Gemofthehills - I love you my ASUN brother. But you have to shift your mind away from the AGS mindset.You are stepping up significantly as an athletic department. So you need to start thinking about what FBS schools look and feel like. Yes, I recognize that Sam doesn't fit that profile. But we are all in this together moving forward.

As for Umass, Cal has been gone a looong time. They do not have the brand they once possessed. Scoring a hoops game from them once every few years does little to help the league. UConn's hoops brand is stronger but would still be tough to justify such an arrangement with the state of their football.

I feel for the Umass folks. At Liberty, we are likely about to purge a bunch of dates with them as well as UConn off our future schedules. And it is now tougher to schedule late season tha it has been in awhile with BYU, LU & NMSU all headed into conferences. Our interactions with the UMass football fans over the past few years have been awesome. Sadly it seems the hoops first folks are ruining it for the entire school by holding on to their A10 status that frankly has lost significant lustre over the years.

(11-16-2021 09:28 AM)SlyFox Wrote:  Gemofthehills - I love you my ASUN brother. But you have to shift your mind away from the AGS mindset.You are stepping up significantly as an athletic department. So you need to start thinking about what FBS schools look and feel like. Yes, I recognize that Sam doesn't fit that profile. But we are all in this together moving forward.

As for Umass, Cal has been gone a looong time. They do not have the brand they once possessed. Scoring a hoops game from them once every few years does little to help the league. UConn's hoops brand is stronger but would still be tough to justify such an arrangement with the state of their football.

I feel for the Umass folks. At Liberty, we are likely about to purge a bunch of dates with them as well as UConn off our future schedules. And it is now tougher to schedule late season tha it has been in awhile with BYU, LU & NMSU all headed into conferences. Our interactions with the UMass football fans over the past few years have been awesome. Sadly it seems the hoops first folks are ruining it for the entire school by holding on to their A10 status that frankly has lost significant lustre over the years.

I agree with this. I am scratching my head wondering why UMass would not move all sports to CUSA if they want a football home. UConn I can understand...BIG EAST is hard to leave! I for one would not mind seeing UMass in to get to 10 then start finding two more solid strategic adds for football and basketball to get to 12.

I prefer all sports teams and if you could get UCONN, Villanova and UMASS all sports it would be hard to turndown. Even if their first love is basketball.

UMASS would be a great add, in fact I think CUSA should revoke Sam’s invite and add UMASS and UNH instead. Add to the northeastern footprint. That way SHSU can go back to the WAC!!

The die has been cast, SammyH. There is no going back now. You might as well embrace the future and figure out how to prepare for it.

PS - Are you Tripod?

(11-16-2021 12:38 PM)SlyFox Wrote:  The die has been cast, SammyH. There is no going back now. You might as well embrace the future and figure out how to prepare for it.

PS - Are you Tripod?

No, there is definitely going back. When this move blows up in the AD’s face and the school is hit with financial troubles as a result, we’ll be back in the FCS! I cannot wait for that day, and clearly the majority of students and alumni feel that way.

Histiry would indicate that a scenario as you described is highly unilikely to occur. Coastal Carolina was in a similar situation to Sam hen they got the call from the Sun Belt. You don't hear Chants fans clamoring to go back to the glory days of FCS. The only school to ever drop down was Idaho and the results of that ill-fated move have been catastrophic.

The Sam alumni that I know that have learned about the move have all been surprised but rather proud. This move will raise the profile of the school substantially on both the local and the national scale. Learn to give it a chance. Your blood pressure will thank you.

Sam will be here forever, will not be able to financially afford to move back down once the new funds start coming.

(11-16-2021 01:27 PM)SlyFox Wrote:  Histiry would indicate that a scenario as you described is highly unilikely to occur. Coastal Carolina was in a similar situation to Sam hen they got the call from the Sun Belt. You don't hear Chants fans clamoring to go back to the glory days of FCS. The only school to ever drop down was Idaho and the results of that ill-fated move have been catastrophic.

The Sam alumni that I know that have learned about the move have all been surprised but rather proud. This move will raise the profile of the school substantially on both the local and the national scale. Learn to give it a chance. Your blood pressure will thank you.

