El Paso gets C-USA Tournament

Conference USA officials did the right thing by awarding next season's Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments to El Paso, and C-USA member UTEP.

The early word was the decision was largely based on El Paso having offered the best financial package, a $1 million guarantee to the conference. Memphis offered $750,000.

The El Paso bid was bolstered by some of the same people who secured the ongoing USBC Women's Nationals, and event expected to bring in some $40 million to the El Paso economy. Kudos to Bill Blaziek of the El Paso Convention and Visitors Bureau and Brian Kennedy of the El Paso Sports Commission. They worked well with UTEP, which will offer The Don as the tournaments' venue. The hotel association, I'm sure, helped fluff the presentation pillow with some good deals on rooms.

What I'm hearing is that part of the $1 million guarantee will come from a special season-ticket package for the 2010-11 season. Expect that to be a snap since there is a lot of excitement over new coach Tim Floyd.

All this is good, as long as none of the backers get stuck with a bill due to the event having lost money, as was apparently the case this past season in Tulsa. Recall that some underwriters here lost some cash when a smaller-than-expected crowd showed up for the last Dallas Cowboys scrimmage in the Sun Bowl. Recall the first scrimmage was a sellout, then attendance waned - albeit into some 40,000. The Cowboys have not come back.

It was really good to see that Memphis was not given special treatment because ... Memphis is the big power in the conference and has the best venue. And no one can argue that Memphis, with Beal Street, is the better tourist attraction for fans from the conference members. Cincinnati Street here is ramping up, though, and so is the Union Depot area in Downtown.

I have to believe that speculation that Memphis will leave the conference (for Big East) had something to do with C-USA just taking the best financial bid and not listening to the loudest voice. Memphis is likely gone if the Big Ten expands and there's a domino effect felt.

This decision shows solidarity with UTEP, although UTEP would likely take a "domino" move if the Mountain West came calling. Most don't think UTEP is high on the Mountain West wish list, but I think that's still UTEP's best "home."

Also helping El Paso was the feelings of C-USA basketball coaches who don't think Memphis should be given another home-court tournament advantage. Until last year, Memphis was the almost-yearly site of the event, and Memphis was the best team. Memphis is again predicted to be the best team.

This was a victory for El Paso and UTEP. C-USA made the right move.

Comments

[AggieFan]

Congrats to El Paso and UTEP.

It will be fun to drive down and watch the Miners kick some Tiger tail.

[El Paso Proud]

This will be another big boost to El Paso and UTEP, the Tiger people are whining about how bad El Paso is, most have probably never been here, and judging by there poor showing in Tulsa, they will not get to see what this area has to offer.
I welcomed a group of bowlers coming into the Village Inn the other day and she said I was the first local to greet them other than the sponsors. El Paso does a great job welcoming the Sun Bowl teams, we need to do the same with every out of town group that comes in. Even those sorry Memphis Tigers. GO MINERS!!

[El Paso Proud]

By the way Joe, do you still have your Delorean?

[Mike Hawk]

What are the odds that UTEP fans will come out in force for the tournament games? I wouldn't bet on it, especially if there are other great events happening at the same time such as a huacha tournament, mariachi festival, or grand opening of yet another Taco Tote.

Andale!

[John C]

Its amazing how the Memphis fans have turned on themselves---more than half of the posts on the article in Memphis Comercial Appeal about El Paso being awarded the CUSA Tourney are barbs thrown against other Memphis fans. They are simply cry-babies!!

Go to the following post in Memphis---

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/may/19/el-paso-beats-out-memphis-2011-c-usa-baske/

Some of their posts say that El Paso has the same violence as Juarez. The truth of the matter is that El Paso is one of the safest cities in the US for metro areas over 500,000.

Memphis has far more crime that we do in El Paso!!

The Budwiser Distributor in Memphis has been advertising for "Sharpshooters" who can demonstrate proficiency and accuracy using twin 50 cal machine guns mounted to their "Beer Route Trucks". Preference given to retired marine corps snipers and firearms instructors.

