(01-06-2021 11:26 PM)Foreverandever Wrote:  So, I would assume Northern Arizona will be a target?

How long does Seattle hold on?

This looks like NMST being proactive and covering all contingencies. If they remain in the WAC it will be a regionalized western conference that creeps in to Texas. Not a bad set up, good recruiting grounds, more suitability at least temporarily. If they get an invite from some sort of shake up they move up from a stronger position. If they have to fall back to FCS for whatever reason, they have a solid landing spot with a built in play off spot.

Basketball should be solid, probably similar to the Missouri Valley, maybe a little lower. Good seeds.should be possible and the league should have enough solid teams to not fluctuate too much from year.to year.

"Creeps into Texas..."? You realize that SFA, SHSU, and Lamar are all in East Texas. Heck Lamar is dang near on the Louisiana border. That is full on entering and almost exiting Texas.

(01-06-2021 07:27 PM)Scoochpooch1 Wrote:  

(01-06-2021 05:51 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  Gotta give credit to the WAC and its leadership. It's not long ago that a lot of folks here viewed the WAC as having one foot in the grave and referred to it as the conference of misfit toys. I'm particularly glad for NMSU which was the last school from the old FBS WAC left behind when everyone else bailed from 2010 to 2014 and has persevered through the difficult conference rebuilding process ever since.

Maybe, depends on the way you look at it. There should be less teams in Div 1, not more. Now they are adding more crap. I guess you in the David St boat of wanting 7000 schools in D1.

If 7000 want to be DI why shouldnt they be allowed too play DI? Competition is competition if afraid of it your school should move down.

(01-07-2021 08:18 AM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  

(01-06-2021 11:26 PM)Foreverandever Wrote:  So, I would assume Northern Arizona will be a target?

How long does Seattle hold on?

This looks like NMST being proactive and covering all contingencies. If they remain in the WAC it will be a regionalized western conference that creeps in to Texas. Not a bad set up, good recruiting grounds, more suitability at least temporarily. If they get an invite from some sort of shake up they move up from a stronger position. If they have to fall back to FCS for whatever reason, they have a solid landing spot with a built in play off spot.

Basketball should be solid, probably similar to the Missouri Valley, maybe a little lower. Good seeds.should be possible and the league should have enough solid teams to not fluctuate too much from year.to year.

"Creeps into Texas..."? You realize that SFA, SHSU, and Lamar are all in East Texas. Heck Lamar is dang near on the Louisiana border. That is full on entering and almost exiting Texas.

Well, El Paso to Beaumont is an easy 830 mile drive. Just get on I-10. You don't even have turns.

(01-07-2021 09:43 AM)loki_the_bubba Wrote:  

(01-07-2021 08:18 AM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  

(01-06-2021 11:26 PM)Foreverandever Wrote:  So, I would assume Northern Arizona will be a target?

How long does Seattle hold on?

This looks like NMST being proactive and covering all contingencies. If they remain in the WAC it will be a regionalized western conference that creeps in to Texas. Not a bad set up, good recruiting grounds, more suitability at least temporarily. If they get an invite from some sort of shake up they move up from a stronger position. If they have to fall back to FCS for whatever reason, they have a solid landing spot with a built in play off spot.

Basketball should be solid, probably similar to the Missouri Valley, maybe a little lower. Good seeds.should be possible and the league should have enough solid teams to not fluctuate too much from year.to year.

"Creeps into Texas..."? You realize that SFA, SHSU, and Lamar are all in East Texas. Heck Lamar is dang near on the Louisiana border. That is full on entering and almost exiting Texas.

Well, El Paso to Beaumont is an easy 830 mile drive. Just get on I-10. You don't even have turns.

The conference has been a western conference based in New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and California. With Tarleton and UTRGV already in the leage, yes it creeps into Texas by adding more Texas schools.

Some of you also act like population centers in the west (which includes west Texas) are as close as Philadelphia, Baltimore, DC, New York, and Boston. Rather than being much more spread out the way they are.

