(05-22-2010 11:48 AM)WVUeer Wrote:  If the Big East had to add two schools for whatever reason, would Southern Miss be the second pick in the pecking order behind ECU as "LaurelEagle" claims?

USM is on crack, drunk or both if they believe that BS...

(05-22-2010 03:06 PM)Corey4USM Wrote:  Hell, last year when they beat VT and WVU, Southern Miss won by 30. This year, they got their blind nut by 5 points.

It wasn't last year, it was 2008. And, you won 21-3. Not sure where you are getting "won by 30" from. Yes....you have a decisive record against ECU in football over the years. If that really mattered in the grand scheme of things, ECU's decisive records against Memphis and UCF (12-6 and 8-1 respectively) would also come into play. But, really, it doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things. Filling up stadiums, traveling to bowls, drawing eyeballs on tv ($$$$$$$$$$$$$) and academics; that is what matters in the grand scheme of things.

(05-22-2010 12:56 PM)Corey4USM Wrote:  There is a reason why the Big East is damn near on life support. It is because the basketball schools and their cronies in leadership always went for round ball first. Now that football TV revenue has surpassed BB credits in the $$$ pecking order, those decisions have put the BE in a tough situation. TJ is not pushing for Southern Miss because he thinks the cities of Mobile, New Orleans and Jackson will tune in instinctively to watch USM and UConn on the gridiron, he's doing so because Southern Miss owns his school. Hell, even last year Louisville needed a last second field goal to win the game despite USM leaving 14 points on the field. I know that was "the last year of their program killing coach" and all, but even a down team from a BCS conference and the mighty Big East should have been able to phone that in right? And while we're on the subject, Southern Miss owns every team in play and our old buddies UL and USF. Interestingly enough, Cincy actually has a 1 game advantage over us coming from a bowl game, even though both have lopsided home/away records. The mighty ECU and their 3 wins over Southern Miss this decade were by 4 points/game.

We may not be ritzy enough by West Virginia standards, but when you take our winning tradition, success over current and potential conference members, 80%+ graduation rate and clean program - oh yeah, and 15,000 fans to bowl games, the ACTUAL leadership in the conference might just see something they like. I'm just sayin...

You are in MISSISSIPPI - strike 1,2 & 3...

(05-22-2010 03:28 PM)DaSaintFan Wrote:  

(05-22-2010 02:10 PM)miko33 Wrote:  

(05-22-2010 02:07 PM)laureleagle Wrote:  what part of confidentiality agreement do you not understand?

So the press around Hattiesburg has no inkling about this at all? You mean the BE and USM are so good at keeping secrets that the press would be completely clueless? No anonymous sources that would want to talk to the local news outlets or papers?

Most of us understand what confidentiality agreements are all about, but surely the press would have at least 1 or 2 stories that would indirectly corroborate your insider info.

To be fair, MIko... Our AD has been EXTREMELY tight-lipped to everyone on this.

He himself has had quite a few radio interviews and he's basically said "we're talking, we've got stuff in place", but he will not say anything else to anyone.

I get the feeling he's put in a "Gag order" to everyone that's been on USM's involvement in this (cause there's still no sure thing about any expansion).

That being said, if there is a round of expansions, and USM isn't included, I think RG knows he's going to be despised by the USM alumni (as they thought they we should have been included in the last rounds with any of the conference expansions that occurred..).

This is where the story starts to break down in my opinion. The AD at any school should never be driving the bus regarding expansion. Normally, the AD would not even be clued in regarding the specifics of expansion plans. These issues should be solely at the University president/chancellor level and the board of trustees only. The AD of a target school may be given some vague notions, but never the gory details. It is "beyond the pay grade" of any AD to have this much access and exposure to expansion plans.

(05-22-2010 01:21 PM)laureleagle Wrote:  Memphis has potential for good football, and rebuilding basketball after losing calipari

This post shows how out of touch you are. Memphis, one year removed from Calipari, and "rebuilding,"had an average attendance that surpassed the combined totals of the next four Conference USA schools, while being higher than all but two Big East schools. They also lead the nation for NCAA tournament viewing, despite their team not making it (or being out ealry, cannot remember).

Oh, and remember, for the most part, basketball credits in the NCAA tournament are worth more than bowl games. Football DOES NOT lead the way for the Big East money wise.

And I am no Memphis fan.

(05-22-2010 03:40 PM)miko33 Wrote:  This is where the story starts to break down in my opinion. The AD at any school should never be driving the bus regarding expansion. Normally, the AD would not even be clued in regarding the specifics of expansion plans. These issues should be solely at the University president/chancellor level and the board of trustees only. The AD of a target school may be given some vague notions, but never the gory details. It is "beyond the pay grade" of any AD to have this much access and exposure to expansion plans.

If Guliani wasn't on the BCS Expansion Committee (or whatever it's called - I forget), you might have an argument there. But RG is on that committee, which means he's definitely clued in to whatever this is... he's the spokesman for our university in this regard

It's the AD's director to get the foot in the door to a conference, it's our President's job to approve/disapprove of what the AD does.. Basically, the President has put this on RG's shoulders, (at least that's how i read it), which is why I think RG either gets us in a BCS conference, or he's on the way out the door.

in what world do you live in that not making it to the tourney a year after playing in the championship game because you lost your coach and all of your recruits does not equal rebuilding?

USM is probably 4-6th on the list of desirable expansion candidates. In other words, the only way they are actually an expansion candidate is in some nightmare holocaust scenario where either

a) 4-5 BE members are absorbed by other conferences and the leftovers have to merge with C-USA east

b) BE is forced by the NCAA/BCS to expand up to 12.

(05-22-2010 01:21 PM)laureleagle Wrote:  Memphis has potential for good football...

