I agree with you both. Louisville is having a great year but this is an anomoly for them. I would say historically speaking Marshall has a better football program than Louisville, they're just down a bit this year (happens to every program, even Louisville).

UTEP for TCU? From here that looks like a stroke of genius.

Splitting into two divisions and holding a championship game helps matter as well. I think that's a big plus. Don't forget the TV contract which is reportedly at least as valuable as the last one.

As far as basketball, we can't say much because, and it pains me to say this given where we were not long ago, but we're the dead weight. Memphis, UAB, UTEP, Tulsa, UCF, Rice all have respectable programs. USM has demonstrated commitment by bringing Eustachy on board. We, Tulane, need to step it up for the good of the league.

Nobody brought up baseball and I think everyone agrees that we have improved baseball immensely with the addition of Rice and losing the bottom baseball schools. Baseball is growing in popularity and TV exposure and the money will follow. CUSA is poised to take advantage of it's growth.

I like the new conference. I like being affiliated with the privates in the West. I think we'll develop some great rivalries. I think a lot of the hand wringing is over Rice, SMU, and Tulsa football and the ridiculous assumption that the state of their programs now is going to be the state of their programs forever.