado or whatever else. I had read some posts here dismissing UTEP from consideration as a replacement candidate so I responded, stating the Miners case.
But, the way things have gone down have changed my perspective quite a bit. First off, as I’ve spent more time covering Conference USA, I’ve realized that the league really isn’t that bad. In football, UTEP has built consistent rivalries with Houston, SMU, and Tulsa (with whom the Miners now have spent 14-15 years with since these schools were in the WAC after the MWC schools left).
UTEP has a good deal going by staying aligned with the Texas schools. Also, in basketball, we enjoy the rivalry with Memphis year in and year out.
The new MWC looks a lot like the WAC that the Miners ended up leaving to go to C-USA (Nevada, Fresno, etc.). The main reason I originally wanted UTEP to get into the MWC was to reignite longstanding rivalries with New Mexico and BYU. If BYU stays in the MWC, and the MWC decided to add a 12th team, I think Miner fans would definitely want to move in. But, without BYU, I don’t think there’s a whole lot of difference for us- and we might lose something because we now have some depth in relationship with the other Texas schools.
I love the idea of the C-USA- MWC merger in any way shape or form. Whether it be a 16-20 team conference or a merged title game I think it would be fun to have a connection to both leagues.
Right now though, I think Miner fans are more than happy to stay in the C-USA, especially if we continue to schedule UNM in football and basketball. Right now, that’s really the only school in the future MWC I think we care to align with. That doesn’t mean we think the Texas schools are better, because AIr Force and Boise are better programs right now- but I think we favor the stability we have by staying together with Houston, Rice, SMU, Tulsa.
Axes Up. Miner Rush - For UTEP Miners Fans
Don't Forget
A couple of points you left out of your argument:
-UTEP is tied for possessing the 10th-most NCAA Division I Men’s Championships, with 21.
http://www.listafterlist.com/tabid/57/listid/2013/Sports++Recreation/Most+NCAA+Division+I+Mens+Championships.aspx
-UTEP is a superior university in terms of academics. Yes, they’re both considered ‘Tier 2’ by US News, but growing up in Dallas I at least considered UTEP. Houston was never in consideration, and people generally look down at people that go/went to that crappy commuter school.
-UTEP is a much better link to the Hispanic community, which is the fastest-growing demographic in America.
-Geography: Not only is El Paso a lot closer to the other member schools to visit than Houston, it’s a lot more fun, too. Moreover, El Paso is nice and dry, like most MWC campuses, whereas Houston is a humid, muggy Hellhole from which there is no escaping pollution.
by VA Libertarian on Aug 23, 2010 11:51 AM PDT up reply actions
Did I miss something?
Is Houston going to the MWC, or is that just a presumption?
by ThePhlipinSituation on Aug 21, 2010 12:39 PM PDT reply actions
Presumption
But it is probable that thyme join.
Mountain West Connection - The best site for MWC Sports.
UNLV is going all the way this year!
Lets make Houston happen
I’d like to see Thompson pull the trigger on Houston. Get them now as an anchor team in Texas and a rival and partner for TCU. They are a huge TV market and getting ready to pour 120 Million into a Football Stadium taht seats 44,000.
Also, BSU is excited to be part of the MWC and are doing like TCU with a stadium upgrade. We are meeting next week to begin the expansion of our stadium to 45,000 so all the MWC fans will have a place to sit and see our new smurf-turf when you visit..
by bluesyourdaddy on Aug 21, 2010 2:17 PM PDT up reply actions
thompson better move fast b/c i see on sec blogs that they would not mind having houston themselves
i believe their is a small window of opportunity to get this done. like sept 1st 2010. pull the trigger mr. thompson please.
I'm all about covering the spread and moneylines. Glory favors the bold. Chance favors the prepared mind. Luck, well i have that too. University of Utah goes to the Pac-12 conference in 2011. I expect them to compete immediately for the conference CG. Brock Lesnar will defeat Cain Velasquez. Womens MMA, the next big thing in sports. 10 days till the first game of college football. UTAH vs Pitt. September 2nd 2010.
by wolfmanshowlforever on Aug 22, 2010 7:37 PM PDT up reply actions
When Houston doesn’t have Kolb or Keenum at QB, they struggle to draw 15,000 fans. They’re a Tier II commuter school with crappy academics, and virtually nobody in Texas cares about them.