Yeah, you certainly don’t hear Coastal fans wanting to go back to the FCS. But Sam Houston isn’t Coastal. Each institution has an individual desire to go FBS. I wonder if Coastal held a student referendum vote on increasing fees for a move to FBS? Sam did. And that **** didn’t even come close to passing. The vast majority (73%) of students who voted didn’t want to fund FBS football. But that’s not the whole fanbase, right? Well, the fans had their say too in online polls and university surveys and not one has had a majority supportive of the move. I heard that the athletic department was shocked with the pushback! I can’t wait to see our AD’s face when there are 4000 fans at our stadium for a game with one of these random G5 schools from some other corner of the country. I’d give it more of a chance if my peers weren’t on the same page as me. If it was about 50/50, I’d suck it up and move along. Our attendance already sucks. It’s going to get worse when we’re playing schools 5 states over that none of our students have heard of or competing for the Lockheed Martin Bowl.

P.S.-not The Pod, if I was I’d be calling you “wise guy” or “sir”.

It is my understanding that the students didn't know that they were voting to pay for an upgrade to CUSA. All they saw were a fee increase for athletics and begged off. I am getting this secondhand so I acknowledge I could be mistaken.

On KatFans it seems like everyone is considering their FCS Championship to be the pinnacle of their sports experience. People will come around quickly once they start seeing people will finally realize the school is in Huntsville and not Houston. When suddenly people at work or parties hear you went to Sam and start referencing players or coaches on your team. You may be a mullet in the Gulf but at least you are about to not be the biggest toad in the puddle. This is a promotion. Savor it.

(11-16-2021 07:31 PM)SlyFox Wrote:  It is my understanding that the students didn't know that they were voting to pay for an upgrade to CUSA. All they saw were a fee increase for athletics and begged off. I am getting this secondhand so I acknowledge I could be mistaken.

On KatFans it seems like everyone is considering their FCS Championship to be the pinnacle of their sports experience. People will come around quickly once they start seeing people will finally realize the school is in Huntsville and not Houston. When suddenly people at work or parties hear you went to Sam and start referencing players or coaches on your team. You may be a mullet in the Gulf but at least you are about to not be the biggest toad in the puddle. This is a promotion. Savor it.

Yeah all that’s cool and I get what you’re saying but I’m not really into watching football for the university recognition or brand awareness, I don’t care if we’re recognized on a national or local level because of our team. I’d much rather compete for a national championship that nobody outside of FCS fans care about than use our football team as a marketing ploy in the wasteland that is G5 football and collect a few extra million. Unpopular opinion amongst most CFB fans, yes, maybe not with SHSU fans though. And like I said, if Sam were drawing fans in droves or had a majority fanbase of support behind the move, I’d just go along.

But there’s a reason the pushback is so widespread. Clearly you’ve read Katfans, but if you go on Instagram or Facebook or Twitter or one of the blogs, there’s not a whole lot of positivity. $18 million athletic budget, poor facilities, no fans, poor state funding, alumni/student preference of staying FCS, failed referendums and pulling donations. Doesn’t sound like a great move to me! Just a fair warning, CUSA fans. Should’ve convinced JMU.

(11-16-2021 07:31 PM)SlyFox Wrote:  It is my understanding that the students didn't know that they were voting to pay for an upgrade to CUSA. All they saw were a fee increase for athletics and begged off. I am getting this secondhand so I acknowledge I could be mistaken.

On KatFans it seems like everyone is considering their FCS Championship to be the pinnacle of their sports experience. People will come around quickly once they start seeing people will finally realize the school is in Huntsville and not Houston. When suddenly people at work or parties hear you went to Sam and start referencing players or coaches on your team. You may be a mullet in the Gulf but at least you are about to not be the biggest toad in the puddle. This is a promotion. Savor it.

Maybe he is millenniumkat that dude is FCS4Lyfe

(11-19-2021 07:12 AM)Curtisc83 Wrote:  

(11-16-2021 07:31 PM)SlyFox Wrote:  It is my understanding that the students didn't know that they were voting to pay for an upgrade to CUSA. All they saw were a fee increase for athletics and begged off. I am getting this secondhand so I acknowledge I could be mistaken.

On KatFans it seems like everyone is considering their FCS Championship to be the pinnacle of their sports experience. People will come around quickly once they start seeing people will finally realize the school is in Huntsville and not Houston. When suddenly people at work or parties hear you went to Sam and start referencing players or coaches on your team. You may be a mullet in the Gulf but at least you are about to not be the biggest toad in the puddle. This is a promotion. Savor it.

Maybe he is millenniumkat that dude is FCS4Lyfe

I’m not on Katfans. Maybe you haven’t realized, but the majority of Sam fans are FcS4LyFe… I mean, the students clearly shot down funding an FBS move.

