Simple fix for the WAC?

[aceinthehole]

How about this simple scenario for the conference realignment out West:

1) Utah (Pac-10), BYU (Indy), and Bosie State (MWC) make planned moves.

2) Nevada stays put (WAC).

3) UTEP (C-USA) and Louisiana Tech (WAC) swap conferences.

4) WAC invites North Texas (Sun Belt).


This would leave the following conferences:

MWC (9 teams)
- Utah and BYU
+ Boise State & Fresno State

C-USA (12 teams)
- UTEP
+ LA Tech

WAC (9 teams)
- Boise State & Fresno State
+ UTEP & North Texas

Sun Belt (9 teams)
- North Texas

[TexasTerror]

That's not happening though...

Won't be that simple. North Texas turned down the WAC before. A league with UTEP won't be that attractive, especially when you still have a pretty spread out league with Hawaii, Utah State and the California schools...

[GoAgs72]

The WAC may fall apart to fast to fix. Go to SJSUinsider.com to see the options and frustrations at San Jose State. There is a lot of talk that they need a sudden influx of western FCS teams - maybe even five to keep them afloat. They are talking Montana, UC Davsi, Cal Poly, Sac State and maybe Portland State among others. The WAC even if it survives will be one of the weakest FBS conferences. I would say in a few years Montana would be the new Boise State, and UC Davis and Cal Poly would be the new Nevada-Reno and Fresno State after they up their scholarship levels. I still think the California teams don't have the stadiums or the money to make a move.

[goyotes]

Some talk that Hawaii may also bolt the WAC. Maybe the 5 remaining schools should go FCS. Not likely to happen, but sure would improve the visibility of FCS west of the Mississippi.

[techstate]

Some talk that Hawaii may also bolt the WAC. Maybe the 5 remaining schools should go FCS. Not likely to happen, but sure would improve the visibility of FCS west of the Mississippi.

I really don't think that Hawaii will leave the WAC. Even though it makes sense for Hawaii to go indy for everyone else they wont do it.They have a hard time filling their schedules as it is that teams who play them in hawaii get an extra game. Without a conference they would be on the road a lot more. Even in a collapsing WAC i think they stay put until everything pans out.

[MplsBison]

That's not happening though...

Won't be that simple. North Texas turned down the WAC before. A league with UTEP won't be that attractive, especially when you still have a pretty spread out league with Hawaii, Utah State and the California schools...

Who said anything about attractive? This is about survival at this point.

New WAC:

Hawaii - San Jose St
Idaho - Utah State
New Mexico St - UTEP or UTSA
La Tech - Texas St or UTSA

That's at a minimum. I think ideally you want to get Montana and at least one more Calif. school too.

[JBB]

Hawaii has the home game time slot making it the last game of the day. They think that is a big money maker and would like to be independent and keep the $ for themselves. About the same with BYU and BYU Television network.

Now the WAC could morph into this:

Idaho
Louisiana Tech
New Mexico State
Utah State
San Jose State

To fill back up they will have to do a lot of moving. It seems highly unlikely they can fill the spots from the FBS especially since there are FCS programs poised to move. I dont see the WAC letting the fanchise die. Any school west of the Mississippi that is a member of D1 and plays football with 15,000 seats or more is probably on the radar.

If circumstances took it down to NDSU I would be thrilled. It might re-emerge the weakest conference in the FBS but you have to start somewhere. It would be slow going at first for NDSU but with the FBS teams coming to town attendance in Fargo would really go up. The brass ring of a Michigan or Boise State coming to town would be more than enough motivation to get a larger, FBS appropriate stadium built.

[MplsBison]

The WAC may fall apart to fast to fix. Go to SJSUinsider.com to see the options and frustrations at San Jose State. There is a lot of talk that they need a sudden influx of western FCS teams - maybe even five to keep them afloat. They are talking Montana, UC Davsi, Cal Poly, Sac State and maybe Portland State among others. The WAC even if it survives will be one of the weakest FBS conferences. I would say in a few years Montana would be the new Boise State, and UC Davis and Cal Poly would be the new Nevada-Reno and Fresno State after they up their scholarship levels. I still think the California teams don't have the stadiums or the money to make a move.

