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Mississippitoday.org: "It’s past time for radical change in Conference USA"

That’s my point. Instead of Arizona and Arizona St it’s Grand Canyon. Instead of BYU and Utah it’s Utah Valley and Dixie St. Instead of San Diego St it’s Bakersfield. Instead of SMU and TCU it’s Tarleton St and Rio Grande Valley. It’s sad to even consider going back. It really is the equivalent of buying stock in cassette players and camera film.

You’re a fool if you think UTEP is closer to UofA and ASU than Grand Canyon. TCU and SMU are way ahead of UTEP. UTEP’s peers are NMSU, Texas St, UTSA, and Tarleton St. Not TCU, SMU, Houston, and Arizona.
 
You’re a fool if you think UTEP is closer to UofA and ASU than Grand Canyon. TCU and SMU are way ahead of UTEP. UTEP’s peers are NMSU, Texas St, UTSA, and Tarleton St. Not TCU, SMU, Houston, and Arizona.
That may close to correct due to UTEP's self inflicted (bad hires) doldrems but it sure as hell isn't what UTEP settle for or aspire to.
 
You’re a fool if you think UTEP is closer to UofA and ASU than Grand Canyon. TCU and SMU are way ahead of UTEP. UTEP’s peers are NMSU, Texas St, UTSA, and Tarleton St. Not TCU, SMU, Houston, and Arizona.
And you’re a fool if you think we should keep taking backward steps. We already got left behind by those programs. They aren’t thinking “hey let’s go back to UTEP and RICE the AAC/Big12/Pac12/Sun Belt is too hard.” Only a loser thinks like that.
 
And you’re a fool if you think we should keep taking backward steps. We already got left behind by those programs. They aren’t thinking “hey let’s go back to UTEP and RICE the AAC/Big12/Pac12/Sun Belt is too hard.” Only a loser thinks like that

Mr. Corona, I agree with you to a large extent but I don't see any of those better schools -- Arizona, ASU, SMU, TCU, Houston, etc. -- coming for us. What do you propose will get us to them? As of now, we've become a Grand Canyon, UTRGV, Tarlton State. How do we fix this?
 
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Mr. Corona, I agree with you to a large extent but I don't see any of those better schools -- Arizona, ASU, SMU, TCU, Houston, etc. -- coming for us. What do you propose will get us to them? As of now, we've become a Grand Canyon, UTRGV, Tarlton State. How do we fix this?
We win the games on our schedule. NMSU has made 10 straight ncaat and those schools aren’t calling for them either. Winning the WaC8.0 isn’t the way to get their attention.
 
Leaving CUSA for independence is the dumbest idea ever. Liberty who is surrounded by FBS and FCS teams knows the importance of being in a conference and that’s why they tried buying their way into cusa by offering a 24 Million dollar buy in.

A team would rather pay 24 million and be in shitty cusa than to be independent.

That’s all we need to know.
Smart decision. Falwell would have made CUSA the laughing stock of D1 conferences. This happened today:

"Nearly three dozen black alumni of Liberty University denounced school President Jerry Falwell Jr. on Monday, suggesting he step down after he mocked Virginia’s mask-wearing requirement by invoking the blackface scandal that engulfed the state’s governor last year.

In a letter to Falwell, shared with The Associated Press, 35 faith leaders and former student-athletes told Falwell that his past comments “have repeatedly violated and misrepresented" Christian principles..." pilotonline.com

Back to football. They have money to burn, but that doesn't buy happiness, right Oklahoma State? (Boon Pickins had an open checkbook)

https://utep.forums.rivals.com/thre...cal-change-in-conference-usa.9995/#post-146189





 
And you’re a fool if you think we should keep taking backward steps. We already got left behind by those programs. They aren’t thinking “hey let’s go back to UTEP and RICE the AAC/Big12/Pac12/Sun Belt is too hard.” Only a loser thinks like that.

Yeah because you’re talking about losing millions and millions of dollars. The difference between CUSA and the WAC ain’t much. The difference between Big 12 and AAC is huge.

