(04-07-2012 06:06 PM)Senatobia Wrote:  My sentiments exactly.

It's a downgrade designed to protect his paycheck, not keeping the best interests of the current members front and center.

What do you suggest? Allow your conference to be raided and not bring in replacements.

The only FBS program even remotely on the table is La Tech.

(04-07-2012 06:45 PM)FIUFan Wrote:  

(04-07-2012 06:06 PM)Senatobia Wrote:  My sentiments exactly.

It's a downgrade designed to protect his paycheck, not keeping the best interests of the current members front and center.

What do you suggest? Allow your conference to be raided and not bring in replacements.

The only FBS program even remotely on the table is La Tech.

Expansion isn't necessary at this point. Taking in FCS schools does nothing to improve the brand of SunBelt.

I'd hold pat, see what happens and then water down my conference image as little as possible. Therte are umpteen candidateds to choose from, even after the "alliance" gets who the can/want.

I personally see a 12 or 14 team league filled with newbies as a significant "fall from grace" from what was a pretty nice league before Benson.

(04-07-2012 04:58 PM)panama Wrote:  Now to get FIU and UNT to stay...

He might be able to keep FIU with this strategy, but it will not work with UNT. If fact, this FCS expansion policy makes me believe that the Belt is planning for life after losing programs to C-USA.

When Benson was hired, he talked about inviting C-USA teams to the Belt, which I thought was ridiculously bold on his part, and some on this board bouight into his claim. Now, less then 3 months later, he is adding FCS teams. It's hard to view his short time as commissioner as successful.

I don't plan on UNT being in this new version of the Belt, but we spent many seasons playing in this conference, and I do care about its future. I want the Sun Belt to have a bright future. I just don't think perpetuating the gateway conference image is the best move.

(04-07-2012 05:38 PM)Fear The Frog Wrote:  

(04-07-2012 03:59 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(04-07-2012 11:41 AM)Mgt2j Wrote:  From the article: Benson said that continuing to nurse developing football programs may continue to be the league's profile.

No disrespect to any programs wanting to move up from the fcs ranks, but if this is the direction that Benson wants to take the conference I will be highly disappointed.

I felt that over the past two years the conference has made tremendous strides in throwing off the label of a start-up league, and this seems like a step in the wrong directionIt is not that I don't want schools like Georgia State, App State, Chalotte, or others to have a chance to play at the FBS level, I just wish they could play as an independent for a few years as they transition, and then invite them into the conference once they have shown they would be a good fit for the Sun Belt.

This... I have been against this new expansion policy form the start. There is almost no chance the Sun Belt would lose enough teams to be in danger of losing their conference status. Rushing into expansion does not seem to be the best way to plan for the future of the Belt. When C-USA and the MWC are done with expansion, I believe there will be some possible FBS expansion candidates left out in the cold looking for a conference home, and the Belt will probably add them. But instead of having a nice 9 to 12 team conference, with experienced FBS programs, the league will be at 14 or more, with too many weak FCS move ups weighing down the rear.

Why?

Because the presidents and Benson are cheap and value saving on travel expences, over strengthening their programs and the conference.

Expansion this go around seems all about TV... Started with the PAC12 getting the deal they got... I believe this to be a good move...

Fact is some FCS teams hold more Value then current FBS schools it just how things our now..

Us fans might not like it but it's the way it is...

I agree. Some FCS programs hold more value than some current FBS programs, but I think we can wait and compare them when we know what we are dealing with.

Personally, I don't have a problem with GSU. I just think GSU and others will still be on the table after the bigger conferences are finished with reallignment. I'd rather know where the membership numbers are, and how many need to be added, before we just start adding for the sake of being proactive.

I highly doubt the Sun Belt will drop below 8 members. When the Belt moves to invite a new program, it should be done from a position of strength, not because the program we are about to move up is either too poor or cheap to pay the higher buy out later.

It just looks bad, and makes the Belt look bush league.

(04-07-2012 06:55 PM)Senatobia Wrote:  

(04-07-2012 06:45 PM)FIUFan Wrote:  

(04-07-2012 06:06 PM)Senatobia Wrote:  My sentiments exactly.

It's a downgrade designed to protect his paycheck, not keeping the best interests of the current members front and center.

What do you suggest? Allow your conference to be raided and not bring in replacements.

