Original predictions true

Original predictions have come true. Everything in between was just fun to talk about.

It said here months ago that:

The Pac-10 would take Colorado and Utah.

An the  Big Ten would take Nebraska (and a combo of either/ors: Missouri, Syracuse, Pitt, and maybe Rutgers.

NOTE: Read Friday's (June 18) lead editorial on the Opinion Page and post your comments here.

Comments

[Stahala]

What are we suppose to read? Can you post a link? And I wanna see a post about title IX so we can debate it. yeah, its not gonna change anything, but we debate other stuff(ahem, conference alignments) that doesn't change anything for UTEP either. UTEP should have both a baseball team and men's soccer team, hell, they should have a men's tennis team too. Its not fair women have these sports and men don't. This may be a starting point for getting that idea out there. PLEASE JOE HELP ME OUT!

[Aud]

Joe, every time I post my comments about your _______ blog or one of your _______ opinions, you delete me.

[Stahala]

I got deleted once.

[Caesar]

Thats because people don't like hearing the truth.

[little barack]

Joe Blow you are FUNNY!

[Aud]

So Joe, you are saying forget about what you said a few days ago about Texas leaving the Big 12 for sure and going to the Pac10, that we should go back to what you said....or say you said....months ago?

And you are proud of this convoluted logic?

Well, I guess you just can't loose if you say all possible scenarios, then go back and point out that you were right!!!

It's like arguing with a three year old.

[NormanT]

No teams leaving CUSA. No negatives for the Miners.

[John C]

I would tend to agree EPT opinion with the exception that UTEP should not turn its back on the other Texas schools in CUSA and Tulsa. UTEP has most of its alumni and fan base in Texas and in football this is where the quality recruits are located.

It is 1000 to 1500 miles to Provo Utah and Boise Idaho with little or no airlines connections. It would be fun to travel to Las Vegas and San Diego to see the Miners play.
It is 800 to 1000 miles to CSU and Wyoming with much fewer airlines connections to Denver area and is usually more expensive airfare.

It is 600-700 miles to either Houston, Dallas, Ft Worth area of Texas. It is much easier to get to these towns via air travel with Southwest Airlines aka Air Force of Texas!

If the other Texas CUSA schools to include Tulsa and of course UTEP were to align with MWC, then we could divide into north/south or east/west divisions and have a better TV package than MWC currently has. UTEP could keep or renew their old rivalries with the old WAC schools in MWC and continue to compete with the other Texas CUSA schools.

I have knowledge (sources) that MWC would like to have Fresno State out of the WAC and possibly Nevada-Reno. However, there schools do not have a large TV viewing market as does the Texas CUSA schools that includes El Paso.

With the Big 12-2 staying in tact---- the MWC will not have the opportunity to negotiate a better TV deal than they presently have which is subpar to CUSA. CUSA has a better TV deal with CBS sports with a Bowl arrangement that guarantees 6-7 bowl berths currently guaranteed to its conference schools that qualify.

Chances are TCU and possibly Houston will eventually be invited to the Big 12-2. I would have to guess that SMU, Tulsa and UTEP football programs are on the upswing and be attractive to the current MWC schools.

We know that UTEP and Tulsa would significantly improve MWC RPI and certainly make up for the loss of UTAH. in basketball.

UTEP will probably be an NCAA elite school in basketball; we hope UTEP football program under Mike Price becomes a constant winner!!!

[Brazen Bill]

Look what it took for Boise to get into the MWC. It took winning and winning big. Simply having a consistent winning record, which UTEP in football hasn't done in 40 years with their glorius 6 winning seasons, was not enough. Boise has not only been to two BCS bowls in the last 5 years, but they had to win to get an invite. They have beaten 9 of 10 MWC teams they've played since joining the WAC. They have won the WAC 8 of the 9 last years, and they regularly won when in other conferences. They have had as many winning seasons as UTEP football has had losing seasons since 1970.

