Of course it can. It can happy to any team in any game. Bottom line dude, that why we have to play the games.

I think you can make an argument either way depending on who you are talking about.

In terms of media perception, it probably wouldn't do much to help the American and might actually hurt the league in the short term. If UofL went undefeated and made the MNC game, I guarantee that the pundits on ESPN and elsewhere would go on and on about how weak the American is, how it is losing its only good team after this season, how the American is a crap league and doesn't deserve to be in the game, etc. It doesn't matter how true or false those statements are in reality, that is what will be said on air. The American might get some good press out of it, but it will be mixed in with a lot of negativity too.

Where I do think the league could benefit is with recruiting over the short term. Every time a coach goes to a recruit's house, they could point to UofL and tell the kid that it is possible to play for a national championship in the American (e.g. "If UofL can do it as an American team, so can our program"). Having a team play in the national championship game in recent memory is something that the MAC, MWC, Sun-Belt, and C-USA can't claim and would put the conference a notch higher than the other G5 schools.

To sum up, I think it will probably be a mixed bag if it happens. I personally don't think is likely as I don't think we'll go undefeated but that doesn't stop me from hoping for it.

(08-09-2013 11:11 AM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  The AAC has two flagship basketball teams in UConn and Memphis but you will not have a flagship football program.

The Big East hasn't had a flagship football program since Miami.

Not at all.

West Virginia was very close.

(08-09-2013 11:11 AM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  The AAC has two flagship basketball teams in UConn and Memphis but you will not have a flagship football program.

Seriously?

The Memphis program is not on the same level as UConn.

If they dominate this year and run through the conference it will hurt, same thing Memphis did in CUSA in hoops. Killed the league perception, many called it Memphis and the 11 dwarfs, that was not good pub. It would actually be best to me if Cincy and Tuberville went to BCS game for our league and they became the flagship while others catch up, like my Tigers. Just need to win as many games as possible against P5 and we will be fine.

I want Louisville and Rutgers to both go 0-8 in conference. Any success those two programs have this year will be given to their new conferences, not to us.

That said, I hope they go 4-0 OOC and if they make bowl games I will root for them to win those games. If Louisville wins the national championship it won't help the AAC very much, but if they make it and get blown out it will hurt us badly. That will tell the world that the team that won the AAC was still a cupcake for a P5 program.

(08-09-2013 11:27 AM)UofLgrad07 Wrote:  

(08-09-2013 11:11 AM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  The AAC has two flagship basketball teams in UConn and Memphis but you will not have a flagship football program.

The Big East hasn't had a flagship football program since Miami.

West Virginia was perceived as the Big East's flagship football program. In 2007 they would have played in the National Championship if Pitt hadn't upset them in the last game of the season.

(08-09-2013 08:22 AM)Carolina Stang Wrote:  But if that is not the case, would an undefeated run by Louisville (currently at #9) help or hurt the AAC?

It hurts you guys. It means (perception) that Louisville is pretty good and that you suck.

Quote:I say any press is good press, and seeing the "American" patch on a Louisville squad in the title game would be pretty cool. But I could see the broadcasters just slamming the American and saying how great the ACC will be with Louisville.

I guess I'm asking what the perception of the American would be if this came to pass. Personally, I'd root for the Cards in such a scenario.

Louisville's OOC is very weak. They're starting #9 or so, and they have Teddy Bridgewater, but in order to rise, they're going to have to beat the crap out of the rest of you. That doesn't help you, for obvious reasons.

If they beat you, but the games are competitive, then (perception) Louisville is a paper tiger who didn't play anybody good until their bowl and got lucky against scrub programs(perception). Basically, what people said about Notre Dame last year when they weren't laughing at Manti Teo.

You don't hear much about Purdue or Pitt or BYU beating their chests that they went into overtime or into the 4th quarter with the National Championship runner-ups, do you?

(08-09-2013 11:11 AM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  Bottom line, when Miami left the Big East, its' image went down. The Big East kept no credit for Miami, winning a National Championship.

When Louisville leaves in 2014, the AAC will keep no future credit for our national championships in any sport either. The press will talk about a weaken AAC that has lost Rutgers and Louisville, you can count on.

The AAC has two flagship basketball teams in UConn and Memphis but you will not have a flagship football program.

The league hasn't had a flagship football program since Miami left.

(08-09-2013 02:45 PM)Cubanbull Wrote:  

(08-09-2013 11:11 AM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  Bottom line, when Miami left the Big East, its' image went down. The Big East kept no credit for Miami, winning a National Championship.

When Louisville leaves in 2014, the AAC will keep no future credit for our national championships in any sport either. The press will talk about a weaken AAC that has lost Rutgers and Louisville, you can count on.

The AAC has two flagship basketball teams in UConn and Memphis but you will not have a flagship football program.

