Lamar to join the WAC?

[Guest coachacola]

You think La Tech would trade spots with Lamar?

Nope. Why would La Tech go to the SLC? They already looked down upon the league in the 1980s and 1990s. The Sun Belt won't take them back. They are in a tough spot -- where they are in the WAC until a new SWC is formed as I think they are rather low on the C-USA list behind a few Sun Belt squads and even UTSA...

Ofcourse CUSA would be better, however the WAC would be better then the SLC until CUSA opens up a spot or the new SWC is born.

What if that doesn't happen? Then you become a Louisiana Tech like school...

When CUSA starting looking for spots to fill, will they look to a WEAK Tech athletic program competing in the WAC first? or a stronger LU program competing in the SLC?

Or UTSA program in the Southland in a major market and could help with tie-ins to the Alamo Bowl?

La Tech may be in a tough spot, but it's a better spot IMHO than where Lamar is.  They've had 2 national televised games on the ESPN networks so far this year.  La Tech gets mentioned as a possible future candidate for CUSA.  There's a lot worse spots to be in.  I'll go so far to say Lamar was better off being a "bottom-dweller" in the Sunbelt than being a "competitive" team in the SLC.

[Guest abovetherim]

From what I gather from around the web is that travel costs for all the minor sports is taking a big bite out of their athletic budgets.  The WAC commissioner is looking into ways to cut that, possibly by getting non-football travel partner for La Tech.  I think adding 3 eastern teams is the other option they might be looking at although that's just a rumor.

Boise State, Fresno State and Hawaii seem to be the big dogs in the WAC, and if they left then the TV money would probably shrivel up.  But if they stayed long term and they had a WAC-east division with say La Tech, NMSU, LU, UTSA, Texas State and Utah State, then a lot of the extra travel costs would be covered by the TV money.  There would also be more money from the NCAA for basketball and football.

Lamar will probably never get into the CUSA, and frankly that doesn't bother me.  Starting a new conference with a lot of FBS startups and newbies means lots of struggles and no TV money.  Put Lamar in the WAC and you renew the La Tech rivalry, more exposure all around, possibly a big conference game against a top 25 football and/or basketball program each year, and a more exciting conference slate.

The odds are slim to none this will happen but compared to the SLC it wouldn't be that bad of a deal.  You think La Tech would trade spots with Lamar?

What do you think about this men's basketball schedule?

11/15/08 vs. Louisiana College Montagne Center 7:05 pm

11/18/08 at Louisiana-Lafayette Lafayette, La. 7:05 pm

11/22/08 vs Houston, Montagne Center 7:05 pm

11/25/08 at Rice Houston, Texas 7:05 pm

11/29/08 vs. Lyon College Montagne Center 7:05 pm

12/03/08 at Kentucky  Lexington, Ky. 6:00 pm

Marques Maybin Classic

12/06/08 vs. Ohio Louisville, Ky. 3:30 pm

12/07/08 vs. Indiana State Louisville, Ky. 5:30 pm

12/08/08 at Louisville Louisville, Ky. 6:00 pm

12/13/08 vs. Texas Tech Montagne Center 7:05 pm

12/21  vs. Washington State Montage Center

12/29  vs Idaho State  Montagne Center

01/03/09 at Memphis Memphis, Tenn. 7:05 pm

01/08  Arkansas-Little Rock, Little Rock, AR    7 p.m. 

01/10  Arkansas State Montagne Center    7 p.m. 

01/15  North Texas,  Denton    7 p.m. 

01/17  Florida Atlantic, Montagne Center    7 p.m. 

01/22  Florida International, at Miami, FL    6 p.m. 

01/29  Troy, Montagne Center    7 p.m. 

01/31  Western Kentucky, Bowling Green, KY    7 p.m. 

02/05  South Alabama, Mobile, AL    7 p.m. 

02/07  Louisiana-Lafayette Montagne Center    7 p.m. 

02/12  New Orleans, Montagne Center    7 p.m. 

02/14  Middle Tennessee, Murfreesboro, TN    7 p.m. 

02/19  Louisiana-Monroe, Montagne Center    7 p.m. 

02/21  Arkansas-Little Rock, Montagne Center    7 p.m. 

02/26  Arkansas State, Jonesboro, AR    7 p.m. 

03/01  North Texas, Montagne Center 7 p.m. 

Sun Belt Conference Tournament 

03/04  Sun Belt First Round Game  at TBA    TBA 

 

03/08 -03/10  Sun Belt Tournament  at Hot Springs, AR    TBA

[TexasTerror]

ABR3 --

As far as the Sun Belt goes, Lamar is going to have the same tough time as any SLC school. Most of those former SLC schools want nothing to do with the current SLC schools, look down upon them. Look for the SBC to look at Georgia State and Jacksonville State before they give two thoughts about a Lamar or even a Texas State-San Marcos...

[Guest abovetherim]

I just posted part of North Texas basketball schedule and made a few modifications for fun. Would renew rivalries with ULL, Arkansas State, North Texas, Western Kentucky, ULM, NO, South Alabama and UALR.

I don't see Lamar leaving the SLC for a few years at the earliest.

