(08-23-2011 07:03 PM)BlueRaiderFan. Wrote:  Space, we agree on Appy St. but not expansion. What happens when the other conferences come calling? You think any one of us will stay in the Sun Belt if Conf USA comes calling after being raided by the Big East? No way. We need a couple of more teams so that when this happens the Sun Belt can thrive after losing a team or two.

The Sun Belt can thrive after losing a team or two, we're not in danger of being where the WAC is, that's for sure. There's nothing wrong with extending the invites after a raid takes place, we have a good number of FCS options in our footprint, the WAC does not. If we were to lose one or two members, the need wouldn't even be all that pressing, we could even be picky about who we take, if we were to lose more than two members, than perhaps things get a little more serious.

Ok, sounds reasonable...but I still want Appy State.

(08-23-2011 04:57 PM)49RFootballNow Wrote:  

(08-23-2011 11:26 AM)97App Wrote:  How can Charlotte have better facilities when they haven't laid a brick yet? They've had to reduce their stadium plans to match their fan interest and donations - they were once talking 30k seating and are now building a 15k stadium. They overestimated their initial local support and to take them at this point would be a huge gamble. Our basketball program has been better than theirs the past several years.

We NEVER talked about a 30,000 stadium. The one we're building seats 15,300 with infrastructure in place to expand to 40,000. And your last statement is some incredible conjecture. SEVERAL years? WOW!

History tells us that Charlotte will be FBS no later than 2018...just saying

(08-23-2011 12:16 PM)Native Georgian Wrote:  I don't think Appalachian State should be brought into the SBC right now today, but -- IF they continue to progress over the next several years -- later on (6-8 years, maybe), then it would probably be a good idea.

6 to 8 years you say...


No big city urban startup in the modern era has taken more than 5 years. None.
School Years in FCS

USF 4
FIU 3
FAU 4
UCF 4
USA 4
UTSA 3
UAB 3 (also 2 seasons in Div III)

(08-23-2011 09:17 PM)panama Wrote:  

(08-23-2011 12:16 PM)Native Georgian Wrote:  I don't think Appalachian State should be brought into the SBC right now today, but -- IF they continue to progress over the next several years -- later on (6-8 years, maybe), then it would probably be a good idea.

6 to 8 years you say...


No big city urban startup in the modern era has taken more than 5 years. None.
School Years in FCS

USF 4
FIU 3
FAU 4
UCF 4
USA 4
UTSA 3
UAB 3 (also 2 seasons in Div III)

I don't agree with that either. I'd be ok with App State coming in today. Though your post made it seem like you thought App State was a startup program. I was confuse.

(08-23-2011 11:45 AM)BankerCajun Wrote:  With the possibility of the Big 12 either expanding or exploding, the SEC expanding, ACC and Big East looking, C-USA will be raided and i see only 6 teams left standing....
Marshal, Memphis, So Miss, UAB, Rice, and Tulane...

C-USA and the SunBelt could Merge making a 16 team conference...
West;
UNT, Rice, Lousiana, Ark ST., ULM, So Miss, Memphis, Tulane

East;
Marshal, MTSU, WKy, UAB, Troy, So Ala., FAU, FIU..

Tech stays in the WAC.. No need for FCS teams....

I know the C-USA leftovers would have a sour belly, but hey, i like it..

There is 1 good reason why you will never see this happen..... Its 3 little letters R.P.I.

Memphis Marshall, USM and UAB all had top 100 RPIs. No one in the Sun Belt even cracked the 100 RPI mark this year. The closest was FAU at 113. And only 2 schools had winning records.

I could be wrong but I think that was an unusual year for us, besides we will imrpove so by the time it happens maybe we are better.

(08-23-2011 07:03 PM)BlueRaiderFan. Wrote:  Space, we agree on Appy St. but not expansion. What happens when the other conferences come calling? You think any one of us will stay in the Sun Belt if Conf USA comes calling after being raided by the Big East? No way. We need a couple of more teams so that when this happens the Sun Belt can thrive after losing a team or two.

"We The rest of you guys would need a couple of more teams so that when this happens we leave for better things the Sun Belt can thrive after losing a team or two."

Just saying what everyone ACTUALLY read in their heads.

Funny. You get this "Panama" guy that is a real Georgia State (GSU, not GaSo) fan that makes wild statements saying no, he want his school to go FBS commenting on App State.. A Marshall Thundering Terd fan that knows his school is afraid of App State because they have about a 33% winning percentage against Appalachian over the years. Seems as if most members, except those in northern Texas, want us in the Sun Belt.

By the way, our regular season attendance in football last year was 29,449, and 29,747 a couple of years ago. (We are adding some seats this year.) When you add in the "playoff games" 5 weeks in a row that drops the average with people going out of town for Thanksgiving and Christmas shopping, those are NCAA sponsored events with the NCAA getting most of the money anyway. That runs us at 140% capacity. With true FBS home games it's the sky is the limit in attendance.

