I've been complaining for years that the CUSA/Sun Belt/WAC East overlap was primed for realignment into a geographically sensible arrangement.

With the latest round under way I've shown that in the BCS ratings, the Sun Belt is superior to CUSA proposed dance partner MWC.

Now we have a writer in Tulsa and a writer in Birmingham asking why not realign geograpically. http://blog.newsok.com/berrytramel/2012/...ce-change/

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/...g_c-u.html

Is it simply the stigma the confrence name has on it right now that is holding things back?

We see in these articles and from fans that going to the Sun Belt would be a step back because of the perception that we are the weakest/newest FBS confrence, while our performance recently has indicated otherwise.

Do you think that some of the CUSA/WAC schools would be more inclined to regionalize if they didnt have to be associated with the "Sun Belt" name?

Big South Super Confrence

East: USA, Troy, MTSU, WKU, FAU, FIU, UAB, ECU

West: stAte, ULL, ULM, UNT, Tulsa, USM, LA Tech, Tulane

Fairly regionalized, good markets, Brand new name (no stigma), Easy travel.

(02-09-2012 09:31 AM)OwlFamily Wrote:  Is it simply the stigma the confrence name has on it right now that is holding things back?

We see in these articles and from fans that going to the Sun Belt would be a step back because of the perception that we are the weakest/newest FBS confrence, while our performance recently has indicated otherwise.

Do you think that some of the CUSA/WAC schools would be more inclined to regionalize if they didnt have to be associated with the "Sun Belt" name?

Big South Super Confrence

East: USA, Troy, MTSU, WKU, FAU, FIU, UAB, ECU

West: stAte, ULL, ULM, UNT, Tulsa, USM, LA Tech, Tulane

Fairly regionalized, good markets, Brand new name (no stigma), Easy travel.

Now that is something I would love to see.

(02-09-2012 09:31 AM)OwlFamily Wrote:  Big South Super Confrence

East: USA, Troy, MTSU, WKU, FAU, FIU, UAB, ECU

West: stAte, ULL, ULM, UNT, Tulsa, USM, LA Tech, Tulane

Fairly regionalized, good markets, Brand new name (no stigma), Easy travel.

I like it, except the name. I propose the Conference of Southern America--or CSA.

(02-09-2012 10:21 AM)WKUSledgeHammer Wrote:  I like it, except the name. I propose the Conference of Southern America--or CSA.

Well Big South sounds like its a "Major confrence" (Big 10, Big 12, Big East) so that name would help associate the confrence with others.

Its probably a pipe dream, but can you imagine what that confrence would do for attendance, especially in Alabama and Louisianna. Other the FAU/FIU in the East and UNT in the West everything is pretty close to each other and drivable by 80% of the schools.

(02-09-2012 10:27 AM)OwlFamily Wrote:  

(02-09-2012 10:21 AM)WKUSledgeHammer Wrote:  I like it, except the name. I propose the Conference of Southern America--or CSA.

Well Big South sounds like its a "Major confrence" (Big 10, Big 12, Big East) so that name would help associate the confrence with others.

Its probably a pipe dream, but can you imagine what that confrence would do for attendance, especially in Alabama and Louisianna. Other the FAU/FIU in the East and UNT in the West everything is pretty close to each other and drivable by 80% of the schools.

I like the thinking but won't the name get confused with the Big South Conference?
How about the Bigger South?

(02-09-2012 10:45 AM)AtlantaJag Wrote:  I like the thinking but won't the name get confused with the Big South Conference?
How about the Bigger South?

Didnt realize there was an already existing Big South. :muttering:

Switch to the one of the below.

SSC- Southern States Confrence
SCC- Southern Collegiate Confrence.

It would be critical to have the name "sound" like the other more established ones. SEC, ACC, BIG 10 etc etc....

(02-09-2012 10:21 AM)WKUSledgeHammer Wrote:  I propose the Conference of Southern America--or CSA.

I'll even propose a conference flag.

