I don't think ECU has moved that far up the list but I could see them being added as #12. I don't think ECU and UCF are the frontrunners myself though I would like to see a school like ECU added.

ECU is doing everything right. I will be very upset if they are not the team or one of the teams added.

(06-04-2011 08:49 PM)thecomet89 Wrote:  ECU is doing everything right. I will be very upset if they are not the team or one of the teams added.

Yeah ... I'm getting the feeling that they will wind up being #10.

-- The Big East will have added two big states for the next TV contract with the additions of TCU and ECU in Texas and North Carolina.

-- TCU brings crazy football credibility. ECU brings crazy football fanbase. They both bring nice expansion in football stadiums.

-- I also know that Terry Holland is very well respected by many in the BE (not to be an underrated factor). And the entirety of the ECU athletic programs and their facilities are solid.

I think that the BYU-Navy-Army options just aren't gonna happen either. They are committed to independence, so they won't be the 10th.



The other always-mentioned possibilities just don't seem "as ready" now ... and I think that the Big East is gonna stop at 10/18 for this TV contract, and let the rest of the candidates have some time to continue proving themselves. If a Houston or UCF or Temple or Memphis or SMU or UMass or whoever "pulls a TCU" then the choice is easier.


I don't know ... this is total guessing by me, but I really think that the 10th member will be the Pirates of East Carolina.



.

ECU will start rolling in the money soon...Then watch the dogs beg them to join.

(06-12-2011 09:56 PM)cardshouse Wrote:  ECU will start rolling in the money soon...Then watch the dogs beg them to join.

How so? Are you just talking about increase in seating capacity? I'm not sure an extra 10k football seats will move the money line that much. It will certainly be a nice addition but I dont think it will have a dramatic change on the bottom line that will change the Big East's opinion.

(06-12-2011 10:40 PM)Nola Gator Wrote:  

(06-12-2011 09:56 PM)cardshouse Wrote:  ECU will start rolling in the money soon...Then watch the dogs beg them to join.

How so? Are you just talking about increase in seating capacity? I'm not sure an extra 10k football seats will move the money line that much. It will certainly be a nice addition but I dont think it will have a dramatic change on the bottom line that will change the Big East's opinion.

Avg $40 a seat (some $60)= $400,000 X 6 games = $2.4 mil

(06-13-2011 12:02 AM)whitey Wrote:  

(06-12-2011 10:40 PM)Nola Gator Wrote:  

(06-12-2011 09:56 PM)cardshouse Wrote:  ECU will start rolling in the money soon...Then watch the dogs beg them to join.

How so? Are you just talking about increase in seating capacity? I'm not sure an extra 10k football seats will move the money line that much. It will certainly be a nice addition but I dont think it will have a dramatic change on the bottom line that will change the Big East's opinion.

Avg $40 a seat (some $60)= $400,000 X 6 games = $2.4 mil

Right. And 2.4 million is a nice addition, but I wouldn't call it "rolling in the money". Besides, I think a lot of people are using a short memory with ECU. They have done a great job of filling seats lately, but it wasn't that long ago that they were only bringing in 30k. If the team goes through a few sub-par seasons in a row, I don't think its a guarantee that they will keep bringing 50k. It is still the best fan base outside of BYU outside the BCS auto-bid programs for now.

I hear alot about ECU's attendance but I do not hear to much about where the football program is going as far as wins. I beleive the coach was the defensive coordinator for Texas Tech which was not known for their defense. I looked at their last six games in which they were 1-5 allowing 49, 76, 42, 62, 45, and 51 points. I know it was his first year at ECU and the players needed to get used to his system, but they seemed to get worse as the year unfolded and if they can"t do better, will the fans still show?

(06-13-2011 12:16 AM)Nola Gator Wrote:  

(06-13-2011 12:02 AM)whitey Wrote:  

(06-12-2011 10:40 PM)Nola Gator Wrote:  

(06-12-2011 09:56 PM)cardshouse Wrote:  ECU will start rolling in the money soon...Then watch the dogs beg them to join.

How so? Are you just talking about increase in seating capacity? I'm not sure an extra 10k football seats will move the money line that much. It will certainly be a nice addition but I dont think it will have a dramatic change on the bottom line that will change the Big East's opinion.

