(10-20-2021 10:49 AM)WKUApollo Wrote:  

(10-20-2021 10:47 AM)MUther Wrote:  

(10-20-2021 12:41 AM)TroyTBoy Wrote:  

(10-20-2021 12:33 AM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  Go jump in the Lake!!!!!!!!!!!!

Murray State doesn't have to be WKU's travel partner... Who would you suggest?

IMO, the new CUSA should 100% look at the first CUSA 1.0 model as a basketball-focused conference.

If you have better ideas, share them.

Too much regionalization will only dilute any vision you're hoping to establish.

We didn't want Texas schools....what in the hell makes you think we'd want to go 4 hours past UTEP to get NMSU. If you want NMSU then you invite them back. We did not create schools in the barren wastelands of the southwest. We certainly don't have to bend over backwards to make sure they have homes for their athletics. Now take all your little ideas and shove em straight up your ass on the way back to the 'belt board.

UTEP and NMSU are just 45 minutes or so apart.

Dont hit Marshall fans with facts, they are delusional thinking they run the conference.

(10-20-2021 12:51 AM)TroyTBoy Wrote:  [quote='All4One' pid='17748476' dateline='1634708298']
For travel costs' sake I could see UTEP electing football-only membership since their nearest conference mate will be in Ruston, Louisiana

It's not like UTEP wouldn't be flying to places it hasn't for the last 10 years.

They lose UNT, Rice, and UTSA, but gain a next door neighbor in NMSU. That sounds pretty ok.

Similarly with the rest of CUSA. They lose 3 Texas trips but add 1 trip close to UTEP (in NM).

Those aren't bad trade offs. Those are good tradeoffs; as long as the schools can bring a quality product - like BASKETBALL.



UTEP gains a trip to NM? UTEP already plays a H&H with NMSU every single year. They play New Mexico every year. How do you not know this?

If USM goes and Marshall stays, we add JMU and Liberty and stop at 9

(10-20-2021 11:03 AM)THUNDERStruck73 Wrote:  If USM goes and Marshall stays, we add JMU and Liberty and stop at 9

Yep. No more of the NMSU talk. Happy to still have UTEP as long as they want to be here, but the voting power just moved east, and I think those Presidents would rather have a nice farewell party for UTEP than bring in any more western teams.

(10-20-2021 09:42 AM)Hilltop75 Wrote:  

(10-20-2021 12:08 AM)TroyTBoy Wrote:  As I see it, NMSU and UTEP set a great tone for CUSA going forward, as a renewed basketball-focused conference.

IMO, the new CUSA should strongly consider going back to its roots and becoming a hybrid conference that placed a high emphasis on BASKETBALL.

Its great that UTEP football is bowl eligible, but UTEP basketball is a storied basketball program that has more than just a national championship to show for it. The UTEP basketball fans (when they have great teams) are rowdy and support Miners basketball like a high-major fanbase. Their arena is a fun place to be.

Similarly, NMSU is basketball-focused and they've continued that in the reconfigured WAC. If CUSA can land them as a travel-partner for UTEP, then that duo makes a great long-term addition to the new CUSA.

Perhaps other additions that should be considered are:
- FGCU, as a travel partner for FIU. FGCU has good basketball (and they are a football possibility down the road).
- Murray State, as a travel partner for WKU. Murray State has been exploring new conference affiliation since the OVU is unsuitable. An FCS move up should be an option in football.
- UMass. They're ready to be in an all-sports conference again, IMO. I'm sure they may leave the A10 if there is an opening for them.

NMSU should be a must-have; and Murray State, FGCU, and UMass, should get strong looks.

CUSA shouldn't be opposed to a hybrid-model; and perhaps that could help teams bring in football eventually.


-

Stop this nonsense Topper Fans want no part
Of any other Kentucky Schools. No Murray
State or eku B.S.

Eku voted to kick us out of the ovc when
We were a FCS independent. And eku has done
Absolutely nothing in football or basketball for years

Louisville kept us out of the Metro and Great
America Conference years ago.

Louisville never played in the Great American Conference. They stayed in metro and then went to CUSA when it was formed.

(10-20-2021 12:08 AM)TroyTBoy Wrote:  As I see it, NMSU and UTEP set a great tone for CUSA going forward, as a renewed basketball-focused conference.

IMO, the new CUSA should strongly consider going back to its roots and becoming a hybrid conference that placed a high emphasis on BASKETBALL.

Its great that UTEP football is bowl eligible, but UTEP basketball is a storied basketball program that has more than just a national championship to show for it. The UTEP basketball fans (when they have great teams) are rowdy and support Miners basketball like a high-major fanbase. Their arena is a fun place to be.

