I agree with you on principle, I would rather see more mid majors in over Power teams, but that’s not reality. Memphis didn’t even make the NCAAs and WKU should have won the CUSA championship game. Does beating Alabama excuse their bad losses?
Possible add to CUSA (all sports)--my choice
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I agree 100%. I'm holding out hope for Western Kentucky to remain in CUSA.
Although their fans are not so excited about CUSA, allow them a few years in the MAC and let them see how enthusiastic the fans are to their long term MAC commitment (and its empty stadiums/arenas in Rust Belt communities).
Tuesday night ESPN football is not so attractive either...
Loading up for the next wave where they’ll probably lose a couple/few more.
The SB is who the AAC will pluck from undoubtedly.
Memphis were a 1-seed in the NIT (first four out) and won the thing. A win against them on a neutral court is a quality win.
Quality win or not, their 2nd best win was against a NIT team. Whether or not, they performed well in the NIT doesn’t matter. That is why they were left out. Too many losses, not enough good wins.
The MAC already has already said they moved on and isn't explanding at the time, so where would W. Kentucky go?
MAC ends speculation, won't pursue expansion
The Mid-American Conference, looking "to end the speculation," said it would continue to be a 12-team league with no current plans for expansion.
Last season was distorted because of COVID. The Big Ten teams were rewarded for beating each other up, and the Pac-12 was severely underrated. There weren't enough non-conference games to cut through the bias.
With limited opportunities, WKU went out and got victories, away from home, over Memphis and Alabama. If we're having a discussion about who "should" have made the NCAA Tournament instead, then the NIT champion and 1-seed is relevant to the conversation.
They also lost to West Virginia and got blown out by Louisville and Houston. Why does all the weight of a Memphis win supersede those 3 losses?
I hadn't seen anything "official." Thanks for posting.The MAC already has already said they moved on and isn't explanding at the time, so where would W. Kentucky go?
MAC ends speculation, won't pursue expansion
The Mid-American Conference, looking "to end the speculation," said it would continue to be a 12-team league with no current plans for expansion.www.google.com
I know most of the Western Kentucky crowd was holding out hope for the MAC--even without Middle Tennessee.
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Oh WKU fans are pissed... actually funny reading all their crying on the CUSA board 🤣
The Western Kentucky fans are in full meltdown. Of course, most of their vitriol is (mis)directed toward Middle Tennessee. At I mentioned previously, their long term pursuit of "nirvana" would not have been fulfilled in the MAC either...
Perhaps the MAC did them a favor.
Too bad they played in football last week instead of this week. It would have added a little zest to the game.
Well we got alot of clarity this week with CUSA and all and all we made out better than most thought. I mean it's not ideal or am I glad we lost the Texas teams, no. However we survived. Thinking about how it all shook out and what the CUSA Commish has said I'd be pretty confident we add one more team and it'd possibly be E. Kentucky. They are hungry to go FBS, they are willing to put money behind it, they have the stadium and it makes since for travel partners with Liberty.
Travel Partners
UTEP/NMSU
SHS/La Tech
M.Tenn/W.Kentucky
JSU/FIU
E.Kentucky/Liberty
Travel Partners
UTEP/NMSU
SHS/La Tech
M.Tenn/W.Kentucky
JSU/FIU
E.Kentucky/Liberty
I did some background research on E. Kentucky. It reads as though they are committed to making the move and upgrading. I now feel they may be a good match (if not optimal).
E. Kentucky is 2 hours east of them why would they care? If anything they get another team within bus distance. Another interesting point is E. Kentucky is a rival of liberty both in basketball and in football when they were both in same division.
I dunno, UTEP didn't exactly want NMSU hanging around with them until things got desperate.
Kentucky isn't a huge state and WKU might feel like one directional Kentucky school is enough.
Stull and Natalicio weren't pro NMSU. However, Wilson and Senter have been pro NMSU from the start. Makes sense. Wilson was a congresswoman from New Mexico and Senter has no real connections in the college athletic world besides Mocia. Senter can be led around like a puppy. I think Mario realized that early on.
Who knows. Maybe we'll hear about NDSU, SDSU and MSU joining next time we hear anything.
Funny many rag on Senter. Sports writers are giving him kudos on Senter on Dimel hire. NoWins and others, especially NoWins, have brought out their Shofar (rams horn) and go atop Rim Road calling for his ouster.
NMSU was in a bad mess, kind of still are, but Senter follows like a puppy?
Alrighty.