The league hasn't had a flagship football program since Miami left.

This

(08-09-2013 11:11 AM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  Bottom line, when Miami left the Big East, its' image went down. The Big East kept no credit for Miami, winning a National Championship.

When Louisville leaves in 2014, the AAC will keep no future credit for our national championships in any sport either. The press will talk about a weaken AAC that has lost Rutgers and Louisville, you can count on.

The AAC has two flagship basketball teams in UConn and Memphis but you will not have a flagship football program.

Louisville is hardly a flagship football program for this Conference. If it is anybody, it is Cincy, and Cincy is very likely to beat Louisville again this year on December 5. Mark it down now. UC will lose one conference game, possibly to Rutgers at Rutgers and then UC will win the BCS bid with a win over Louisville in the season's final game.

Regardless, I hope Lville wins its fairly easy OOC, and lose every league game...as with Rutgers.

and to see Tulsa and ECU go head to head for CUSA...Best scenario

Ain't happin' bubba!

(08-09-2013 08:22 AM)Carolina Stang Wrote:  Obviously, the best case scenario for the AAC would be an undefeated team making a run and winning the BCS championship. Most of us (aside from LV and RU) would like that team to be one that is actually stciking around next year.

But if that is not the case, would an undefeated run by Louisville (currently at #9) help or hurt the AAC?

I say any press is good press, and seeing the "American" patch on a Louisville squad in the title game would be pretty cool. But I could see the broadcasters just slamming the American and saying how great the ACC will be with Louisville.

I guess I'm asking what the perception of the American would be if this came to pass. Personally, I'd root for the Cards in such a scenario.

You won't have to worry about the L'Ville scenario. Rutgers will run the the table, be crowned the AAC Champ and win the National Championship in the BCS National game. Oh wait they are leaving too for the B-10 after this year.

Seriously anyone going undefeated and making any BCS game including the Championship Game and winning any of those BCS Bowls is going to be great publicity for the AMERICAN CONFERENCE. The conference name will be right out there with school representing the conference.

Not even concerned about playing/winning the BCS Title...only thing really one my mind is Ohio...just win...

(08-09-2013 11:44 AM)Melky Cabrera Wrote:  

(08-09-2013 11:11 AM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  The AAC has two flagship basketball teams in UConn and Memphis but you will not have a flagship football program.

Seriously?

The Memphis program is not on the same level as UConn.

It's better

(08-10-2013 07:11 AM)AirRaid Wrote:  

(08-09-2013 11:44 AM)Melky Cabrera Wrote:  

(08-09-2013 11:11 AM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  The AAC has two flagship basketball teams in UConn and Memphis but you will not have a flagship football program.

Seriously?

The Memphis program is not on the same level as UConn.

It's better

UConn is a great program but Memphis has a consistant history over many decades.. So far Uconn is the house that Calhoun built. Not saying that the new staff will not be just as great, but Memphis has proven transcendent dispite league, coaches or decade. They tend to keep their own hands firmly grasped on their throats during cluch games and tourny times.. but they are every bit the flagship that UConn is.. But you all seem to be sleeping on Cincinnati which is never a great idea...

(08-10-2013 08:51 AM)MHSCard Wrote:  

(08-10-2013 07:11 AM)AirRaid Wrote:  

(08-09-2013 11:44 AM)Melky Cabrera Wrote:  

(08-09-2013 11:11 AM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  The AAC has two flagship basketball teams in UConn and Memphis but you will not have a flagship football program.

Seriously?

The Memphis program is not on the same level as UConn.

It's better

UConn is a great program but Memphis has a consistant history over many decades.. So far Uconn is the house that Calhoun built. Not saying that the new staff will not be just as great, but Memphis has proven transcendent dispite league, coaches or decade. They tend to keep their own hands firmly grasped on their throats during cluch games and tourny times.. but they are every bit the flagship that UConn is.. But you all seem to be sleeping on Cincinnati which is never a great idea...

thx for the support MHS...I was going to get in the middle of this but figured they will figure it out on their own.

It is to the AAC's advantage to have Louisville go as far as possible and here is why. Louisville is the only AAC team with a shot at a title game. It is not much of a shot it is a long long long one. But if the chips fall the right way the AAC could say we had a team in last years Championship game or even better we had the bcs champion from our league. That would be in the record books and could be ammunition for any future playoff inclusions, and opposition could always say look no non power 5 team has ever played for the bcs title.. why should they keep the others included. Like it or not Louisville is this years torchbearer for the little guys not TCU, not Boise State, the Cards are the AACs best chance to say the AAC can produce a Championship worthy team and should be considered a power conference. We have the hype we have the Star power that comes very rarely outside the old guard and you may hate us but you better recognize if Louisville bust the odds and actually wins it is only a good thing for the AAC.