Now that it appears NT, FIU, MT, and FAU will all be gone from the SBC in a few months, I thought I'd say a few words.

First, I wish we could have all stayed together and built a stronger SBC but I understand the reasons each of you accepted the invitation from CUSA. CUSA gives Texas rivals for NT, which I understand completely. There's no doubt their attendance numbers and success on the field will be enhanced by having true rivals throughout the year. FIU and FAU were always outliers in the SBC and will be so in CUSA but I think we've all known that they had ambitions to be the next USF, USC, etc and would be moving on to a conference that seeks major market size programs. MT is in a major market, is a solid athletic program and fits the mode of what CUSA has been looking for lately.

With all that said, good luck as you move on (I won't say "as you move up" because that's yet to be determined). Now that you think you'll be perceived as being in a better conference, don't forget about all the little guys you left behind and don't forget about all the times you were angered and frustrated by members of other conferences when they belittled the SBC and it's member institutions, which included you at one time. Hopefully, you'll be there to remind your new conference mates that just because a university is located in a smaller city or has a directional or hyphenated name, it does not mean the athletic program is something less.

I'm sure you'll understand when I say that i hope all four of you lose every SBC game you have remaining in all sports until you leave at the end of June and then promptly turn around and spank arse in CUSA next year...(well, I may not wish for MT to be successful in CUSA but you get my drift).

Thanks Apollo, very classy post and thoughts understood.

I have posted here many times my upmost respect of the SBC and its fans, as we grew together as a conference. There's still some championships to be played, and more importantly athletes to compete in each sport. I wouldn't be surprised to see some other SBC teams in our respective schedules in several sports, maybe even down the road playing again together in a conference.

Good luck, and thank you Sun Belt Conference!