Similarly, NMSU is basketball-focused and they've continued that in the reconfigured WAC. If CUSA can land them as a travel-partner for UTEP, then that duo makes a great long-term addition to the new CUSA.

Perhaps other additions that should be considered are:
- FGCU, as a travel partner for FIU. FGCU has good basketball (and they are a football possibility down the road).
- Murray State, as a travel partner for WKU. Murray State has been exploring new conference affiliation since the OVU is unsuitable. An FCS move up should be an option in football.
- UMass. They're ready to be in an all-sports conference again, IMO. I'm sure they may leave the A10 if there is an opening for them.

NMSU should be a must-have; and Murray State, FGCU, and UMass, should get strong looks.

CUSA shouldn't be opposed to a hybrid-model; and perhaps that could help teams bring in football eventually.


-

Didn’t even finish reading. Hard pass on FGCU.

(10-20-2021 11:02 AM)billybobby777 Wrote:  

(10-20-2021 12:51 AM)TroyTBoy Wrote:  [quote='All4One' pid='17748476' dateline='1634708298']
For travel costs' sake I could see UTEP electing football-only membership since their nearest conference mate will be in Ruston, Louisiana

It's not like UTEP wouldn't be flying to places it hasn't for the last 10 years.

They lose UNT, Rice, and UTSA, but gain a next door neighbor in NMSU. That sounds pretty ok.

Similarly with the rest of CUSA. They lose 3 Texas trips but add 1 trip close to UTEP (in NM).

Those aren't bad trade offs. Those are good tradeoffs; as long as the schools can bring a quality product - like BASKETBALL.



UTEP gains a trip to NM? UTEP already plays a H&H with NMSU every single year. They play New Mexico every year. How do you not know this?

I think the benefit is that it opens up 2 OOC spots to get more quality wins. Either way, I am not advocating whether NMSu should or should not be invited as I am obviously biased. It all depends on what direction the conference really wants to go. We at least know where the fans want it to go and we've heard it before. It's the exact reason our affiliation with the SunBelt was not renewed. The Conference just decided to go in a different direction. I think it's worked out OK for them.

GO AGGIES!!!!

(10-20-2021 12:38 AM)All4One Wrote:  I'm pretty sure there's going to be a push to undo the far-flung conference Britton Banowsky created when CUSA added SMU, Rice, Tulsa, and UTEP, which UTEP is now paying for after the WAC died of which UTEP apparently had a major role.

For travel costs' sake I could see UTEP electing football-only membership since their nearest conference mate will be in Ruston, Louisiana while moving their remaining sports to the WAC. At first I felt the all-sports membership was too important to preserve the 8 needed to have a conference, but that is no longer the case. Now, it seems lowering travel costs should be important for everyone since most of the league will be on islands

It is clear to me that CUSA will add James Madison and Liberty to the league. With UTEP football only, that leaves MTSU, WKU, La Tech, FIU, and ODU as the only all-sport members left.

Liberty and James Madison brings the number to 7.

Missouri State will bring it to 8. The league could still host split divisions with 8 teams because NCAA bylaws did away with the 12-team requirement but did not actually put a number (other than the minimum full members to have a conference) required as a replacement to the 12-team rule. Alot of people assume you must have 10 members sponsoring a sport to split divisions for a championship game. That is false. The bylaws only require that the divisions be reasonably even, but it does not say you must have a minimum of 10.

Therefore, there is no need to add any more football only affiliates.

With the belief that no Sun Belt teams will leave, CUSA will have a tougher go at it. Not impossible. But a much tougher situation than what Sun Belt schools cried over 10 years ago.

After 8 full members, I'm not sure where the league turns, and I won't speculate because there's been enough lousy, half-assed attempts at predicting CUSA's next moves from mentally challenged individuals (most from people who won't be in this conference after 2025 and gave it no honest thought or those who aren't part the conference now and are trying to be flaming a-holes). I'm not going there. We don't even know who may be looking at CUSA anyways or what Division 1-AA schools are truly serious about a 1-A move. We just don't know enough.

What are you talking about? I haven’t seen anything confirmed on USM/Marshall. It’s all been just a bunch of guys on message boards talking.

(10-20-2021 09:47 AM)forphase1 Wrote:  Geez, no. I feel bad for UTEP, but we don't need to compound the problem by adding a weak western football team. UTEP is on an island and frankly will just have to get used to it, or find a new home. I hope we don't add ANYONE in Texas or New Mexico, etc. Stick with the JMU, Liberty, UConn, UMass, eastern FCS callups if needed, but stay out of Texas and the western choices. Granted it may or may not matter for my school depending on what all happens, but if Marshall is still a part of CUSA when the dust settles, hopefully CUSA has taken a serious move towards the eastern 1/2 of the US.