Look how good Boise State is. Still in the MWC, still playing San Jose St and New Mexico. The chances that UTEP will have a Boise State type run in football is astronomically low. Even if we somehow managed that, the best we could hope for is the MWC. Why not be a winner in basketball? Make the NCAA Tournament at least a few times a decade. I guess 3 times in 28 years is good enough for fans like you.
 
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Plain and simple we have different upbringings. I was taught to never look back and never quit no matter how hard things are. I would not support a university that quit and took the easy way to be a “winner.”It’s not in my system. Three NCAAT in 28 years is not acceptable but neither is purposely diluting the competition. I’ve seen UTEP be successful in the old WAC against real basketball schools and in CUSA 2.0. I believe they can return to those days without having to take their ball home and go play with the middle school kids.
 
We win the games on our schedule. NMSU has made 10 straight ncaat and those schools aren’t calling for them either. Winning the WaC8.0 isn’t the way to get their attention.

That's not a solution. That's a result. We've already proven we're incapable to competing in C-USA and nobody else is calling.

Do you have a solution?
 
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Plain and simple we have different upbringings. I was taught to never look back and never quit no matter how hard things are. I would not support a university that quit and took the easy way to be a “winner.”It’s not in my system. Three NCAAT in 28 years is not acceptable but neither is purposely diluting the competition. I’ve seen UTEP be successful in the old WAC against real basketball schools and in CUSA 2.0. I believe they can return to those days without having to take their ball home and go play with the middle school kids.

Has nothing to do with my upbringing. If you consistently fail, you need to change something or you will keep failing.

If we open taco restaurants right next to each other and you have better prices and service, I need to change something or else I will go out of business. I can stick to my guns and talk about how much better my tacos are, but if you have the customers, what do I really have? If the situation were reversed I guess you would be prideful and watch me kick your ass until you’re broke and out of business.
 
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That's not a solution. That's a result. We've already proven we're incapable to competing in C-USA and nobody else is calling.

Do you have a solution?
We need a splash hire in football. Maybe something similar to what we did with Price. Somebody that can instantly bring players, fans and offense. CUSA is weak enough that it can be done. Go straight to the top and then keep the ball rolling by investing, not going backwards. Stull had this chance and botched it.

I think in basketball we are screwed unless we can get lucky and find and keep a good winning coach. We botched that too, but it had more to do with the coaches wanting to leave.
 
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That's not a solution. That's a result. We've already proven we're incapable to competing in C-USA and nobody else is calling.

Do you have a solution?


You invest money. You don't move to the lowest conference in d1 with schools who can't get into the Southland. You set the bar high and you go after it. We're not the only school who has had three abysmal football seasons in a row. UNM lived through the Locksley era. SJSU has been bad the majority of this century. UNLV has a well documented futile football history.

None of those schools contemplated dropping down and joining a conference for transitioning schools. They invested in their programs. They've all invested in their programs increased salaries for their coaches. Tulane has been dogshit for 20 years. They're getting better. But they haven't considered joining the Southland. Rice isnt trying to go to a weaker conference.

Honestly, this dumbest thread ever started on this board. It's either a troll thread or we have some true dumbasses.
 
That's not a solution. That's a result. We've already proven we're incapable to competing in C-USA and nobody else is calling.

Do you have a solution?
We’re going through a rough patch but we have absolutely competed in CUSA. In our 15 years as a member 8 of them we have finished in the top four. We’ve had a total of five losing seasons with three of them coming in the last four years. Prior to that 15-17 was considered a bad year for us. If your aspirations are to compete with NMSU for the wac title then write a letter to Senter. Let me ask you this. How would you feel if we joined the WAC and NMSU still regularly won the auto bid. What’s next? Drop to D2?
 
We’re going through a rough patch but we have absolutely competed in CUSA. In our 15 years as a member 8 of them we have finished in the top four. We’ve had a total of five losing seasons with three of them coming in the last four years. Prior to that 15-17 was considered a bad year for us. If your aspirations are to compete with NMSU for the wac title then write a letter to Senter. Let me ask you this. How would you feel if we joined the WAC and NMSU still regularly won the auto bid. What’s next? Drop to D2?

