UTEP got dumped! That's what's been lost amid the talk about UTEP having to schedule two "get killed" football road money games in 2012.
New Mexico said it can't play UTEP in 2012, so UTEP skedded a game at Ole Miss. UTEP already had a "get-killed" game at Wisconsin skedded.
Question, then, is there still a UTEP-New Mexico rivalry? Is not playing each other in football once a year important anymore? The ADs should think. Playing each other should be a scheduling priority.
Yes, it's duly noted the two are no longer league-mates (old WAC), but the games between the two are getting fewer and fewer, even though it's easy on the travel budget going back and forth between here and Albuquerque.
This just doesn't make sense.
I'm skeptical of the reasoning given for dumping UTEP — that New Mexico has to re-fit its skeds because of Mountain West Conference changes. TCU, Utah and BYU are leaving; and Boise State, Nevada and Fresno State are coming in.
Three schools out. Three new schools in. So why did New Mexico dump UTEP?
Forget about New Mexico. After all, New Mexico left us hanging when the Mountain West broke away from the WAC. We've developed better rivalries with Houston, Tulsa and SMU that more than make up for the loss of the Lobos. I think a permanent home-and-home with Texas Tech would be great, even in a 2-for-1 situation. UTEP needs to generate more in-state buzz and New Mexico doesn't do that. So think more about teams like Texas, Baylor or TCU. And also Texas State and UTSA now that they'll be going to the WAC.
Posted by: Memo Rincon | May 06, 2011 at 08:54 PM
who cares? UNM is uninteresting and UTEP will not improve by playing regional cupcakes out of nostalgia. Boise used to get killed by UCLA every year. now they are a powerhouse. They didn't just take the money; they built something. UTEP should not expect to match Boise's ranking but this is a blueprint for a mid major building a program. BTW sked is short for schedule--I get that--but skedded? Leave the goofy crap to Yahoo sports.
Posted by: chuy soto | May 06, 2011 at 11:18 PM
I wonder if there was some type of disagreement between the athletic directors of both schools (Bob Stull, UTEP and Paul Krebs, UNM). Remember that this is becoming a problem with men's basketball with Alford and Floyd. Hopefully this will not effect the future schedules of 2014, 2015 and 2016 besides the Lobos will own a game at the Sun Bowl.
Posted by: Minerinciter | May 06, 2011 at 11:43 PM
New Mexico is really terrible as of late, UTEP was an ok team last year and just destroyed the Lobos. I honestly think the Lobos want to stop getting beat easily by UTEP and maybe by the next time they play, UNM might not be as bad as they have been the last few years.
UNM is a bottom ten team on ESPN's website, they have been there for two years in a row. They have a combined record of 6-30 over the last three years. I know UTEP is not the best team out there, far from it, but at least they aren't as bad as the Lobos. I agree that UTEP should try and get more Texas teams on their schedule, they at least can benefit from recruiting by playing other FBS Texas teams, whereas they get nothing out of playing UNM in Albuquerque (besides a short trip for the fans to see the Miners play an away game and probably an easy win).
Posted by: TooCool | May 07, 2011 at 12:45 AM
It would be great to see all the old rivalries revived but it seems that UTEP's future is looking to the east. We are playing more Texas teams than in the past and Tulsa has developed into a good rival. The MWC seems to be losing it's reputation while CUSA is gaining. MWC and the Lobos screwed the Miners and it seems to be coming back to bite them.
Posted by: Bill Bransford | May 07, 2011 at 06:10 AM
Utepia? Now that is a silliness worthy of a second-rate adolescent mentality--just precious.
Posted by: NineteenRabbit | May 07, 2011 at 10:04 AM
Maybe the Loblows are afraid of the Mighty Minors!! LOL!!
Posted by: Aggietude | May 07, 2011 at 10:57 AM
^^^^^^^^This coming from a Aggie Fan? Please take Joe back Las Cruces.
Posted by: Doug in Puerto Rico | May 08, 2011 at 09:28 AM
Lets face it, better from UNM to get clobbered by a decent team then face the possibility of getting beat by what appears to be a very, very bad UTEP team. Or maybe they thought that UTEP will have a competent coach by then and maybe even be a little better team. Take the money and run Stull. Then hire someone who can coach and recruit.
