(07-09-2016 05:10 PM)Dawgxas Wrote:  

(07-09-2016 03:54 PM)AppManDG Wrote:  

(07-09-2016 09:53 AM)Dawgxas Wrote:  

(07-09-2016 07:26 AM)gsuncc Wrote:  

(07-09-2016 04:09 AM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  Besides La. Tech, would any other CUSA schools have major objections to a theoretical realignment with CUSA and SBC schools reorganizing into a geographically based arrangement?

That's almost impossible to answer, especially on a message board. Fans look at it through a very different prism than university presidents and ADs; fans have a different take on what constitutes a "peer" program than the folks in charge...La Tech "fans" may object, but the university president is the one looking at the costs, weighing benefits, etc., and that gives a different perspective. He/She must, of course, take into account fans attitudes, donors, etc., before making a decision...but message borders could possibly see things as a step back, a step side-ways, a step forward.

Having said that, it seems to me that all the schools in CUSA could possibly see positives and negatives with any realignment, much as some SBCers might also...cost, travel, competition, institutional fit, etc. are all factors.

Just my two cents....

It has to be look at through a historic perspective also. Some of these schools have fought hard (28 years) to stay out of the Sunbelt so they aren't taking a step back.

I would say that pretty much all of CUSA schools would be against CUSA/SBC merger. The negatives far outweigh the positives for the majority of CUSA schools. The ones that left the Sunbelt aren't going to go back, and Southern Miss, Marshall, Rice, UTEP, UAB and Tech would definitely object.

I think the TV contract has been blown out of proportion. Yes a reduction is not good, but CUSA is not playing on Tuesday and Wednesday evening, And majority of our games are on Saturday evening.
It was good move by CUSA to rebuff a little more money to not play during the week. 600,000/ year per school can easily be made up for with additional tickets sold with Saturday games. TV is not what is use to be and to play Tuesday to be on FOX FCS is just not worth it.

You're still living in a fantasy world. There is no "step back" to the Sunbelt and sooner or later CUSA fans and administrators will have to accept and acknowledge there is no difference between the conferences. That myth went away a few weeks ago. In reality it went away when all those schools left for the AAC, but it took until the revelation of CUSA's new TV contract and the fact they lost a huge chunk of TV money two years ago but had been maintaining the illusion of all is well with exit fees. Once these administrators start seeing big budget deficits roll in, they'll look at those close by Sunbelt schools in a whole new light.

Please explain what the positives would be?

The travel would marginally better but the reality is no CUSA administrator in the right mind is going to dial the clock back 20 years and merged with the Sunbelt. It just not going to happen.

Your perspective is from playing FBS football all of 2 years, all in the Sunbelt. CUSA is more competitive in football with better talent so why would they merge with a less talented and less competitive conference. Not to mention, USM is not joining up with USA, UAB is not going to join up with Troy and Tech sure is heck not going to be joining up with ULL and ULM, dialing the clock back 20 years. Just not going to happen.

Records since current conference lineup(14-16):
CUSA vs MWC 3-4
CUSA vs AAC 6-4
CUSA vs MAC 10-4
CUSA vs Sunbelt 9-1

CUSA#4 beat Undefeated #1 Sunbelt Champs in bowl. Final 47-28

CUSA#1 beat #4 AAC (6-2) USF in a bowl in their backyard. Final 45-35

2016 NFL Draft:
CUSA 10 + 1 players
AAC 10
MWC 9
MAC 5
Sunbelt 3

My perspective is from following college football intimately for 40 years. You can post this team beat that team and this conference had that many draft picks and so on and so on all you want. All that means nothing going forward. N-O-T-H-I-N-G! You're living a myth by thinking LaTech is superior to Sunbelt programs. I've been to Ruston. I've been in your stadium and basketball arena. I' didn't see anything that justify's the attitude I see from some - not all - of your folks.

What I do know is La Tech has 11 winning seasons in the last 25 years. The last two came in an extremely depleted CUSA. You talk down to the Sunbelt yet 3 of the 8 members you were in the WAC with became Sunbelt schools. Your home average for the past 10 years is 17,686. Your largest crowd in those 10 years was 26,910 vs lowly Sunbelt member Louisiana. The next highest of 26,004 was against FCS Nicholls State in '14. Unbelieveably out drawing Miss State in '08. IMO, La Tech folks have NO basis for looking down on anyone.