MORE INSANITY: C-USA & MWC Possibly Forming a 20 Team Super Conference? (Houston Rivals)
First, this was discussed by Redhawk, Miner Mike and others in the comments here, but now Houston's Rivals site, Cougarsden.com, is now discussing it. It this possible? I think its only natural for the two leagues to consider it. I figured the C-USA would make a move for the MWC castoffs, but this may have been the plan of attack. The Question is, with the MWC now at 11 teams (with BYU) and the C-USA at 12, who gets into the new league? UTEP is a natural geographic fit that has history with the Texas schools and the old WAC schools. You'd figure the teams furthest East would be cut out- but this is probably all just crazy talk anyway, right?
CBS Sports Dennis Dodd also adds that he "knows for a fact that UTEP doesn't want to lean West for it's fans sake. It likes being in the Mountain and Central Time Zone." Under the "Super" scenario, the Miners of course would stay aligned with Houston, Rice, etc.
over 1 year ago
Adrian Mac
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This is crazy
A super conference? What are the advantages? Big TV contract? Bulk ordering of football helmets and pads?
I wonder if the super-league would have Tiers. Or maybe 5 team divisions ala NFL with winning your division the big deal. 4 teams scheduled every year and then what?
It's probably all BS- But you never know until the leagues say it's BS
The advantages would be similar to what we saw when the Big 12/Pac 10 pondered this. Travel isn’t crazy becuase you keep geographic rivalries (UTEP might be in the MWC side and TCU on the C-USA side) and you’d have a conference title game that really meant something in football. Say Houston or TCU vs. Boise or BYU. Also, it’s about TV markets- which equals TV money from ESPN/ABC. Together, the leagues can deliver better games that more people can watch in a larger section of the country.
Again, these are all rumors, but this one has steadily picked up steam- we’ll see if it goes anywhere. Britton Banowsky has never been one to seize the moment, but if ever there was a time for him to make a move, this is it.
Axes Up. Miner Rush - For UTEP Miners Fans
Where there's smoke...
There’s utter and total chaos!
~We have Coach Patterson cryptically saying a whole lot of nothing yet saying far more than imagined.
~Now, we’ve got rumors that are abundant that seem to resonate with very common denominators.
Yes Miner Nation, things are starting to heat up! Time to sit back and enjoy the firelight in the hopes that we don’t get burned.
True that-
If this happened and UTEP got burned- I’d have to personally punch Karl Benson in the face.
The irony is that this proposed super conference is a heck of a lot like the original 16 team WAC Benson formed way back in ’96. He blew it, big time, when he went to the “Pod” scheduling.
Had he stuck with 2, 8 team divisions, one with the old WAC and one with the SWC castoffs, it would have worked just fine.
Now, Benson is the Conference Realignment Punching Bag. And, it seems like he never see’s it coming. Every time!
Axes Up. Miner Rush - For UTEP Miners Fans
Other sources...
More media sources are starting to pick up on the story rumor:
A Mid-Major Super Conference? MWC and C-USA Talking Expansion?
There also appear to be rumors of merger between; MWC-WAC, BigIIX-MWC & the biggie BigIIX-MWC-WAC cornucopia. These all appear to be more questions of possiblity versus any ‘official rumors’, if there is such a thing?
yea! I’ve been here a day..and I’m getting mentioned for being on top of rumors, that I came here to confirm in the first place.
Here’s what I got again off another board:
The 20 team Super-Conference has hit a snag or two. ESPN wanted to dump SDSU and another MWC team either New Mexico or UNLV. The other MWC schools balked at this. Also wanted UTEP to go west…and TCU to go East. UTEP didn’t like this (see the CBS report linked above)
Colorado Rockies correspondent at My Team Rivals (www.mtrmedia.com/rockies) and my own site Rockies Reporter (www.rockiesreporter.wordpress.com) and one of the top Rockies writers at the Bleacher Report.
My apologies sir
Didn’t mean to make it seem like you were the rumor monger- at all- just wanted to highlight how this story is slowly gaining stream from comments, to the Rivals report, and now to some Twitter rumors. It’s like the story is graduating up the rumor mill- it’s sure been fun to follow.
Axes Up. Miner Rush - For UTEP Miners Fans
oh..no…I took it as a complement, that I was contributing to the site in a day! And I have no problem being called a rumor monger…cause I’m posting rumors.
Colorado Rockies correspondent at My Team Rivals (www.mtrmedia.com/rockies) and my own site Rockies Reporter (www.rockiesreporter.wordpress.com) and one of the top Rockies writers at the Bleacher Report.
Makes sense if true
That UTEP would stay West and TCU move in East..thx for the insight- I wonder why drop SDSU and add Fresno?
Axes Up. Miner Rush - For UTEP Miners Fans
more:
IF BYU stays…that’s 11. Wanted to drop SDSU to go back down to 10
If you believe the rumors ESPN wanted Hawaii too…and TCU wanted no part of being West with Hawaii. ..ok…swap UTEP and TCU. UTEP doesn’t want to go west.