(02-09-2012 11:24 AM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  

(02-09-2012 10:21 AM)WKUSledgeHammer Wrote:  I propose the Conference of Southern America--or CSA.

I'll even propose a conference flag.

Its amazing how few got this. Good job, Fanof49ASU!

(02-09-2012 11:40 AM)WKUSledgeHammer Wrote:   Its amazing how few got this. Good job, Fanof49ASU!

Oh !

I thought I recognized those initial but that never occured to me.

Just goes to show that us South Florida folks really arent Southern.

(02-09-2012 12:00 PM)OwlFamily Wrote:  

(02-09-2012 11:40 AM)WKUSledgeHammer Wrote:   Its amazing how few got this. Good job, Fanof49ASU!

Oh !

I thought I recognized those initial but that never occured to me.

Just goes to show that us South Florida folks really arent Southern.

I know some "very" Southern SoFlo folks, native to area (well at least for five generations). Inland.

(02-09-2012 11:24 AM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  

(02-09-2012 10:21 AM)WKUSledgeHammer Wrote:  I propose the Conference of Southern America--or CSA.

I'll even propose a conference flag.

I think the Southern Conference used to use this until about 15 years ago. And MTSU used to have a Confederate raider (Nathan Bedford Forest?) up until a few years ago too. It was actually pretty cool looking.

(02-09-2012 03:21 PM)TopperTorpedo Wrote:  

(02-09-2012 11:24 AM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  

(02-09-2012 10:21 AM)WKUSledgeHammer Wrote:  I propose the Conference of Southern America--or CSA.

I'll even propose a conference flag.

I think the Southern Conference used to use this until about 15 years ago. And MTSU used to have a Confederate raider (Nathan Bedford Forest?) up until a few years ago too. It was actually pretty cool looking.

We haven't used anything like a Confederate soldier since I've been watching MT sports (the mid 1970's).

We did have a "Raider Man" in the 1960's that dressed in confederate garb.

(02-09-2012 03:27 PM)KAjunRaider Wrote:  

(02-09-2012 03:21 PM)TopperTorpedo Wrote:  

(02-09-2012 11:24 AM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  

(02-09-2012 10:21 AM)WKUSledgeHammer Wrote:  I propose the Conference of Southern America--or CSA.

I'll even propose a conference flag.

I think the Southern Conference used to use this until about 15 years ago. And MTSU used to have a Confederate raider (Nathan Bedford Forest?) up until a few years ago too. It was actually pretty cool looking.

We haven't used anything like a Confederate soldier since I've been watching MT sports (the mid 1970's).

We did have a "Raider Man" in the 1960's that dressed in confederate garb.

I'm pretty sure your logo was a Confederate raider on a rearing horse--saber drawn and plum in his hat. That would have been in the 70s (the years I was at WKU). But that was the logo (kinda looked like the Confederate raider on a bottle of Rebel Yell bourbon)--I went to a couple of WKU vs MTSU football games when Boots was coach but I don't remember any "live" mascot.

What about Big Conference of the South (BCS). The BCS has some name recognition...

"Definately not the sun belt anymore, no sir" DNtSBA

or

"Not your mother's Sun Belt" NYMSB

or

"For the love of god stop judging us based off of our athletic budget of 10 years ago" FtLoGSJBOoOABo1YA"

(02-09-2012 11:16 PM)PrimeRate4WKU Wrote:  

(02-09-2012 03:27 PM)KAjunRaider Wrote:  

(02-09-2012 03:21 PM)TopperTorpedo Wrote:  

(02-09-2012 11:24 AM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  

(02-09-2012 10:21 AM)WKUSledgeHammer Wrote:  I propose the Conference of Southern America--or CSA.

I'll even propose a conference flag.

I think the Southern Conference used to use this until about 15 years ago. And MTSU used to have a Confederate raider (Nathan Bedford Forest?) up until a few years ago too. It was actually pretty cool looking.

