Lets talk about WHY this is such a great move....

[T_Won]

Really ? Why ?

Because USM has always had a slight advantage over Tech and now they don't?

Actually, they still have the better stadium and more fans. We need to catch up to that.

[Tech77]

I really didn't mean it that way as I know Tech plays a good brand of football. Just thought there might be something else I was unaware of. Wish USM fans gould get as excited as Tech fans about our new conference mates. All we do is pizz & moan.

It's got to be tough watching programs like SMU and SDSU move up to the Big East with little justification other than market, while your school, the most consistent winner in football, is left behind. We know that feeling all to well. In our first four years of WAC competiiton, we were 3-1 against Tulsa, 3-1 against UTEP, 3-1 against SMU and 2-2 against Rice. All those schools were invited to C-USA, and we were left out.

[Designated Hitter]

First off, its clear that C-USA was a step up for Tech in the world of D1 football. No question. Better TV deal. Better bowl tie-ins. Better marketing. Better national reputation. Better for recruiting. Just flat out BETTER.

But, the underlying advantage that just makes this awesome from my perspective is the GEOGRAPHY involved.
Instead of gallavanting all over the globe competing against Idaho, hawaii, and San Jose.....we have the opportunity to play teams within a short/moderate drive; Rice, Tulane, North Texas, Southern Miss, etc.

As George Castanza would say, "This is GOLD, Jerry....GOLD"

That shorter travel distance and regional familiarity with foes, will spawn REAL rivalries. Fans, alumni, and students alike will be capable of making those trips in greater numbers. You'll start seeing better crowds on Saturdays. You'll start getting more interest vested in these contests against familiar foes from down the road. Our students and theirs will become rivals.

Its not going to happen overnight, but its coming. Watch.

Overall I agree, if just comparing to WAC of recent and it's decline. Remember, when we originally joined the WAC it had not been watered down with recent additions and included UTEP, Tulsa, SMU, and Rice with us. Other than baseball, we had some regional games.

If you can, imagine this. Not all the schools were not so nervous and soiling their pants that they saved all the exit and entry fees of movement of original group I mentioned. That conference would have been in position recently to pick up a Tulane, a UNLV, Colorado State, a UTSA market, etc. and still had a west and east region of conference.


Someone is making a shit load of money off all this movement out and in, with many with same schools.

That said, I am happy with this lower CUSA than 4 years ago due only to the circumstances that had happened to WAC over the years and what it was leaving us with. But with the changes in landscape in CUSA, I really was not fretting like others whether we would get in. We were in first 3, then they had to decide whether to expand further and make some market moves where some programs and academics may not be ready for higher level.

[ChuckK3]

I really didn't mean it that way as I know Tech plays a good brand of football. Just thought there might be something else I was unaware of. Wish USM fans gould get as excited as Tech fans about our new conference mates. All we do is pizz & moan.

Brother, there's a song I like with a lyric in it that goes, "There's no one more thankful to sit at the Table, than the one who best remembers hunger's pain."

The difference between USM's perspective of the new conference, and ours? Y'all haven't been sitting on a deserted island for 7 years. Man, we haven't even heard the word "Y'ALL" since 2003...and speaking of being HAWNGRY? You dang sure cain't get biscuits and grits out west...and crawfish? uhhh no. NONE. :bigcry:

[talonofdeath]

It's got to be tough watching programs like SMU and SDSU move up to the Big East with little justification other than market, while your school, the most consistent winner in football, is left behind. We know that feeling all to well. In our first four years of WAC competiiton, we were 3-1 against Tulsa, 3-1 against UTEP, 3-1 against SMU and 2-2 against Rice. All those schools were invited to C-USA, and we were left out.

It is hard to swallow. We have a 70% winning percentage -vs- conference members. 27-10 -vs- ECU, 5-2 -vs- Marshall, 23-7 -vs- Tulane....and the ones that got "promoted", .. try 6-1 -vs- UCF, 40-21 -vs- Memphis, 9-5 -vs- Houston, 3-0 -vs- SMU.
We have a bad case of "market envy"

[Tbone1]

It is hard to swallow. We have a 70% winning percentage -vs- conference members. 27-10 -vs- ECU, 5-2 -vs- Marshall, 23-7 -vs- Tulane....and the ones that got "promoted", .. try 6-1 -vs- UCF, 40-21 -vs- Memphis, 9-5 -vs- Houston, 3-0 -vs- SMU.
We have a bad case of "market envy"

Its gonna be alright. Your Daddy's here now.

:icon_wink:

[talonofdeath]

Its gonna be alright. Your Daddy's here now.

:icon_wink:

Lol..... Daddy. Try little brother. I'm through whining now. It is what it is.

[StrayDawg]

First off, its clear that C-USA was a step up for Tech in the world of D1 football. No question. Better TV deal. Better bowl tie-ins. Better marketing. Better national reputation. Better for recruiting. Just flat out BETTER.

But, the underlying advantage that just makes this awesome from my perspective is the GEOGRAPHY involved.
Instead of gallavanting all over the globe competing against Idaho, hawaii, and San Jose.....we have the opportunity to play teams within a short/moderate drive; Rice, Tulane, North Texas, Southern Miss, etc.

As George Castanza would say, "This is GOLD, Jerry....GOLD"

That shorter travel distance and regional familiarity with foes, will spawn REAL rivalries. Fans, alumni, and students alike will be capable of making those trips in greater numbers. You'll start seeing better crowds on Saturdays. You'll start getting more interest vested in these contests against familiar foes from down the road. Our students and theirs will become rivals.

Its not going to happen overnight, but its coming. Watch.

