I honestly think a 7-5 Rice gets an AAC invite. You don't have to be great in FB as you have other things going for you. Rice is not a "hired gun" that must win 9-10 a year or else it's a failure.

(09-22-2021 09:59 AM)GoodOwl Wrote:  

(09-21-2021 02:15 PM)SENOREIDA Wrote:  

(09-21-2021 01:29 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  I thought pressure washing used water?



linky: https://www.wwltv.com/article/news/local...f7188447a9

Black smoke, no new conference member today.

Anyone subscribe to the Athletic:

https://theathletic.com/2844281/2021/09/...-a-target/

(09-23-2021 09:53 AM)JustAnotherAustinOwl Wrote:  Anyone subscribe to the Athletic:

https://theathletic.com/2844281/2021/09/...-a-target/

Nope, but also saw this one.
https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/colleg...to-expand/

(09-23-2021 09:53 AM)JustAnotherAustinOwl Wrote:  Anyone subscribe to the Athletic:

https://theathletic.com/2844281/2021/09/...-a-target/

The relevant Rice portion.

Quote:Some people in the MWC have pointed to North Texas, Rice and UTSA as potential additions if the conference wants to reach into Texas, while also pointing to North Dakota State if on-field football success is more important. Unlike the AAC, there are not many options within the current footprint out west.

Surely Colorado State and Air Force know better than to join that mess. If true, it's very disappointing to hear that they're interested. They could stay in their own conference and do better financially than moving to the AAC. If I were them, I'd demand equal distribution of all television revenues and kick Boise State to the curb. BSU is on it's way out to the Big12 anyway.

It looks like the MWC is stronger then the AAC this year even when you include the three AAC teams leaving for the Big 12 ? So why would any MWC leave the MWC especially when the three upper division teams leave the AAC?

(09-23-2021 11:19 PM)Texasowl Wrote:  It looks like the MWC is stronger then the AAC this year even when you include the three AAC teams leaving for the Big 12 ? So why would any MWC leave the MWC especially when the three upper division teams leave the AAC?

For the same reason Houston decided to found CUSA instead of going to the more established Western Athletic Conference with their rivals in 1995.

There is A LOT more at play than 3 weeks worth of game results.

Besides the obvious Eastern exposure, the AAC would be far more marketable if they have both service academies.

So seems like AFA and CSU to AAC is getting close to a done deal, but Boise and SDSU said no.

https://twitter.com/MattNorlander/status...0421139457

And AAC apparently still wants to add two. I'm sure our huge win over TSU will pull us over the finish line.

CSU is almost two decades removed from their peak, and we somewhat recently beat AFA in a bowl, so maybe there's hope? A little?

(09-29-2021 01:52 PM)JustAnotherAustinOwl Wrote:  So seems like AFA and CSU to AAC is getting close to a done deal, but Boise and SDSU said no.

https://twitter.com/MattNorlander/status...0421139457

And AAC apparently still wants to add two. I'm sure our huge win over TSU will pull us over the finish line.

CSU is almost two decades removed from their peak, and we somewhat recently beat AFA in a bowl, so maybe there's hope? A little?

CSU football is almost as much of a basket case as Rice so we've got hope... But Dan Wolken's article from this morning names Rice as a MWC heir if/when CSU/AFA leave.

I think it's MWC or bust for Rice.

(09-29-2021 01:59 PM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote:  

(09-29-2021 01:52 PM)JustAnotherAustinOwl Wrote:  So seems like AFA and CSU to AAC is getting close to a done deal, but Boise and SDSU said no.

https://twitter.com/MattNorlander/status...0421139457

And AAC apparently still wants to add two. I'm sure our huge win over TSU will pull us over the finish line.

CSU is almost two decades removed from their peak, and we somewhat recently beat AFA in a bowl, so maybe there's hope? A little?

CSU football is almost as much of a basket case as Rice so we've got hope... But Dan Wolken's article from this morning names Rice as a MWC heir if/when CSU/AFA leave.

I think it's MWC or bust for Rice.

Sun Belt 3.0 is a much likelier destination.

It seems hard for me to believe that the AAC would leave SMU as their lone Texas school in a conference whose headquarters are in Irving. Of course, just about every conference seems to be headquartered in the DFW Metroplex.

The media seems to be giving UAB a slot, which is a possibility I suppose. That leaves one spot between FAU, UTSA and Rice in the general consensus. I know the AAC is still on shaky ground as Memphis absolutely wants out. But I would prefer a conference with natural rivals (and former rivals) like SMU, Tulane and Tulsa (and some of the academies) over the MWC (without a single team in the central time zone).

It looks like we may be headed to a MWC minus Air Force and Colorado State, but they may take UTSA and North Texas instead. Colorado State and Air Force are making a big mistake, but at least it opens up a potential spot for us.

I would prefer the AAC, especially with the AFA+CSU adds.

