I’ve never understood the obsession with either of these programs joining the PAC. They’re a world away, in every sense of the phrase.
What am I missing?
What am I missing?
Tulane and Memphis
- Thread starter LeachPack
- Start date
They’re decent academically, in decent sized markets, and aren’t in a P4 conference. I think that pretty much summarizes the draw…and I agree, that’s not enough.
Me too -back to back on the road at Tulane and Memphis would be an AMAZING week.
Memphis is a solid town. Beale Street is way more fun than the French Quarter - and I've spent a boatload of time in NOLA the last decade. Food isn't as good but the bars and music are more my jam.
Yeah think how close we are to having Vegas and New Orleans as potential road trips.
At this point you gotta take the wins where you can get em. I may not go to every home game but I’m gonna enjoy the shit out of these road trips.
Would be great to go back in time without saboteurs and morons in charge and to get SMU, Houston, SDSU, and maybe one other school from the Mountain West or elsewhere, and been on offense in an intelligent way after USC and UCLA bailed. That ship sailed and now these schools are the best of what are left. Decent brands, academics, and markets. That's about it.
There's a fundamental choice at play between staying regional (better for travel, potentially better natural rivalries, can be sold as more friendly to student-athletes, which it really would be, etc.) or going more national and getting some of the better brands. The latter is sexier in some regards but not by much since these schools don't bring a ton to the table and we lose the ability to pitch the Pac-12 in all of those former regards. Yes, being more national and having some other markets has some benefits, but there are costs. Then you also just have to account for the lack of other candidates out west, too. Slim pickings and difficult choices.
There's a fundamental choice at play between staying regional (better for travel, potentially better natural rivalries, can be sold as more friendly to student-athletes, which it really would be, etc.) or going more national and getting some of the better brands. The latter is sexier in some regards but not by much since these schools don't bring a ton to the table and we lose the ability to pitch the Pac-12 in all of those former regards. Yes, being more national and having some other markets has some benefits, but there are costs. Then you also just have to account for the lack of other candidates out west, too. Slim pickings and difficult choices.
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Tulane has decent history and they're in a good market. Memphis too. I don't mind them joining.
You are missing nothing IMHO. Too far away. That's strike 1 and 2 for me. Neither commands that many TV eyeballs, I believe their attendance is meh. They don't move the needle.
The best of what's left:
1. Memphis
2. Tulane
3. USF
4. UNLV
5. UTSA.
6. Airforce.
7. Texas St.
8. UNT
9. Rice.
10. Liberty
11. Army
12. Navy.
BEST is best described as a combination of best in 1. TV, 2. TV market. 3. How good their football, basketball athletic program is. 4. How much money they get, spend on athletics. 5. How traditional, well known they are. 6. Reputation. 7. Football, Basketball History: Do they come from D2, FCS, or from Mid Major, or lower P4, P5, Have they been P5 in past, etc, etc. 8. Academics. 9. Attendance 10. Tuition numbers. 11. Donors like Nike, etc. 12. Size of College. 13. Location, How big is college City, town, market. 14. How far away from conference.
All those factors, all combined together.
If go by all those things combined together. Memphis is clearly the BEST OF THE REST OF WHATS LEFT.
There is a reason why the Big 12, or ACC would offer Memphis a invite to the Big 12, ACC if the SEC, Big 10 were to raid the ACC, Big 12.
Right Behind or tied with Memphis, is BSU, but PAC 12 already has BSU. BSU would also be a target of Big 12, ACC is they raided by SEC, Big 10. Same for Tulane. Same for WSU, Ore St, already in PAC 12, same for SDSU, already in PAC 12. Same for USF. Same for ULNV.
After that, it really doesn't matter who you get as Airforce, Army, Navy, UTSA, Texas St, UNT, Liberty, James Madison, Rice, Toledo, etc, would probably never join Big 12, ACC, if Big 12, ACC raided by SEC, Big 10.
So Memphis is the BEST of the REST of WHAT'S left, and that's why Memphis should be target #1 for PAC 12, and only if they say NO again a 2nd time to PAC 12, should the PAC 12 goto Tulane, and then USF, and then UNLV, etc, etc, etc.
1. Memphis
2. Tulane
3. USF
4. UNLV
5. UTSA.
6. Airforce.
7. Texas St.
8. UNT
9. Rice.
10. Liberty
11. Army
12. Navy.
BEST is best described as a combination of best in 1. TV, 2. TV market. 3. How good their football, basketball athletic program is. 4. How much money they get, spend on athletics. 5. How traditional, well known they are. 6. Reputation. 7. Football, Basketball History: Do they come from D2, FCS, or from Mid Major, or lower P4, P5, Have they been P5 in past, etc, etc. 8. Academics. 9. Attendance 10. Tuition numbers. 11. Donors like Nike, etc. 12. Size of College. 13. Location, How big is college City, town, market. 14. How far away from conference.
All those factors, all combined together.
If go by all those things combined together. Memphis is clearly the BEST OF THE REST OF WHATS LEFT.
There is a reason why the Big 12, or ACC would offer Memphis a invite to the Big 12, ACC if the SEC, Big 10 were to raid the ACC, Big 12.
Right Behind or tied with Memphis, is BSU, but PAC 12 already has BSU. BSU would also be a target of Big 12, ACC is they raided by SEC, Big 10. Same for Tulane. Same for WSU, Ore St, already in PAC 12, same for SDSU, already in PAC 12. Same for USF. Same for ULNV.
After that, it really doesn't matter who you get as Airforce, Army, Navy, UTSA, Texas St, UNT, Liberty, James Madison, Rice, Toledo, etc, would probably never join Big 12, ACC, if Big 12, ACC raided by SEC, Big 10.
So Memphis is the BEST of the REST of WHAT'S left, and that's why Memphis should be target #1 for PAC 12, and only if they say NO again a 2nd time to PAC 12, should the PAC 12 goto Tulane, and then USF, and then UNLV, etc, etc, etc.
The draw of Memphis and Tulane, I believe, is that it pretty much cements the P12 as the 5th best conference which would a de facto playoff spot almost yearly.
I seem to remember early on in all this PAC breakup mess seeing some info about how being located in a market with a professional team had some big positives to the colleges that are also in such markets, so that may make those two schools a bit more attractive than they would otherwise be. Plus getting into a 3rd time zone would help.
