New WAC members

[DeepGreen]

The WAC is not a long term solution for Tech. We would MUCH rather be in CUSA, of course. However, you are talking the SUN BELT here! That is a much lower ranked conference than either CUSA or the WAC. So, we took some bottom dwelling belt teams this last round. You do see that they wanted to move up, at least.

Uh, no, I don't see that at all with the new WAC schools. I see three universities that are located in the WEST that want their teams to play other WESTERN teams, saving them mountains(play on words! ) of travel money.

To make you happy, I think the WAC is a bit stronger than the SBC in football and probably basketball, only because of Fresno St, Boise State, and Hawaii. Period. The others, including Tech, are a wash.

UNT was offered a spot in the WAC and declined. The Big West was a traveling nightmare ($$$$$) for NT. We did not want that expense again. The big time "national respect" that membership in the WAC offers, that you all talk about, was just not worth the expense. We chose to put the money into much, much needed facilities. That's the bottom line.

[#1techfan]

I understand that ya'll are taking ya'll's money to improve facilities and I think that is a great idea. I think that Tech should be doing the same but I also think that you shouldn't sacrafice competition in order to save money to improve facilities. If you up the competition and then continue to win then the facility improvements will come along b/c you are will get a much larger fan base. That is what Tech is working at right now. We are trying to get more national recognition by playing in a stronger conference right now wich will inturn improve our chances of getting into a different conference when there is a shift again.

Now to address PlummMeanGreen, you are the only one on this board (except for maybe one or two other UNT guys) that have said that we claim that the WAC is the 2nd coming of the Big 12. I cannot recall anytime that a Tech fan on this board has stated that we think the WAC is the 2nd coming of the Big 12. No one that I know of has said that. Ya'll are the ones that have jumped on our board and started saying that that is what we think. Now I may be alone in this comment, but I truely don't believe that the WAC is the strongest mid-major conference in the NCAA. I do believe that the competition in the WAC is bigger, better, and stronger than that of the SBC.

It just seems that everytime a comment is brought up about conferences ya'll are so quick to defend ya'll's stay in the SBC by saying that ya'll wanted to save the money to build facilities. Now nice facilities will help you get some recruits, and I do believe ya'll need all the help ya'll can get when recruiting against teams like Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and Baylor. I mean all of those teams have some storied athletic success and not to mention TCU which is a very good school. So those facilities may help ya'll out later on, once they are finally done but I really don't believe that those nice facilities that ya'll are working on are going to help UNT come into Ruston and walk out with a win in October. Now I'm not trying bash you and say ya'll suck or anything but I think the game will be close, it will be a very tough fought game, and it will be a very entertaining game. I think we all need to come away from this game with the idea that we can turn this game into a yearly thing and try to build a rivalry with ya'll b/c I think it is the most fesiable rivalry we can get right now. All I have to say is that I can't wait until Oct. 22nd.

[champion110]

To make you happy, I think the WAC is a bit stronger than the SBC in football and probably basketball, only because of Fresno St, Boise State, and Hawaii. Period. The others, including Tech, are a wash.

ummmmmm....... WHAT? A BIT stronger? Come on now... You are the toughest team in the SBC, right? Who is number 2? I don't see you coming out of Ruston with a win, but EVEN if you did, you would be beating what number team in the WAC?

The bottom line is that the WAC is a strong mid major conference (not the second coming of the B12 ). The Belt is not.

You NT guys have decided to pick us out, obviously, as your biggest game of the year. That shows by you being on our message board every day. I guess you want a rivalry with us. That is fine, but we are going to put a whipping on you, so I hope you don't get your feelings hurt. The top belt team is not as good as the middle of the WAC yet. The rest of the belt schools are as good as the bottom three WAC teams - that is because they came from the belt. Hopefully, they will improve and grow to the competition level that they now will have.

[MG61]

You NT guys have decided to pick us out, obviously, as your biggest game of the year.

Seems 110 is a little more pompus than usual with his

[champion110]

Seems 110 is a little more pompus than usual with his

Oh, that was clever..... I am impressed.

If we are not your biggest game of the year, then why are all of you over here every single day?

[DeepGreen]

I understand that ya'll are taking ya'll's money to improve facilities and I think that is a great idea. I think that Tech should be doing the same but I also think that you should sacrafice competition in order to save money to improve facilities. If you up the competition and then continue to win then the facility improvements will come along b/c you are will get a much larger fan base. That is what Tech is working at right now.

