WAC chatter

[StungAlum]

...They have absolutely no concept of reality and the potential peril their football program can potentially find itself in within the next year or so. It's an underfunded, underattended, underachieving program that is literally on its last leg. No other conference in the FBS wants them, however, every FCS team in the country wants to play them due to their absolutely crappy program that nearly loses every time they play an FCS opponent.

Off rant...

SJSU has not lost to an FCS school in the last 8 years (Yahoo only goes back until ’03 and I’m too lazy to check the NCAA stats website to go back even further)…but if by FCS you mean WAC teams who might be competitive in the FCS, then by all means you are correct sir.

SD, I said NEARLY LOSES! I never said they did, I was merely pointing out the fact that they win by the skin of their teeth.

Their last three seasons vs. FCS, all of which were close enough to call close or near losses:
2010 16-11 SUU
2009 19-9 Cal Poly
2008 13-10 UCFE

 

[The Green Hornet]

I don't think the WAC is too concerned about current or recent attendance figures of the team's they are considering. They most likely believe that those schools admitted will no doubt have significant attendance increases based on being in a better known conference and better known team's that they are playing/hosting. I'm certain Sac State would improve. When we hosted Oregon St for hoops at the Nest we had an overflow crowd of 1,600+.

For instance, although Denver has a 7,200 seat arena, their largest crowd last season was 3,300 (of the ten I checked) and they had seven games under 1,900 w/four of them under 1,200. Seattle U. does a lot better and they play at Key Arena, holds 17k. They drew 4,700 for Fresno and 4,600 for Harvard and usually pull in 3k.

Texas State averaged 1,600 for hoops in a 7,200 seat arena and almost 13k for football in a 16k stadium. UT-SA pulled in 1,550 for hoops w/a 4k seat arena.

 

[Green Laser]

...They have absolutely no concept of reality and the potential peril their football program can potentially find itself in within the next year or so. It's an underfunded, underattended, underachieving program that is literally on its last leg. No other conference in the FBS wants them, however, every FCS team in the country wants to play them due to their absolutely crappy program that nearly loses every time they play an FCS opponent.

Off rant...

SJSU has not lost to an FCS school in the last 8 years (Yahoo only goes back until ’03 and I’m too lazy to check the NCAA stats website to go back even further)…but if by FCS you mean WAC teams who might be competitive in the FCS, then by all means you are correct sir.

SD, I said NEARLY LOSES! I never said they did, I was merely pointing out the fact that they win by the skin of their teeth.

Their last three seasons vs. FCS, all of which were close enough to call close or near losses:
2010 16-11 SUU
2009 19-9 Cal Poly
2008 13-10 UCFE

We were supposed to play San Jose this year before they took the Alabama gig and we replaced them at Stanford. I was looking forward to playing them, I know we could have beaten San Jose this year for our first FBS football win! I hope that we can get them on the schedule in the future.

Correction: We already beat a Division ! Football Program; We beat UOP when we were still Division II (Sorry Super Hornet!)

 

[SactoHornetAlum]

We also beat Fullerton in 91 or 92. That was the last FBS win.

 

[HornetHope]

Apologies if this is repetitive, but I can't keep up with what has or hasn't been posted. I found the following interesting, and I have never heard of Lamar.

UPDATE: 10 schools interested in WAC:
Confirmed: UTSA, Texas St., Denver, Seattle
Multiple Sources: Montana & Lamar to give formal presentations. That would be 6 of the total 10 schools.


UTSA, Texas St, Denver & Others to Make Formal WAC Presentations on 9/28

http://news.collegesportsinfo.com/2010/09/utsa-texas-st-denver-others-to-make.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+collegesportsinfo+%28CollegeSportsInfo.com+News%29

My guess as to the other four possibly presenting:
Sac State- no need to explain. Been done to death on this board. I don’t think HorntFan84's comments from Wanless sounded like a definitive no, was more of a lets see.
Portland State-big market, facilities available
Montana State-long shot, but if Montana is doing it...
North Dakota- Nowhere else to go, nice facilities

I could see the WAC taking 6 schools. If they took Denver, Seattle, UTSA, Texas State, Sac and Portland it would be a 12 team conference with a 10 team football conference.

I read somewhere where WAC was pursuing MT because Benson saw the makings of the next Boise. I can see Lamar,PSU, UNC, and ourselves based on media market size. Do you honestly think that Benson is ignoring the 20th largest market (us), plus Portland, San Antonio, Seattle and Denver. These major markets are what increases the ESPN payout, and no matter how crappy you are as a football team, that ESPN thurs nite game and the $$$ for conference is talking to Benson.

