CUSA and Sunbelt Merger About to Happen Folks

[greenminer]

My own perception of the MWC is that of a geographically challenged conference that sort of lucked out with some prestigious programs, particularly TCU and BSU.  Those, IMO, tend to be the exceptions to what is about to unfold for that conference in the next 10 years.

I don't think any of us have any idea what will happen, but I would never think of it as a destination point for Baylor, TTech or TCU (again).  I think geographically it presents major challenges (already said that), so much so that it could see itself passed as other G5 teams across the country figure things out.  I think 10-15 years ago I would have been more agreeable to the idea that it is a stepping stone to the P5.  Today, not so much.

Normally, I find the conference talk really off-putting but I find this one very revealing.  Some of y'all 1) Think it [MWC] is a huge step up and/or, 2) Really despise the Belt.

What if we [CUSA] actually get our shit together and leap frog the MWC in TV units (not really sure what those are @Arkstfan) and on-field performance?  What or who says it can't happen?

 

Edited April 19, 2017 by greenminer

[Arkstfan]

2 minutes ago, greenminer said:

My own perception of the MWC is that of a geographically challenged conference that sort of lucked out with some prestigious programs, particularly TCU and BSU.  Those, IMO, tend to be the exceptions to what is about to unfold for that conference in the next 10 years.

I don't think any of us have any idea what will happen, but I would never think of it as a destination point for Baylor, TTech or TCU (again).  I think geographically it presents major challenges (already said that), so much so that it could see itself passed as other G5 teams across the country figure things out.  I think 10-15 years ago I would have been more agreeable to the idea that it is a stepping stone to the P5.  Today, not so much.

Normally, I find the conference talk really off-putting but I find this one very revealing.  Some of y'all 1) Think it [MWC] is a huge step up and/or, 2) Really despise the Belt.

What if we [CUSA] actually get our shit together and leap frog the MWC in TV units (not really sure what those are @Arkstfan) and on-field performance?  What or who says it can't happen?

 

NCAA units. One per each game played in the NCAA Tournament the past six years.

MWC 1.0 and 1.5 was a great league. BYU and Utah were beasts then TCU joined and they were a beast as well. Boise's a great program but doesn't offset losing those three.

[MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF]

On 4/18/2017 at 8:33 AM, Arkstfan said:

But university presidents control realignment and Tulane with AAU status is a plum to them compared to Tulsa which is seen as much further down the line.

Um...I wouldn't go sneezing at Tulsa.  Along with Tulane, Tulsa has one of the top 100 endowments in the world.  Not the United States, the world.

http://www.thebestschools.org/features/richest-universities-endowments-generosity-research/

 

[Arkstfan]

6 hours ago, MeanGreenMailbox said:

Um...I wouldn't go sneezing at Tulsa.  Along with Tulane, Tulsa has one of the top 100 endowments in the world.  Not the United States, the world.

http://www.thebestschools.org/features/richest-universities-endowments-generosity-research/

 

Tulsa ain't sneeze worthy and is only about $200 million behind Tulane in endowment but AAU membership is HUGE for Tulane, There are only 60 members in the US and that's after booting Nebraska. Tulane has more doctoral students than Tulsa has students at all levels.

[Cerebus]

Being in a conference with Rice and Tulane was why previous presidents wanted to be in CUSA so bad in the first place.  

[NTXCoog]

18 hours ago, UNTFan23 said:

What makes me think the MWC is not interested in Texas is that when TCU left, the MWC never went after another TX school to replace them. Again, there is nothing that says the MWC wants TCU back other than us spitballing where we think schools will end up when the Big 12 collapses.

The grapevine (and we know how reliable that is) says that the MWC has asked if there was interest from UH or UTEP to move.

More official, as late as last year, the MWC commissioner has asked about expansion to TX  "“I’ve challenged our membership to think about expansion — with or without losing [current] members. Do we look east? Do we look at the state of Texas, for example?"

Mountain West considering expanding regardless what Big 12 does

[Arkstfan]

10 minutes ago, NTXCoog said:

The grapevine (and we know how reliable that is) says that the MWC has asked if there was interest from UH or UTEP to move.

More official, as late as last year, the MWC commissioner has asked about expansion to TX  "“I’ve challenged our membership to think about expansion — with or without losing [current] members. Do we look east? Do we look at the state of Texas, for example?"

Mountain West considering expanding regardless what Big 12 does

Media reports a year or so ago indicated UTEP and Rice both inquired of MWC and were told the league wasn't expanding.