The only FBS program even remotely on the table is La Tech.

Expansion isn't necessary at this point. Taking in FCS schools does nothing to improve the brand of SunBelt.

I'd hold pat, see what happens and then water down my conference image as little as possible. Therte are umpteen candidateds to choose from, even after the "alliance" gets who the can/want.

I personally see a 12 or 14 team league filled with newbies as a significant "fall from grace" from what was a pretty nice league before Benson.

However, if lets say the alliance picks up Tech, FIU, and UNT. We are sitting at 8 teams and all it takes is one team going broke, or trying to get out and the Conference is in serious trouble

By adding now, we earn the security to be picky later.

(04-07-2012 07:20 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(04-07-2012 06:55 PM)Senatobia Wrote:  

(04-07-2012 06:45 PM)FIUFan Wrote:  

(04-07-2012 06:06 PM)Senatobia Wrote:  My sentiments exactly.

It's a downgrade designed to protect his paycheck, not keeping the best interests of the current members front and center.

What do you suggest? Allow your conference to be raided and not bring in replacements.

The only FBS program even remotely on the table is La Tech.

Expansion isn't necessary at this point. Taking in FCS schools does nothing to improve the brand of SunBelt.

I'd hold pat, see what happens and then water down my conference image as little as possible. Therte are umpteen candidateds to choose from, even after the "alliance" gets who the can/want.

I personally see a 12 or 14 team league filled with newbies as a significant "fall from grace" from what was a pretty nice league before Benson.

However, if lets say the alliance picks up Tech, FIU, and UNT. We are sitting at 8 teams and all it takes is one team going broke, or trying to get out and the Conference is in serious trouble

By adding now, we earn the security to be picky later.

IA with the first part since it's almost the current situation the WAC is in, but if FIU & UNT leave I doubt they would be in a rush since the same teams will still be out there after the CUSA/Alliance add their members

(04-07-2012 06:07 PM)GoBigRed26 Wrote:  I think Liberty and Jacksonville St are absolutely no's

Liberty has hired Bill Carr & Associates to help them move up into the FBS, while Jax State has Johnny Williams & Associates doing the same for them. Carr has a good track record. Williams doesn't have anywhere near the stroke Carr does.

.

Jax State was the most enjoyable away game I have ever been to. They earn their moniker of friendliest campus in the South. As for Liberty I cannot imagine wanting to go there for anything. I guess Jerry Fallwell wants to make them the Baptist BYU/Notre Dame. Being that the SBC is a confernece of large national research universities, I don't see Liberty happening. Presidents tend to like other Presidents like themselves (see ECU still not in Big East).

(04-07-2012 05:30 PM)gatadotcom Wrote:  

(04-07-2012 04:44 PM)FIUFan Wrote:  Let's put one plus one plus one together here.

1.) Ga State would not be getting an invite unless the Sun Belt were losing schools.

2.) Ga State is forcing the Sun Belt to act now, to some degree, because the CAA is about to raise their exit fees. GSU is desperate to get out. The Sun Belt is trying as hard as they can not to let the cat out of the bag and wait on the Alliance's announcement but GSU is under a tight time constraint.

3.) If the SBC is losing two schools, then adding GSU is one of the replacements and there is clearly going to be another (maybe three more to get to 12). However, the other SBC targets are still waiting to hear from the Allinace.

So if the Sun Belt were to lose two, that would bring the conference down to 8 schools (9 current plus USA minus aforementioned two). Adding GSU gets the conference back to 9. Then the next 1 to 3 would come from some mix of App St., UTSA, La Tech, UNC-Charlotte and further down Texas St, NMSU, Old Dominion, etc.

Now what Benson has done is quite smart and might even be a bit crafty. What we're seeing could be looked at as a game of musical chairs. Let's say there are 3 spots still available in the SBC and six or more schools vying for a chair. You can wait and hope the Alliance calls your name, however, in the mean time, Benson and the SBC keep filling up the available chairs.

The ones who may really be playing chicken here with the SBC are the Texas twins. If the MWC pulls in USU and SJSU, the WAC is officially over. NMSU and Idaho are done and the only program that could hope to survive as an indy would be La Tech. That leaves the twins vying with App St and UNCC, etc. for the final chairs.

Benson has just tightened the noose around those schools who wish to play FBS and are also holding out for an Alliance invite. I think we're going to find out real soon who caught the flush and who has gone broke.

