MercerFan Wrote:CWG,

1) He was fired. It was just a polite way to do it. His entire staff is gone. They had no reason to give the team to an assistant for a few games. But you are correct, he wasn't technically 'fired'. So I'll leave my opinion of it alone since we won't agree on that!

2) Yes I've been to tons of basketball games. I hate how the arena is so empty. A big blame for that can be Slonakers inability to win. Look up the last time we beat Belmont. You'll be shocked. I think it's something like 4 years ago? It's insane.

3) I should have been more clear... I didn't mean we were full throttle trying to improve at Mercer. I just meant we weren't standing still. We're going about 5 or 10 MPH. haha.... We're trying, just baby steps. Our new President has pulled a lot of strings already (womens basketball and mens basketball). He can't do it overnight. We just need to keep the pressure on as fans.

I am a huge fan of the new president! Though I'm not sure what I think about current athletic dept. personnel. I think it may be time for a change in ledership in the athletic dept.

I think you're right.

CWG Wrote:

MercerFan Wrote:CWG... just a little note. Mercer has been showing signs that they want to win, and not just tread water. They have built a new arena... they have put a coach in place that can win in baseball... they have fired Slonaker in basketball and payed more for a better coach.

If they didn't care we wouldn't pay all this extra money for these things.

More than just keeping the 'status quo'

MercerFan,

Once Again, Slonaker was not "fired"! He was allowed to work out the end of his contract, his contract was just not renewed.

Mercer had a losing record in both Men and Women's basketball and baseball this year. I'm not sure what signs that you have seen that show you that Mercer is turning the corner, but I am not impressed. A new arena does not prove that Mercer is not satisfied with the status quo.

Have you been to any Mercer basketball games? With the exception of the Alabama game, the UC is ALWAYS empty. What is the Athletic Dept doing about this? I'll tell you what, NOTHING! What good is a "new arena" if you don't take steps to fill it up?

Mercer will never leave the A-Sun conference, no matter how bad it gets; this is another sign that Mercer IS satisfied with the status quo.

While I do admire your optimism, I cannot be that oblivious to the truth.

CWG, there are some things you've mentioned that I agree with, but I think you're being unfair in your criticism of Mercer getting the new arena. I saw firsthand at UCF this past season the difference a new arena can make. When you bring recruits to campus and show them brand new athletic facilities, they are more likely to sign with you. When you have brand new athletic facilities for the fans to see, more of them are more likely to attend games. Maybe you won't immediately win the A-Sun title, but you'll be more likely to get to that point with the new arena than without. I don't get why you're equating building a new arena with embracing the status quo.

CWG Wrote:

HatterFan Wrote:

CWG Wrote:HatterFan, have you noticed how many schools have left the A-Sun in the past few years because the A-Sun doesn't sponsor football? Well Central Florida, Florida International, Samford, Gardner Webb - just to name a few - have all left. Your ignorance illustrates the problem with the A-Sun conference. There are already two or three schools in the conference that have football with several more (Mercer, Kennesaw, etc...) discussing the prospect. The commissioner and many of the schools in the A-Sun (especially Stetson and Mercer) are too satisfied with the status quo and this is what pisses me off! Gumbart needs to move the conference forward and at least give football a serious look.

I don't know where you get that i wanted him to "just wake up in the morning and say 'hey, guy let's start a football team today.'" If that is what you think that you are really detached from what has been going on in the conference.

BTW - the conference doesn't revolve around Stetson! I don't think it would be necessary for Stetson to sponsor football for the conference to support the sport.

Chrissakes, calm down. Never said anything about the league revolving around Stetson, just giving an example based on the school I know; I can't very well give USC Upstate's thinking on the matter for example. You do specifically complain that Stetson and Mercer are too satisfied with the status quo...I don't know about Mercer but quite frankly the status quo is all we can afford right now and all we have been able to afford for quite some time now.

