ColoradoEagle

We were close with the TCL ballpark deal that fell through. Personally I'm glad that never went through. We were talking about a $1-1.5 million ballpark (if I recall correctly) that would have put us at an immediate disadvantage compared to other schools in the area, let alone the state. Once we can dedicate closer to $10 million to the park, we'll probably add it is my feeling. There's no point in starting a program that's disadvantaged from the start.

Ok, I want to change my dream scenario to one slightly less in the clouds, but still out there. Kansas and Kansas State have no luck with the Big East and decide they have no interest in moving to the MWC. Instead, they decide to stay behind and form their own basketball conference. Conference tournament alternating between Dallas and Memphis. West Kansas Kansas State Iowa State North Texas UTEP Tulsa East Missouri Baylor Memphis Houston UAB Western Kentucky

Rumors are swirling now that Utah will announce they are moving to the Pac 10 early next week. Things are about to get interesting if that's true.

Interesting. Outside of us, Memphis, Houston, Tulsa, WKU, ULL, South Alabama, UAB, and UTEP, is there anyone else in CUSA/Sun Belt that would even be considered OK at basketball? And it's not like any of the teams I mentioned are in the league of a Kansas or Kansas State except Memphis.

Mind altering? You'd have to assume that any new conference that comes about would be interested in staying as regional as possible. Regionally we're a great fit, and we have that new stadium going up. Of course there are a thousand scenarios. CUSA could absorb the 3 teams I mentioned above. MWC could go to 16. Leftovers of B12 could go to the Big East or a new conference where the BE football schools split from the basketball schools. Sun Belt could go to 16. WAC could go to 12 or 16. B12 could stay at 10. A&M could take Oklahoma State or OU with them to the SEC. Way more options than even these. My point simply was that if a new conference appears, because of the far flung nature of CUSA, the elements are right for NT to be an option because we're in the footprint, have the newest football stadium in the country, and we have the people in place at the AD and the President's office to get something done that may not have been possible in the past.

Assuming A&M falls in line and goes to the Pac 10, I imagine you'd see Kansas and Kansas State go to the MWC. At that point, the best possibility for us would be a new conference formed out of those remains, CUSA, and Sun Belt. If you could get 6 CUSA teams, you would still retain eligibility is my understanding. North Iowa State Missouri Memphis Tulsa North Texas SMU South Baylor Houston Rice Southern Miss Tulane UTEP The rest of CUSA merges with the Sun Belt. Of course, there are obviously versions that don't include North Texas, but I choose not to think about those.

You saying that with Dexter for your avatar is great.

If we can't move up the food chain, I think this would be a great consolation. I don't think WW and the SBC presidents have the cojones to deliver the death blow to the WAC, however.

Living in the shadow of LSU is a risk they'd probably have to take. Florida isn't 100 or 300 miles away. Pretty much they give themselves the option during recruiting to say, "Sure, you could go to Austin and play Oklahoma, USC, UCLA, Oregon, Washington, Washington State, etc. Or you could come here and play LSU, Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, etc." Instead of being the 3rd/4th (or worse) pick in the Pac 10 for Texas recruits, they're the 1st/2nd pick in the SEC.

A&M going for the SEC makes more sense. They've done almost nothing since the 90s except live in the shadows of Austin and Norman.

I'm betting Missouri is tripping all over themselves right now to be included in this. That Big Ten invite dried up pretty fast.

Their nothing is better than our nothing. Personally I would like to have NMSU back on the schedule each year.

They'll be at 8 members now. Depending on how things turn out, I wouldn't mind grabbing three other central time zone teams and joining. First preference would still be CUSA or better.

They might have seen that we're building a new stadium, the largest building project ever at the school, and wanted to bring in someone who might be able to capitalize on that. I doubt they could foresee anything like what's going on now. I mean seriously, if I told you even two weeks ago that ESPN would be regularly reporting on the possible dissolution of the Big 12, would you believe me? I wouldn't. That said, if he was brought in because of those qualifications and it was expressed that one of his main goals is to push our athletics programs, then he sounds like the right guy to have at that position. If he uses his connections to move us up to CUSA or better, then it would make losing Dr. B less painful.

Dream conference: North Texas Kansas Kansas State Iowa State Baylor TCU Houston Oklahoma State Memphis Rice Colorado State New Mexico or New Mexico State Yes, I realize SMU is missing from that list. Realistically, I think this would be a nice conference: North Texas Houston Rice SMU Tulsa Southern Miss Tulane Louisiana-Lafayette Middle Tennessee Western Kentucky New Mexico State UTEP

http://blogs.chron.com/cougars/2010/06/i_just_think_its_going_to_take.html Wish we had this kind of press going on in the DMN or the Startlegram.

So much better than "all we can do is sit and wait."

No one's ripping RV. They're ripping a blog post that should not have been made.

Sounds much different from: SMU gives due credit to CUSA but says, "We're looking for something better." The blog on our site uses almost 1/3 of the page to brown nose the Sun Belt (why?) and then compares it to the MWC (lol). If you think about it, they really are saying the same thing. With Orsini's comments, however, it feels like they are actively campaigning for a better future. The blog's comments make it sound like we can't be bothered to do anything at the moment. Just come back some other time when it's more convenient for us. Apathetic is the feeling I get from that blog.

This.

It's nice to want things.

We should be campaigning for every option available to us. Couldn't care less about how the other SBC schools react to it. Secure North Texas' future first, and then worry about this makeshift conference we're in and whose feelings get hurt.

I agree. We're too good for Florida State University.

I could see them bringing in TCU, but I highly doubt they'd be interested in SMU. I was half joking, but going off the post in the other thread where interest was expressed in us by the Big 12 North members as a means of recruiting in Texas was interesting. Oklahoma Oklahoma State Kansas Kansas State Iowa State Baylor TCU North Texas Houston Memphis Colorado State New Mexico One can dream.

I have to agree to an extent that 150 does seem overly small. The number of fans showing up on game days is increasing and I imagine it'll be an exponential increase with the new stadium. I mean, how are those 150 determined? Is this an exclusive perk for the MGC, is it first come first served, does a line form and people only get X many minutes to sit in there? If it were 500-1000, it would make more sense. This seems like it's going to cause frustration. Who doesn't want to get out of the 105 degree weather and sit and watch TV with food?