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Post by MinerMan2010 on Mar 7, 2012 13:58:34 GMT -5
I don't think it is off to a great start. It would be hard to imagine that CUSA/MWC just barely kicked the idea around the last few months and decided to do it on a whim. Pretty sure that Memphis, Boise, San Diego St, Houston, SMU, and UCF all knew this could happen. They were lucky enough to find something else. Now, alleged target Temple is also going to the Big East.
Who is out there that is a truly valuable team? Buzz at the SBC tournament this week, has North Texas joining the "Alliance". Do we as Miner fans really give a fuck about UNT??? I don't see what the big deal is about playing Rice, Tulsa, or any other potential Texas team. We can schedule them in the non conference.
What has making the move to CUSA done for football recruiting? Nothing. 2 small bowl appearances and the usual losing seasons since 2005. Basketball recruiting is a non factor in Texas. It might piss off some central texas alums, but we need to be West.
If this "Alliance" thing crumbles, we just need to join the MWC. Playing New Mexico and Nevada is better than anything the remaining or potential CUSA teams have to offer.
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Post by mistabinks on Mar 7, 2012 14:08:56 GMT -5
I don't think it is off to a great start. It would be hard to imagine that CUSA/MWC just barely kicked the idea around the last few months and decided to do it on a whim. Pretty sure that Memphis, Boise, San Diego St, Houston, SMU, and UCF all knew this could happen. They were lucky enough to find something else. Now, alleged target Temple is also going to the Big East. BSU, SDSU, SMU, Houston, and UCF were in the works a very long time. Memphis was lucky to get in and was very last minute. Sure, they all wanted to get into the BE for a long time but the BE only took Memphis at the 11th hour. It is very public how hard ECU tried, but failed, to get into the BE. Who is out there that is a truly valuable team? Buzz at the SBC tournament this week, has North Texas joining the "Alliance". Do we as Miner fans really give a fuck about UNT??? I don't see what the big deal is about playing Rice, Tulsa, or any other potential Texas team. We can schedule them in the non conference. I, myself, do not want to go past 16 teams. I can live with 18. I don't have a lot of interest in 24 or 30. I am very concerned about ending up in a pod or division with UNT and UTSA. I want to be tied at the hip with UNLV, UNM, and Nevada. What has making the move to CUSA done for football recruiting? Nothing. 2 small bowl appearances and the usual losing seasons since 2005. Basketball recruiting is a non factor in Texas. It might piss off some central texas alums, but we need to be West. Our recruiting woes are our own fault. Conference exposure is but one element. Limited success shouldn't be blamed on conference affiliation. If this "Alliance" thing crumbles, we just need to join the MWC. Playing New Mexico and Nevada is better than anything the remaining or potential CUSA teams have to offer. I don't think the UTEP admin has the balls to be aggressive, sadly. ECU and Marshall and doing whatever it takes to create the regional compact eastern conference they always wanted. I won't miss playing ECU or Marshall but I am concerned they will break away from the Alliance once they align themselves with 11 eastern time zone teams. Then what? We would be stuck with the UNT's, UTSA's, and La Tech schools that we elevated into the Alliance. I don't like that. Our AD needs to constantly be talking to UNLV, Nevada, UNM and make sure we are in their long term plan. |
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Post by MinerMan2010 on Mar 9, 2012 10:30:15 GMT -5
I agree with most of what you said Binks. Being in a western conference should be UTEPs top priority. I dont think the Alliance is a long term solution, only a temporary fix. 10-15 years from now, I see conferences re-aligning again. They will return to mostly regional conferences.
If I could choose a "possible" conference for UTEP, I would include the following teams:
UNLV
Nevada
NMSU
New Mexico
Air Force
Colorado St
Wyoming
Fresno St
Utah St
Denver (bball only)
Seattle (bball only)
Hawaii (fball only)
I think that is a solid bball conference and okay football conference.
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Post by strelz on Mar 9, 2012 12:31:40 GMT -5
MinerMan2010, that would be a great conference. hawaii becomes very expensive unless they contribute to the cost of travel.
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Post by mistabinks on Mar 9, 2012 15:12:25 GMT -5
Whether I am pissing in the wind or not, I have expressed my concerns directly to the UTEP athletic department. I am worried about ballooning to 24+ teams. It then not working. Then the eastern teams break off and form a conference. The western teams break off and form a conference. Then UTEP is stuck with the leftovers such as UTSA, UNT, Texas Southern, La Tech. Sure, we save some coin on travel but lose our asses in attendance.
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Post by MinerMan2010 on Mar 9, 2012 18:13:10 GMT -5
MinerMan2010, that would be a great conference. hawaii becomes very expensive unless they contribute to the cost of travel. I agree. Even though it would be great to have SDSU and Hawaii basketball, I believe they will remain in the Big West. Would love to see BYU basketball in our conference too. I threw in Denver and Seattle for media markets only. You could replace them with Boise and somebody else too. |
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Post by MinerMan2010 on Mar 9, 2012 18:19:57 GMT -5
Whether I am pissing in the wind or not, I have expressed my concerns directly to the UTEP athletic department. I am worried about ballooning to 24+ teams. It then not working. Then the eastern teams break off and form a conference. The western teams break off and form a conference. Then UTEP is stuck with the leftovers such as UTSA, UNT, Texas Southern, La Tech. Sure, we save some coin on travel but lose our asses in attendance. I agree. 18 teams would be enough. I like staying at 16 for football, but then we wouldn't be in the West. We would be grouped with Marshall and ECU then. I dont mind being in a conference with UNT, UTSA, or Texas St, but any school east of Texas doesn't do much for me. LaTech sucks and Ruston is in the sticks. My issue with the Texas schools, is that if they catch a good break, they could elevate themselves above us. I think the alliance is a bad idead and Im not really looking forward to it. Too much uncertainty and too many schools. Id rather be with Idaho and San Jose than Marshall and ECU. |
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Post by mistabinks on Mar 9, 2012 18:42:54 GMT -5
There is some buzz that the BE wants 14 football playing schools and is eyeing a western school. If they yank UNLV I am going to jump off a cliff.
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Post by mistabinks on Mar 9, 2012 18:44:48 GMT -5
MinerMan2010, by your own accord, attendance was down because UTEP fans didn't care about CUSA east schools. I am certain UTEP fans would have even less excitement about UNT, UTSA, and Texas St. The fact they are in Texas isn't going to excite anyone. We need our AD to get aggressive and make deals with UNLV, Nevada, Fresno, CSU, and UNM - now.
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Post by MinerMan2010 on Mar 9, 2012 19:12:19 GMT -5
MinerMan2010, by your own accord, attendance was down because UTEP fans didn't care about CUSA east schools. I am certain UTEP fans would have even less excitement about UNT, UTSA, and Texas St. The fact they are in Texas isn't going to excite anyone. We need our AD to get aggressive and make deals with UNLV, Nevada, Fresno, CSU, and UNM - now. Well UTEP attendance is down mostly because our teams are garbage. Having CUSA opponents, doesn't help at all. Will having former WAC foes coming here help? I think so. You're right though, those Texas schools wouldn't help our attendance either. El Paso is not excited about UTEP athletics and that's the biggest problem. If the Big East goes to 14, I could see Air Force getting it, which isn't a big loss. I think we should focus on basketball anyway. |
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