To build or not to build? [UH Stadium and Player updates]

READ MY POST ABOUT FIVE REPLIES AGO, GENIUS.

 

I read it, and that is exactly what I'm referring to.

There's guys like that, who have ridiculously stupid ideas that are easy to ridicule, then there's us.

Talk to us, my man

 

Sigh. The reason Houston and Dallas didn't get a Big XII team is obvious. Houston and Dallas have many other sports options. Folks that go to colleges in Houston and Dallas typically go for convenience rather than school spirit.

As Donny pointed out, Houston has grown 5 fold since the 60's yet attendance has sharply declined.

Very telling, indeed.

 

This is kind of awesome. When the Dynamo started asking for a new stadium, a lot of people associated with UH took that as a slight on Robertson and said there was no need for a new stadium since Robertson was more than enough.

Now, Robertson should be demolished and a new 50K seater should be built there.

How many games has UH sold out in the past 10 years? Honest question. If it's not 80%, talk of a new stadium is premature. Look at Rutgers for an example of why one good season does not equal a permanent increase in fanbase and doesn't warrant a huge expansion or new stadium.

 

So what do you want to happen? UH is 4-0 and has a long way to go to even win a conference championship. To think that the world is yours because of wins over a mediocre Big XII team and a second tier Big XII team is getting a little bit ahead of yourself. To truly make a mark this season, UH has to be perfect. Even if UH is good enough, it takes a tremendous amount of luck. All it takes is a lineman rolling up your QBs knee, an ill-timed fumble or interception, and UH's season is finished. Think about it: Utah has won TWO BCS bowls and I haven't heard a single legitimate rumor of them joining a power conference. Houston hasn't even finished in the top twenty-five in 19 years.

If you think it's a good idea to renovate the stadium, that's great. The stadium is small and dilapidated. If the demand is there, do it. I think UH could become an upper tier Conference USA team with a little bit of luck. Maybe something like Boise State, but even that is a little hard because CUSA is a much better conference top-to-bottom than the WAC.

I'm trying to think of some sort of scenario where UH gets into an automatic qualifying conference under the BCS regime. I think it's more likely that the Big East is removed from being an ACQ in favor of the Mountain West and UH getting into the Mountain West. Now, I don't think that the Big East will be removed in favor of the Mountain West...but just that it's more likely than UH getting into the Big XII or SEC.

Another potential scenario would be some sort of new conference among the upper level non AQC conference schools. Take the top level WAC, MWC, and CUSA schools and make a new power conference that is eligible to become an AQC to the BCS. Here's a major problem with that plan: small TV markets. A primary reason the SWC folded was a relatively tiny share of the TV market compared to other conferences.

You need big money to become a big time football conference/program. A great TV deal is probably the biggest ingredient in making a powerful conference. UH and TCU unfortunately don't bring much to the table because their primary markets, while large, are dominated by fans of other Texas schools.

And to show how far UH has to go to dominate their conference, here is a comparison of conference records among the top tier CUSA schools since 2005 (including conf. championship games), the last year that major CUSA realignment occurred:

Tulsa: 25-10
UH: 24-9
ECU: 22-11
UCF: 21-13

I'd work harder on consistently outperforming Tulsa before I worried myself with joining the SEC or Big XII.

 

UH leads the series 24-9. How is that scoreboard?

 

This hasn't been just one year. The school's been steadily improving since Art Briles took over. And I never once said any of this was short term -- UH has to continue this level of improvement and play for 10-15 years for ANYTHING to happen.

No one in any position of power has said anything of or relating to UH realistically moving to the SEC or Big 12. Well, at least that I'm aware of.