[untjim1995]

2 hours ago, Arkstfan said:

Media reports a year or so ago indicated UTEP and Rice both inquired of MWC and were told the league wasn't expanding.

Again, the MWC knows that they can get these two or UTSA at any time, but they want to wait out to see about getting TCU back, along with Baylor, and possibly Texas Tech. Then, they can go after UH again, as well. If UH ever leaves to go out west with other Big XII Texas schools, whether in the MWC or somehow they got into the Pac, the AAC folsk would love to get Rice in to fill their spot, keeping Houston's TV market, plus giving SMU, Tulane, and Tulsa another private school to join up with again.

The AAC and MWC have 24 football teams within their ranks, currently. If the model of 16 teams is what these leagues go with, eventually, its just not hard to envision the MWC adding in TCU, Baylor, UH, and UTEP. Then the AAC would replace UH with Rice, and add in Iowa State, plus three more teams like NIU, Ohio, and MUTS to get some bigger tv markets, while adding in geographical fits and solid football and/or hoops programs to their league.

[Arkstfan]

1 hour ago, untjim1995 said:

Again, the MWC knows that they can get these two or UTSA at any time, but they want to wait out to see about getting TCU back, along with Baylor, and possibly Texas Tech. Then, they can go after UH again, as well. If UH ever leaves to go out west with other Big XII Texas schools, whether in the MWC or somehow they got into the Pac, the AAC folsk would love to get Rice in to fill their spot, keeping Houston's TV market, plus giving SMU, Tulane, and Tulsa another private school to join up with again.

The AAC and MWC have 24 football teams within their ranks, currently. If the model of 16 teams is what these leagues go with, eventually, its just not hard to envision the MWC adding in TCU, Baylor, UH, and UTEP. Then the AAC would replace UH with Rice, and add in Iowa State, plus three more teams like NIU, Ohio, and MUTS to get some bigger tv markets, while adding in geographical fits and solid football and/or hoops programs to their league.

Yeah well good luck with that.

WAC tried with BYU. Remember when the vultures started circling the Big East and MWC held off adding Boise because they thought they were going to pick off Big East members? They lost TCU instead.

Texas Tech, Baylor, TCU aren't going to cross the Rockies unless it's to play someone with serious value like BYU.

MWC has the same problem the WAC had. No regional replacements.

Cut the Big XII down to Iowa State, Kansas State, TCU, Ok St, and Baylor and they'll pick off the front range schools plus whatever of AAC suits their mood. Even without Texas, OU, Kansas and maybe Texas Tech as well, Houston, Tulsa, SMU, Memphis, Tulane will all trade trips to them for UConn.

[Harry]

36 minutes ago, Arkstfan said:

Cut the Big XII down to Iowa State, Kansas State, TCU, Ok St, and Baylor and they'll pick off the front range schools plus whatever of AAC suits their mood. Even without Texas, OU, Kansas and maybe Texas Tech as well, Houston, Tulsa, SMU, Memphis, Tulane will all trade trips to them for UConn.

I tend to agree that they will do their own thing and get the NCAA waiver since UT etc is bolting.  In fact, I think this is more likely than not once the TV contract comes back up.  And I think SMU/Houston/Memphis see that as more realistic than them joining another existing conference...

The bigger question is where UT/OU/Kansas etc go and what happens to the left overs from the AAC? 

[VideoEagle]

I remember reading TCU got some kind of special deal when they joined the MWC to minimize the late starts. After they left I read Colorado State, Air Force and Wyoming all said they would not agree to any special deals for new members again. Of course, that was before restructuring the TV dollars to give more money to Boise to keep them in the conference. 

The whole reason the MWC started was the airport group hated dealing with a large conference spread across what was then five time zones. Why is there a reason to believe those schools now want to go back to exactly that structure by adding any Texas schools? It's certainly not money as they are anticipating a hair cut similar to what CUSA got in it's TV deal. 

I agree with Harry and Arkstfan that it's more likely the Big XII remnants poach from the MWC than the MWC chooses to add Texas schools with the possible exception of UTEP.

[shootermcgavin44]

On 4/18/2017 at 4:55 PM, wardly said:

We presently have a number of former SBC members in CUSA , including UNT, so reuniting in the same conference should not be a problem. I would hope that at some point both conferences set a standard for athletic budgets . That would weed out the glorified 1aa members such as ULM.Also, I miss playing Ark. State and ULL,and would like to see us in the same conference with them.

