How much longer till ya'll join the ACC?

Seriously. I just want to thank ya'll for the high comedy I get reading HH. It really makes my week.

Oh, on a side note, congratulations on being in first place in the OVC. That's an accomplishment.

I saw a comment saying that MT couldn't have had more than 1 K at the game yesterday.

While the crowd was disappointing, (and don't worry they will get better for conference, and especially ya'll when we trounce you again in the boro) there was a solid 2700 there.

What you can't figure out is that our arena seats more than 7K. So 2700 looks different than at Diddle.

But then again, after your last two trips to the Murphy Center, I'd want to forget the place too.

Anyway, have fun in the MAC, C-USA, ACC, SEC, or whatever the conference of the week was.

BTW how's I-AA football?

Those guys are hysterical on that board! I applied for membership to that board over a year ago, still haven't received word on if I got in or not. At least Jeff comes over here and is not totally insane. He loves WKU, but man, some of those guys take it a little too far.

On a related note, any rumors to WKU and the MAC on HilltopperHaven are more than just rumors there. There have been rumors and such around MAC country off and on for 10 months and The Sporting News has even picked up on the possibility.


A media personnel that has inside sources with the MAC office has pretty much said that Temple to the MAC in 2006 is a done deal and the MAC is heavily pursuing Navy and Army to try to get one or both of them to join the conference. Apparently it is not likely that one of them will accept though, which could put MTSU into the mix.


How does WKU fit in? Well, Temple would join for football in 2006 but not for basketball for at least a few years if ever. There is a strong possibility that WKU would joine for basketball and other sports, keeping football at the DI-AA level until they are ready to make the jump to I-A......if they ever do.


Of course these are rumors, but WKU rumors with the MAC have been going on for 10 months off and on so it is more than just rumors coming from the WKU message board.

Some WKU fans have decided that they are too good for the MAC. They feel they belong in the SEC or ACC because of their basketball team. And I'm being serious.

Cajunman, I've not read a single post on HH that supports our claim, I'd love for you to share one. You guys are always so quick to jump on Topper fans. Spread some harmony, they might come out of the woodwork and join in. I don't see people giving UNT fans getting grief, they were throwing themselves at C-USA just not 6 months ago.

Of course every school has their illogical fans. Most WKU fans see Western fitting in a strong "mid-major" basketball conference. Something like the OLD Sun Belt that got 2-4 teams in the NCAA's every year. I guess a modern day Old SBC would be MVC or A-10. If the Sun Belt or MAC can step it up in basketball and get some at-larges, then that would be fine for Toppers. We'd just like to see our basketball somewhere else besides a one-bid conference.

Don't blow something up that isn't true.

Rocket, yeah the rumors seem to keep creeping up. Not sure about your situation. I think it is more simple. WKU and TEMPLE in the MAC, full members. That has been an on going. Everyone tells me that if Temple goes to the MAC (Temple's basketball coach is the hold out), then WKU would join with them. WKU WILL be 1-A by 2008 unless something drastic changes.

Belter's, I am not saying it is a true rumor, but just something being talked around.

Also, I think everyone would agree that no schools wants their fan based generalized based off the minority of crazed fans on a message board. You are going to get your fanatics on there, but not the general feel of the fan base.

WKU Topper Jeff Wrote:Cajunman, I've not read a single post on HH that supports our claim, I'd love for you to share one.  You guys are always so quick to jump on Topper fans.  Spread some harmony, they might come out of the woodwork and join in.  I don't see people giving UNT fans getting grief, they were throwing themselves at C-USA just not 6 months ago. 

Of course every school has their illogical fans. Most WKU fans see Western fitting in a strong "mid-major" basketball conference.  Something like the OLD Sun Belt that got 2-4 teams in the NCAA's every year.  I guess a modern day Old SBC would be MVC or A-10.  If the Sun Belt or MAC can step it up in basketball and get some at-larges, then that would be fine for Toppers.  We'd just like to see our basketball somewhere else besides a one-bid conference. 

