From: boisseau@chpc.utexas.edu (John R. Boisseau (Jay))
Subject: Re: Hmmm  Texas to Big 10!!!
Keywords: n
Organization: The University of Texas System - CHPC
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 92 17:26:44 GMT

In article <1992Sep10.100731@mccall.com> scott@mccall.com (Scott D. Davis) writes:
>
>In article <1992Sep10.133031.5234@chpc.utexas.edu>, boisseau@chpc.utexas.edu (John R. Boisseau (Jay)) writes:
>>I really think Texas and A&M should join the SEC, giving it 2 7-team
>>divisions, or, perhaps even better, those two plsu Texas Tech and Houston
>>should join the Big 8, giving it 2 6-team divisions. Yeah, I like that!
>>The Southwest division would consist of UT, A&M, TT, UH, OU, and OSU;
>>the North division would consist of the others (Colorado, Nebraska,
>>KU, KState, etc.) Travel times would be reasonable, the Big 8 gets
>>to add Texas markets to it's viewing, the Texas schools get to 
>>play in a decent conference. Let me get DeLoss on the phone... I'll
>>post the results later! ;-)
>>
>Actually the Big8 and SWC have been talking about such moves(not
>exactly like you stated but similar).  I'm guessing this marriage
>is on hold, waiting to see how the Big10(11), BE, ACC and SEC do
>with their new lineups.  One problem with this line-up(Big8-SWC)
>is that either the Orange or Cotton Bowl loses with only one
>winner of the conference.  Or you could send the North division to
>the Orange and the South division to the Cotton to satisfy the

I don't think an "alliance" (as officials have been calling it)
is the answer, though. An alliance leaves ALL of the schools 
in it. I think that one of the problems with the SWC is that
sveral of the schools will _never_ be very good at football,
and have almmost always sucked at everything else (women's
sports at several are the worst, non-revenue men's sports
are usualluy poor, etc.). There are exceptions to be sure, but
not many. UT and A&M complained about this when they threatened
to leave the conference last year.

The only schools with real "potential" for developing good
all-around progams, both men's and women's, appear to be the 
big state schools: UT, A&M, TT, and UH. I include UH because,
even though it is largely a commuter school, it already fields
decent teams in most (i.e. non-football, non-basketball) sports,
and has shown the ability to field decent teams periodically
in the major sports as well. These schools also produce the
lion's share of the alumni, and thus would be sufficient to
capture the Texas TV market.

I believe that the sheer NUMBER of Texas Div-IA schools also hurts.
While Baylor, Rice, TCU, and SMU are not going to often outrecruit
UT or A&M, they do help to "divide" the talent at some level,
year-in and year-out. If those schools were Div IA, or at least
not in a major conference, that would help the other four. SMU
appears to be on the way (a loss to North Texas this week would
probably be the final nail in their coffin). I know this would
suck for Baylor, TCU, and Rice fans, but I'm more interested in
at least a FEW of the Texas schools moving forwards... and I think
that could only happen if the others drop behind.

Thus, and "alliance" probably wouldn't do the trick. I see a
merger of the "big" four SWC schools with the Big 8 as offering the
best hope... 

Jay Boisseau

P.S. I'm glad ther aren't too many Baylor, SMU, and TCU fans on the
net... I suspect the flames will largely come from the Rice fans.
hey, guys, I like your school, I' just looking out for the Texas
schools that have a chance to get better, OK?

-- 
----------------------------------
  John R. Boisseau ("Jay")        
  Department of Astronomy         
  University of Texas at Austin   
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.college