[ksdksdksd]

I hope El Paso is ready to support Memphis when they win the tournament! It's funny to see no one commenting on all the taxpayer dollars backing this $1,000,000. Memphis' bid didn't involve taxpayers dollars. Besides, The Big 12 is also interested in Memphis (if Nebraska & Missouri leave for the Big Ten & Colorado leaves for the PAC 10)& Memphis would go there first. So, you can drive pretty close to continue supporting Memphis!

[John C]

A fan quote from Memphis Commercial Appeal

"CUSA handed the tournament to El Paso purely to spite Memphis due to it's outspokenness to leave CUSA, pure and simple. If the tournament fails in El Paso, taxpayers have to foot the bill.

There is more to having the conferecne tournament in your city than to just---let every team get a chance to Host. Especialy when thare isn't a modern-day scoreboard or even an instant replay system inside El Paso arena."

Go to the article in Memphis Comm Appeal-- to see how ridiculous their arguments are!!

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/may/19/el-paso-beats-out-memphis-2011-c-usa-baske/

It is apparant that the Memphis people think that we at UTEP keep the score on a blackboard with chalk and an eraser. According to them---we have a peach-basket at both ends of the court where the home team side of the court is in the US and the visitor side of the court is in Mexico.

[Jake]

These Memphis fans are also way off base in saying that crime rates are jumping at incredible rates in El Paso... Honestly the violence has really not spilled over at all, we are the second safest city in murder rates, someone even said that Memphis was a cupcake compared to El Paso.. LMAO

[El Paso Fan]

As a huge fan of UTEP baseketball, I want to thank UTEP and the City of El Paso for making this happen. I will buy a full tournament ticket right now as my sign of graditude. Let us know when the the tickets go on sale so we can make the purchases. I sincerely encourage 12,199 other El Pasoans to do the same. This will be a great event for El Paso. El Paso business men, start buying your commercial spots now for the tournament, you will be getting national TV exposure for your company during the tournament. Great job everybody!

[JCV]

This shows how dedicated UTEP is to constantly improving and representing the city of El Paso. From what I read it seams like the U of M is the only team that has a problem with coming to El Paso. I guess they have a feeling that the CUSA BB Tournament belongs to them. I would like to send a message to everyone in El Paso to come out and buy tickets to the 2010-2011 C-USA basketball tournament in El Paso and show the nation that we support our MINERS. Miner Ball!

[Derby]

It's Beale Street, with an "e". Geez.

[jay]

the reason nobody else is upset about this idiotic idea is because nobody else is coming. El Paso is 1600 miles from at least three conference members.

so yay. you will have 20 southern miss fans, 4 dudes who road tripped from orlando, and some guy stopping in on his way back to west virginia.

the tourney is great for UTEP, no doubt. but the decision to have the tourney there was done out of some sort of juvenile spite towards Memphis, a site which besides being the best in terms of the physical space, seating, hotels, entertainment, ease of travel into and out of, was also at least sort of geographically doable for people from almost any school to drive to.

it is not the fault of El Paso that you are closer to pluto than Central Florida so it isn't a knock on the city.

geographically and economically this is about the worst idea possible.

oh and top it off with a team that will, well, might not make it to the finals and you have a recipe for disaster. a 9:30 am tip with 200 people in the building on CBS.

pathetic.

oh and those 200 will be Tiger fans.

[John C]

Dear jay:

Your command of the english language is a dead give a way-------drinking that mountain doo that is indeginous to your remote areas of ARk and Tenn. In addition you are hunting and pecking on the keyboard with one hand while-----grasping that Coon-Skin cap with the other hat.

And by the way we understand that-----The Budwiser Distributor in Memphis is advertising for tail-gunners to man the twin 50 ca machine guns mounted to the rear of their Budwiser Beer Route Delivery Trucks. Preference will be given to retired marine corps snipers and firearms instructors in the Memphis area.

[RoOsTeR]

Jay: Get real man! Stop crying! It's not our fault your City got cheap on your team and didn't want to cough up an extra $250k.

