(03-18-2015 10:51 AM)BlueRaiderBoy Wrote:  

(03-18-2015 10:32 AM)Art Vandelay Wrote:  

(03-18-2015 10:27 AM)BlueRaiderBoy Wrote:  

(03-18-2015 10:00 AM)WIowl Wrote:  

(03-18-2015 02:15 AM)SApuro Wrote:  UTSA turned down the MWC once and opted for a Texas friendly conference.

UTEP needs to do the same. Be grateful for having a quality conference to call home.

NMSU on the other hand is a year out from being thrown out by SBC so of course they are going to push new membership....anywhere.

Sorry, if UTEP moves, Rice needs to try and tag along. I still belive the Rice admin would rather return with our traditional rivals (SMU and Houston, and a fellow AAU school in Tulane), but if the AAC door is closed, we need to move to the MWC. CUSA is untentable for Rice in the long term (rivals, academics).

I can see the logic in UTEP moving to MWC if they were ever invited which they have not been. NMSU brings nothing to CUSA or MWC. However, as to RICE, neither SMU or Tulsa are going to the MWC from AAC so who are the ATHLETIC RIVALS for Rice in MWC? Wyoming? AND, other than the Air Force Academy, who is it exactly that you consider to be an ACADEMIC RIVAL in MWC? UNLV or Boise?
Seriously, we're glad to have RICE (and other current members) in the same conference as MT.

WRONG!

UTEP has been invited twice, our AD rejected them both times because he thought Houston and SMU weren't going anywhere.

When exactly was UTEP extended a Formal Invitation to join MWC?
By the way, I hope UTEP stays in CUSA and come to the Boro so that we can pay you back for knocking us out of a Bowl Game last year.

I don't think formal invitations are ever given out without knowing in advance that the response will be acceptance. For UTEP the invitations (supposed because of the heavy rumoring) came during the alliance debacle. I'm pretty sure UTEP was convinced that the alliance would happen and they would have their dream conference without having to make a move. Having UTEP in the same conference as the other Texas schools and the MWC schools would have been ideal.