I don't know New Mexico but the fact that they have never been in a conference with NMSU (same with UU and USU) tells me they would be small minded and fight to keep the "compeition" out.

This is what I said on an earlier post: The problem is that nearby schools want to maintain a perceived edge over their neighbor in recruiting, media exposure, and frankly fear competition, and will fight to keep them out. That's why the lower tier conferences will never challenge the Big 10, SEC, ACC, etc. for supremacy. These major conferences were formed before the television age, and have a geographical advantage over the mid-major conferences. A big reason they initially got big is because the schools were close together and rivalries were allowed to develop. The mid-majors will not give themselves the chance to let this phenomenon evolve.

No decision this month by MWC:

http://www.idahostatesman.com/Sports/story.asp?ID=55953

Who is Air Force's travel partner?

Air Force - New Mexico

If there's a delay in this, I'd seriously start wondering if TCU is going.

Actually, at one time New Mexico and New Mexico State were both members of the Border Conference, which also included Arizona, Arizona State, Hardin-Simmons, Northern Arizona, Texas Tech, and Texas-El Paso. The departures of Texas Tech (Southwest) and New Mexico (Skyline) in the 1950s more or less signalled the death knell of the Border, which ceased to exist after the WAC was formed in the early 1960s. Also of note is the fact that before the WAC was formed, Utah State, Utah, and Brigham Young were all members of the same conference (Rocky Mountain/Skyline). New Mexico State and Utah State petitioned for WAC membership for forty years before finally being admitted.

Looks like TCU is coming.:

http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/colleges/tcu/stories/121603dnspotcu.3e6cb.html

I took the one-month delay as meaning that TCU was getting cold feet about making the move. TCU is probably the one who needs more time to think about it.

I really don't understand why the Mountain West wouldn't prefer Fresno State, who probably outdraws most MWC teams, and Boise State, whose program is really supported by their fans and has had a meteoric rise to prominence (#16 last time I checked).

They should know that they can hope for permanent changes only if they locate in a place that makes geographic sense.

If you're going to make a move, you do something that has a chance to last.

After all this time, however, I don't think Thompson would have identified TCU if he didn't believe they were in agreement.

Here is the full article:

Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson on Monday singled out TCU publicly for the first time as a candidate for expansion, and he reaffirmed his league probably will add one or two new members from a group of five or six possible schools.

All eight athletic directors of the Mountain West will meet in person Wednesday, and while expansion will be discussed, Thompson said he doesn't expect any decisions to be made. Thompson said the Mountain West hopes to decide by mid- to late-January whether to expand. Hawaii and Boise State reportedly are among candidates.

I lived in New Mexico as a "transplant" for a while, and you are right.

Quite obviously, football is not as big of a deal as it is here in the Old South. There is support, but less of it than I was used to in Mississippi and Louisiana. The University of New Mexico would definately be against being in the same conference on an equal footing with the Aggies, especially for recruiting purposes. As it is now, UNM is seen as the main university and college sports program in the state. It is not like things back East where there may be plenty of support and recruits to go around in even a small state like Mississippi. Even then, MSU and Ole Miss would never stand for USM in the SEC. So, you can begin to realize how even less willing UNM is to allow New Mexico State to be carved as high as they are on the Western college sports totem pole. They may at times play some of the same types of teams in OOC games, but there is no question that being in the MWC and largest city makes UNM the top dog...uh...Lobo...in the state.

From Deseret News. Sounds like Thompson wants a least one more, but is in no hurry. Also, it sounds like he is spending more energy trying to open up the BCS to non-members than trying to secure the sixth spot. Perhaps that is the main reason for the delay.
http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,575037339,00.html

Obviously the MWC would be more attractive to TCU if it's in the BCS mix - and CUSA is not.

...no hurry while the conferences that may be impacted sweat it out.

He was a lousy Sun Belt commissioner and the only thing that has probably changed is the schools he has to work with. He's also an outspoken advocate about purging the 1-A ranks, which of course affects his former constituents. I don't know anyone who thinks he did a good job while here.

The Sun Belt went through a period of decline during Thompson's tenure and no move was made toward football until Wright Waters came aboard and got this conference off of Top Dead Center.

San Diego State is so isolated. I'd hate to be a fan and not have one school anywhere near me. That's my logic for TCU not going to the MWC. I can't think off hand is Fresno is closer or farther from UNLV. San Diego has the population and the stadium, but how well do they draw?