Memphis is the third most dangerous city with a population of over 500k. El Paso is second safest. Spare me the danger, violence nonsense.

Congrats to the City and UTEP for getting the tournament. Can't wait for it!

[CLEOFITZWITZ]

What I find interesting is the supposed desire by Memphis to become a major player in athletics and make the jump to a BCS conference. What do the big boys from BCS conferences do? THEY TRAVEL! Looks like they're not ready for the jump after all.

[MinerMike]

This is a great first of many wins for Miner Nation this year in all our endeavours (athletic & economic). Let's not forget to make tournament pass purchases for the Womens C-USA Tourney as well.

Secondly, spare me the "concern for safety" talk. The facts speak for themselves! I wonder if El Paso's 'National Safe City' rating will be negatively impacted with the prospect of all these Memphisonians coming to town. Well, as was so eloquently stated earlier by a couple of Memphis State University posters, there will only be about 200 in attendance so we should be safe. But I digress....

Finally, I don't know why Tiger Nation is so disappointed with this venue selection?! As I understand it they can still manage a final home game in the first round of the NIT.

[jay]

John C...you guys crack me up.

You went straight for the stereotype blast, although oddly enough you seemed to be talking about the good folks over in Knoxville. It could be your geographically challenged brain doesn't actually know where Memphis is. You clearly don't know where El Paso is, at least as it relates to the rest of the entire conference.

As for the grammar, my apologies for not capitalizing fist letters in sentences. You might though, in your quest to snuff out poor grammar, choose not to rip on a professional editor, but rather the columnist who penned that Rainman-style fart of a thought.

I actually went so far as to say that it was GOOD for UTEP to have the tourney, and chose not to fire of uninformed, stereotypcial, 12-year-old with a keyboard fodder like you and the next poster, leaving El Paso out of the argument all together.

So good job looking like the burrito-eating, immigrant smuggling, non-reading, pot smoking lazy field hands living at the end of the dirty earth that you are.

Or am I misinformed?

As for safety, if you are poor and live in the wrong parts of the Memphis, it's dangerous, just like Juarez is to you. You just have access to better drugs and cheaper labor.

Have fun with the tourney. Congrats on the win over us this past season, ending our conference run. I was there and that was good stuff by you guys. I am sure Tim Floyd will parlay the 2011 "End of the Earth" Tourney into a five or six game win streak in 2012.

[John C]

Dear Jay:

I appologize for the misrefernce to the :Coon-Skin Cap," I should have said the "Musk-RAT Cap" indigenous to the river part of the back woods.

By the way------UTEP has more championship banners hanging in the Don Haskins Center than all of the rest of the CUSA to include Memphis State University. There happens to be a "NCAA National Championship Banner" hanging in the Don also!!

My question to all at Memphis State University-----How many NCAA National Championship Banners do you all have?? I know it is a big-----zero!!

For your information---the Southwest area of UTEP, New Mexico State University, University of New Mexico, and University of Arizona---may have more NCAA basketball tourney appearances than the tobacco road schools of North Carolina. UTEP and University of Arizona both have NCAA National Basketball Championship Title Banners hanging in their respective arenas.

I will bet you in Memphis are not even aware that the Southwest part of US from El Paso to Albuquerque to Tucson is a hot bed of baskeball excellence. We all have excellent athletic and basketball facilities right on campus. New Mexico State, University of New Mexcio, University of Arizona, and UTEP have all hosted not only the conference basketball tournaments; all have been host to NCAA tournament sites!!

Memphis has to play their football and basketball in rented facilites off campus!!

[MinerMike]

Jay, Jay, Jay....
Your editorial credentials are irrelevant. Your ignorance is what's in play (question). You and your minion continue to parlay El Paso with Juarez as if it's the same city. Talk about "geographically challenged"! You do realize that these are two different cities in two completely different countries?! You and your arguments loose all credibility with your baseless rancor rather than facts. Your comparison is akin to stating South Korea is so dangerous because it borders North Koraea. That's what borders are for. Sounds like Memphis could use a couple.

