Big South goes to 12
http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basketb...-big-south

I might not speak for the majority, but I wanted nothing to do with the Big South. In terms of absolute quality and athletic facilities, it might be the worst conference in the country (with the noted exception of Coastal Carolina). But good for Longwood for finally finding a conference.

Whether we add football or not, if we're leaving the A-Sun, it needs to be for the SoCon (which would require a school to leave/move up) or the OVC (which has an opening even if Jacksonville State moves up). I would personally prefer the SoCon, since it fits our athletics layout with or without football, and we wouldn't have to worry about a school like Murray State or Belmont (or worse, both) in men's basketball.

I also would not be excited if we were in the Big South.

Dont want to put up with Murray St. or Belmont? Thats exactly what I do want to put up with, quality conference opponents!

Good for the Lancers! They desperately needed into that conference.

nah, big south is not a move up, even from the asun. geographically maybe, but overall a terrible conference. as it is shaping up with murry st hot and belmont moving in, tech improved....couple that with the folks moving out (at least planning to) the socon, the ovc would be a nice fit.

I'd rather play teams that have been around in DI more than 10 years, and actually be able to make it to some conference road games. We are in a DI transitional league, and we need to get out.

And to think, we turned down the OVC

If App State leaves the SOCON some of the appeal will be lost, though not all. Will still be better than the rat hole we currently inhabit.

(01-23-2012 01:40 PM)ETSUfan1 Wrote:  I'd rather play teams that have been around in DI more than 10 years, and actually be able to make it to some conference road games. We are in a DI transitional league, and we need to get out.

The TransAmerican (TransitionalAmerican) Conference, opps, A-Sun will continue to be transitional. The two top candidates for transitioning out next are Kennesaw State and Northern Kentucky. Yes, NKU just as soon as they can leave for a better conference in their neck of the woods. The A-Sun was at least their THIRD choice. And, Kennesaw will need a football conference. When will ETSU become a candidate to transition out? Hopefully, Dr. Noland will deal with this situation from a proactive position in the not too distant future. After all is said and done, the Southern Conference is where ETSU belongs. It was the best fit for ETSU for those 28 years, and that hasn't changed. Who knows on down the road. Charlie Cobb has said that App State should know where it will be in the next two to six months. Will ETSU be in a position to return to the SoCon when more things start changing, or will ETSU continue watching from its isolated outside position as a Big South school moves over to the SoCon?

Big South, OVC, SoCon. Come on people, we should want better than these.

(01-23-2012 05:10 PM)etsuBucsFan1988 Wrote:  Big South, OVC, SoCon. Come on people, we should want better than these.

Cart before the horse my friend.

The reality is that with no football, mediocre basketball, and lackluster facilities, the Sun Belt isn't about to come calling.

I want better but understand that it is a step by step process.

Cincinnati fans have wanted into the Big 10 forever. Learning now that you have to go through the Big East, and likely the Big 12 first. Not going to go Conference USA to Big 10 in one shot, never happen.

Lackluster facilities? We should want even bigger than the Sun Belt. I am talking A10 or CAA.

(01-23-2012 07:49 AM)etsubuc Wrote:  Dont want to put up with Murray St. or Belmont? Thats exactly what I do want to put up with, quality conference opponents!

And maybe we'll win a conference title after I've been an alumnus for a couple of decades. Maybe.

Murray State has won 14 OVC titles. The next closest team still in the conference is EKU with 5, and they've been in the conference since it was founded in '48. With Belmont coming in, we would stand a snowball's chance in Hell most years of winning a title and going to the NCAA tournament.

We would dominate the SoCon's north division in basketball. App State is the #2 team in the North and we beat the fool out of them twice this season. Davidson, Wofford, and C of C are all good programs. They're also beatable, and we would only play them once a year instead of twice before the tournament. We don't have a prayer against Murray State and by the time this season is over, we'll likely have gone three years without beating Belmont. I really don't want to see both of those teams twice a year and then possibly again in the tournament. I want the school to have a shot at winning a conference title in any given year. That won't happen in an OVC with Belmont and Murray State.

Of course, unless something opens up, we're staying in the Atlantic Sun, so I guess the discussion is moot. We're better off hoping that the league wises up and tries to rally support for a non-scholarship football championship.

(01-23-2012 05:50 PM)etsuBucsFan1988 Wrote:  Lackluster facilities? We should want even bigger than the Sun Belt. I am talking A10 or CAA.

Our basketball "arena" has a cap on attendance, and we have no modern football or basketball facilities. So yes, lackluster is an appropriate description.

Its not as simple as knocking on the door of another conference and them standing by while you walk in. You need to actually bring something of value to the conference. 2,500-3000 basketball fans and no football team is not something of great value.

Pristine softball, soccer, baseball, and tennis facilities don't enter into the equation. Of course "we" didn't think/care about such things when prioritizing which facilities to build/upgrade.

(01-23-2012 05:55 PM)Mister Consistency Wrote:  

(01-23-2012 07:49 AM)etsubuc Wrote:  Dont want to put up with Murray St. or Belmont? Thats exactly what I do want to put up with, quality conference opponents!

And maybe we'll win a conference title after I've been an alumnus for a couple of decades. Maybe.

Murray State has won 14 OVC titles. The next closest team still in the conference is EKU with 5, and they've been in the conference since it was founded in '48. With Belmont coming in, we would stand a snowball's chance in Hell most years of winning a title and going to the NCAA tournament.