Football isn't Gumbart's call. It has zero to do with him, it's all on the presidents and trustees of individual institutions. TV deals, OOC basketball scheduling policies, etc. is to be laid at the feet of the conference, but not football. If enough schools eventually start football on their own then they can go to the A-Sun and say "hey, let's do this thing, let's play under the league banner."

When I hear of schools like St. Peter's (NJ) and La Salle that were small private schools that used non-scholly football to keep male students enrolled at full price and they give up the sport; makes me wonder if non-scholarship football with no playoff access, a 10-game exhibition schedule, is really worth it.

I think we have enough schools interested for the conference to seriously consider supporting football. If there were more support from the conference, other teams would consider.

I am sorry to hear that Stetson is broke, but that is not the conference's problem. If the conference is not moving forward then it is moving behind. If certain schools cannot afford to compete at the Division I level then maybe they should consider playing Division II.

However, I do not believe the conference should force all schools to play football; I just think there should be support for the teams that do want to play. And this, my friend, is Gumbart's call!

Even if Gumbart can't make anyone field a football team, it doesn't mean that A-Sun fans shouldn't let him know if they're interested in forming a football league. I would imagine that Gumbart does have conversations with the presidents of the A-Sun schools on a regular basis and carries some influence. If enough fans are contacting Gumbart and/or the presidents, that carries some weight. It may not mean that the A-Sun will have a football league next year or the year after, but as the old saying goes, the squeaky wheel gets the oil.

Thanks UCFGoldenKnight, You said it much better than I could.

Again, if anyone is interested, Ted Gumbart’s e-mail is: tgumbart@atlanticsun.org

As for the New Arena at Mercer, I think that is a step in the right direction. However, I believe the Athletic Department (mainly the AD) is too satisfied with putting forth no effort - if you ever hear him on the radio you will understand; very very unmotivated. Personally, I think we need some new blood.

Mercer and the UC (the new Arena) are not promoted around town at all! This needs to change. You can't go to Athens or Statesboro without seeing billboards, signs, and schedules in gas-stations (bars, businesses, etc) for UGA and Georgia Southern; at a minimum Mercer needs to do more of this - get the community involved and excited about Mercer Athletics.

The new Arena (the UC) is great, it is a really classy facility. But this is not going to solve Mercer's problems if the AD does nothing.

I think two things will make this conference stronger in the future. First - stop allowing non DI schools to be able to compete for regular season championships. This is why schools moving up want in this conference (they do not lose as many recruits - just ask Presbyterian). And this is why so many schools move on after the schools they were getting away from move into DI. Second - encourage all schools to sponsor football.

The A-Sun currently has some great universities (and has lost some as well) in some very attractive areas of the southeast. The potential is there.

bucfan99 Wrote:I think two things will make this conference stronger in the future. First - stop allowing non DI schools to be able to compete for regular season championships. This is why schools moving up want in this conference (they do not lose as many recruits - just ask Presbyterian). And this is why so many schools move on after the schools they were getting away from move into DI. Second - encourage all schools to sponsor football.

The A-Sun currently has some great universities (and has lost some as well) in some very attractive areas of the southeast. The potential is there.

I agree with you. I also think we should let the people in charge know: Ted Gumbart’s e-mail is: tgumbart@atlanticsun.org
Shoot him an e-mail and let him know what you think; WE are the A-Sun's customers and they should care what WE think!

CWG Wrote:

bucfan99 Wrote:I think two things will make this conference stronger in the future. First - stop allowing non DI schools to be able to compete for regular season championships. This is why schools moving up want in this conference (they do not lose as many recruits - just ask Presbyterian). And this is why so many schools move on after the schools they were getting away from move into DI. Second - encourage all schools to sponsor football.

The A-Sun currently has some great universities (and has lost some as well) in some very attractive areas of the southeast. The potential is there.

I agree with you. I also think we should let the people in charge know: Ted Gumbart’s e-mail is: tgumbart@atlanticsun.org
Shoot him an e-mail and let him know what you think; WE are the A-Sun's customers and they should care what WE think!