Would they consider doing tuition "waivers" in place of actual scholarships, in the short term? I think those are still counted as scholarship equivalencies by the NCAA, but no one has to come up with the money...the fee is simply waived. At least I think that's how it works?

I know sometimes they do this for grad students who work as TA/RA.

[TheValleyRaider]

At this point, Fresno and Nevada to the MW is a done deal. Apparently, BYU still hasn't committed to anything

Total speculation, off the top of my head, I wonder if the MW could bring the Cougars back in by adding Houston or SMU, then splitting into 2 divisions for a title game. Adds wins and $$$ to the MWC's BCS case. Might need an ESPN TV deal, which unfortunately leads to non-Saturday games, but them's the breaks, I suppose

Just a thought xtwocentsx

[MplsBison]

Hawaii has the home game time slot making it the last game of the day. They think that is a big money maker and would like to be independent and keep the $ for themselves. About the same with BYU and BYU Television network.

Now the WAC could morph into this:

Idaho
Louisiana Tech
New Mexico State
Utah State
San Jose State

To fill back up they will have to do a lot of moving. It seems highly unlikely they can fill the spots from the FBS especially since there are FCS programs poised to move. I dont see the WAC letting the fanchise die. Any school west of the Mississippi that is a member of D1 and plays football with 15,000 seats or more is probably on the radar.

If circumstances took it down to NDSU I would be thrilled. It might re-emerge the weakest conference in the FBS but you have to start somewhere. It would be slow going at first for NDSU but with the FBS teams coming to town attendance in Fargo would really go up. The brass ring of a Michigan or Boise State coming to town would be more than enough motivation to get a larger, FBS appropriate stadium built.

In another world, it would be fun to see this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InfoCision_Stadium_%E2%80%93_Summa_Field built in the R lot. Opening game: Minnesota at NDSU in a 2-for-1 deal? Pipe dream.

[darell1976]

Hawaii has the home game time slot making it the last game of the day. They think that is a big money maker and would like to be independent and keep the $ for themselves. About the same with BYU and BYU Television network.

Now the WAC could morph into this:

Idaho
Louisiana Tech
New Mexico State
Utah State
San Jose State

To fill back up they will have to do a lot of moving. It seems highly unlikely they can fill the spots from the FBS especially since there are FCS programs poised to move. I dont see the WAC letting the fanchise die. Any school west of the Mississippi that is a member of D1 and plays football with 15,000 seats or more is probably on the radar.

If circumstances took it down to NDSU I would be thrilled. It might re-emerge the weakest conference in the FBS but you have to start somewhere. It would be slow going at first for NDSU but with the FBS teams coming to town attendance in Fargo would really go up. The brass ring of a Michigan or Boise State coming to town would be more than enough motivation to get a larger, FBS appropriate stadium built.

Since our AD used to be the AD at New Mexico St. I wonder if UND would be in the talks too. I know with our stadium lease we couldn't do anything until 2019 or else break the lease. But maybe NDSU and UND could partner up and move to the FBS together...oh my God did I suggest a partnership between our two schools. The world would surely end wouldn't it.

[JBB]

In another world, it would be fun to see this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InfoCision_Stadium_%E2%80%93_Summa_Field built in the R lot. Opening game: Minnesota at NDSU in a 2-for-1 deal? Pipe dream.

Yep, thats what Im talking about Mnpls and room to take it to 50,000 when the time came. Make the move and Im sure something like that is within 10 years.

Im not sure having your AD come from NM state is going to help. Our old President came from Montana State and that didnt help with the BSC. Unless they can really offer something special I cant imagine any transitional schools getting a look. The line already has 5-10 FCS schools fully tournament eligible and ready to go stadium and all.

The stars are aligning and things are changing. xlolx

[darell1976]

Yep, thats what Im talking about Mnpls and room to take it to 50,000 when the time came. Make the move and Im sure something like that is within 10 years.
Im not sure having your AD come from NM state is going to help. Our old President came from Montana State and that didnt help with the BSC. Unless they can really offer something special I cant imagine any transitional schools getting a look. The line already has 5-10 FCS schools fully tournament eligible and ready to go stadium and all.

