(06-09-2013 08:30 AM)CincyBro Wrote:  

(06-09-2013 08:25 AM)dwalker85 Wrote:  I would be down for a North/South split.

North
UConn
Temple
Navy
Cincinnati
Memphis
ECU

South
UCF
USF
Tulane
Houston
SMU
Tulsa

Still think the two florida and texas teams will be in separate divisions so everyone gets at least a trip to one of those states a year for recruiting purposes.

I am positive that will be the case. I suppose a "zipper" format is possible (unless that has already been ruled out? I haven't heard), but either way, both divisions will have a total of 2 teams from TX/FL, no more and no less.

I feel like they want the teams to play each other and see what develops. Then they will make divisions.

Previously they were going to force feed you rivalry games like Houston/SMU even tho that's not much of a rivalry. Houston/Tulsa is a lot bigger of a rivalry.

So let things play out and see how things develop against teams.

No rush

No rush and lets please don't bork ourselves with trying to get cute, no "stars and stripes" division please. Lets keep it directional

(06-09-2013 05:30 PM)ArmoredUpKnight Wrote:  I feel like they want the teams to play each other and see what develops. Then they will make divisions.

Previously they were going to force feed you rivalry games like Houston/SMU even tho that's not much of a rivalry. Houston/Tulsa is a lot bigger of a rivalry.

So let things play out and see how things develop against teams.

No rush

Agree with the bolded part. But if the choice for an annual game is between (for example)...
(1) Houston-vs-SMU and UConn-vs-Temple
(2) Houston-vs-Temple and SMU-vs-UConn
(3) Houston-vs-UConn and SMU-vs-Temple

Which option do you think will be chosen?

I'd be inclined to go with a basic east/west format, with the proviso that if Navy is willing (as I've heard may be the case) to be in the West and Cincinnati would be prefer to be in the east, I'd go ahead and let them switch.

I could see these as the permanent crossover games
Tulsa/Houston

SMU/Tulane

UC/ Memphis

UConn/ Temple

Navy/ ECU

UCF/USF

Freedom Division
Tulsa
SMU
UC
UConn
Navy
UCF

National Division
Houston
Tulane
Memphis
Temple
ECU
South Florida

I prefer the North South split, but this would meet the Florida/Texas split issue.

(06-09-2013 05:28 PM)Native Georgian Wrote:  

(06-09-2013 08:30 AM)CincyBro Wrote:  

(06-09-2013 08:25 AM)dwalker85 Wrote:  I would be down for a North/South split.

North
UConn
Temple
Navy
Cincinnati
Memphis
ECU

South
UCF
USF
Tulane
Houston
SMU
Tulsa

Still think the two florida and texas teams will be in separate divisions so everyone gets at least a trip to one of those states a year for recruiting purposes.

I am positive that will be the case. I suppose a "zipper" format is possible (unless that has already been ruled out? I haven't heard), but either way, both divisions will have a total of 2 teams from TX/FL, no more and no less.

I'd be surprised if we end up in a zipper format. The zipper was discussed when the contract was expected to be much higher. The zipper was being considered because they thought it would increase television value and at 8-10 million per team per year---the cost concerns over travel were not a big deal. Since it appears TV wasnt willing to ante up that kind of money for the conference rights, I suspect we will see more economical geographic divisions. The only oddity might be Navy in the west. North-South makes sense in geographic terms, but I doubt the northeastern teams will want to part with thier steady Florida visits due to recruiting concerns. I expect an east-west set up---with the only possible surprise being Navy in the west rather than Cinci. Im not a fan of the permanant cross-over as it minimizes exposure to the other cross divisional squads---plus you alway end up with a couple of teams having permamant crossovers for no real reason other than convenience.

The one thing I actually do really like about the zipper set up is it prevents the west from being 100% ex-CUSA teams. The zipper divisions have a fresher feel becaue theres a better mix of new blood and old blood in each division.

(06-09-2013 06:33 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  I'd be surprised if we end up in a zipper format. The zipper was discussed when the contract was expected to be much higher. The zipper was being considered because they thought it would increase television value and at 8-10 million per team per year---the cost concerns over travel were not a big deal. Since it appears TV wasnt willing to ante up that kind of money for the conference rights, I suspect we will see more economical geographic divisions. The only oddity might be Navy in the west. North-South makes sense in geographic terms, but I doubt the northeastern teams will want to part with thier steady Florida visits due to recruiting concerns. I expect an east-west set up---with the only possible surprise being Navy in the west rather than Cinci.

