(03-18-2011 12:42 PM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  

Thanks.

If I am a NMSU fan then I do not like the travel. Flights from Charlotte and Atlanta are very easy to Ft. Lauderdale and Miami.

Mobile to Charlotte no problems as far as flights.

Here's another attempt at getting a look at the Google marker.
If anything, I've placed them a bit too close to the OK border.

I forgot to do UTSA/Texas State.

Roundtrip fight from Mobile to San Antonio on Continental is $286. Not bad.

Appy State basically sits on the TN/NC northeastern border

(03-18-2011 03:45 PM)KAjunRaider Wrote:  Appy State basically sits on the TN/NC northeastern border

Volunteer Tar Heel ?

(03-18-2011 12:31 PM)MG61 Wrote:  

(03-18-2011 12:17 PM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  
Football map for reference.

You placed UNT too far West

And they say Cajun fans are picky!

(03-18-2011 04:31 PM)reddot Wrote:  

(03-18-2011 12:31 PM)MG61 Wrote:  

(03-18-2011 12:17 PM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  
Football map for reference.

You placed UNT too far West

And they say Cajun fans are picky!

Have you ever been to Wichita Falls ? Thought not.

The poll is now closed.

Thanks to everybody who participated. It is clear that everyone is a fanatic about football and the Sun Belt Conference. I requested the poll because sometimes you need to get a "true" sense of what is being said after all of our lively debates. The question: if you had to expand today, who would you like to see the SBC invite?

The results of the multiple choice poll shows that La Tech would clearly be the consensus choice by this "Sun Belt Advisory" committee or ad hoc group.

La Tech received 24 votes, way ahead of the second place, New Mexico State, with 14 votes.

NMSU did not do much better than UTSA, UNCC or Georgia State which all recieved 11 votes each. From the voting, these three schools appear to have just as much or potential benefit to the conference than the return of NMSU. Texas State was right in the mix as well receiving 10 votes.

One other note: There was another poll started right after this one entitled "La Tech Poll". This poll had members choose between La Tech and "Another Team".

"Another Team" was selected 22 votes to 15 for La Tech.

From this my assumption is that La Tech has no advantage over UTSA, Georgia State, or UNCC which are new programs that will be FBS in two years. Plus, I think this why La Tech hedged its bets by scheduling a home and home series with South Alabama.

(03-18-2011 12:12 PM)MG61 Wrote:  

(03-18-2011 12:06 PM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  

(03-18-2011 12:03 PM)MG61 Wrote:  Maybe UNT, Arkansas State and ULL should just bolt. It would satisfy the group that wants to expand East with newbie move ups and give those 3 a truly regional division. I don't want newbies, but...........

Louisiana Tech
Arkansas State
North Texas
ULL
UTSA
Texas State

Ugh.

I'm not that fond of it either, but it's better than adding newbie Eastern schools that some folks seem to be hell bent on inviting.

Suggestions do not equal being "hell bent". Fans in the western portion of the SBC have opinions that differ from eastern members. The Sun Belt could be weighted down by adding western schools just as much as it can be by adding eastern schools. Everyone should be more concerned about travel time and costs. Maybe fans should not be so concerned about who should be invited and think about why. I am now in favor of adding no teams and waiting a few years to see how things play out.

(03-18-2011 11:59 AM)MG61 Wrote:  

(03-18-2011 11:14 AM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  

(03-17-2011 10:22 PM)MG61 Wrote:  What CajunT said. If the conference were to expand to 12, we need a couple of WESTERN teams to balance out. I'd welcome the return of NMSU if a decision were made to add to the conference.

Las Cruces is not the right option, just because they're a western school. New Mexico State would be on an island, adding eastern schools might not be ideal for schools in the west, but we wouldn't be adding schools on an island either. As much as I'd prefer to add only FBS schools, if there isn't another inside the existing footprint(other than La Tech) I'm not in support of adding a school close to 700 miles outside the existing footprint. Adding an eastern school could still help the western teams as it would create divisions.

If we were to add NMSU and La Tech the west division would be:

New Mexico State
North Texas
Louisiana Tech
Louisiana Lafayette
Louisiana Monroe
Arkansas State

If we were to add La Tech and an eastern school the west division would be:

North Texas
Louisiana Tech
Louisiana Lafayette
Louisiana Monroe
Arkansas State
South Alabama

Mobile is 50 miles closer to Denton than Las Cruces is and is not out on an island. NMSU would inconvenience more schools than they would help.

With a 2 division set up, doubt if it would be much of a inconveience to the Muts. South Alabama belongs in a division with WKU, Troy, etc.