One of the best days in UNT athletics history was when we joined CUSA and left the Sunbelt behind. Bad enough we are stuck again with FIU and FAU, we don't need to start adding more trash belt teams to create Sunbelt 2.0. #expectmore 

[untjim1995]

3 hours ago, shootermcgavin44 said:

One of the best days in UNT athletics history was when we joined CUSA and left the Sunbelt behind. Bad enough we are stuck again with FIU and FAU, we don't need to start adding more trash belt teams to create Sunbelt 2.0. #expectmore 

Just how do you expect more when the path ahead upward is blocked for us as long as SMU and TCU remain in Leagues above us? We are already in SBC 2.0. All of the people we wanted to play in a conference with in the old CUSA are now in the AAC, which is why we aren't still in the SBC.

And I doubt Arkansas State and ULL are considered trash by anyone...

[greenminer]

14 hours ago, untjim1995 said:

Again, the MWC knows that they can get these two or UTSA at any time, but they want to wait out to see about getting TCU back, along with Baylor, and possibly Texas Tech.

Is this published somewhere, or just your own perception?

[VideoEagle]

3 hours ago, greenminer said:

Is this published somewhere, or just your own perception?

Technically it's published right here. 

[Arkstfan]

11 hours ago, shootermcgavin44 said:

One of the best days in UNT athletics history was when we joined CUSA and left the Sunbelt behind. Bad enough we are stuck again with FIU and FAU, we don't need to start adding more trash belt teams to create Sunbelt 2.0. #expectmore 

That is seriously sad, that you can't come up with any better accomplishments than being asked to join CUSA at the same time as FIU and three schools that had never played a down of FBS ball.

Deeply sad.

[VideoEagle]

12 hours ago, shootermcgavin44 said:

One of the best days in UNT athletics history was when we joined CUSA and left the Sunbelt behind. Bad enough we are stuck again with FIU and FAU, we don't need to start adding more trash belt teams to create Sunbelt 2.0. #expectmore 

It was a good day and did complete a long, long time goal. But the CUSA we joined was NOT the CUSA we'd been aspiring to join. The one we wanted to join had a number of our old Mo Valley conference mates in it but they all bolted to the Big East/AAC. 

Of course, the Big East that Houston, SMU, el al actually joined wasn't the one THEY had aspired to either. 

Politican friends told me a long time ago you can't keep fighting the same battle as things always change. Yesterday's opponent could be tomorrow's ally. I was very opposed to UTSA moving up immediately to full FBS football. But once the WAC accepted them, they WERE in fact a going to be a full fledged FBS team according to the NCAA. Battle is lost so move on. 

UL Monroe really should give up on FBS football. They simply aren't putting the resources in to be consistently successful while supporting the other sports required to be a Division 1 school. That doesn't mean that had no success, they beat 'Bama! They also stepped up to the plate as started competing in FBS before they were ready to help out the schools trying to form a Sun Belt football league. There would have been no four year bowl run for NT if ULM hadn't joined the Belt and made the Belt possible. 

Things change and in college football they are changing at an ever faster rate. The last round of realignments made all of the G5s weaker conferences top to bottom than they were before the realignment started. The new additions lowered the average conference strength at first of all the G5s, but a number of the schools have stepped up to the challenge and improved. Some have not. 

But the bottom line is things are going to change and everyone is going to have to adapt to the change. 

Edited April 21, 2017 by VideoEagle

[Arkstfan]

31 minutes ago, VideoEagle said:

It was a good day and did complete a long, long time goal. But the CUSA we joined was NOT the CUSA we'd been aspiring to join. The one we wanted to join had a number of our old Mo Valley conference mates in it but they all bolted to the Big East/AAC. 

Of course, the Big East that Houston, SMU, el al actually joined wasn't the one THEY had aspired to either. 

Politican friends told me a long time ago you can't keep fighting the same battle as things always change. Yesterday's opponent could be tomorrow's ally. I was very opposed to UTSA moving up immediately to full FBS football. But once the WAC accepted them, they WERE in fact a going to be a full fledged FBS team according to the NCAA. Battle is lost so move on. 

UL Monroe really should give up on FBS football. They simply aren't putting the resources in to be consistently successful while supporting the other sports required to be a Division 1 school. That doesn't mean that had no success, they beat 'Bama! They also stepped up to the plate as started competing in FBS before they were ready to help out the schools trying to form a Sun Belt football league. There would have been no four year bowl run for NT if ULM hadn't joined the Belt and made the Belt possible. 

