with vultures from the AAC, MW, and SB hovering above, what do you do? Knowing the regionalization plan is going to fail, what do you do to stay viable?

Oh just for poops and giggles, after teams are poached, I would invite Eastern Washington, UMASS, and Northern Arizona and rebrand as the “Four Corners Conference”. That’d grab eyeballs.


>Wakes up from his nightmare<


My apologies. DavidSt entered my subconscience.

(10-15-2021 08:59 PM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  with vultures from the AAC, MW, and SB hovering above, what do you do? Knowing the regionalization plan is going to fail, what do you do to stay viable?

I don't think there's anything you can do. The Media deal is a joke, the commissioner is a joke. It's just ridiculous.

The problem is no one knows who’s staying or going. So how do you address it with the schools???

I'd make sure my retirement options are viable.

(10-15-2021 08:59 PM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  with vultures from the AAC, MW, and SB hovering above, what do you do? Knowing the regionalization plan is going to fail, what do you do to stay viable?

I’d get a Bigger Jeep . . .

Akin to, “Youre gonna need a bigger boat.”

(10-15-2021 10:20 PM)THUNDERStruck73 Wrote:  Akin to, “Youre gonna need a bigger boat.”

EXACTLY . . .

The SLC is also losing members, maybe she needs to write them a letter. They might be open to a reorganization with CUSA.

Lol...well that went well. Of course if things go like it seems it will...you are at the mercy of...everybody.

I'll take it more seriously. I've learned lessons from previous mistakes in the CUSA. I'm not going to overexpand again. I'm talking to Liberty, JMU, Delaware, Missouri State, and all the top FCS schools. I'm looking for schools with a reasonable chance to actually invest in their products - so no to schools like NMSU, etc.

Teams picked with partly depend on teams leaving and what geography remains, but also, what "niche" can be formed beyond "the new FCS call up league"

I guess I’d wait and see who I had left. I’d try to get a small deal with ESPN and call up whatever FCS schools are willing and have FBS level resources and start trying to grow. I basically would do what Karl Benson had to do.

The first thing you do is act confident in a believable manner

Second thing you do is look at your league the way others look at it, instead of how people looked at it 10 years ago.

You don’t send sniveling letters about realigning.

I’d get my presidents together and tell them the first thing we need to do right now is step ahead of the curve. The AAC-CUSA merger/realignment was dead before it was committed to paper. Be realistic.

I’d tell the presidents we need to strut and show confidence and the first step to that is an announcement that CUSA will waive departure and entry fees for anyone leaving CUSA to join Sun Belt or vice versa if the Sun Belt will do the same, as long as the moves are executed by the end of March because we are confident in the CUSA brand.

I would encourage the eastern division presidents to think hard about which schools they REALLY want to remain affiliated with and advise them to approach Sun Belt as an all or none group applying for membership. Meanwhile I’m busy with the west division telling them to go hard after the Alabama schools, AState, UL and TXST. (Because we know LaTech ain’t jumping on board with ULM) and try to lure them in and maybe try to get WKU and MTSU on board as well.

If that doesn’t spur geographic realignment nothing will.

If that won’t launch then I’m pushing to get Liberty and JMU invited NOW before any other moves happen.

(10-15-2021 08:59 PM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  with vultures from the AAC, MW, and SB hovering above, what do you do? Knowing the regionalization plan is going to fail, what do you do to stay viable?

You do nothing until you see whats left. That map of remains will dictate CUSA's future moves. Honestly---once this all plays out and they see whats left----CUSA may need to make a tough decision when it comes to UTEP. That school may be all thats left between the spread out mess they have now and a small relatively tight mid-to-eastern footprint they told the rest of the G5 they really wanted. I guess they could give them a "your kicked out" timetable----but I suspect its more likely they simply let UTEP know they can stay in the league---but the league will be moving in a new direction that is going to leave UTEP as an extreme outlying island. Then the stay or go decision is UTEP's and the league can largely reduce its travel costs---with the exception of its one outlier.

(10-15-2021 09:37 PM)THUNDERStruck73 Wrote:  Oh just for poops and giggles, after teams are poached, I would invite Eastern Washington, UMASS, and Northern Arizona and rebrand as the “Four Corners Conference”. That’d grab eyeballs.


>Wakes up from his nightmare<


My apologies. DavidSt entered my subconscience.

Makes sense. After all it is Conference USA!

Can't do much until the hammer drops, just gather intelligence. At this moment I would be checking in with various FCS schools to see which ones are ready and willing to make the move. Missouri St, James Madison, Eastern Kentucky, Sam Houston State, the Dakota schools, etc.

Put your head between your legs…

(10-15-2021 09:37 PM)THUNDERStruck73 Wrote:  Oh just for poops and giggles, after teams are poached, I would invite Eastern Washington, UMASS, and Northern Arizona and rebrand as the “Four Corners Conference”. That’d grab eyeballs.


>Wakes up from his nightmare<


My apologies. DavidSt entered my subconscience.

Requires a list.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

(10-16-2021 12:01 AM)Troy_Fan_15 Wrote:  I guess I’d wait and see who I had left. I’d try to get a small deal with ESPN and call up whatever FCS schools are willing and have FBS level resources and start trying to grow. I basically would do what Karl Benson had to do.

This.

Their major mistake in 2012-14 was going to 14 instead of 12 and spreading out too far. Charlotte to Atlanta to Dallas isn't the same as WV to Miami to El Paso. I know they get hammered for MARKETZ but in my opinion that was their biggest mistake.

The problem I see is that if they get poached 1) it's not like half the conference will be poached. That's message forum ridiculousness. 2) the outlier schools are actually the least likely to be poached. So what happens if you're down to say 10 and still have UTEP, Marshall and FIU?

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Going to 14 was a shot at the SBC in an attempt to weaken them greatly. There was no need to expand to 14.

Leaving WKU and one other would have left the SBC with a solid core. When you attempt to scorch the earth next time spread salt in the field, bet they’re surprised what rose from those ashes.

Insert gif of that girl watching the building burn here.