Don't blow something up that isn't true.

Rocket, yeah the rumors seem to keep creeping up.  Not sure about your situation.  I think it is more simple.  WKU and TEMPLE in the MAC, full members.  That has been an on going.  Everyone tells me that if Temple goes to the MAC (Temple's basketball coach is the hold out), then WKU would join with them.  WKU WILL be 1-A by 2008 unless something drastic changes.

Belter's, I am not saying it is a true rumor, but just something being talked around.

UNT was getting rumors for CUSA membership because they were ACTUALLY ON THE LIST FOR CUSA. So therefor, you can talk about it. I may have jumped the gun with the ACC and SEC comments, but some of the guys really do believe this. And if you read my first post here, I singled you out as one of the TRUE WKU fans who care deeply about the school and teams, but doesn't go overboard with future conference affiliations.

As for the SBC getting multiple bids, that can be explained. Back in the day, there weren't 32 conferences sending teams to the NCAAs. There wasn't as many D1 schools as there are now. So the SBC was able to pick up a few at-large bids. But as D1 grew at a rapid pace, the number of at-large bids for the SBC dropped dramatically to where it is today, no at-large bids. The SBC is a strong basketball conference, thanks in part to the tradition of Western Kentucky.

As for football and WKU, I really do hope that WKU doesn't put its hopes on a MAC membership. The Sun Belt is a growing conference. In just our 4th year, we got 2 bowl bids. When did the MAC receive multiple bowl bids in the same season? As our football conference grows, so will other sports. Football is the driving force for college athletics. The stronger the football teams in the conference, the stronger the sports are for the conference. Adding WKU football to the Sun Belt would greatly enhance the overall quality of the Sun Belt Conference as a whole.

Doesn't the MAC have two bids every year and got more this year? I dunno. Honestly I do not follow 1-A football AT ALL. My toppers are 1-AA, so thats what I follow.

I agree the SBC is making great strides as a football conference. This year was a decent year for them, but they are building each year. Attendance seems to be picking up also. The new footprint is going to be nice next year. I hope the best for the SBC.

I just want WKU at the best possible place they can be. I'll let our Prez and A.D. decide where that is.

GO TOPS

The MAC had only 1 bowl bid until 2001 when the GMAC Bowl was created. Before that, the MAC only got 1 bowl bid. The Sun Belt is set to announce that another bowl is in the works for the 2nd place SBC team. The Belt is growing and there is no stopping us.

I have to admit that this past season has shaken my confidence in thinking that WKU is ready for 1A. Not on the field, but in the stands. Attendance was pathetic. As much as I want to see WKU in 1A and succeed there I have my doubts about getting the attendance.

Anyway, my team is not in the Mac or Sunbelt for football. So I can look objectively at the two and give the edge to the MAC right now. The sunbelt is definately improving, and since WKU is years away from 1A anyway, the belt might catch up in the mean time.

Cajunman02 Wrote:

WKU Topper Jeff Wrote:Cajunman, I've not read a single post on HH that supports our claim, I'd love for you to share one.  You guys are always so quick to jump on Topper fans.  Spread some harmony, they might come out of the woodwork and join in.  I don't see people giving UNT fans getting grief, they were throwing themselves at C-USA just not 6 months ago. 

Of course every school has their illogical fans. Most WKU fans see Western fitting in a strong "mid-major" basketball conference.  Something like the OLD Sun Belt that got 2-4 teams in the NCAA's every year.  I guess a modern day Old SBC would be MVC or A-10.  If the Sun Belt or MAC can step it up in basketball and get some at-larges, then that would be fine for Toppers.  We'd just like to see our basketball somewhere else besides a one-bid conference. 

Don't blow something up that isn't true.

Rocket, yeah the rumors seem to keep creeping up.  Not sure about your situation.  I think it is more simple.  WKU and TEMPLE in the MAC, full members.  That has been an on going.  Everyone tells me that if Temple goes to the MAC (Temple's basketball coach is the hold out), then WKU would join with them.  WKU WILL be 1-A by 2008 unless something drastic changes.

