No way will that happen.

David Krysakowski Wrote:When Western Kentucky joins the Sun Belt for football I believe they will dominate the conference just like Florida State did in the ACC.

Dude, you are on crack OR know NOTHING about football! WKU might be competitive in FB by about 2009 or so if things go well for us. I do not expect to come in and be the big boy from the word "GO". That just doesn't happen! Not that I wouldn't mind seeing us kick some butt, I am just more realistic to believe it.

David Krysakowski Wrote:Sun Belt Champions
2001: Middle Tennessee & North Texas
2002: North Texas
2003: North Texas
2004: North Texas
2005: Arkansas State, Louisiana at Lafayette, Louisiana at Monroe
2006: Middle Tennessee
2007: Arkansas State
2008: Florida Atlantic
2009: Western Kentucky
2010: Western Kentucky
2011: Western Kentucky
2012: Western Kentucky
2013: Florida International
2014: Western Kentucky
2015: Western Kentucky
2016: Western Kentucky
2017: Western Kentucky
2018: North Texas
2019: Troy

You sir are an idiot.

David Krysakowski Wrote:Sun Belt Champions
2001: Middle Tennessee & North Texas
2002: North Texas
2003: North Texas
2004: North Texas
2005: Arkansas State, Louisiana at Lafayette, Louisiana at Monroe
2006: Middle Tennessee
2007: Arkansas State
2008: Florida Atlantic
2009: Western Kentucky
2010: Western Kentucky
2011: Western Kentucky
2012: Western Kentucky
2013: Florida International
2014: Western Kentucky
2015: Western Kentucky
2016: Western Kentucky
2017: Western Kentucky
2018: North Texas
2019: Troy

Are you a UK fan? Or just trying to draw the ire of the entire board? Although I do appreciate your sarcasm and love the list you have drempt up, it just isn't realistic! But if it does come to pass, can I have you pick some stocks for me?

ACC: Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Miami (FL), North Carolina, North Carolina State, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest

Big East: Cincinnati, Connecticut, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, South Florida, Syracuse, West Virginia

Big 10: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin

Big 12: Baylor, Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech

C-USA: Alabama at Birmingham, Central Florida, East Carolina, Houston, Marshall, Memphis, Rice, Southern Methodist, Southern Mississippi, Texas at El Paso, Tulane, Tulsa

MAC: Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Miami (OH), Northern Illinois, Ohio, Temple (Football Only), Toledo, Western Michigan

MWC: Air Force, Brigham Young, Colorado State, Nevada at Las Vegas, New Mexico, San Diego State, Texas Christian, Utah, Wyoming

Pac-10: Arizona, Arizona State, California, California at Los Angeles, Oregon, Oregon State, Southern California, Stanford, Washington, Washington State

SEC: Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana State, Mississippi, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt

Sun Belt: Arkansas State, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Louisiana at Lafayette, Louisiana at Monroe, Middle Tennessee, North Texas, Troy, Western Kentucky

WAC: Boise State, Fresno State, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana Tech, Nevada, New Mexico State, San Jose State, Utah State

you also forgot Houston in CUSA

I think it is safe to say that the state of SBC basketball right now is pretty awful!

Amen.

You need texas state and Missouri State, those are no brainers. A 12th team could come from several candidates.

johnnylightnin Wrote:Tech isn't going anywhere for the next few years unless it's CUSA...sorry guys.

C-USA has little to zero interest in Louisiana Tech. It hurts the LTU fans a lot, but it's true. What Louisiana Tech really wants is an SWC revival which just will not happen. Sorry johnnylightnin.

crow4435 Wrote:you also forgot Houston in CUSA

You also forgot Temple in the MAC.

crow4435 Wrote:you also forgot Houston in CUSA

You also forgot Temple in the MAC.

If CUSA loses a member in the east, it either forces Tulane to go east(unlikely), or picks up Troy/Middle Tennessee. If they lose a member in the west, they'll take North Texas. La Tech going to CUSA makes no sense since the traveling situation is so bad and they have little room for any real upward mobility.

On the topic of the Sun Belt, the conference needs to improve basketball badly. It's the one sport the whole conference could turn around within the next 3-4 years that would bring a lot of visibility to the member schools (not to mention cash, like it says in the article). The Belt has some of the best (if not the best) arenas of any conference out there after the BCS conferences. It's up to the AD's to get fans in the stands and the right people in place to make sure we stop losing games against the MAC, and especially against conferences that don't even have football. There's absolutely no excuse for this conference to be sitting at #20 in the RPI's right now. Absolutely ridiculous.

