We should not have bitter feelings against your conference mate because they have an oppurtunity to better themselves socially and economically. I knew these days were coming four years ago. That is why have I been preaching expansion and acceptance of startup and FCS schools trying to go FBS.

Do you have Nebraska, Utah, Colorado, Texas A&M and Missouri for leaving the Big 12?
Do you hate Pittsburgh and Syracuse for leaving the Big East?

The fact of the matter is that CUSA just lost a Tennessee team and has a chance at picking up another equitable and respectable team in Tennessee. If MT gets the invite that I expect, I will congratulate them and look forward to the future. MT and Troy are the leaders of the conference. I agree, losing MT will more than just hurt. FIU is just another kick in the head. Losing UNT is bad as well, the only benefit cost is the reduction in travel cost for non football sports. That is why UTSA would be great addition but not mind blowing. Texas State does not make any sense without UTSA.

But back to the point. Losing MT is a big lost.

So that is why we have to be open minded about future conference mates.

Hopefully, we only lose one to CUSA.

UNT and FIU are good conference mates . . whether you guys go or you guys stay . . I wish you the best of luck, but not when playing stAte . .

Go stAte . . Go SBC !!

Was really hoping to combine my Miami trips with an away game. Best of Fortune

(04-12-2012 08:55 AM)statefanatic Wrote:  

(04-12-2012 08:48 AM)GaSouthern Wrote:  From an outsiders perspective, you sound jealous.

Just calling it like I see it.

Not jealous. Just pisses me off that the Belt is just starting to gain ground and FIU and UNT are gonna jump ship to a depleted conference. They think they are the big boys now, but in reality they are still the same teams ASU, ULL, Troy and WKU can kick the crap out of on the football field. The Belt will still be strong as long as these four teams stick together. I also still see the Belt continuing its winning record against CUSA.

What winning record?

Over the past three years the eight remaining C-USA schools are 5-5 versus the Sunbelt, it becomes 3-1 (the NO Bowl debacle USM suffered against MTSU in 2009) if you remove UAB. All of the Sunbelt's limited success versus C-USA is against UAB and Memphis.

(04-12-2012 09:53 AM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  

(04-12-2012 09:41 AM)statefanatic Wrote:  ECU should come on over to the Belt and Bring USM with you. Then we would have a team in every state that the SEC does. I can see it now.

East

ECU
FAU
MTSU
GSU
WKU
LATech

WEST

ASU
ULL
ULM
USM
TROY
USA

That's not how this works. These are the same kinds of ideas C-USA fans had when the BE got down to 5 schools. We all said they should just join us. It's not the way this stuff works. There are members of C-USA they didn't want to associate with (all small market teams) so they just took the ones they wanted. We'll do the same. It's not pretty or nice but that's the way it is. USM would rather be with UAB and Tulane than any member of the Sun Belt. ECU would rather be with Marshall and USM than any member of the Sun-Belt. Tulane would rather drop all it's sports than be in a league with ULM.

We will see what Tulane thinks after ULM waxes their arses in football this year. I guess they will disband their baseball program since ULM swept the series against them this season two game to none.

(04-12-2012 09:13 AM)MG61 Wrote:  

(04-12-2012 08:55 AM)statefanatic Wrote:  

(04-12-2012 08:48 AM)GaSouthern Wrote:  From an outsiders perspective, you sound jealous.

Just calling it like I see it.

Not jealous. Just pisses me off that the Belt is just starting to gain ground and FIU and UNT are gonna jump ship to a depleted conference. They think they are the big boys now, but in reality they are still the same teams ASU, ULL, Troy and WKU can kick the crap out of on the football field. The Belt will still be strong as long as these four teams stick together. I also still see the Belt continuing its winning record against CUSA.

And Arkansas State wouldn't if invited ? Get real. Each school looks after their own interest. Does Arkansas State care more about the conference than themselves ? Don't think so.

