I don't think anyone should give the university another dime until we see a detailed strategic plan to improve the athletic department.
Best and most realistic take on how things may play out in CUSA, Sun Belt, AAC Realignment.
- Thread starter nattybry
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I agree. In the last 50 years plus we’ve given ground to schools that were of equal or lesser stature. Now we’re right where we belong wondering if we’re going to have to become independent a la NMSU.
Senter has said we’re not going Indy and NMSU is joining CUSA. He said the first part. The 2nd part is the latest report
NCAA do you have a crystal ball? You sure keeping making defacto points about exactly how UTEP will fair with the yet to be determined new CUSA teams! Thought maybe you went to the Futre or something. If so please instruct Senter and Wilson on the beat plan moving forward, Thanks!
It’s common sense. If you got a nice church and give donations; eventually you will stop going or stop giving once they let the place rot and haven’t “upgraded” in 50 years. They will focus their attention on a shiny, new place.
I have given many ideas to improve athletics. Settling for the worst FBS conference in the history of mankind isn’t one of them. Should have gone Independent or just never joined CUSA. Hindsight is 20/20. I hope I am wrong, and UTEP dominates the **** out of this league. History says otherwise though.
Sounds like those people that say we should have done the opposite of what didn't work.
I would still rather be a conference with these bad schools than independent. If we go independent we will be forced to play a bunch of power schools every week just to survive financially and have nearly zero chance at a winning seasons.
That’s fair. You’re not wrong. At least if Senter had announced Independence in the summer, would have been seen as proactive. Instead we’re in desperation mode, taking teams that were D2 during 2019-20 academic school year. D2, not FCS.
I am right. You're wrong. Those teams aren't leaving the Big12 or SB.
This may have already been posted but
www.espn.com
Sources: Southern Miss to Sun Belt a 'done deal'
Southern Miss will join the Sun Belt Conference, which could soon add more members, sources tell ESPN.
Aren't you the one that says it doesn't matter who the teams are as long as we're winning?
It’s not a good situation. UTEP has had pretty good support over the years, relative to the product they’ve given us. But now, even with our best options on surviving, we’re in a dire situation.
I think the players and fans are going to give up on this program. We’re about to be relegated to a level that not even the hardest critics could have imagined. I don’t know what the future holds, but it’s absolutely the bleakest in our history….
Wow have you ever played sports in your life? Players aren't giving up, because of realignment. Hey let's just forfeit this year after getting Bowl Eligibile too! This realignment doesn't even effect them. So were you as a fan excited to go watch Utep play at home against ODU, but won't against Missouri St or Sam Houston St? (Both would beat ODU this year by the way) Get out of here! When the CUSA lost teams to AAC, we filled their spots with Charlotte, ODU, FIU, etc... Miner fans didn't know them or care about them either! If you wanna give up, then you give up on your own! Don't lump the players and fans in with you. Yeah it sucks, but stop crying a fan is a fan a player is a player. Landscapes Change deal with it, I still Bleed Orange, Good Night!
I think we're about to become a big fish a tiny pond. The league will putter along with less talented teams. In the mean time we'll get more bowl games and annual trips to the Dance and we'll get more publicity. We need to improve athletics to get out of this ditch.
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12 of the 14 schools in the new AAC are former C-USA schools. A former C-USA Assistant Commissioner is on record -- not recently but still -- of saying something like, "they're taking so many of our schools why don't they just take our name too."
Indeed, why doesn't the AAC just rename itself C-USA?
Agreed!
1. This situation doesn't make sense unless ESP!N is trying to kill our conference out of revenge. It's the thugs consolidating power.
2. Watch the AAC's next media deal to see what the payout is. AAC is CUSA v4. Why would the payout be more with the same teams that CUSA had.
3. CUSA should be ready to push the DOJ for antitrust violations. We've got nothing to lose by rocking this boat!
I don't subscribe to the theory that ESPN is purposely killing C-USA. C-USA made this death bed for itself.
I see this as no different that Texas or Tennessee or Oklahoma beating UTEP 77-3. It's about using your strength to its potential and right now the AAC and Sun Belt are kicking C-USA's ass 65-3.
