I also want to point out that though Matt Brown has been pretty reliable in the past... He was Totally wrong on the UMASS/MAC decision and has missed a few other major realignment stories.

(04-04-2024 11:48 AM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  I also want to point out that though Matt Brown has been pretty reliable in the past... He was Totally wrong on the UMASS/MAC decision and has missed a few other major realignment stories.

Matt Brown was lead on and this is quote of his private email to me. Since it is in his defense and making it public as is now dated by 5 months. Time of the PM 12-03-2023 09:32 AM.

Quote:Hey Steve, I did talk to Bamford for a long time yesterday, and will have a post on everything I've learned over the last few weeks up for tomorrow. It'll be free, and I hope it will talk you off the ledge for a bit haha

The following Extra Points article did correctly state, UMass was in no hurry as the MAC vote was nearly 3 months after the fact. The administration and the MAC were very professional and quiet about the behind the scenes talks and UMass stated several times, that the conversations are best left in private. So Matt Brown had no idea, yes. But none of us had any idea the MAC Commissioner was at UMass and walked the campus on Nov 4th and attended our homecoming game.

Know TopStraight does not like the idea of WKU to the MAC. A Missouri State fan stated if we were not in CUSA by April, it will be time to worry. TopStraight, would you say your Missouri State fan was totally wrong as well? We intend to raise the bar in the MAC. Hope the new adds also raise the bar for CUSA. BeatWestern stated CUSA requires 14 months notice, so April 30th is coming up. Tomorrow night. the MAC hosts the Women's Final Four in Cleveland on ESPN. It is the same venue used for the MAC basketball conference tournament, top 8 teams.

I stand by Post #140.

Repeated for Emphasis---

(04-04-2024 11:30 AM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  Paraphrased statement from Matt Brown's article today:

CUSA leaders would like to make sure WKU "sticks around" before seriously engaging in additional expansion.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
** I [TOPSTRAIGHT] spoke directly (face to face) to a VERY high official at WKU yesterday (April 3rd) for about 1 minute.

Of course they would not give specifics. But said--"We are in a very different place than we were two years ago" This is the same message from newspaper articles from a few weeks back. Still it was straight from a HIGH official.

They also mentioned/agreed that along with Judy we are trying to improve things in CUSA.
Is WKU working with CUSA [things we can do] to make the league stronger?-- "Yes"--they agreed.

That seemed to infer specific objectives.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WKU is Very aware of significant (I can't guess how much) opposition among Hilltopper fans to join the MAC.

Anything could happen--But IMO WKU is not going to the MAC.



*******IF CUSA adds Missouri State before the deadline (June 30th)--THAT would be a BIG sign that WKU is staying---since the article shed doubt on expansion TILL they feel certain of WKU's intentions.*******

Off topic, but related, wouldn't it seem that UCON as a football only member would be the natural pick for the MAC's 14th? They were all set to join CUSA with Liberty and New Mexico State until their fans pitched a hissy. They still need a home... They are still terrible... They are a cultural fit with UMASS... And they aren't WKU.

Yes, I am aware of their recent BB titles, I just don't think that will be enough to get them into a power conference. Maybe the AAC? The MAC, to me, seems like the place for their special brand of football.

(04-11-2024 04:40 AM)DrDocMartin Wrote:  Off topic, but related, wouldn't it seem that UCON as a football only member would be the natural pick for the MAC's 14th? They were all set to join CUSA with Liberty and New Mexico State until their fans pitched a hissy. They still need a home... They are still terrible... They are a cultural fit with UMASS... And they aren't WKU.

Yes, I am aware of their recent BB titles, I just don't think that will be enough to get them into a power conference. Maybe the AAC? The MAC, to me, seems like the place for their special brand of football.

I agree, UConn football-only in the MAC makes sense to me. I also see a world where the ACC is facing major departures, and they backfill with UConn and other basketball-minded schools with football programs. The Huskies wouldn't offer much in football, but that's true about much of the ACC already.

(04-11-2024 04:40 AM)DrDocMartin Wrote:  Off topic, but related, wouldn't it seem that UCON as a football only member would be the natural pick for the MAC's 14th? They were all set to join CUSA with Liberty and New Mexico State until their fans pitched a hissy. They still need a home... They are still terrible... They are a cultural fit with UMASS... And they aren't WKU.

Yes, I am aware of their recent BB titles, I just don't think that will be enough to get them into a power conference. Maybe the AAC? The MAC, to me, seems like the place for their special brand of football.

UConn left the American Athletic for the Big East, so a football-only return to that conference would seem unlikely.

A short-term alliance with UConn could work for the MAC. But I don't know how long UConn will be available. If an opening emerges in the Atlantic Coast, UConn would seem a pretty obvious candidate, at least from where I sit.

(04-11-2024 07:41 AM)smith79jordan Wrote:  

(04-11-2024 04:40 AM)DrDocMartin Wrote:  Off topic, but related, wouldn't it seem that UCON as a football only member would be the natural pick for the MAC's 14th? They were all set to join CUSA with Liberty and New Mexico State until their fans pitched a hissy. They still need a home... They are still terrible... They are a cultural fit with UMASS... And they aren't WKU.

Yes, I am aware of their recent BB titles, I just don't think that will be enough to get them into a power conference. Maybe the AAC? The MAC, to me, seems like the place for their special brand of football.

