(07-27-2016 11:24 AM)RutgersGuy Wrote:  

(07-27-2016 11:10 AM)jacksfan29 Wrote:  

(07-27-2016 09:33 AM)Stay Cool Wrote:  

(07-27-2016 09:01 AM)RutgersGuy Wrote:  Why does everyone on these boards have this hard on for Rice? If I was a conference commish i'd rather take my chances on those up and coming bigger Texas schools like Texas State and UTSA.

Rice has had decades upon decades to show it's potential and I think it has. Making a bowl game in a bottom conference is about as good as they will be.

Agreed. I'll never understand the Rice love

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

Academics, solid facilities, huge endowment, prestigious university ranked top 100 nationally, history with MWC schools, Texas...

Not really that hard to see why Rice is popular with University Presidents

Academics are overrated here. Academics are a luxury when you have top choice of schools, not when you are trying to squeeze as much TV money out of every new contract. The MWC has Boise, academics aren;t their biggest concern.

If academics are so overrated why is Boise not at the top of the B12 expansion along with Cincy, Houston and BYU?

If the MWC expands into Texas, once you get past UTEP you have Rice, UTSA or Texas State. If they want two Texas schools it will be UTEP and Rice. If the goals is to build a G5 conference that will separate yourself from the MAC, Sun Belt and CUSA you balance athletics with academics. UTEP gives you the athletics while Rice gives you the academics.

(07-27-2016 12:19 PM)jacksfan29 Wrote:  

(07-27-2016 11:24 AM)RutgersGuy Wrote:  

(07-27-2016 11:10 AM)jacksfan29 Wrote:  

(07-27-2016 09:33 AM)Stay Cool Wrote:  

(07-27-2016 09:01 AM)RutgersGuy Wrote:  Why does everyone on these boards have this hard on for Rice? If I was a conference commish i'd rather take my chances on those up and coming bigger Texas schools like Texas State and UTSA.

Rice has had decades upon decades to show it's potential and I think it has. Making a bowl game in a bottom conference is about as good as they will be.

Agreed. I'll never understand the Rice love

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

Academics, solid facilities, huge endowment, prestigious university ranked top 100 nationally, history with MWC schools, Texas...

Not really that hard to see why Rice is popular with University Presidents

Academics are overrated here. Academics are a luxury when you have top choice of schools, not when you are trying to squeeze as much TV money out of every new contract. The MWC has Boise, academics aren;t their biggest concern.

If academics are so overrated why is Boise not at the top of the B12 expansion along with Cincy, Houston and BYU?

If the MWC expands into Texas, once you get past UTEP you have Rice, UTSA or Texas State. If they want two Texas schools it will be UTEP and Rice. If the goals is to build a G5 conference that will separate yourself from the MAC, Sun Belt and CUSA you balance athletics with academics. UTEP gives you the athletics while Rice gives you the academics.

As a fan of expansion, I would love for Rice and UTEP to wind up in the MWC. I preemptive move by the MWC would mean that if the AAC gets raided, it has even fewer options to go to (Rice would fill in nicely for Houston).

However, Rice fits in well with SMU, Tulsa and Tulane in the AAC West.

More probable: MWC takes one school (UTEP) in preparation for the Big 12 raid. Then when CSU gets taken they still have 12.

(07-27-2016 11:10 AM)jacksfan29 Wrote:  

(07-27-2016 09:33 AM)Stay Cool Wrote:  

(07-27-2016 09:01 AM)RutgersGuy Wrote:  Why does everyone on these boards have this hard on for Rice? If I was a conference commish i'd rather take my chances on those up and coming bigger Texas schools like Texas State and UTSA.

Rice has had decades upon decades to show it's potential and I think it has. Making a bowl game in a bottom conference is about as good as they will be.

Agreed. I'll never understand the Rice love

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

Academics, solid facilities, huge endowment, prestigious university ranked top 100 nationally, history with MWC schools, Texas...

Not really that hard to see why Rice is popular with University Presidents

Plus they make a good krispie.