Im not so sure our administration would readily accept a bid. Travel is a killer.

(04-12-2012 12:14 PM)bluephi1914 Wrote:  

(04-12-2012 09:53 AM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  

(04-12-2012 09:41 AM)statefanatic Wrote:  ECU should come on over to the Belt and Bring USM with you. Then we would have a team in every state that the SEC does. I can see it now.

East

ECU
FAU
MTSU
GSU
WKU
LATech

WEST

ASU
ULL
ULM
USM
TROY
USA

That's not how this works. These are the same kinds of ideas C-USA fans had when the BE got down to 5 schools. We all said they should just join us. It's not the way this stuff works. There are members of C-USA they didn't want to associate with (all small market teams) so they just took the ones they wanted. We'll do the same. It's not pretty or nice but that's the way it is. USM would rather be with UAB and Tulane than any member of the Sun Belt. ECU would rather be with Marshall and USM than any member of the Sun-Belt. Tulane would rather drop all it's sports than be in a league with ULM.

We will see what Tulane thinks after ULM waxes their arses in football this year. I guess they will disband their baseball program since ULM swept the series against them this season two game to none.

Won't change their opinion either way. They believe they are above you. You don't need me to tell you this I'm sure you know this all too well.

(04-12-2012 09:16 AM)slappycajun Wrote:  These guys are going for the potential to make more money. Bottom line. And that is completely ok in my book.

Be and let be. Each school has their right to make the decision they feel it's in their best interest. I will say that I love being in the Sun Belt Conference, but if our administration thinks it's a good to make the move, then so be it. I have a feeling some others in our conference would do exactlly the same if an invitation was forthcoming.

Meanwhile, all I have to say I hope the Sun Belt ends up stronger and a viable conference for years to come. Statefanatic's comments are full of passion and negative.

(04-12-2012 10:31 AM)FIU4Ever Wrote:  

(04-12-2012 10:22 AM)FIUFan Wrote:  

(04-12-2012 09:45 AM)laxtonto Wrote:  

(04-12-2012 09:04 AM)Buccaneerlover Wrote:  All they're doing is setting their own football programs back more years. They just get a foundation with facilities and for FIU a taste of success, then bolt for what on the front end might be deemed better. For North Texas, potential instate rivalries depending on the direction things go, and for FIU, well i don't really know why they're leaving the Sun Belt yet. They would have the opportunity in the SBC to recruit Florida athletes and be at or near the top three in the league yearly. In a C-USA setting, ECU and Southern Miss will own them, Tulsa is usually pretty competitive and Marshall will get to a high level again. Not to mention UTEP always has potential, and if Paul Bryant Jr. ever dies or gets caught with an Arkansas volleyball player then the Blazers should be able to build something. I get the move and why they think they should do it, I just think their timing is wrong, setting them up for the potential to be a perennial 4-8 program.

When the belt can offer teams closer than Tulsa or that are culturally similar to UNT like UTEP and Rice, let me know. The entire problem is that UNT has been the geographic outlier for a long time in the west. It might be nice to actually have multiple games on you schedule that are reasonable trips for a fanbase.
UNT fans have never complained about the travel, especially considering the close proximity that several schools are to each other at the center of the conference. But you can not fault UNT for wanting to play in a division that potentially could have 4 teams in it that are closer than the closest Sun Belt competitor. To go a step further playing Texas teams will be a huge boost for attendance. It is what it is, UNT is in Texas and histrionically when they play Texas teams you see a large spike in interest.
FIU on the other hand, I am not sure that this will not end up killing what ever momentum they have in athletics due to the travel. That potential move is harder to understand.

Nobodies going to 'own' anybody. Marshall lost to UCF and beat USM. We lost to Marshall and beat UCF. Our recruiting class is getting stronger every year as the program experiences more and more success. USM, ECU and Marshall are strong, mature programs, however, we feel we are on the right track to compete with almost anybody. The rankings and indexes which rank football schools do mean something. Good FCS can compete with middle to lower non-AQ's and lower non-AQ's can make significant jumps year-over-year into the 40's and 50's range (making the Boise or TCU kind of jump is quite a bit tougher, however Bowling Green and Miami OH proved it's possible).