The MWC isn't going to be too impressed with UTEPs stellar football resume; turned off is more like it. Yes, there is a TV market, but when you have 800K people in the city and can't average 30,000 in your stadium, that doesn't translate well to ad revenue. And let's not forget that the MWC passed on UTEP before. Nothing of significance has changed, except the UTEP has gotten worse in football. And yes, UTEP has new facilities, but so does everyone else.

The MWC isn't going to trip over its feet to get to the Miners' front door because they will "probably" be an elite NCAA school in basketball. That "probably" and a buck seventy-five with tax is only good for a passable cup of joe at Starbucks. And the MWC knows it.

Be happy with CUSA, it's a decent conference.

[CLEOFITZWITZ]

Bob Stull has been negotiating with MWC officials. The fact that he is doing so shows that it is not simply a matter of UTEP begging for admission into the MWC. They take UTEP more seriously than what the naysayers here would have you believe. This doesn't mean UTEP is looking to jump ship. It is a matter of survival by positioning UTEP favorably following the domino effect that defectors are having on all schools.

[Brazen Bill]

Negotiating? Another word for begging.

[Toasted Whitebred]

What UTEP needs to do, rather than negotiate here and there, is build a strong athletics program centered on the football team.

For being a relatively small, poor school, our brand image is pretty good. We get great pub of the '66 Championship team, Mike Price and more recently Tim Floyd.

If we can put a couple of really good seasons together we can build a solid base of recruits, season ticket holders and tv revenue that will lend itself to establishing a consistent winning tradition.

If we can get to the point where Boise State is in football, a school which has a similar sports budget as UTEP, conferences will come calling on us. Then, we'll be in the driver's seat as opposed to the back seat.

Why would we want to be in a league without BYU or TCU? Will Airforce stick around if those two schools go? Highly doubtful. Let's win first, then pick from the best offers.

[CLEOFITZWITZ]

It would be great to have won and already positioned ourselves to make an upward move. The problem is that moves are being made right now all around the country. We have to deal with the here and now and make sure we don't end up in a conference that will take us to complete irrelevence. CUSA,MWC and the WAC are lowly enough. Don't kid yourself about the MWC. The powers that be are doing whatever it takes to keep those teams in their 2nd tier place. The same thing that happened to Utah, TCU and Boise would have happened to Houston and ECU if they had managed to finish undefeated. CUSA and MWC are more alike than they are different.

[Brazen Bill]

I'd say the PAC is a first tier conference. The MWC, second tier. CUSA, WAC, Sunbelt, etc., third tier.

Utah has had a tradition of excellence in football and basketball. TCU is off and on, currently on. Boise, great football program over the years. Decent, but not outstanding other programs.

[patrick stone]

The WAC would be a step back they lost Boise St,and news reports have them looking at Portland St, Idaho St,Montana,and others,no thanks.The Big 12 is rumored to be looking at Air Force,and BYU because of a new market,that would leave 7 teams in the MWC and a TV contract with versus while the the Conference USA has contracts with ESPN,and CBS college sports,plus more viewers in the central,and eastern time zones.You people talk about UTEP whether they could compete give me a break,Wyoming is not a powerhouse.I think TCU hurt it self jumping leagues several times,but UTEP is on better footing in the long run in the CUSA than MWC if they lose two more teams.The best would be if the MWC and Conference USA merge to form a mega conference.This is what is going to happen down the road any way with these mega conferences.These schools made a mistake when they broke off from the WAC because they did not want a 16 team league it was too big.How strong would that league be today?Who knows,but it would be stronger than what these 3 conferences are today.

[Brazen Bill]

UTEP has a handful of winning seasons in 40 years. It wasn't successful in the WAC and it hasn't been in CUSA. Yes, there have been good seasons here and there, but when someone talks about CUSA football in the last decade or 1980s-2000 WAC football, it isn't the mighty Miners who are being mentioned. Being at the top of a middling conference once in a while isn't good enough to get a decent sniff from the bigger boys.