As for your errant stereotypical description allow me educate: "burrito-eating" - Absolutely like the rest of this country who consumes breakfast burritos each and every morning; "immigrant smuggling" - that would be 'illegal' immigrant smuggling. Makes no sense to smuggle immigrants, which is indicative of a legal, naturalized citizen; "non-reading" - this is just dumb! If that were the case, then who's your target audience on this post?!; "pot smoking" - care for one with your breakfast burrito just like everyone else in the country?; "lazy field hands" - I suppose your groceries are getting to market on their own?; "end of the dirty earth" - now, now, don't you mean Memphis?

Grow up Jay and look in the mirror before you decide to tell someone how ugly they are...JACKASS!

[El Paso Proud]

I can't remember if Memphis has ever been invited to play at the Sun Bowl so they might have to ask another school about the hospitality that both teams receive and all of the different things to do here and in the out lying areas. Most of Bad mouthing Tiger backers probably can't afford to come out here anyway, so it's easy to cast a negative vote on the issue when you have no knowledge of the positives.

[John C]

Does everybody on this blog realize that this time last year------Tim Floyd turned down the head basketball job at Memphis State University after Calipari bolted for U of K.

Memphis will have to play in El Paso against UTEP probably twice in 2010/2011 basketball season and will be on the business receiving end of Floyd's extensive experience. In addition, UTEP fans now have someone else to hate (subsititued for BYU when UTEP was in WAC)on the basketball court.

Even Calipari at end of last game of 2008/2009 season said that he was glad not to have to play the miners at the Haskins Center any longer. He must of known he would be leaving MSU at the time he made that comment!!

[Proud El Pasoan]

Wow i'm in aww how much Hate Memphis fans have for El Paso.... I was reading the Memphis sports page and am in shock what the fans are writing about the C-USA tourney being in El Paso (WARNING* THE COMMENTS ON THE MEMPHIS NEWSPAPER SPORTS PAGE REGARDING THE C-USA TOURNEY BEING IN EL PASO, ARE GUARANTEED TO PISS GREAT EL PASO CITIZENS AND AMAZING MINER FANS OFF) Where does so much hate come from!!?? GUESS THIS EXPLAINS EXACTLY WHY MEMPHIS IS #2 FOR THE MOST DANGEROUS CITY IN 2009-2010. Love El Paso and all El Pasoans, and proud to be the 2nd safest city for the who knows how may years in a row (this explains our wonderful people and level headed citizens... CONGRATS TO EL PASO FOR ALLOWING THE CRAZY MEMPHIS FANS TO SHOW WHY THEIR CITY IS SO DANGEROUS...GO MINERS

[John C]

Talk about crime-----

All of the crying from the Memphis fans when El Paso was awarded the CUSA BB tourney was about all of the crime that El Paso must have because of the violence right next door in Mexico!!!

Yesterday in Memphis, 2 police officers were killed and two wounded with suspected drug traffickers who killed the officers with------AK47s!!

In addition the Memphis fans are so arrogant that they do not want to acknowledge that in the same rankging were El Paso is listed as the 2nd safest city in US----Memphis has the dubious honer of being the 2nd highest in crime rate in the US. See the following link---

http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_13854721?source=most_viewed

It is obvious from their posted comments (even on this blog) about El Paso beating out Memphis for CUSA BB tourney----they have so much hate which maybe the reason for all the crime in their city.

Due to this ranking I would have to say that I would be afraid to walk around their city as a visitor.

[Joe Muench]

Re: [Joe on utepia] John C submitted a comment to El Paso gets C-USA Tournament

We also forget to mention that Memphis is cheap. El Paso outbid Memphis by a quarter-million dollars for rights to the tournaments.

Joe

[John C]

I truely believe that when the CUSA BB tourney and for that matter---when Memphis plays here in regular conference tourney---

El Paso should roll out the welcome mat to them and all other teams, fans, etc.. (Just not on the court during games!!)

To prove how hosipitable El Pasoans are to the visitors of our city.