JCorona said:

The cities are more similar than people realize.

Click to expand...

TJ and Juarez yes. Not San Diego and El Paso

Sports Opinion said:

Well, there is D1 talent in El Paso, thing is they want to play somewhere else.

Click to expand...

There’s not enough, period. Regardless if they stay or go.

dementiajoe said:

Sadly they’re like cockroaches🪳 Another one will just come out and replace him.

Click to expand...

Need a better exterminator

Sports Opinion said:

Are they located right by the border ?

Click to expand...

Um yeah. It’s Tijuana and not Juarez

JCorona said:

Is that why San Diego St was left out too?

Click to expand...

San Diego has 3 D1 universities and is a major city.

JCorona said:

Is that why San Diego St was left out too?

Click to expand...

Are they located right by the border ?

KaneFan29 said:

It’s part of the reason. The media market is ranked low, especially considering the size of the city. Plus the current political climate and news, reflects negatively on this place.

Lack of D1 talent for a city this size, also does not help UTEP. That is why Rice, UNT, UTSA and other schools with worse facilities and fan support have passed us. Not because of Senter’s alleged “lack of trying”.

Click to expand...

Well, there is D1 talent in El Paso, thing is they want to play somewhere else.

UTEPfan1966 said:

That would be a good thing

Click to expand...

Sadly they’re like cockroaches🪳 Another one will just come out and replace him.

MineroFanatico said:

I’m not going to dispute that notion. However it is not why UTEP sits where it sits. Not by a long shot.

Click to expand...

UTEP sits where it sits because of that view of Chanty Town Juarez Mexico across the Rio Grande. Juarez Government is not doing its Job.

Keep voting straight ticket.

MineroFanatico said:

Hopefully you’re not putting words in my mouth. I didn’t mention Senter specifically in this conversation. However, I don’t think he has at all helped the situation since his arrival.

Click to expand...

I would think that our budget and committed facilities improvement projects are relevant to our attractiveness. And that is a Senter problem. Recall that he was brought in because of his amazing ability to fund raise. At a private college with an extremely loyal and prosperous alumni base.

KaneFan29 said:

It’s part of the reason. The media market is ranked low, especially considering the size of the city. Plus the current political climate and news, reflects negatively on this place.

Lack of D1 talent for a city this size, also does not help UTEP. That is why Rice, UNT, UTSA and other schools with worse facilities and fan support have passed us. Not because of Senter’s alleged “lack of trying”.

Click to expand...

Hopefully you’re not putting words in my mouth. I didn’t mention Senter specifically in this conversation. However, I don’t think he has at all helped the situation since his arrival.

MineroFanatico said:

I’m not going to dispute that notion. However it is not why UTEP sits where it sits. Not by a long shot.

Click to expand...

It’s part of the reason. The media market is ranked low, especially considering the size of the city. Plus the current political climate and news, reflects negatively on this place.

Lack of D1 talent for a city this size, also does not help UTEP. That is why Rice, UNT, UTSA and other schools with worse facilities and fan support have passed us. Not because of Senter’s alleged “lack of trying”.

SisyphusMiner said:

Kane is not wrong here. Have you traveled the state, and the rest of the country. El Paso does not have a good perception by the rest of the country. They've done a crap job of marketing themselves, and the press is all about cartels and violence. Don't take it personally, none of these people have been to El Paso, but a lot of people have their own notions of what it's like, and not open minds

Click to expand...

Not just that but so many cities that were at El Paso’s level have not only caught us but passed us by in terms of quality of life projects. The arena fiasco is a prime example of dim witted city leadership dropping the ball every step of the way. Going out of town and seeing what other cities have to offer I don’t fault anyone for leaving this city.

SisyphusMiner said:

Kane is not wrong here. Have you traveled the state, and the rest of the country. El Paso does not have a good perception by the rest of the country. They've done a crap job of marketing themselves, and the press is all about cartels and violence. Don't take it personally, none of these people have been to El Paso, but a lot of people have their own notions of what it's like, and not open minds

Click to expand...

I’m not going to dispute that notion. However it is not why UTEP sits where it sits. Not by a long shot.

MineroFanatico said:

I wholeheartedly disagree.

