(01-16-2013 04:01 PM)99Tiger Wrote:  I don't know much about it, but I thought Millsaps was respectable...

They are by far the best school in the list I posted. But personally, when I hear "strong academics," I think of places like Cal and Michigan. The notion that losing SMU hurt us academically borders on misleading, in my opinion. Yes, it's true in a way, but I can't help but think that there's an element of plain snobbery there (and something else I'll omit in the interest of diplomacy).

"Man from Tulsa aspires to associate with rich Dallas coeds.":lmfao:

(01-16-2013 04:01 PM)Luckyshot Wrote:  

(01-16-2013 01:51 PM)AndreWhere Wrote:  

(01-16-2013 12:17 PM)SgtGoldenEagle Wrote:  The moves will be made and frankly the fans are not high on the list of the decision making process. Regardless, some schools will be fine, others will get hurt.

If the fans don't matter, who does? I would have thought that getting big, enthusiastic crowds at MM Roberts was priority #1.

I've said this many times : people in MS are far too football-savvy to pay $50 to watch a game against Texas State (or ODU, UNT, etc.)

If that were true there wouldn't be nearly as many Mississippians wearing OM and MSU crap. If they were really football-savvy then Southern Miss would own the state of MS.

I think those people would tell you that MSU and Ole Miss play at the highest level whereas USM doesn't. SEC-worship is very ingrained in southern culture. If we can't get into the SEC, we need to get close enough to at least make a case for ourselves.

I think most USM fans realize this, but they're resigned to the status quo. What we need to do is have a little more pride in ourselves.

(01-16-2013 04:20 PM)AndreWhere Wrote:  

(01-16-2013 04:01 PM)Luckyshot Wrote:  

(01-16-2013 01:51 PM)AndreWhere Wrote:  

(01-16-2013 12:17 PM)SgtGoldenEagle Wrote:  The moves will be made and frankly the fans are not high on the list of the decision making process. Regardless, some schools will be fine, others will get hurt.

If the fans don't matter, who does? I would have thought that getting big, enthusiastic crowds at MM Roberts was priority #1.

I've said this many times : people in MS are far too football-savvy to pay $50 to watch a game against Texas State (or ODU, UNT, etc.)

If that were true there wouldn't be nearly as many Mississippians wearing OM and MSU crap. If they were really football-savvy then Southern Miss would own the state of MS.

I think those people would tell you that MSU and Ole Miss play at the highest level whereas USM doesn't. SEC-worship is very ingrained in southern culture. If we can't get into the SEC, we need to get close enough to at least make a case for ourselves.

I think most USM fans realize this, but they're resigned to the status quo. What we need to do is have a little more pride in ourselves.

More like "in the highest level". Alabama, USC-W, and Oregon play "at the highest level", OM and MSU are no where close. I understood your comment though and agree, but don't agree that equates with "football savvy".

(01-16-2013 04:23 PM)Luckyshot Wrote:  

(01-16-2013 04:20 PM)AndreWhere Wrote:  

(01-16-2013 04:01 PM)Luckyshot Wrote:  

(01-16-2013 01:51 PM)AndreWhere Wrote:  

(01-16-2013 12:17 PM)SgtGoldenEagle Wrote:  The moves will be made and frankly the fans are not high on the list of the decision making process. Regardless, some schools will be fine, others will get hurt.

If the fans don't matter, who does? I would have thought that getting big, enthusiastic crowds at MM Roberts was priority #1.

I've said this many times : people in MS are far too football-savvy to pay $50 to watch a game against Texas State (or ODU, UNT, etc.)

If that were true there wouldn't be nearly as many Mississippians wearing OM and MSU crap. If they were really football-savvy then Southern Miss would own the state of MS.

I think those people would tell you that MSU and Ole Miss play at the highest level whereas USM doesn't. SEC-worship is very ingrained in southern culture. If we can't get into the SEC, we need to get close enough to at least make a case for ourselves.

I think most USM fans realize this, but they're resigned to the status quo. What we need to do is have a little more pride in ourselves.

More like "in the highest level". Alabama, USC-W, and Oregon play "at the highest level", OM and MSU are no where close. I understood your comment though and agree, but don't agree that equates with "football savvy".

If you want to call it "bias" I won't disagree. Whatever it is, though, it's there. I think conference affiliation is far more important to USM than it is to most schools. I don't know if you were around pre-CUSA, but I can tell you that even just getting into CUSA 1.0 was huge for USM. Some of the benefit came from getting on TV, getting more home games, etc. but another big benefit was just being perceived as more legitimate. UH won a Heisman in the 1990s and Louisville won a Fiesta Bowl. The fact that they wanted to be in a conference with us was a wake-up call for a lot of the locals. It's unfortunate that we've now basically been expelled.

As mentioned by someone on another thread, I believe when CUSA loses Tulsa, it should go to 16.