IMHO, here are the candidates, in alphabetical order, for the remaining slots the SBC needs to fill:

Appalachian State
Charlotte
Georgia Southern
Jacksonville State
Louisiana Tech
Liberty
Old Dominion
Richmond
Texas State
Texas-San Antonio

Richmond is not a candidate for FBS football. They just built a new stadium that seats 8,700.

5 Correct. The rest laughable.

Where is everyone getting ODU from? I have yet to see any reports about the Alliance or Sun Belt ever mentioning them as a possible candidate

ODU is getting noticed because they are in a large market (Norfolk Va.), which is also a fertile recruiting ground, and since starting football 3 years ago, have averaged 20,000 per game for three years, have had three winning seasons, and even made it to the FCS playoffs last year. Theyve already stated that FBS was their goal.

ODU is on the radar of CUSA without a doubt. How far down the list, I dont know, but they got as much potential as anyone.

They've also sold over 14,000 season tickets, and have a waiting list of 1700.

(04-07-2012 08:54 PM)panama Wrote:  Jax State was the most enjoyable away game I have ever been to. They earn their moniker of friendliest campus in the South. As for Liberty I cannot imagine wanting to go there for anything. I guess Jerry Fallwell wants to make them the Baptist BYU/Notre Dame. Being that the SBC is a confernece of large national research universities, I don't see Liberty happening. Presidents tend to like other Presidents like themselves (see ECU still not in Big East).

Doubt Jerry Falwell wants this, sense he has been dead for like 5 years!!

(04-07-2012 10:40 PM)Mgt2j Wrote:  

(04-07-2012 08:54 PM)panama Wrote:  Jax State was the most enjoyable away game I have ever been to. They earn their moniker of friendliest campus in the South. As for Liberty I cannot imagine wanting to go there for anything. I guess Jerry Fallwell wants to make them the Baptist BYU/Notre Dame. Being that the SBC is a confernece of large national research universities, I don't see Liberty happening. Presidents tend to like other Presidents like themselves (see ECU still not in Big East).

Doubt Jerry Falwell wants this, sense he has been dead for like 5 years!!

There is that.

(04-07-2012 04:58 PM)panama Wrote:  Now to get FIU and UNT to stay...

Ain't... gonna... happen. They are as good as GONE-ZO. Not gonna explain myself -- just wait and see if I'm right. Unfortunately

Jax St isn't going to be a Sun Belt member while Troy, South, and Middle to a lesser extent have a say on the matter. I don't just not want to be associated with them but people Alabama has a three million population and five D1 schools. Moving them up would simply mean Troy and South would stop developing and have to resort to even more junior college players.

(04-07-2012 09:48 PM)techdawg88 Wrote:  Where is everyone getting ODU from? I have yet to see any reports about the Alliance or Sun Belt ever mentioning them as a possible candidate

I'm with you on this. I'm not even convinced that ODU even wants to move up because I never heard of them until I saw Marshall and ECU fans constantly bringing them up.

I still have yet to hear anything from their AD on any media outlet about moving up.

(04-08-2012 07:53 AM)TrojanCampaign Wrote:  

(04-07-2012 09:48 PM)techdawg88 Wrote:  Where is everyone getting ODU from? I have yet to see any reports about the Alliance or Sun Belt ever mentioning them as a possible candidate

I'm with you on this. I'm not even convinced that ODU even wants to move up because I never heard of them until I saw Marshall and ECU fans constantly bringing them up.

I still have yet to hear anything from their AD on any media outlet about moving up.

I've heard of Old Dominion because they used to be big time in women's basketball (like LaTech) and were a main rival for our women's team

ODU would be a very good get for the Sunbelt if that (market) is what we are going for.

(04-08-2012 07:53 AM)TrojanCampaign Wrote:  

(04-07-2012 09:48 PM)techdawg88 Wrote:  Where is everyone getting ODU from? I have yet to see any reports about the Alliance or Sun Belt ever mentioning them as a possible candidate

I'm with you on this. I'm not even convinced that ODU even wants to move up because I never heard of them until I saw Marshall and ECU fans constantly bringing them up.

I still have yet to hear anything from their AD on any media outlet about moving up.

Their AD is none other than Wood Selig and their baseball
Coach is Finwood