(01-07-2021 10:42 AM)Foreverandever Wrote:  

(01-07-2021 09:43 AM)loki_the_bubba Wrote:  

(01-07-2021 08:18 AM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  

(01-06-2021 11:26 PM)Foreverandever Wrote:  So, I would assume Northern Arizona will be a target?

How long does Seattle hold on?

This looks like NMST being proactive and covering all contingencies. If they remain in the WAC it will be a regionalized western conference that creeps in to Texas. Not a bad set up, good recruiting grounds, more suitability at least temporarily. If they get an invite from some sort of shake up they move up from a stronger position. If they have to fall back to FCS for whatever reason, they have a solid landing spot with a built in play off spot.

Basketball should be solid, probably similar to the Missouri Valley, maybe a little lower. Good seeds.should be possible and the league should have enough solid teams to not fluctuate too much from year.to year.

"Creeps into Texas..."? You realize that SFA, SHSU, and Lamar are all in East Texas. Heck Lamar is dang near on the Louisiana border. That is full on entering and almost exiting Texas.

Well, El Paso to Beaumont is an easy 830 mile drive. Just get on I-10. You don't even have turns.

The conference has been a western conference based in New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and California. With Tarleton and UTRGV already in the leage, yes it creeps into Texas by adding more Texas schools.

Some of you also act like population centers in the west (which includes west Texas) are as close as Philadelphia, Baltimore, DC, New York, and Boston. Rather than being much more spread out the way they are.

I guess we just have different definitions of what "creeping" into a state means.

(01-06-2021 10:53 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  

(01-06-2021 10:34 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  What a sad sorry state of affairs for the WAC.

An FCS conference located mostly in Texas? Seriously?

Way better than an Oly sports conference struggling to survive with outlier members in Kansas City (now gone), Bakersfield (now gone), Chicago (on the way out), and South Dakota (otherwise might have been given serious consideration).

Heck, at one point the WAC was seriously considering adding New Jersey Institute of Technology to save its basketball auto bid. Thankfully those bad old days are gone.

I would say the Bad Old Days are Alive and Well for the present WAC.

(01-07-2021 09:43 AM)loki_the_bubba Wrote:  

(01-07-2021 08:18 AM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  

(01-06-2021 11:26 PM)Foreverandever Wrote:  So, I would assume Northern Arizona will be a target?

How long does Seattle hold on?

This looks like NMST being proactive and covering all contingencies. If they remain in the WAC it will be a regionalized western conference that creeps in to Texas. Not a bad set up, good recruiting grounds, more suitability at least temporarily. If they get an invite from some sort of shake up they move up from a stronger position. If they have to fall back to FCS for whatever reason, they have a solid landing spot with a built in play off spot.

Basketball should be solid, probably similar to the Missouri Valley, maybe a little lower. Good seeds.should be possible and the league should have enough solid teams to not fluctuate too much from year.to year.

"Creeps into Texas..."? You realize that SFA, SHSU, and Lamar are all in East Texas. Heck Lamar is dang near on the Louisiana border. That is full on entering and almost exiting Texas.

Well, El Paso to Beaumont is an easy 830 mile drive. Just get on I-10. You don't even have turns.

New Mexico State University
1780 E University Ave, Las Cruces, NM 88003

Get on I-25 S
3 min (0.9 mi)

Follow I-10 E to E Cardinal Dr in Beaumont. Take the exit toward Texas 380 Spur/ML King Pkwy from US-287 S/US-69 S/US-96 S
12 hr 29 min (872 mi)

Continue on E Cardinal Dr. Drive to Rolfe Christopher Dr
1 min (0.5 mi)
Lamar University
4400 S M L King Jr Pkwy, Beaumont, TX 77705

Same thing for GCU

Grand Canyon University
3300 W Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85017

Get on I-17 S
3 min (1.2 mi)

