Hey yall, been pretty active over on the MWC forum since I was hoping maybe Montana and Montana State could get called up if the MWC was raided but doesn't seem to be the case. Regardless I've been following this whole realignment craziness pretty closely.

Now I'm no expert but from looking at things I personally believe JMU, ODU, USM and Marshall will move to the Sun Belt, I don't see any merit with them staying in what is a collapsing conference.

However Playing devil's advocate if the Virginia schools all want to stay in Conference USA and yall get USM I think at that point geography will win out and you guys will have to pick between LT, MTSU or WKU. I've seen several posts about Western Kentucky and Louisiana Tech however I haven't seen anything about Middle Tennessee State, are they just a no-go?

(10-20-2021 10:30 PM)EagleNationRising Wrote:  

(10-20-2021 10:25 PM)Goronic Wrote:  

(10-20-2021 09:49 PM)jmu18 Wrote:  

(10-20-2021 09:39 PM)slycat Wrote:  I guess it comes down to if those teams would rather play FIU, WKU and MTSU in the east or App, CCU, GS, and GSU.

JMU would probably prefer Sun Belt just because of ASU… although the West isn’t very appealing from an average fan’s viewpoint. Also one thing JMU and ODU will put more weight on is where they will have to send Olympic sports. JMU is very much focused on every programs success, not mainly football.

I am sure you mean Appalachian State University as ASU. Since we joined the SBC we unofficially gave ASU to Arkansas State University and now go as App State. I thought I might fill you in just in case you are a future member of the SBC :)

Since we're at it...

GS - Georgia Southern
GSU - Those irrelevant guys with the locked pseudo racist thread over on panthertalk.

I thought it was:

rGSU - Georgia Southern
fGSU - future SEC member (in their own minds)

(10-21-2021 03:24 AM)Utgrizfan Wrote:  Hey yall, been pretty active over on the MWC forum since I was hoping maybe Montana and Montana State could get called up if the MWC was raided but doesn't seem to be the case. Regardless I've been following this whole realignment craziness pretty closely.

Now I'm no expert but from looking at things I personally believe JMU, ODU, USM and Marshall will move to the Sun Belt, I don't see any merit with them staying in what is a collapsing conference.

However Playing devil's advocate if the Virginia schools all want to stay in Conference USA and yall get USM I think at that point geography will win out and you guys will have to pick between LT, MTSU or WKU. I've seen several posts about Western Kentucky and Louisiana Tech however I haven't seen anything about Middle Tennessee State, are they just a no-go?

I think Middle kind of disappeared since they went to CUSA and haven't done anything to say they bring value over other teams mentioned. It's why I'm very happy TXST isn't looking for a home this time.

(10-21-2021 06:52 AM)slycat Wrote:  

(10-21-2021 03:24 AM)Utgrizfan Wrote:  Hey yall, been pretty active over on the MWC forum since I was hoping maybe Montana and Montana State could get called up if the MWC was raided but doesn't seem to be the case. Regardless I've been following this whole realignment craziness pretty closely.

Now I'm no expert but from looking at things I personally believe JMU, ODU, USM and Marshall will move to the Sun Belt, I don't see any merit with them staying in what is a collapsing conference.

However Playing devil's advocate if the Virginia schools all want to stay in Conference USA and yall get USM I think at that point geography will win out and you guys will have to pick between LT, MTSU or WKU. I've seen several posts about Western Kentucky and Louisiana Tech however I haven't seen anything about Middle Tennessee State, are they just a no-go?

I think Middle kind of disappeared since they went to CUSA and haven't done anything to say they bring value over other teams mentioned. It's why I'm very happy TXST isn't looking for a home this time.

That’s a fair assessment. I had to do some digging and was surprised to remember that they’ve e actually gone bowling all but 3 years they’ve been in the CUSA

But despite that they’ve just seemingly gotten lost in the shuffle and If you go over to their boards there just seems to be a lot of angst (particularly with no facility improvements, waning fan engagement and no one paying attention to them despite practically having the Nashville market).

Oh and also there’s the whole “gave the SBC the middle finger” and bounced with the other scabs

So is this our new home?

(10-21-2021 07:56 AM)gdunn Wrote:  So is this our new home?

It suits you.

(10-21-2021 12:58 PM)Guardian Wrote:  

(10-21-2021 07:56 AM)gdunn Wrote:  So is this our new home?

It suits you.

Y'all decorating in black and gold to make us feel at home was a nice touch :) (J/k)

(10-21-2021 07:03 AM)RamblinRedWolf Wrote:  

(10-21-2021 06:52 AM)slycat Wrote:  

(10-21-2021 03:24 AM)Utgrizfan Wrote:  Hey yall, been pretty active over on the MWC forum since I was hoping maybe Montana and Montana State could get called up if the MWC was raided but doesn't seem to be the case. Regardless I've been following this whole realignment craziness pretty closely.

Now I'm no expert but from looking at things I personally believe JMU, ODU, USM and Marshall will move to the Sun Belt, I don't see any merit with them staying in what is a collapsing conference.

However Playing devil's advocate if the Virginia schools all want to stay in Conference USA and yall get USM I think at that point geography will win out and you guys will have to pick between LT, MTSU or WKU. I've seen several posts about Western Kentucky and Louisiana Tech however I haven't seen anything about Middle Tennessee State, are they just a no-go?

