From brendanloy.com

The death of the WAC?

If the WAC dies should the MAC go after Texas State? If FAU's rival FIU leaves, could the MAC poach FAU from the Sun Belt? Could we take Western Kentucky for basketball? Could we become the first to 16?

We won't but that would be fun...games near Austin (San Marcos) and Miami Beach (Boca Raton).
Crazy Mascots (WKU's Big Red).
Being able to say we were the first to 16 ...in your face other conferences.
Helping kill the WAC and weaken the Sun Belt makes us stronger.
Recruiting pipelines in talent rich Texas and Florida.

The WAC was slated to play with 7 teams...but now it's looking like 5 again.

See the full list below

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2012 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament: Day 2 Recap | NBADraft.net

The first of which came from Buffalo’s Mitchell Watt, the 6’10" versatile 225 lb. forward who garnered rave reviews for his performance in their opening round loss. Adding to an already impressive resume at the P.I.T., Watt put on a memorable audition for the NBA crowd Thursday by diving for two loose balls in the early going, retreated in transition ‘D’ and thwarting what may have been a thunderous alley-oop by the opposition after a teammate committed a live ball TO, and converting a crab-dribble/spin into the lane half-hook over

In terms of Numbers Watt put up 14 points, and took down 7 Rebounds.

I was dubious about his chances at NBA camps but as time goes on Watt get's stronger and stronger. Were it no for his bought with Guillain Barre several years ago he could easily be on NBA draft boards.

2012 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament: Day 1 Recap | NBADraft.net
The guy I’m most intrigued about thus far is 6’10" Mitchell Watt (Buffalo). Going 5-11 from the field and finishing with a pedestrian 11 points (1-3 from deep), Watt buttered his bread on the defensive end tonight with 7 blocks. The stretch 4 is smooth in a number of areas. On the PNR, showed the ability to roll HARD, not just roll. Also, popped and drilled his lone three when given too much space by the defender. Lefty with a deliberate release – has a seductive shot-fake that gets guys in the air. Effort guy w/ outstanding timing when he gets off the floor (blocks and ‘O’ boards). Not a great athlete but not a below the rim type guy either. Listed at 225, the MAC Player of the Year may have to show his lower body strength in keeping defensive positioning down low before an NBA team will ink him. Would like to see him prove he can consistently stick 15’-20’ footers (32.4% from 3 this year). One to keep an eye on the rest of the tourney.

Against my better nature I am going to send some traffic scouts way, check this out..

Briefly skim this article and let me know if you notice whats missing..

Scout.com: MAC East Coaching Analysis & Hot Seat Status
Picture this. You’re a beleaguered athletic director with an opening at the top of the football organizational chart. Your checkbook is open, and your fan base is glaring at you with unwavering anticipation. Which of the SECs current head coaches would you put in charge of the program for the next five or so years? Knowing that your own job hangs in the balance, to which man would you entrust your future?

Yup apparently Buffalo was not worth mentioning and I can't fathom as to why?

No matter what platitudes were offered in public It was probably already pretty warm under Warde Manual. But a new Athletic Director owes no loyalty to a struggling coach and, from his perspective, does not need to feel bad about the "mistake" because he was not the guy who made it.

So if you're writing an article about MAC East Coaches on the hot seat who are you going to talk about? The only coach who might be in Quinn level dangers is Clawson in Bowling Green and at least he has goten the falcons to a Bowl game.

This, along with using a logo from more than a half decade ago, is why scout is awful

Its official...After months of secret meetings the alliance has formed via a non binding agreement that will bring together the 8 football playing members of the Mountain West plus 8 football playing members of CUSA in one supposedly glorious union.

What's talked about the most by the athletic directors of the new conference (alliance) is how this new conference is spanning 5 different timezones (for those unsure that is Hawaii, Pacific, Mountain, Central, Eastern) to maximize TV availability. The selling point is TV yet the new conference does not have any firm numbers from the networks. According to Tulane president Scott Cowen, there have been no discussions about what the market value would be at this point of the new TV deal only that they have a hunch it will be of more value than what the conferences by themselves were making before. One CUSA and MWC AD after another has proclaimed the alliance will have a greater per university TV distribution than previously.

The question of how much or how little this next TV deal is worth to the alliance is of very little concern in the larger picture. To understand the larger picture of the alliance first we have to assess what is the ultimate objective of this alliance; in a world where everything goes right what are they trying to achieve?

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The Bulls are riding an 8 game winning streak and are in prime position for the MAC tournament, but critics, myself included have seen an wildly inconsistent team. This will help them tonight against Kent State. Not that Kent State will underestimate them by any means, but Buffalo has not executed to their model play as of late. Kent State is probably confused to exactly how to attack Buffalo since no player has been exceptional as of late. Kent State has pretty solid perimeter defense, but Oldham does not necessarily have to score (per usual) he just has to continue to penetrate, and he will. Expect Filzen to have a big game today. Too much attention will be payed to McCrea & Watt will also have a solid game. Titus will be rather ineffective, but Barnett will have one of his better games of the year, due to the lack of attention payed to him. Still this game will be very close as Buffalo gets back to form and shows the type of team they really are. Buffalo should kill them on the boards, but if Kent crashes the boards this will hurt them as Buffalo is best in fastbreak defense. I have Buffalo by 6, Filzen is the player of the game. Critique away.

