Just after I wrote up the Pete Thomas growth or lack of story I was going to write up a story backing Steve Fairchild and the reasons to keep him around. That story is a bit harder to write after losses to UTEP and UNLV, my main points would remain valid but the argument is becoming one sided thanks to Fairchild's lack of action or changes. Staying the course can be a great thing sometimes. CSU AD, Paul Kowalczyk, said Fairchild won't be fired mid season and I think that's fair and true so let's hold off on those talks.
What about the program in the melting MWC though? What about losing alumni support by the game? What about the possible 78 team conference mergers or the MWC going poof all together?
Check after The Jump... for my crazy over the top way for CSU to get put in the best possible position they can!
Also let me know what you think CSU should do in the comment section.
Don't do much. Crazy huh? No one is knocking on CSU's door and begging them to come play in their automatic bid conference. The Rams wouldn't fit very well anyways, facility wise the Rams are catching up but don't have much to offer in the way of recruiting. No big city, no car dealership jobs, no boosters throwing hooker filled booze cruises up at Horsetooth reservoir. Being in a auto-bid conference isn't going to get 5-star recruits flocking to Fort Collins. So be the big bully of the remaining MWC/WAC once the good schools leave. Keep the rival game with Wyoming at all cost and rebuild the old ones from the WAC.
Let's be honest, the best days were the Rams winning the WAC and newly formed MWC. There were some years with national recognition, let's not fool ourselves into thinking the Rams are Florida St, Michigan, Nebraska, USC or some regular contender. Over a 115 seasons they have finished in the top 25 three times, granted all during an 8 year span with Sonny Lubick in the late nineties and early 2000's. They got some great recruits and they competed in the WAC and MWC. Those were great days for the Rams. What would be so wrong about doing that again?
Wyoming basketball were national champions once! I don't hear much up cry about getting back to their glory days. New Mexico won the WAC three years in a row, these days their fans would love just to compete. Judging past performance on future expectation is a horrible idea unless you want to be disappointed. The numbers are not in CSU's favor, only 1 of 120 can win it big. CSU should help their odds and try and beat an easy conference and then market the crap out of it.
I see it one of two ways, they can shoot for the big man on a small campus status or whipping boy on the big campuses. CU took the whipping boy on the PAC-12 campuses approach, that isn't working out so fun for them. No wins in conference, their only win against the lowly CSU Rams. Winning is winning. Winning the NC would be amazing, but CSU is so far from that it shouldn't be on the radar. Rebuild the program by beating weaker teams instead of struggling to recruit by getting beaten down from your BSC checks, that is what Boise St really is to the conference at this point. Boise St is a payday to the Rams, they won't beat them but will get a whole lot of money out of them being here.
The extra money from TCU or Boise St getting to and winning a BCS game is very nice. It is a little disheartening when your main income is getting beat by 50 once a year and hoping they can beat a Wisconsin or Oklahoma. The money would be much sweeter, but smaller, from winning your conference and then getting a good bowl game on your own. Hell, the Rams got more from Utah beating Alabama then they did from winning the New Mexico Bowl. So chase the money right? No, money won't rebuild this program. Consistant winning will.
Fresno State is exactly what CSU should thrive to be. 23 conference championships and over the last 31 years combined having a winning % of .643. Fans will show up to that, alumni will support that in Fort Collins.
In conclusion the Rams should be the best damn team of an average conference. Getting destroyed in a good conference won't do anything. Go ask Kentucky, Ole Miss, or Vanderbilt if its fun to never play in the SEC championship game. That would be the Rams fate if they try to jump a ride to an auto-bid conference. Stay and compete in the MWC/WAC.