Click to expand...

Kane is not wrong here. Have you traveled the state, and the rest of the country. El Paso does not have a good perception by the rest of the country. They've done a crap job of marketing themselves, and the press is all about cartels and violence. Don't take it personally, none of these people have been to El Paso, but a lot of people have their own notions of what it's like, and not open minds

KaneFan29 said:

UTEP is where it’s at because of poor coaching hires and the inability to fire them when it was obvious to most, it wasn’t working out.

UTEP isn’t in a better position because of factors they don’t control. Which are El Paso and perception of the city.

Click to expand...

Utep situation is not the result of the last 10-20 years. It's a result of the last 40 years which culminated in the 1999 airport 5 meeting that left us holding the bag, and one of the reasons for that was because 1) UTEP sports were already bottom of the conference and 2) UTEP was a major proponent of the wac 16 conference expansion (because we have always looked easy to the major Texas universities that have never wanted any part of us) and suffered the repercussions for it.

KaneFan29 said:

UTEP is where it’s at because of poor coaching hires and the inability to fire them when it was obvious to most, it wasn’t working out.

UTEP isn’t in a better position because of factors they don’t control. Which are El Paso and perception of the city.

Click to expand...

I wholeheartedly disagree.

MineroFanatico said:

I think you’re missing the point. You’re talking too immediate. It sounds like you’re talking specifically to the situation as it exists right now. UTEP, without a doubt, is the creator of its own circumstances and is exactly where it belongs due its actions and inactions.

Click to expand...

UTEP is where it’s at because of poor coaching hires and the inability to fire them when it was obvious to most, it wasn’t working out.

UTEP isn’t in a better position because of factors they don’t control. Which are El Paso and perception of the city.

utep2step said:

Whoa! Totally unconfirmed but this site follows Ukrainian and Middle East battle fields.
Login to view embedded media

Click to expand...

That would be a good thing

nattybry said:

So do you think Utep is being overly cautious and judicious or just the right amount since the landscape keeps changing?

Click to expand...

-Lets look back to 1999. The MW was created to leave out UTEP, let's get that straight. Natalicio called UNM president expressing total disbelief because they went on public record in support of UTEP and literally voted privately NOT to invite UTEP.
-Now back to today. UNLV and AF said they were staying. UNLV already signed (their fans are not happy) committal papers.

The AF recommitment to MW spoke volumes. They don't want UTEP, period (as well as UNM). Second, UTEP does have a "war chest" account but to leave and join? UTEP does not have it. Boosters are tied into capital improvements.

After listening to Senter on ESPN and TV, the man lacks charisma and communication skills. Kap on ESPN600 has to fill in the blanks for him most of the time when he interviews him. Wilson can bring the 90th Fighter Squadron (F-22 5th gen fighters) and all the private companies and civil service that support them to El Paso, but when it comes to cut throat FBS college athletics, UTEP is on an island.

They are out of their league. (told to me from a booster, too).

T-6 Miner said:

Maybe because they are losing in a crappy conference against schools they have nothing in common with.

Click to expand...

Unless we’re getting beat up by USC, Texas, or Florida every week in a power conference, I’m not losing more confidence in UTEP. It’s all the same that we’re just not winning.

KaneFan29 said:

Yes, their media deal is unknown and it’s anyone’s guess what it will look like. Just saying, people shouldn’t worry about UTEP being proactive or reactive. When it comes to realignment, they’re not getting passed up because they were slow to get a financial feasibility study prepared.

Click to expand...

I think you’re missing the point. You’re talking too immediate. It sounds like you’re talking specifically to the situation as it exists right now. UTEP, without a doubt, is the creator of its own circumstances and is exactly where it belongs due its actions and inactions…going back quite some time.

utep2step said:

Second, let's be realistic, ok?! We all know AF, and maybe UNLV, but definitely AF (and UNM ) said "No on UTEP or we're gone!". Wilson is a well seasoned diplomat but UNM and AF (ironic Wilson being former very top AF brass) want nothing to do with UTEP.

Click to expand...

Did they say no recently or was it year ago when they said no ? And why they don't want to have anything to do with UTEP ?