Cross conference rivalry is the dash of pepper the Sun Belt desperately needed, even if that rival is the MAC, about as familiar to Sun Belt fans as unsweetened tea and ice fishing.

https://howlraiser.com/2023/06/22/sun-be...-rankings/

(06-22-2023 03:03 PM)HowlRaiser Wrote:  Cross conference rivalry is the dash of pepper the Sun Belt desperately needed, even if that rival is the MAC, about as familiar to Sun Belt fans as unsweetened tea and ice fishing.

https://howlraiser.com/2023/06/22/sun-be...-rankings/

Wait, but how do you get the sugar out of the tea?

Wish we could do a 2-3 year agreement with the SoCon too.

(06-26-2023 03:02 PM)trueblue21 Wrote:  Wish we could do a 2-3 year agreement with the SoCon too.

That would work well for SBC East, but I'm not sure how much SBC West would be into it. Problem is that there isn't a mid-tier basketball conference in the Alabama/Mississippi/Arkansas, Louisiana/Texas area the way the SoCon and SBC East overlap so well.

The AAC overlaps very well geographically, but I have no doubt they'd turn their noses up. They'll never get a Power 5 conference or Big East to commit to a formal interconference challenge. At best, they'd agree to the A-10 or MW. That's just their pattern.

If the SBC approached C-USA, they'd probably tell us to... well, I shouldn't say. Kids might read this board.

All in all, the MAC does make a lot of sense. They play FBS football. SBC members have played them in the regular season and bowl games a lot over the years, so the names are at least familiar to SBC sports fans, even if they're outside the region.

(06-27-2023 07:48 AM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  

(06-26-2023 03:02 PM)trueblue21 Wrote:  Wish we could do a 2-3 year agreement with the SoCon too.

That would work well for SBC East, but I'm not sure how much SBC West would be into it. Problem is that there isn't a mid-tier basketball conference in the Alabama/Mississippi/Arkansas, Louisiana/Texas area the way the SoCon and SBC East overlap so well.

The AAC overlaps very well geographically, but I have no doubt they'd turn their noses up. They'll never get a Power 5 conference or Big East to commit to a formal interconference challenge. At best, they'd agree to the A-10 or MW. That's just their pattern.

If the SBC approached C-USA, they'd probably tell us to... well, I shouldn't say. Kids might read this board.

All in all, the MAC does make a lot of sense. They play FBS football. SBC members have played them in the regular season and bowl games a lot over the years, so the names are at least familiar to SBC sports fans, even if they're outside the region.

I think from the MAC's perspective, a basketball challenge with the MVC would be much more appealing, but one with the SBC makes much more sense now with the addition of Marshall, ODU and JMU. And as has already been discussed, from ESPN's perspective, it's a win-win to feature/market two of its media properties.

Crap.. i just realized our USM game is an 8 hour drive from me.. Do i give myself a late b-day gift and go without the wife, or do i dare take her on an 8-hour road trip? (She was ready to kill me after the last time i took her on a 10-hour road trip to Harrison county)

(07-12-2023 10:59 AM)DaSaintFan Wrote:  Crap.. i just realized our USM game is an 8 hour drive from me.. Do i give myself a late b-day gift and go without the wife, or do i dare take her on an 8-hour road trip? (She was ready to kill me after the last time i took her on a 10-hour road trip to Harrison county)

The wife and I have 6HR max car trip or else we will no longer be married after any longer in the car togeather.

(07-12-2023 02:26 PM)mgv6260 Wrote:  

(07-12-2023 10:59 AM)DaSaintFan Wrote:  Crap.. i just realized our USM game is an 8 hour drive from me.. Do i give myself a late b-day gift and go without the wife, or do i dare take her on an 8-hour road trip? (She was ready to kill me after the last time i took her on a 10-hour road trip to Harrison county)

The wife and I have 6HR max car trip or else we will no longer be married after any longer in the car togeather.

Been there, done that, mgv... Mobile to Pensacola alone nearly ended up with me being the victim of a homicide...

