(08-02-2013 12:53 PM)CitrusUCF Wrote:  

(08-02-2013 12:29 PM)rcodey Wrote:  It's not online yet but Sunday's( Aug. 4) Naples Daily News has an story about the future of the Atlantic Sun conference and FGCU. Story mentions the possibility of FGCU going to Conference USA.

Not unless they add football, which doesn't seem to be coming anytime soon.

Yea it seems the Naples news has had a few stories already about FGCU and the Atlantic Sun. It makes it sound like they are panicked because of the realization that they have no other options. I think at this point it's like they are trying to convince themselves they will be OK.

(08-03-2013 03:20 AM)MercerFan Wrote:  

(08-02-2013 12:53 PM)CitrusUCF Wrote:  

(08-02-2013 12:29 PM)rcodey Wrote:  It's not online yet but Sunday's( Aug. 4) Naples Daily News has an story about the future of the Atlantic Sun conference and FGCU. Story mentions the possibility of FGCU going to Conference USA.

Not unless they add football, which doesn't seem to be coming anytime soon.

Yea it seems the Naples news has had a few stories already about FGCU and the Atlantic Sun. It makes it sound like they are panicked because of the realization that they have no other options. I think at this point it's like they are trying to convince themselves they will be OK.

Unfortunately for FGCU, the A-Sun is probably the only non-football league that will house a school south of the Florida Panhandle. I don't see the Big South or SoCon dipping that far down -- probably only Jacksonville or North Florida would be in consideration.

So your note about Nova or perhaps U of Tampa would be the best to consider. And probably wise for the A-Sun since those schools are least likely to be poached.

I still think that Columbus State should be a shoe-in for the A-Sun to grab. And work an alliance with the Big South to allow Kennesaw State to join football only. Also provide North Alabama's non-football teams a home in the A-Sun with their football to be in the Big South within that same proposed alliance. And include West Georgia and/or Valdosta State if either wants to move up.

Also, the Big South might check out UNC Pembroke's interest in moving up from Division II. They fit perfectly in the BSC as far as geography goes. I think they are independent in Division II and would save them mega travel --- puts the BSC back to 12 schools. Along with Kennesaw and the other Gulf South potential move-ups (North Alabama, West Georgia, Valdosta State), it could be a very beneficial working arrangement.

The Big South will only have six football schools next fall I believe and one of those, Monmouth, is a displaced football only selection.

I don't see the value for C-USA taking FGCU unless if they lose one (and only one) of FAU and FIU. Those two schools are already functional travel partners. The Atlantic Sun will survive if no one leaves before NKU completes its transition, so FGCU doesn't need to worry unless if they know someone else is out the door.

Even then it doesn't make sense to split a tournament unit another 7-8 ways. C-USA really would have to add two teams that consistently would get them two additional bids.

I'm not quite up to date on the recent rumblings of the A-Sun but I think any moves to bolster the northern end of the footprint would be a mistake. Northern Kentucky will stay with the A-Sun until the end of their transition, but after that they will likely be poach-bait for the Horizon League. How soon likely depends on their overall athletic performance. (Complete speculation, by the way.)

Here's a link to the Fort Myers News Press story.

http://www.news-press.com/article/201308...ext|Sports

(08-13-2013 12:31 AM)rcodey Wrote:  Here's a link to the Fort Myers News Press story.

http://www.news-press.com/article/201308...ext|Sports

Nova would be a good choice for FGCU along with Tampa. The A-Sun could invite those two along with Columbus State and North Alabama. Would set up 2 six-team divisions, North/South with the Florida schools all in the South and the others in the North.

Kennesaw State to the Big South in football. How long until they move all sports?

http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/kennesaw-...all/nZkfN/

They won't. Kennesaw has delusions of Sun Belt grandeur in their minds. After the disaster that is Ga. State's program at the moment, I don't know that Sun Belt schools will want another Georgia school that can't compete with Samford.

(09-03-2013 04:38 PM)Buccaneerlover Wrote:  They won't. Kennesaw has delusions of Sun Belt grandeur in their minds. After the disaster that is Ga. State's program at the moment, I don't know that Sun Belt schools will want another Georgia school that can't compete with Samford.

Hard to disagree. Plus, I don't see the Sun Belt wanting a third team in the state of Georgia and Kennesaw would only duplicate the Atlanta market. Kennesaw is a rapidly growing school, though.

Maybe this allow North Alabama to move up from Division II. I think they've let it be known that that is their goal but need a conference for that to happen. The A-Sun needs bodies and so still does Big South football, a perfect working alliance just like it appears they will have with Kennesaw.