Don't forget that a lot of Tech alumni will now be able to go to Tech games in their hometowns. There are a lot of Tech alumni in Dallas, Houston, and New Orleans who will now be able to see Tech play in those towns. I have lived in Las Vegas for over 10 years and I can count on my hands the Tech alums I have met in the West...VegasDawg and I included.

One of those guys in my manager at work. He graduated from Tech in 1967, I think, then joined the Air Force and hasn't been to a Tech game since. During his freshman year, he tried to walk-on as an O-lineman for Maxie Lambright, but didn't make the team. When he and I met, we found out that we are both Tech alums and ever since then, he asks me how the teams are doing and watches games on TV whenever I tell him they will be televised. The point of this story is that sometimes an alumnus can suddenly be reconnected with his alma mater after a subtle reminder that the alma mater exists. Because of that, playing conference games in Dallas, Houston, New Orleans, etc., could remind our alums in those areas that they have something to be proud of. That could increase attendance at home games, LTAC donations, and many other benefits if handled properly.

I wish we still had Houston, SMU, and Memphis, but I'm definitely happy with the move.

[olddog75]

Don't forget that a lot of Tech alumni will now be able to go to Tech games in their hometowns. There are a lot of Tech alumni in Dallas, Houston, and New Orleans who will now be able to see Tech play in those towns. I have lived in Las Vegas for over 10 years and I can count on my hands the Tech alums I have met in the West...VegasDawg and I included.

I wish we still had Houston, SMU, and Memphis, but I'm definitely happy with the move.

That is why North Texas, UTSA and Rice will love LaTech. The reverse, however is not true. Rice, UTSA or NT will not "travel" well to Ruston because folks will have to travel to the game versus waking up, pulling on your blue Tech shirt and driving 25 miles to the game. The last count I heard is that there is 2,900
Tech ulums in the DFW area. Most don't give a crap about Tech, but may come to a close by game.

[Dawg06]

Academic Separation.

Academic Rankings
17. Rice
50. Tulane
75. Tulsa
143. UAB
194. LA Tech
194. East Carolina
194. Charlotte
203-268. Southern Miss
203-268. UTEP
203-268. FIU
203-268. North Texas
203-268. UTSA
203-268. Florida Atlantic
203-268. South Alabama
203-268. Arkansas-Little Rock
203-268. Georgia State
203-268. Louisiana-Lafayette
203-268. Middle Tennessee State
36 (regional). Western Kentucky
39 (regional). Marshall
39 (regional). Texas State
63 (regional). Troy
63 (regional). Arkansas State
96-127 (regional). Louisiana-Monroe

[DeepGreen]

I love being associated with the private universities again of Rice, Tulsa, Tulane and UAB's medical school etc....

And now you have the privilege of being associated with the University of North Texas Health Science Center (UNT Medical School).

And as a bonus, you have me! Now we can get into some real football, basketball, etc., discussions. Old pal, old conference buddy!!!

[dawg1984]

It will be hard to build a serious rivalry with USM because with them being in the east and us in the west we won't play them every year

I'm hoping we play USM in the conference championship game regularly.

[dawg1984]

That is why North Texas, UTSA and Rice will love LaTech. The reverse, however is not true. Rice, UTSA or NT will not "travel" well to Ruston because folks will have to travel to the game versus waking up, pulling on your blue Tech shirt and driving 25 miles to the game. The last count I heard is that there is 2,900
Tech ulums in the DFW area. Most don't give a crap about Tech, but may come to a close by game.

Gosh, I'm in the minority!!! I live in DFW and DO support La Tech!! Maybe we can rekindle some interest in those other Tech alum.

[GermDawg]

Academic Separation.

Academic Rankings
17. Rice
50. Tulane
75. Tulsa
143. UAB
194. LA Tech
194. East Carolina
194. Charlotte
203-268. Southern Miss
203-268. UTEP
203-268. FIU
203-268. North Texas
203-268. UTSA
203-268. Florida Atlantic
203-268. South Alabama
203-268. Arkansas-Little Rock
203-268. Georgia State
203-268. Louisiana-Lafayette
203-268. Middle Tennessee State
36 (regional). Western Kentucky
39 (regional). Marshall
39 (regional). Texas State
63 (regional). Troy
63 (regional). Arkansas State
96-127 (regional). Louisiana-Monroe

That's a little misleading because it could be restated:

Academic Rankings
17. Rice
50. Tulane
75. Tulsa
143. UAB
194. LA Tech
194. East Carolina
194. Charlotte
203-268. Florida Atlantic
203-268. South Alabama
203-268. Arkansas-Little Rock
203-268. Georgia State
203-268. Louisiana-Lafayette
203-268. Middle Tennessee State
203-268. Southern Miss
203-268. UTEP
203-268. FIU
203-268. North Texas
203-268. UTSA
36 (regional). Western Kentucky
39 (regional). Marshall
39 (regional). Texas State
63 (regional). Troy
63 (regional). Arkansas State
96-127 (regional). Louisiana-Monroe

But overall yes CUSA is better academically...

[LATechBanjo]

That's a little misleading because it could be restated:

Academic Rankings
17. Rice
50. Tulane
75. Tulsa
143. UAB
194. LA Tech
194. East Carolina
194. Charlotte
203-268. Florida Atlantic
203-268. South Alabama
203-268. Arkansas-Little Rock
203-268. Georgia State
203-268. Louisiana-Lafayette
203-268. Middle Tennessee State
203-268. Southern Miss
203-268. UTEP
203-268. FIU
203-268. North Texas
203-268. UTSA
36 (regional). Western Kentucky
39 (regional). Marshall
39 (regional). Texas State
63 (regional). Troy
63 (regional). Arkansas State







?: BPCC
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?: Derek Zoolander Center For Children Who Can't Read Good And Wanna Learn To Do Other Stuff Good Too




96-127 (regional). Louisiana-Monroe

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