Sure, they’re good at football now, but long-term I’d rather have UTEP.
Be careful what y’all wish for.
by VA Libertarian on Aug 23, 2010 11:19 AM PDT up reply actions
hope it will happen soon
Mountain West Connection The best site for MWC sports!
by Jeremy Mauss on Aug 23, 2010 1:17 PM PDT up reply actions
agree mostly...
but I’m not sure we’ve seen the last of the moves. There could be a few more crazy things happen. At this point, I think the MWC commissioner is gonna be as proactive as possible to make sure the MWC not only survives, but comes out on top of all the non-BCS conferences. I have a feeling that in the next year or two, we will be seeing the other BCS conferences conferences keep raiding the mid-majors and who knows what dominos will fall because of that. I can only hope that the MWC continues to field teams that are BCS worthy.
Go Rams!
"They are who we thought they were!"
It should be easy for the MWC to stay on top of the non-BCS conferences.
Even without Utah, the MWC has the best top end of any midmajor conference, and it’s not particularly close at the moment. There’s still work to do to bring the bottom end up, but the MWC has been the most interesting midmajor for several years. There’s not really anything the other middies can do to counter that, short of watching a couple conference completely dissolve and having the top teams form a brand new conference. (E.g. CUSA and the MAC)
by David Hooper on Aug 21, 2010 7:24 PM PDT up reply actions
UTEP
UTEP would be choice to replace BYU. Makes more since than Tulsa since they’re private & the 3rd best team in a small state. El Paso is a long way away from the other Texas schools.
Pretty natural rivalries:
TCU – Houston
UTEP – New Mexico
UNLV – Nevada
Air Force – Colorado State
San Diego St – Fresno St
Boise State – Wyoming
Makes sense
But it probably won’t happen. Houston is ahead of Utah as far as candidates and if BYU goes, then we have to add Utah State in order to keep the Utah infrastructure in place. Most of our TV money comes from Utah because the two major colleges in that state used to be in the MWC. If both BYU and Utah leave, then our major moneymaker is gone. If we add Utah State, all that infrastructure stays in place and will save at least half of the money we were making in Utah before. Yes, I know there will be less viewers, but the bars and restaraunts will still subscribe to it as well as the many USU alum in the state.
Mountain West Connection - The best site for MWC Sports.
UNLV is going all the way this year!
I just linked this above
But if you want to kill some time- read my post stating UTEP’s case for MWC inclusion. I think when you look at some of Nevada’s numbers (17,500 fans per football game over 5 years compared to UTEP’s 39,000) you’ll be surprised.
Fresno and UTEP have comparable athletic budgets, attendance, and market sizes. I figures Boise and Fresno would be the MWC’s first two choices but was stunned that Nevada came in. Nevada has the smallest market (TV wise) of any of the other likely candidates and has atrocious local support. Reno is the 93rd largest city in the country, El Paso is 22nd.
Anyway, I think things have slowed for now- with only BYU’s decision really still pending… It doesn’t look like the C-USA and MWC are going to raid each others conferences, they seem to prefer working together. I though when BYU left it would have made sense for C-USA to move for UNM and TCU, but that never happened.
Axes Up. Miner Rush - For UTEP Miners Fans
UTEP is definitely a good candidate
I know that much, but as I stated above, it probably won’t happen because of markets and such.
Mountain West Connection - The best site for MWC Sports.
UNLV is going all the way this year!
The idea that Houston is a good market is flawed. Very few people in Houston (or greater Texas, for that matter) care about the Cougars – especially when they’re playing average or sub-average football.
I’d rather see UTEP join. Miners fans are rabid.
by VA Libertarian on Aug 23, 2010 11:21 AM PDT up reply actions
Having seen those UTEP v. Houston attendence numbers, I agree
Trying to build a conference by theoretical television rating is silly. Nobody would pick SMU over Nebraska to be in their conference. Who cares that Dallas is a big market and Lincoln (or even Omaha) is a small market. People who love Nebraska sports really really love them and are willing to spend money to go to games even when the team is bad. Get the team with a fan base that cares, that will travel to see games and the money, the ratings will follow.
We want to build a university our football team can be proud of. -- Dr. George Lynn Cross
by marktgarten on Aug 24, 2010 12:01 AM PDT up reply actions
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