The stars are aligning and things are changing. xlolx

My team will be ready in 20.xlolx

[JBB]

Take you smack some place else. xrulesx

[darell1976]

Take you smack some place else. xrulesx

xconfusedx Who are you talking too?

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Would the NCAA go to a lot of trouble to keep the WAC afloat, really? When Nevada and Fresno bolt, the only franchise that gives that conference any value is Hawai'i - who would almost certainly do better as an indy in football and, say, UC-Irvine's conference in all other sports.

Excluding Hawai'i and the ones that have bolted, the rest of that conference is - honestly, now - a bunch of schools that are better suited to FCS level football than FBS. San Jose? New Mexico State? (Former FCS) La Tech? (Former FCS) Idaho? And if they grab FCS teams to fill out the conference - well, they'd still all be schools who are better suited to FCS ball than FBS.

[chrisattsu]

There is not a simple fix for the WAC.

Either everyone stays or it dies. They have to have the 6 team (with 5 seasons together) to maintain their AQ status for the various NCAA tournaments. If one of them bolts, then they are dead in water.

UTEP is not going to go west. They like to recruit and play to their alumni bases in the Texas magnet cities (mainly Dallas and Houston, but San Antonio and Austin as well).

The Hawaii time-spot for ESPN is not bad for them and it is an excellent selling point, but I wonder how difficult it is going to be to get teams to come out there late in the season. Who wants Jet lag in the middle of a conference stretch? By staying in the WAC, it makes late October/ November games a little easier.

Since you can't lure any current FBS teams away, bring in Texas State and UTSA now and just plan on reloading with either Portland, NDSU, CP, UC-D, or Griz later.

[Retro]

WAC Commissioner Karl Benson has already talked to UTSA and Texas State... If they could get UTEP and/or North Texas, then the league looks a little better with some bus trips for some teams.. You got New Mexico State near UTEP already and if they go with Montana, they got Idaho nearby.. With UC-Davis and Cal-Poly that helps San Jose State. It would still be pretty spread out, but at least each team would have some bus trips to help with travel costs... Don't rule out the possibility that both Montana and Montana state both go..

[MplsBison]

WAC Commissioner Karl Benson has already talked to UTSA and Texas State... If they could get UTEP and/or North Texas, then the league looks a little better with some bus trips for some teams.. You got New Mexico State near UTEP already and if they go with Montana, they got Idaho nearby.. With UC-Davis and Cal-Poly that helps San Jose State. It would still be pretty spread out, but at least each team would have some bus trips to help with travel costs... Don't rule out the possibility that both Montana and Montana state both go..

Something like that is probably the best they can hope for.

How about something like this:

Hawaii
Idaho - Montana (great rivalry potential)
San Jose St - Sacramento St
Utah St - Weber St
New Mexico St - UTEP
UTSA - Texas St
La Tech - La Monroe

It's definitely spread out...but each pair is pretty close (obviously no close match for Hawaii...who may end up independent anyway).

[Sly Fox]

Louisiana-Monroe? I mean, come on.

And I am still having a tough time seeing how UTEP saves money by switching to the WAC. It just doesn't make financial sense much less from a competition standpoint.

[TexasTerror]

Louisiana-Monroe? I mean, come on.

ULM is DEAD LAST in the Sun Belt's all sports race...

The Sun Belt is worried that ULM will have issues staying afloat financially moving forward. They are dead weight for the league and should have stayed in the SLC in all sports. Awful facilities that are middle of the pack in the SLC nowadays even those they are in the SBC.

[LakesBison]

Simple FIX is MONTANA and NDSU going to the WAC as partners.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

If all this was about is competitiveness, the WAC would prbably consider Montana and NDSU. However, it's a lot more complicated than that. The WAC needs their bowl tie-ins (Idaho's Humanitarian, New Mexico, Hawai'i) to survive, and they've just lost two huge ones. Montana and NDSU do not have facilities that are bowl capable. Switching Boise and Nevada out and plugging in Montana and NDSU would require a ramp-up period to sponsor bowls that will not work.