(07-12-2023 03:49 PM)DaSaintFan Wrote:  

(07-12-2023 02:26 PM)mgv6260 Wrote:  

(07-12-2023 10:59 AM)DaSaintFan Wrote:  Crap.. i just realized our USM game is an 8 hour drive from me.. Do i give myself a late b-day gift and go without the wife, or do i dare take her on an 8-hour road trip? (She was ready to kill me after the last time i took her on a 10-hour road trip to Harrison county)

The wife and I have 6HR max car trip or else we will no longer be married after any longer in the car togeather.

Been there, done that, mgv... Mobile to Pensacola alone nearly ended up with me being the victim of a homicide...

Did you get stuck around the tunnel or bayway?

(06-26-2023 07:11 AM)Pounce FTW Wrote:  

(06-22-2023 03:03 PM)HowlRaiser Wrote:  Cross conference rivalry is the dash of pepper the Sun Belt desperately needed, even if that rival is the MAC, about as familiar to Sun Belt fans as unsweetened tea and ice fishing.

https://howlraiser.com/2023/06/22/sun-be...-rankings/

Wait, but how do you get the sugar out of the tea?

Sweet tea is great until you end up with the…

(07-13-2023 07:44 PM)FairwayEagle Wrote:  

(06-26-2023 07:11 AM)Pounce FTW Wrote:  

(06-22-2023 03:03 PM)HowlRaiser Wrote:  Cross conference rivalry is the dash of pepper the Sun Belt desperately needed, even if that rival is the MAC, about as familiar to Sun Belt fans as unsweetened tea and ice fishing.

https://howlraiser.com/2023/06/22/sun-be...-rankings/

Wait, but how do you get the sugar out of the tea?

Sweet tea is great until you end up with the…

And eat your oatmeal, it'll help live a better life.

(06-27-2023 07:48 AM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  

(06-26-2023 03:02 PM)trueblue21 Wrote:  Wish we could do a 2-3 year agreement with the SoCon too.

That would work well for SBC East, but I'm not sure how much SBC West would be into it. Problem is that there isn't a mid-tier basketball conference in the Alabama/Mississippi/Arkansas, Louisiana/Texas area the way the SoCon and SBC East overlap so well.

The AAC overlaps very well geographically, but I have no doubt they'd turn their noses up. They'll never get a Power 5 conference or Big East to commit to a formal interconference challenge. At best, they'd agree to the A-10 or MW. That's just their pattern.

If the SBC approached C-USA, they'd probably tell us to... well, I shouldn't say. Kids might read this board.

All in all, the MAC does make a lot of sense. They play FBS football. SBC members have played them in the regular season and bowl games a lot over the years, so the names are at least familiar to SBC sports fans, even if they're outside the region.

I agree, a cross conference challenge with CUSA would be great. Lots of bad blood there, but isn’t that what would make the series so great?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

(06-27-2023 07:48 AM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  

(06-26-2023 03:02 PM)trueblue21 Wrote:  Wish we could do a 2-3 year agreement with the SoCon too.

That would work well for SBC East, but I'm not sure how much SBC West would be into it. Problem is that there isn't a mid-tier basketball conference in the Alabama/Mississippi/Arkansas, Louisiana/Texas area the way the SoCon and SBC East overlap so well.

The AAC overlaps very well geographically, but I have no doubt they'd turn their noses up. They'll never get a Power 5 conference or Big East to commit to a formal interconference challenge. At best, they'd agree to the A-10 or MW. That's just their pattern.

If the SBC approached C-USA, they'd probably tell us to... well, I shouldn't say. Kids might read this board.

All in all, the MAC does make a lot of sense. They play FBS football. SBC members have played them in the regular season and bowl games a lot over the years, so the names are at least familiar to SBC sports fans, even if they're outside the region.

I have no idea who is in the SoCon. I don't even know if it is short for the Southern Conference - and I pay quite a bit of attention to NCAA Hoops and have for decades - we're talking USA Today Sagarin ratings in the 80s.

On a good note, our new bb coach says he's not going to schedule home games vs non-D1 and that he'd rather take whippings on the road. Also he just signed a home and home with UAB.

(06-27-2023 07:48 AM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  

(06-26-2023 03:02 PM)trueblue21 Wrote:  Wish we could do a 2-3 year agreement with the SoCon too.

That would work well for SBC East, but I'm not sure how much SBC West would be into it. Problem is that there isn't a mid-tier basketball conference in the Alabama/Mississippi/Arkansas, Louisiana/Texas area the way the SoCon and SBC East overlap so well.