It just seems that everytime a comment is brought up about conferences ya'll are so quick to defend ya'll's stay in the SBC by saying that ya'll wanted to save the money to build facilities. Now nice facilities will help you get some recruits, and I do believe ya'll need all the help ya'll can get when recruiting against teams like Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and Baylor. I mean all of those teams have some storied athletic success and not to mention TCU which is a very good school. So those facilities may help ya'll out later on, once they are finally done but I really don't believe that those nice facilities that ya'll are working on are going to help UNT come into Ruston and walk out with a win in October.

Good conversation by the way. NT has chosen to sacrifice the better competition so as to improve facilities. We need better facilities. Tech has done noe of the above. Your are "talking" about it, but nothing is being done.

Recruiting against the likes of tu, a $ m, texass tech, etc., is tough. No way we will ever have the facilities or "storied past" to ever catch up with them. But, the facilites we now have in place(athletic dorms, athletic cafeteria, athletic center, practice fields, etc.), plus those under construction right now (soccer, tennis, etc.) have already paid recruiting dividends this year. Most of our HS recruits will be re-shirted, as in past years, and will not see playing time this year. Some will. And some were very good football players at the HS level. Of course, until they get a taste of 1A college ball, you never know what you recruited. We all have those stories.

I think UNT has the right vision and has made the correct conference decisions. Not moving into the WAC was the right decision. The present facility building boom was the right decision. The final missing links are a new football stadium and the addition of baseball.

[ntmeangreen11]

But I thought that you were one of them saying the the talent level in Texas is top in the nation, why would you need those second rate Florida boys to take roster spots away from your precious Texas boys that are better than everyone else in the nation??

Well,there is a great talent pool in Florida as well, I never said we were not willing to recruit in other states. Texas is #1 in HS football,and Louisiana is in the top 5 as well,but let's not venture off in that direction.

I was pulling out my hair last season,saying,WTF?! why did we decline,but then I realized, It would not be smart(money-wise,and the possible doomsday of the WAC,anf future-wise)

The Sun Belt(for now) is what the doctor ordered for us,and in 2007,when you leave the WAC,it won't be such a big step-down as it is considered now,the sun belt is making great strides,and each team is getting better.

[DeepGreen]

ummmmmm....... WHAT? A BIT stronger? Come on now... You are the toughest team in the SBC, right? Who is number 2? I don't see you coming out of Ruston with a win, but EVEN if you did, you would be beating what number team in the WAC?

The bottom line is that the WAC is a strong mid major conference (not the second coming of the B12 ). The Belt is not.

You NT guys have decided to pick us out, obviously, as your biggest game of the year. That shows by you being on our message board every day. I guess you want a rivalry with us. That is fine, but we are going to put a whipping on you, so I hope you don't get your feelings hurt. The top belt team is not as good as the middle of the WAC yet. The rest of the belt schools are as good as the bottom three WAC teams - that is because they came from the belt. Hopefully, they will improve and grow to the competition level that they now will have.

O.K. Champ, if it makes you feel superior, I say that the WAC is a "stronger" conference than the Sun Belt. There, make you feel better, baby?

La Tech is not our biggest game this year. Our second game against MTSU is our most important game. It's our first conference game. Believe it or not, OOC wins alone do not get you to the New Orleans Bowl in the SBC. Is the La Tech game important to our program? Yes it is, same as the Tulsa game, no more, no less. Those are two winnable OOC games that we would like to have. LSU and Kansas State? Money games.

[#1techfan]

O.K. Champ, if it makes you feel superior, I say that the WAC is a "stronger" conference than the Sun Belt. There, make you feel better, baby?

La Tech is not our biggest game this year. Our second game against MTSU is our most important game. It's our first conference game. Believe it or not, OOC wins alone do not get you to the New Orleans Bowl in the SBC. Is the La Tech game important to our program? Yes it is, same as the Tulsa game, no more, no less. Those are two winnable OOC games that we would like to have. LSU and Kansas State? Money games.

Atleast someone from UNT is willing to admit that LSU and K-state are money games, I know that we have two money games as well. But if I'm not mistaken there was someone from UNT that was on this board not too long ago that said ya'll would be 3-1 (maybe 2-2) coming into October and ya'll do realize that ya'll ARE going to lose to LSU and K-State.

As schools we both know that we have to play money games to do things for our athletics.

[tylerdawg]

North Texas fans,

If the Sunbelt is on the up and up as you claim. Will your administration, Troy's, ULL and or any member of the Sunbelt contact CUSA for membership if the opportunity presents itself?

Just wondering where you feel the Belt compares to CUSA?

[DeepGreen]

North Texas fans,

If the Sunbelt is on the up and up as you claim. Will your administration, Troy's, ULL and or any member of the Sunbelt contact CUSA for membership if the opportunity presents itself?

Just wondering where you feel the Belt compares to CUSA?