(09-04-2013 11:45 PM)MemTGRS Wrote:  

(09-03-2013 04:38 PM)Buccaneerlover Wrote:  They won't. Kennesaw has delusions of Sun Belt grandeur in their minds. After the disaster that is Ga. State's program at the moment, I don't know that Sun Belt schools will want another Georgia school that can't compete with Samford.

Hard to disagree. Plus, I don't see the Sun Belt wanting a third team in the state of Georgia and Kennesaw would only duplicate the Atlanta market. Kennesaw is a rapidly growing school, though.

Maybe this allow North Alabama to move up from Division II. I think they've let it be known that that is their goal but need a conference for that to happen. The A-Sun needs bodies and so still does Big South football, a perfect working alliance just like it appears they will have with Kennesaw.

I tried to find the old KSU article when they announced football, but their cluttered website doesn't seem to have an archive of old stories.

I'm pretty sure that when they announced football the first words out of their mouth was that they were going to find a new conference. I think they have found out that no one wants them. I think it's great they are pushing forward, but they have quite a bit to fix before they are attractive to a new conference. No one wants to take in that basketball program plus a start up football team. The fans on here used to start posts about how they'd dominate the A-Sun by 2008.

I will be an interested observer to what happens with them, both basketball and football moving forward.

(09-05-2013 05:03 AM)MercerFan Wrote:  

(09-04-2013 11:45 PM)MemTGRS Wrote:  

(09-03-2013 04:38 PM)Buccaneerlover Wrote:  They won't. Kennesaw has delusions of Sun Belt grandeur in their minds. After the disaster that is Ga. State's program at the moment, I don't know that Sun Belt schools will want another Georgia school that can't compete with Samford.

Hard to disagree. Plus, I don't see the Sun Belt wanting a third team in the state of Georgia and Kennesaw would only duplicate the Atlanta market. Kennesaw is a rapidly growing school, though.

Maybe this allow North Alabama to move up from Division II. I think they've let it be known that that is their goal but need a conference for that to happen. The A-Sun needs bodies and so still does Big South football, a perfect working alliance just like it appears they will have with Kennesaw.

I tried to find the old KSU article when they announced football, but their cluttered website doesn't seem to have an archive of old stories.

I'm pretty sure that when they announced football the first words out of their mouth was that they were going to find a new conference. I think they have found out that no one wants them. I think it's great they are pushing forward, but they have quite a bit to fix before they are attractive to a new conference. No one wants to take in that basketball program plus a start up football team. The fans on here used to start posts about how they'd dominate the A-Sun by 2008.

I will be an interested observer to what happens with them, both basketball and football moving forward.

Crazy how those fans have COMPLETELY disappeared these days. We used to laugh so hard about that. I think since they moved up they had one year close to .500 (the first year) and have STUNK ever since.
They have a couple of sports they're okay in, but largely they're not competitive in anything. The one thing you could say about Ga. State was they were winning basketball games in the A-Sun. All KSU has done, I can't really think of anything they've done except lose.

(09-05-2013 04:07 PM)Buccaneerlover Wrote:  Crazy how those fans have COMPLETELY disappeared these days. We used to laugh so hard about that. I think since they moved up they had one year close to .500 (the first year) and have STUNK ever since.
They have a couple of sports they're okay in, but largely they're not competitive in anything. The one thing you could say about Ga. State was they were winning basketball games in the A-Sun. All KSU has done, I can't really think of anything they've done except lose.

I lived for a while in Smyrna near the Kennesaw State campus and went to three or four games in what was their new (and nice) arena. So it remains a headscratcher that a metro Atlanta school with apparently nice facilities struggles so much within the Atlantic Sun.

And I recall that they won a Division II national title just before arriving in the league. ... ????

What does Montevallo have to do to get a sniff from the A-Sun? We're in the metro Birmingham market (roughly 30 miles from city of Birmingham), definitely the only game in town, beautiful campus, beautiful co-eds, great academics, and good athletics too (Rusty Greer is one of our athletic alumni).

We're talking about you on the realignment section of this board, we could use you A-Sun guys input.
http://csnbbs.com/thread-657420.html

Still a fan of ASun.
I'm hoping to hear some serious rumors of schools the ASun might be looking to add.
I would try to add at least 4 over the next 2 to 3 years.

(06-09-2014 06:55 PM)mufootballfan Wrote:  Still a fan of ASun.
I'm hoping to hear some serious rumors of schools the ASun might be looking to add.
I would try to add at least 4 over the next 2 to 3 years.

+1. I just have to believe that we'll hear something soon about at least two additions. As you noted, I think four is smarter as well.