Follow I-10 E to E Cardinal Dr in Beaumont. Take the exit toward Texas 380 Spur/ML King Pkwy from US-287 S/US-69 S/US-96 S
18 hr 5 min (1,266 mi)

Continue on E Cardinal Dr. Drive to Rolfe Christopher Dr
1 min (0.5 mi)
Lamar University
4400 S M L King Jr Pkwy, Beaumont, TX 77705


Even CBU is close to I-10

California Baptist University
8432 Magnolia Ave, Riverside, CA 92504

Get on CA-91 E
1 min (0.3 mi)

Follow I-10 E to E Cardinal Dr in Beaumont. Take the exit toward Texas 380 Spur/ML King Pkwy from US-287 S/US-69 S/US-96 S
22 hr 50 min (1,588 mi)

Continue on E Cardinal Dr. Drive to Rolfe Christopher Dr
1 min (0.5 mi)
Lamar University
4400 S M L King Jr Pkwy, Beaumont, TX 77705

(01-07-2021 11:05 AM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  

(01-07-2021 10:42 AM)Foreverandever Wrote:  

(01-07-2021 09:43 AM)loki_the_bubba Wrote:  

(01-07-2021 08:18 AM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  

(01-06-2021 11:26 PM)Foreverandever Wrote:  So, I would assume Northern Arizona will be a target?

How long does Seattle hold on?

This looks like NMST being proactive and covering all contingencies. If they remain in the WAC it will be a regionalized western conference that creeps in to Texas. Not a bad set up, good recruiting grounds, more suitability at least temporarily. If they get an invite from some sort of shake up they move up from a stronger position. If they have to fall back to FCS for whatever reason, they have a solid landing spot with a built in play off spot.

Basketball should be solid, probably similar to the Missouri Valley, maybe a little lower. Good seeds.should be possible and the league should have enough solid teams to not fluctuate too much from year.to year.

"Creeps into Texas..."? You realize that SFA, SHSU, and Lamar are all in East Texas. Heck Lamar is dang near on the Louisiana border. That is full on entering and almost exiting Texas.

Well, El Paso to Beaumont is an easy 830 mile drive. Just get on I-10. You don't even have turns.

The conference has been a western conference based in New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and California. With Tarleton and UTRGV already in the leage, yes it creeps into Texas by adding more Texas schools.

Some of you also act like population centers in the west (which includes west Texas) are as close as Philadelphia, Baltimore, DC, New York, and Boston. Rather than being much more spread out the way they are.

I guess we just have different definitions of what "creeping" into a state means.

The Texas schools are still a lot closer than several of NMSU's recent conference mates like Idaho, San Jose State, and CSU-Bakersfield. They are also closer to NMSU than a lot of other schools that have been mentioned as possibilities.

Not necessarily directly tied to NMSU in the near future, but one possibilty for the conference would be to build on the success of SFA vs SHSU BOTPW. One way might be to use NRG as the site of something similar to the Lone Star Conference's Fall Football Festival in Dallas. Possibilities could be WAC teams vs SWAC teams or other competitions pitting conference members against each other at NRG like SFA and SHSU's game. SHSU, Lamar, and SFA are close enough to NRG for easy travel. Tarleton State is within a reasonable distance. Abilene Christian is a little farther, but would still be traveling shorter distances than they currently do in some cases.

Travel to Houston would be a little easier for Dixie State and Southern Utah than going on to Huntsville, Beaumont, or Nacogdoches. Something like that could also build conference interest in the Houston area.

I think the BOTPW should continue. I'm just wondering if there might be some more opportunities to increase conference exposure.

(01-07-2021 11:12 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(01-06-2021 10:53 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  

(01-06-2021 10:34 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  What a sad sorry state of affairs for the WAC.

An FCS conference located mostly in Texas? Seriously?

Way better than an Oly sports conference struggling to survive with outlier members in Kansas City (now gone), Bakersfield (now gone), Chicago (on the way out), and South Dakota (otherwise might have been given serious consideration).

