This is not another one of my complaining posts. This is a serious post regarding the future. C-USA began with some strong teams left out of the Big Boys Conferences. It tried to expand and soon those strong teams decided that it had instead diluted the conference, so they fled and formed the AAC finding a couple of other strong teams that had been dealt out during conference realignments. What they left behind was a gutted C-USA. So, C-USA going forward using whatever was left of their C-USA name and importance tried to remain relevant by adding some of the better teams from even weaker conferences than C-USA had been. With no perceived increase in strength, they went with numbers and started taking startups, adding UTSA ODU and perhaps the Florida schools would be part of this. Without looking it up I could be wrong about that part, but I think I am right in the spirit of things if not the fact. After a few years, I think I can say that Marshall is still a strong team relatively speaking as is Southern Miss. They would still be left behind by the AAC so that is kind of the dividing line. LA Tech is at the same level. UAB even after folding up their tent may be in the discussion at that level. FAU has shown that they aren't going to just hang around. They are committed to not only join the top of the pack, but they intend to move up and are spending the money to do it. North Texas and Western Kentucky are showing that they want to be in the top tier, although the money commitment may not be there. So now we see a second level, maybe. That is seven teams. Pick one more, one that shows a desire to be in the mix. There's Rice, but they are usually just not very good. Smart and respected academically, but not good. FIU maybe? UTSA has the city and is looking to move up. Or MT. Now look at location relative to travel. The core would be east of the Mississippi. Marshall, S Miss, FAU, UAB, WKU, LA Tech at the edge but they show they are worth it. That is six teams. North Texas is probably north enough and usually is decent football. Middle Tenn and FIU are right in the area. ODU is a startup and they could be dropped without a problem. Same with Charlotte. Rice is Houston weak as fuck and south, but Houston. SA is west too far, but San Antonio is big and UTSA acts like they want to do more than just hang around and be a punching bag. UTEP justs sucks is way out of the way, and shows no interest in being better at all. It seems to me that UTEP would be the first team ditched, again. Ditch UTEP and it is kind of easy to ditch UTSA just because it is west. SO, drop UTEP, UTSA, ODU, and Charlotte and see what a ten team league is left. Marshall, S Miss, FAU, UAB, LA TECH, N TX, Rice, FIU, WKU and MT. Have those teams lost anything of value by dropping UTEP, UTSA, ODU, and Charlotte? Have they gained anything? Football is king. Basketball talk is a distant second place. Would C-USA be a better conference or worse in the eyes of the rest of the country? Does it matter? Does it matter to those ten teams and does it matter to the rest of the country? Just something to talk about. Is anyone else in the conference wondering the same thing?
