04-08-2011, 11:09 AM
I think the answer to this question is Yes. NMSU is too far away from the eastern Belt to recieve enough votes, plus, as WW says "“We’re not afraid to expand if there’s someone out there who will add value to the league, but we’re not going to expand just to reach some arbitrary number,” Sun Belt commissioner Wright Waters said. “I think we’ve got to find people who bring value to the conference.”
NMSU was a marriage of convenience when the Sun Belt was first getting started. Now, they are a mountain school that brings very little football value, in fact, they'd be a liability at this time.
As far as Tulane is concerned, they have no reason to leave C-USA. As others have stated, C-USA is putting money in their pockets. If they can't make it with C-USA's pay-out, they sure as heck will have trouble making it with the Sun Belt's.
What about Texas St.? Where are they again? San Marcos? Where's that? But seriously, the Texas twins may be quite viable in the future but for the next five years or so, they will NOT bring any value to this conference. So if we take WW at his word (and why shouldn't we as his words have been repeated over and over again by other SBC reps.), there really is no FCS who would 'bring immediate value' to the SBC memebers.
That leaves one and only one school that would bring immediate value to the members. If they've seen the writing on the wall regarding Big East/C-USA expansion and come to the realization that C-USA aint happening; then what? That's right, start plainning for the next 10 years outside of C-USA.
Given the performance of the Sun Belt over the last 10 years, plus possbile ESPN coverage, more bowls and a greater profile. The choice between a far-flung conference of start-ups v. the trending stronger Sun Belt appears to be a no-brainer.
So it's La Tech or bust as far as Sun Belt 'enhancement' is concerned.
NMSU was a marriage of convenience when the Sun Belt was first getting started. Now, they are a mountain school that brings very little football value, in fact, they'd be a liability at this time.
As far as Tulane is concerned, they have no reason to leave C-USA. As others have stated, C-USA is putting money in their pockets. If they can't make it with C-USA's pay-out, they sure as heck will have trouble making it with the Sun Belt's.
What about Texas St.? Where are they again? San Marcos? Where's that? But seriously, the Texas twins may be quite viable in the future but for the next five years or so, they will NOT bring any value to this conference. So if we take WW at his word (and why shouldn't we as his words have been repeated over and over again by other SBC reps.), there really is no FCS who would 'bring immediate value' to the SBC memebers.
That leaves one and only one school that would bring immediate value to the members. If they've seen the writing on the wall regarding Big East/C-USA expansion and come to the realization that C-USA aint happening; then what? That's right, start plainning for the next 10 years outside of C-USA.
Given the performance of the Sun Belt over the last 10 years, plus possbile ESPN coverage, more bowls and a greater profile. The choice between a far-flung conference of start-ups v. the trending stronger Sun Belt appears to be a no-brainer.
So it's La Tech or bust as far as Sun Belt 'enhancement' is concerned.