I don't think of Boone as anything but one of the top college towns in America in a national article last week, and a major ski area with overpriced houses that people own from all over the U.S., but especially Florida. If you set up a late season football game you could either see the magnificant fall colors in the mountains or go skiing after a football game, or if earlier go white water rafting, drive the Blue Ridge Parkway or canoe Lake Price. Airports about 25 miles south, or 40 minutes north of Boone, plus several smaller airports if you fly like I do. All four roads leading into Boone are at least four lanes except for one..

Our basketball team was rebuilding this year. Won over 30 games the year before , beating Harvard and Marshall in post season play before losing to Long Beach, and Coach Capel is really recruiting well.

The only fear you have of App State not adding anything to the Sun Belt would just be fear itself. Mack Brown , Texas coach, coached football at App State, Georgia Tech's coach got his master's degree from us, and has a house near Boone, FIU's offensive coordinator coached at App. I beliee we have tons of BCS wins to come in the FBS. Can someone ask Waters to call Charlie Cobb in Boone and let's get going?

(08-24-2011 12:14 AM)GoApps70 Wrote:  Funny. You get this "Panama" guy that is a real Georgia State (GSU, not GaSo) fan that makes wild statements saying no, he want his school to go FBS commenting on App State.. A Marshall Thundering Terd fan that knows his school is afraid of App State because they have about a 33% winning percentage against Appalachian over the years. Seems as if most members, except those in northern Texas, want us in the Sun Belt.

By the way, our regular season attendance in football last year was 29,449, and 29,747 a couple of years ago. (We are adding some seats this year.) When you add in the "playoff games" 5 weeks in a row that drops the average with people going out of town for Thanksgiving and Christmas shopping, those are NCAA sponsored events with the NCAA getting most of the money anyway. That runs us at 140% capacity. With true FBS home games it's the sky is the limit in attendance.

I don't think of Boone as anything but one of the top college towns in America in a national article last week, and a major ski area with overpriced houses that people own from all over the U.S., but especially Florida. If you set up a late season football game you could either see the magnificant fall colors in the mountains or go skiing after a football game, or if earlier go white water rafting, drive the Blue Ridge Parkway or canoe Lake Price. Airports about 25 miles south, or 40 minutes north of Boone, plus several smaller airports if you fly like I do. All four roads leading into Boone are at least four lanes except for one..

Our basketball team was rebuilding this year. Won over 30 games the year before , beating Harvard and Marshall in post season play before losing to Long Beach, and Coach Capel is really recruiting well.

The only fear you have of App State not adding anything to the Sun Belt would just be fear itself. Mack Brown , Texas coach, coached football at App State, Georgia Tech's coach got his master's degree from us, and has a house near Boone, FIU's offensive coordinator coached at App. I beliee we have tons of BCS wins to come in the FBS. Can someone ask Waters to call Charlie Cobb in Boone and let's get going?

Come on over, I'd love to have you in the sunbelt.

(08-24-2011 12:22 AM)TroyFootball05 Wrote:  

(08-24-2011 12:14 AM)GoApps70 Wrote:  Funny. You get this "Panama" guy that is a real Georgia State (GSU, not GaSo) fan that makes wild statements saying no, he want his school to go FBS commenting on App State.. A Marshall Thundering Terd fan that knows his school is afraid of App State because they have about a 33% winning percentage against Appalachian over the years. Seems as if most members, except those in northern Texas, want us in the Sun Belt.

By the way, our regular season attendance in football last year was 29,449, and 29,747 a couple of years ago. (We are adding some seats this year.) When you add in the "playoff games" 5 weeks in a row that drops the average with people going out of town for Thanksgiving and Christmas shopping, those are NCAA sponsored events with the NCAA getting most of the money anyway. That runs us at 140% capacity. With true FBS home games it's the sky is the limit in attendance.

I don't think of Boone as anything but one of the top college towns in America in a national article last week, and a major ski area with overpriced houses that people own from all over the U.S., but especially Florida. If you set up a late season football game you could either see the magnificant fall colors in the mountains or go skiing after a football game, or if earlier go white water rafting, drive the Blue Ridge Parkway or canoe Lake Price. Airports about 25 miles south, or 40 minutes north of Boone, plus several smaller airports if you fly like I do. All four roads leading into Boone are at least four lanes except for one..

Our basketball team was rebuilding this year. Won over 30 games the year before , beating Harvard and Marshall in post season play before losing to Long Beach, and Coach Capel is really recruiting well.

The only fear you have of App State not adding anything to the Sun Belt would just be fear itself. Mack Brown , Texas coach, coached football at App State, Georgia Tech's coach got his master's degree from us, and has a house near Boone, FIU's offensive coordinator coached at App. I beliee we have tons of BCS wins to come in the FBS. Can someone ask Waters to call Charlie Cobb in Boone and let's get going?

Come on over, I'd love to have you in the sunbelt.

Appreciate it. Would like that. Odd how one of the schools with the most to lose is the most welcoming. Guess it's because you realize how good competition makes everyone better.

(Plus you probably want to beat our butt after you winning in Boone in 2000 and then us winning in Troy in the playoffs that year.)