Heck, at one point the WAC was seriously considering adding New Jersey Institute of Technology to save its basketball auto bid. Thankfully those bad old days are gone.

I would say the Bad Old Days are Alive and Well for the present WAC.

They've made it less bad just by ensuring survival. With six schools in Texas plus NMSU only a few miles outside Texas, the WAC is going to become a new version of the Southland Conference with some western outliers along for the ride. After they add these new members, they won't be in danger of going out of business if Seattle or NMSU or Grand Canyon finds their way to another league.

(01-07-2021 11:47 AM)dbackjon Wrote:  Same thing for GCU

Grand Canyon University
3300 W Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85017

Get on I-17 S
3 min (1.2 mi)

Follow I-10 E to E Cardinal Dr in Beaumont. Take the exit toward Texas 380 Spur/ML King Pkwy from US-287 S/US-69 S/US-96 S
18 hr 5 min (1,266 mi)

Continue on E Cardinal Dr. Drive to Rolfe Christopher Dr
1 min (0.5 mi)
Lamar University
4400 S M L King Jr Pkwy, Beaumont, TX 77705


Even CBU is close to I-10

California Baptist University
8432 Magnolia Ave, Riverside, CA 92504

Get on CA-91 E
1 min (0.3 mi)

Follow I-10 E to E Cardinal Dr in Beaumont. Take the exit toward Texas 380 Spur/ML King Pkwy from US-287 S/US-69 S/US-96 S
22 hr 50 min (1,588 mi)

Continue on E Cardinal Dr. Drive to Rolfe Christopher Dr
1 min (0.5 mi)
Lamar University
4400 S M L King Jr Pkwy, Beaumont, TX 77705

Being able to drive legally at 80 mph and 75 mph on most of the Texas part of the trip doesn't hurt either.

(01-07-2021 12:08 PM)LUSportsFan Wrote:  

(01-07-2021 11:47 AM)dbackjon Wrote:  Same thing for GCU

Grand Canyon University
3300 W Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85017

Get on I-17 S
3 min (1.2 mi)

Follow I-10 E to E Cardinal Dr in Beaumont. Take the exit toward Texas 380 Spur/ML King Pkwy from US-287 S/US-69 S/US-96 S
18 hr 5 min (1,266 mi)

Continue on E Cardinal Dr. Drive to Rolfe Christopher Dr
1 min (0.5 mi)
Lamar University
4400 S M L King Jr Pkwy, Beaumont, TX 77705


Even CBU is close to I-10

California Baptist University
8432 Magnolia Ave, Riverside, CA 92504

Get on CA-91 E
1 min (0.3 mi)

Follow I-10 E to E Cardinal Dr in Beaumont. Take the exit toward Texas 380 Spur/ML King Pkwy from US-287 S/US-69 S/US-96 S
22 hr 50 min (1,588 mi)

Continue on E Cardinal Dr. Drive to Rolfe Christopher Dr
1 min (0.5 mi)
Lamar University
4400 S M L King Jr Pkwy, Beaumont, TX 77705

Being able to drive legally at 80 mph and 75 mph on most of the Texas part of the trip doesn't hurt either.

Stay in the right lane at those speeds...

(01-07-2021 12:11 PM)loki_the_bubba Wrote:  

(01-07-2021 12:08 PM)LUSportsFan Wrote:  

(01-07-2021 11:47 AM)dbackjon Wrote:  Same thing for GCU

Grand Canyon University
3300 W Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85017

Get on I-17 S
3 min (1.2 mi)

Follow I-10 E to E Cardinal Dr in Beaumont. Take the exit toward Texas 380 Spur/ML King Pkwy from US-287 S/US-69 S/US-96 S
18 hr 5 min (1,266 mi)

Continue on E Cardinal Dr. Drive to Rolfe Christopher Dr
1 min (0.5 mi)
Lamar University
4400 S M L King Jr Pkwy, Beaumont, TX 77705


