(01-22-2015 02:48 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(01-22-2015 02:31 PM)Native Georgian Wrote:  As a Tulane fan, I was paying very close attention to the Metro/C-USA moves (and other conferences, too) of the early and mid-'90s. My view back then was that Houston, Rice, SMU, and TCU could not sustain the SWC by themselves, and they would have to seek something else to survive. Which -- practically speaking -- meant either the new eastern oriented league (C-USA) or the established western-oriented league (WAC). I could see points of strength and weakness for each option, but it seemed to me that the WAC was overly dominated by Utah/BYU, and the league would be greatly destabilized if those two ever withdrew from the league. Eventually, of course, that is exactly what happened.

That depends on what you mean by "sustain". If you mean "sustain" as rebuild the SWC back into a power conference---the answer is no. Houston, Rice, TCU, and SMU could not rebuild the SWC into a power conference on a par with the newly formed Big-12 or the Big-10.

However, if by "sustain", you mean to rebuild the conference---I think they had the ability to rebuild the conference into something at least similar to CUSA in quality while being far more geographically coherent.

Houston
TCU
Rice
SMU
Tulsa
S Miss
Tulane

There's your core. The question is could you break off any of the western portion of the WAC to finish the conference with some schools like BYU, New Mexico, Colorado St, Air Force, or Wyoming. That would be a nice conference that was fairly reflective of the SWC name. But the WAC was a pretty solid conference at that time---so I have my doubts this would really be possible.

The other option would be to go east from the above referenced 7-team core to add Memphis, Louisville, and Cinci giving you a solid 10 team round robin conference that still made some sense with the SWC name.

Considering how things have ended up so far, I would have preferred the rebuild of the SWC than where Rice is now. Just add Memphis to your list and there you go. CUSA 2.0 wasn't as bad for us as CUSA 3.1

I never liked Rice in the WAC16 as it was way too spread out and you had all those MTN and Pacific Time Zone issues to deal with. I would not want Rice to go to the present MW for the same reasons. We'd just be too isolated.

Moving to AAC doesn't really solve many problems, and would be mostly lateral for Rice, plus dealing with the exit/entrance fees and requirements.

Hope Rice is considered if BigXII expands, but I think they'd make more sense to partner with another SW region school to open up the Texas recruiting market for the ACC or BiG (partnering with UTexas itself, perhaps) as they are not in there yet. That discussion is on this thread if you'd care to post: http://csnbbs.com/thread-724143.html



from the press release: "Donors have pledged all of the funding, which will allow construction on the stadium's new End-Zone Facility to begin in early 2015."

(01-21-2015 12:01 AM)billybobby777 Wrote:  Had the WAC 16 that decided to break up at the infamous Denver "airport meeting" that Air Force initiated and BYU, Utah, CSU and Wyoming attended, the MWC was formed and UNLV, UNM and SDSU made them 8. But what if they would have stayed at 16? Right before the breakup, (and the cause of the breakup) The WAC decided to do away from the pod system and the 2, 8 team divisions would have had AF in the Mountain Division away from their front range counterparts, who'd be playing in the Pacific Division. New Mexio at the last 2nd tried to save the conference and opted to take AF's place. Had that worked, how soon would the WAC have become a BCS conference? Would they be worse off split like they were between MWC and WAC? I personally think they'd have been better off in the long term. Thoughts on WAC 16 staying the course and not splitting up in 98?
Pacific:Hawaii, SDSU, SJS, Fresno, BYU, Utah, UNLV, New Mexico
Mountain:Wyoming, CSU, AF, UTEP, Tulsa, SMU, TCU, Rice

CSU was the ringleader. Pres AL Yates of CSU was the leader to call the meeting not Air Force. Although Air Force did threaten to go indy at the time the pod crap was put in place and that was the straw that led to the other presidents saying enough of this league.

Several of those teams voted to not expand to 16 in the first place. Wyo, BYU, Utah, and Air Force all were against the expansion to 16 but back door deals made it happen. The vote was 5-4 to expand to 16 with one team not voting.

Simply put the money that was thought to be there when they expanded to 16 never showed up and costs were way up due to increased travel. In addition to no revenue bump and higher cost of operation, fan interest, and attendance was down across the old WAC guard and they saw no reason to keep losing money.

The WAC 10 should have gone to 12 and never ever gone to 16

New Mexico
Utep
Air force
Wyoming
CSU
Utah
BYU
SDSU
Hawaii
Fresno State

Was a great league. Should have just added TCU, and UNLV

When they lost 3 to the P5 then add Nevada, Boise State, Utah State

MWC should be:

New Mexico
Utep (instead of SJSU)
Air force
Wyoming
CSU
Utah State
Boise State
SDSU
Hawaii
Fresno State
Nevada
UNLV

TCU made a really smart move aligning with the MWC and not all the "other texas schools". they were able to get branding and some separation from everyone not in the P5 leagues in Texas that way

I still hope the American can add four western schools to get to 16. I'd be happy with any of these schools:

BYU
Air Force
Boise
Colorado State
Fresno
SDSU

The four would join Tulsa, SMU, Houston, and Navy in the west division.

(01-25-2015 06:18 PM)UConn-SMU Wrote:  I still hope the American can add four western schools to get to 16. I'd be happy with any of these schools:

BYU
Air Force
Boise
Colorado State
Fresno
SDSU

The four would join Tulsa, SMU, Houston, and Navy in the west division.

Just like there are a few MWC fans who want to try texas again. Neither will probably ever happen as going over 12 now costs a g5 conference money. Nobody in that group wants a FB only membership and a national g5 conference, much like the WAC, 16 simply won't pay the bills anymore then a 12 team conference will.

BTW NAVY in the West is luncay for a SDSU or Fresno to send olympic sports teams to.

(01-25-2015 06:37 PM)billings Wrote:  

(01-25-2015 06:18 PM)UConn-SMU Wrote:  I still hope the American can add four western schools to get to 16. I'd be happy with any of these schools:

BYU
Air Force
Boise
Colorado State
Fresno
SDSU

The four would join Tulsa, SMU, Houston, and Navy in the west division.

Just like there are a few MWC fans who want to try texas again. Neither will probably ever happen as going over 12 now costs a g5 conference money. Nobody in that group wants a FB only membership and a national g5 conference, much like the WAC, 16 simply won't pay the bills anymore then a 12 team conference will.

BTW NAVY in the West is luncay for a SDSU or Fresno to send olympic sports teams to.

Navy is football only. The western schools wouldn't have to send olympic teams to Annapolis, MD.

If four western schools ever joined the American (very doubtful), it would be as full members.