Wyoming IS in the MWC, it doesn't have to prove itself to be invited in, it is in. Wyoming was, at one time, a top WAC school...remember them being on the Sports Illustrated Cover in the 80s? Ranked even? Unfortunately, 2hen you have a losing tradition, getting a better conference to look at you, no matter how much begging your AD does, is a tough sell just as a merger between MWC and CUSA.

Why would the MWC merge with CUSA? If the MWC wanted to, it would cherry pick the lesser conferences, not merge. If CUSA were stronger, it would take schools from the MWC, and that isn't happening. The MWC, not CUSA, already got Boise, the best non-BCS football school in the land. Why do you think the MWC grabbed them up as soon as Colorado made the move to the PAC? The MWC knew that Boise might be on the radar of a better conference. Who next? Fresno State is the next logical school to go to the MWC if that conference continues to expand. Nevada is a WAC school that could get a look, they have been successful in football. The MWC might then look at CUSA, who in the west or midwest has been successful. Tulsa? Then who? Houston? Inconsistent. SMU? Never recovered from the death penalty, but getting better. Not yet for them. UTEP? Just don't see it. The eastern division schools? Too far away, and would create more of the old 16-team WAC nonsens, hence the demise of the WAC 16 and the formation of the MWC.

The Mountain West was formed, in part, to be a primarily western geographic conference to cut down on travel. It was formed because the WAC was too unwieldy at 16 teams, spread from Hawaii across Texas. It was formed because there was too much dead weight at the bottom. You can put UTEP in this category if you like, but in truth, the Miners were probably a shade below middle in the conference, so not the dregs, but not good enough to be selected. (I have my suspicion that UNM also had something to do with keeping UTEP out of the conference.)

In the end, CUSA is a great place for the Miners. If Memphis leaves, the Miner basketball program could be THE program in the conference. Why not be top dog in basketball? That is where it tradition is.

[John C]

Mr Brazen Bill or should I say----Bronco Billy!!

Look: Forget about MWC of for that matter CUSA becoming a BCS conference. The issues should be around region and rivalries for fans and teams.

I am not advocating an individual move by UTEP to MWC. My point is that the MWC will not survive in the long term----especially with TCU making noise that MWC has not been good for them and possibly others such as BYU, AFA, etc...

I and many others feel that the Texas schools in CUSA along with Tulsa (and TCU if they decide to align with CUSA) are a far better fit to help the remaining MWC schools out when they implode!! I am talking about a merger into a 12-14 MWC/CUSA team conference w/o the eastern schools in CUSA.

UTEP would be more than a replacement for UTAH in basketball. UTEP has been to the NCAA BB tourney on average every 3 years from 1961 (Haskins became the coach) to present. That is a tremendous legacy for any major basketball school. UTEP basketball has been excellent over those years mentioned to include a NCAA Basketball Championship. Yes it was in 66, but that is more than anyone in MWC has ever accomplished. UTEP has been to the big dance more than any current MWC school to include UTAH.

With Tim Floyd, UTEP has been and will continue to be an elite NCAA basketball program----period!!!

The likes of UTEP, Tulsa, BYU (if they remain) UNM, SDSU, UNLV, Houston in basketball would significantly raise MWC/CUSA basketball RPI----period!!

Yes UTEP has to win consistently in football---but who does not have the same pressure.

Boise State is vulnerable to a mega-bucks BCS football school that will recruit and probably poach away the football coach---Boise St can not pay what a major BCS school may pay. Who knows, that now could be UTAH now that they will be in PAC 10+2.

[Brazen Bill]

Bronco Billy... :-)

I agree the issue SHOULD be around regions and rivalries and not money. That isn't reality. See the MWC. See Nebraska University, Utah, for confirmation. $$$$$. cha-ching.

I don't believe the MWC is going away. Do you really believe that TCU is going anywhere but the Big 12, and only if the Big 12 wants to continue to expand. Would TCU go to a weaker-than-MWC, CUSA? Nope. TCU will move up the food chain and not down, and not in any merger of conferences.

