But this league will still struggle to get a decent television contract. So, too, will the WAC, which is now looking at adding North Texas, Idaho and/or Louisiana-Lafayette. The WAC has Louisiana Tech alone in the Central time zone, and is adding Mountain time zone teams New Mexico State and Utah State for 2005 to go along with Boise State, Fresno State, Hawaii, Nevada and San Jose State.


The WAC ended up being the last carcass to get pilfered with the Sun Belt probably next to be picked apart by the WAC. The WAC still has plenty of quality teams, with regional football powers in Boise State, Fresno State and Hawaii and now a hoops Sweet 16 team in Nevada. But, all of these teams would like to be someplace else. So, too, would a few members in Conference USA. The desire to keep moving wasn't quenched with UTEP's move Friday night.

Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.

<a href='http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=katz_andy&id=1793286' target='_blank'>http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/stor...andy&id=1793286</a>

If you read the full article he talks of the 4 WAC teams wishing to move on to the MWC and about 4 C-USA teams that would like to move to the Big East. He states that with the addition of UTEP, C-USA has a core of 8 teams (UTEP, SMU, Rice, Tulsa, Tulane, Southern Miss, UAB and Houston) that probably won't be going anywhere, since no other league appears interested.
So with all that said, with all the moves that still may be made over the next few years, why would schools like UNT, UL, ASU, MT, TU consider going to the WAC? IMHO, we are all better off here. Would any of us jump at a C-USA invite? I am sure we would but at least it would be a move that would make sense.

You're right the WAC does not make sense right now. Katz couldn't name all the SBC schools much less know what the WAC or SBC is gonna do.

Why join a league like the WAC when it will get torn apart by realignments in the next year or two. I think the Belt is the best bet for us right now, unless somehow the CUSA would ask us to join them, which I don't believe will happen.

The only problem with the Sun Belt is it's on a slow rise up. Yes it is a rise, but it's going to take a long time before it isn't considered the worst football conference, and a mediocre basketball conference.

That being said, I'd rather stay in the Sun Belt. I think that being regional will let the schools take some money that would be spent for travel and put it to better use through building facilities, marketing, and recruiting. Most of the members have very fine basketball arenas (above the new CUSA schools, imo), and given the conference's new geography, it feels like we should be able to put some very good teams on the court in the next few years.

As far as football, it's just gonna take some time. North Texas is obviously pulling the boat right now, but I think that competition will improve quite a bit in the next few years. As a conference we're starting to get a higher caliber of player, and we should start seeing even better players now that HS seniors can see that you can make it all the way to the NFL through the Sun Belt, and it isn't just a player or two, it's a dozen or more.

I personally have no interest in going out west, no matter who comes calling. The only options to me are C-USA, Big XII, and SEC. Since the Big XII and SEC aren't knocking on our door, that leaves C-USA as the only realistic option. Now that they've passed us over this round of realignment, our concentration should be on the Sun Belt and how to elevate its status in all the major sports.

Pre-empt the WAC. Get La Tech from them and take care of that little issue. :laugh:

They should let Idaho go the WAC and bring in Louisiana Tech.

The La. Tech AD says they want to stay in the WAC, so apparently that won't happen anytime soon. I guess their too blind to see the travel cost will destroy them.