(07-27-2016 11:24 AM)RutgersGuy Wrote:  

(07-27-2016 11:10 AM)jacksfan29 Wrote:  

(07-27-2016 09:33 AM)Stay Cool Wrote:  

(07-27-2016 09:01 AM)RutgersGuy Wrote:  Why does everyone on these boards have this hard on for Rice? If I was a conference commish i'd rather take my chances on those up and coming bigger Texas schools like Texas State and UTSA.

Rice has had decades upon decades to show it's potential and I think it has. Making a bowl game in a bottom conference is about as good as they will be.

Agreed. I'll never understand the Rice love

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

Academics, solid facilities, huge endowment, prestigious university ranked top 100 nationally, history with MWC schools, Texas...

Not really that hard to see why Rice is popular with University Presidents

Academics are overrated here. Academics are a luxury when you have top choice of schools, not when you are trying to squeeze as much TV money out of every new contract. The MWC has Boise, academics aren;t their biggest concern.

Academics were important in a move that brought Rutgers to the Big 10. Location was important in a move that brought Rutgers to the Big 10. For the MWC, Rice has both.

Expansion is about a big picture. While money and football drive the bus, recruiting, academics, history, other sports, and timing are all in the back seats like gaggle of mother-in-laws. For the MWC, Boise was a national name and brand in the middle of the Mountain West foot print. So you stomach the bad for the good.

The MWC has 12 institutions each with their own goals and ambitions. UNLV wants to improve basketball (or at least not water it down); Air Force wants to improve academics and integrity (or at least not water it down); UNM wants in roads into the neighboring recruiting; San Diego State wants a new market. This is how expansion and how it happens to grow bigger than expected. With BYU out of the picture, Wichita State provides basketball, Rice provides academics, UTEP provides proximity and UTSA provides a market. Everyone gets a compromised option.

(07-27-2016 12:19 PM)jacksfan29 Wrote:  

(07-27-2016 11:24 AM)RutgersGuy Wrote:  

(07-27-2016 11:10 AM)jacksfan29 Wrote:  

(07-27-2016 09:33 AM)Stay Cool Wrote:  

(07-27-2016 09:01 AM)RutgersGuy Wrote:  Why does everyone on these boards have this hard on for Rice? If I was a conference commish i'd rather take my chances on those up and coming bigger Texas schools like Texas State and UTSA.

Rice has had decades upon decades to show it's potential and I think it has. Making a bowl game in a bottom conference is about as good as they will be.

Agreed. I'll never understand the Rice love

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

Academics, solid facilities, huge endowment, prestigious university ranked top 100 nationally, history with MWC schools, Texas...

Not really that hard to see why Rice is popular with University Presidents

Academics are overrated here. Academics are a luxury when you have top choice of schools, not when you are trying to squeeze as much TV money out of every new contract. The MWC has Boise, academics aren;t their biggest concern.

If academics are so overrated why is Boise not at the top of the B12 expansion along with Cincy, Houston and BYU?

If the MWC expands into Texas, once you get past UTEP you have Rice, UTSA or Texas State. If they want two Texas schools it will be UTEP and Rice. If the goals is to build a G5 conference that will separate yourself from the MAC, Sun Belt and CUSA you balance athletics with academics. UTEP gives you the athletics while Rice gives you the academics.

Because it's a luxury. Also their terrible location and lack of strength in athletics outside of FB also play a huge role. The haves have the luxury of using academics as a criteria. The have nots do not have that luxury. They need the schools that will boost their TV contract.

(07-27-2016 11:10 AM)jacksfan29 Wrote:  

(07-27-2016 09:33 AM)Stay Cool Wrote:  

(07-27-2016 09:01 AM)RutgersGuy Wrote:  Why does everyone on these boards have this hard on for Rice? If I was a conference commish i'd rather take my chances on those up and coming bigger Texas schools like Texas State and UTSA.

Rice has had decades upon decades to show it's potential and I think it has. Making a bowl game in a bottom conference is about as good as they will be.

Agreed. I'll never understand the Rice love

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

Academics, solid facilities, huge endowment, prestigious university ranked top 100 nationally, history with MWC schools, Texas...