Things change and in college football they are changing at an ever faster rate. The last round of realignments made all of the G5s weaker conferences top to bottom than they were before the realignment started. The new additions lowered the average conference strength at first of all the G5s, but a number of the schools have stepped up to the challenge and improved. Some have not. 

But the bottom line is things are going to change and everyone is going to have to adapt to the change. 

Sun Belt came out better than most of the G5. We didn't manage to lose ULM or UALR (and UALR won a game in the Dance since then) but TXST has been a push, GaSt picked us up some extra NCAA money by winning a tournament game, UTA has been good for our RPI in hoops, App has been good for quality of play in football and viewership on TV, GaSo has been a good performer though not as noted as App. No one is crying over the lack of trips to FIU and FAU.

My opinion has been that the G5's biggest problem is not understand the rules of the game.

No one delivers the audience needed to cause the networks to secure their presence and help the carriage fees they receive. Now the carriage fee economy is withering.

Trying to emulate what the P5 do without their resources or reach is foolish. It's like a retailer trying to out Wal-Mart Wal-Mart. Sears used to be the biggest retailer and Wal-Mart didn't pass them by following Sears business model.

Edited April 21, 2017 by Arkstfan
added detail

[Ben Gooding]

I actually hope this happens. I don't care about being back with some SunBelt schools as long as they're the right ones. I would also not being pulled away from some of the programs/universities in CUSA, granted it's the right ones. Give me a conference lineup like this and I'll be thrilled...

UNT, Middle Tenn, UTEP, UTSA, Rice, So Miss, La Tech, UAB from CUSA. 

Arkansas St, Texas St, LaLa, Troy from SunBelt. 

UTA and UALR to the new conference for basketball only. (Through UALR is getting a lot of heat from their students about getting a football program and it has caught some traction). http://www.fox16.com/news/after-50-years-ualr-football-could-make-a-comeback/206040908

I was not happy about adding Troy or UAB. But we needed 12 to get to the eligibility of having a conference championship in football. 

This also leaves room to poach 2 quality universities/programs from elsewhere if they fit the mold and geographical landscape, such as a Tulsa or Tulane or even a UCA to give Arkansas St a partner. For now, find the median line and split the conference dictated by geography. So by this it would look like...

New Conference West - UTEP, UTSA, Rice, Texas State, UNT, La Tech*

New Conference East - LaLa, Ark St, So Miss, UAB, Troy, Middle Tenn

By doing this every game would be then in theory, drivable. It would also make our new division far more competitive and a good chance to occasionally jump on the national scene. 

This leaves the other conference with App St, CC, Ga So, Ga St, ULM, USA, FAU, FIU, UNC-C, ODU, WKU, Marshall. Split the conference up into divisions the same way. The conferences weren't really cherry picked, so there will still be competition there. It makes too much sense not to do this. Therefore, it won't happen. 

*I don't think La Tech would be thrilled about being in a division with all Texas schools. I say option 1) Too bad. 2) Swap Tech with LaLa. 

 

[Arkstfan]

48 minutes ago, Ben Gooding said:

I actually hope this happens. I don't care about being back with some SunBelt schools as long as they're the right ones. I would also not being pulled away from some of the programs/universities in CUSA, granted it's the right ones. Give me a conference lineup like this and I'll be thrilled...

UNT, Middle Tenn, UTEP, UTSA, Rice, So Miss, La Tech, UAB from CUSA. 

Arkansas St, Texas St, LaLa, Troy from SunBelt. 

UTA and UALR to the new conference for basketball only. (Through UALR is getting a lot of heat from their students about getting a football program and it has caught some traction). http://www.fox16.com/news/after-50-years-ualr-football-could-make-a-comeback/206040908

I was not happy about adding Troy or UAB. But we needed 12 to get to the eligibility of having a conference championship in football. 

This also leaves room to poach 2 quality universities/programs from elsewhere if they fit the mold and geographical landscape, such as a Tulsa or Tulane or even a UCA to give Arkansas St a partner. For now, find the median line and split the conference dictated by geography. So by this it would look like...

New Conference West - UTEP, UTSA, Rice, Texas State, UNT, La Tech*

New Conference East - LaLa, Ark St, So Miss, UAB, Troy, Middle Tenn

By doing this every game would be then in theory, drivable. It would also make our new division far more competitive and a good chance to occasionally jump on the national scene. 