Even CBU is close to I-10

California Baptist University
8432 Magnolia Ave, Riverside, CA 92504

Get on CA-91 E
1 min (0.3 mi)

Follow I-10 E to E Cardinal Dr in Beaumont. Take the exit toward Texas 380 Spur/ML King Pkwy from US-287 S/US-69 S/US-96 S
22 hr 50 min (1,588 mi)

Continue on E Cardinal Dr. Drive to Rolfe Christopher Dr
1 min (0.5 mi)
Lamar University
4400 S M L King Jr Pkwy, Beaumont, TX 77705

Being able to drive legally at 80 mph and 75 mph on most of the Texas part of the trip doesn't hurt either.

Stay in the right lane at those speeds...

And I got a ticket a month ago for going 84 mph on I-57 in Cairo, IL. God, this state is awful.

(01-07-2021 12:15 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(01-07-2021 12:11 PM)loki_the_bubba Wrote:  

(01-07-2021 12:08 PM)LUSportsFan Wrote:  

(01-07-2021 11:47 AM)dbackjon Wrote:  Same thing for GCU

Grand Canyon University
3300 W Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85017

Get on I-17 S
3 min (1.2 mi)

Follow I-10 E to E Cardinal Dr in Beaumont. Take the exit toward Texas 380 Spur/ML King Pkwy from US-287 S/US-69 S/US-96 S
18 hr 5 min (1,266 mi)

Continue on E Cardinal Dr. Drive to Rolfe Christopher Dr
1 min (0.5 mi)
Lamar University
4400 S M L King Jr Pkwy, Beaumont, TX 77705


Even CBU is close to I-10

California Baptist University
8432 Magnolia Ave, Riverside, CA 92504

Get on CA-91 E
1 min (0.3 mi)

Follow I-10 E to E Cardinal Dr in Beaumont. Take the exit toward Texas 380 Spur/ML King Pkwy from US-287 S/US-69 S/US-96 S
22 hr 50 min (1,588 mi)

Continue on E Cardinal Dr. Drive to Rolfe Christopher Dr
1 min (0.5 mi)
Lamar University
4400 S M L King Jr Pkwy, Beaumont, TX 77705

Being able to drive legally at 80 mph and 75 mph on most of the Texas part of the trip doesn't hurt either.

Stay in the right lane at those speeds...

And I got a ticket a month ago for going 84 mph on I-57 in Cairo, IL. God, this state is awful.

You have Illinois plates on your car? And you still got a speeding ticket in Illinois? Was it the last week of the month, or just an officer trying to get ahead on that month's ticket quota, errrrr I mean "ticket goal"?

(01-07-2021 11:57 AM)LUSportsFan Wrote:  I think the BOTPW should continue. I'm just wondering if there might be some more opportunities to increase conference exposure.

Agreed.

The BOTPW should continue onward and I am optimistic that McNeese-Lamar, Northwestern St - SFA will move forward. The BOTPW has not been at the end of the year but the other two games, why not? With the need for more OOC games for SLC / WAC schools, why not have those four schools (two OOC matchups) play in November still?

(01-07-2021 12:08 PM)LUSportsFan Wrote:  

(01-07-2021 11:47 AM)dbackjon Wrote:  Same thing for GCU

Grand Canyon University
3300 W Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85017

Get on I-17 S
3 min (1.2 mi)

Follow I-10 E to E Cardinal Dr in Beaumont. Take the exit toward Texas 380 Spur/ML King Pkwy from US-287 S/US-69 S/US-96 S
18 hr 5 min (1,266 mi)

Continue on E Cardinal Dr. Drive to Rolfe Christopher Dr
1 min (0.5 mi)
Lamar University
4400 S M L King Jr Pkwy, Beaumont, TX 77705


Even CBU is close to I-10

California Baptist University
8432 Magnolia Ave, Riverside, CA 92504

Get on CA-91 E
1 min (0.3 mi)

Follow I-10 E to E Cardinal Dr in Beaumont. Take the exit toward Texas 380 Spur/ML King Pkwy from US-287 S/US-69 S/US-96 S
22 hr 50 min (1,588 mi)

Continue on E Cardinal Dr. Drive to Rolfe Christopher Dr
1 min (0.5 mi)
Lamar University
4400 S M L King Jr Pkwy, Beaumont, TX 77705

Being able to drive legally at 80 mph and 75 mph on most of the Texas part of the trip doesn't hurt either.