The AAC overlaps very well geographically, but I have no doubt they'd turn their noses up. They'll never get a Power 5 conference or Big East to commit to a formal interconference challenge. At best, they'd agree to the A-10 or MW. That's just their pattern.

If the SBC approached C-USA, they'd probably tell us to... well, I shouldn't say. Kids might read this board.

All in all, the MAC does make a lot of sense. They play FBS football. SBC members have played them in the regular season and bowl games a lot over the years, so the names are at least familiar to SBC sports fans, even if they're outside the region.

My understanding is that the SBC has turned down any overtures for a conference-wide scheduling agreement. The direct quote was the "Belt's snobbish tendencies hasn't receded."

The WAC and CUSA reached an agreement. While on paper the WAC was ahead of the SBC in the rankings, perception does not. CUSA posters were less than enthused.

The SBC has the traits that the railed on CUSA having for years.

(06-26-2023 07:11 AM)Pounce FTW Wrote:  

(06-22-2023 03:03 PM)HowlRaiser Wrote:  Cross conference rivalry is the dash of pepper the Sun Belt desperately needed, even if that rival is the MAC, about as familiar to Sun Belt fans as unsweetened tea and ice fishing.

https://howlraiser.com/2023/06/22/sun-be...-rankings/

Wait, but how do you get the sugar out of the tea?

What really sucks is trying to add sugar to an iced tea. it doesn't dissolve worth a lick and the last sip is crunchy, while not tasting sugar at all the first 90%. You can literally cross the river into Ohio and sweet tea disappears from restaurants. Tea is very territorial.

(07-16-2023 10:14 AM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  

(06-27-2023 07:48 AM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  

(06-26-2023 03:02 PM)trueblue21 Wrote:  Wish we could do a 2-3 year agreement with the SoCon too.

That would work well for SBC East, but I'm not sure how much SBC West would be into it. Problem is that there isn't a mid-tier basketball conference in the Alabama/Mississippi/Arkansas, Louisiana/Texas area the way the SoCon and SBC East overlap so well.

The AAC overlaps very well geographically, but I have no doubt they'd turn their noses up. They'll never get a Power 5 conference or Big East to commit to a formal interconference challenge. At best, they'd agree to the A-10 or MW. That's just their pattern.

If the SBC approached C-USA, they'd probably tell us to... well, I shouldn't say. Kids might read this board.

All in all, the MAC does make a lot of sense. They play FBS football. SBC members have played them in the regular season and bowl games a lot over the years, so the names are at least familiar to SBC sports fans, even if they're outside the region.

My understanding is that the SBC has turned down any overtures for a conference-wide scheduling agreement. The direct quote was the "Belt's snobbish tendencies hasn't receded."

The WAC and CUSA reached an agreement. While on paper the WAC was ahead of the SBC in the rankings, perception does not. CUSA posters were less than enthused.

The SBC has the traits that the railed on CUSA having for years.

Bitter?

(07-16-2023 10:14 AM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  

(06-27-2023 07:48 AM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  

(06-26-2023 03:02 PM)trueblue21 Wrote:  Wish we could do a 2-3 year agreement with the SoCon too.

That would work well for SBC East, but I'm not sure how much SBC West would be into it. Problem is that there isn't a mid-tier basketball conference in the Alabama/Mississippi/Arkansas, Louisiana/Texas area the way the SoCon and SBC East overlap so well.

The AAC overlaps very well geographically, but I have no doubt they'd turn their noses up. They'll never get a Power 5 conference or Big East to commit to a formal interconference challenge. At best, they'd agree to the A-10 or MW. That's just their pattern.

If the SBC approached C-USA, they'd probably tell us to... well, I shouldn't say. Kids might read this board.

All in all, the MAC does make a lot of sense. They play FBS football. SBC members have played them in the regular season and bowl games a lot over the years, so the names are at least familiar to SBC sports fans, even if they're outside the region.

My understanding is that the SBC has turned down any overtures for a conference-wide scheduling agreement. The direct quote was the "Belt's snobbish tendencies hasn't receded."

The WAC and CUSA reached an agreement. While on paper the WAC was ahead of the SBC in the rankings, perception does not. CUSA posters were less than enthused.

The SBC has the traits that the railed on CUSA having for years.