But let's say UH does the nearly impossible and continues to win big games and is a fixture in the rankings for the next 10 years. Let's say the city shows up and continues to attend games. By that time, they'll be like Memphis basketball -- have they outgrown the conference? It's UH and everyone else? That's when schools start trying to move.
So let's say this piques interest. The Big 12 wouldn't want to compete with Houston for recruits in the city. But you don't think Arkansas, Alabama, LSU, and Ole Miss wouldn't want to play Houston every year? Those teams making tour stops in this city is a threat far worse to the Big 12 than simply Houston joining. So if you're the Big 12 commish in Irving, you've got a problem: Texas A&M-Arkansas gives an SEC presence in dallas. And if Houston joined? The lifeblood of the Big 12 -- both South and North -- is Texas football. They do NOT want to compete with big name SEC teams.

So, yes, IF Houston continues the positive direction their football team is going, and IF Houston can dominate C-USA for a long time, and IF the attendance picks up, Houston could possibly get into one of the two best conferences. And IF all that happened, the Big 12 would have a pretty good reason to bring them in. But that's a LOT of IFs, and UH could end up just being this year's East Carolina when all is said and done.

Anyone thinking it could happen in the next couple of years is kidding himself. This is a long, long, long process. It would also probably require UH joining another, better conference first (like Mountain West).

 

UH themselves might be due for aligning themselves somewhere, but not so much the conference. Conference USA just had realignment 4 years ago. Only half the original C-USA schools are still in C-USA, UH just happening to be one of those schools thats had to stay put.

But better late than never. I do agree with everything else, including the strike while the iron is hot approach. A bit risky, but if that sliver of opportunity thats never been open before suddenly presents itself, have to consider it. Or at least try to plan ahead and build on it. Even if the plans are too far fetched, it at least shows that the fanbase DOES want success in the program and isnt sitting around accepting mediocrity.

 

I knew about this. Like I said, the poor kid just isn't getting the Barbie Dreamhouse for X-Mas so stop crying to Santa.

 

This is correct. Gotta have that 1 private school. SMU, TCU, and Rice are all in major cities so Baylor got the nod over them in the first place.

 

I had no idea Jim Nantz went to UH.

 

UH doesn't need a new stadium because it regularly sells out Robertson

UH needs a new stadium because Robertson is a 1940's high school stadium that is not a competitive facility in freaking C-USA. There are high schools with better stadiums. The cost of renovating Robertson is about $10 million cheaper than building a new stadium. That's why UH is considering building new.

UH would not build a new 100,000 seat stadium...it would build a new 35,000-45,000 seat stadium with the ability to expand should there be demand in the future.

Anyone who thinks UH should wait to upgrade its facility is 1) a UH hater or 2) ignorant

 

DING DING DING

You win a prize.

 

Seems like a waste for a team that can't even fill the stadium they have. Doesn't UH have the 3rd highest enrollment in texas? In 2006, they were 85th in the nation in attendance with just 20,000 people per game.


I'll get behind UH joining the big 12 when people start to care about the program enough to go to Robertson. More people going to the game and more people watching the game at home makes the program stronger and more appetizing for a bigger conference.

I know there isn't much you guys can do but there has to be something diehard UH fans can do as a collective in the city. Good luck. It would be nice to see the city have a college team that really represents it.

 

Wow, now wasn't this prophetic. Hey Coogfan, I hope you jumped on the SEC's request to join while you had the chance!

bwaaaahahahahahaha.

COOG'D IT AGAIN

 

Now comes Fatty to declare that HE is the prophetic one.

 

A new stadium is still going to be built.

 

Prophetic? As in you betting the "over" on "games lost by houston: .5"?

That is supposed to be some giant shocker? Some amazing call? Like babe ruth pointing to the bleachers?

If that is the best you can do in terms of predicting stuff, I think you might want to check for employment with this chick.

 

Oh, and I'd like for everyone to take note of Texx's trollery.

He shows up to post when, and ONLY when...

1) UH loses

2) Rice wins

And is *NEVER TO BE FOUND* otherwise.

Its hard to be a coward on the internet, seeing as how you're not even in any real danger of getting your ass kicked, but somehow he manages to be one.