WT's Athletic Director Taking Position at Stephen F. Austin

[Techster88]

The WAC is a decent conference but quit making them sound like the SEC.

I missed the part where California Baptist, Utah Tech, Southern Utah, Seattle, and UTRGV have ever done anything?

Grand Canyon is carrying that conference and everyone else is riding their coattails.

That all will end when Grand Canyon joins the West Coast Conference and every team left is average.

Texas A&M Corpus Christi also beat UTEP on the road so UTEP isnt that great of an example.

The Southland isnt that great but they have the potential to be if they dump the rest of the Louisiana schools that are dragging them down and add the top LSC tier.

McNeese beat Michigan on the road in basketball, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and UTRGV beat Texas on the road in baseball.

McNeese will bolt for the Sun Belt when the Southland quits kissing their arse and realizes the value of poaching LSC schools,

My point is every WAC and Southland team are going to have access to the same athletes and be able to have those same type of victories.

If the new Southland has most of their conference games played in Texas then to me that is a no brainer move for any LSC team.

That being said we can all agree that playing Sul Ross and other equal future schools isnt going to get anyone really excited.

No offense Islander I live near Lamar and I can say without any hesitation the SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE IS BY FAR THE WORST D1 CONFERENCE. Not even close.

Lamar couldn't draw flies at a landfill for their sports.

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

No offense Islander I live near Lamar and I can say without any hesitation the SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE IS BY FAR THE WORST D1 CONFERENCE. Not even close.

Lamar couldn't draw flies at a landfill for their sports.

None taken we live in the same region but I will bet you all the titles to my car, mortgage, retirement, etc. that the SWAC is the worst conference in D1 and that isn't even close.

I cant remember the last time they have had a team make it to the 3rd round in any sport during the NCAA playoffs.

Look I am not saying the Southland is the FCS version of the MIAA but this notion that the WAC is tough top to bottom is simply not true.

Grand Canyon is literally #1 and #2 in almost every sport except maybe for men's soccer.

Every one else in that conference is battling to say above mediocre the same way the Southland teams are.

From WT's standpoint they could compete for multiple NCAA playoff berths right away in the Southland without a transition period not have to travel very far for most road games.

[Brandon]

the WAC is a nationally recognized brand

No.

[Herb Street]

Some of you are overly enamored with being Division 1. Every now and then I glance at one of these games on ESPN+. Empty stadiums and gyms. I saw a McNeese State volleyball game and their gym looked like a middle school secondary gym. Everyone thinks you move to Division 1 and suddenly your stadium has 60,000 in it. Nope. Most are empty. I was in Abilene once a few years ago and Western NM was playing there so I thought I would go check it out. Might have been 3000 people there on a nice fall evening. There was nothing Division 1 about any of it.

[UISguy23]

Some d1 schools don't put enough effort to having nice arenas or successful programs

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

Some of you are overly enamored with being Division 1. Every now and then I glance at one of these games on ESPN+. Empty stadiums and gyms. I saw a McNeese State volleyball game and their gym looked like a middle school secondary gym. Everyone thinks you move to Division 1 and suddenly your stadium has 60,000 in it. Nope. Most are empty. I was in Abilene once a few years ago and Western NM was playing there so I thought I would go check it out. Might have been 3000 people there on a nice fall evening. There was nothing Division 1 about any of it.

We are not that daft.

WT would have the Amarillo/Canyon support to have high attendance especially for basketball and volleyball games since they are a D2 power house in both.

The WT gym was really loud in their regional final basketball game with Mesa.

A lot of people also like to cherry pick mid week games where attendance wont be high due to work and school.

Key is get rid of Wendler and get some people in there that care about sports.

If WT could consistently fill the old stadium with 10K plus during their prime they sure as heck could sell out that new smaller stadium with a better product on the field.

How many D2 programs back in the day had their own news stations following them around televising road games?

[Techster88]

None taken we live in the same region but I will bet you all the titles to my car, mortgage, retirement, etc. that the SWAC is the worst conference in D1 and that isn't even close.

I cant remember the last time they have had a team make it to the 3rd round in any sport during the NCAA playoffs.

Look I am not saying the Southland is the FCS version of the MIAA but this notion that the WAC is tough top to bottom is simply not true.

Grand Canyon is literally #1 and #2 in almost every sport except maybe for men's soccer.

Every one else in that conference is battling to say above mediocre the same way the Southland teams are.

From WT's standpoint they could compete for multiple NCAA playoff berths right away in the Southland without a transition period not have to travel very far for most road games.

I agree with the SWAC comment. I usually consider them in a different league because they tend to keep to themselves.

I'm a football guy and I see the UAC more challenging than the SLC year end and year out. The other sports the only thing I have to go on our power rankings and what SLC members say about themselves.

SLC from my experience are bottom feeders. I've been to several SLC sports venues including Corpus not impressed. SHSU is a microcosm of the whole conference. There is no interest. GOING FBS has did nothing to spark fan interest for them.

I would prefer the WAC where at least a TSU ACU game would have fans and a game atmosphere.

Lamar MCNeese game has become a joke. I'd rather watch HS Nederland PNG packed stadium with less talent

[Techster88]

Some of you are overly enamored with being Division 1. Every now and then I glance at one of these games on ESPN+. Empty stadiums and gyms. I saw a McNeese State volleyball game and their gym looked like a middle school secondary gym. Everyone thinks you move to Division 1 and suddenly your stadium has 60,000 in it. Nope. Most are empty. I was in Abilene once a few years ago and Western NM was playing there so I thought I would go check it out. Might have been 3000 people there on a nice fall evening. There was nothing Division 1 about any of it.

