(03-27-2013 08:33 AM)monarchman Wrote:  Brent Thibodeaux ‏@BrentThibodeaux 37m
As of now the #SunBelt is preparing to lose two more schools. #JMU will get one of the conference invites.
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Brent Thibodeaux ‏@BrentThibodeaux 39m
#SunBelt Conference is looking at the possibility of two more invites going out. James Madison being one of them. #JMU
Expand

https://twitter.com/BrentThibodeaux

Interesting.

Could this mean WKU to CUSA and Ark St to MAC?

Ark State doesn't have a lot of incentive to hang around the dumpster fire SBC.

(03-27-2013 08:06 AM)JMU2004 Wrote:  One thing I will say here. ODU and JMU DO NOT share markets. ODU is primarily (75%+) in the SE corner of the state. That works for them because SE VA is heavily populated, and has NO other FBS team within 4 hours. They get practically no mention in Richmond, DC, Western, or Central Va. If you consider Virginia to be one market, you are foolish. It is very very segmented.

JMU brings Richmond, Central Va, and Northern Va into the fold.

That being said, I doubt CUSA has any interest.

I can definitely back up the claim for NoVa. I saw JMU fans/alums everywhere when I lived in DC. They went out to bars in force when games were televised. I was impressed.

(03-27-2013 08:37 AM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  

(03-27-2013 08:33 AM)monarchman Wrote:  Brent Thibodeaux ‏@BrentThibodeaux 37m
As of now the #SunBelt is preparing to lose two more schools. #JMU will get one of the conference invites.
Expand

Brent Thibodeaux ‏@BrentThibodeaux 39m
#SunBelt Conference is looking at the possibility of two more invites going out. James Madison being one of them. #JMU
Expand

https://twitter.com/BrentThibodeaux

Interesting.

Could this mean WKU to CUSA and Ark St to MAC?

Ark State doesn't have a lot of incentive to hang around the dumpster fire SBC.

The MAC would definitely be a more stable place for stAte. Landing them and somehow getting UMass in all sports would be a home run for the MAC.

(03-27-2013 08:44 AM)Chappy Wrote:  

(03-27-2013 08:37 AM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  

(03-27-2013 08:33 AM)monarchman Wrote:  Brent Thibodeaux ‏@BrentThibodeaux 37m
As of now the #SunBelt is preparing to lose two more schools. #JMU will get one of the conference invites.
Expand

Brent Thibodeaux ‏@BrentThibodeaux 39m
#SunBelt Conference is looking at the possibility of two more invites going out. James Madison being one of them. #JMU
Expand

https://twitter.com/BrentThibodeaux

Interesting.

Could this mean WKU to CUSA and Ark St to MAC?

Ark State doesn't have a lot of incentive to hang around the dumpster fire SBC.

The MAC would definitely be a more stable place for stAte. Landing them and somehow getting UMass in all sports would be a home run for the MAC.

Arkansas State could also compete right away in MAC football. That will set well with the MAC presidents who vetoed the addition of WKU in 2005 for that reason.

(03-27-2013 08:06 AM)JMU2004 Wrote:  One thing I will say here. ODU and JMU DO NOT share markets. ODU is primarily (75%+) in the SE corner of the state. That works for them because SE VA is heavily populated, and has NO other FBS team within 4 hours. They get practically no mention in Richmond, DC, Western, or Central Va. If you consider Virginia to be one market, you are foolish. It is very very segmented.

JMU brings Richmond, Central Va, and Northern Va into the fold.

That being said, I doubt CUSA has any interest.

ahh.. i thought they both shared the Central Va area ... (behind the usual suspects of course)

(03-27-2013 08:59 AM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  

(03-27-2013 08:44 AM)Chappy Wrote:  The MAC would definitely be a more stable place for stAte. Landing them and somehow getting UMass in all sports would be a home run for the MAC.

Arkansas State could also compete right away in MAC football. That will set well with the MAC presidents who vetoed the addition of WKU in 2005 for that reason.