Belter's, I am not saying it is a true rumor, but just something being talked around.

UNT was getting rumors for CUSA membership because they were ACTUALLY ON THE LIST FOR CUSA. So therefor, you can talk about it. I may have jumped the gun with the ACC and SEC comments, but some of the guys really do believe this. And if you read my first post here, I singled you out as one of the TRUE WKU fans who care deeply about the school and teams, but doesn't go overboard with future conference affiliations.

As for the SBC getting multiple bids, that can be explained. Back in the day, there weren't 32 conferences sending teams to the NCAAs. There wasn't as many D1 schools as there are now. So the SBC was able to pick up a few at-large bids. But as D1 grew at a rapid pace, the number of at-large bids for the SBC dropped dramatically to where it is today, no at-large bids. The SBC is a strong basketball conference, thanks in part to the tradition of Western Kentucky.

As for football and WKU, I really do hope that WKU doesn't put its hopes on a MAC membership. The Sun Belt is a growing conference. In just our 4th year, we got 2 bowl bids. When did the MAC receive multiple bowl bids in the same season? As our football conference grows, so will other sports. Football is the driving force for college athletics. The stronger the football teams in the conference, the stronger the sports are for the conference. Adding WKU football to the Sun Belt would greatly enhance the overall quality of the Sun Belt Conference as a whole.

The MAC has had two bowl bids since 2001. Unfortunately good teams were left out before that, but they are the reason that the MAC got a 2nd bid starting in 2001. This year we had 5 bowl bids, but of course a lot of that had to do with the amount of bowl eligible teams.......same as why Troy got a bid this year, otherwise the Sun Belt would have had just 1 bowl bid.

Anyway, the MAC has been working on a 3rd bowl bid for a couple of years which is about the time it takes to get one going. The 2nd bid in 2001 was worked on for a couple of years before it came. I can see the SBC getting a 2nd bid within a couple of years too, but the MAC won't still be at 2 themselves.

Currently, we have a proposal on the table for a bowl game in Toronto that would pit the MAC against a Big East team. The MAC, Big East, and city of Toronto are already on board and they are sending representatives to the NCAA bowl committee in April to ask for certification for 2005.

Also, there is a possibility that our agreement with the Silicon Valley Classic from this year will be extended. If both of these happen, the MAC will have 4 bowl bids. Personally I think only one will happen and the MAC will have 3 automatic bowl bids.

Another thing to consider about the MAC is that we have a championship game that is held on a neutral field in a NFL stadium and aired on ESPN.

Finally, the MAC has some pretty good TV exposure. Toledo for instance played 13 games this year and 12 of them were on TV. 7 of those TV games were on ESPN/ESPN2.


The SBC is a young conference on the rise, but it is a step behind the MAC.

What's funny about this thread is we now have many posters on the Haven wanting us to go IA in the SBC. In fact, this is the only time since I've been reading the board that so many people are so positive about the SBC. Personally, I think I'd go with the MAC because it's CURRENTLY better in the two major sports and would greatly improve it's BB with the addition of Temple and WKU. Regardless of where we go IA I won't be dissapointed.

RODT, glad to see you are still out there. You are a man of your word... a stronger man than I hahah.

WKU is by far the best Basketball Program that is not in a top 5 conference as a matter of fact our results below show we have been one of the top programs in the country. By saying that we are not putting down our current conference (heck UNT tried to go to CUSA) I think each school is always looking to new opportunities. But unlike a South Florida that is now in the big east they don't even come close to our winning tradition. This is why WKU Fans hate the MID MAJOR label there is nothing MID MAJOR about the stats below...


