Conference MWC-USA? Rumors of an MWC & C-USA Merger Flying; Would it Work?
Maybe the "Mountain West American Conference (MWAC)"? Well figuring out names is going way too far, even in this game. Late last night we were hearing chatter about a potential Conference USA and MWC merger. Today, the rumors were merely message board gossip but gained some limited legitimacy when Cougarsden.com, a Houston Rivals site, published a story on it. Now, The Memphis Commercial Appeal's Dan Wolken is tweeting that there may be more to it than it just being message board talk.
First, about 45 minutes (3:25 pm MST), Wolken tweeted this.
With the people I'm talking to in and around C-USA/Memphis, it's clear there's moving and shaking going on. How it ends is anyone's guess
Thirteen minutes or so after that, Wolken tweeted this:
The C-USA/MWC merger seems far-fetched on the surface, but I've had two conversations that lend legitimacy to the possibility.
Wolken has always proven to be very well connected with sources in and around the Memphis program and the C-USA HQ. He's not saying anything concrete, but there does appear to be something brewing in Memphis. We do know that the C-USA hasn't come out and dismissed any potential expansion talk.
If these tweets show anything at all, they show that there is some movement in the C-USA headquarters today when yesterday we had no indication the C-USA was considering any options. I've been saying this this all started that if ever there was a time for C-USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky to get creative and make a landscape altering move for the C-USA, this is it.
Recall that in the Dig a few weeks ago, I dug up a quote by Banowsky. He told the Orlando Sentinel's Iliana Limon, as late as August 2, 2010:
"Obviously this conference realignment thing had a lot of folks anxious from coast to coast," Banowsky said. "It seems like that has settled somewhat, but we're still focusing on ways to improve ourselves through membership change – being proactive on that front. We haven't completely discounted the possibility on membership change."
Again this is probably all BS, nobody know's if there is a shred of truth to this, but there's no denying that it's fun to speculate and I thought I'd pass along the latest on it.
Thoughts?
UPDATE: 11:12 pm MST: The Orlando Sentinel's Iliana Limon is reporting that she has two sources who can confirm the two conferences are in discussions....
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Hard to know....
Obviously, when you think of the upside that something of this magnitude would have on Miner Nation, it becomes great to think of the possibilities. On the flipside, thoughts revert to memories past of being the only one left standing when the music stops playing.
As long as C-USA is leading the way, I beleive all current C-USA programs would be safe. The concern becomes who is leading the discussions as inevitably someone will probably have to be left out of the party, a la Idaho, SDSU, LaTech etc…As has already been mentioned.
Yup
On the flipside, thoughts revert to memories past of being the only one left standing when the music stops playing.
Is UTEP stronger now than we were in ‘96? I think we are. Since then, the football team has at least made some bowl games, attendance figures are at the top of the C-USA, Bob Stull has dramatically improved the facilities, and anybody who’s been to El Paso in the last 5 years knows the city is growing in a good, smart way right now.
But will it be enough when the chips are down? If not, we’ll always have the Sonic Bowl.
Axes Up. Miner Rush - For UTEP Miners Fans
Yet another Confirmation:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/college/os-college-football-expansion-20100819,0,4134695.story
Has 2 “sources” confirming the MWC and C-USA talks. Winner would get an auto BCS bid. Said it’s complex negotiation. Also has U of New Mexico Pres talking. He says “conference realignment” is not done
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.

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