In agreement with all of that.

Go East / West divisions.

North south makes the most sense. You can have North America division, and South America.

Nothing says "north" like Memphis, Tennessee.





No different culturally than Hartford, CT or Philadelphia, PA.

(06-09-2013 08:36 PM)goodknightfl Wrote:  North south makes the most sense. You can have North America division, and South America.

My proposed division names for north and south

Union/Confederate

Lincoln/Booth

Grant/Lee

Why do I have to wait 2.5 years for a championship game? Our old league had a championship game.

When we were waiting for the MWC divisions to be announced there was a lot of talk about Boise State not wanting to be in the eastern division and speculation about various alignments that would allow the Broncos to be in the west. In the end the conference opted for simplicity and went with a purely geographic split which put Boise State in the east.

I view the AAC situation as similar, with various divisional alignments being proposed to keep Cincinnati in the east. But ultimately I think the outcome will be the same: the conference will opt for a simple east-west split, and because Cincinnati is one of the six westernmost schools, it will be placed in the west with Tulsa, SMU, Houston, Tulane and Memphis.

(06-10-2013 02:25 AM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  When we were waiting for the MWC divisions to be announced there was a lot of talk about Boise State not wanting to be in the eastern division and speculation about various alignments that would allow the Broncos to be in the west. In the end the conference opted for simplicity and went with a purely geographic split which put Boise State in the east.

I view the AAC situation as similar, with various divisional alignments being proposed to keep Cincinnati in the east. But ultimately I think the outcome will be the same: the conference will opt for a simple east-west split, and because Cincinnati is one of the six westernmost schools, it will be placed in the west with Tulsa, SMU, Houston, Tulane and Memphis.

With Tubs coming from Texas Tech, I'd think he'd want as many Texas trips as possible.

(06-09-2013 09:37 PM)firmbizzle Wrote:  Why do I have to wait 2.5 years for a championship game? Our old league had a championship game.

Your old league (CUSA?) had 12 teams. Your new league has 10 in 2013, 11 in 2014 (lose UL and RU, add ECU, Tulsa, Tulane), and 12 in 2015 (add Navy). The league is not willing to add more teams just to move up the CCG.

(06-09-2013 09:21 PM)KNIGHTTIME Wrote:  

(06-09-2013 08:36 PM)goodknightfl Wrote:  North south makes the most sense. You can have North America division, and South America.

My proposed division names for north and south

Union/Confederate

Lincoln/Booth

Grant/Lee

Can't do that. In today's Orwellian America anything and everything to do with the Southern Confederacy is politically incorrect and taboo.

how about "union" and "right to work"? it would be a little lopsided on the "right to work" side though.

You have to wait because NCAA rules stipulate you must have a minimum of 12 teams in football for a championship game and divisions.

I think access to the Florida and Texas recruiting areas will have more influence on dictating football divisions than anything else - there is no sense touting the league being in big recruiting areas IF you don't give everyone access to them regularly.

I've heard that CBS is pushing for Army to accept the Big East/American invite to maximize their broadcast rights - CBS owns home game rights of Army and Navy and the neutral site Army-Navy Game through 2018, which would likely give CBS a piece of the conference football pie with a weekly game through the length of the contract, or give them negotiating leverage with ESPN. The addition of Army would likely split the academies into separate divisions too even though they're both East coast teams!

Non geographical names... given The American as a patriotic league name itself... Stars and Stripes Divisions?

If Army joins... I see this type of alignment:

Stars
Army
Southern Methodist
Central Florida
Temple
Memphis
Tulsa
East Carolina

Stripes
Navy
Houston
South Florida
UConn
Cincinnati
Tulane
(14th Member)

(06-10-2013 11:09 AM)IceJus10 Wrote:  I've heard that CBS is pushing for Army to accept the Big East/American invite to maximize their broadcast rights - CBS owns home game rights of Army and Navy and the neutral site Army-Navy Game through 2018, which would likely give CBS a piece of the conference football pie with a weekly game through the length of the contract, or give them negotiating leverage with ESPN.

I haven't heard any of that before, but I hope it's true.

*IF* Army does somehow, someway join up as #13, then I hope the league will take another shot at Air Force as #14. But I'm not counting on any of that to happen. We'll see.