(11-19-2021 03:58 PM)SammyH Wrote:  

(11-19-2021 07:12 AM)Curtisc83 Wrote:  

(11-16-2021 07:31 PM)SlyFox Wrote:  It is my understanding that the students didn't know that they were voting to pay for an upgrade to CUSA. All they saw were a fee increase for athletics and begged off. I am getting this secondhand so I acknowledge I could be mistaken.

On KatFans it seems like everyone is considering their FCS Championship to be the pinnacle of their sports experience. People will come around quickly once they start seeing people will finally realize the school is in Huntsville and not Houston. When suddenly people at work or parties hear you went to Sam and start referencing players or coaches on your team. You may be a mullet in the Gulf but at least you are about to not be the biggest toad in the puddle. This is a promotion. Savor it.

Maybe he is millenniumkat that dude is FCS4Lyfe

I’m not on Katfans. Maybe you haven’t realized, but the majority of Sam fans are FcS4LyFe… I mean, the students clearly shot down funding an FBS move.

The students didn’t shoot down FBS funding. They didn’t even know at the time FBS was happening. I bet if they voted again it would pass.

(11-19-2021 04:07 PM)Curtisc83 Wrote:  

(11-19-2021 03:58 PM)SammyH Wrote:  

(11-19-2021 07:12 AM)Curtisc83 Wrote:  

(11-16-2021 07:31 PM)SlyFox Wrote:  It is my understanding that the students didn't know that they were voting to pay for an upgrade to CUSA. All they saw were a fee increase for athletics and begged off. I am getting this secondhand so I acknowledge I could be mistaken.

On KatFans it seems like everyone is considering their FCS Championship to be the pinnacle of their sports experience. People will come around quickly once they start seeing people will finally realize the school is in Huntsville and not Houston. When suddenly people at work or parties hear you went to Sam and start referencing players or coaches on your team. You may be a mullet in the Gulf but at least you are about to not be the biggest toad in the puddle. This is a promotion. Savor it.

Maybe he is millenniumkat that dude is FCS4Lyfe

I’m not on Katfans. Maybe you haven’t realized, but the majority of Sam fans are FcS4LyFe… I mean, the students clearly shot down funding an FBS move.

The students didn’t shoot down FBS funding. They didn’t even know at the time FBS was happening. I bet if they voted again it would pass.

Did you vote on it? It asked for a $3.75 credit hour increase in athletic funding to “further SHSU’s athletic standing post-COVID beyond the FCS level”. The myth that the drum up around it was poorly done is incorrect, we’d known for a week or so that it was going to be on the homecoming ballot. The students shot down FBS funding, just because an official announcement wasn’t made doesn’t mean anything.

(11-19-2021 04:34 PM)SammyH Wrote:  

(11-19-2021 04:07 PM)Curtisc83 Wrote:  

(11-19-2021 03:58 PM)SammyH Wrote:  

(11-19-2021 07:12 AM)Curtisc83 Wrote:  

(11-16-2021 07:31 PM)SlyFox Wrote:  It is my understanding that the students didn't know that they were voting to pay for an upgrade to CUSA. All they saw were a fee increase for athletics and begged off. I am getting this secondhand so I acknowledge I could be mistaken.

On KatFans it seems like everyone is considering their FCS Championship to be the pinnacle of their sports experience. People will come around quickly once they start seeing people will finally realize the school is in Huntsville and not Houston. When suddenly people at work or parties hear you went to Sam and start referencing players or coaches on your team. You may be a mullet in the Gulf but at least you are about to not be the biggest toad in the puddle. This is a promotion. Savor it.

Maybe he is millenniumkat that dude is FCS4Lyfe

I’m not on Katfans. Maybe you haven’t realized, but the majority of Sam fans are FcS4LyFe… I mean, the students clearly shot down funding an FBS move.

The students didn’t shoot down FBS funding. They didn’t even know at the time FBS was happening. I bet if they voted again it would pass.

Did you vote on it? It asked for a $3.75 credit hour increase in athletic funding to “further SHSU’s athletic standing post-COVID beyond the FCS level”. The myth that the drum up around it was poorly done is incorrect, we’d known for a week or so that it was going to be on the homecoming ballot. The students shot down FBS funding, just because an official announcement wasn’t made doesn’t mean anything.