Based on what? That's like saying ECU has good potential for hoops

(05-22-2010 11:48 AM)WVUeer Wrote:  If the Big East had to add two schools for whatever reason, would Southern Miss be the second pick in the pecking order behind ECU as "LaurelEagle" claims?

Memphis would be my first pick, even over ECU, and UCF would be my third after ECU

(05-22-2010 03:35 PM)ECMAN79 Wrote:  

(05-22-2010 03:06 PM)Corey4USM Wrote:  Hell, last year when they beat VT and WVU, Southern Miss won by 30. This year, they got their blind nut by 5 points.

It wasn't last year, it was 2008. And, you won 21-3. Not sure where you are getting "won by 30" from. Yes....you have a decisive record against ECU in football over the years. If that really mattered in the grand scheme of things, ECU's decisive records against Memphis and UCF (12-6 and 8-1 respectively) would also come into play. But, really, it doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things. Filling up stadiums, traveling to bowls, drawing eyeballs on tv ($$$$$$$$$$$$$) and academics; that is what matters in the grand scheme of things.

It was last year, because this year you won by 5 and next year hasn't happened yet. Correct on the score update - I knew there was a 3 in there somewhere though.

Why would USM want to be in the Big East?

I ain't going into detail on this again but USM would be bad for the Big East. Go with 2 of these 4 to get to 10 and move on; Temple, UCF, ECU, and/or Memphis. If we lose a school, then go w/ 3 of those 4.

(05-22-2010 05:48 PM)animus Wrote:  I ain't going into detail on this again but USM would be bad for the Big East. Go with 2 of these 4 to get to 10 and move on; Temple, UCF, ECU, and/or Memphis. If we lose a school, then go w/ 3 of those 4.

100% agreement

(05-22-2010 05:34 PM)Bill Marsh Wrote:  Why would USM want to be in the Big East?

cha $$$ ching $$$...

Isn't it kind of silly to be rank ordering who would be added when we don't even know the landscape? Much too premature.

Right now TCU is far & away the best non-BCS program east of the Rockies & it would make sense for the Big East to go after them & partner them with someone like Houston to ease travel issues & to provide them with a local rival.

But if the Big XII were to be decimated by a combination of Big Ten, Pac Ten, & SEC expansion, something which would combine the Big East with the remnants of the Big XII in a 2-division format would make the most sense.

Depending on what happens, the list of candidates will change dramaticly.

(05-22-2010 02:24 PM)Corey4USM Wrote:  [quote='Shannon Panther' pid='5441824' dateline='1274555228']
Realistically you bring a small market, no recruiting, a smaller enrollment and an attendance just over 30K the last 2 seasons. This isn't the stuff that exactly carries the WOW factor.

No recruiting? You might want to tell that to our 5* WR Deandre Brown. Also, comparatively speaking, USM would have had the #4 ranked recruiting class in the Big East this year just 5 spots behind Louisville.
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/re...nk/2010/al

I mistyped. I meant you bring no major recruiting areas. On that list you have 26 recruits. 9 of them are from MS, and 3 of them are from Junior Colleges. MS does not produce a ton of talent and most of it stays in the SEC or with you guys. Your recruiting is fine, but you don't enhance the conference's recruiting the way a team in the NC / VA Tidewater area or central Florida would.

(05-22-2010 05:57 PM)Den Wrote:  

(05-22-2010 05:34 PM)Bill Marsh Wrote:  Why would USM want to be in the Big East?

cha $$$ ching $$$...

Where would the new revenue becoming from in a conference that would be more CUSA than Big East?

If the Big East remains intact & adds new members, that's one thing. But if it loses prominent members, that's a whole different scene.

(05-22-2010 03:06 PM)Corey4USM Wrote:  

(05-22-2010 02:33 PM)Pumpkin Man Wrote:  Why are Southern Miss fans so defensive? At best, they'd be the 4th option for the BIG EAST after UCF, Memphis and East Carolina. That's just the way it is.

USM's drawbacks are the location (not near a major airport, 1.5 hours from New Orleans) and subpar basketball facility/support.

I think it is more frustration over how long this is dragging out combined with now having to read ECU, Memphis and UCF fans talking crap about USM. I'm not here to say that USM should command the respect of college football nation, but there is a certain amount of common sense. If UCF's enrollment is such a competitive advantage, then why haven't they done crap in CUSA? If ECU is so great, why can't they beat Southern Miss more than a couple times a decade? Hell, last year when they beat VT and WVU, Southern Miss won by 30. This year, they got their blind nut by 5 points. Memphis, same deal, and they have actually had some recent success against USM. For the uninitiated, that game is called the annual black/blue bowl.

I have respect for all the teams I just mentioned and am proud of the fact that ECU wouldn't even be in CUSA if not for USM going to bat for them or even when Katrina ran us out of town, memphis was gracious enough to let our athletic department and football team set up shop on their campus sharing the same practice field with the Tigers.

To your original statement though, the original word was always all 4 to the BE. After those 4, Temple and whoever else could duke it out for Rutgers' spot. However, just in the last 3 weeks or so did rumors of USM's spot in the pecking order change from what we had originally believed and only on Friday did I personally confirm with 3 different sources leading straight to the AD of where we believe USM sits in the eyes of the Big East office/Presidents.

UCF has won CUSA championship once and appeared in CUSA chanpionship game 2 times... 3 bowl appearances...in our 5 years in CUSA. Got a BCS win and beat a top 25 team. That doesn't mean we are world beaters...but it also doesn't mean we "haven't done crap".

I have a ton of respect for Southern Miss. You guys have a great football tradition...The Rock is a great place to see a football game...If deserve had anything to do with it..Southern Miss would be in a BCS Conference.

TCU would be crazy to even think about going to an unstable BE when the conference they are in will more than likely become an AQ.