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Just a thought from a CUSA fan...as soon as the decision-making process took longer than 1 week, it was fairly obvious La Tech wouldn't get the nod. Geographically, they're a knock-out (well, as much of a knock-out as you can be in Ruston, LA)...so if CUSA didn't snatch them up quickly, there must be a reason.

UTEP but I have no idea why

LaTech, while home to some very nice fans, is not well funded. I think they have one of the smallest budgets in the WAC. They do alright in most sports, but other than one WAC title in Football, they haven't been super successful in the Conference. Also, getting to Ruston can be a chore. Not so bad for those schools that charter flights, but anyone going commercial is going to hate it.

On the other hand UTEP has a crappy location (far away from the other schools), but improving athletic programs and pretty good facilities. The schools in the western portion who have budget constraints can hop a cheap commercial flight out there. They've made a committment to improving their athletic programs ($$$, coaches, etc).

Just my .02,

TUfan Wrote:LaTech, while home to some very nice fans, is not well funded. I think they have one of the smallest budgets in the WAC. They do alright in most sports, but other than one WAC title in Football, they haven't been super successful in the Conference. Also, getting to Ruston can be a chore. Not so bad for those schools that charter flights, but anyone going commercial is going to hate it.

On the other hand UTEP has a crappy location (far away from the other schools), but improving athletic programs and pretty good facilities. The schools in the western portion who have budget constraints can hop a cheap commercial flight out there. They've made a committment to improving their athletic programs ($$$, coaches, etc).

Just my .02,

Idaho was counting on LaTech going to CUSA which would open the door for them in the WAC. If UTEP leaves, then the WAC additions will come out of the East.

Sorry-- I forgot to add women's basketball to LaTech. Sorry guys-- didn't mean to forget your women.

What I would like to see is La Tech going to C-USA. Nothing against La Tech, but if it comes down to U.T.E.P. OR La Tech I'd rather see La Tech going.

If U.T.E.P. is chosen IMHO they would be wise to turn it down. They belong with teams in the West. Not with teams in the East.

What I'd like to see is the following in the W.A.C. of the future:

Boise State
Fresno State
Hawaii
Nevada
San Jose State
U.T.E.P.
Utah State
New Mexico State

AND one or two of the Div. 1-AA schools out of the Big Sky Conference who moves up to Div 1-A , such as Sacramento State, or Montana, or Northern Arizona, or Weber State, or Montana State. If none of them is interested in moving up to Div 1-A then the only logical choice would be to invite North Texas or Idaho or both. Too bad Gonzaga doesn't have a football program. They'd be a great option if they did. :D

BoiseStateRules Wrote:What I would like to see is La Tech going to C-USA. Nothing against La Tech, but if it comes down to U.T.E.P. OR La Tech I'd rather see La Tech going.

If you would prefer UTEP to stay, wouldn't it be for the same reasons we would prefer UTEP to come to CUSA.

As for the playing east or west...they would have only 3 games vs. the eastern division per year. That would mean 2 (at most) road games east of the Mississippi per year. The rest of their games would be in Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma.

99Tiger Wrote:If you would prefer UTEP to stay, wouldn't it be for the same reasons we would prefer UTEP to come to CUSA.

No. I would prefer UTEP to La Tech because UTEP is a Western and La Tech is Central. WAC in conference travel would be less costly with UTEP. La Tech to CUSA for the same reason.

If I were only choosing for historical quality of competition, it would be La Tech.

Whatever happens, I am sure that it will not have any to do with what I think or any kind of real logic. What I want the most is for this to be over quickly and for no conference to end up forcing teams out of D1A.

whotep. 30 plus years w/o the Ag's in same conference why start now?

99Tiger Wrote:If you would prefer UTEP to stay, wouldn't it be for the same reasons we would prefer UTEP to come to CUSA.

I have no idea what you are referring to here. WHY does C-USA want U.T.E.P. ? I must plead ignorance here. However, it certainly is NOT why I think U.T.E.P. ought to stay in the W.A.C. I think that U.T.E.P. should stay in the W.A.C. because they are a team IN THE WEST and should remain with teams FROM THE WEST. I may not know why C-USA wants U.T.E.P. to join them, but I do know that that is not the same reason.

Looks like the UTEP voters stuffed the ballot box so far. Let's try this poll again with the UTEP voters locked out. The results would be a lot different. No offense to LA Tech, but UTEP make more sense for a geographically Western WAC that LA TECH does. Here' hoping that good sense prevails for everyone.