Just a thought here: You might want to create a sig and put Gumbart's e-mail address in it. That way, you don't have to retype it several times.

UCFGoldenKnights#1 Wrote:

CWG Wrote:

bucfan99 Wrote:I think two things will make this conference stronger in the future. First - stop allowing non DI schools to be able to compete for regular season championships. This is why schools moving up want in this conference (they do not lose as many recruits - just ask Presbyterian). And this is why so many schools move on after the schools they were getting away from move into DI. Second - encourage all schools to sponsor football.

The A-Sun currently has some great universities (and has lost some as well) in some very attractive areas of the southeast. The potential is there.

I agree with you. I also think we should let the people in charge know: Ted Gumbart’s e-mail is: tgumbart@atlanticsun.org
Shoot him an e-mail and let him know what you think; WE are the A-Sun's customers and they should care what WE think!

Just a thought here: You might want to create a sig and put Gumbart's e-mail address in it. That way, you don't have to retype it several times.

Anything that will improve the conference; I think we all agree it needs A LOT of work! BTW - I usually just copy and paste.

Regarding the So Con, there are some things other than RPIs that factor into the equasion.

First of all, it's the oldest conference. About all the SEC schools started there.

It's regarded as the top Division I-AA football conference. Appalachian State beating Michigan wasn't that much of a surprise- just about every year a So Con team beats a Division I-A.

You can make it from there- at least to a certain degree. C of C and ETSU were nationally ranked in the So Con, they weren't in the A-Sun. Chattanooga made the Sweet 16. Furman made the Sweet 16 in 1974. Davidson made the Elite Eight (and if they had any kind of half court offense in the last 16 seconds you wonder if they wouldn't have contended for the National Championship). The Citadel made the CWS in 1990.

Just about every team in the So Con has some sort of run in their history where they won on a national level. It also produced great coaches- Bobby Cremins, Lefty Driesel, Norm Sloan.

The fan support is there. The crowds are there- witness the nearly 30,000 that attend ASU games.

But even if that's the exception- Chattanooga hosts the Division I-AA championship game, Furman draws well despite being in the shadow of Clemson, South Carolina, and Wofford. Basically everyone draws well.

Jerry West's college accomplishments occurred in the So Con. Randy Moss' college accomplishments came in the So Con.

The schools are rather respected. Not that the A-Sun colleges aren't, but people throughout the region have heard of them. Even a place like Western Carolina or Georgia Southern has a name that the country can relate to. Stetson can't say that.

And if you really want to argue RPI, in the seven sports both the A-Sun and So Con play, the So Con has been ranked higher in six of the seven for the last six years (the exception is softball).

The So Con has enough going for it- and they were 14th in RPI when ETSU was there and winning titles- that the 21 seems a bit low. Doesn't it to you? I mean come on- Davidson's pretty good.

As far as the So Con kicking ETSU out- ETSU did that to themselves. The fact they'd go back in a heartbeat proves this.

Remember, in the case of Davidson, they were a member and got kicked out because THEY DROPPED FOOTBALL! Then, when they brought it back on a non-scholarship level- they were invited back.

The schools invited in brought something back to the table. C of C, UNC-G, and Davidson improved the basketball RPI and were very visible to their communities.

ETSU might be able to come back someday, but in order to do so must get rid of their administration and have a new basketball facility.

Les Robinson isn't there to lobby for the school anymore, remember.

PittsburghBucs Wrote:Regarding the So Con, there are some things other than RPIs that factor into the equasion.

First of all, it's the oldest conference. About all the SEC schools started there.

It's regarded as the top Division I-AA football conference. Appalachian State beating Michigan wasn't that much of a surprise- just about every year a So Con team beats a Division I-A.