I am not super upset about the CUSA vs. WAC agreement. They have performed well in hoops and it should make for some good games. My only real issue is that only a handful of CUSA programs (NMSU, UTEP, SHSU) have any real familiarity with the WAC programs and there is little to no geographic overlap outside of those three. I would have preferred an alliance with the MVC, but I think our far flung geography makes that less attractive to that league.

(07-17-2023 06:48 AM)GreenBison Wrote:  

(07-16-2023 10:14 AM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  

(06-27-2023 07:48 AM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  

(06-26-2023 03:02 PM)trueblue21 Wrote:  Wish we could do a 2-3 year agreement with the SoCon too.

That would work well for SBC East, but I'm not sure how much SBC West would be into it. Problem is that there isn't a mid-tier basketball conference in the Alabama/Mississippi/Arkansas, Louisiana/Texas area the way the SoCon and SBC East overlap so well.

The AAC overlaps very well geographically, but I have no doubt they'd turn their noses up. They'll never get a Power 5 conference or Big East to commit to a formal interconference challenge. At best, they'd agree to the A-10 or MW. That's just their pattern.

If the SBC approached C-USA, they'd probably tell us to... well, I shouldn't say. Kids might read this board.

All in all, the MAC does make a lot of sense. They play FBS football. SBC members have played them in the regular season and bowl games a lot over the years, so the names are at least familiar to SBC sports fans, even if they're outside the region.

My understanding is that the SBC has turned down any overtures for a conference-wide scheduling agreement. The direct quote was the "Belt's snobbish tendencies hasn't receded."

The WAC and CUSA reached an agreement. While on paper the WAC was ahead of the SBC in the rankings, perception does not. CUSA posters were less than enthused.

The SBC has the traits that the railed on CUSA having for years.

Bitter?

We don’t have football. It is what it is. Doesn’t change the the fact that CUSA reached out to the SBC and was rebuffed.

(07-17-2023 08:02 AM)freshtop Wrote:  

(07-16-2023 10:14 AM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  

(06-27-2023 07:48 AM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  

(06-26-2023 03:02 PM)trueblue21 Wrote:  Wish we could do a 2-3 year agreement with the SoCon too.

That would work well for SBC East, but I'm not sure how much SBC West would be into it. Problem is that there isn't a mid-tier basketball conference in the Alabama/Mississippi/Arkansas, Louisiana/Texas area the way the SoCon and SBC East overlap so well.

The AAC overlaps very well geographically, but I have no doubt they'd turn their noses up. They'll never get a Power 5 conference or Big East to commit to a formal interconference challenge. At best, they'd agree to the A-10 or MW. That's just their pattern.

If the SBC approached C-USA, they'd probably tell us to... well, I shouldn't say. Kids might read this board.

All in all, the MAC does make a lot of sense. They play FBS football. SBC members have played them in the regular season and bowl games a lot over the years, so the names are at least familiar to SBC sports fans, even if they're outside the region.

My understanding is that the SBC has turned down any overtures for a conference-wide scheduling agreement. The direct quote was the "Belt's snobbish tendencies hasn't receded."

The WAC and CUSA reached an agreement. While on paper the WAC was ahead of the SBC in the rankings, perception does not. CUSA posters were less than enthused.

The SBC has the traits that the railed on CUSA having for years.

I am not super upset about the CUSA vs. WAC agreement. They have performed well in hoops and it should make for some good games. My only real issue is that only a handful of CUSA programs (NMSU, UTEP, SHSU) have any real familiarity with the WAC programs and there is little to no geographic overlap outside of those three. I would have preferred an alliance with the MVC, but I think our far flung geography makes that less attractive to that league.

I agree. We had a one-year conference rivalry with you guys, but nothing outside of that.

However, its main purpose is to boost rankings for schedule strength in a way that the schedule can be controlled. We, WAC, CUSA, SBC, MAC can’t control what the P5 does as far as scheduling and most of us need their guarantees. We can control this and make an effort to boost our SOS for seeding and possibly a second bid.

(07-17-2023 10:44 PM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  We don’t have football. It is what it is. Doesn’t change the the fact that CUSA reached out to the SBC and was rebuffed.

When did CUSA reach out to the Sun Belt, after the Sun Belt had reached out to them after COVID for a scheduling agreement and they declined?