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AAC would clearly be a big improvement from CUSA. If the OCS proposal went forward in 2011 we'd probably be in right now instead of Tulane...

(02-27-2018 10:04 AM)BlazerFromMD Wrote:  

(02-27-2018 09:13 AM)ATTALLABLAZE Wrote:  The teams that went to the AAC did improve as a whole. Yea Memphis went down in basketball but flourished in football. They improved faster than thought. CUSA in football and basketball has improved but at a much slower rate than we thought and hoped. It is a nice step up and only a fool would not take it if offered. It’s more than a drink of water.

That has nothing to do with the conference, just Pastner and Tubby.

Actually more to do with the administration refusing to spend money on the basketball program in favor of football. Pastner was recruiting great his first couple of years and the recruits lived like kings. Then Memphis started cutting corners like no more private jets to road trips, one year they didn't sent the band and cheerleaders to the conference tournament. Pastner and Tubby has played a big part in it, but program decisions also led to Basketball downfall.

(02-27-2018 10:59 AM)hooverblazer Wrote:  AAC would clearly be a big improvement from CUSA. If the OCS proposal went forward in 2011 we'd probably be in right now instead of Tulane...

Tulane' location played the biggest part of their inclusion. Everybody wants a road trip to New Orleans. Plus Tulane' President was the most vocal about law suits if his against the Big East, which is actually the conference they went to. I think those were bigger factors than their new stadium.

(02-27-2018 11:16 AM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  

(02-27-2018 10:59 AM)hooverblazer Wrote:  AAC would clearly be a big improvement from CUSA. If the OCS proposal went forward in 2011 we'd probably be in right now instead of Tulane...

Tulane' location played the biggest part of their inclusion. Everybody wants a road trip to New Orleans. Plus Tulane' President was the most vocal about law suits if his against the Big East, which is actually the conference they went to. I think those were bigger factors than their new stadium.

Remember that it was a Tulane lawsuit filed when its undefeated FB team (under Tommy Bowden) was excluded from the National Championship game that later got Boise State into the mix. The bar set for a G5 school is still perfection while for a P5 school, they can finish third in their conference and still play for (and win) the NC. Tulane has demonstrated an ability to "kick ass" when it goes to court.

If a vacancy occurs in the AAC and location of a single prospective replacement is a prime factor, then UAB would have serious competition from FAU (a third south Florida school who made a major hire in FB) and GA State (in Atlanta and GA, like Florida, is a major national recruiting area). UAB's program interruption may hamper it the way SMU's "Death penalty" did for years. FBHC Clark building a conference championship contending program along with a new stadium (BJCC, MPF or OCS) would be huge steps in blotting out that memory.