The *only* ones that make any sort of sense is Sac State/Cal Poly/UC Davis - and they won't fly because the UC system is in complete financial panic mode right now. And Sac State is the only venue that might be able to consider a bowl after they refurbish their stadium.

The WAC has a bad, bad hand right now. I don't think any number of FCS teams will fix it.

[FormerPokeCenter]

If all this was about is competitiveness, the WAC would prbably consider Montana and NDSU. However, it's a lot more complicated than that. The WAC needs their bowl tie-ins (Idaho's Humanitarian, New Mexico, Hawai'i) to survive, and they've just lost two huge ones. Montana and NDSU do not have facilities that are bowl capable. Switching Boise and Nevada out and plugging in Montana and NDSU would require a ramp-up period to sponsor bowls that will not work.

The *only* ones that make any sort of sense is Sac State/Cal Poly/UC Davis - and they won't fly because the UC system is in complete financial panic mode right now. And Sac State is the only venue that might be able to consider a bowl after they refurbish their stadium.

The WAC has a bad, bad hand right now. I don't think any number of FCS teams will fix it.

I have a simple fix for the WAC. Have all the remaining teams go FCS, where they belong. Heck, for that matter, the Sun Belch conference belongs in FCS, too....

[goyotes]

I have a simple fix for the WAC. Have all the remaining teams go FCS, where they belong. Heck, for that matter, the Sun Belch conference belongs in FCS, too....
I agree. The following is a good article discussing the risk of chasing the FBS dream. http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/13788335/realignment-boom-could-lead-to-more-busts-for-small-schools

[slostang]

Take you smack some place else. xrulesx

Pot, meet kettle.

[nwFL Griz]

If all this was about is competitiveness, the WAC would prbably consider Montana and NDSU. However, it's a lot more complicated than that. The WAC needs their bowl tie-ins (Idaho's Humanitarian, New Mexico, Hawai'i) to survive, and they've just lost two huge ones. Montana and NDSU do not have facilities that are bowl capable. Switching Boise and Nevada out and plugging in Montana and NDSU would require a ramp-up period to sponsor bowls that will not work.

The *only* ones that make any sort of sense is Sac State/Cal Poly/UC Davis - and they won't fly because the UC system is in complete financial panic mode right now. And Sac State is the only venue that might be able to consider a bowl after they refurbish their stadium.

The WAC has a bad, bad hand right now. I don't think any number of FCS teams will fix it.

I'm trying to figure out where you are coming from with the bowl tie-ins. You do realize that bowls are not tied to any specific school (with the possible exception of Memphis w/ the Liberty bowl)? If they were, two of the three you mentioned (Humanitarian, New Mexico) are related to teams that aren't or shortly will not be WAC teams. So the facilities of Montana and NDSU do not need to sponsor a bowl. Bowl tie-ins are a contractual deal with the respective coferences, and are renewed (or not) every few years.

Now if you were to make a point that Montana and NDSU couldn't support FBS based on facilities or that adding UM or NDSU wouldn't help get new or keep existing bowls, fine, but your point (as is) about the bowls is off base.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

I'm trying to figure out where you are coming from with the bowl tie-ins. You do realize that bowls are not tied to any specific school (with the possible exception of Memphis w/ the Liberty bowl)? If they were, two of the three you mentioned (Humanitarian, New Mexico) are related to teams that aren't or shortly will not be WAC teams. So the facilities of Montana and NDSU do not need to sponsor a bowl. Bowl tie-ins are a contractual deal with the respective coferences, and are renewed (or not) every few years.

Now if you were to make a point that Montana and NDSU couldn't support FBS based on facilities or that adding UM or NDSU wouldn't help get new or keep existing bowls, fine, but your point (as is) about the bowls is off base.

Sorry, I see the New Mexico Bowl is hosted by an MVC team. As is the Las Vegas Bowl.

Correct me if I'm wrong, though, but what are the odds of a WAC team being tied into the Hawai'i bowl if Hawai'i isn't a part of the WAC?

Add a pissed-off MVC, and the WAC could lose even more bowl tie-ins.

Bowls have everything to do with this.

[nwFL Griz]

Sorry, I see the New Mexico Bowl is hosted by an MVC team. As is the Las Vegas Bowl.