Would it be all-sports?

On Sagarin rankings, Arkansas State at #154 this year would slot into BBall right between WMU at #144 and Toledo/Buffalo at #174/#176. One year result / past performance doesn't predict future results / yadda yadda yadda ... but if its all-sports, it seems like a BBall add that would moderately strengthen MAC RPI: Sagarin's power rating for Arkansas State is 73.21, while the center-weighted average for the MAC is 70.95.

And would the divisions be Ohio Schools + UMASS in the East, and MI/IN/IL/AR in the West? What do the Michigan schools think about travel to Arkansas?

As far as Arkansas State BBall perspective, its not entirely about finding a stable FBall conference to play in. It's the second ranking school on Sagarin BBall ranking this year in the Sunbelt, at #154, after MTSU, the Sunbelt's only top-100 school ... and MTSU is leaving this summer.

Given the MAC's two top-100 schools, the Sunbelt if the only FBS conference that is weaker in BBall than the MAC, and with the Sunbelt not being in a position to add a BBall school that can replace MTSU, the gap is only going to increase over the next few years.

JMU has the fanbase and the passion to be a good sports school. In Dayton, we were the loudest, if you watched the game against Indiana, at the end of the game you can hear the fans chanting. At FedEx against WVU, we had close to 15,000 fans at the game. As stated above, JMU Nation is very supportive and are looking for a reason to cheer and donate more.

The thing that worries me most about the SBC is basketball. Football will be fine, but basketball will not be so great. CUSA will have better basketball. The MAC will have the best of both worlds.

(03-27-2013 12:21 PM)jmufan Wrote:  The thing that worries me most about the SBC is basketball. Football will be fine, but basketball will not be so great. CUSA will have better basketball. The MAC will have the best of both worlds.

Yeah, according to the Sagarin rankings for the Sunbelt, the RPI, already the lowest among FBS conferences, seems likely to head down further. Indeed, adding a school in the #125-#175 range in BBall, toward the top rather than the bottom of the Sunbelt strength of BB program, would be a big part of why the Sunbelt would want JMU.

57 Middle Tennessee = 81.46 ... to CUSA
154 Arkansas State = 73.21
177 Western Kentucky = 71.96 ... expected to CUSA
193 Fla. International = 70.75 ... to CUSA
198 South Alabama = 70.59
221 Ark.-Little Rock = 68.84
227 Florida Atlantic = 68.56 ... to CUSA
240 Louisiana-Lafayette = 68.06
250 North Texas = 67.52 ... to CUSA
273 Troy = 65.64
325 Louisiana-Monroe = 60.36

Assuming the WKY move takes place, in 2014, the Sunbelt is looking at (again, five year averages would be better, but this is easier):

154 Arkansas State = 73.21
#169 Georgia State in 2013
198 South Alabama = 70.59
221 Ark.-Little Rock = 68.84
240 Louisiana-Lafayette = 68.06
#246 Appalachian State in 2014
#249 UTSA in 2013
#258 Texas State in 2013
#267 Georgia Southern in 2014
273 Troy = 65.64
325 Louisiana-Monroe = 60.36

And JMU would slot in right at or near the top of that.

Securing an east coast footprint would work well for schools in the C-USA east. I think James Madison makes a stronger argument to join C-USA.

If Old Dominion, Charlotte, and UTSA can enter C-USA to build their programs, JMU could expand, too.

C-USA East- Old Dominion (Norfolk), James Madison (100 miles from DC), Marshall, Charlotte, MTSU (north of Nashville), FIU, FAU, WKU

Very similar to the MAC, the schools are relatively close with the exceptions of FIU and FAU.

The west would work under similar idea but work in the Texas footprint (with UTEP being a world away in El Paso).

C-USA West- UTEP (El Paso), UTSA (San Antonio), Rice (Houston), UNT (Dallas), Louisiana Tech, Southern Miss, UAB (Birmingham), School X (Louisiana Lafayette/Arkansas State/South Alabama/Georgia State/ete...)