[Guest coachacola]

ABR3 --

As far as the Sun Belt goes, Lamar is going to have the same tough time as any SLC school. Most of those former SLC schools want nothing to do with the current SLC schools, look down upon them. Look for the SBC to look at Georgia State and Jacksonville State before they give two thoughts about a Lamar or even a Texas State-San Marcos...

We know their fans do, but they don't make the decisions.  If a school can bring in money to the conference then they'll get a serious look.  I'm not saying that Lamar can make money for the WAC or Sunbelt, but that's more important than what some of their snotty fans think about Lamar.

[Green Menace]

This is an old story -- Aug. 30.

Why do they keep including North Texas? They rejected the WAC!

UTSA will pick C-USA over WAC and should have that choice.

If Lamar or Texas State-San Marcos wanted to send their programs in shambles, have fun in the WAC. The NCAA even put out a report in the last week re: the high cost of travel and how lots of schools are having serious problems with it. That won't be a fun conference to travel -- flights EVERYWHERE and that includes your non-revenue sports. How much is it going to cost to send your VB team out to Hawaii and California?

Most of you think narrow -- football and hoops. There's many more sports in your athletic department than that...

WAC makes no sense for either or any of the Texas schools in this new world of the economy and travel junk...

That's the bottom line.  Wonder what the cost to Lamar would be to send the soccer, vollyball, baseball, tennis, etc., out to Hawaii, San Jose, or Fresno?  Travel would be a killer.  Lamar better have some sugar daddys to foot the WAC athletic bills.

What about the fans?  Gotta wonder what the cost would be to follow the Cardinal football team to an out of town game or two.

WAC would have to add some travel partners in the "Eastern" division.  Plus, Fresno, Boise, Hawaii, and Nevada may not be around forever if the MWC or Pac 10 comes calling.  Then what kind of conference would you have?  La Tech, New Mx State, Idaho, Utah State, San Jose, etc.  You get the picture.

[TexasTerror]

We know their fans do, but they don't make the decisions.  If a school can bring in money to the conference then they'll get a serious look.  I'm not saying that Lamar can make money for the WAC or Sunbelt, but that's more important than what some of their snotty fans think about Lamar.

I am speaking from history -- recall when the group of SFA, SWT, SHSU and company tried getting into the SLC? The schools, now in the Sun Belt, rejected them. Those schools eventually got in when a few of those SLC schools moved on. The SFA, SWT, SHSU, NWST, etc formed the Gulf Star conference, which lasted all of two, three years. I'm a youngin, but I've spoken to individuals involved with that -- most recently did so on a trip to San Antonio and UTSA.

Same situation now -- there's a lot of pride on the line. Just ask administrators of ULL if they'd want to be in a conference with McNeese. Ask North Texas admin if they want to see the "new" SWT or SFA around their midst...

[Guest abovetherim]

TexasTerror, I hate to tell ya but Lamar was one of those schools. Lamar left the SLC with a few other schools and formed the ASC (American South Conference). Later the ASC united with schools from the SBC.

I believe it was the 1987/88 school year when Lamar left the SLC for the ASC.

[TexasTerror]

TexasTerror, I hate to tell ya but Lamar was one of those schools. Lamar left the SLC and a few other schools and formed the ASC (American South Conference). Later the ASC united with schools from the SBC.

I know it -- but Lamar has gone off and put themselves back with the schools they (what makes up most of the Sun Belt) originally rejected...

[Guest abovetherim]

Actually, Terror I need to clarify I have no idea if the administration at Lamar didn't want any of the schools mentioned in the SLC. Honestly, I was attending Lamar University-Orange (LSC-O) in 1987 and only know for a fact Lamar left the SLC.

Again, I have no factual information Lamar voted to keep any school out of the SLC.

[Green Menace]

Same situation now -- there's a lot of pride on the line. Just ask administrators of ULL if they'd want to be in a conference with McNeese. Ask North Texas admin if they want to see the "new" SWT or SFA around their midst...

Ha!  The way UNT is playing right now we should be looking to form a conference with Mary-Hardin Baylor!!

[UNLV]

Same situation now -- there's a lot of pride on the line. Just ask administrators of ULL if they'd want to be in a conference with McNeese. Ask North Texas admin if they want to see the "new" SWT or SFA around their midst...

Ha!  The way UNT is playing right now we should be looking to form a conference with Mary-Hardin Baylor!!

77 to 20 lostr against Rice...

[BLUEDOVE3]

Whose the current quarterback at UNT and how is he doing?

[Green Menace]

Whose the current quarterback at UNT and how is he doing?

Giovanni Vizza out of Alamo Heights HS in San Antonio, NT's #1 QB for 11 games last year as a true freshman, tough as boot leather.  NT's problem is having a HS school coach with mostly HS assistants who had know clue about the speed of the game at the FBS (D1A) level. Dodge believes his 100% spread offense will outscore the opposition and there is no need to recruit quality defensive linemen.  I could go on and on.  Suffice it to say that NT fans are on edge and a little testy right now! >

[badndn]

My understanding was that after last season Dodge fired his long time defensive coordinator that he brought from SLC, which I am sure was difficult, and hired someone with college experience. Looks like that ain't workin' out either!