For starters, the only way South Alabama ends up in the east is if we add two western schools, which in my eyes is not an option because the only options out west are La Tech, New Mexico State and the Texas Twins. La Tech may not come and NMSU is an inconvenience to just about everyone and the Texas Twins are total wild cards and are also unlikely to jump ship at this point unless the WAC folds.

Las Cruces is.

680 miles from Denton
970 miles from Monroe
1000 miles from Little Rock
1010 miles from Lafayette
1125 miles from Jonesboro
1260 miles from Mobile

And those are just the schools that could potentially find themselves in the same division.

Coming from the east, occasionally for football and every year for all other sports

1375 miles from Troy
1375 miles from Murfreesboro
1405 miles from Bowling Green
1960 miles from Fort Lauderdale
1980 miles from Miami

Conversely...

Ruston is

30 miles from Monroe
170 miles from Little Rock
180 miles from Lafayette
295 miles from Denton
300 miles from Jonesboro
341 miles from Mobile

and coming from the east occasionally for football and every year for other sports

440 miles from Troy
560 miles from Bowling Green
580 miles from Murfreesboro
1040 miles from Fort Lauderdale
1060 miles from Miami

Atlanta is

200 miles from Troy
220 miles from Murfreesboro
310 miles from Bowling Green
640 miles from Fort Lauderdale
660 miles from Miami

coming from the west occasionally for football and every year for all other sports

330 miles from Mobile
450 miles from Jonesboro
500 miles from Monroe
520 miles from Little Rock
580 miles from Lafayette
820 miles from Denton

Statesboro is

300 miles from Troy
425 miles from Murfreesboro
500 miles from Fort Lauderdale
520 miles from Bowling Green
520 miles from Miami

Coming from the west occasionally for football and every year for all other sports

465 miles from Mobile
660 miles from Monroe
660 miles from Jonesboro
715 miles from Lafayette
730 miles from Little Rock
985 miles from Denton

Jacksonville is

165 miles from Troy
195 miles from Murfreesboro
290 miles from Bowling Green
740 miles from Fort Lauderdale
765 miles from Miami

Coming from the west occasionally for football and every year for all other sports

325 miles from Mobile
380 miles from Jonesboro
430 miles from Monroe
450 miles from Little Rock
530 miles from Lafayette
750 miles from Denton

Boone is

340 miles from Murfreesboro
370 miles from Bowling Green
500 miles from Troy
805 miles from Fort Lauderdale
825 miles from Miami

Coming from the west occasionally for football and every year for all other sports

620 miles from Jonesboro
630 miles from Mobile
690 miles from Little Rock
770 miles from Monroe
870 miles from Lafayette
1015 miles from Denton

Charlotte is

410 miles from Murfreesboro
445 miles from Bowling Green
445 miles from Troy
710 miles from Fort Lauderdale
730 miles from Miami

coming from the west occasionally for football and every year for other sports

570 miles from Mobile
690 miles from Jonesboro
745 miles from Monroe
755 miles from Little Rock
825 miles from Lafayette
1065 miles from Denton

San Antonio is

305 miles from Denton
415 miles from Lafayette
500 miles from Monroe
595 miles from Little Rock
665 miles from Mobile
720 miles from Jonesboro

coming from the east occasionally for football and every year for other sports

830 miles from Troy
970 miles from Murfreesboro
1000 miles from Bowling Green
1360 miles from Fort Lauderdale
1380 miles from Miami

San Marcos is

255 miles from Denton
380 miles from Lafayette
450 miles from Monroe
545 miles from Little Rock
630 miles from Mobile
670 miles from Jonesboro

coming from the east occasionally for football and every year for other sports

800 miles from Troy
920 miles from Murfreesboro
950 miles from Bowling Green
1330 miles from Fort Lauderdale
1350 miles from Miami

Clearly Las Cruces is by far the worst option geographically. It's over 1,000 miles for half of their division and over 1,300 miles for everyone in the east. Las Cruces is 680 miles from Denton(it's shortest Sun Belt trip) Charlotte is closer than that to 4 out of 11 Sun Belt cities, Boone is closer than that to 5 out of 11 Sun Belt cities, San Antonio is closer than that to 5 out of 11 Sun Belt cities, San Marcos is closer than that to 6 out of 11 Sun Belt cities, Jacksonville is closer than that to 8 out of 11 Sun Belt cities, Statesboro is closer that that to 8 out of 11 Sun Belt cities, Ruston is closer than that to 9 out of 11 Sun Belt cities and Atlanta is closer than that to 10 out of 11 Sun Belt cities. Out of the schools that would potentially be in the west division, North Texas is the only one that is closer to Las Cruces than they are to the eastern options. Every other potential west division school is closer to literally every eastern option than they are to Las Cruces. So despite MG61's continued protests of adding schools in the east, adding schools in the east would be better than adding New Mexico State for literally everyone other than UNT.