Correct me if I'm wrong, though, but what are the odds of a WAC team being tied into the Hawai'i bowl if Hawai'i isn't a part of the WAC?

Add a pissed-off MVC, and the WAC could lose even more bowl tie-ins.

Bowls have everything to do with this.

I'm not disputing that bowls have everything to do with this. They absolutely do. I'm disputing that Montana and NDSU would have to have bowl-capable facilites in order to be considered for the WAC (your statement).

Also, I'm disputing that a bowl would sever a conference tie-in because it's "home" team is no longer in one of the conferences it has a tie-in with.

[wr70beh]

I agree. The following is a good article discussing the risk of chasing the FBS dream. http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/13788335/realignment-boom-could-lead-to-more-busts-for-small-schools

That's a good article. There are too many college football programs chasing a pipe dream (WKU is a good example of this) just as there are in basketball.

[darell1976]

That's a good article. There are too many college football programs chasing a pipe dream (WKU is a good example of this) just as there are in basketball.

With the budget of most states in the red could schools actually move up? We (in ND) just saw our former conference member St. Cloud State (MN) drop football due to money problems in Minnesota.

[TexasTerror]

The WAC as it stands now...glad to see someone being absolutely frank!


Championships in this depleted WAC? It's like winning the three-legged race at fifth-grade field day. Here's a ribbon. Move along.

Football championships in this WAC won't earn you a BCS spot or even a Top 25 ranking. The league, which just two years ago claimed to be No. 1 among non-BCS leagues, is likely No. 5 now.

Basketball titles will still earn you an NCAA Tournament berth - and maybe a No. 13 seed. Respect for the league will be at an all-time low, no matter who commissioner Karl Benson digs up as additional members.

Texas State? Texas-San Antonio? UC Davis? Cal Poly?

Are you rushing to buy season tickets for those opponents or watching New Mexico State-Texas State on television?

That tearing sound you hear is ESPN ripping up its paltry television contract for an even smaller one.

"We need to be realistic about what will happen with the ESPN package," said Spear, who also must factor in less lucrative bowl arrangements, fewer NCAA basketball tournament units and less BCS money. "The revenue for us is a concern."

The biggest concern.

Read more: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2010/08/20/1308853/gap-grows-between-haves-have-nots.html#ixzz0xARl01m4

[bandit]

Obviously the WAC has a major problem on its hands. Their survival is by no means assured.

There are strong rumors that BYU will remain in the MWC (with certain concessions being made and BYU being able to have better TV rights for their home games), and Houston coming to the MWC as #12.

If that happens, CUSA will have an opening on their Western side, and Louisiana Tech will be one of the prime candidates to fill that slot. They won't be the ONLY candidate, but they would certainly be in the mix.

If La Tech leaves, the WAC is down to 5, and it is hard to see how they can continue to function. They will lose their automatic bids, unless the NCAA somehow decides to grant them a waiver.

If La Tech stays and they are at 6, the situation is better but still precarious.

They most logical move would be to immediately add UTSA and Texas State. They obviously won't be able to play football immediately in the league, but the WAC - as long as they can maintain 6 members - should be able to force Nevada and Fresno to stay through the 2011 season. Tx State should be able to play a full WAC schedule in 2012, and UTSA 2013. Tx State might not be eligible for the championship or bowl game, but I look for the NCAA to relax its requirements for schools moving from FCS to FBS in order to help shore up the WAC. The NCAA will do what it can within reason to keep the conference from collapsing.

That gives you 8 all-sports members. It would make sense to add Denver and Seattle as all-sport, non-football members. Denver is currently in the Sun Belt and is looking for a more regional home. Seattle recently returned to D1 and is looking for a conference home after getting rejected by the WCC. They are potentially strong programs that would obviously give the league a toe-hold in 2 major Western media markets.

That gives you 8 for football, 10 overall.

Then you sit back and wait for other FCS programs to make the move. Lamar could be willing to follow UTSA and Tx State. Sac State would be ideal as another California school to help SJ State. UC-Davis and Cal Poly could be in play. Portland State could be in play. Montana may finally decide that games against Hawaii, Utah State, SJ State and trips to Texas would be preferable to the competition in the BSC. If the WAC extends their hand and makes it known spots are available, at least a couple of those teams WILL make the move.