East: Western Kentucky, MTSU, UAB, FIU, FAU, UNC-Charlotte, Old Dominion, Marshall

West: UTEP, Rice, North Texas, UTSA, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana Tech, Southern Mississippi, Arkansas State

(01-16-2013 10:34 AM)DaSaintFan Wrote:  

(01-16-2013 10:28 AM)eltigre Wrote:  Let's make this fun and form a "Secret Conference". One in which none of the members actually know who the other members are.

I say that you do it by random lot every year :) Every year, just draw out 12 teams and that's your conference for the upcoming season. It makes a hell of a lot more sense than some of these other moves

(01-16-2013 12:39 PM)panicstricken Wrote:  I like our OOC. I think we can do 3-1 with a loss to OU.

If we can run the table we have a decent shot at finishing 12-1. Maybe thats enough. Hopefully ECU or Marshall can have good seasons and we get a nice CCG again.

We can play that game, too.

I like Rice's OOC. I think we go 3-1 with a loss to Texas A&M. The Bayou Bucket game will be huge for us, and I think we handle Kansas at home and New Mexico State in Las Cruces.

The West will come down to Tulsa and Rice. The game will be in Houston, and hopefully in November when Bailiff has the team at its peak each year.

2013 may be the year Rice hosts the C-USA championship game and takes a big leap forward.

(01-16-2013 11:20 AM)SgtGoldenEagle Wrote:  well regardless of what Tulsa does, I respect what they are doing there, and I wish them only the best. They have been good for C-USA and USM has had some great games with them, so I have nothing but best wishes and warm regards for them whatever they decide.

(01-16-2013 11:53 AM)goldenhurricane2 Wrote:  

(01-16-2013 11:20 AM)SgtGoldenEagle Wrote:  well regardless of what Tulsa does, I respect what they are doing there, and I wish them only the best. They have been good for C-USA and USM has had some great games with them, so I have nothing but best wishes and warm regards for them whatever they decide.

Thanks for the kind words!

Ditto. Would love to meet USM again sooner rather than later.

(01-16-2013 04:49 PM)Afflicted Wrote:  As mentioned by someone on another thread, I believe when CUSA loses Tulsa, it should go to 16.

East: Western Kentucky, MTSU, UAB, FIU, FAU, UNC-Charlotte, Old Dominion, Marshall

West: UTEP, Rice, North Texas, UTSA, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana Tech, Southern Mississippi, Arkansas State

West looks tough!

(01-16-2013 10:46 PM)ESE84 Wrote:  

(01-16-2013 12:39 PM)panicstricken Wrote:  I like our OOC. I think we can do 3-1 with a loss to OU.

If we can run the table we have a decent shot at finishing 12-1. Maybe thats enough. Hopefully ECU or Marshall can have good seasons and we get a nice CCG again.

We can play that game, too.

I like Rice's OOC. I think we go 3-1 with a loss to Texas A&M. The Bayou Bucket game will be huge for us, and I think we handle Kansas at home and New Mexico State in Las Cruces.

The West will come down to Tulsa and Rice. The game will be in Houston, and hopefully in November when Bailiff has the team at its peak each year.

2013 may be the year Rice hosts the C-USA championship game and takes a big leap forward.

That would be cool if the CUSA West came down to that game. Bailiff has Rice moving in the right direction. He also seems to be doing well in recruiting this year. Rice fans were ready to send him packing early this past season. Is he completely off the hot seat now ?

(01-16-2013 11:18 PM)Tulsafanzz Wrote:  That would be cool if the CUSA West came down to that game. Bailiff has Rice moving in the right direction. He also seems to be doing well in recruiting this year. Rice fans were ready to send him packing early this past season. Is he completely off the hot seat now ?

We are negotiating a contract extension with Bailiff, but we do not know much about the details. The contract extension means he probably is off the hot seat, but some nagging issues remain - like winning the big games against Tulsa and Houston. Expectations for 2013 are high, and the schedule keeps getting easier. If his team is a No Show in the Bayou Bucket again, and he loses a game like Memphis in 2012, the fans will probably be anxious and vocal.

(01-16-2013 10:46 PM)ESE84 Wrote:  

(01-16-2013 12:39 PM)panicstricken Wrote:  I like our OOC. I think we can do 3-1 with a loss to OU.

If we can run the table we have a decent shot at finishing 12-1. Maybe thats enough. Hopefully ECU or Marshall can have good seasons and we get a nice CCG again.

We can play that game, too.

I like Rice's OOC. I think we go 3-1 with a loss to Texas A&M. The Bayou Bucket game will be huge for us, and I think we handle Kansas at home and New Mexico State in Las Cruces.

The West will come down to Tulsa and Rice. The game will be in Houston, and hopefully in November when Bailiff has the team at its peak each year.

2013 may be the year Rice hosts the C-USA championship game and takes a big leap forward.

I said it recently in another thread and I'll say it again, Rice is my pick to win C-USA west next year. I think the fact that they have Tulsa at home, have lots of returning starters and finished this year in strong fashion tells me they are ready to play in the championship game. ECU, if they are still in the conference this coming season, should be favored in the east. Whether Rice or ECU hosts the champ game is up in the air. Still, as we all know, that's all according to how it looks on paper. Other teams could unexpectedly jump up and bite both ECU and Rice in the butt. That's what makes college football so much fun.