Through 2004
All-Time Winningest Teams WKU @ 16
Victories
(Minimum 25 years in Division I)
First
No. School Season Yrs. Won Lost Tied Pct.
1. Kentucky.......................................1903 101 1,876 577 1 .765
2. North Carolina..............................1911 94 1,827 677 0 .730
3. Kansas ..........................................1899 106 1,825 762 0 .705
4. Duke.............................................1906 99 1,737 781 0 .690
5. St. John's (N.Y.)............................1908 97 1,668 784 0 .680
6. Syracuse........................................1901 103 1,630 752 0 .684
7. Temple..........................................1895 108 1,623 888 0 .646
8. Pennsylvania.................................1897 104 1,572 886 2 .639
9. Indiana..........................................1901 104 1,555 839 0 .650
10. Notre Dame...................................1898 99 1,548 851 1 .645
11. Utah..............................................1909 96 1,541 793 0 .660
12. UCLA...........................................1920 85 1,530 690 0 .689
13. Oregon St......................................1902 103 1,529 1,083 0 .585
14. Princeton.......................................1901 104 1,495 904 0 .623
15. Illinois ..........................................1906 99 1,483 803 0 .649
16. Western Ky. ..................................1915 85 1,481 736 0 .668
17. Purdue ..........................................1897 106 1,475 856 0 .633
18. Washington...................................1896 102 1,474 995 0 .597
19. Brigham Young ............................1903 102 1,472 939 0 .611
20. Cincinnati .....................................1902 103 1,465 842 0 .635
21. Arizona.........................................1905 99 1,458 798 1 .646
22. Texas ............................................1906 98 1,457 898 0 .619
23. Louisville......................................1912 90 1,451 788 0 .648
24. North Carolina St..........................1913 92 1,440 854 0 .628


Percentage WKU # 9
(Minimum 25 years in Division I)
First
No. School Season Yrs. Won Lost Tied Pct.
1. Kentucky.......................................1903 101 1,876 577 1 .765
2. North Carolina..............................1911 94 1,827 677 0 .730
3. UNLV...........................................1959 46 946 376 0 .716
4. Kansas ..........................................1899 106 1,825 762 0 .705
5. Duke.............................................1906 99 1,737 781 0 .690
6. UCLA...........................................1920 85 1,530 690 0 .689
7. Syracuse........................................1901 103 1,630 752 0 .684
8. St. John's (N.Y.)............................1908 97 1,668 784 0 .680
9. Western Ky. ..................................1915 85 1,481 736 0 .668
10. Utah..............................................1909 96 1,541 793 0 .660
11. Indiana..........................................1901 104 1,555 839 0 .650
12. Illinois ..........................................1906 99 1,483 803 0 .649
13. Louisville......................................1912 90 1,451 788 0 .648
14. Arkansas.......................................1924 81 1,389 758 0 .647

Here's a list of teams and the players they put in either the NBA or ABA....WKU comes in #16 with 30 former players.

ucla 66
UNC 65
uk 60
Ind 51
St. John's 48
Notre Dame 47
Kanasa 44
UofL 41
Michigan 38
Minnesota 38
Ohio St 34
NOVA 34
Illinois 34
Michigan State 33
Temple 31
WKU 30
[B][B][B][COLOR=red][COLOR=red][COLOR=red]

ZING!!!

Also, in case you didn't notice on that first batch of stats... WKU is the youngest basketball program listed (tied with UCLA). Meaning we took fewer years to win our victories.

But none of the other I-A conferences will want you until you move football to I-A. CUSA, MAC, and others will look down on WKU and the Belt until all teams in the conference that sponsor football are playing I-A football. The SBC knew they were getting a solid basketball program when WKU entered the league, but at the time the Belt didn't sponsor I-A football. Now, we are looking at all schools that have football to move up as full members in the Sun Belt. When WKU finally decides to move football to I-A, then they can start talking about the MAC or CUSA.

Jeff, I did break down once. It was a Sparks post and I couldn't help to get a word in.

Anyhoo, unless something major happens WKU is going IA. The how, when and where should be more clear after all the NCAA meetings are over.

Yep. Football definately drives these conference moves. But the original question was why do some WKU fans have a superiority complex and Hilltop75 answered that well.

There was a time when we were among the very elite (hey Darrin Horn might just get us back there before its over) and we resent the mid major perception based on our football team.