I should hope so! Yes, the SBC is up and coming, but it'll be a somewhat slow climb. Within another five years, we should be a nice competitive conference. When CUSA comes-a-calling, North Texas will jump at the chance. Then again, a lot depends on the shape of CUSA if it loses members again. You notice I said CUSA will contact us?

[#1techfan]

I should hope so! Yes, the SBC is up and coming, but it'll be a somewhat slow climb. Within another five years, we should be a nice competitive conference. When CUSA comes-a-calling, North Texas will jump at the chance. Then again, a lot depends on the shape of CUSA if it loses members again. You notice I said CUSA will contact us?

Well I would think that any team that is serious about their advancements would go to CUSA when they had openings. But what you are saying is if (hypatherically) there were two openings next season and CUSA didn't contact you but there was a chance that ya'll could get into CUSA, would you go after them instead of them coming after ya'll?

But don't you think to get a serious look from CUSA that ya'll might need to be in a more competitive conference?

[MG61]

But don't you think to get a serious look from CUSA that ya'll might need to be in a more competitive conference?

If CUSA looks at North Texas they'll see a lot of positive athletic construction & improvements. Dirt is movin' and facilities are being built & upgraded NOW ! Our new 45,000 sq ft athletic center and three full size practice fields are complete. We get a weekly Wednesday update on the progress of facility construction & improvements. Here's today's update. Open the photo album & click on the pictures.

http://www.meangreensports.com/ViewA...&ATCLID=157594

[#1techfan]

If CUSA looks at North Texas they'll see a lot of positive athletic construction & improvements. Dirt is movin' and facilities are being built & upgraded NOW ! Our new 45,000 sq ft athletic center and three full size practice fields are complete. We get a weekly Wednesday update on the progress of facility construction & improvements. Here's today's update. Open the photo album & click on the pictures.

http://www.meangreensports.com/ViewA...&ATCLID=157594

Yeah that's cool. Improvements to a school's facilities are always good. My only question is, don't ya'll think that competition card might come into play at some point?

And with this comment I am not trying to take a stab at the SBC in any means. I'm just wondering what ya'll think.

[Overcusser]

But don't you think to get a serious look from CUSA that ya'll might need to be in a more competitive conference?

Unnn, in a word, NO

Being in the Sun Belt didnt stop CUSA from giving UNT a serious look last time. CUSA did contact UNT during the last go around. Ask PMG about the sports counsutatant named Chuck something? CUSA hired him for their expansion and what was one of the schools he contacted? You guess it UNT. What kept UNT from being invited wasn't our competition level in the Sun Belt, It was our lack of or inadequate facilities and the lack of a baseball team. Both of those shortcomings are being addressed right now.

I don't know how many ways I have to say it for #1TechFan to understand, but I'll try it another way. SunBelt Membership will not keep UNT from being considered for CUSA membership. You say we'd improve our stature by playing against better competition in the WAC. I don't think so. In order to pay for the athletic program and the outrageous travel budget of the WAC, UNT would have to schedule more body bag games just for the money they pay. So our 3-4 out of conference games would have to be against BCS jaugernauts on the road, and never get a home game in return. Just to pay the travel budget to a bunch of schools in the Mountain and Pacific time zones that local fans don't care about or have any connection with. So what kind of reputation do you build with that? Getting killed in body bag games and getting so beat up you don't fare well in conference games? And where do you get with the budget, you're spending all your money on operating exspenses. You've got nothing to put into capital improvements i.e. facilities. So where are you when the next conference comes looking at you? Not winning cause you getting killed in body bag games, no facilities cause you don't have the budget to build, but heck- let's let em in anyway because they were playing in the WAC? Yeah Right!

UNT has already seen this scenario play out with our Big West membership. We are just now finishing up on the contracts to play all those body bag games. Playing in the Sun Belt allows us some sanity in the budget, allows us to schedule regional rivialries for home & home OOC games, allows us to BUILD, which in the long run will help in recruiting, which translates into more wins.

We have to look to the future and the best way to improve our situation. We cant look at the past, or even the present. Conference strength is a very fluid thing. As I pointed out in a previous post, how a conferecne is viewed changes quickly. Look at the history of the WAC and CUSA. Last year the Belt passed the MAC in the Sagrin ratings Who knows where the Belt will go in the next few years. Especially if Troy and UNT continue to improve and win.

All I'm saying is we've tried the path you are on...It didn't work. Playing in the WAC (or Big West II) would mean having to sacrifice all of the things that are allowing us to build our program, build our fan base, build new facilities. It's just not worth it. In the long run we improve our chances at gaining membership to another conference by playing in the Belt.