 

[superhornet]

GL: No need to apologize. Actually, Sac beat the Black Knights of the Calaveras (AKA UOP Tigers) TWICE while one Angus McClure was on the Hornet O-Line. Needless to say, he NEVER let me forget it.

Of course, those two wins are the ONLY wins Sac has over UOP. Then again, that'll be true so long as the UOP administration keeps up this absurd anti-football stance. No record of winning is legit while it is incapable of being defended.

 

[Hammerhead Dad]

GL: No record of winning is legit while it is incapable of being defended.

SH, you really got me twisted up with that sentence. What the heck does that mean?

 

[Siouxfan]

Apologies if this is repetitive, but I can't keep up with what has or hasn't been posted. I found the following interesting, and I have never heard of Lamar.

UPDATE: 10 schools interested in WAC:
Confirmed: UTSA, Texas St., Denver, Seattle
Multiple Sources: Montana & Lamar to give formal presentations. That would be 6 of the total 10 schools.


UTSA, Texas St, Denver & Others to Make Formal WAC Presentations on 9/28

http://news.collegesportsinfo.com/2010/09/utsa-texas-st-denver-others-to-make.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+collegesportsinfo+%28CollegeSportsInfo.com+News%29

My guess as to the other four possibly presenting:
Sac State- no need to explain. Been done to death on this board. I don’t think HorntFan84's comments from Wanless sounded like a definitive no, was more of a lets see.
Portland State-big market, facilities available
Montana State-long shot, but if Montana is doing it...
North Dakota- Nowhere else to go, nice facilities

I could see the WAC taking 6 schools. If they took Denver, Seattle, UTSA, Texas State, Sac and Portland it would be a 12 team conference with a 10 team football conference.

I would really like to believe that North Dakota is one of the schools presenting, but there's no official indication whatsoever that we are. Rumor is that a total of $182 million in new gifts has been pledged to the school (academics, scholarships plus athletics) and football will be a recipient of a significant gift to be announced in two weeks. We'll see. If that is really the case, we really need partner with Montana and Idaho in a conference. Considering that we attract more fans for all sports (because of the 250,000 that pay to see hockey every year) than any other current WAC school except Hawaii, we would be less of a FBS financial risk than say Idaho or even Montana (and certainly Portland St.) It would also be great to have Denver as a rival in all sports.

Agree with almost everything else.

If Sac State and Portland St do get in the WAC, I think UND will then be invited to the Big Sky. If Montana gets invited to the WAC, UND probably isn't accepted into the Sky. With Montana's new President starting Oct 15th, it is now hard to say what Montana's view of FBS will be.

 

[superhornet]

GL: No record of winning is legit while it is incapable of being defended.

SH, you really got me twisted up with that sentence. What the heck does that mean?

UOP's record vs Sac is a zillion and something to 2. Sounds great, but absolutely worthless unless the program returns so it can be defended....

 

[StungAlum]

"Montana has not publicly stated a desire to move up to the Football Bowl Subdivision, but it’s reportedly considering such a move, along with Sacramento State and Portland State."

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/sports/50365412-77/state-wac-football-membership.html.csp

The above quote from the link to the news article indicates that there has been some talk, between whom, I don't know. The article is from today and it really doesnt give any more information than other recent articles, however, a quote from Benson in the article eludes to wanting to keep some stuff under wraps.

 

[SDHornet]

And that paragraph was followed with:

Meanwhile, Benson said attorneys from the WAC “have been in communication” with Fresno State and Nevada, regarding the lawsuit the WAC filed in its attempt to keep them from leaving for the Mountain West before 2012.

My speculation and opinion is Benson is trying to see if the settlement amount from Nevada and Fresno will be enough to hand over to whichever FCS schools want to move up to seal the deal and keep the WAC solvent. Nothing says welcome to the WAC than a check for a cool million and an invitation. The last thing Benson and the WAC needs is a long drawn out court case. Time is not a friend of the WAC.

 

[the Rat]

Campus visits next on WAC's agenda for UTSA and Texas State

The latest round came Tuesday at a hotel near Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, where UTSA athletic director Lynn Hickey and Texas State athletic director Larry Teis made short presentations to Benson and the WAC membership committee, comprising the league's six remaining athletic directors.

Benson said invitations could come at the end of any campus visits, provided there's enough support from the WAC's members. Benson said 75 percent approval is required to add new schools.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/campus_visits_next_on_wacs_agenda_for_utsa_and_texas_state_103949179.html


Big East considers adding TCU
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/college/football/big_east_has_interest_in_tcu_6GTZTxC9I2fssdAib7x6KK

Baseball is among sports cut by Cal

Cal's baseball team, founded in 1892, earned an NCAA regional berth last season. It has won two national titles and made five trips to the College World Series.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-cal-sports-20100929,0,6333830.story?track=rss

 

[Green Cookie Monster]

I can't believe Cal cut its baseball program. Wow.

 

[the Rat]

Invitation to join WAC likely for Montana

Montana athletic director Jim O'Day spent Tuesday in Dallas attending a meeting of the WAC presidents and athletic directors. He was careful to say UM has not yet been invited to join the Football Bowl Subdivision league, and that he was brought down more for a fact-finding mission.

O'Day said he watched four schools give presentations to league officials as basketball-only members: Texas-San Antonio, Texas State-San Marcos, Seattle University and the University of Denver.

http://missoulian.com/college/griz/article_3126e064-cb4d-11df-98cf-001cc4c002e0.html

 

[Green Cookie Monster]

Invitation to join WAC likely for Montana

Montana athletic director Jim O'Day spent Tuesday in Dallas attending a meeting of the WAC presidents and athletic directors. He was careful to say UM has not yet been invited to join the Football Bowl Subdivision league, and that he was brought down more for a fact-finding mission.

O'Day said he watched four schools give presentations to league officials as basketball-only members: Texas-San Antonio, Texas State-San Marcos, Seattle University and the University of Denver.

http://missoulian.com/college/griz/article_3126e064-cb4d-11df-98cf-001cc4c002e0.html

Why would UTSA and TXST be BBall members only? That doesnt make sense.

 

[SDHornet]

From the Rat's UTSA link:

Benson and the WAC membership committee will meet again today to mull Tuesday's presentations before flying home, but he continued to sound positive about both schools.
“The sense of the group is that both UTSA and Texas State have very comprehensive plans to move to (the NCAA's Football Bowl Subdivision),” he said.
“I think the WAC athletic directors were very impressed with the funding models, impressed with what's already built at Texas State, and what UTSA is planning to build.
“I don't think there's any question that both schools could be very successful at the FBS level, and that both would contribute to the WAC and our plan to rebuild and re-establish and solidify.”

75% (I’m assume it has to be at least 75%) approval of a 6 member conference is 5 schools. Also it sounds like UTSA is selling itself on what they COULD do…hhhhhmmmm

Regarding TCU, I’d be a little shocked if they went to the Big East. It just seems like that would generate a lot more travel for them…however it would mean a lot more TV and socialized conference revenue for them so financially it could make sense.

From the Rat’s Cal link:

Citing the economic downturn and decreased state funding, the University of California announced Tuesday that it will eliminate four varsity sports programs — including baseball — at the end of the 2011 academic year.

Men's and women's gymnastics and women's lacrosse also will be cut, and the men's rugby team will be reduced to a club sport.

The athletic department has been over budget by $10 million to $13 million for several years, prompting a year-long process that evaluated teams based on cost, student diversity, impact on donations and compliance with Title IX.

The cuts are expected to result in an annual savings of $4 million beginning in the next fiscal year.

Cal's baseball team, founded in 1892, earned an NCAA regional berth last season. It has won two national titles and made five trips to the College World Series.

The men's rugby team had won 25 national championships since 1980.

Pretty big move, specifically with baseball since I view it as a core Pac-10 sport. Another surprising fact is that all those cuts only save 4 million annually…I would have to think 4 million is chump change for Cal. What is the difference of being $10-$13M over budget versus $6-9M over budget (besides the obvious $4M for you smart asses out there). It’s also shocking that they are cutting some successful programs, that just goes to show that nothing aside from football and basketball is safe from the chopping block.

 

[superhornet]

Cal's looking at some lawsuits over this, I'm sure.

 

[the Rat]

More TCU news. If this were to happen, it would be a big blow to the MWC.

Report says TCU, Big East have met and discussed a move
http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/09/30/report-says-tcu-big-east-have-met-and-discussed-a-move/

 

[StungAlum]

More TCU news. If this were to happen, it would be a big blow to the MWC.

Report says TCU, Big East have met and discussed a move
http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/09/30/report-says-tcu-big-east-have-met-and-discussed-a-move/

The WAC would probably lose USU to the MWC then, I guess. Then that opens the door for another team in the WAC.

 

[SactoHornetAlum]

Hawai'i coaches prefer Big West over WAC:
http://www.staradvertiser.com/sports/sportsnews/20100930_UH_coaches_favor_Big_West.html

If UH is successful in moving their Olympic sports to the BWC, that would give them 10 schools and forget any dream about going to the Big West (which I don't think its a good idea).