“I think there was pretty much a consensus of what was good for us,” said Jo Anne Paty, ETSU associate athletic director and Buccaneer Athletic Scholarship Association executive director. “I think, right now, for our student-athletes – not just a couple teams; all of our teams and student-athletes – it’s in our best interest, if you look at standings and win-loss records, to remain in the Atlantic Sun.”

They want to be competitive and realize that moving to a better conference will show a lot of people just how bad ETSU athletics have become. Staying in a sub-par conference is the only way for ETSU to remain competitive at this point.

Stanton spoke with OVC commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher following the meeting.

“He really didn’t say anything,” Stanton said. “He was pretty silent. Very courteous … the way I ended and the way he ended it was that we’re sitting tight where we are, we have a contract we’re going to live out over the next three years, and who knows what circumstances will dictate as we move forward.”

A statement from Steinbrecher was relayed by Kyle Schwartz, OVC assistant commissioner for media relations.

“East Tennessee State approached us four years ago, but we weren’t in the position to offer them membership at that time. So, out of a courtesy, when our situation changed this past year, we asked them if they wanted to revisit the situation, and that’s as far as things got now.”

I would bet that the bridge to the OVC has been burnt now. Maybe that is what Stanton wanted.

etsuBucsFan1988 Wrote:

PittsburghBucs Wrote:THe thing about the A10, '88, is it is primarily northeastern Catholic schools.

I'd love to be in the same conference as Duquesne. But it really isn't likely, even if the administration shared your thinking.

I still would love for us to be in the A10 one day...yes northeastern schools I know, but basketball rich.

I don't know. With Charlotte's plans of 1-A football....the A-10 could be looking for a school to replace Charlotte by 2011.

See link: http://www.administration.uncc.edu/chanc...rative.pdf (PDF)

These guys don't seem to be even considering I-AA football.

It could be argued the A-10 makes about as much sense geographically as the A-Sun does for ETSU. For example, do a Mapquest on ETSU's location to UMass and Gulf Coast and see what you find.

However, you just have to realize- Charlotte had 21,000 students and was real easy to get to by air or interstate. It's a big league market.

And while ETSU fans brag on one-point losses to Oklahoma, Charlotte fans brag on a trip to the Final Four.

I think the only way ETSU could even consider membership is if they had a nifty new basketball arena in place.

I know that I will probably get railed for this - but the A-Sun is looking up if we finally stabilize. ETSU, Jacksonville, Belmont, Kennesaw, and a host of other middle schools have a bright future. In two years I think that you will be looking at a much different ASun.

I agree. That's why I'm happy the Bucs didn't leave.

However, another thought struck me. While Paul Stanton was talking to his cronies about if the Bucs should have moved to the OVC or not- why didn't he ask someone else.

THE FANS!!!!!

Okay, we live in a market with horrible media who do not possess the ability to say "Okay fans, should the Bucs move?" and take calls on it.

But heck- I think THIS BOARD should have been in on the decision! We're the guys who care about the team- not Wilsie Bishop, Jeff Byrd, etc.

Different yes, with USC-Aiken and Augusta State on the A-Sun wish list.

State- is that any worse than SIU-E or Northern Kentucky?

Before you down Northern Kentucky, you should go to their web site. I'd love to have their facilities. They are light years ahead of ETSU.

That's all well and good, really.

But even if they are on their way to being a mid-major power in 2015, do we really want to wait that long for them to catch up to the rest of the OVC?

What has been the message ETSU has been feeding their fans? We need to build facilities.
There has been survey, after survey done by previous AD's and head coaches, they plainly said," ETSU is behind every Tennessee university and all Southern conference schools". ETSU is woefully behind their peer institutions. One of the surveys showed that ETSU was the only school in the Southern that had not improved their facilities in 30 years. Talk about catching up.

Northern Kentucky is not playing catchup to ETSU, but rather moving much farther ahead to being a mid major power.

Where will ETSU be in 2015?

Playing in a dump.

Which reminds me, whatever happened to the mini-dome being "condemned" by 2010 or whenever it was? I clearly remember Stanton announcing back in 2005 that the dome would be razed - before 2012 if I'm not mistaken. So much for that. Maybe it was a hidden message to his followers that we would be dropping basketball as well.

IF we are playing at all.

"Tornado Talk "will be the talk of the town if Stanton and Bill Meade get their wish.

Stanton is the only College President hoping his athletic program will get the death penalty.

Might as well change King's name to the TriCity Tornadoes.

00- Actually, it was 2014, and I don't know what the purpose of releasing something like that was.

It neither says "We will build a new arena by then" or anything.

What I feel is most disturbing is here is a guy who we all feel has simply killed athletics at ETSU, and yet he will make all these long range plans for their future.

Is there anyone, ANYONE ON EARTH, you would less like to see putting forth task forces and such to define ETSU's athletic future?