The WAC can survive this, but it will be dicey. ESPN will be key. ESPN was working with BYU and the WAC to get the indy setup put together, and the WAC occupies an important spot in ESPN's lineup. They may help the conference with bringing in new members and with a couple bowl games.

Only time will tell. But if you're a FCS school with FBS ambitions in the West, this is an opportunity that may not come along again in a long time. Teams that miss the boat now may will come to regret it.

[nwFL Griz]

The WAC as it stands now...glad to see someone being absolutely frank!



Read more: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2010/08/20/1308853/gap-grows-between-haves-have-nots.html#ixzz0xARl01m4

Very frank assesment...also, unfortunately for the WAC members, very true.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

They most logical move would be to immediately add UTSA and Texas State. They obviously won't be able to play football immediately in the league, but the WAC - as long as they can maintain 6 members - should be able to force Nevada and Fresno to stay through the 2011 season. Tx State should be able to play a full WAC schedule in 2012, and UTSA 2013. Tx State might not be eligible for the championship or bowl game, but I look for the NCAA to relax its requirements for schools moving from FCS to FBS in order to help shore up the WAC. The NCAA will do what it can within reason to keep the conference from collapsing.

Why would the NCAA give much thought about saving an FBS conference where all its members would be losing money in football, and its basketball teams not faring all that much better? And it's not like UTSA, Texas State, Denver (ha!) or Seattle (ha!) would do anything to help on either score.

Matter of fact, the NCAA could make an example of the WAC. "See what happens when you try to play FBS ball and fail? You are told that you have to play FCS, or not play at all."

[bandit]

Why would the NCAA give much thought about saving an FBS conference where all its members would be losing money in football, and its basketball teams not faring all that much better? And it's not like UTSA, Texas State, Denver (ha!) or Seattle (ha!) would do anything to help on either score.

Matter of fact, the NCAA could make an example of the WAC. "See what happens when you try to play FBS ball and fail? You are told that you have to play FCS, or not play at all."


How much do you know about Denver and Seattle?

Denver in particular is a well-funded program that has the potential to be very strong.

The NCAA has no interest in allowing a league that has been in existence for many decades to collapse, and have several western FBS schools struggling as independents. That course will just prolong the chaos and uncertainty. UCONN was able to move into the Big East quicker than originally planned when the BE needed additional membership. I suspect that, with a conference's very survival on the line, NCAA leadership will assist in allowing an easy transition (within reason) for any FCS schools that the WAC is able to lure into making the move.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

How much do you know about Denver and Seattle?

Denver in particular is a well-funded program that has the potential to be very strong.

The NCAA has no interest in allowing a league that has been in existence for many decades to collapse, and have several western FBS schools struggling as independents. That course will just prolong the chaos and uncertainty. UCONN was able to move into the Big East quicker than originally planned when the BE needed additional membership. I suspect that, with a conference's very survival on the line, NCAA leadership will assist in allowing an easy transition (within reason) for any FCS schools that the WAC is able to lure into making the move.

How does Denver help the WAC in football? Denver only helps in basketball - and it only helps preserve the WAC's basketball autobid, at absolute best. ESPN isn't going to look at that football contract and say, "wow! They just got Denver! Let's double that football deal!"

And the schools remaining would only "struggle" as independents if they were "struggling" anyway. Hawai'i will be fine. Utah State will be fine. It's only the schools like San Jose State, Idaho, New Mexico State that would have to face reclassifying to FCS or dropping football - which is something they should probably do anyway.

When football is out of the equation, there are no shortage of conferences they could enter. Start with the Great West - who, as luck may have it, already sponsors FCS football.

[Franks Tanks]

With the budget of most states in the red could schools actually move up? We (in ND) just saw our former conference member St. Cloud State (MN) drop football due to money problems in Minnesota.

St. Cloud dropped FB. That sucks they were a quality program.

[MplsBison]

ULM is DEAD LAST in the Sun Belt's all sports race...