Go to a McNeese football game and either park in a muddy field and get stuck or park on the street with no lights and dodge traffic. Frogger experience

[Brandon]

A lot of people also like to cherry pick mid week games where attendance wont be high due to work and school.

Yeah, it's really sad when Duke or Kansas can't fill the gym on a week night.

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

I agree with the SWAC comment. I usually consider them in a different league because they tend to keep to themselves.

I'm a football guy and I see the UAC more challenging than the SLC year end and year out. The other sports the only thing I have to go on our power rankings and what SLC members say about themselves.

SLC from my experience are bottom feeders. I've been to several SLC sports venues including Corpus not impressed. SHSU is a microcosm of the whole conference. There is no interest. GOING FBS has did nothing to spark fan interest for them.

I would prefer the WAC where at least a TSU ACU game would have fans and a game atmosphere.

Lamar MCNeese game has become a joke. I'd rather watch HS Nederland PNG packed stadium with less talent

Every Conference will have their turd examples.

Ive been to McNeese and I know Corpus needs to upgrade their facilities.

Corpus is probably the team that needs to go to the WAC since they are not going to sponsor football anytime soon.

The message that is getting lost is the WAC is trying to become a FBS conference with the ASUN.

There is no place for any existing and incoming teams in WAC/ASUN in FBS....None,,,,,

Southland offers the FCS and other D1 sports.

[MooseLodge]

Every Conference will have their turd examples.

Ive been to McNeese and I know Corpus needs to upgrade their facilities.

Corpus is probably the team that needs to go to the WAC since they are not going to sponsor football anytime soon.

The message that is getting lost is the WAC is trying to become a FBS conference with the ASUN.

There is no place for any existing and incoming teams in WAC/ASUN in FBS....None,,,,,

Southland offers the FCS and other D1 sports.

Yeah I just don't see WT trudging to Louisiana and east Texas for a bulk of their games. There are some real crumbs in the LSC, but I don't know that there's any more fan interest in Nickels State or McNeese than Sul Ross or Kingsville. How many people in the Texas panhandle have ever even been to Louisiana?

[Techster88]

Yeah I just don't see WT trudging to Louisiana and east Texas for a bulk of their games. There are some real crumbs in the LSC, but I don't know that there's any more fan interest in Nickels State or McNeese than Sul Ross or Kingsville. How many people in the Texas panhandle have ever even been to Louisiana?

I agree none there. But, if the UAC stays FCS there is some real competition there. Might even get some sponsors from Amarillo to invest, The talent on the field would definitely have to be upgraded as well. Food for thought.

[Herb Street]

I agree none there. But, if the UAC stays FCS there is some real competition there. Might even get some sponsors from Amarillo to invest, The talent on the field would definitely have to be upgraded as well. Food for thought.

The investors would need to be thousands of Joe Sixpack supporters who are buying season tickets every year. I don't see any white knight company spending $ millions a year for WT to ball. For FCS and low D1 to even be viable, you need to have a budget of $16-18 million. Outside money needs to pay half of that, and consistently do so. The problem is, you can't budget for Joe Sixpack, because when he gets mad because you fired his coach, he quits giving. WT has more former supporters than active supporters, because their panties got in a wad a generation ago (or two, or three) and their $1000 annual check is conditional.

Real D1 programs have solid support regardless. Nebraska has been wandering in the desert for almost 20 years now, yet the faithful keep packing the stadium and giving the money. That's what it takes. I don't think WT has enough fans with balls enough to support the program through thick and thin.

[Techster88]

The investors would need to be thousands of Joe Sixpack supporters who are buying season tickets every year. I don't see any white knight company spending $ millions a year for WT to ball. For FCS and low D1 to even be viable, you need to have a budget of $16-18 million. Outside money needs to pay half of that, and consistently do so. The problem is, you can't budget for Joe Sixpack, because when he gets mad because you fired his coach, he quits giving. WT has more former supporters than active supporters, because their panties got in a wad a generation ago (or two, or three) and their $1000 annual check is conditional.

Real D1 programs have solid support regardless. Nebraska has been wandering in the desert for almost 20 years now, yet the faithful keep packing the stadium and giving the money. That's what it takes. I don't think WT has enough fans with balls enough to support the program through thick and thin.

I agree with your thought process. What you are missing is that Amarillo residents have little to no interest in watching WT Football in the current format. Sometimes, when things aren't working and apparently things aren't working that well at the present, you need to try a different combination.

Locals that want the football you are talking about will drive to Lubbock. As bad as Tech and Nebraska have been for quite a while they still seem to get fan support. But, most won't make that journey. There is an opportunity for WT to fill a void but someone will have to step up.

I do believe it would generate more excitement than winning the LSC going two rounds in the playoffs. WT current situation is like stale bread so to speak.

In college athletics today its either stagnation or growth. Pick your poison.

[EastStroud13]

None taken we live in the same region but I will bet you all the titles to my car, mortgage, retirement, etc. that the SWAC is the worst conference in D1 and that isn't even close.

Don't underestimate the NEC these days. That conference is a D2 conference masquerading as a D1 conference.