Yeah I’m not buying it. Sure maybe SHSU had their eyes on FBS but I don’t think there was a clear path to that when the vote happened. Everything happened so fast but the AAC 6 happened on Oct 19 and I think yalls vote happened on Oct 23rd. There is no way between that tile SHSU knew they would get accepted.

(11-19-2021 04:59 PM)Curtisc83 Wrote:  

(11-19-2021 04:34 PM)SammyH Wrote:  

(11-19-2021 04:07 PM)Curtisc83 Wrote:  

(11-19-2021 03:58 PM)SammyH Wrote:  

(11-19-2021 07:12 AM)Curtisc83 Wrote:  Maybe he is millenniumkat that dude is FCS4Lyfe

I’m not on Katfans. Maybe you haven’t realized, but the majority of Sam fans are FcS4LyFe… I mean, the students clearly shot down funding an FBS move.

The students didn’t shoot down FBS funding. They didn’t even know at the time FBS was happening. I bet if they voted again it would pass.

Did you vote on it? It asked for a $3.75 credit hour increase in athletic funding to “further SHSU’s athletic standing post-COVID beyond the FCS level”. The myth that the drum up around it was poorly done is incorrect, we’d known for a week or so that it was going to be on the homecoming ballot. The students shot down FBS funding, just because an official announcement wasn’t made doesn’t mean anything.

Yeah I’m not buying it. Sure maybe SHSU had their eyes on FBS but I don’t think there was a clear path to that when the vote happened. Everything happened so fast but the AAC 6 happened on Oct 19 and I think yalls vote happened on Oct 23rd. There is no way between that tile SHSU knew they would get accepted.

You don't have to buy anything, I'm telling you factually what happened. The vote happened Oct 21st-Oct 23rd leading up to CUSA's visit for the JSU game and it's stated intentions were to cover losses due to COVID so SHSU could put a full athletic budget into an FBS move. The students overwhelming voted no and the reaction to the FBS move was negative.

Just because there wasn't a concrete, official invite from an FBS conference on the table doesn't mean the athletic department didn't already have their own intentions of FBS, sooner or later.

(11-19-2021 05:06 PM)SammyH Wrote:  

(11-19-2021 04:59 PM)Curtisc83 Wrote:  

(11-19-2021 04:34 PM)SammyH Wrote:  

(11-19-2021 04:07 PM)Curtisc83 Wrote:  

(11-19-2021 03:58 PM)SammyH Wrote:  I’m not on Katfans. Maybe you haven’t realized, but the majority of Sam fans are FcS4LyFe… I mean, the students clearly shot down funding an FBS move.

The students didn’t shoot down FBS funding. They didn’t even know at the time FBS was happening. I bet if they voted again it would pass.

Did you vote on it? It asked for a $3.75 credit hour increase in athletic funding to “further SHSU’s athletic standing post-COVID beyond the FCS level”. The myth that the drum up around it was poorly done is incorrect, we’d known for a week or so that it was going to be on the homecoming ballot. The students shot down FBS funding, just because an official announcement wasn’t made doesn’t mean anything.

Yeah I’m not buying it. Sure maybe SHSU had their eyes on FBS but I don’t think there was a clear path to that when the vote happened. Everything happened so fast but the AAC 6 happened on Oct 19 and I think yalls vote happened on Oct 23rd. There is no way between that tile SHSU knew they would get accepted.

You don't have to buy anything, I'm telling you factually what happened. The vote happened Oct 21st-Oct 23rd leading up to CUSA's visit for the JSU game and it's stated intentions were to cover losses due to COVID so SHSU could put a full athletic budget into an FBS move. The students overwhelming voted no and the reaction to the FBS move was negative.

Just because there wasn't a concrete, official invite from an FBS conference on the table doesn't mean the athletic department didn't already have their own intentions of FBS, sooner or later.

So your admin seized on an opportunity that students don't want. Do fans in general (not students) also oppose the move? How do donors to athletics feel about it? Could be that the admin is listening to season ticket holders and financial supporters rather than students and foresees a better future for SHSU than you see. Whether they are right or not only time will tell but it seems as though the die is cast. I would hope those that oppose the move would come around before the 1st fbs game and support the school and teams they love.

(11-19-2021 05:41 PM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  

(11-19-2021 05:06 PM)SammyH Wrote:  

(11-19-2021 04:59 PM)Curtisc83 Wrote:  

(11-19-2021 04:34 PM)SammyH Wrote:  

(11-19-2021 04:07 PM)Curtisc83 Wrote:  The students didn’t shoot down FBS funding. They didn’t even know at the time FBS was happening. I bet if they voted again it would pass.