Good grief that is a **** list right there

(10-20-2021 11:03 AM)THUNDERStruck73 Wrote:  If USM goes and Marshall stays, we add JMU and Liberty and stop at 9

If we stay, Liberty or JMU will take our spot in the SB.

(10-20-2021 11:36 AM)GreenBison Wrote:  

(10-20-2021 09:47 AM)forphase1 Wrote:  Geez, no. I feel bad for UTEP, but we don't need to compound the problem by adding a weak western football team. UTEP is on an island and frankly will just have to get used to it, or find a new home. I hope we don't add ANYONE in Texas or New Mexico, etc. Stick with the JMU, Liberty, UConn, UMass, eastern FCS callups if needed, but stay out of Texas and the western choices. Granted it may or may not matter for my school depending on what all happens, but if Marshall is still a part of CUSA when the dust settles, hopefully CUSA has taken a serious move towards the eastern 1/2 of the US.

Good grief that is a **** list right there

Oh, I agree. I'm on the join Sun Belt side myself. But if that doesn't happen, then I want CUSA to be as strong, and eastern based, as possible.

Not our idea. Y'all make your eastern league and we'll be the Hawaii of it.

(10-20-2021 11:37 AM)GreenBison Wrote:  

(10-20-2021 11:03 AM)THUNDERStruck73 Wrote:  If USM goes and Marshall stays, we add JMU and Liberty and stop at 9

If we stay, Liberty or JMU will take our spot in the SB.

JMU will likely come here. We are a much better fit for their region and athletic aspirations (to have emphasis on sports that arent football)

The Belt does not want Liberty. They kicked them to the curb last time (CUSA did as well). I don't see them making that deal, Liberty is very unattractive to other presidents and academic institutions. CUSA might offer them in its current position, but the Belt would rather not

(10-20-2021 12:08 AM)TroyTBoy Wrote:  As I see it, NMSU and UTEP set a great tone for CUSA going forward, as a renewed basketball-focused conference.

IMO, the new CUSA should strongly consider going back to its roots and becoming a hybrid conference that placed a high emphasis on BASKETBALL.

Its great that UTEP football is bowl eligible, but UTEP basketball is a storied basketball program that has more than just a national championship to show for it. The UTEP basketball fans (when they have great teams) are rowdy and support Miners basketball like a high-major fanbase. Their arena is a fun place to be.

Similarly, NMSU is basketball-focused and they've continued that in the reconfigured WAC. If CUSA can land them as a travel-partner for UTEP, then that duo makes a great long-term addition to the new CUSA.

Perhaps other additions that should be considered are:
- FGCU, as a travel partner for FIU. FGCU has good basketball (and they are a football possibility down the road).
- Murray State, as a travel partner for WKU. Murray State has been exploring new conference affiliation since the OVU is unsuitable. An FCS move up should be an option in football.
- UMass. They're ready to be in an all-sports conference again, IMO. I'm sure they may leave the A10 if there is an opening for them.

NMSU should be a must-have; and Murray State, FGCU, and UMass, should get strong looks.

CUSA shouldn't be opposed to a hybrid-model; and perhaps that could help teams bring in football eventually.


-

This is the best plan going forward for CUSA, by far.

The idea of a small Eastern regional league was a stupid fantasy. It's about survival now, and building something realistic that can thrive in a new way.

NMSU would be a good add for y’all, they’ve got pretty good basketball and baseball, would give UTEP a close travel partner and rival.

"They lose UNT, Rice, and UTSA, but gain a next door neighbor in NMSU. That sounds pretty ok."

It may be okay for you but you don't share the animosity we have for those cow paddies. Why would UTEP want to bring them into the fold when we already play them every year here and away for basketball and a football game in each other's house every year.

I hate the Ugglies like fans like MT do U. of Tennessee and vice versa.

Enemas U. brings nothing to a conference. It's true that they are good sometimes in basketball and dominate the WAC but when they go to the dance they come home with their tails between their legs. It happens every year and it's because they're the cream of the crop there. In football they can't even muster half a stadium and when they do it's because UTEP fans outnumber Ugglie fans in their 30k stadium which is really a dump.

You stay where you are and don't put your big nose in things you know nothing about...please.

(10-20-2021 11:17 AM)2009panther Wrote:  

(10-20-2021 12:08 AM)TroyTBoy Wrote:  As I see it, NMSU and UTEP set a great tone for CUSA going forward, as a renewed basketball-focused conference.

IMO, the new CUSA should strongly consider going back to its roots and becoming a hybrid conference that placed a high emphasis on BASKETBALL.

Its great that UTEP football is bowl eligible, but UTEP basketball is a storied basketball program that has more than just a national championship to show for it. The UTEP basketball fans (when they have great teams) are rowdy and support Miners basketball like a high-major fanbase. Their arena is a fun place to be.