Not really that hard to see why Rice is popular with University Presidents

Good athletics budget and one of the few nationally prominent programs (baseball) outside the P5.

And don't forget the M.O.B. (marching owl band)!

FYI, the four schools that inquired are UTEP, NMSU, RICE and SMU. Don't shot the messenger?

(07-27-2016 08:00 AM)f1do Wrote:  Idaho was probably looking into it as a way to not go to FCS.

At this point I'm not even sure a MWC invite would convince our president to change his mind. That said I highly doubt the MWC would reach out to Idaho unless they had a mass exodus of schools.

Chiming in here finally after a busy day of work.

I think part of the comment is from last December when Rice inquired about MW interest and that since there are a few schools that want to join (besides NMSU and Idaho), they will discuss the logistics and of conference payouts. I think its one thing to 'look' but another to actually take action.
Several things have to be overcome.
1. CFP payout dilution. Adding 2 will decrease the current payout by $119,000.
2. TV payout dilution. Adding 2 without any increase will net and additional decrease of $193,000.
3. NCAA tourney credits. Adding 2 without any additional bids will also result in a net payout.

(07-27-2016 01:57 PM)1IvyDog Wrote:  FYI, the four schools that inquired are UTEP, NMSU, RICE and SMU. Don't shot the messenger?

Yes Smu has sent out feelers

(07-27-2016 01:57 PM)1IvyDog Wrote:  FYI, the four schools that inquired are UTEP, NMSU, RICE and SMU. Don't shot the messenger?

Wichita State as well. I think Idaho and maybe UTRGV could be sniffing around as well.

(07-27-2016 02:00 PM)Cave_Johnson Wrote:  

(07-27-2016 08:00 AM)f1do Wrote:  Idaho was probably looking into it as a way to not go to FCS.

At this point I'm not even sure a MWC invite would convince our president to change his mind. That said I highly doubt the MWC would reach out to Idaho unless they had a mass exodus of schools.

Correct. Even then, there are other FCS schools that would be better to have than Idaho also.

(07-27-2016 02:02 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(07-27-2016 01:57 PM)1IvyDog Wrote:  FYI, the four schools that inquired are UTEP, NMSU, RICE and SMU. Don't shot the messenger?

Wichita State as well. I think Idaho and maybe UTRGV could be sniffing around as well.

Don't forget Arkansas Tech

(07-27-2016 02:01 PM)Pony94 Wrote:  

(07-27-2016 01:57 PM)1IvyDog Wrote:  FYI, the four schools that inquired are UTEP, NMSU, RICE and SMU. Don't shot the messenger?

Yes Smu has sent out feelers

??? For Real?
To the MW? Or is that sarcasm?

For real. Many things have to happen for such a move though

(07-27-2016 02:01 PM)Pony94 Wrote:  

(07-27-2016 01:57 PM)1IvyDog Wrote:  FYI, the four schools that inquired are UTEP, NMSU, RICE and SMU. Don't shot the messenger?

Yes Smu has sent out feelers

Why? Just curious.

I understand why Rice is desperate to get into the AAC or MWC, but why would SMU want to jump to the MWC?

(07-27-2016 02:16 PM)Pony94 Wrote:  For real. Many things have to happen for such a move though

If the AAC loses 3-4 teams I think SMU would be wise to consider it. If UC, UConn and Houston are out of the league there is a good chance ESPN reduces the TV contract significantly.

(07-27-2016 02:20 PM)CliftonAve Wrote:  

(07-27-2016 02:16 PM)Pony94 Wrote:  For real. Many things have to happen for such a move though

If the AAC loses 3-4 teams I think SMU would be wise to consider it. If UC, UConn and Houston are out of the league there is a good chance ESPN reduces the TV contract significantly.

We also want to preserve basketball as much as possible

(07-27-2016 02:16 PM)Pony94 Wrote:  For real. Many things have to happen for such a move though

Interesting. I'm sure one has to do with UH going to the Big 12 and perhaps additional AAC schools moving also.