It's officially Autumn, and that means the start of the college basketball season is just around the corner. But there always seems to be a lull just before the season starts. Fans are getting restless, and are indulging in random college basketball trivia or fantasy to bide their time until tip-off. That may explain why some people responded to my last column about what could have been with the now-defunct Metro Conference, with what they think the "Ultimate Conference" should be. As always, I am happy to oblige.

Here are the five factors I would look at when deciding what teams should be a part of any great super-conference:

History. Tradition. History. Excellence. Argue with any rabid college hoops fan about their school and these three things will undoubtedly come up. They are more than anything what makes a college program great, and are often the single biggest selling points to potential recruits. Teams that are rich in history, with memorable players, coaches and games are the driving force behind any great conference.

Rivalries. Rivalries make sports in America what it is today. Nowhere is that more true than on the college level. College basketball fans are known for their passion and energy, and when a hated rival comes to town, well, there's just nothing else like it. Conferences without rivalries, long-standing rivalries that in some instances pre-date the conference itself, is a conference that simply will not last.

Fans. Every school has loyal fans. I'm talking about fanatics. People who sleep on sidewalks for days hoping to get tickets. Fans who travel to opposing areans in such numbers that home games have the feel of a neutral site. They are the ones who pony up big bucks for season tickets and drive up the television ratings. They are the heart and soul of college basketball, and the lifeblood of any great conference.

The Arena. Going to a college basketball game is always fun, but going to certain arenas is an experience in and of itself. These are gyms that are named after coaches, not banks or cell phones. They lie in the heart of campus, instead of downtown. The fans are so close to the court the refs CAN actually hear them, and the opposing team is lucky to make a foul shot or call a play in the midst of the thundering crowd. These are the basketball courts that make the college game so special, and it goes without saying that teams that are fortunate enough to call these places home should be considered.

Coaches. The Basketball Hall of Fame has enshrined six college coaches who are still on the bench today: Mike Krzyzewski, Bob Knight, Lute Olson, Jim Calhoun, Jim Boeheim, and John Chaney. There certainly will be many more in the years to come. Players come and go, but the coaches are the face and character of any basketball program, and their conference.

Some would say I should take into account geography as well. However, in an age when conference battles mean South Florida playing Marquette (1300 miles), Miami traveling to Boston College (1500 miles), or Arizona playing Washington (1600 miles), whats another 1000 miles? The days when teams traveled in a beat-up school bus with their banner draped over the side are long gone. Now it's private jets with leather seats and headphones. I somehow doubt an extra two hours on the plane will kill them.

I am sure I have omitted some very worthy schools here, but a basketball conference should absolutely consist of no more than 12 teams. Any more than that and you risk completely losing the home-and-home game format that makes conference play so exciting. In the mammoth 16-team Big East, for example, teams will only have home-and-home games against three opponents, and will not even play two other conference foes. That is simply wrong, and will not happen in my make-believe super-conference so long as I am commissioner.

Without further ado, I present to you Conference America:

Rival: North Carolina

History highlights: 10 Final Fours in the last 20 years, and three national championships.

Fans: They don't call them the Cameron Crazies for nothing.

Arena: Cameron Indoor Stadium is widely considered the toughest place for opposing teams in all of college basketball.

Coach: Hall of Famer Coach K. May one day seriously threaten Dean Smith and Pat Summit for the overall wins record.

Rival: Duke

History highlights: 13 Final Fours and 4 national titles, plus a guy named Jordan.

Fans: Wine and cheese crowd? Not anymore.

Arena: Dean Smith Center aka "Dean Dome." It's hard for opposing players who look up at the rafters and see all the retired jerseys to not be even a little intimidated.

Coach: Roy Williams. Sure bet to be in the Hall of Fame someday. Won his first title last season, and it will not be his last.

Rivals: Boston College, UMass

History highlights: Two national titles (1999, 2004), 10 Sweet 16 appearances.

Fans: The press row that follows the team around is so large, other media outlets have dubbed them "The Horde."

Arena: Gampel Pavilion. "The House that Calhoun Built" is now the largest on-campus basketball arena in the Northeast.

Coach: 2005 HOF inductee Jim Calhoun. Took the reigns of a conference laughingstock and turned them into a national powerhouse. Not bad.