Also adding Hawaii meant dropping another west school, either UNLV or New Mexico..which the other MWC balked at.
(the source who so far has been dead on works with a well placed Houston law firm that are big time UofH and Rice donors..which is why I’ve got zero source material)
This is before you get to C-USA who has 12 teams now. Marshall would be out. La. Tech is NOT in..but going to the Sun Belt. Memphis might go to the BigLeast. But…no-one wants Rice..but they have cash are dug in with UofH and SMU
Here’s what’s out there now: MWC-12 team adding Houston and BYU or Hawaii is BYU leaves, MWC-14 team adding Houston, SMU and UTEP.
Colorado Rockies correspondent at My Team Rivals (www.mtrmedia.com/rockies) and my own site Rockies Reporter (www.rockiesreporter.wordpress.com) and one of the top Rockies writers at the Bleacher Report.
My heads spinning! I need a beer!
I’ll keep following the wires, scouring for some sort of confirmation-
Axes Up. Miner Rush - For UTEP Miners Fans
why drop SDSU?
they have talked in the past about going down to FCS status. the get like 3,000 fans to a game. It’s pretty sad. Plus adding Fresno St and Nevada was to sink the WAC, and force BYU to stay
Colorado Rockies correspondent at My Team Rivals (www.mtrmedia.com/rockies) and my own site Rockies Reporter (www.rockiesreporter.wordpress.com) and one of the top Rockies writers at the Bleacher Report.
Great info-
I guess San Diego State- I still think of Marshall Faulk! That’s probably the last time they mattered in anything now that I think of it. Baseball? Are they good in that?
I had no idea their attendance sucked- but if I was in San Diego I guess the last thing I’d do is go see SDSU vs. Colorado State or whatever.
Axes Up. Miner Rush - For UTEP Miners Fans
Well
This past year they had a solid Basketball team and it seems that they have a good baseball team, but yea their Football numbers are not to good…
I got my 2nd degree from Col. State
They played there in a game a couple years ago…there were more people on the sideline (players, TV people, trainers, Cheerleaders, etc) then there were in the stands…and I’m dead serious. It was scary empty.
yep SDSU great in baseball…home of Stephen Strasburg, and currently coached by Tony Gwinn
Colorado Rockies correspondent at My Team Rivals (www.mtrmedia.com/rockies) and my own site Rockies Reporter (www.rockiesreporter.wordpress.com) and one of the top Rockies writers at the Bleacher Report.
Redhawk the MAN!...
Great info! You may be end up being the link for UTEP! I don’t see Houston bolting to the MWC solo. If MWC is going to lure UofH they will more than likely have to bring SMU, Rice and UTEP with them. This would be solidify a comfort level for them.
As for SDSU, yes they had a stellar year in hoops and have been on the rise on the diamond, but that won’t them. We see the struggles with Rice being taken and they are iconic in baseball.
Don't be surprised if UTEP/UH are working together
The Stull- Rhoades connection is honestly invaluable right now.
Axes Up. Miner Rush - For UTEP Miners Fans
You took the words...
Right out of my next post! I wouldn’t be surprised at all. If I was AD Stull, and was fielding invites I would be tugging at the strings of Cougar and Pony as well. As stated, it provides a comfort level and you never know when this will pay you dividends in the future.
re-alignment talk is fun
Where did this come from? Left field?
This byu talk is reminding of mizzou. Mizzou was the one that got first set of dominos to fall and they were left with nowhere to go—almost no conference to return to. Same with byu—theyre looking bad if they stay…
by MinerManiax on Aug 19, 2010 4:30 PM MDT via mobile reply actions
Good comparison- it's funny how that happens
I think BYU was dead serious about leaving and was probably furious when they realized Nevada hadn’t signed the buyout. That buyout is the game-changer here- and we still haven’t heard the last of it. No way does the MWC or Fresno have that money.
Now that BYU doesn’t have the WAC there to hold up the rest of its program, and since the WCC plays on Sundays which BYU won’t do, I think BYU might be doing what they can to get as sweet a deal as possible with the MWC.
Axes Up. Miner Rush - For UTEP Miners Fans
Agreed....
I’ve been thinking about each of the points you mentioned the last couple of days. I get the feeling that BYU got backdoored by the MWC commisioner. This leads me to believe that he got wind of this before BYU announced…….OR…….this is one huge brilliantly layed out plan by the MWC………“It’s a mystery! It’s a mystery wrapped in a riddle inside an enigma!”
Now BYU fans are trying to say this was all BYU's plan- I don't buy BYU threatened independence to get Utah State an invite
"It’s a mystery! It’s a mystery wrapped in a riddle inside an enigma!"
Exactly. That’s really the best way to put it right now.
Axes Up. Miner Rush - For UTEP Miners Fans
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