This leaves the other conference with App St, CC, Ga So, Ga St, ULM, USA, FAU, FIU, UNC-C, ODU, WKU, Marshall. Split the conference up into divisions the same way. The conferences weren't really cherry picked, so there will still be competition there. It makes too much sense not to do this. Therefore, it won't happen. 

*I don't think La Tech would be thrilled about being in a division with all Texas schools. I say option 1) Too bad. 2) Swap Tech with LaLa. 

 

I don't know Tech's opinion on being in an all Texas league but AState would hate it. Alabama is too important to our recruiting and we'd rather have South Alabama than Troy even though Troy tends to have the better football program. I suspect the limits the Bama board has put on UAB means they are always at risk of the drop football fiasco repeating so I'm leery of them.

Wouldn't waste any time expecting UALR to add football. They have the highest student athletic fee in the state and they aren't awarding all their scholarships as it is. Adding two sports and 90 or so scholarships probably isn't within reach for them.

You don't need 12 for a football championship, only 10. Big XII is adding a title game and Sun Belt adds one in 2018.

Edited April 21, 2017 by Arkstfan

[Ben Gooding]

35 minutes ago, Arkstfan said:

I don't know Tech's opinion on being in an all Texas league but AState would hate it. Alabama is too important to our recruiting and we'd rather have South Alabama than Troy even though Troy tends to have the better football program. I suspect the limits the Bama board has put on UAB means they are always at risk of the drop football fiasco repeating so I'm leery of them.

Wouldn't waste any time expecting UALR to add football. They have the highest student athletic fee in the state and they aren't awarding all their scholarships as it is. Adding two sports and 90 or so scholarships probably isn't within reach for them.

You don't need 12 for a football championship, only 10. Big XII is adding a title game and Sun Belt adds one in 2018.

I was aware of the bold. Loopholes narrow down to thimbles for G5 in comparison. But I was unaware of Sun Belt being able to get that done. 

With the current projected conference that I threw together, Arkansas State would be a better fit in the East division. La Tech wouldn't like being in an all Texas division because it's LaTech. They are all high and mighty for whatever reason over there in the Metroplex of Ruston. But they are a better geographical fit than Arkansas State in the West. They are closer to all the Texas programs. But if X new conference wanted to satisfy their needs, swap them with LaLa. 

I chose Troy over USA because let's face it, Football is where the dough it at. Or in most of our cases, the potential dough. They are far superior in football than USA. And as far as UAB, they won't be shutdown. UA-T won't be willing to go through another controversy like that again. 

I highly doubt UALR adds a football program. Too much red tape to cut through. I was just throwing it out there that it is gaining a little momentum and hypothetically could happen. 

[Arkstfan]

4 minutes ago, Ben Gooding said:

I was aware of the bold. Loopholes narrow down to thimbles for G5 in comparison. But I was unaware of Sun Belt being able to get that done. 

With the current projected conference that I threw together, Arkansas State would be a better fit in the East division. La Tech wouldn't like being in an all Texas division because it's LaTech. They are all high and mighty for whatever reason over there in the Metroplex of Ruston. But they are a better geographical fit than Arkansas State in the West. They are closer to all the Texas programs. But if X new conference wanted to satisfy their needs, swap them with LaLa. 

I chose Troy over USA because let's face it, Football is where the dough it at. Or in most of our cases, the potential dough. They are far superior in football than USA. And as far as UAB, they won't be shutdown. UA-T won't be willing to go through another controversy like that again. 

I highly doubt UALR adds a football program. Too much red tape to cut through. I was just throwing it out there that it is gaining a little momentum and hypothetically could happen. 

Here's my case for South Alabama.

Troy has 18,000ish students but less than half are on the campus at Troy. USA has 16k plus in Mobile. USA happens to be in the same city as a good G5 bowl game. They exist in their own media market a nice distance from any P5 (the closest P5 to USA is LSU) and have a lot of upside that hasn't been tapped. They can beat MWC champion San Diego State or SEC member Miss State, they just haven't figured out winning Sun Belt games. Better regarded academic school which scratches an itch presidents have.

[Ben Gooding]

2 minutes ago, Arkstfan said:

Here's my case for South Alabama.

Troy has 18,000ish students but less than half are on the campus at Troy. USA has 16k plus in Mobile. USA happens to be in the same city as a good G5 bowl game. They exist in their own media market a nice distance from any P5 (the closest P5 to USA is LSU) and have a lot of upside that hasn't been tapped. They can beat MWC champion San Diego State or SEC member Miss State, they just haven't figured out winning Sun Belt games. Better regarded academic school which scratches an itch presidents have.