The word "merger" implies a joining of equals. It would certainly result in a name change, like the Big 8 merging with the SWC and becoming the Big 12. Notice the Big 10 never changed its name, no merger, just added schools. A merger will not be the case in any expansion of the MWC. It will be, as I wrote above, a cherry-picking, more akin to the MWC taking Boise and any other school from the WAC or CUSA. It will still be the MWC, just fatter to the detriment of those conferences it raids.

I don't understand how the Mountain West implodes? It loses Utah and gets Boise. No implosion there. It might lose TCU, which I doubt, but it would pick up Fresno or Nevada or Tulsa. Unless there is a movement to gut the MWC from within, ala the WAC-16, it won't happen.

The danger isn't the implosion of the MWC. I see the WAC and CUSA at greater risk of implosion or maybe getting crushed by the likes of the MWC. The WAC because the MWC might go after additional schools; Boise was its crown jewel. CUSA because the easterly conferences might want to pick up some schools like Memphis, which isn't necessarily a bad thing for UTEP since the Miners' would be closer to top dog in basketball.

Yes, UTEP's basketball legacy is impressive. However, UTEP has only been to the big dance 5 times in the last 20 years, and has made it to the second round only one time in those 20 years. And we aren't talking about a field of 48. The tourney has been comprised of 64 teams for a while now. This is half the total number of teams in Div I, which makes the tourney a little less than selective in its choosing. If I am not mistaken, the Miners have been in the last 4 teams selected in their last 3 appearances. Not exactly awe inspiring, even with a great NCAA championship 44 years past, when Hector was the proverbial pup. I don't know too many people who see UTEP is an elite team, certainly not since the glory days of the 80s in the WAC. I know you like that phrase, "elite", but the reality of UTEP's record since 1990 says otherwise. Being the last team selected in the last NCAA tourney and getting blown out seems to indicate something different about the team than you suggest, but it's okay if you really believe UTEP is elite. Certainly the MWC didn't think so ten years ago. The NCAA didn't seem to think so in its at-large selections.

Sure the MWC basketball RPI might go up with the addition of those schools from CUSA that you named. But you have to remember, so far, it's all about football. And the addition of those same CUSA football schools would lower the MWC's football RPI. Does the MWC want that? Nope. Sure didn't want it when it could have been UTEP in the mix a decade ago. What has changed?

I see you keep saying that Boise State is vulnerable to getting its coach poached by a BCS school. Boise's coach gets paid $1.5 mil a year, before incentives. That's more than many BCS schools and more than any non-BCS school pays. (I think he is in the top 35 of coaching salaries.) Plus, Boise has lost the two football coaches prior to its current coach to bigger schools, the last one being the guy who is the head coach of Colorado. If I'm not mistaken, Boise is, and has been, a better football school than Colorado in the ten yeas Boise has been in the WAC. I don't get the feeling that Boise thinks it will fall on its face if Petersen leaves. (Don't hold your breath and expect him to come to UTEP or NMSU or UNM to do charity work either. But wouldn't it be great if he did? Price leaves and Petersen begins recruiting those Boise studs.)

There is absolutely nothing wrong with CUSA as it is, and it is what it is. Not the greatest conference, and certainly not the worst, and about where the local schools like UTEP, NMSU and UNM exist.

[John C]

Bronco Billy (Brazen Bill):

If I say its is black-----you will say its is white.

Your arguments are childish like ----- "My Dad can beat up your Dad"

This blog with you is like trying to talk to a three year old!!

I will not engage you in ridiculous arguments----go home to Boise or where ever you are from. You need to spend more time with your horse----he needs you!!

[Brazen Bill]

John C,

I expected you'd turn tail as your arguments grew weaker and weaker. Let me summarize what I think you wrote.

1. The MWC will collapse because TCU, a football school, is making noise about leaving on the eve of the conference making it to the BCS, and making BCS-scale TV money for all its constituent schools. Wow.

2. The Miners continue to be an "elite" basketball team even though they have only been to 5 NCAA tourneys in last 20 years. Elite?

3. Boise State, which has been a good football team for as long as UTEP has been terrible, will suddenly become irrelevant because their coach, who has a new contract and makes 1.5 mil a year, is going to be poached by a conference that will pay him even more. Poor Boise.