The Sun Belt is worried that ULM will have issues staying afloat financially moving forward. They are dead weight for the league and should have stayed in the SLC in all sports. Awful facilities that are middle of the pack in the SLC nowadays even those they are in the SBC.

http://www.ulmathletics.com//pics28/800/DF/DFFVNRJPCZEZTOB.20071116161655.jpg

This is middle of the pack SLC?

In your ____ dreams.

[Ronbo]

xlolxxlolxxlolxxlolx That ULM stadium is three times the size of SHSU and twice the size of McNeese.

[Green Cookie Monster]

ULM looks pretty good to me.

[FormerPokeCenter]

xlolxxlolxxlolxxlolx That ULM stadium is three times the size of SHSU and twice the size of McNeese.


Actually, no....it's marginally bigger than McNeese. The press box side is taller, but narrower......Back in the day, they only had enough mony to build one half the stadium, so they build the press box side...There were temp bleachers on the other side. .The structure underneat his their fieldhouse.....they have an indoor practice facility, and have had one since the late 70's...but if memory serves me corectly, it's only about 40 yards long and about 30 yards wide...with old astro turf underneath and it doubles as their weight room....

Anyway, it's a dump and in serious need of upgrading....The interior of the offices, etc. is circa 1979...

And the crowd in that pic? That musta been for the Alabama game....because...frankly....the usually engage in creative accounting to meet the NCAA minimum standards....

[TexasTerror]

http://www.ulmathletics.com//pics28/800/DF/DFFVNRJPCZEZTOB.20071116161655.jpg

This is middle of the pack SLC?

In your ____ dreams.

Have you personally been to ULM's other facilities? You posted their football facility. The basketball arena is easily worst than McNeese, TXST, UTSA, (the new) UTA, UCA, SHSU, A&M-CC and Lamar. Would put it at even with SLU and better than the "hanger" at NWST and the facility at Nicholls.

Their football facility is nothign special compared to the other Sun Belt schools, let alone outside of capacity, much better than the SLC and basketball is the #2 sport (and you've seen where I've ranked that).

[TexasTerror]

And the crowd in that pic? That musta been for the Alabama game....because...frankly....the usually engage in creative accounting to meet the NCAA minimum standards....

Grambling game...

And outside of Grambling, ULM does have the best single-game attendance in the SBC. It is all because of their "home games" in Little Rock against a team with a Razorback as their logo. Actually, the top attended single-games in SBC are all against FCS schools or "neutral site" home games.

[FormerPokeCenter]

Grambling game...

And outside of Grambling, ULM does have the best single-game attendance in the SBC. It is all because of their "home games" in Little Rock against a team with a Razorback as their logo. Actually, the top attended single-games in SBC are all against FCS schools or "neutral site" home games.

Grambling makes sense......I've covered games at ULM where there MIGHT (and it's a HUGE might) have been 8k in attendance, and they report it as 17k....Generally that stadium is practically empty.

[MplsBison]

Haha...

Couldn't you practically hear the hissing sound that the SLC posters made when ULM was brought up?

Lot of hate...

[FormerPokeCenter]

Haha...

Couldn't you practically hear the hissing sound that the SLC posters made when ULM was brought up?

Lot of hate...

That wasn't a hiss....it was laughter ;) Nobody from the SLC hates ULM. We pity what they've done to their program...they, along with USL (ULL) have become national punchlines to football jokes....

I don't envy ULM anything...not even their football stadium. It's a metaphor for their program. From a distance, it looks great. Get up close and personal and you see just how dilapidated it really is ;)

[goyotes]

The following is a behind the scenes look (via facebook) of how the whole MWC - WAC - BYU mess played out: http://www.blocku.com/2010/8/19/1632774/the-mountain-west-conference Enjoy

[MplsBison]

That wasn't a hiss....it was laughter ;) Nobody from the SLC hates ULM. We pity what they've done to their program...they, along with USL (ULL) have become national punchlines to football jokes....

I don't envy ULM anything...not even their football stadium. It's a metaphor for their program. From a distance, it looks great. Get up close and personal and you see just how dilapidated it really is ;)

It's pretty obvious from your's and TT's posts that there is very little love lost between the SLC schools (esp. the ones that have been around a while) and the "traitors" - the schools that thought they were too good for the SLC and move on and up to bigger things.