(08-23-2011 11:28 PM)BlueRaiderFan. Wrote:  I could be wrong but I think that was an unusual year for us, besides we will imrpove so by the time it happens maybe we are better.

Maybe so but the year before only 3 teams had winning seasons. And the best RPI was North Texas at 109.

Putting a conf together just isn't about Football. If it was Baylor, Duke, Wake and Northwestern wouldn't be were they are.

You have to look at the avg athletic budget for each Conference, coaches salaries, startup fees for Conf. memberships, facilities, travel costs, etc. It's hard to go from an athletic budget of $20,000,000 to one of double that within a couple of years. Where are the additional revenues going to come from? The Sun Belt would seem to be the best fit for ASU now. 5-6 years down the road it may be a different story.
I can't say schools like FAU don't have aspirations beyond the SB. But so far it has suited them well.

(08-23-2011 11:05 PM)TroyFootball05 Wrote:  

(08-23-2011 09:17 PM)panama Wrote:  

(08-23-2011 12:16 PM)Native Georgian Wrote:  I don't think Appalachian State should be brought into the SBC right now today, but -- IF they continue to progress over the next several years -- later on (6-8 years, maybe), then it would probably be a good idea.

6 to 8 years you say...


No big city urban startup in the modern era has taken more than 5 years. None.
School Years in FCS

USF 4
FIU 3
FAU 4
UCF 4
USA 4
UTSA 3
UAB 3 (also 2 seasons in Div III)

I don't agree with that either. I'd be ok with App State coming in today. Though your post made it seem like you thought App State was a startup program. I was confuse.

My bad, I thought he said Charlotte would take 6 to 8 years. Regarding App State, it just depends on how much they are willing to spend. They could easily become one of those programs that struggles at the FBS level. They probably need a stadium upgrade at some point and those arent getting any cheaper. At the same time they need to increase their budget significantly. One of the reasons the startups were able to get there so quick is that their student fee base is always increasing at a rapid rate. Not sure that App is seeing the same increase in demand as big city downtown schools. Not saying they cannot do it but they have some serious issues to address and they all involve $$$

I welcome App State. Their name recognition and great attendance would help the Belt a lot. I'm sure many people feel the same way they do about App State as they did when Troy entered back in 2004.

I don't understand what you mean by Troy being one of the schools to lose the most?

(08-24-2011 09:31 AM)troy4ever21 Wrote:  I don't understand what you mean by Troy being one of the schools to lose the most?

I think he is alluding to the belief among their fans that App State would quickly become the premier team in the Conference.

App State would be a great acquisition to the SBC. They have a dedicated fan base that will grow with the move to FBS. Add App State plus Ga State and Charlotte. Then invite La Tech. If La Tech declines then take a hard look at Kennesaw State.

(08-24-2011 10:30 AM)FloridaJag Wrote:  App State would be a great acquisition to the SBC. They have a dedicated fan base that will grow with the move to FBS. Add App State plus Ga State and Charlotte. Then invite La Tech. If La Tech declines then take a hard look at Kennesaw State.

Heck, might as well extend an open invitation to anyone east of the Mississippi that wants to move up the FBS. Then the Belt can continue to be the "entry conference" for anyone with the idea of a move.

We need to quit constantly thinking about expansion and concentrate on building the programs that we have. If there is a sizable shakeup coming, current FBS programs that could be an excellent conference fit may be available. Have some patience.

(08-24-2011 10:30 AM)FloridaJag Wrote:  App State would be a great acquisition to the SBC. They have a dedicated fan base that will grow with the move to FBS. Add App State plus Ga State and Charlotte. Then invite La Tech. If La Tech declines then take a hard look at Kennesaw State.

Your crazy, Kennesaw St, Ga St and Charlotte have absolutely zero name recognition in football.

App State at least bring a name that nearly everyone in the country recognizes. I would say no to La Tech as well, let them rot in the WAC. I would pluck Texas St over them.

There would be many good reasons to welcome App. State.

1. Very good facilities--better than many SBC schools. (And considerably better than La. Tech.)

2. FCS football program with national name recognition.

3. Their basketball isn't terrible. They've been a middle of the pack SoCon team. That would make them a middle of the pack SBC team. While they wouldn't enhance for basketball, they wouldn't kill it either.

4. Outstanding fan base, especially for football, that supports their team and THEY TRAVEL.

But here's the sticker:

Boone NC is fine if you're in the SoCon and most of your teams travel by bus.

In the SBC (or CUSA) it's a whole other story.

When we talk travel, we're not talking football. Football teams charter fights.

Everyone else travels commercial.

Now, let's take Arkansas State's Volleyball team. Get on a bus, drive 1.5 hours to the Memphis airport. Fly to a hub airport. Get through the layover. Fly to Tri-Cities (if you can get in there travelling 20 people, 35 for baseball) and bus another hour.

That, my friends, is a day's work. Then you do it all again coming home.

ANd, it ain't cheap to do it.

That's going to be the biggest sticking point for any conference when considering app state.

MT and WKU wouldn't have much of an issue because they can bus. But after that, wow.