Speaking purely geographically, the best options are clearly La Tech and Georgia State.

Personally I would prefer adding one to the east and one to the west(which La Tech and Georgia State would accomplish) but I wouldn't have a problem with adding two to the east or adding two to the west, just so long as they are the best overall options considering their athletic programs and their geography. If that means 2 out of 3 of La Tech, Texas State, and UTSA than so be it, add two schools to the west and make MG61 happy, but if the best two overall packages are in the east, then I'm definitely for that and not for catering to our most westward school's desires before anyone else.

The bottom line here folks is, no matter what, JUST SAY NO TO NEW MEXICO STATE!

(03-21-2011 12:42 PM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  

(03-18-2011 11:59 AM)MG61 Wrote:  

(03-18-2011 11:14 AM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  

(03-17-2011 10:22 PM)MG61 Wrote:  What CajunT said. If the conference were to expand to 12, we need a couple of WESTERN teams to balance out. I'd welcome the return of NMSU if a decision were made to add to the conference.

Las Cruces is not the right option, just because they're a western school. New Mexico State would be on an island, adding eastern schools might not be ideal for schools in the west, but we wouldn't be adding schools on an island either. As much as I'd prefer to add only FBS schools, if there isn't another inside the existing footprint(other than La Tech) I'm not in support of adding a school close to 700 miles outside the existing footprint. Adding an eastern school could still help the western teams as it would create divisions.

If we were to add NMSU and La Tech the west division would be:

New Mexico State
North Texas
Louisiana Tech
Louisiana Lafayette
Louisiana Monroe
Arkansas State

If we were to add La Tech and an eastern school the west division would be:

North Texas
Louisiana Tech
Louisiana Lafayette
Louisiana Monroe
Arkansas State
South Alabama

Mobile is 50 miles closer to Denton than Las Cruces is and is not out on an island. NMSU would inconvenience more schools than they would help.

With a 2 division set up, doubt if it would be much of a inconveience to the Muts. South Alabama belongs in a division with WKU, Troy, etc.

For starters, the only way South Alabama ends up in the east is if we add two western schools, which in my eyes is not an option because the only options out west are La Tech, New Mexico State and the Texas Twins. La Tech may not come and NMSU is an inconvenience to just about everyone and the Texas Twins are total wild cards and are also unlikely to jump ship at this point unless the WAC folds.

Las Cruces is.

680 miles from Denton
970 miles from Monroe
1000 miles from Little Rock
1010 miles from Lafayette
1125 miles from Jonesboro
1260 miles from Mobile

And those are just the schools that could potentially find themselves in the same division.

Coming from the east, occasionally for football and every year for all other sports

1375 miles from Troy
1375 miles from Murfreesboro
1405 miles from Bowling Green
1960 miles from Fort Lauderdale
1980 miles from Miami

Conversely...

Ruston is

30 miles from Monroe
170 miles from Little Rock
180 miles from Lafayette
295 miles from Denton
300 miles from Jonesboro
341 miles from Mobile

and coming from the east occasionally for football and every year for other sports

440 miles from Troy
560 miles from Bowling Green
580 miles from Murfreesboro
1040 miles from Fort Lauderdale
1060 miles from Miami

Atlanta is

200 miles from Troy
220 miles from Murfreesboro
310 miles from Bowling Green
640 miles from Fort Lauderdale
660 miles from Miami

coming from the west occasionally for football and every year for all other sports

330 miles from Mobile
450 miles from Jonesboro
500 miles from Monroe
520 miles from Little Rock
580 miles from Lafayette
820 miles from Denton

Statesboro is

300 miles from Troy
425 miles from Murfreesboro
500 miles from Fort Lauderdale
520 miles from Bowling Green
520 miles from Miami

Coming from the west occasionally for football and every year for all other sports

465 miles from Mobile
660 miles from Monroe
660 miles from Jonesboro
715 miles from Lafayette
730 miles from Little Rock
985 miles from Denton

Jacksonville is

165 miles from Troy
195 miles from Murfreesboro
290 miles from Bowling Green
740 miles from Fort Lauderdale
765 miles from Miami

Coming from the west occasionally for football and every year for all other sports

325 miles from Mobile
380 miles from Jonesboro
430 miles from Monroe
450 miles from Little Rock
530 miles from Lafayette
750 miles from Denton

Boone is

340 miles from Murfreesboro
370 miles from Bowling Green
500 miles from Troy
805 miles from Fort Lauderdale
825 miles from Miami

Coming from the west occasionally for football and every year for all other sports