Getting bitten in the butt is what's fun?

(01-17-2013 09:42 AM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  

(01-16-2013 10:46 PM)ESE84 Wrote:  

(01-16-2013 12:39 PM)panicstricken Wrote:  I like our OOC. I think we can do 3-1 with a loss to OU.

If we can run the table we have a decent shot at finishing 12-1. Maybe thats enough. Hopefully ECU or Marshall can have good seasons and we get a nice CCG again.

We can play that game, too.

I like Rice's OOC. I think we go 3-1 with a loss to Texas A&M. The Bayou Bucket game will be huge for us, and I think we handle Kansas at home and New Mexico State in Las Cruces.

The West will come down to Tulsa and Rice. The game will be in Houston, and hopefully in November when Bailiff has the team at its peak each year.

2013 may be the year Rice hosts the C-USA championship game and takes a big leap forward.

I said it recently in another thread and I'll say it again, Rice is my pick to win C-USA west next year. I think the fact that they have Tulsa at home, have lots of returning starters and finished this year in strong fashion tells me they are ready to play in the championship game. ECU, if they are still in the conference this coming season, should be favored in the east. Whether Rice or ECU hosts the champ game is up in the air. Still, as we all know, that's all according to how it looks on paper. Other teams could unexpectedly jump up and bite both ECU and Rice in the butt. That's what makes college football so much fun.

Rice is improving and certainly had a good game in Tulsa last year, but they'll have to really prove themselves against TU. In that 2012 Rice game, we held out several players including the starting QB, Cody Green and Trey Watts, who ran for over 1,000 yds. So Rice and its defense (with ex-TU alum Chris Thurmond in charge) simply played the run against a one dimensional offense.

Make no mistake, Rice WILL be better and be at home, but TU should be much better offensively as well. Should be a good one.

OK, without reading this entire thread here - If Tulsa has a BE and MW invites on the table - for 2014, what do they do? Stay in CUSA, BE or MW?

(01-16-2013 11:09 AM)goldenhurricane2 Wrote:  

(01-16-2013 11:06 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  Another worthless opinion.

Isn't that basically what all message boards are?

Yes plus a heaping scoop of B***S****.

I dont know. I think the smart thing would be to go to the MW with UTEP and hope houston and SMU come after the Big 12 takes Florida State and Miami. ACC will probably have to add USF and UCONN.

SMU, Houston and Cinncy could come to MW in 2015-2016

I have no realistic expectation that the nBE will be anything like it is now in 2014 when we are "expected to join"

But the school is run by nerds and they have nerd schools over there.

Hell I just wish we could be in the exact same league we were in when we started the 2012-2013 football season. If you want to rename that the Big East fine.

Right now Tulsa is a proud member of CUSA and Im stoked for the 2013 CUSA season.

(01-17-2013 11:34 AM)dakar1 Wrote:  OK, without reading this entire thread here - If Tulsa has a BE and MW invites on the table - for 2014, what do they do? Stay in CUSA, BE or MW?

At this point, Tulsa doesn't have invites from either conference...at least not publicly.

If we get invited the Tulsa decision makers will have to weigh in all the factors. Competition, rivalries, money, upward mobility, expenses. Even non-revenue sports could be a factor. Tulsa has a nationally ranked men's soccer team. Women's softball and volleyball are very strong as well.

I would say that stability is a major factor but it is my opinion that unless a school is in a "Big 5" conference its probably going to be changing conferences at least once every 10 years. Actually, the same could be said about the Big 5 conferences too.

(01-17-2013 11:24 AM)rabidTU Wrote:  Rice is improving and certainly had a good game in Tulsa last year, but they'll have to really prove themselves against TU.

I don't think any Rice fan would argue with this statement.

(01-16-2013 04:20 PM)AndreWhere Wrote:  

(01-16-2013 04:01 PM)Luckyshot Wrote:  

(01-16-2013 01:51 PM)AndreWhere Wrote:  

(01-16-2013 12:17 PM)SgtGoldenEagle Wrote:  The moves will be made and frankly the fans are not high on the list of the decision making process. Regardless, some schools will be fine, others will get hurt.

If the fans don't matter, who does? I would have thought that getting big, enthusiastic crowds at MM Roberts was priority #1.

I've said this many times : people in MS are far too football-savvy to pay $50 to watch a game against Texas State (or ODU, UNT, etc.)

If that were true there wouldn't be nearly as many Mississippians wearing OM and MSU crap. If they were really football-savvy then Southern Miss would own the state of MS.

I think those people would tell you that MSU and Ole Miss play at the highest level whereas USM doesn't. SEC-worship is very ingrained in southern culture. If we can't get into the SEC, we need to get close enough to at least make a case for ourselves.

I think most USM fans realize this, but they're resigned to the status quo. What we need to do is have a little more pride in ourselves.

It's not a question of pride. We can strut all we want, and boast till we're blue in the face. Step 1 is tons of $$$$$$$. And then things will grow from there.