We would dominate the SoCon's north division in basketball. App State is the #2 team in the North and we beat the fool out of them twice this season. Davidson, Wofford, and C of C are all good programs. They're also beatable, and we would only play them once a year instead of twice before the tournament. We don't have a prayer against Murray State and by the time this season is over, we'll likely have gone three years without beating Belmont. I really don't want to see both of those teams twice a year and then possibly again in the tournament. I want the school to have a shot at winning a conference title in any given year. That won't happen in an OVC with Belmont and Murray State.

Of course, unless something opens up, we're staying in the Atlantic Sun, so I guess the discussion is moot. We're better off hoping that the league wises up and tries to rally support for a non-scholarship football championship.

I honestly cant believe that we are having this discussion. I certainly do want to move up to a conference that has some competition. If we cannot compete with Murray St. or Belmont, that is a us problem. I cant believe many people would want us to stay in a crappy conference just so we can win all the time. We see what that has gotten us in the ASUN.

(01-23-2012 09:44 PM)etsubuc Wrote:  

(01-23-2012 05:55 PM)Mister Consistency Wrote:  

(01-23-2012 07:49 AM)etsubuc Wrote:  Dont want to put up with Murray St. or Belmont? Thats exactly what I do want to put up with, quality conference opponents!

And maybe we'll win a conference title after I've been an alumnus for a couple of decades. Maybe.

Murray State has won 14 OVC titles. The next closest team still in the conference is EKU with 5, and they've been in the conference since it was founded in '48. With Belmont coming in, we would stand a snowball's chance in Hell most years of winning a title and going to the NCAA tournament.

We would dominate the SoCon's north division in basketball. App State is the #2 team in the North and we beat the fool out of them twice this season. Davidson, Wofford, and C of C are all good programs. They're also beatable, and we would only play them once a year instead of twice before the tournament. We don't have a prayer against Murray State and by the time this season is over, we'll likely have gone three years without beating Belmont. I really don't want to see both of those teams twice a year and then possibly again in the tournament. I want the school to have a shot at winning a conference title in any given year. That won't happen in an OVC with Belmont and Murray State.

Of course, unless something opens up, we're staying in the Atlantic Sun, so I guess the discussion is moot. We're better off hoping that the league wises up and tries to rally support for a non-scholarship football championship.

I honestly cant believe that we are having this discussion. I certainly do want to move up to a conference that has some competition. If we cannot compete with Murray St. or Belmont, that is a us problem. I cant believe many people would want us to stay in a crappy conference just so we can win all the time. We see what that has gotten us in the ASUN.

And we have an AD who thinks it is great that the best team is leaving!

(01-23-2012 05:50 PM)etsuBucsFan1988 Wrote:  Lackluster facilities? We should want even bigger than the Sun Belt. I am talking A10 or CAA.

p.s Not sure where you stand on the issue but if football is what you want in ETSU's future then the A10 or CAA aren't good options. If you are talking about maxing out, CUSA is the probable spot (especially given the fact that they were just raided by the Big East).

(01-23-2012 05:55 PM)Mister Consistency Wrote:  

(01-23-2012 07:49 AM)etsubuc Wrote:  Dont want to put up with Murray St. or Belmont? Thats exactly what I do want to put up with, quality conference opponents!

And maybe we'll win a conference title after I've been an alumnus for a couple of decades. Maybe.

Murray State has won 14 OVC titles. The next closest team still in the conference is EKU with 5, and they've been in the conference since it was founded in '48. With Belmont coming in, we would stand a snowball's chance in Hell most years of winning a title and going to the NCAA tournament.

We would dominate the SoCon's north division in basketball. App State is the #2 team in the North and we beat the fool out of them twice this season. Davidson, Wofford, and C of C are all good programs. They're also beatable, and we would only play them once a year instead of twice before the tournament. We don't have a prayer against Murray State and by the time this season is over, we'll likely have gone three years without beating Belmont. I really don't want to see both of those teams twice a year and then possibly again in the tournament. I want the school to have a shot at winning a conference title in any given year. That won't happen in an OVC with Belmont and Murray State.

Of course, unless something opens up, we're staying in the Atlantic Sun, so I guess the discussion is moot. We're better off hoping that the league wises up and tries to rally support for a non-scholarship football championship.

Yikes

Hell let's drop down to D2 or NAIA, we could probably win some national championships

88- I want a better conference more than anyone. But please, no talk of the A-10.

Mind you, I think the A-10 is a very fine basketball league. This isn't a knock against the conference.

There's just no way ETSU would ever get invited to a collection of northeastern Catholic schools. And discussing it as a possibility makes the Bucs fan base look either stupid or desperate or both.

Other conferences? Sure. Just not the A-10.

Let's face facts. The overwhelming reason why ETSU went to the Atlantic Sun and not the Big South or the OVC is so the football issue would not be prominent.

Secondary, when the two most powerful people in the program are the golf coach and the old tennis coach, a Florida conference is more desirable than a midwestern one like the OVC or one with the locations the Big South provides.

The majority is correct that the Big South would be a horrible step down. For example their winner is projected into the play-in game while the A-Sun is projected 14 seed. Not great, but miles ahead of the play-in. The discussion of A-Sun getting 16 seeds is a reach as ETSU themselves are the only ones to receive a #16 under an ASUN banner since 1996.

The real truth is well known though that the A-Sun needs football or else every school needs a plan to get into another league at any given moment.