You can make it from there- at least to a certain degree. C of C and ETSU were nationally ranked in the So Con, they weren't in the A-Sun. Chattanooga made the Sweet 16. Furman made the Sweet 16 in 1974. Davidson made the Elite Eight (and if they had any kind of half court offense in the last 16 seconds you wonder if they wouldn't have contended for the National Championship). The Citadel made the CWS in 1990.

Just about every team in the So Con has some sort of run in their history where they won on a national level. It also produced great coaches- Bobby Cremins, Lefty Driesel, Norm Sloan.

The fan support is there. The crowds are there- witness the nearly 30,000 that attend ASU games.

But even if that's the exception- Chattanooga hosts the Division I-AA championship game, Furman draws well despite being in the shadow of Clemson, South Carolina, and Wofford. Basically everyone draws well.

Jerry West's college accomplishments occurred in the So Con. Randy Moss' college accomplishments came in the So Con.

The schools are rather respected. Not that the A-Sun colleges aren't, but people throughout the region have heard of them. Even a place like Western Carolina or Georgia Southern has a name that the country can relate to. Stetson can't say that.

And if you really want to argue RPI, in the seven sports both the A-Sun and So Con play, the So Con has been ranked higher in six of the seven for the last six years (the exception is softball).

The So Con has enough going for it- and they were 14th in RPI when ETSU was there and winning titles- that the 21 seems a bit low. Doesn't it to you? I mean come on- Davidson's pretty good.

Very good points! I think the A-Sun has a lot to learn from the SoCon. The SoCon is still little league to the SEC & ACC though...

PittsburghBucs Wrote:Appalachian State beating Michigan wasn't that much of a surprise- just about every year a So Con team beats a Division I-A.

If that game wasn't a surprise for you, then please contact me the next time you know that a So Con team is going to beat a top five 1-A team. I'd like to make a lot of :bcs:.

CWG Wrote:HatterFan, have you noticed how many schools have left the A-Sun in the past few years because the A-Sun doesn't sponsor football? Well Central Florida, Florida International, Samford, Gardner Webb - just to name a few - have all left.

UCF would have left regardless if the A-Sun played football or not. The same goes for Florida International, Florida Atlantic, and Troy. I wouldn't sweat losing those schools any more than I, as a fan of a C-USA school, would worry about losing Louisville, Cincinnati, South Florida, Marquette, and DePaul to the Big East. But I agree that the A-Sun would have a better chance of retaining other members (schools that aren't offered the benefits that come with playing in a Division 1-A football league) with football in place. It seems like every season someone is either leaving the A-Sun or moving up from Division 2 to join the conference. While some transition is to be expected, I think the A-Sun has had way too many schools come and go. Forming a football league wouldn't necessarily solve that problem immediately, but over time it may help stabilize membership. Football is the most visible college sport in the country without question. If the A-Sun started football and got to a point where some of its schools were making runs at the Division 1-AA football playoffs, that could really give the conference a needed boost in many ways.

UCFGoldenKnights#1 Wrote:

PittsburghBucs Wrote:Appalachian State beating Michigan wasn't that much of a surprise- just about every year a So Con team beats a Division I-A.

If that game wasn't a surprise for you, then please contact me the next time you know that a So Con team is going to beat a top five 1-A team. I'd like to make a lot of :bcs:.

UCF Goldenknights,
Many of us as that watched Marshall and Georgia Southern continually compete with the bottom portion of the BCS Top 25 were not shocked that App defeated Michigan. App had been kicking Wake's butt for years, they were accustomed to playing and defeating BCS conference schools.

Although rated as such at the time, Michigan wasn't deserving of a top 5 ranking. While the press is good that App defeated a top 5 BCS school, I would submit that App really defeated a 20-25 BCS school.

Even lowly ETSU's football program had a notch in it's gun for defeating a BCS conference team, NC State.

I am certain that I am in the minority, but I don't see a significant difference in the best 1AA teams and the bottom portion of the BCS top 25. There hasn't been for quite a few years and Marshall during their 1AA years is a case study worthy of examination.

Just my opinion.