February 7th , 2012:
Headline: Memphis invited to the Big East
Temple Reaction: WhAT? We are TEMPLE, the Philadelphia Market is so important it should be double represented in the Big East. Who cares anyway the Big East needs us more than we need them, we were just trying to save them from being the C-USA… (that we said we wanted to join instead of the MAC, and of course now we may leave the MAC for the new weak C-USA, because why go to Cleveland (yuck) and Chicago (bleh) when we can go to Hattiesburg and El Paso)

February 5th 2012:
Headline: New York Giants World Champions
Temple Reaction: Are you kidding me, have you seen Bernard Pierce run? WE beat Maryland, yes the Maryland of a little football conference known as the ACC. We should be World Champs. Philadelphia, is way more important than New York City. #4 Media market that’s three more than #1!

November 1st, 2011:
Headline: Ohio Defeats Temple, Controls Destiny in MAC East:
Temple Reaction: Hosed in Ohio. The hick refs from the hick conference wanted to keep us down because we are the all mighty Philadelphia. The refs were paid by Villanova, as the Wildcats are jealous of our superior Philadelphianess.

November 4th, 2008:
Headline: Barrack Obama becomes first Black President of the United States.
Temple Reaction: He only won because hick polling officials in OHIO screwed us over, it should have been Temple ’08.

September 13th, 2008:
Headline: Willy’s last-second 35 yard touchdown pass carries Buffalo
Temple Reaction: That Hail Mary was created by the MAC to keep Temple down. See they wanted us to lose because we were going to win the MAC and leave to the Big East in a blaze of glory. But the MAC wants us here to use our precious Philadelphia market. Why do we even have to play 4 quarters against these sorry teams…we should give them a half at best…and at halftime we were winning 21-14…game over Temple wins.

July 4th, 1776
Headline: Continental Congress Signs Declaration of Independence
Temple Reaction: The biggest event in the history of the Colonies belongs in Philadelphia. But how did Temple not get an invite to the Congress? Saint Augustine's Church blocked us again no doubt. Does the Congress really think Britain will take them seriously without the TU and the Owl stamped on that paper? We bring in more football revenue than John Hancock. I’m just trying to help the Colonies…there is a war coming, and once it starts, if they think Temple is going to be around to help them they are wrong.

I have a unique perspective of which to speak from. I have been a fan of Penn State Football since I was 7 years old, and have seen my admiration for Joe Paterno grow through the last 30. Just like UB, I have no ties to Penn State either, I did not go to school at either place. My only ties to Penn State are my admiration for Joe Paterno and the fact that my Dads family hails from Clearfield, PA which is in the heart of Central Pennsylvania. It is because of my love for Penn State Football and my admiration of Joe Paterno, that I have a love for college football, and its that reason why I show my support for the University at Buffalo. As I sit here writing this, I can honestly say that I have two favorite teams in the world of college football. So as a UB fan, let me tell you what I know about Joe Paterno.

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As a red-blooded American, I love rivalries and trophies. Tonight's BCS Game has both, the "Saban Bowl," between LSU and Bama, and that beautiful large crystal ball trophy.

In my opinion, Buffalo needs more rivals, and more trophies. The addition of UMass to MAC football gives us an opportunity for both.

I have two potential ideas for "The Battle of Amherst"

Jeffrey Amherst Tebowing after a victorious battle. via upload.wikimedia.org

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The new MAC divisions and our 2012 opponents were Released Today, the East gets UMass, the West gets Bowling Green.

Home games: Temple, Kent State, Miami and Toledo.

Road games: Akron, Ohio, Bowling Green, UMass

Home Schedule:
Initial pessimistic reaction: Tough sell for the ticket office.

• In Miami and Temple, we host two teams that beat us by a combined 75-13 last year.
  
• Kent State always seems to get us with their "quarterbacks"... I don't think it is considered a rivalry game despite the proximity, but I will always hate Kent for beating us in the final game in '08...if it wasn't for that loss, I am sure we would have gone into Bowl season ranked in the top 25.

Initial optimistic reaction:

• The Toledo strategy of high octane offense and no defense, will prove to be the most entertaining game of the year, and we should steal a victory. Toledo has a new coach, and we have done well in shootouts at home. (see the 2011 Ohio and NIU games)

Away Schedule:

Initial optimistic reaction:

• After closing down the Rubber Bowl, we lost our first game at Infosicion. Akron has a new coach, with a lot of prestige, so we are lucky to face them in year 1, where the lack of talent will be too much to overcome. (We are equally lucky to get Akron at home in 2013 if Bowden somehow rights that ship.)
  
• UMass will be a great game for Northeast based alumni, and should be a victory.
  
• I love playing BGSU, where the weather is crazy, (2006, 2011) the turnovers are plenty (2010), and the games are nail-biters ('06, '08, '09, '10).
  

Initial pessimistic reaction:

• Peden stadium is a hard place to win when Ohio is playing well.

Anxiously waiting for March, where we get the release of the schedule.