I am not suggesting that this is ideal for UTEP, Marshall, Southern Miss, or Louisiana Tech- schools that have proven themselves over the years. It does create a footprint that may allow the schools to anchor their programs relatively quickly.

Face it, C-TBA, C-USA, MAC, Sunbelt, and MWC will be scheduling bowl games against each other.

(03-27-2013 08:37 AM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  

(03-27-2013 08:33 AM)monarchman Wrote:  Brent Thibodeaux ‏@BrentThibodeaux 37m
As of now the #SunBelt is preparing to lose two more schools. #JMU will get one of the conference invites.
Expand

Brent Thibodeaux ‏@BrentThibodeaux 39m
#SunBelt Conference is looking at the possibility of two more invites going out. James Madison being one of them. #JMU
Expand

https://twitter.com/BrentThibodeaux

Interesting.

Could this mean WKU to CUSA and Ark St to MAC?

Ark State doesn't have a lot of incentive to hang around the dumpster fire SBC.

The MAC has one good season and your might confident. Do most of the MAC teams even put 15k in the stands yet?

Yo, could you imagine the lol if we were all wrong and Conference USA invited James Madison instead of WKU?

(03-27-2013 01:30 PM)TrojanCampaign Wrote:  Yo, could you imagine the lol if we were all wrong and Conference USA invited James Madison instead of WKU?

that has been floated by a few people. I don't think it is true though.

(03-27-2013 01:32 PM)JMU2004 Wrote:  

(03-27-2013 01:30 PM)TrojanCampaign Wrote:  Yo, could you imagine the lol if we were all wrong and Conference USA invited James Madison instead of WKU?

that has been floated by a few people. I don't think it is true though.

would be plain hilarious.

(03-27-2013 11:45 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(03-27-2013 08:59 AM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  

(03-27-2013 08:44 AM)Chappy Wrote:  The MAC would definitely be a more stable place for stAte. Landing them and somehow getting UMass in all sports would be a home run for the MAC.

Arkansas State could also compete right away in MAC football. That will set well with the MAC presidents who vetoed the addition of WKU in 2005 for that reason.

Would it be all-sports?

On Sagarin rankings, Arkansas State at #154 this year would slot into BBall right between WMU at #144 and Toledo/Buffalo at #174/#176. One year result / past performance doesn't predict future results / yadda yadda yadda ... but if its all-sports, it seems like a BBall add that would moderately strengthen MAC RPI: Sagarin's power rating for Arkansas State is 73.21, while the center-weighted average for the MAC is 70.95.

And would the divisions be Ohio Schools + UMASS in the East, and MI/IN/IL/AR in the West? What do the Michigan schools think about travel to Arkansas?

As far as Arkansas State BBall perspective, its not entirely about finding a stable FBall conference to play in. It's the second ranking school on Sagarin BBall ranking this year in the Sunbelt, at #154, after MTSU, the Sunbelt's only top-100 school ... and MTSU is leaving this summer.

Given the MAC's two top-100 schools, the Sunbelt if the only FBS conference that is weaker in BBall than the MAC, and with the Sunbelt not being in a position to add a BBall school that can replace MTSU, the gap is only going to increase over the next few years.

-The divisions would have NIU, Ball ST, CMU, WMU, EMU, Toledo and Ark State all in the same division for football and basketball. This allows the MAC to balance out at 14 football members. The MAC East will still have 6 schools.

-Travel is about 7-9 hours for the MAC West to Arkansas State. There would be a slight increase in travel costs in the non-FB sports (FB can take a bus) but it would be worth it if the school adds 10% to the MAC's media deal and SOS in Football.

-Arkansas State would help to deliver a tie-in with the Independence Bowl for the MAC plus help with a backup agreement in Dallas bowl games.