620 miles from Jonesboro
630 miles from Mobile
690 miles from Little Rock
770 miles from Monroe
870 miles from Lafayette
1015 miles from Denton

Charlotte is

410 miles from Murfreesboro
445 miles from Bowling Green
445 miles from Troy
710 miles from Fort Lauderdale
730 miles from Miami

coming from the west occasionally for football and every year for other sports

570 miles from Mobile
690 miles from Jonesboro
745 miles from Monroe
755 miles from Little Rock
825 miles from Lafayette
1065 miles from Denton

San Antonio is

305 miles from Denton
415 miles from Lafayette
500 miles from Monroe
595 miles from Little Rock
665 miles from Mobile
720 miles from Jonesboro

coming from the east occasionally for football and every year for other sports

830 miles from Troy
970 miles from Murfreesboro
1000 miles from Bowling Green
1360 miles from Fort Lauderdale
1380 miles from Miami

San Marcos is

255 miles from Denton
380 miles from Lafayette
450 miles from Monroe
545 miles from Little Rock
630 miles from Mobile
670 miles from Jonesboro

coming from the east occasionally for football and every year for other sports

800 miles from Troy
920 miles from Murfreesboro
950 miles from Bowling Green
1330 miles from Fort Lauderdale
1350 miles from Miami

Clearly Las Cruces is by far the worst option geographically. It's over 1,000 miles for half of their division and over 1,300 miles for everyone in the east. Las Cruces is 680 miles from Denton(it's shortest Sun Belt trip) Charlotte is closer than that to 4 out of 11 Sun Belt cities, Boone is closer than that to 5 out of 11 Sun Belt cities, San Antonio is closer than that to 5 out of 11 Sun Belt cities, San Marcos is closer than that to 6 out of 11 Sun Belt cities, Jacksonville is closer than that to 8 out of 11 Sun Belt cities, Statesboro is closer that that to 8 out of 11 Sun Belt cities, Ruston is closer than that to 9 out of 11 Sun Belt cities and Atlanta is closer than that to 10 out of 11 Sun Belt cities. Out of the schools that would potentially be in the west division, North Texas is the only one that is closer to Las Cruces than they are to the eastern options. Every other potential west division school is closer to literally every eastern option than they are to Las Cruces. So despite MG61's continued protests of adding schools in the east, adding schools in the east would be better than adding New Mexico State for literally everyone other than UNT.

Speaking purely geographically, the best options are clearly La Tech and Georgia State.

Personally I would prefer adding one to the east and one to the west(which La Tech and Georgia State would accomplish) but I wouldn't have a problem with adding two to the east or adding two to the west, just so long as they are the best overall options considering their athletic programs and their geography. If that means 2 out of 3 of La Tech, Texas State, and UTSA than so be it, add two schools to the west and make MG61 happy, but if the best two overall packages are in the east, then I'm definitely for that and not for catering to our most westward school's desires before anyone else.

The bottom line here folks is, no matter what, JUST SAY NO TO NEW MEXICO STATE!

You're givinge me tired head

I'd go after Idaho, San Jose St, Utah St, New Mexico State, La Tech and UTSA. That would elimate the WAC and Sunbelt could grab some bowl games and TV games late at nite for ESPN to show west coast audience. Pick up the Humantarian Bowl in Boise vs the MAC for starters. New Mexico Bowl vs MWC could be an option. That would double the bowls for the Sun Belt. With two 8 team division that would create more potential 7 and 8 win teams to get into backup bowl agreements.

(03-21-2011 11:19 PM)OhioBobcatJohn Wrote:  I'd go after Idaho, San Jose St, Utah St, New Mexico State, La Tech and UTSA. That would elimate the WAC and Sunbelt could grab some bowl games and TV games late at nite for ESPN to show west coast audience. Pick up the Humantarian Bowl in Boise vs the MAC for starters. New Mexico Bowl vs MWC could be an option. That would double the bowls for the Sun Belt. With two 8 team division that would create more potential 7 and 8 win teams to get into backup bowl agreements.

Again---NO WAY will there be 3 Louisiana teams----No doubt that Tech has more credentials than Monroe ---but I just can't see UL letting it happen-----We have been trying for years and did get away from the GSC of old!!!!

(03-21-2011 11:19 PM)OhioBobcatJohn Wrote:  I'd go after Idaho, San Jose St, Utah St, New Mexico State, La Tech and UTSA. That would elimate the WAC and Sunbelt could grab some bowl games and TV games late at nite for ESPN to show west coast audience. Pick up the Humantarian Bowl in Boise vs the MAC for starters. New Mexico Bowl vs MWC could be an option. That would double the bowls for the Sun Belt. With two 8 team division that would create more potential 7 and 8 win teams to get into backup bowl agreements.