NMSU was in a bad mess, kind of still are, but Senter follows like a puppy?
Alrighty.
When it's all said and done Senter will be judged on his hires not on if we were left behind in conference realignment like we've always been. If Dimel wins 8 games this year and has a similar or better run next year and going forward. If Golding restores Miner ball to its former Glory days then Senter will get looks from other schools.
Everyone around the country knows how awful are overall athletics have been the last, who knows how long. The Olympic sports are making improvements now all he needs is the money making sports to follow.
Missouri State is out they put out a statement they weren't moving up to fbs a few weeks ago.
A few weeks ago Liberty said they were no longer interested in CUSA. If CUSA gets all 3 schools I mentioned as a package deal they'll change their tune. In the last half decade almost every power FCS school would have moved up. They're not going to want to get left behind.
If CUSA pulls off this conference Judy goes from Dog House to Pent House in my mind. Doesn't sound like much now, but would be a conference on the rise. 4 out of the 5 FCS schools are top FCS programs in football, all have had some level of success in D1 Basketball and I'd love to see UTEP play a game in the Fargo Dome!
West: UTEP NMSU, NDSU, SDSU, SHS, La Tech
East: M. Tennessee, W. Kentucky, Liberty, FIU, JSU, E. Kentucky
West: UTEP NMSU, NDSU, SDSU, SHS, La Tech
East: M. Tennessee, W. Kentucky, Liberty, FIU, JSU, E. Kentucky
He’s done a poor job in my opinion. I haven’t really called for his firing though. As much as some of us are disappointed in our standing as a D1 team, the blame isn’t all his. We can only speculate how “blindsided” he was by the defections, but would it have made a difference if he had a buddy at UNT to tip him off? I don’t think so.
He hired Terry, who was bad, and then gave him an extension, despite accomplishing nothing. Only by pure luck, he is not our coach this season. Too early to tell how his 2nd hiring will go.
I think the jury is still out on Dimel. Yes, the Miners are able to beat bottom 25 teams, but still haven’t beat anyone worth a damn. The program is improving, but still waiting for them to turn the corner. Last season, ULM went winless. This season they hired Terry Bowden, who is the lowest paid coach in the country. They have already won 4 games and have an upset over Liberty. That’s a better win than Dimel has and he did it in his first year! Dimel didn’t win 4 games until his 3rd year and 3 of those wins were over FCS teams. It only takes 4 years for progress at UTEP.
Senter also raised ticket prices, despite lack of results or better opponents. A honk like you will cheer when he poops out a plate of shit. He hasn’t done a good job by any means.
With the rumored expansion of the playoffs going to 6 with the best G5 team getting an invite that would put CUSA in the conversation. All it would take is a few invites to the playoffs by either the Dakota schools or Liberty and all of a sudden CUSA is the best G5 conference.
Yet his ticket prices are still lower than every school in our conference. UNT lowered their tickets to $15 for the UTEP game and that's still more expensive than any UTEP game.
For reals everything has gone up in price. From street tacos, to tamales to house prices. My parents just had their home appraised and they're going to make a killing on it. Same exact house they bought in 2001 for 104k now worth almost triple what they paid for it. They've done zero remodeling to it. They’re not complaining but literally nothing El Paso is the same price from even 2-3 years ago.
He raised prices before this housing “boom”. Your parents lucked out. Good for them.
It's not a housing "boom", its inflation.
Liberty is in charge of CUSATV once they join.
Interesting...thanks for posting JCor.
To tell the truth--I couldn't make it all the way through the softball coach's spiel, but Ritchie McKay is still Ritchie McKay (except he seems to have found his niche at Liberty...).
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So the jury still out on Dimel? Alrighty then.
At least Killer is sticking to his guns.
Terry was not a bad hire. He did not get it done, here [my forefinger pointing down to El Paso soil]. He cleaned up a very messy Fresno program and got them to the NCAA’s. That speaks loudly during hiring.
At least Killer is sticking to his guns.
Terry was not a bad hire. He did not get it done, here [my forefinger pointing down to El Paso soil]. He cleaned up a very messy Fresno program and got them to the NCAA’s. That speaks loudly during hiring.
I think their broadcasting production looks very professional. I hope CUSA is able to use their expertise to improve our conference TV streaming.
Who cares what Terry did at Fresno? Has nothing to do with what he did at UTEP.
Which is why he said Terry didn't get it done here BUT it looked like a good hire due to his stint at Fresno. What the hell?
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