I agree, UConn football-only in the MAC makes sense to me. I also see a world where the ACC is facing major departures, and they backfill with UConn and other basketball-minded schools with football programs. The Huskies wouldn't offer much in football, but that's true about much of the ACC already.

Agree that the ACC will probably be facing some major departures. I think they have some serious decisions to make. One decision is what kind of conference do they want to be moving forward. If they backfill with schools like UCONN, that would indicate to me that they have no desire to be anything other than a basketball conference. Their interest in football would be zero. If the remaining schools decide that’s the direction that they want to go, the ACC becomes nothing more than another Big East. Or would it? If they lose schools like UNC, Duke, NC State, would they even be considered a basketball league anymore? I’m personally not looking forward to a college sports world without a ACC Conference. Even though I never really followed the PAC 12, I also don’t like the fact that they are no more. At least as what we knew them to be. I don’t believe that the elimination of any conference is good for college athletics. It’s what made college athletics so unique and exciting to watch. We’ve already lost so many great rivalries. Now there’s a very real chance that we lose those great Carolina- Duke or NC State- Carolina games. It could very soon be Carolina-Iowa or NC State - BYU. Not must see tv to me. And it’s all the result of greed.

We are nearing the May 1st deadline for WKU to notify CUSA if it is indeed leaving for the 2025 season. A 14 month notice prior to July 1 of the year to leave is a CUSA rule. Now that wouldn’t be a guarantee that WKU is not leaving but it would make the process messier and potentially more expensive. So at least it will be less likely that the Toppers are leaving if they don’t announce prior to May 1st.

(04-24-2024 01:35 PM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  We are nearing the May 1st deadline for WKU to notify CUSA if it is indeed leaving for the 2025 season. A 14 month notice prior to July 1 of the year to leave is a CUSA rule. Now that wouldn’t be a guarantee that WKU is not leaving but it would make the process messier and potentially more expensive. So at least it will be less likely that the Toppers are leaving if they don’t announce prior to May 1st.

WKU is not going anywhere:

--making good money here right now (fees, FAU money, Liberty money, etc.)

-- G.O.R. penalty still high at this point

--Realignment dominoes ACC- FSU, Clemson could open up possibilities in the NEAR future

--Latest G5 consolidation proposals would make a move unnecessary

--my "sources" say--"NOT Happening"

And I can give another Dozen reasons--but you don't have enough time to read 'em all!!

(04-24-2024 01:53 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  

(04-24-2024 01:35 PM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  We are nearing the May 1st deadline for WKU to notify CUSA if it is indeed leaving for the 2025 season. A 14 month notice prior to July 1 of the year to leave is a CUSA rule. Now that wouldn’t be a guarantee that WKU is not leaving but it would make the process messier and potentially more expensive. So at least it will be less likely that the Toppers are leaving if they don’t announce prior to May 1st.

WKU is not going anywhere:

--making good money here right now (fees, FAU money, Liberty money, etc.)

-- G.O.R. penalty still high at this point

--Realignment dominoes ACC- FSU, Clemson could open up possibilities in the NEAR future

--Latest G5 consolidation proposals would make a move unnecessary

--my "sources" say--"NOT Happening"

And I can give another Dozen reasons--but you don't have enough time to read 'em all!!

Biggest reason it would be a step down.

(04-24-2024 10:50 PM)Gemofthehills Wrote:  

(04-24-2024 01:53 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  

(04-24-2024 01:35 PM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  We are nearing the May 1st deadline for WKU to notify CUSA if it is indeed leaving for the 2025 season. A 14 month notice prior to July 1 of the year to leave is a CUSA rule. Now that wouldn’t be a guarantee that WKU is not leaving but it would make the process messier and potentially more expensive. So at least it will be less likely that the Toppers are leaving if they don’t announce prior to May 1st.

WKU is not going anywhere:

--making good money here right now (fees, FAU money, Liberty money, etc.)

-- G.O.R. penalty still high at this point

--Realignment dominoes ACC- FSU, Clemson could open up possibilities in the NEAR future

--Latest G5 consolidation proposals would make a move unnecessary

--my "sources" say--"NOT Happening"

And I can give another Dozen reasons--but you don't have enough time to read 'em all!!

Biggest reason it would be a step down.

Yes, but keep in mind that they would raise the MAC's profile, at least at first

They do compete well in most sports, so that would be a loss to us & a gain for the MAC

Answer to Op. NO.

(04-24-2024 01:53 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  

(04-24-2024 01:35 PM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  We are nearing the May 1st deadline for WKU to notify CUSA if it is indeed leaving for the 2025 season. A 14 month notice prior to July 1 of the year to leave is a CUSA rule. Now that wouldn’t be a guarantee that WKU is not leaving but it would make the process messier and potentially more expensive. So at least it will be less likely that the Toppers are leaving if they don’t announce prior to May 1st.

WKU is not going anywhere:

--making good money here right now (fees, FAU money, Liberty money, etc.)

-- G.O.R. penalty still high at this point

--Realignment dominoes ACC- FSU, Clemson could open up possibilities in the NEAR future

--Latest G5 consolidation proposals would make a move unnecessary

--my "sources" say--"NOT Happening"

And I can give another Dozen reasons--but you don't have enough time to read 'em all!!

I hope this is correct. Desertion made sense in 2021, not now. The league is definitely in an upward trajectory at this point. Let's continue to build...