Sports

UH 'crazy' if it bolts Conference USA

Cougar Pause

Keenan Singleton

Iim not crazy about Conference USA. Iim not crazy about its lack of traditions and true rivalries (anyone going to catch the heated match-up between South Florida and Army on Sept. 27?). Nor am I crazy about its constant battle for respect from media outlets, both local and national.

Iim not crazy about its silly mascots. Half of them sound as if they belong in a special edition box of Lucky Charms cereal. Imagine Lucky the Leprechaun proclaiming to children nationwide: Kids, try me new flavors, Blue Demons, Green Waves, Golden Eagles and Black Knights! 

But the more I wade through the loony bin that is C-USA, the saner the loose confederation of schools becomes.

In its seven-year history, the conference has blossomed into a burgeoning force. Louisville was ranked in the top-20 at various times in both football and menis basketball last season. Marquette made the Final Four in 2003. It has five tie-ins to postseason bowl games.

The potential shake-ups in the Big East and the Atlantic Coast Conference will, in all likelihood, rob the conference of one of its strongest competitors, the Louisville Cardinals. Memphis and Cincinnati, two bastions of basketball may follow suit. 

"Right now, our best option is strengthening C-USA," UH Athletics director Dave Maggard said. "Thereis a lot of speculation about if Miami pulls the trigger. I think we would be looking at a number of options, maybe bringing in other schools. Having a strong football program would create more options for us. Thatis the big key for us."

Maggardis right. Look at the alternatives. 

Shifting to the weaker Western Athletic or Mountain West Conference? The same problems that UH faces in C-USA still exist: Exorbitant travel costs, weak rivalries and still no Bowl Championship Series inclusion. 

Becoming an independent? That only works for Notre Dame. 

Creating a laughable "Gulf Coast" Conference consisting of teams like North Texas, Louisiana Tech and the like?

Thatis Michael Jackson-Mike Tyson crazy.

UH can succeed and even thrive in C-USA. Winning college footballis national championship would not be possible under the current Bowl Championship structure, but UH has only had two winning seasons over the last decade, making it a moot point.

Itis an ugly face to confront, but look, UH stopped being a power player on the national college landscape around the time MC Hammer was still on the top of the world. Yep, itis been that long.

C-USA isnit perfect. And C-USA wonit give us an all-expense paid ticket to the Promised Land. We already were there, it was called the Southwest Conference. 

But C-USA is perfect for UHis current situation. Itis a situation that could get uglier before itis a makeover.

Sorry Ed, itis crazy, but true.

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