(09-16-2009 12:26 AM)TigersOhMy Wrote:  http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/200...-for-hire/

interesting take on it

Even more interesting was the comments from readers. Wow! Almost unanimously calling for Johnson's head. I agree, West isn't getting it done and needs to get on with his life's work as the former Steeler's coach Chuck Knoll would say.

(09-16-2009 12:38 AM)Stookey57 Wrote:  i agree that there are better teams than memphis, but i thing the goose wants to go out in style and adding memphis would scare the hell out of shalala and her lover swofford .

And adding ECU wouldn't scare swofford, having an AQ non-ACC team in his own backyard?

(09-16-2009 05:45 AM)buckaineer Wrote:  Last season ECU had a good football team, but over a larger time period of a decade they haven't been much different than Memphis. They also don't have major financial backing(such as FED EX who can sponsor facilities, bowls, and higher level of tv coverage for BE football games. If the BE were to go to twelve teams for football they might be considered. They don't seem too concerned with improving basketball though which might dilute the likelihood of being included.

We're 11-6 against Memphis, and most of those losses came when we had a horrible coach and they had Deangelo Williams. Memphis has always been a mediocre football program and the height of their success came at the same time we sucked, but now it seems they're back to business as usual. You can go ahead and take another basketball school, but what you guys really need are proven football teams.

If we want to go to football only, why not just add ECU. No offense Memphis fans, but when we (USF) was in the C-USA, there were only a handful of Memphis fans that traveled down to Tampa to see your team play the Bulls. When we played ECU, they had at least 2500 to 3000 fans each time. Also in just my opinion, ECU has and had had a better football program and football fan base than Memphis. Also, ECU has larger alumni base in the mid-Atlantic, the northeast, and southeast coastal states than Memphis.

If we add a basketball member then that is another story, but if we are only looking at football, ECU outweighs Memphis.

Memphis All-time
Record: 432–449–33 (.491)
Bowls: 4–3–0

ECU All-time
Record: 381–352–11 (.512)
Bowls: 8–6

Memphis last 25 years
- Zero national rankings
- 15 losing seasons
- 2 .500 seasons
- 7 winning seasons
- one season with 8 or more wins

ECU last 25 years
- Two times finished season ranked
- One time finished season ranked in the top 10
- 13 losing seasons
- 2 .500 seasons
- 10 winning season
- 7 seasons with 8 or more wins

(09-15-2009 10:15 PM)DFW HOYA Wrote:  The only way ECU gets in is as football-only, whoch would mean dropping out of C-USA for other sports and settling in something like the Atlantic Sun. The Big East is not interested in 17 for basketball.

But realistically, if football-only is the strategy, the Philadelphia market trumps the Greenville market.

So you think the Big East should add the Philadelphia Eagles, huh? Smart move.

(09-16-2009 07:34 AM)Steelbeard Wrote:  

(09-16-2009 12:38 AM)Stookey57 Wrote:  i agree that there are better teams than memphis, but i thing the goose wants to go out in style and adding memphis would scare the hell out of shalala and her lover swofford .

And adding ECU wouldn't scare swofford, having an AQ non-ACC team in his own backyard?

No. If ECU was ever a threat, the ACC would easily absorb you for football only and you'd take it and like it!

P.S. You're goin' down!

It's clearly a bold move by Memphis, and one aimed at membership at a specific BCS conference - the Big East.

Don't think it will pay off, but it shows they are very serious about making the effort. And the "football only" tack is the best strategy to play with.

(09-16-2009 08:16 AM)esayem Wrote:  

(09-16-2009 07:34 AM)Steelbeard Wrote:  

(09-16-2009 12:38 AM)Stookey57 Wrote:  i agree that there are better teams than memphis, but i thing the goose wants to go out in style and adding memphis would scare the hell out of shalala and her lover swofford .

And adding ECU wouldn't scare swofford, having an AQ non-ACC team in his own backyard?

No. If ECU was ever a threat, the ACC would easily absorb you for football only and you'd take it and like it!

P.S. You're goin' down!

Both of our teams looked pretty crappy last week. At this point, I'm just hoping for a well-played game (and not something like that NC State-South Carolina game).

Why does everyone assume that Memphis/Cincinnati is a big-time rivalry? Because they've been in the same league a few times? According to the record books, Memphis main football rivals are Southern Miss, Arkansas State, and Ole Miss. In hoops, I always remember big time games vs. Arkansas. I'll give you the Louisville rivalry because it's a little closer, but Cincinnati/Louisville is way bigger than Memphis/Louisville. That commercial is stupid so don't bring it up, I would have let the Puke fan soak.

(09-16-2009 08:19 AM)Chappy Wrote:  Both of our teams looked pretty crappy last week. At this point, I'm just hoping for a well-played game (and not something like that NC State-South Carolina game).

Actually, I'm not gonna lie, we looked BAD! We blew them off the earth last year.

(09-16-2009 05:11 AM)UofL07 Wrote:  One area Corrigan was asked to explore from the Pirates’ standpoint was positioning for a move to what is currently a power conference in terms of the football bowl championship series.[/b] That aspect of Corrigan’s study didn’t receive much attention for the obvious reason that ECU didn’t want to jeopardize its standing in Conference USA.

Great find, UofL, makes this move by Memphis seem less unusual and earth-shaking in its potential implications.