...alright...

One reason we are interested in UTEP is that (unfortunately) CUSA has a strong Texas presence. Additionally, they have great facilities and fan support and are located in an urban setting. They have had historically good programs that have fallen on hard times recently, but how many fans of non-BCS schools cannot remember some period of hard times?

Most of all, we want UTEP because they're not North Texas or La Tech.

99Tiger Wrote:...alright...

One reason we are interested in UTEP is that (unfortunately) CUSA has a strong Texas presence. Additionally, they have great facilities and fan support and are located in an urban setting. They have had historically good programs that have fallen on hard times recently, but how many fans of non-BCS schools cannot remember some period of hard times?

Most of all, we want UTEP because they're not North Texas or La Tech.

I concur.

And, let us not forget, that there are many alums from Texas-El Paso residing in DFW and Houston.

I'm also fairly certain that they feel that recruiting East Texas is a MUST if they want to step it up. And, the Eastern media exposure may be the clincher (as well as the better TV contracts).

So, while UTEP is technically in another time zone, their Texas ties ultimately make this a no-brainer.








However, if La Tech wins out... I will welcome them with open arms (and change my sig)..

I've gone on record saying that if you look at it from a common sense standpoint, La Tech would fit CUSA footprint perfectly. But also commen sense would have to tell you that UTEP is just in a better athletic situation than La Tech.

Would CUSA have giving an afterthought to UTEP if not for Rice, SMU and Tulsa being part of the New CUSA? No they wouldn't have. But as the case maybe you have to get the best program that is available and that is UTEP. Remember SWA can get to any of the CUSA Western cities with no problems. And SWA also fly directly into eastern cities like Memphis, Birmingham, and Orlando.

I will say with no offense to La Tech that I was never in favor of the Techsters. I would have preferred Troy St. but UAB bretherens thought I was crazy as a fox for thinking that.

CUSA is doing what is best for the conference and right now UTEP is the best choice.

99Tiger Wrote:...alright...

One reason we are interested in UTEP is that (unfortunately) CUSA has a strong Texas presence. Additionally, they have great facilities and fan support and are located in an urban setting. They have had historically good programs that have fallen on hard times recently, but how many fans of non-BCS schools cannot remember some period of hard times?

Most of all, we want UTEP because they're not North Texas or La Tech.

U.T.E.P. has a "strong presence" in Texas???? That's news to me. And I'm fairly certain it would be news to U.T.E.P. Most folks in Texas are barely aware of U.T.E.P.'s existence because of it's remote location.

I'd also have to disagree with your statement that "They have had historically good programs that have fallen on hard times recently." U.T.E.P. has, at times, had a very good basketball program, but their football program has not enjoyed "success" in a very long time (with the exception of their 2000 season when they made it to the H-Bowl).

I do, however, appreciate your honesty in saying the real reason that C-USA wants them is simply because they are not La Tech or N. Texas.

BoiseStateRules Wrote:U.T.E.P. has a "strong presence" in Texas????

Actually, I said CUSA has a strong presence in Texas.

...but to put it into perspective, our AD stated today that he is in favor of adding UTEP or staying at 11. That about sums up the opinion of La Tech or UNT.

Coog2Knight518 Wrote:I'm also fairly certain that they feel that recruiting East Texas is a MUST if they want to step it up.

If recruiting east Texas would allow them to step it up... why haven't they stepped up yet? They've been in the same conference with Rice and SMU since 1996. What would be so different about their Texas recruiting if they join C-USA, other than a different logo painted on the field?

Or are you saying that losing the east Texas connection would prevent them from ever being able to step up?

Cane Gang Wrote:A.) If recruiting east Texas would allow them to step it up... why haven't they stepped up yet? They've been in the same conference with Rice and SMU since 1996.

B.) Or are you saying that losing the east Texas connection would prevent them from ever being able to step up?

CUSA is an Eastern based league that gets exposure and respect that the WAC doesn't. Granted... It's not on the level of the Big 12, but you can definately reccognize the trends in recruiting.

I'm saying that it helps a great deal to have the access into Houston and Dallas. That region of the country is as rich with talent as ANY.

TCU managed to recruit Landian Tomlinson while they were in the WAC, so let's not go trashing the league on the league's board, eh?

Coog, I like a lot of your posts and you seem like a good guy, but the C-USA board is that way ----->

:wave: