ECUPirated
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RE: Tulane and SMU are the most valuable programs in this conference.
(08-17-2014 04:28 PM)Kruciff Wrote: Ok before all you ECU, UConn, Houston, Cincinnati et. al. pull an SNL Jim Belushi....
Hear me out.
I was thinking about this possible scenario today. Let's say that inclusion into the P5 comes to a legal battle. Naturally, we'd have to defend ourselves from criticism as to why we don't belong with the tOSU's, Florida's, Stanfords of the world. So we begin to match criteria.
On The Field Performance? - WVU annihilated Clemson in the Orange Bowl under the banner of this (for all intents and purposes) conference. Louisville won their Sugar Bowl, UCF beat the defending Sugar Bowl champs, beat the Big 12 champs and won the Fiesta Bowl against all odds. UConn AGAIN won the Mens AND Women's NCAA tournament, and they weren't even the favorites to win the conference. This is a no brainer. We can play the best we can be the best.
Academia? - UConn, SMU, Tulane, Navy, Tulsa are literally some of the best universities in the nation. A degree from there will open up doors no other university could. Easily equals of the Purdue's, the Duke's, the Vanderbilt's of the world.
Money? - Not that this should be a point of contention but really, it is. Again Tulane, SMU, Tulsa, Navy bring the dollar bills in more than one way, and all have shown the ability to invest in their on the field product.
Attendance? - Ok. No one in this conference is pushing 80-100k in the stands. But then again, who outside of the typical candidates do? If that is a requirement of P5 then Duke, Wake Forest, Stanford, Oregon, Washington, Purdue, and all the usual candidates are out. That's more an argument for an inclusion rather than exclusion.
My Point - Why are Tulane and SMU the most important members?
Pedigree - Some will point to our conference and say, "Oh who among you have the qualities of the Blue Bloods, where can you point and be proud of your history that can stand on the toes of THE [insert overly arrogant university here]"
Tulane has the same number of SEC championships as Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Missouri, South Carolina, aTm, and Vanderbilt COMBINED
SMU has won 11 Southwest Conference Championships in a conference that contained 7 other current P5 teams.
While we can all pound our chest and state that we deserve, I think, legally, with SMU and Tulane in our ranks, we can point to them as our "Ace in the Hole". With these universities amongst us, there is no argument the P5 can make that we can't match.
Someone tell me why i'm wrong.
I think the sum of the parts are more important than any individual school or schools.
Each school brings something to the table that create the conditions for the conference to stay at the top echelon of college athletics.
Connecticut, Memphis and Temple bring storied basketball programs.
UCF brings an up and coming football program that has transformed from an FCS school into a BCS champion almost overnight. It is also brings a massive student body and a large chunk of Florida (as well you know). The same could be said for USF.
Navy brings history.....................and the national spotlight.
Houston was also part of the old Southwest Conference for 24 years and has a lot of success. Who can forgot Clyde and Hakeem, Case Keenam, Andre Ware, etc.
Tulsa has struggled of late, but athletically was one of the most consistent programs in CUSA.
Cincinnati, like Tulsa, was one of the best (if not the best) well rounded programs in the OBE.
If we're talking which schools have the best chance or are the most deserving of a P5 invitation factoring a multitude of criteria, than SMU/Tulane could be right there at the top of the list for many reasons, but if we're talking which schools will help to make the American the best conference it can be, then the answer is "all the above".
(This post was last modified: 08-18-2014 07:59 AM by ECUPirated.)
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