Similarly, NMSU is basketball-focused and they've continued that in the reconfigured WAC. If CUSA can land them as a travel-partner for UTEP, then that duo makes a great long-term addition to the new CUSA.

Perhaps other additions that should be considered are:
- FGCU, as a travel partner for FIU. FGCU has good basketball (and they are a football possibility down the road).
- Murray State, as a travel partner for WKU. Murray State has been exploring new conference affiliation since the OVU is unsuitable. An FCS move up should be an option in football.
- UMass. They're ready to be in an all-sports conference again, IMO. I'm sure they may leave the A10 if there is an opening for them.

NMSU should be a must-have; and Murray State, FGCU, and UMass, should get strong looks.

CUSA shouldn't be opposed to a hybrid-model; and perhaps that could help teams bring in football eventually.


-

Didn’t even finish reading. Hard pass on FGCU.

FGCU is fantastic at basketball. No hard pass after Conference USA dissolves FBS football.

(10-20-2021 08:34 PM)olliebaba Wrote:  "They lose UNT, Rice, and UTSA, but gain a next door neighbor in NMSU. That sounds pretty ok."

It may be okay for you but you don't share the animosity we have for those cow paddies. Why would UTEP want to bring them into the fold when we already play them every year here and away for basketball and a football game in each other's house every year.

I hate the Ugglies like fans like MT do U. of Tennessee and vice versa.

Enemas U. brings nothing to a conference. It's true that they are good sometimes in basketball and dominate the WAC but when they go to the dance they come home with their tails between their legs. It happens every year and it's because they're the cream of the crop there. In football they can't even muster half a stadium and when they do it's because UTEP fans outnumber Ugglie fans in their 30k stadium which is really a dump.

You stay where you are and don't put your big nose in things you know nothing about...please.

Fair point. I wasn’t really thrilled about stretching the footprint unless it helped with travel. There’s probably a better way to solve that problem.

(10-20-2021 10:56 AM)UTSAMarineVet09 Wrote:  

(10-20-2021 10:49 AM)WKUApollo Wrote:  

(10-20-2021 10:47 AM)MUther Wrote:  

(10-20-2021 12:41 AM)TroyTBoy Wrote:  

(10-20-2021 12:33 AM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  Go jump in the Lake!!!!!!!!!!!!

Murray State doesn't have to be WKU's travel partner... Who would you suggest?

IMO, the new CUSA should 100% look at the first CUSA 1.0 model as a basketball-focused conference.

If you have better ideas, share them.

Too much regionalization will only dilute any vision you're hoping to establish.

We didn't want Texas schools....what in the hell makes you think we'd want to go 4 hours past UTEP to get NMSU. If you want NMSU then you invite them back. We did not create schools in the barren wastelands of the southwest. We certainly don't have to bend over backwards to make sure they have homes for their athletics. Now take all your little ideas and shove em straight up your ass on the way back to the 'belt board.

UTEP and NMSU are just 45 minutes or so apart.

Dont hit Marshall fans with facts, they are delusional thinking they run the conference.

Just seeing this, dude seriously? We are just in survival mode trying to navigate these waters.

So just stop, UTSA would be doing the same thing if you were in our shoes. Trying to leverage your opportunities, and get a sense of the landscape before making your decision.

(10-20-2021 12:08 AM)TroyTBoy Wrote:  As I see it, NMSU and UTEP set a great tone for CUSA going forward, as a renewed basketball-focused conference.

IMO, the new CUSA should strongly consider going back to its roots and becoming a hybrid conference that placed a high emphasis on BASKETBALL.

Its great that UTEP football is bowl eligible, but UTEP basketball is a storied basketball program that has more than just a national championship to show for it. The UTEP basketball fans (when they have great teams) are rowdy and support Miners basketball like a high-major fanbase. Their arena is a fun place to be.

Similarly, NMSU is basketball-focused and they've continued that in the reconfigured WAC. If CUSA can land them as a travel-partner for UTEP, then that duo makes a great long-term addition to the new CUSA.

Perhaps other additions that should be considered are:
- FGCU, as a travel partner for FIU. FGCU has good basketball (and they are a football possibility down the road).
- Murray State, as a travel partner for WKU. Murray State has been exploring new conference affiliation since the OVU is unsuitable. An FCS move up should be an option in football.
- UMass. They're ready to be in an all-sports conference again, IMO. I'm sure they may leave the A10 if there is an opening for them.

NMSU should be a must-have; and Murray State, FGCU, and UMass, should get strong looks.

CUSA shouldn't be opposed to a hybrid-model; and perhaps that could help teams bring in football eventually.


-

NMSU has a respectable football program when it's got a reason to exist. They won a bowl game just before the Sun Belt showed them the door. They can be an asset if you help them out and get them out of wandering in the wilderness.