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Sidelines Kalani Simpson |
WAC considers new
members, old problemsSO, here I have the list of the new contenders for Western Athletic Conference membership.
New Mexico State. Utah State. North Texas. Louisiana-Monroe. Louisiana-Lafayette. Idaho. Arkansas State.
No, wait. Wrong list. This must be the field for this year's Rainbow Classic.
(Ba da boom!)
Nah, nah, nah. I apologize. It was just too easy. Please forgive me.
That IS the list of possible replacements after SMU, Rice and Tulsa bailed out.
Oh, and after commish Karl Benson thought about it, he said, "Middle Tennessee would have to end up in the pool as well."
Now that would make a splash.
(Rim shot!)
But take heart, WAC fans. Here is where you're finally the bully. You can kick sand in someone else's face.
The ACC eats the Big East. The Big East raids Conference USA. Conference USA steals from the WAC.
Now, prepare to quake in your boots, Sun Belt Conference!
Prepare to be plundered by the almighty WAC!
Maybe.
Not so fast.
"It all depends on if our schools are running to the WAC," Sun Belt commissioner Wright Waters told the Associated Press. "If our schools are happy where they're at it says somebody else is at the end of the domino."
(Ba dum pum pum!)
Ho ho. Actually, Benson said he's been in contact with Waters for weeks now, so there won't be any surprises and the two conferences will be sensitive about any membership changes. A deft geographic move or two may benefit both of them, Benson said.
Speaking of which, the WAC still has Hawaii on one end. On the other, Benson reiterated in a teleconference for reporters, the conference board is fully committed to Louisiana Tech.
Any additions will share the same boundaries that made SMU, Rice and Tulsa run for the border. Did you hear those Louisiana schools? Arkansas State? The WAC would be just as far-flung, but with Sun Belt alums.
Which prompted a Texas writer to ask, aren't you just setting up the same situation all over again?
(Bo dump chah!)
Benson said, "I don't disagree that the course of the last four or five years that our geography has been a factor in terms of us trying to either fix it or in the case of SMU, Rice, Tulsa, to try and get out from under the geography. But there have been other leagues that have experienced geography problems for a lot longer years than we have and have been successful.
"So geography is a detriment," Benson said. "It's a disadvantage but certainly isn't a final determinator as to whether a league is or can be successful."
That's true (and good for the WAC, for sticking with Tech).
And credit to Benson, for doing everything he can to keep this crazy boat afloat.
But this is twice now. And now we're talking about Middle Tennessee State.
And wait, there's no rimshot. That wasn't a joke.
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
Kalani Simpson can be reached at ksimpson@starbulletin.com
