but the Southern Conference announced its inaugural HOF class today....Personally I find it odd that the league is celebrating many players from schools that have been long gone from the Southern Conference

Jackson

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference announced today (Jan. 28) the inaugural class for the league’s newly created Hall of Fame. The inaugural class features 10 of the greatest student-athletes to ever compete in the Southern Conference and includes such legendary figures as Sam Huff (West Virginia), Arnold Palmer (Wake Forest) and Jerry West (West Virginia). Megan Dunigan (Furman), Dick Groat (Duke), Charlie Justice (North Carolina), Melissa Morrison (Appalachian State), Adrian Peterson (Georgia Southern), Frank Selvy (Furman), and Valorie Whiteside (Appalachian State) also were named to be enshrined the conference’s inaugural class. The 10 inductees will be honored at a ceremony on May 4 at the Chapman Cultural Center in Spartanburg, S.C.

“We’re extremely proud of this announcement, one that’s been 88 years in the making,” said Southern Conference Commissioner John Iamarino. “The achievements of this first group of inductees are truly remarkable. These 10 individuals are wonderful representatives of the great history of the Southern Conference.”

Student-athletes who competed for a minimum of two seasons in the Southern Conference were eligible for consideration, along with coaches and administrators who spent at least five years in the league. A pool of 254 candidates from the conference’s current and former member institutions were nominated for the inaugural class. The pool of former student-athletes, coaches and administrators was cut down to 45 individuals who comprised the final ballot. A voting panel of 20 media members and league administrators made the selection of the inaugural class.

http://www.soconsports.com/ViewArticle.d...em_id=4000

It's all about image and marketing, Jackson. These conferences make a claim for ancient greatness, hoping to build a foundation for future stars to build upon...

That's part of the problem The BEast faces. We have no history, except as independent units or as former members conferences that are no longer relevant. And the marketing geniuses The BEast front office hires are mostly morons, with little knowledge of what makes a sports fan tick...

I could go on, and on, and on, but I have no input where it matters...

True, bit, UL & UC have been in several different conf. over the years, they could make the same claim. When you look at the MVC, or the old Metro, one can't really judge unless you see who was in those conf's at any point in time...

Those old conference configurations no longer apply. The schools that set those records no longer have any affiliation with that conference, so claims for the conference are spurious, at best. The school can't carry such history along in a new conference either. The Backyard Brawl is the only real recognized rivalry in The BEast, due to its history. But the history of the Brawl within The Beast only extends to the formation of the football part of The BEast. The conference can't claim the entire history.

In 20 years these conversations will sound silly, if the front office isn't composed of complete and total morons. But just sailing along, without any kind of plan, isn't what I'd call a good long-term survival strategy. But somebody ought to get off their @ss and start doing some long range planning, with football as a priority, or member schools that play football will lose out in the long run...

(01-30-2009 11:26 AM)bitcruncher Wrote:  Those old conference configurations no longer apply. The schools that set those records no longer have any affiliation with that conference, so claims for the conference are spurious, at best. The school can't carry such history along in a new conference either. The Backyard Brawl is the only real recognized rivalry in The BEast, due to its history. But the history of the Brawl within The Beast only extends to the formation of the football part of The BEast. The conference can't claim the entire history.

In 20 years these conversations will sound silly, if the front office isn't composed of complete and total morons. But just sailing along, without any kind of plan, isn't what I'd call a good long-term survival strategy. But somebody ought to get off their @ss and start doing some long range planning, with football as a priority, or member schools that play football will lose out in the long run...

I disagree. If/when C-USA has a HOF for its greatest players ever does that mean that people like Kenyon Martin, Francisco Garcia, Danny Fortson or others can't be considered? Of course they can. It happens in other sports. Baseball recognizes the Negro League and pre-MLB stats, the NBA recognizes ABA stats, and so forth. Heck, you can even extend that. Should the Indianapolis Colts not recognize the stats of the old Baltimore Colts? Or should the Texas Rangers not recognize the contributions of the old Washington Senators player?

You missed the point entirely...

The Southern Conference is going to have to have a WVU wing in their HOF....Rod Thorn, Hot Rod Hunley and Bruce Bosley into next yrs class? I may have to take a look at the HOF next time I'm down that way

Jackson

It is about celebrating that conference history. Even though A LOT of schools have gone through it. I see no problem with them celebrating their history like that.