(04-22-2011 11:14 AM)OwlFamily Wrote:  Found this on the LaTech board while getting my entertainment for the day.

I wouldnt of put any thought to EXCEPT that it came from Dwayne From Minden, who seems to be one of the more "connected" and knoledgeable posters over there.

http://www.latechbbb.com/forum/showthread.php?t=88567

Dwayne From Minden
Administrator & 2006 Men's Progressive Bracket Champion

Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: The Southwest Side of Beautiful Lake Claiborne
Posts: 20,324
Re: UMass to Join MAC

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Heard an odd rumor that Temple is the football school Wright Waters is courting - NOT the red aggies from NMST....
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Temple to the Sun Belt for football only isn't as unrealistic as many are making it out to be. Temple wants more exposure in the South, and they deliver a sizeable market that other rumored candidates--La Tech, New Mexico State, etc--cannot deliver.

The Mid-American Conference's move on UMass has more to do with stability (see the WAC's example) than it does trying to appease Temple. The Big East will eventually bring in Villanova football. UMass is trying to posture themselves for a Big East invite, and Temple could eventually find themselves back in the Big East.

(04-23-2011 12:14 AM)fishpro12345 Wrote:  ...Temple to Sun Belt is so unlikely that 'never' would be the best word to describe it.

Way out of footprint that Temple wants to be in. Temple to C-USA possible, because that is the 'Jump up to BCS' league in this part of the country, and that is Temple's aspiration. Whether they achieve it is another matter.

Go Owls (Temple, that is)!

...I think just the idea of the Sun Belt going so far out of its footprint to add Temple is ridiculous. I agree that 'NEVER' is the best description. Its something that only could be hatched by delusional latech people desperate to deny that their admin might be considering eating a whole lot of crow and inquiring about Sun Belt membership.

I would say it is fitting as well, but who knows what happens in 5 or 10 years? But yeah, La Tech is more likely than Temple. Either way, I don't think either school adds a ton of prestige to the conference. They help some but it's not like we have to have either team to get where we are going.

(04-22-2011 11:42 AM)OwlFamily Wrote:  Also where did this "football only" thing come in? The Miami Herald article did not mention that at all. Just siad we are discussing a new member.

No one has said anything about football only. BUT if there were any SHRED of truth to the Temple rumor logically it would almost have to be football only.

#1 Temple is in the A10 in basketball. One of the better non BCS conferences in basketball. It is unlikely that they would ever switch thier basketball to the much weaker Sunbelt because they wouldn't do it for the MAC. This has caused tension between Temple and the MAC because the MAC has had uneven divisions and scheduling and was hoping that Temple would bring all sports (Temple is historically a top 40 basketball program). There was talk on the MAC board a while back of giving Temple an ultimatum to join all sports or leave. If the Sunbelt was the only (non Big East) conference that would grant them football only status then it is plausible that Temple would consider the Sunbelt so that they could keep thier basketball in the A10.

#2 Because of UALR there is some benefit to the Sunbelt adding a football only school. If there were another program worth adding for 12, then adding a football only school gets us to 12 and 12.

So to sum up... if the rumor is stating that Temple is coming all sports... then I call BS. If the rumor is stating that Temple is looking for a football only conference, the Sunbelt is looking for a football only team and that the two have talked... then I call plausible.

Temple is doing a lot better in football and in basketball they are AWESOME!!

People, please understand.....Dwayne was making a joke.

There's nothing to investigate, and there's nothing to get excited about.