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ETSU Passes on Possible Move to OVC

http://www.tricities.com/tristate/tri/ne...-0024.html

I take two things from this-

First- I really think this is probably for the best. Obviously, if Belmont and Lipscomb go OVC, ETSU is screwed, but for the OVC to accept Belmont and Lipscomb it would mean they would be accepting private schools. There's also a very good chance the Tennessee public schools in the OVC want nothing to do with Belmont and Lipscomb.

Second- and this is the real thing- If I'm Don Helman- that's it. I quit my job as ETSU's announcer and use my show to rail against Mullins.

Helman asked Mullins about the OVC point blank. Mullins instead went on some sort of longwinded nonsense without any commital- "We have to look at the distances and the kind of colleges in the conference and this and that."

Why couldn't he have said "Actually, I'm meeting with our committee today and we may make a decision?"

It's known that Wardrobe and Jim Ignatowski and Mullins don't like each other. It's known that Wardrobe by Jim Ignatowski isn't liked by anyone.

So why do you give the sportswriter you hate the scoop instead of your own loyal servant?

Helman CANNOT go into that radio studio next Wednesday and interview Mullins as if nothing has happened. What good is the interview if he isn't willing to answer your questions with RELEVANT answers instead of longwinded ones that insult both the host and listener's intelligence?

As for Mullins, his own credibility is shot by anyone listening to the interview.

I called up Bill Meade to tell him about it. He tried to get off the Mullins aspect of it, speaking of why ETSU should look at the OVC- though I'd just told him they weren't joining- and finished with a statement about how Mullins gave the BHC the scoop over his own station.

And his response was to get off that aspect of my call.

It also shows that Mullins may be a figurehead. If Stanton is giving the scoops out of that meeting, what good is the AD, anyway?

He's a puppet. Whats everyone take on this new group that is being formed to look at our current atheltics situation and football?

article has been updated btw

That new group should be actively seeking a TRUE mid-major athletic conference when our time is up in the ASun in 2011. And I don't mean the OVC, Big South, SoCon, etc. I mean a CAA, A10, MVC, etc. They now have 3 years to get this done.

"it’s in our best interest, if you look at standings and win-loss records, to remain in the Atlantic Sun.”

Obviously- but this is totally illogical reasoning.

I agree with Pitt that the interview with Mullins was useless. I would be very upset if I interviewed an AD on the same day an announcement like this was made, and not even a hint of it came across. Not that anything that comes out of Mullins mouth has any credibility anyway.

I dont agree that this was best for the program. Even with the lower RPI, the OVC is a more respectable conference. And this move places us at the mercy of Lipscomb and Belmont. I just dont like the idea of that.

And the new group, are you kidding me? The same inside people coming to the same conclusions. Who in the heck thinks this program is possibly heading to the CAA, MVC, etc. We have one more year of decent basketball left, then we have nobody left. 2 years from now we will be a mid level ASUN team, not one thinking about the MVC.

After reading that article I am now certain that any hope of ETSU having success athletically at anything more than what we are doing now is out, atleast for the forseeable future. ETSU athletics is so far behind at this point, I don't know that if we have Mark Cuban, Daniel Snyder, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett bankrolling the department that it could catch up. When the day comes that Bartow leaves, and karen Kemp goes into athletic administration somewhere, we're done. Within five years basketball attendance will average less than 1500 for the men and around 300 for the women. The new arena should only seat 5,000.
Oh, and one more thing, I'm now convinced that Jeff Byrd is a complete horses rear end, and why Bruton Smith keeps him around further has me convinced that NASCAR racing will be in the toilet, and BMS will rank right up there with the North Wilkesboro Motor Speedway and Rockingham Raceway within the next 15 years.

I like the idea of the group proposed by Rusty Crowe better. But at least this is something new and may be an indication that maybe they realize that things are not well. Even the mention of football returning is a good thing. This will be good to follow to make sure they follow up on it. I still think Crowe should bring his group together independantly. The more people like him involved, the better.

88- I agree, though I think there is growth potential in the A-Sun.

But it won't be as big as, say, the So Con.

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.

Maybe I've misunderstood some of you, but the article doesn't say that those listed in this article will be the group that will set the strategy for the future of ETSU athletics.

Doesn't it just say that a "small" group will be assembled?

PittsburghBucs Wrote:88- I agree, though I think there is growth potential in the A-Sun.

But it won't be as big as, say, the So Con.

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.

True. I actually think the potential is there for the ASun also. The OVC has become a stale conference, which is why I don't mind us passing on it. I still would love for us to be in the A10 one day...yes northeastern schools I know, but basketball rich.

etsubuc Wrote:Who in the heck thinks this program is possibly heading to the CAA, MVC, etc. .......not one thinking about the MVC.

I know, the powers to be sure aren't thinking this way....and this is what is so frustrating. But I can dream can't I?

As much as I hate to admit it...I think they made the right choice by sticking with the A-Sun.

For now, yes.

Yea, and it'll be real freaking cute when Belmont and Lipscomb say, oh, well we changed our mind, the OVC made us an offer we couldn't refuse, sorry guys. Then what? We're screwed and might as well play as an independent. Honestly at this point I'm not so sure that we shouldn't fall the way of Birmingham Southern, drop to D-3 and be done with it. We could play in the ODAC with Emory and Henry.

Let's not say that too loudly....

Why not? Stanton is such a water head that would be his thinking. The CRAP that they've allowed to happen at that university over the last 10-20 years, people who have jobs there that shouldn't be allowed anywhere NEAR a college or university, the double standards, etc... It's almost embarrassing to admit now that I'm a graduate from there.

I'm hearing that Paul Stanton actually brought up that this new group will indeed be looking at football returning. I think it's a good idea that Stanton is STILL looking at bringing it back. It tells me he realizes cutting it is hurting ETSU as a whole.

Or it says he's trying to play politics with some high powered people in the state who can see to it that the ETSU budget gets cut and cut because of him.

I think you hit the nail on the head Buclover. This is about politics. Stanton is through with football. I'm sure he plans to take 3 years to "look at the options" in order to get the politicians off his back until he retires. He's just buying time (quiet time, that is).

Hopefully, Crowe and others won't let it go with just the promise to "look into it." They're smart guys and can probably see that statement for what it is. They made a resolution that ETSU should reinstate football, not explore bringing it back again. Been there, done that, and the task force recommended it be brought back. Now go do it.