[FormerPokeCenter]

It's pretty obvious from your's and TT's posts that there is very little love lost between the SLC schools (esp. the ones that have been around a while) and the "traitors" - the schools that thought they were too good for the SLC and move on and up to bigger things.

While I agree the disdain may be obvious, you're mistakenly offering an opinion as to causation of that disdain without any basis in fact.

If you're looking at the way we ridicule USL and you think that's a recent development, you need to do your homework. We've hated USL since we started football in 1950. After a 10-year period where we took our lumps from them while starting our program, we've kicked the crap out of them consistently ever since.

In 1986, they managed to beat us after nearly a 15-year drought. To be fair, they did get a couple of ties during that period...They promptly decided to NOT renew the series after that and then have spent the last 24 years telling us there was a huge separation between them and us. However, they've been telling us that since 1950 and we didn't listen to it then and we're not going to listen to it now. In 2006, after tiring of hearing it debated to death, they made an insulting offer of paying us slightly over 50K to come to Lafayette. We refused, as they knew we would, and they got taken to task over it. Finally, they agreed to play us the next year and gave us a figure we could live with....So, we drove an hour to the east and skull drug them 38-17, taking a knee on their 12 yardline with a minute to play.

We don't anticipate that they'll schedule us anytime soon after that. USL is THE single most laughed at college football team in America. I'm not going to say that we don't hate them, because we do. But we've been hating them since 1950. It's a legitimate kind of hate.

Now, we're not the only schooll who hates them. ULM hates them Tech Hates them, LSU hates them, Nicholls Hates them....Foir that matter, USL hates themselves.....they're ridiculously easy targets because of their behaviour.

ULM isn't quite as bad, Their fans were similarly delusional early on, but they've gotten a healthy dose of reality.

I've been to ULM's facilities since the late 1970's. I got recruited by former Heisman Trophy winner and ULM head coach John David Crow, I played games there in the 80's, and subsequent to that, I've covered football games there for a variety of newspapers...Most recently I was there this spring when my daughter ran in a trackmeet there.

When I tell you the place is a dump, I'm not exaggerating. It's a dump. Please don't mistake that for jealousy. I'd be among the first to raise hell if my school tried to follow the ULM model and pursue FBS status the way they did, without a conference, being the road-traveling rent-a-win team of the week.

La Tech followed a different model and they've done relatively well. They were situatied well enough financially to successfully make the jump. Their only problem now is in finding a league that's better suited for them.


Other schools, like North Texas, Troy State and Arkansas State have left the SLC through the years, too...

None of them have set the world on fire, though Tech did manage to win the WAC their first year in the league.

What you detected in the posts about ULM's dump of a stadium wasn't envy. I don't think McNeese has lost to any former SLC member after those members moved up, though I may be wrong. Tech may be the exception there. It was simply a fact-based assessment of that stadium.

[TexasTerror]

It's pretty obvious from your's and TT's posts that there is very little love lost between the SLC schools (esp. the ones that have been around a while) and the "traitors" - the schools that thought they were too good for the SLC and move on and up to bigger things.

Do you realize that ULM has essentially killed off some of their best programs by moving from the SLC to the SBC? I feel bad for them because in wake of the latest line of financial cuts, they'll be at an even great disadvantage against schools with 2x the budget they have, if not more. The gap between the haves and have nots is getting bigger...

ULM's budget as an FBS would not even be top two in the SLC. May be as low as #6 by the start of the 2011 athletic season, based on new athletic fee increases around the league, while ULM's budget gets chopped.

[Mr. C]

I'm not disputing that bowls have everything to do with this. They absolutely do. I'm disputing that Montana and NDSU would have to have bowl-capable facilites in order to be considered for the WAC (your statement).

Also, I'm disputing that a bowl would sever a conference tie-in because it's "home" team is no longer in one of the conferences it has a tie-in with.

Absolutely conferences have lost tie-ins in the past when teams have left for greener pastures. For example, the California Raisin Bowl (held in Fresno), which featured the champions of the Big West (yes, the Big West once sponsored football) and the MAC, actually came to an end when Fresno State moved from the Big West to the WAC.