Pac-10 expansion could sting MWC

Comparing the Mountain West Conference to the Pac-10 might be grounds for an insanity defense, but there is one area in which they are similar.

Both leagues have taken conservative approaches to expansion. The Mountain West has added only Texas Christian since forming in 1999, and the Pac-10 hasn't expanded since letting in Arizona and Arizona State in 1978.

But could that change? With longtime Pac-10 commissioner Tom Hansen retiring next year, there is speculation his unnamed successor won't be quite as shy concerning expansion. Adding two members would allow the Pac-10 to stage a lucrative football championship game.

It could look to the Mountain West for those new members. Greg Welch, writing for Bleacher Report and FOXSports.com, called Brigham Young and Utah the most promising candidates for Pac-10 expansion, which would devastate the MWC.

"Finally, any pair of schools invited into the Pac-10 probably should continue the pattern of sets of geographic and reciprocal rivals," Welch wrote. "Of the Western schools, only BYU/Utah and UNLV/UNR can do this.

"After all the numbers, it should be pretty obvious that BYU and Utah bring significantly more to the table than the Nevada schools."

Besides being Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson's biggest nightmare, he suddenly wouldn't be so dismissive about inviting Boise State, UNR or Hawaii.

• MORE BIG D MISERY -- Some claim Chicago is the new Boston, an angst-ridden sports city. But that stigma only applies to the Cubs. The White Sox, Bulls and Bears have won championships in the past 22 years, so the true new Boston is Dallas.

Its latest major postseason disappointment came courtesy of the Arena Football League's Desperados, who for the third year in a row followed an outstanding regular season with an early playoff departure.

Fortunately for the Desperados, few citizens of the Metroplex notice. They are too busy licking their wounds over playoff pratfalls by the Cowboys, Mavericks and Stars. And of course, the Texas Rangers have no idea what playing in the postseason is like.

As for the Desperados, owner Jerry Jones -- yes, that Jerry Jones -- told the Fort Worth (Texas) Star-Telegram, "We've got to go back and look at what it is and how we approach the playoffs."

He might want to undertake the same process regarding his Cowboys.

• THE BABE RETURNS -- The Fabulous Sports Babe, the first woman to host a national sports-talk show, is back on the air, this time in Tampa, Fla., still hanging up on callers and telling others they need to know their facts.

Nanci Donnellan left ESPN 10 years ago after being diagnosed with breast cancer, and she's disappointed that another female didn't follow her lead into the national sports-talk scene.

"I've been away how long?" she told the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel. "Still, nobody."

COMPILED BY MARK ANDERSON REVIEW-JOURNAL