Still no solution. Just responding to a question with another question. The usual cheerleader deflection.
 
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That’s your opinion and everyone on here has already told you your opinion is trash. UTSA lol

Four or five people disagree with my point of view. That's fine it's a message board. People call you a dumbass on every thread. Half the board has you blocked because you're the board dumbass. You make Fili look like a Rhodes Scholar.
 
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Four or five people disagree with my point of view. That's fine it's a message board. People call you a dumbass on every thread. Half the board has you blocked because you're the board dumbass. You make Fili look like a Rhodes Scholar.

They don’t call me a dumbass, it’s usually “Aggy”. Please link every thread in which I am called a dumbass, outside of you calling me one in this thread. I don’t care if I am blocked, the ones that have me blocked are people who don’t want to see UTEP how it really is or have thin skin. CubeJack, miner1liner, and others. I don’t give a ****.

Ask @JCorona if he thinks I am a dumbass and “dumber” than Fili. We disagree a lot, but he and others can tell I am far from dumb. They might disagree with my opinion, and that’s fine. If we all posted the same, the board would be ****ing boring. This is the worst time of the year for a UTEP athletics message board and it’s only been made worse because of COVID and politics.
 
You make my work day go a lot faster. So I appreciate that. I just busted a 13.5hr shift and it doesn’t feel like it at all.
 
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We need a splash hire in football. Maybe something similar to what we did with Price. Somebody that can instantly bring players, fans and offense. CUSA is weak enough that it can be done. Go straight to the top and then keep the ball rolling by investing, not going backwards. Stull had this chance and botched it.

I think in basketball we are screwed unless we can get lucky and find and keep a good winning coach. We botched that too, but it had more to do with the coaches wanting to leave.

Ok, this is a partial solution. The problem with this solution is *money*. From where does Senter get the money to pay out fired coaches and bring in the splash hires?

You invest money. You don't move to the lowest conference in d1 with schools who can't get into the Southland. You set the bar high and you go after it. We're not the only school who has had three abysmal football seasons in a row. UNM lived through the Locksley era. SJSU has been bad the majority of this century. UNLV has a well documented futile football history.

I agree that the solution -- in part -- requires money. So where does a school like UTEP get more money?

None of those schools contemplated dropping down and joining a conference for transitioning schools. They invested in their programs. They've all invested in their programs increased salaries for their coaches. Tulane has been dogshit for 20 years. They're getting better. But they haven't considered joining the Southland. Rice isnt trying to go to a weaker conference.

So I haven't researched football coaches salaries across C-USA but in a different thread I pointed out that Rodney Terry is the highest paid men's basketball coach in the conference. In this case then, money alone did not solve the problem.

What else needs to be done to turn things around at UTEP?
 
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Ok, this is a partial solution. The problem with this solution is *money*. From where does Senter get the money to pay out fired coaches and bring in the splash hires?


Part of the solution is adding premium seats to the Sun Biwl. Revenue creating seats. That will help. It's not a cure all but it's a start. Secondly we need to establish an endowment to pay or at least partially subsidize the head football coaches salary. It doesnt need to be one donor to fund the entire thing. They could start a capital fundraising campaign to start the endowment. That's is something that's lots of donors myself included would gladly donate to.Thats something where you can see tangible results of your donation.

Last you establish a broad based capital fundraising campaigned based on a 10 year strategic plan. The 10 year plan needs to be bold. Many would consider audacious. Lay out facilities needs and coaching salaries needs. Lay out how raising money and investments will lead to competitive teams. Lay out how we can build a basketball program that can play in the second weekend of the tournament. People will say that's nuts. That's fine. The biggest problem we've had at UTEP is lack of old vision and leadership. When it looks your goal is to twice a decade snag a 14 seed or go 7-5 or 8-4 and go to a couple of bowl games no one is excited no one wants to donate to that. People want something to believe in. Show people this isn't the same old UTEP. Get out the message we're going to win and will do whatever it takes to win. That gets people excited. No platitudes and socks. Concrete goals and plans. With metrics listed by year to keep the department accountable.
 