Does that summarize your arguments succinctly?

Adios. Ta ta. Don't let that swinging door get ya.

:-)

[John C]

Bronco Billy:

Your posts are ridiculous as your statement that Boise St football coach makes $1.5 Mllion!!

If you knew what the mega-bucks BCS football schools pay their coaches you would know that $1.5 Milion is what these schools pay their top assistants!!

These mega-bucks BCS football schools and most of the PAC 10+2 pay in the $4.5 Million range to their head football coach.

Mack Brown at Texas makes way more than $4.5 Million----but that is Texas.

You really need to spend more time with your horse----he will run off with another that treats him better than you do. I would suggest that you read a good book to him!!

[Brazen Bill]

And here you are again, John C, after you said you would quit responding.

Okay. You got me dead to rights on the Boise coach's salary. Peterson doesn't get $1.5M this year. He's only making 1.49M. Of course by the end of 2013, his base salary is going to be close to 1.8M. Take a look at the link below. It will help:

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2010/04/23/1164947/state-board-approves-petersens.html

I didn't have the 2010 salary listings for the Div I coaches, and of course some of the coaches have gotten a raise since then 2009, but the link below shows the div 1A coaching salaries at some point in 2009, which probably in sum have not changed that much.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orl-spt-coach-salary-chart-2009,0,3767955.htmlstory

Now, certainly there will be some changes, Pete Carroll for instance is no longer at SC, and Mack Brown had yet to get that huge raise, but for general argument's sake, Boise's Peterson's $1.5M puts him in some pretty good company. And if you take a close look, you'll see many BCS schools who pay their head coaches less.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orl-spt-coach-salary-chart-2009,0,3767955.htmlstory

I think you did better to run and hide like you were intending. Don't you? Sweet dreams.

Adios, meja.

[John C]

Bronco Billy(Brazen Bill) what and id.. !!

He stayed up all night to come up with a dumb response again.

All major BCS football schools pay their "basketball coaches" around $1.5 Million and up.

Their head football coaches get considerably more than that. Example: Texas Tech fired football coach was making $2.5 to $3.0 Million. Tommy Tubberville the replacement is making approximately the same with escalations for performance. Texas Tech is not one of the mega-bucks BCS football schools.

[Brazen Bill]

John C.

You wrote: "Your posts are ridiculous as your statement that Boise St football coach makes $1.5 Mllion!!" Yet, I proved to you the validity of what I wrote by providing a link that shows that the Boise does indeed pay its head coach a salary of $1.5M. True or false? Yet you don't seem to want to acknowledge that, do you? Can you provide some proof that the Boise coach's salary is different that what I wrote? No.

I gave you another link showing where Petersen's salary ranks with the Bowl Subdivison coaches, tied with Joe Paterno of Pen State. Guess what, UCLA doesn't pay their coach as much. Neither does Miami. Neither does Pitt. But by your definition, I guess these teams aren't major BCS football schools. Are they not "elite" enough (to use your expression)? Mind you, I'm not talking about Wyoming or UNM but Big 10, PAC 10 and ACC flagship schools. BTW, these teams make it to bowl games regularly...not like the "elite" UTEP basketball team that makes the NCAA tourney 5 times in twenty years.

As far as Mike Leach, in 2009 he had a base salary: $300,000 with a guarantee of Outside Athletics Related Personal Income, Contract Year 2009: $1.6 million. --- So no he didn't make 2.5-3M.

I'll refute something else. My previous response to you was 68 minutes after yours to me. Yet you write that I stayed up "all night." Sixty-eight minutes to you is all night? How old are you? Do you just throw out any old exaggeration that pops into your head?

Adios meja,

[John C]

Mr Bronco Billy:

I am a Texas Tech alum and four year letterman in baseball. I keep up and conribute to the athletics at TTU.

I am keenly aware of the happenings at TTU so do not try to BS me with your bogus statistics!!

I am also an alum from UTEP.