And in another week or two, the MAC will make the final score 77-3 when they take WKU and MTSU.
I love your optimism but every time the big fish leave, UTEP has failed to seize the opportunity to become the dominant power in the conference.
I wish Conferences were more like Districts in High School. Just have the NCAA come up with alignments every 2 years based on budget and geography.
Wishful thinking.
Wishful thinking.
Makes no sense that all the schools are worth nothing in CUSA but now millions cuz they have AAC patch on their jersey.
Overnight media exposure and brand with the AAC. AAC did the long game well to be where they can carry that “instant cred” with new members
That is why everyone but the AAC expects the AAC deal to go down a lot. Not to CUSA levels, but anyone with some common sense sees what you and I see. They lost 3 “big time” teams and replaced them with UAB and 5 others. UAB seems to be the best of the bunch, but they’re not needle movers. They’re not even close to being the most popular team in their own city.
It also shows that CUSA did select the right schools, since those same exact schools were poached by the biggest name brand G5 conference around. The only problem is CUSA didn't have ESPN behind then. Those are the schools ESPN wanted in their inventory. No doubt about it.
Yeah. Problem is CUSA thought they were too good to play on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Now the top games are on Stadium or CBSSN. Let’s face it, nobody really watches those channels.
As far as, ESPN “wanting” those schools, I will slightly disagree and only say “slightly more attractive to certain people than others” lol
Thank you! Well said.
But, you have to admit this is a culmination of UTEP and CUSA. UTEP for putting together back-to-back-to-back losing football season from post NM Bowl game until last year, that's a long stretch. Then Floyd and Terry just simply not getting it done by not even getting close to contending for a conference crown much less reaching the finals of conference tournament. Post season is another season, that's where money lies waiting and more eyeballs on TV in a slimmed down post game format: Bowl games for football and NCAA & NIT for basketball and UTEP has not seen that sunlight in years and now the wolf is back in the hen house f'en things up.
CUSA football went from "eh", to "eh", to "eh" in football with Marshall having one great year but no serious threat nationally. The Sun Belt football programs built up their programs and now they stand to reap, for now. Just two days ago Appy State vs Coastal Carolina was the game too watch nationally! My gawd, two years ago no one knew Coastal Carolina had a football program! CUSA went from ESPN once to PBS within a few short years losing big bucks.
UTEP needs to get it shat together like they did in '03-'04 and get proactive on the field and court. Otherwise, it's hello NMSU and UTEP for a FCS conference matchup.
I posted somewhere recently the question, "Does anyone know a breakdown of the MWC schools regarding their stance on UTEP'S membership?". Never saw an answer. I imagine there's mixed feelings.
With Heather Wilson's ties to Air Force; possibly she could pull it off and get us an invite. Whatever path UTEP athletics takes anything else is a sorry second choice.
With Heather Wilson's ties to Air Force; possibly she could pull it off and get us an invite. Whatever path UTEP athletics takes anything else is a sorry second choice.
Realistically no one knows. We know that an unnamed source said "UTEP has no chance" at the MW. That should give you a feel for how the majority of MW schools feel about UTEP.
This time around at least. Maybe that changes when they start losing some schools. Maybe not. But that needs to be our ultimate goal, and if we have any back channels with, we need to figure out what we need to do to get in.
You guys are putting lipstick on a pig with this thread. Optimism is great but delusion is awful. This is a nail in the coffin for our UTEP sports unless something unexpected occurs. Reality is no one wants us. The CUSA as it stands is garbage and right now we’d kill to keep things as is. If you guys are fine playing a bunch
I don’t know man. I can see the MWC being a very distant goal. I think wherever we end up we need to take the approach that this is where we belong…at least for the time being. Not looking to bolt every time the ground shakes.
Always wanting to be where we’re not has only taken deeper into the depths of despair. We need to embrace where we end up as if we’re gonna be there forever and build solid, stable and successful programs. Sink whatever money we have into building from the foundation up. Position ourselves so that we get called up rather than us looking so desperately for someone to take us. Just my take. Embrace the suck and turn it into something.
Who knows, maybe we’ll even be able to tell the MW to **** off someday when they need us. That’d be poetic justice!
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