Gakusei Wrote:On the topic of the Sun Belt, the conference needs to improve basketball badly.

Agree absolutely. I can't believe we are as low this year as we are.

ALLIESPAPPY Wrote:

Gakusei Wrote:On the topic of the Sun Belt, the conference needs to improve basketball badly.

Agree absolutely. I can't believe we are as low this year as we are.

Let's clarify, men's basketball.

MT's a disappointment so far, but I think it is a fluke and will be better next season.

After Kermit finished his recruiting last year, he expected to have MT's leading scorer,Adam Vogelsberg, back this season along with highly touted recruit Demetrious Green eligible. Vogelsberg got hurt the week before the season started and will receive a medical redshirt. Green was unable to get eligble due to a summer class he signed up for being cancelled due to Green being the only one to sign up for it. With Green and Vogelsberg back next season, MT will be much better.

Meanwhile, MT's younger players are getting valuable PT and game experience.

On the topic of the Sun Belt, the conference needs to improve basketball badly. It's the one sport the whole conference could turn around within the next 3-4 years that would bring a lot of visibility to the member schools (not to mention cash, like it says in the article). The Belt has some of the best (if not the best) arenas of any conference out there after the BCS conferences. It's up to the AD's to get fans in the stands and the right people in place to make sure we stop losing games against the MAC, and especially against conferences that don't even have football. There's absolutely no excuse for this conference to be sitting at #20 in the RPI's right now. Absolutely ridiculous.

Western fans have been saying this for years but appearantly its not politically correct for us to say it.

Money games in basketball only get you like $40,000 each. It shouldn't be that hard for Sunbelt teams to eliminate the money games. That one thing would go a long way towards turning the conference around.

Football drives college athletics, no doubt. But, what will get a team from the SBC to the C-USA will be football WITH a good basketball program.

C-USA, Memphis specifically, is pretty frustrated with the basketball situation. All things equal on football, basketball could be the deciding factor. At least I think that is what WKU is banking on. WKU hopes to offer the complete package. I-A football and strong men's basketball. That could secure an invite for the Toppers over say UNT or MTSU. It also helps that WKU has one of the highest athletic budgets in the SBC and with the move to I-A and the planned increases, it will continue to.

In the last conference meetings, basketball was discussed. Hopefully the A.D.'s and presidents take the message to heart.

Conditions would have to be just right for WKU to get into CUSA. You'd have to have a member who's not Memphis drop from the East, and to convince the other schools that MTSU with its nice, and larger football stadium, larger basketball arena, and brand new baseball stadium is not more worthy of the conference bid. You'd also have to assume that they couldn't push Tulane east.

On top of that, you'll have North Texas which will either be done with or in the construction phase of a 40,000-50,000 seat stadium, has a large basketball arena, and more access to larger media markets.

Gakusei Wrote:Conditions would have to be just right for WKU to get into CUSA. You'd have to have a member who's not Memphis drop from the East, and to convince the other schools that MTSU with its nice, and larger football stadium, larger basketball arena, and brand new baseball stadium is not more worthy of the conference bid. You'd also have to assume that they couldn't push Tulane east.

On top of that, you'll have North Texas which will either be done with or in the construction phase of a 40,000-50,000 seat stadium, has a large basketball arena, and more access to larger media markets.

It would definitely come down to WKU, MTSU, and UNT.. for sure. WKU is expanding it's football stadium as I type this. While MTSU does have a bigger basketball arena.... have you been to it? WKU has probably the finest arena in the SBC.

What I think helps WKU is Men's Basketball. The C-USA is hurting painfully in men's basketball and Memphis is publicly crying about it. I think any expansion will include improving Men's Basketball. Then WKU is the logical choice. Facilities, success, history, name recognition. MTSU has a great women's program, top in the Belt right now, but I don't think that will be a high priority for C-USA.

Athletic budgets could play in. WKU could have the highest one, once we get our I-A fully funded.

I would agree that WKY would have to be the pick for CUSA because of Marshall. CUSA can't just have Marshall miles away from everybody else.
Western Kentucky is on state away from West Virginia.