"This is Mississippi Today and we are much more interested in Southern Miss. The geographic nightmare that is CUSA really makes no sense for the Golden Eagles, who along with UAB, are the only original members remaining in the league.... Southern Miss would prefer to be in the SEC and share in its riches....We can quibble about the exact makeup, but I’d take Southern Miss, UAB, Louisiana Tech, Rice, North Texas and Middle Tennessee State from CUSA. I’d take Arkansas State, South Alabama, Louisiana, Troy, Georgia Southern and Georgia State from the Sun Belt. Crank up the buses. Save the airfare. It makes sense and would save dollars, thousands and thousands of dollars.."

First off, what riches? (Academic? School revenue? Is it fan travel?) I can not find anything on google?

This is less attractive than CUSA. Yeah, USA loves those Mississippi TV markets in TV negotiations.

https://mississippitoday.org/2020/05/29/it-past-time-for-radical-change-in-conference-usa/

I love how every school in the south tries to plead it's case to belonging in the SEC... much like fans of every Texas school seem to think they should be in the Big 12.

I was at that little dump of a stadium in Hattiesburg. It's not even on level of the Sun Bowl.

For some reason I see everyone's talking about NMSU. Not sure how they got to hijack this thread but I think i can guess how it started
 
Ok, this is a partial solution. The problem with this solution is *money*. From where does Senter get the money to pay out fired coaches and bring in the splash hires?



I agree that the solution -- in part -- requires money. So where does a school like UTEP get more money?



So I haven't researched football coaches salaries across C-USA but in a different thread I pointed out that Rodney Thomas is the highest paid men's basketball coach in the conference. In this case then, money alone did not solve the problem.

What else needs to be done to turn things around at UTEP?
Terry hasn't shown to be worth his value. Barbee did and we let him go/he left for a higher paying job.

To raise more money we use a student athletic fee while trying to get more donations and direction. Athletic fee could raise millions a year. Also there is a man in EP that could be asked to get involved.
 
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Part of the solution is adding premium seats to the Sun Biwl. Revenue creating seats. That will help. It's not a cure all but it's a start.

Haven't they been removing seats recently to build suites? Maybe that will help here?

Secondly we need to establish an endowment to pay or at least partially subsidize the head football coaches salary. It doesnt need to be one donor to fund the entire thing. They could start a capital fundraising campaign to start the endowment. That's is something that's lots of donors myself included would gladly donate to.Thats something where you can see tangible results of your donation.

Does UTEP really have enough deep pockets for this? I'm a bit skeptical about this one even though I agree that something like this would help. Even then, and I'm not really sure about this, I don't think that's how coaching money is normally raised. Endowments are normally established to fund educational programs, not athletics.

Last you establish a broad based capital fundraising campaigned based on a 10 year strategic plan. The 10 year plan needs to be bold. Many would consider audacious. Lay out facilities needs and coaching salaries needs. Lay out how raising money and investments will lead to competitive teams. Lay out how we can build a basketball program that can play in the second weekend of the tournament. People will say that's nuts. That's fine.

Some of that is not accounted for as "capital" expense. But anyway...

The biggest problem we've had at UTEP is lack of old vision and leadership. When it looks your goal is to twice a decade snag a 14 seed or go 7-5 or 8-4 and go to a couple of bowl games no one is excited no one wants to donate to that. People want something to believe in. Show people this isn't the same old UTEP. Get out the message we're going to win and will do whatever it takes to win. That gets people excited. No platitudes and socks. Concrete goals and plans. With metrics listed by year to keep the department accountable.

This last part is really nothing more than marketing and accountability, not a "how to" build winning programs. I'm pretty sure UTEP's athletics department would argue that they already do this.
 
Terry hasn't shown to be worth his value. Barbee did and we let him go/he left for a higher paying job.

To raise more money we use a student athletic fee while trying to get more donations and direction. Athletic fee could raise millions a year. Also there is a man in EP that could be asked to get involved.

Please forgive my ignorance but who is the "man in EP that could be asked to get involved"?
 
Terry hasn't shown to be worth his value. Barbee did and we let him go/he left for a higher paying job.