Syracuse Orange

Rival: Georgetown

History highlights: 27 20 win seasons and the 2003 national championship.

Fans: Led the nation in attendance last year. Set the on-campus attendance record as well.

Arena: The Carrier Dome's acoustics can make 30,000 fans seem like 100,000.

Coach: 2005 HOF Inductee Jim Boeheim. Has turned his alma mater into one of the premier basketball programs in America.

Rival: Louisville

History highlights: 7 national titles, second only to UCLA. More NCAA Tournament wins than any other team in history.

Fans: Consistently leads the nation in attendance, or is a close second to Syracuse.

Arena: Rupp Arena. Longtime Wildcat fans call it the "Mecca" of college basketball.

Coach: Tubby Smith. Future Hall of Famer already has one title under his belt, and is a good bet to get at least one more.

Rival: Kentucky

History highlights: 19 regular season conference championships since 1966, 2 national titles and the 1956 NIT championship.

Fans: Louisville has ranked among the nation's top 10 in attendance for 27 straight years, including 21 straight in the top five.

Arena: Freedom Hall. One of the nation's more deafening arenas.

Coach: Rick Pitino. Future Hall of Famer is back in the college ranks where he belongs.

Rival: Arizona State

History highlights: 4 Final Fours since 1988, including the 1997 national championship.

Fans: Recently drew over 9,100 fans for the Lute Olson Classic, a weekend long event in August that was highlighted by an exhibition game featuring UA stars from the 80's and 90's.

Arena: McKale Center. Go to the McKale Center wearing an ASU T-shirt. I dare you.

Coach: Hall of Famer Lute Olson has won 549 games with the Wildcats.

Rival: USC

History highlights: Only 11 national championships, 85 NCAA Tournament wins, and an 88-game winning streak record that stands to this day.

Fans: Captain Helmet and the rabid Bruin following are as demanding and passionate as they come. Just ask Steve Lavin.

Arena: Pauley Pavilion. The multi-purpose arena (which also featured the 1984 Olympics and a 1988 Presidential Debate) is one of the most hallowed grounds in basketball, thanks to the likes of Alcinder, Walton, and Wooden.

Coach: Ben Howland. His rebuilding job of a proud Bruin program has been remarkable, and should have a breakout year this season.

Rival: Missouri

History highlights: 9 Final Fours since Phog retired, nearly 450 wins since 1990 and a national title (1988). Dr. James Naismith was their first coach.

Fans: Most believe that a 23 win season and a Top 10 ranking is a "rebuilding year."

Arena: Walking into Allen Fieldhouse is like walking into a time warp and finding yourself on the set of Hoosiers. But once the ball goes up, there's few places like it.

Coach: Bill Self. Someday there will be a building on campus named "Self Hall."

Rival: Oklahoma

History highlights: 23 Conference championships dating back to 1915. Has made the Sweet Sixteen in 3 of the last 4 years, along with a Final Four.

Fans: The single largest student population in the nation has the Erwin Center rocking for every game.

Arena: Erwin Center. Hosted the South regional in 2005 and may soon get a Final Four.

Coach: Rick Barnes has built a team into what many consider a legit title contender this season. Could Texas actually win championships in both football AND basketball this year?

Rivals: Texas, Oklahoma State

History highlights: 20 Conference championships, including 6 tournment titles. 7 Sweet Sixteens and 2 Final Fours since 1985

Fans: Official capacity of the Noble Center is listed as 12,000. The average attendance for OSU and Texas games has been over 13,000.

Arena: The Lloyd Noble Center just finished a huge, and expensive, renovation - making it one of the most state-of-the-art facilities anywhere.

Coach: Kelvin Sampson. In 11 seasons, he has never led the Sooners to a losing conference record, and hasn't had a season with less than 20 wins since 1997.

Rival: Michigan

History highlights: 4 Final Fours in the last 7 years, 2 national championships and some guy named Magic.

Fans: Helped set a new NCAA record when 78,129 fans showed up in Detroit to watch their team play Kentucky.

Arena: Breslin Center. Well over 100 consecutive sellouts...and counting.

These teams could just as easily be included: Indiana, Maryland, Georgetown, Temple