Avg $40 a seat (some $60)= $400,000 X 6 games = $2.4 mil

Right. And 2.4 million is a nice addition, but I wouldn't call it "rolling in the money". Besides, I think a lot of people are using a short memory with ECU. They have done a great job of filling seats lately, but it wasn't that long ago that they were only bringing in 30k. If the team goes through a few sub-par seasons in a row, I don't think its a guarantee that they will keep bringing 50k. It is still the best fan base outside of BYU outside the BCS auto-bid programs for now.

We haven't been below 30K in decades, when we only won 3 games in 2 yrs we brought in 33K+. Name one other CUSA school that could do that?

(06-13-2011 01:43 AM)sierrajip Wrote:  I hear alot about ECU's attendance but I do not hear to much about where the football program is going as far as wins. I beleive the coach was the defensive coordinator for Texas Tech which was not known for their defense. I looked at their last six games in which they were 1-5 allowing 49, 76, 42, 62, 45, and 51 points. I know it was his first year at ECU and the players needed to get used to his system, but they seemed to get worse as the year unfolded and if they can"t do better, will the fans still show?

I think many Pirate fans are nervously optimistic about our defense. Ruffin was a very good defensive coordinator; he turned around Texas Tech's defense after taking over in 2007. Our defense got worse as the year went on because (1) we lost more lettermen than anyone else in the nation going into last season so we were pencil thin to start with and (2) we had some key d-line injuries during the UCF game we were unable to overcome. From that point on it was really awful.

I'd love to see Houston and ECU play up to their potential and a repeat performance for UCF. That would show that we're significantly upgrading football.

I have no doubt that Houston will return to form with Keenum back. UCF kinda got the odd-even thing off their backs last year, but it will be interesting to see if they can maintainthe success. ECU won a lot of close games during their two year run, and it will be interesting to see if UCF can do it now that their defense won't quite be at last years talent level.

As for ECU playing up to it's potential, I can assure you they will. The problem is nobody knows what the potential is for that defense. I think most ECU fans and probably the coaching staff would be thrilled with an average defense. Average defense paired with last years offense should win 7-8 games. In addition this year Jeff Conners returning should be good for another win if not 2. His experience and knowledge at strength and conditioning is something that shouldn't be underestimated.

In the end of the season I think we will be looking at a 9-3 Houston, with ECU and UCF at 8-4 a piece. That certainly isn't setting the world on fire, but given the schedules, its respectable.

For those that don't know who Jeff Connors is, he was our strength and conditioning coach throughout the 90's and was hired away by UNC-CH. After a 10-year stint with them, we hired him back. Yes, he left the baby blue to return to his purple roots and we are very glad to have him home.

He did great things for us in the 90's and helped develop many top NFL draft picks for UNC-CH during his time there. I'm excited to have him working with the team again.

Chappy

The injuries would be a good reason for the defensive numbers. I hope that turns arouind for you ( except against UCF).

200yrs2late

Your predictions sound realistic, but I was looking at the schedules of South Carolina and Navy, and feel you will come out at least 1-1, NC is a win, and do not have Tulsa or SMU on the schedule, you have a real cance at 10-2.

As far as UCF's defense, They lost their linebackers are weakened, but feel the D-line and and backfield are still in good shape along with the offence. I feel like they can win 3 of the first four games, but the real test can be playing Tulsa, Southern Miss, ECU, and UTEP in four weeks starting 11-03, five days after the Memphis game. Coming out with two losses would be a very good year.

(06-13-2011 11:58 PM)sierrajip Wrote:  ...I was looking at the schedules of South Carolina and Navy, and feel you will come out at least 1-1, NC is a win, and do not have Tulsa or SMU on the schedule, you have a real cance at 10-2.

Thanks for the kind words but I'm looking at a repeat of what we had last year record-wise...although I fully expect the losses to be respesctable versus what we surrendered last year with our defense.

Navy plays Notre Dame and South Carolina plays Georgia the following weeks, so both could be looking ahead. North Carolina still has issues with the NCAA and will be weaker this year. As long as you get through the CUSA schedule, which incude UCF, UTEP, USM, and UH, it is very possible.