(09-16-2009 08:16 AM)esayem Wrote:  No. If ECU was ever a threat, the ACC would easily absorb you for football only and you'd take it and like it!

P.S. You're goin' down!

We've already gotten your mascot, Esayem...



We're coming after your quarterback next.

You're going down...like a homesick gopher.

HAHAHAAH Did you steal those things from State!!! HAHAHAAHA thats great though

(09-16-2009 12:24 AM)Pastner4Prez Wrote:  

(09-16-2009 12:14 AM)USFMike Wrote:  if memphis can use those fedex dollars and get a big name coach like fulmer or tuberville, secure the liberty bowl, and are willing to be football only, it might happen. however their football program is terrible right now (and that's being generous), the past couple of years they wouldn't even win a game in the conference.

Memphis has been to 5 bowl games in the last 6 seasons...not saying we are great but a decent team overall.

With BCS money to recruit with we could be as good and UL or UC. UC was a very average football school prior to the Big East invite.

Memphis would follow the same footprint for success.

Money in the program makes a difference when recruiting against the SEC

just going based on what i saw the talent differential was huge during the st pete game and we went 2-6 in conference last year. that team would be buried in the big east, remember the conference isn't forced to take anyone this time around, in order to be taken seriously for the fb invite whoever we add would need to be able to compete right away like louisville was when they came in and not be a project. otherwise we're better off staying pat. a perrennial 6-6 cusa team isn't going to cut it, you need to overhaul your fb program. hiring mike t was a nice start, i'm sure he wasn't hired to give tips on the basketball program.

Key take away from the article in today's Commercial Appeal ...

Tranghese said he was approached by several other schools to do consultant work, but he turned down the offers because they weren't "something I was terribly interested in."

At this point, Tranghese is not going to put his influence and clout behind a program he does not feel will be included in the next shake up. I'm not saying its a done deal, but it is certainly looking better for Memphis than it is for other programs hoping to gain admittance into a BCS league.

(09-16-2009 08:53 AM)USFMike Wrote:  

(09-16-2009 12:24 AM)Pastner4Prez Wrote:  

(09-16-2009 12:14 AM)USFMike Wrote:  if memphis can use those fedex dollars and get a big name coach like fulmer or tuberville, secure the liberty bowl, and are willing to be football only, it might happen. however their football program is terrible right now (and that's being generous), the past couple of years they wouldn't even win a game in the conference.

Memphis has been to 5 bowl games in the last 6 seasons...not saying we are great but a decent team overall.

With BCS money to recruit with we could be as good and UL or UC. UC was a very average football school prior to the Big East invite.

Memphis would follow the same footprint for success.

Money in the program makes a difference when recruiting against the SEC

just going based on what i saw the talent differential was huge during the st pete game and we went 2-6 in conference last year. that team would be buried in the big east, remember the conference isn't forced to take anyone this time around, in order to be taken seriously for the fb invite whoever we add would need to be able to compete right away like louisville was when they came in and not be a project. otherwise we're better off staying pat. a perrennial 6-6 cusa team isn't going to cut it, you need to overhaul your fb program. hiring mike t was a nice start, i'm sure he wasn't hired to give tips on the basketball program.

just 4-5 years ago, I watched Memphis skull-drag USF in Tampa. I believe DeAngelo Williams gained nearly 300 yards rushing, and every time he touched the ball he was a threat to take it to the house. The point being, in just a few short years, USF has been able to recruit better athletes due to being in a BCS league. Memphis will certainly do the same.

(09-16-2009 08:57 AM)Original Sabretooth Wrote:  I'm not saying its a done deal...

Probably a smart move...

(09-16-2009 12:14 AM)USFMike Wrote:  if memphis can use those fedex dollars and get a big name coach like fulmer or tuberville, secure the liberty bowl, and are willing to be football only, it might happen. however their football program is terrible right now (and that's being generous), the past couple of years they wouldn't even win a game in the conference.

Do you really think Memphis would not win a single game in the BE? I would advise you to watch this season play out before jumping to conclusions. Losing to #5 Ole Miss in what was a close game for over 3 quarters and playing poorly in an ugly loss to MTSU (favored to win the Sunbelt) doesn't necessarily prove anything. You might also want to see how MTSU does in the upcoming games with Maryland (who they beat last year) and Mississippi State. We have changed quarterbacks. Tyler Bass, who looked brilliant in the Louisville game last year until he injured his knee is back in the picture.

On a side note, for those who do not know, Fred Smith's (Fed Ex owner) son transferred from Miami and is now a Tiger quarterback. He turned down several SEC opportunities. Look for UofM to have even more Fed Ex support in the future. If Memphis football was the lost cause some of you think, would the lad have chosen to be a Tiger?

One of the reasons I want Big East membership so badly, is to teach some of you proper respect for the Blue & Gray.

(09-16-2009 09:11 AM)swash Wrote:  

(09-16-2009 08:57 AM)Original Sabretooth Wrote:  I'm not saying its a done deal...

Probably a smart move...

I'd certainly rather be Memphis at this point, however.

Heck, they should just make MT their AD and can the current guy, ditto the football coach and hire Tuberville...than bring the liberty bowl to the big east. Also, think memphis should team up with st louis U and angle for the 18 team concept, makes a lot more sense than 17 or football only.