Did you vote on it? It asked for a $3.75 credit hour increase in athletic funding to “further SHSU’s athletic standing post-COVID beyond the FCS level”. The myth that the drum up around it was poorly done is incorrect, we’d known for a week or so that it was going to be on the homecoming ballot. The students shot down FBS funding, just because an official announcement wasn’t made doesn’t mean anything.

Yeah I’m not buying it. Sure maybe SHSU had their eyes on FBS but I don’t think there was a clear path to that when the vote happened. Everything happened so fast but the AAC 6 happened on Oct 19 and I think yalls vote happened on Oct 23rd. There is no way between that tile SHSU knew they would get accepted.

You don't have to buy anything, I'm telling you factually what happened. The vote happened Oct 21st-Oct 23rd leading up to CUSA's visit for the JSU game and it's stated intentions were to cover losses due to COVID so SHSU could put a full athletic budget into an FBS move. The students overwhelming voted no and the reaction to the FBS move was negative.

Just because there wasn't a concrete, official invite from an FBS conference on the table doesn't mean the athletic department didn't already have their own intentions of FBS, sooner or later.

So your admin seized on an opportunity that students don't want. Do fans in general (not students) also oppose the move? How do donors to athletics feel about it? Could be that the admin is listening to season ticket holders and financial supporters rather than students and foresees a better future for SHSU than you see. Whether they are right or not only time will tell but it seems as though the die is cast. I would hope those that oppose the move would come around before the 1st fbs game and support the school and teams they love.

I think the reactions among alumni and donors have been much closer to 50/50. These are just via online polls I've seen. I know the athletic advisory committee was pretty split. I've accepted the move and although I'm not happy about it, it's time to move on. I hope our donors feel the same as this move is already dead without them (I've heard from a few people directly that they won't be renewing season tickets or donating to the Champions Fund, but I've also seen plenty of people on Katfans.com saying they'll renew).

(11-19-2021 06:02 PM)SammyH Wrote:  

(11-19-2021 05:41 PM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  

(11-19-2021 05:06 PM)SammyH Wrote:  

(11-19-2021 04:59 PM)Curtisc83 Wrote:  

(11-19-2021 04:34 PM)SammyH Wrote:  Did you vote on it? It asked for a $3.75 credit hour increase in athletic funding to “further SHSU’s athletic standing post-COVID beyond the FCS level”. The myth that the drum up around it was poorly done is incorrect, we’d known for a week or so that it was going to be on the homecoming ballot. The students shot down FBS funding, just because an official announcement wasn’t made doesn’t mean anything.

Yeah I’m not buying it. Sure maybe SHSU had their eyes on FBS but I don’t think there was a clear path to that when the vote happened. Everything happened so fast but the AAC 6 happened on Oct 19 and I think yalls vote happened on Oct 23rd. There is no way between that tile SHSU knew they would get accepted.

You don't have to buy anything, I'm telling you factually what happened. The vote happened Oct 21st-Oct 23rd leading up to CUSA's visit for the JSU game and it's stated intentions were to cover losses due to COVID so SHSU could put a full athletic budget into an FBS move. The students overwhelming voted no and the reaction to the FBS move was negative.

Just because there wasn't a concrete, official invite from an FBS conference on the table doesn't mean the athletic department didn't already have their own intentions of FBS, sooner or later.

So your admin seized on an opportunity that students don't want. Do fans in general (not students) also oppose the move? How do donors to athletics feel about it? Could be that the admin is listening to season ticket holders and financial supporters rather than students and foresees a better future for SHSU than you see. Whether they are right or not only time will tell but it seems as though the die is cast. I would hope those that oppose the move would come around before the 1st fbs game and support the school and teams they love.

I think the reactions among alumni and donors have been much closer to 50/50. These are just via online polls I've seen. I know the athletic advisory committee was pretty split. I've accepted the move and although I'm not happy about it, it's time to move on. I hope our donors feel the same as this move is already dead without them (I've heard from a few people directly that they won't be renewing season tickets or donating to the Champions Fund, but I've also seen plenty of people on Katfans.com saying they'll renew).

Well best of luck to SHSU on the move. Regardless of what you think of fbs that first bowl trip will be a ton of fun. It'll be interesting to get your take on that and how it compares to the fcs playoffs.