I read one theory that Tulane wants to stay in the AAC west, and therefore supports a team like FAU to AAC instead of a Texas add like Rice…

Actually, I wonder if Army to the AAC comes closer to being a reality, as the AAC would have 2 of the 3 service academies in this scenario. That's one of the other potential slots.

Why woukd they leave. The AAC will suck now and would increase travel two fold.

(09-29-2021 01:52 PM)JustAnotherAustinOwl Wrote:  So seems like AFA and CSU to AAC is getting close to a done deal, but Boise and SDSU said no.

https://twitter.com/MattNorlander/status...0421139457

And AAC apparently still wants to add two. I'm sure our huge win over TSU will pull us over the finish line.
l
CSU is almost two decades removed from their peak, and we somewhat recently beat AFA in a bowl, so maybe there's hope? A little?

I really don’t get AF and CSU going to the AAC. They are already in the stronger conference and don’t need the extra travel expenses. I’d prefer to see Rice in the Mountain West. This conference will just get stronger over time, the AAC will just get weaker.

(09-30-2021 09:16 AM)Texasowl Wrote:  Why woukd they leave. The AAC will suck now and would increase travel two fold.

(09-29-2021 01:52 PM)JustAnotherAustinOwl Wrote:  So seems like AFA and CSU to AAC is getting close to a done deal, but Boise and SDSU said no.

https://twitter.com/MattNorlander/status...0421139457

And AAC apparently still wants to add two. I'm sure our huge win over TSU will pull us over the finish line.
l
CSU is almost two decades removed from their peak, and we somewhat recently beat AFA in a bowl, so maybe there's hope? A little?

(09-30-2021 10:32 AM)ranfin Wrote:  I really don’t get AF and CSU going to the AAC. They are already in the stronger conference and don’t need the extra travel expenses. I’d prefer to see Rice in the Mountain West. This conference will just get stronger over time, the AAC will just get weaker.

(09-30-2021 09:16 AM)Texasowl Wrote:  Why woukd they leave. The AAC will suck now and would increase travel two fold.

(09-29-2021 01:52 PM)JustAnotherAustinOwl Wrote:  So seems like AFA and CSU to AAC is getting close to a done deal, but Boise and SDSU said no.

https://twitter.com/MattNorlander/status...0421139457

And AAC apparently still wants to add two. I'm sure our huge win over TSU will pull us over the finish line.
l
CSU is almost two decades removed from their peak, and we somewhat recently beat AFA in a bowl, so maybe there's hope? A little?

I see two benefits to AFA and CSU:

1. A more eastward orientation gets them more eyeballs for athletics and academics/service recruiting. There's simply more people in the Central and Eastern Time Zones than in the Mountain and Pacific. The distance and time difference is worse for their athletes, but the locations are better for their marketing.

2. They think the MWC is about to greatly weaken. If Boise and/or SDSU gets the next XII invitation(s), and all indications are that's in the works, then what's left to backstop the conference? Fresno State, SJSU, New Mexico, Nevada, UNLV, and Wyoming aren't stronger than SMU, Tulane, South Florida, Navy (football), Temple, Tulsa, Wichita State (basketball) and ECU (and I'm already counting Memphis on the way out).

Even if you want to call the two groups roughly equal, I'd refer you back to point 1 about regional audiences. The MWC membership has to be unquestionably stronger than the AAC to overcome the population difference. In a likely future without Boise or SDSU, I don't think that's the balance of power. The AFA and CSU administrations are getting out before the rug gets pulled out from underneath them. Sandwichboarding, if you will.

For all the talk about whether Rice should engage "sandwichboarding" or not, the bottom line is that Rice doesn't have anything to put on a sandwich board. Women's basketball, women's soccer, volleyball, and academic prestige don't move the needle on conference affiliation. Football, eyeballs on TV sets, and butts in seats are the only things that really matter, and quite frankly, Rice sucks on all three.

(09-30-2021 10:32 AM)ranfin Wrote:  I really don’t get AF and CSU going to the AAC. They are already in the stronger conference and don’t need the extra travel expenses. I’d prefer to see Rice in the Mountain West. This conference will just get stronger over time, the AAC will just get weaker.

(09-30-2021 09:16 AM)Texasowl Wrote:  Why woukd they leave. The AAC will suck now and would increase travel two fold.

(09-29-2021 01:52 PM)JustAnotherAustinOwl Wrote:  So seems like AFA and CSU to AAC is getting close to a done deal, but Boise and SDSU said no.

https://twitter.com/MattNorlander/status...0421139457

And AAC apparently still wants to add two. I'm sure our huge win over TSU will pull us over the finish line.
l
CSU is almost two decades removed from their peak, and we somewhat recently beat AFA in a bowl, so maybe there's hope? A little?

Yeah I'm real disappointed in Colorado State and Air Force. They have it good in the MWC. The MWC is stronger than the AAC right now. Fox needs to step up with more cash to preserve it's investment.