I understand that. And I agree for the most part. But if a new conference is going to form, I would like to be associated with higher brand names from a regional and potentially national standpoint. If Troy wins, they'll go to a bowl and probably one regionally located...possibly the GoDaddy bowl which is the one in Mobile I believe. As far as them kind of being in their own market. To that, I say meh. We all know that programs like USA hold no market share. They are a 5-7 year old program that holds less than 100 total games played. That city is owned and sub-owned by I am sure several schools. LSU, FSU, Southern Miss, etc. are all less than 3 hours from Mobile. and Troy is only 2 hours or so from Mobile. Then not to even mention it's a non pro sport state that holds Alabama and Auburn. If anything, it's more than likely a melting pot TV market with Bama and Auburn sharing the majority of that stock with USA somewhere near or at the bottom of the totem pole. And for better or worse, a lot of the schools/universities/fans have a name familiarity with Troy. I'm not saying you're wrong. There are 2 sides to the coin. I just think that for the sake of trying to springboard a new conference, Troy would be a better pick. 

On a complete side note, I would be excited to be back with Arkansas State. I became a UNT student/fan in 2011/2012 and I never really got to take in the aspect of having Arkansas State as a conference mate. I am from Gurdon, Arkansas and am very familiar with Arkansas State and would like to take a trip up to Jonesboro to take in a game. A handful of my high school classmates are ASU alum and it would just create some internal fun for me. 

[Arkstfan]

1 hour ago, Ben Gooding said:

I understand that. And I agree for the most part. But if a new conference is going to form, I would like to be associated with higher brand names from a regional and potentially national standpoint. If Troy wins, they'll go to a bowl and probably one regionally located...possibly the GoDaddy bowl which is the one in Mobile I believe. As far as them kind of being in their own market. To that, I say meh. We all know that programs like USA hold no market share. They are a 5-7 year old program that holds less than 100 total games played. That city is owned and sub-owned by I am sure several schools. LSU, FSU, Southern Miss, etc. are all less than 3 hours from Mobile. and Troy is only 2 hours or so from Mobile. Then not to even mention it's a non pro sport state that holds Alabama and Auburn. If anything, it's more than likely a melting pot TV market with Bama and Auburn sharing the majority of that stock with USA somewhere near or at the bottom of the totem pole. And for better or worse, a lot of the schools/universities/fans have a name familiarity with Troy. I'm not saying you're wrong. There are 2 sides to the coin. I just think that for the sake of trying to springboard a new conference, Troy would be a better pick. 

On a complete side note, I would be excited to be back with Arkansas State. I became a UNT student/fan in 2011/2012 and I never really got to take in the aspect of having Arkansas State as a conference mate. I am from Gurdon, Arkansas and am very familiar with Arkansas State and would like to take a trip up to Jonesboro to take in a game. A handful of my high school classmates are ASU alum and it would just create some internal fun for me. 

I started to add an * saying doesn't really matter since neither of us get to decide.

I like the AState formula of a small media market where local TV and newspaper are too far from the nearest big name to cover them in person so they cover the local G5. Gives you a chance to build your brand among people too far from the name brand to go every week. One of the reasons I liked Coastal Carolina so much more than Eastern Kentucky. USA fits that model better than Troy because of TV.

The Gurdon light lead you down to Denton??? :)

Edited April 21, 2017 by Arkstfan

[Ben Gooding]

9 minutes ago, Arkstfan said:

I started to add an * saying doesn't really matter since neither of us get to decide.

I like the AState formula of a small media market where local TV and newspaper are too far from the nearest big name to cover them in person so they cover the local G5. Gives you a chance to build your brand among people too far from the name brand to go every week. One of the reasons I liked Coastal Carolina so much more than Eastern Kentucky. USA fits that model better than Troy because of TV.

The Gurdon light lead you down to Denton??? :)

Haha. No. I joined the military out of high school in 2005. Didn't want to move back to Gurdon or really southern Arkansas in general. I wanted to stay relatively local while moving back into the area though. So, I chose the DFW area and the other area universities are private and centralized on being in the who. Denton I went. I don't regret the choice at all. I wish Denton and UNT for that matter was a little* more culturally mainstream. It's so off beat and against the grain that around here it's turned into the mainstream thing to be or do. 

*For the Denton crazies...I set a little asterisk right next to little. Not complete overhaul. Just a little change.