I think Middle kind of disappeared since they went to CUSA and haven't done anything to say they bring value over other teams mentioned. It's why I'm very happy TXST isn't looking for a home this time.

That’s a fair assessment. I had to do some digging and was surprised to remember that they’ve e actually gone bowling all but 3 years they’ve been in the CUSA

But despite that they’ve just seemingly gotten lost in the shuffle and If you go over to their boards there just seems to be a lot of angst (particularly with no facility improvements, waning fan engagement and no one paying attention to them despite practically having the Nashville market).

Oh and also there’s the whole “gave the SBC the middle finger” and bounced with the other scabs

A few years ago they had the best football/basketball combo in C-USA. They made it to the Second Round of the NCAA several times and were really close to being a Sweat 16 program. They also won the East in football back in 2018 and lost to UAB. They were regular winners. They lost Kermit in Basketball and kept their football coach WAY too long.

(10-21-2021 02:43 PM)Luckyshot Wrote:  A few years ago they had the best football/basketball combo in C-USA. They made it to the Second Round of the NCAA several times and were really close to being a Sweat 16 program. They also won the East in football back in 2018 and lost to UAB. They were regular winners. They lost Kermit in Basketball and kept their football coach WAY too long.

Was it still Stockstill?

(10-20-2021 08:51 PM)Reggie Favre Wrote:  

(10-20-2021 08:46 PM)GaSoEagle Wrote:  I am told here at GS that USM is practically a done deal. Marshall and possibly 2 others is still very much in doubt

As far as Im concerned, thats good news and more good news. I think ODU and JM brings the conference more down than up. Id like Marshall, but would prefer to have East Carolina. If they have any sense, they would bounce to the Belt if offered. Memphis and SMU likely exiting the AAC in time and ECU would be stuck with essentially a CUSA 4.0 garbage conference.

You want ECU to go from AAC to the Belt? I do not think that is happening and I am being as diplomatic as I possibly can.

(10-21-2021 02:46 PM)Complacent Cajun Wrote:  

(10-21-2021 02:43 PM)Luckyshot Wrote:  A few years ago they had the best football/basketball combo in C-USA. They made it to the Second Round of the NCAA several times and were really close to being a Sweat 16 program. They also won the East in football back in 2018 and lost to UAB. They were regular winners. They lost Kermit in Basketball and kept their football coach WAY too long.

Was it still Stockstill?

Still is Stock. The coach they hired after Kermit is the biggest dud ever and they won't can him.

(10-21-2021 02:50 PM)goliath74 Wrote:  

(10-20-2021 08:51 PM)Reggie Favre Wrote:  

(10-20-2021 08:46 PM)GaSoEagle Wrote:  I am told here at GS that USM is practically a done deal. Marshall and possibly 2 others is still very much in doubt

As far as Im concerned, thats good news and more good news. I think ODU and JM brings the conference more down than up. Id like Marshall, but would prefer to have East Carolina. If they have any sense, they would bounce to the Belt if offered. Memphis and SMU likely exiting the AAC in time and ECU would be stuck with essentially a CUSA 4.0 garbage conference.

You want ECU to go from AAC to the Belt? I do not think that is happening and I am being as diplomatic as I possibly can.

Obviously fanciful now. We'll have to see where things stand in 5 years. If ESPN renegotiates the TV deal for less money, eventually Aresco will run out of exit fees to keep the L8 at $7m each. If it fell to, say, 2.5 mil each and the Sun Belt continues to perform well and earns a bump to around 2 mil each, it may be a serious question for ECU at that point.

But that's a lot of ifs. Only time will tell.

(10-21-2021 02:50 PM)goliath74 Wrote:  

(10-20-2021 08:51 PM)Reggie Favre Wrote:  

(10-20-2021 08:46 PM)GaSoEagle Wrote:  I am told here at GS that USM is practically a done deal. Marshall and possibly 2 others is still very much in doubt

As far as Im concerned, thats good news and more good news. I think ODU and JM brings the conference more down than up. Id like Marshall, but would prefer to have East Carolina. If they have any sense, they would bounce to the Belt if offered. Memphis and SMU likely exiting the AAC in time and ECU would be stuck with essentially a CUSA 4.0 garbage conference.

You want ECU to go from AAC to the Belt? I do not think that is happening and I am being as diplomatic as I possibly can.

Enjoy your road trips to middle Afghanistan.

BYW, help out an old friend and tell Aresco that UTEP has the entire Mexican market sewed up.

(10-21-2021 02:57 PM)freshtop Wrote:  

(10-21-2021 02:46 PM)Complacent Cajun Wrote:  

(10-21-2021 02:43 PM)Luckyshot Wrote:  A few years ago they had the best football/basketball combo in C-USA. They made it to the Second Round of the NCAA several times and were really close to being a Sweat 16 program. They also won the East in football back in 2018 and lost to UAB. They were regular winners. They lost Kermit in Basketball and kept their football coach WAY too long.

Was it still Stockstill?

Still is Stock. The coach they hired after Kermit is the biggest dud ever and they won't can him.

Oh wow. That's crazy