Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 22, 1991 TAG: 9103220103
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Three sources close to the league said Thursday that the Metro has set today as the deadline for Tulane to declare whether it will make a five-year financial commitment to the Metro or continue to hold out in hopes it will be invited to join the Southwest Conference.
In February, Virginia Tech's decision to forgo Atlantic 10 membership and stick with the Metro allowed the league to convince Sun Belt Conference members UNC Charlotte and South Florida to join. That move hasn't been announced officially, however, because the league still is waiting on Tulane's decision.
"This is just another stumbling block we've run into with them," said Metro commissioner Ralph McFillen, who confirmed that he expects to hear from Tulane sometime today. "They probably felt they were entitled to look around like some other people have. They wanted the opportunity to do that, and they have."
Virginia Tech, Louisville, Southern Mississippi, UNC Charlotte and South Florida have agreed to pay a $500,000 penalty if they leave the league during the next five years.
"I'm told that five of the schools have submitted all the paperwork that needs to be submitted," South Florida athletic director Paul Griffin said.
But several league sources said Tulane's administration is trying to decide whether the Southwest Conference option is serious enough to turn Tulane, a charter member of the 16-year-old Metro, away from the Metro. A Metro source said Tulane has not received an official invitation from the SWC.
One league source said the SWC may have warmed to the idea of including Tulane's independent football program, a change from previous talks between the two parties that may have caught Tulane's attention.
McFillen said he believes the SWC is not interested in Tulane's football program and said he has tried to convince Tulane that the Metro is a better basketball league than the SWC. Without Arkansas, SWC members are Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Christian, Houston, Texas Tech, Rice, Baylor and Southern Methodist.
Tulane President Eamon Kelly and athletic director Tom Peters were in meetings Thursday and did not return phone calls. SWC commissioner Fred Jacoby could not be reached for comment.
The SWC has lost Arkansas to the Southeastern Conference but reportedly has been passive on expansion moves.
Virginia Tech athletic director Dave Braine is attending his mother's funeral in Pennsylvania this weekend and was unavailable for comment. Thus, how Tech would react to Tulane's possible departure is not known.
McFillen said that even if Tulane left the Metro, the league could save its automatic bid by adding at least one school to remain a six-team league. It still would have to forfeit its automatic bid for 1991-92 but would regain it the following year, McFillen said, because it would meet the NCAA requirement of at least three teams - Tech, Louisville and Southern Mississippi - having been in the league for at least five years.
One league source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Metro has a contingency plan if Tulane leaves, but would not divulge details. Virginia Commonwealth and South Alabama, the source said, have lobbied the Metro to invite them.
"The general feeling has always been just to get to six," McFillen said. "This may alter the thinking on that."
Sportswriter Jack Bogaczyk contributed information for this story.
by CNB