It also shows that NMSU was already traveling the same distance to Lamar to get to Cal Baptist. Even GCU is about 400 miles. There is a lot of space once you get west of Dallas and not a lot of people especial west of the Rockies and east of the Cali mountains.

The distances do say Seattle is probably going to be looking for a home, just to far north. It won't be crushing with divisions and a major airport, but I don't see them sitting put. I would assume this will be an amicable split.

Again how likely is it they get NAU? That would tighten things up strengthen basketball, etc. Seems like they would be a good fit, what would the negatives be and what would be knock ons? I don't know the dynamics of those smaller western conferences.

For Seattle to leave, there has to be a landing spot. Only options are WCC, Big West, and Big Sky. I don’t see the Big West taking SU. SU doesn’t improve the WCC, and to be fair, SU doesn’t really improve the Big West or Sky either. They would have to join the Big Sky, with them only being let in as a favor or something. Would still need to place some the baseball team and a few others elsewhere.

Could help the Big Sky recruit Seattle, which would at least be one positive. Probably direct flight to many of the smaller big sky schools airports as well.

(01-07-2021 11:57 AM)LUSportsFan Wrote:  

(01-07-2021 11:05 AM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  

(01-07-2021 10:42 AM)Foreverandever Wrote:  

(01-07-2021 09:43 AM)loki_the_bubba Wrote:  

(01-07-2021 08:18 AM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  "Creeps into Texas..."? You realize that SFA, SHSU, and Lamar are all in East Texas. Heck Lamar is dang near on the Louisiana border. That is full on entering and almost exiting Texas.

Well, El Paso to Beaumont is an easy 830 mile drive. Just get on I-10. You don't even have turns.

The conference has been a western conference based in New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and California. With Tarleton and UTRGV already in the leage, yes it creeps into Texas by adding more Texas schools.

Some of you also act like population centers in the west (which includes west Texas) are as close as Philadelphia, Baltimore, DC, New York, and Boston. Rather than being much more spread out the way they are.

I guess we just have different definitions of what "creeping" into a state means.

The Texas schools are still a lot closer than several of NMSU's recent conference mates like Idaho, San Jose State, and CSU-Bakersfield. They are also closer to NMSU than a lot of other schools that have been mentioned as possibilities.

Not necessarily directly tied to NMSU in the near future, but one possibilty for the conference would be to build on the success of SFA vs SHSU BOTPW. One way might be to use NRG as the site of something similar to the Lone Star Conference's Fall Football Festival in Dallas. Possibilities could be WAC teams vs SWAC teams or other competitions pitting conference members against each other at NRG like SFA and SHSU's game. SHSU, Lamar, and SFA are close enough to NRG for easy travel. Tarleton State is within a reasonable distance. Abilene Christian is a little farther, but would still be traveling shorter distances than they currently do in some cases.

Travel to Houston would be a little easier for Dixie State and Southern Utah than going on to Huntsville, Beaumont, or Nacogdoches. Something like that could also build conference interest in the Houston area.

I think the BOTPW should continue. I'm just wondering if there might be some more opportunities to increase conference exposure.

Pardon mu ignorance but what does BOTPW mean? I get the Board of Trustees part.

(01-07-2021 02:25 PM)SMUstang Wrote:  Pardon mu ignorance but what does BOTPW mean? I get the Board of Trustees part.

Battle of the Piney Woods

Sam Houston State vs Stephen F Austin rivalry game held at NRG Stadium in Houston that routinely draws 24-28k on an annual basis.