Also, FIU is ambivilant toward the travel aspect of either conference. We play our six home games and then we travel; whether it's 200 miles to UCF or USF, or hundreds more miles to our SBC away games. A few hundred miles either way makes no difference and has no bearing on any momentum we may or may not have.

+1.

+2. We fly to most places we play as it is. Also, I'm sure we will keep playing FAU in most sports (therefore taking the place of another far flung opponent), therefore budget concerns are not much of a concern, I would say. If we do that move, I KNOW some people doing numbers about the potential of the move will make an unbiased opinion to our AD and President.

(04-12-2012 11:21 AM)ManzanoWolf Wrote:  UNT and FIU are good conference mates . . whether you guys go or you guys stay . . I wish you the best of luck, but not when playing stAte . .

Go stAte . . Go SBC !!

You are always a class act. Certainly one of the reasons I love the Sun Belt and this forum.

(04-12-2012 11:25 AM)panama Wrote:  Was really hoping to combine my Miami trips with an away game. Best of Fortune

You still have FAU, which has a better stadium anyways, and it's the same short drive to Sobe!

GO OWLS!!!

Wow. I don't know if you've noticed but North Texas has been waiting for this move since 2004. The SBC member we have the most history with is NMSU, and they haven't been in the conference since 2004!

Although the losses to the big east make it weaker, the alliance schools top to bottom still have better tradition, attendance, larger budgets, better basketball, more interest, better TV contract etc. and the perception thing won't hurt either. Getting UNT in to a conference with more schools in TX,OK & LA would be huge for the students. I'm only 21, so I didn't live through these things, but we were snubbed of the SWC by SMU, and then later on decided to move back to 1-AA in the early 80s I believe. Those were two nails in the coffin, getting back to FBS and winning a bowl game was unhinging nail number one, and this conference move should be nail number two. It's never been a secret we wanted CUSA to be our home(albeit with SMU & Houston) so I don't see where this comes from?

The stadium, the increase in athletic budget, the increase in coach experience and salaries, and resurrection of the football program in progress are the improvements we've made since 2004, all for a better conference. I don't see how you can still be mad about something that's been known since 2004?

(04-12-2012 02:17 PM)NCowl Wrote:  

(04-12-2012 11:25 AM)panama Wrote:  Was really hoping to combine my Miami trips with an away game. Best of Fortune

You still have FAU, which has a better stadium anyways, and it's the same short drive to Sobe!

GO OWLS!!!

Don't lie. FAU to Lincoln Road is 48.5 miles and 58 minutes...FIU to Lincoln Road is 18.4 miles and 28 minutes......

LOL..

(04-12-2012 02:32 PM)FIUFanatic Wrote:  

(04-12-2012 02:17 PM)NCowl Wrote:  

(04-12-2012 11:25 AM)panama Wrote:  Was really hoping to combine my Miami trips with an away game. Best of Fortune

You still have FAU, which has a better stadium anyways, and it's the same short drive to Sobe!

GO OWLS!!!

Don't lie. FAU to Lincoln Road is 48.5 miles and 58 minutes...FIU to Lincoln Road is 18.4 miles and 28 minutes......

LOL..

maybe so, but it's still close enough to go out, plus you have the less stuffy Fort Lauderdale... which I always preferred anyways.

(04-12-2012 02:23 PM)ntmeangreen11 Wrote:  Wow. I don't know if you've noticed but North Texas has been waiting for this move since 2004. The SBC member we have the most history with is NMSU, and they haven't been in the conference since 2004!