Posted by: George in H Town | May 09, 2011 at 06:34 AM
Joe has clearly run out of things to write about. Let's talk about the same thing that no one cares about 2 articles in a row.
Posted by: UTEP fan in SA | May 10, 2011 at 09:48 AM
at least we play them in basketball in december. maybe we can get revenge after our bad NIT outing over there.
Posted by: Prospero | May 10, 2011 at 10:39 AM
Prospero,
UNM is trying to improve its football team at this time so they may have dropped utep for a smaller school. The rivalry in football is all but dead.
As for the basketball game in Dec at the PIT........good luck on getting revenge, the Lobos will be loaded next year......losing only 1 senior and picking up 3 really good players !
Posted by: sportsfan | May 10, 2011 at 08:14 PM
Prospero,
UNM is trying to improve its football team at this time so they may have dropped utep for a smaller school. The rivalry in football is all but dead.
As for the basketball game in Dec at the PIT........good luck on getting revenge, the Lobos will be loaded next year......losing only 1 senior and picking up 3 really good players !
Posted by: sportsfan | May 10, 2011 at 08:14 PM
---------------------------
UNM is chalk full of talent. They will probably be favored to win the MWC next season. I would say pen the UNM game as a loss for the Miners. But then again, the game is played for a reason.
Posted by: WilliamS | May 13, 2011 at 03:57 PM
Joe,
In case you don't know this, just because a conference drops 3 and gains 3 does not mean that the scheduling stays exactly the same. The MWC schedule will totally be revamped and put out again and then the teams can schedule non-conf opps again. Not because they did not want UTEP. In football's case, it will only help their attendance figures anyway. It also makes many wonder how you bash on UTEP so much and have a blog still, yet you are never found on press row any longer.
Posted by: Comment | May 17, 2011 at 02:39 PM
Skedded is not a word, Munch. Neither is (vomit) "utepia." And New Mexico did not "dump" UTEP--they didn't schedule them.
I wish the Times had sense enough to dump you, though.
Posted by: NineteenRabbit | May 22, 2011 at 11:14 AM
What about it Times--since you won't fire him, why don't you kick old Muncher upstairs so that your educated readers (like me) don't have to retch every time they come across his byline in your paper? On the other hand, if you insist that the standard of your sports journalism be set by what is concocted in the dull-normal adolescent mind of Joe Munch, keep him, and continue losing educated readers(like me).
Signed--Jay Raymond White
MA English, UTEP '79
Posted by: NineteenRabbit | May 22, 2011 at 11:40 AM
Mr. White,
If you'd use that educated mind of yours, you'd realize that the Times pays Mr. Muench to get people to read and respond. Notice that his blog gets more comments than anyone else, probably combined. If you really wanted him to cease and desist, you would stop reading and certainly stop responding to his silliness.
As for UNM dropping UTEP...possibly UNM doesn't want to lose to UTEP and NMSU again in the same season. How embarrassing would that be?
Posted by: WilliamS | May 29, 2011 at 04:52 PM
Time and tide wait for no man
Posted by: Best Jerseys | August 06, 2011 at 01:26 AM
Some lenders will revert to you the same day and you will understand whether or not your application has been approved or not.
Posted by: california payday loans | October 18, 2011 at 10:48 PM
Schools like UTEP must play these games for the money. Larger schools play them to pad the W column. I guess New Mexico had no choice due to the WAC changes in membership. The UTEP - New Mexico has been a good rivalry for many years.
Posted by: Post Graduate Diploma in Education | December 06, 2011 at 08:42 PM
They didn't just take the money; they built something. UTEP should not expect to match Boise's ranking but this is a blueprint for a mid major building a program.
Posted by: Superannuation Funds Australia | December 06, 2011 at 11:02 PM
The MWC seems to be losing it's reputation while CUSA is gaining. MWC and the Lobos screwed the Miners and it seems to be coming back to bite them.
Posted by: Heating and Cooling IN | December 22, 2011 at 10:43 PM