(01-20-2013 08:07 AM)TU 1978 Wrote:  I don't think that Dr. Upham's comments were directed at the current CUSA schools.

The Sunbelt adders and other new additions were the ones that many in the current CUSA are scrambling to get away from because of their negative effect on the conference.

I was wondering why he didn't mention Rice, unless Rice has plans to drop a level in competition.

I doubt that. I think Rice is making plans to go to the MWC with UTEP. jmho

(01-20-2013 08:07 AM)TU 1978 Wrote:  I don't think that Dr. Upham's comments were directed at the current CUSA schools.

The Sunbelt adders and other new additions were the ones that many in the current CUSA are scrambling to get away from because of their negative effect on the conference.

I was wondering why he didn't mention Rice, unless Rice has plans to drop a level in competition.

I guarantee you the the BE is saying the same thing about all if those sleazy, second class c-usa schools that they are being forced to consort with.

(01-20-2013 03:16 PM)EagleX Wrote:  

(01-20-2013 08:07 AM)TU 1978 Wrote:  I don't think that Dr. Upham's comments were directed at the current CUSA schools.

The Sunbelt adders and other new additions were the ones that many in the current CUSA are scrambling to get away from because of their negative effect on the conference.

I was wondering why he didn't mention Rice, unless Rice has plans to drop a level in competition.

I guarantee you the the BE is saying the same thing about all if those sleazy, second class c-usa schools that they are being forced to consort with.

Eh, some are some aren't. It is what it is.

(01-19-2013 09:57 PM)77Herd11 Wrote:  

(01-18-2013 09:27 PM)EdisonDoyle Wrote:  I doubt Tulsa stays if they get an invite. One thing to remember is that they don't have a lot of driveable games, one thing some schools like about the new C-USA. USM, on the other hand, has plenty of driveable games in C-USA. NBE will also likely put some funding mandates on schools, and I don't know about how either feels about those.

If Tulsa stays in CUSA they will likely play in Houston, Dallas (Denton), Ruston, Hattiesburg, San Antonio and El Paso. If they go to the nBe they will likely play in Houston, Dallas, New Orleans, Memphis and Cincinnati. I do not see much difference in driving distance.

That's basically my point - there's no "regional travel league" advantages that would keep Tulsa. Sure, it's not any better in the BE. But, for them, it's not an edge for C-USA either.
As for the Pres' comments, it was just a nice way of saying that the BE has higher profile institutions, overall, to C-USA. (It's close right now, but it's changing: Memphis, Houston, Tulane, SMU - these are national institutions). The words taken literally, sure, are debatable - SMU/Tulane on the one hand, Rice on the other. 2/1, but Rice is the highest ranked.

The Tulsa University president tends to be more concerned about academics than sports rivalry's. That is his job but hey. Its the team rivalry's that sell tickets though. If Tulsa is looking toward the BE, its mostly because of the fact that our real rivals went to the BE. (Houston, SMU, UCF a new one.) It would take years to even develop new rivalry's in the C-USA 3.0. Not trying to be argumentative but those are the facts. Its almost totally tickets sold value based.