Although the losses to the big east make it weaker, the alliance schools top to bottom still have better tradition, attendance, larger budgets, better basketball, more interest, better TV contract etc. and the perception thing won't hurt either. Getting UNT in to a conference with more schools in TX,OK & LA would be huge for the students. I'm only 21, so I didn't live through these things, but we were snubbed of the SWC by SMU, and then later on decided to move back to 1-AA in the early 80s I believe. Those were two nails in the coffin, getting back to FBS and winning a bowl game was unhinging nail number one, and this conference move should be nail number two. It's never been a secret we wanted CUSA to be our home(albeit with SMU & Houston) so I don't see where this comes from?

The stadium, the increase in athletic budget, the increase in coach experience and salaries, and resurrection of the football program in progress are the improvements we've made since 2004, all for a better conference. I don't see how you can still be mad about something that's been known since 2004?

Alzheimers ?

Seriously I just can't get excited about the "CUSA" or whatever they're gonna call this thing. Its turning out more like a YCMA hotel. They'll take anyone with three bucks. Now if WKU got the call maybe 2 to three years ago, I'd probably get excited. But not now. Why would I? I don't see it as much of an improvement at all these days. I like how the SBC is shaping up.

Nothing is set in stone at this point even the two schools that are supposedly shoe ins. One of the most satisfying things about the last month though, is not having to read (from owlfamily) how somehow FIU and FAU are conjoined twins that can't live without each other. We've done it in the past and we will do it again (apparently). Go F I U!

(04-12-2012 02:32 PM)FIUFanatic Wrote:  

(04-12-2012 02:17 PM)NCowl Wrote:  

(04-12-2012 11:25 AM)panama Wrote:  Was really hoping to combine my Miami trips with an away game. Best of Fortune

You still have FAU, which has a better stadium anyways, and it's the same short drive to Sobe!

GO OWLS!!!

Don't lie. FAU to Lincoln Road is 48.5 miles and 58 minutes...FIU to Lincoln Road is 18.4 miles and 28 minutes......

LOL..

(04-12-2012 02:47 PM)NCowl Wrote:  

(04-12-2012 02:32 PM)FIUFanatic Wrote:  

(04-12-2012 02:17 PM)NCowl Wrote:  

(04-12-2012 11:25 AM)panama Wrote:  Was really hoping to combine my Miami trips with an away game. Best of Fortune

You still have FAU, which has a better stadium anyways, and it's the same short drive to Sobe!

GO OWLS!!!

Don't lie. FAU to Lincoln Road is 48.5 miles and 58 minutes...FIU to Lincoln Road is 18.4 miles and 28 minutes......

LOL..

maybe so, but it's still close enough to go out, plus you have the less stuffy Fort Lauderdale... which I always preferred anyways.

LOL. So, you were lying. By your standards I guess I can say it's the same from FIU to Las Olas Blvd. than from FAU. 31 minutes from FAU, and only 50 from FIU.

(04-12-2012 03:04 PM)FIUFanatic Wrote:  

(04-12-2012 02:47 PM)NCowl Wrote:  

(04-12-2012 02:32 PM)FIUFanatic Wrote:  

(04-12-2012 02:17 PM)NCowl Wrote:  

(04-12-2012 11:25 AM)panama Wrote:  Was really hoping to combine my Miami trips with an away game. Best of Fortune

You still have FAU, which has a better stadium anyways, and it's the same short drive to Sobe!

GO OWLS!!!

Don't lie. FAU to Lincoln Road is 48.5 miles and 58 minutes...FIU to Lincoln Road is 18.4 miles and 28 minutes......

LOL..

maybe so, but it's still close enough to go out, plus you have the less stuffy Fort Lauderdale... which I always preferred anyways.

LOL. So, you were lying. By your standards I guess I can say it's the same from FIU to Las Olas Blvd. than from FAU. 31 minutes from FAU, and only 50 from FIU.

I gauge this as distance from campus to Nicaraguan Fritanga or Cuban Bakery. If I am in S FL I have to get my fix.

A lot closer, Panama. A LOT closer.