We haven't used anything like a Confederate soldier since I've been watching MT sports (the mid 1970's).

We did have a "Raider Man" in the 1960's that dressed in confederate garb.

I'm pretty sure your logo was a Confederate raider on a rearing horse--saber drawn and plum in his hat. That would have been in the 70s (the years I was at WKU). But that was the logo (kinda looked like the Confederate raider on a bottle of Rebel Yell bourbon)--I went to a couple of WKU vs MTSU football games when Boots was coach but I don't remember any "live" mascot.

Boots didn't start coaching until after I became a fan. That was a Zorro-like character, which I liked. The actual mascot had a blue cape.



Is this what you were thinking of ? I can see where the gray uniform could be construed as that, esp. after we did have a Confederate soldier in the 60's. I think the mascot was called "Raiderman".

Beats the hades out of what we have now, but the kids seem to like the horse thing that we call a mascot.

http://s204.photobucket.com/albums/bb141...-Zorro.jpg

(02-10-2012 12:55 AM)KAjunRaider Wrote:  Boots didn't start coaching until after I became a fan. That was a Zorro-like character, which I liked. The actual mascot had a blue cape.



Is this what you were thinking of ? I can see where the gray uniform could be construed as that, esp. after we did have a Confederate soldier in the 60's. I think the mascot was called "Raiderman".

Beats the hades out of what we have now, but the kids seem to like the horse thing that we call a mascot.

http://s204.photobucket.com/albums/bb141...-Zorro.jpg

Hmmm....now that you mention it, there did seem to be some guy dressed up kinda like you describe at basketball games. I honestly don't remember the "zorro" pic you suggested and provided--the logo I seem to recall (cavalry officer on rearing horse) was on flags, programs, etc. Only thing we couldn't figure why it was blue and not gray. But at MTSU football games there was also a coon dog mascot. Maybe was called "Old Blue" (?)

But I am now remembering your "Mr. Raider" human mascot--with plume, sword, etc--particularly at basketball games. Not to be out done in "Misters", this probably encouraged our "Mr. Hilltopper"--a guy in a red tuxedo, red top hat, white shoes and shirt, red cane. Gawd, it was awful. Thank goodness it lasted for one season--wasn't long until we got Big Red.

Anyway, the cavalry officer mascot or logo looked very similar, as I recall--it was a long time ago--to that memorial off the interstate passing by Murfreesboro.

(02-09-2012 09:31 AM)OwlFamily Wrote:  Is it simply the stigma the confrence name has on it right now that is holding things back?

We see in these articles and from fans that going to the Sun Belt would be a step back because of the perception that we are the weakest/newest FBS confrence, while our performance recently has indicated otherwise.

Do you think that some of the CUSA/WAC schools would be more inclined to regionalize if they didnt have to be associated with the "Sun Belt" name?

Big South Super Confrence

East: USA, Troy, MTSU, WKU, FAU, FIU, UAB, ECU

West: stAte, ULL, ULM, UNT, Tulsa, USM, LA Tech, Tulane

Fairly regionalized, good markets, Brand new name (no stigma), Easy travel.

So south alabama instead of Marshall what a joke

(02-10-2012 08:54 AM)goherd17 Wrote:  

(02-09-2012 09:31 AM)OwlFamily Wrote:  Is it simply the stigma the confrence name has on it right now that is holding things back?

We see in these articles and from fans that going to the Sun Belt would be a step back because of the perception that we are the weakest/newest FBS confrence, while our performance recently has indicated otherwise.

Do you think that some of the CUSA/WAC schools would be more inclined to regionalize if they didnt have to be associated with the "Sun Belt" name?

Big South Super Confrence

East: USA, Troy, MTSU, WKU, FAU, FIU, UAB, ECU

West: stAte, ULL, ULM, UNT, Tulsa, USM, LA Tech, Tulane

Fairly regionalized, good markets, Brand new name (no stigma), Easy travel.

So south alabama instead of Marshall what a joke

Thought you guys were headed back to the mac...