To raise more money we use a student athletic fee while trying to get more donations and direction. Athletic fee could raise millions a year. Also there is a man in EP that could be asked to get involved.
Let's put some historical context here, Barbee was not loved his first year or two. Some was of his own design, some were fans, like us on here. Stone was an unkown for California and UTEP was only D1 offer and thought it was a waste. Brittain had health issues so that limited bench depth, Culpepper had us pulling our hair out because of his raw style of play, Memphis was a thorn in our side (close is good for horseshoe's, not basketball) which was pissing all of us off and fans were not liking his offense and Barbee did have a bit of chip on his shoulder. He didn't really like Haskins being constantly brought up with him and unlike Mike Price who relished the job, he did not like going out in public and sowing seeds with UTEP fans, loyal or band wagons. Finally, he was asked to stay because the fans did a 180 and saw that his plan did work buts it is tough turning down SEC money.

Second, you are correct....

"Student Services Fee $15.50 per credit hour, with a maximum of $186.00 (12 credit hours) A compulsory fee to fund student-related services such as intramural activities; student government, disabled student organizations, career services, cheerleaders, student publications, health services, intercollegiate athletics and others."
 
Pipe dream alert! Calm down, not gonna happen.

"Now it seems like conference realignment is needed again, not for schools seeking higher profiles, but for schools seeking survival.

Seems like a Texas/Oklahoma/Louisiana league of Houston, SMU, Tulsa, Rice, North Texas, Texas-San Antonio, UTEP, Texas State, Tulane, Louisiana Tech, Louisiana-Lafayette and Louisiana-Monroe would make for a compact, 12-team conference."

http://oklahoman.com/article/5663615/mid-majors-considering-more-regionalized-scheduling
 
Let's put some historical context here, Barbee was not loved his first year or two. Some was of his own design, some were fans, like us on here. Stone was an unkown for California and UTEP was only D1 offer and thought it was a waste. Brittain had health issues so that limited bench depth, Culpepper had us pulling our hair out because of his raw style of play, Memphis was a thorn in our side (close is good for horseshoe's, not basketball) which was pissing all of us off and fans were not liking his offense and Barbee did have a bit of chip on his shoulder. He didn't really like Haskins being constantly brought up with him and unlike Mike Price who relished the job, he did not like going out in public and sowing seeds with UTEP fans, loyal or band wagons. Finally, he was asked to stay because the fans did a 180 and saw that his plan did work buts it is tough turning down SEC money.

Second, you are correct....

"Student Services Fee $15.50 per credit hour, with a maximum of $186.00 (12 credit hours) A compulsory fee to fund student-related services such as intramural activities; student government, disabled student organizations, career services, cheerleaders, student publications, health services, intercollegiate athletics and others."
Are you trying to compare Terry to Barbee at this point in his UTEP tenure? I dont see the same trajectory, style or recruiting, but time will tell.

I'm talking about a dedicated fee for athletics, not a compulsory fee.
 
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I wonder what the common denominator is.

I hope you’re not referring to what I think you are.

Barbee took down all the banners and had them replaced. Strike 1. He was replacing coaches that made 2 NCAAs and 1 NIT. Strike 2. He didn’t win right away and didn’t really care for Haskins stuff. Strike 3.

Terry came in at a true low point in the program. He and the media talked about all these great transfers. He started 8-1 and then shit the bed and made lame excuses. Two entirely different scenarios. Not just because they both “brothas”
 
I hope you’re not referring to what I think you are.

Barbee took down all the banners and had them replaced. Strike 1. He was replacing coaches that made 2 NCAAs and 1 NIT. Strike 2. He didn’t win right away and didn’t really care for Haskins stuff. Strike 3.

Terry came in at a true low point in the program. He and the media talked about all these great transfers. He started 8-1 and then shit the bed and made lame excuses. Two entirely different scenarios. Not just because they both “brothas”
Right... Year 6 people were still making excuses for Floyd. Absolutely zero patience for Terry and Barbee.
 
I'm talking about a dedicated fee for athletics, not a compulsory fee.

Not sure what you're saying here, Mr. Fools, but I'd think a compulsory fee to help fund athletics is part of what it would take to ultimately fix our problems.
 
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