(03-27-2013 01:30 PM)TrojanCampaign Wrote:  Yo, could you imagine the lol if we were all wrong and Conference USA invited James Madison instead of WKU?

I think it may be better to imagine James Madison and company following East Carolina up to Division 1-A football back in the late 1970's.

W&M, Richmond, James Madison, East Carolina, (I can't remember the other schools)- could have build a conference like the ACC's.

Stadiums were much smaller then. We may have been able to grow together.

(03-27-2013 01:28 PM)TrojanCampaign Wrote:  The MAC has one good season and your might confident. Do most of the MAC teams even put 15k in the stands yet?

When all you have is attendance smack, you've lost the argument.

(03-27-2013 01:34 PM)TrojanCampaign Wrote:  

(03-27-2013 01:32 PM)JMU2004 Wrote:  

(03-27-2013 01:30 PM)TrojanCampaign Wrote:  Yo, could you imagine the lol if we were all wrong and Conference USA invited James Madison instead of WKU?

that has been floated by a few people. I don't think it is true though.

would be plain hilarious.

The wku boards would become very readable.

(03-27-2013 09:10 AM)DaSaintFan Wrote:  

(03-27-2013 08:06 AM)JMU2004 Wrote:  One thing I will say here. ODU and JMU DO NOT share markets. ODU is primarily (75%+) in the SE corner of the state. That works for them because SE VA is heavily populated, and has NO other FBS team within 4 hours. They get practically no mention in Richmond, DC, Western, or Central Va. If you consider Virginia to be one market, you are foolish. It is very very segmented.

JMU brings Richmond, Central Va, and Northern Va into the fold.

That being said, I doubt CUSA has any interest.

ahh.. i thought they both shared the Central Va area ... (behind the usual suspects of course)

I can definitely confirm that ODU gets very little play and the alumni are limited in Richmond - Richmond has a large JMU alumni base and has started to get more local media attention recently. But the bulk of the attention is the "usual suspects" and VCU.

(03-27-2013 06:26 PM)GeoJMU Wrote:  

(03-27-2013 09:10 AM)DaSaintFan Wrote:  

(03-27-2013 08:06 AM)JMU2004 Wrote:  One thing I will say here. ODU and JMU DO NOT share markets. ODU is primarily (75%+) in the SE corner of the state. That works for them because SE VA is heavily populated, and has NO other FBS team within 4 hours. They get practically no mention in Richmond, DC, Western, or Central Va. If you consider Virginia to be one market, you are foolish. It is very very segmented.

JMU brings Richmond, Central Va, and Northern Va into the fold.

That being said, I doubt CUSA has any interest.

ahh.. i thought they both shared the Central Va area ... (behind the usual suspects of course)

I can definitely confirm that ODU gets very little play and the alumni are limited in Richmond - Richmond has a large JMU alumni base and has started to get more local media attention recently. But the bulk of the attention is the "usual suspects" and VCU.

yep, here is the richmond pecking order in terms of sports coverage.

VT (during football season)
UVA
VCU (ahead of UVA/VT during bball season)
UR/JMU tie, maybe slight edge to UR just because of proximity.
W&M

http://www.timesdispatch.com/sports/college/

just look at that RTD college sports page, and the general order that the colleges appear on that page mainly sums it up. notice the lack of odu. I rarely hear about them on the local news.

(03-27-2013 02:40 PM)Lord Stanley Wrote:  

(03-27-2013 01:28 PM)TrojanCampaign Wrote:  The MAC has one good season and your might confident. Do most of the MAC teams even put 15k in the stands yet?

When all you have is attendance smack, you've lost the argument.

No kidding, the MAC has had many many Top 25 and several Top 10 ranked teams over our history and The SBC has never had a ranked team at all. Our history goes back way further than last season.

Just off the top of my head in the last 10 years, Miami, NIU, Bowling Green, Ball State have all been ranked in the Top 15. Toledo might have too, they certainly have been in the Top 10 at some point. Count Marshall in there too, they havent done anything since being in our conference.
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