(03-10-2013 11:42 AM)Wardawg Wrote:  What's the likely hood of this conference expanding to 18 teams? Perhaps two of the following Georgia State

No GA State...Their faclities are not on par even with most CAA schools and I think they will struggle for years to come to even put 12K in the GA Dome. I compaire GA State to Buffalo. When we were in the MAC everyone said Buffalo was a "Sleeping Giant". Well it stayed asleep the whole time we was in the MAC. Buffalo won a total of 11 games from 1999-2004. Five of those games were IAA, two over Bowling Green, two over Kent State, one over Ball State and one DII game. They got up one time in 2008 to go to the bathroom (8-6 season), and went back to bed.

In 1999 Marshall rolled into Buffalo to play in week seven. The highest ranked team to ever play at Buffalo and probably ever will play at Buffalo, we were ranked 12th at the time. And there was 11-12K there to watch the game, with about 3-4K belonging to Marshall.

More people would rather go half way cross town and watch GA Tech or save up a few more dollars and go to a Falcons game, or even taKe the same amount and go to an ECHL game in Gwinnett.

(03-10-2013 12:18 PM)HerdZoned Wrote:  

(03-10-2013 11:42 AM)Wardawg Wrote:  What's the likely hood of this conference expanding to 18 teams? Perhaps two of the following Georgia State

No GA State...

Fair enough with GA State, the only thing I like about it is the location.

(03-09-2013 10:50 AM)HoustonCajun Wrote:  

(03-09-2013 12:49 AM)Luckyshot Wrote:  

(03-08-2013 06:51 PM)DaSaintFan Wrote:  Louisiana; LSU, Tulane, LaTech

In sports? I don't think Tulane makes the top 3 in LA sports rep.

Replace Tulane with Louisiana.

Please. Even with Tulane's problems since Katrina, there is not a single sport other than track and La Tech women's hoops (and ours has been solid anyway), that has been the equal of Tulane over any substantial period of time. Wake me up when one of those 2 delivers a ranked football team or NCAA at large basketball team, much less comes close to our NCAA appearances in minor sports.

(03-10-2013 10:32 AM)TruBlu Wrote:  If you accept it should be a C-USA criteria for universities to be 2nd in their states behind the state "flagship", I could argue three universities listed as 3rd will be 2nd in the near future:

Tru, that's why I put "appearances" in quotes. Again, many in Mississippi that USM is better than Ole Miss and/or State in many athletic ventures.

That's why I also put Tulane as #2 in Louisiana.. just because in national imagery, they're regularly given the slot (although I think La Tech should jump them fast to take over that view)

WKU and stay at 12 is my first choice. My next choice is to stay at 12 for football and add VCU, North Kentucky U (Cincy market)., Wichata St, & George Mason for basketball.

If we go to 14 football with FCS schools I like Liberty (money & facilities) & Missiouri St. (Big investment in football).

None I would look for more prominent teams even reach out to teams far west. I know traveling would be expensive but that's my take.

SMTTT

(03-10-2013 12:18 PM)HerdZoned Wrote:  

(03-10-2013 11:42 AM)Wardawg Wrote:  What's the likely hood of this conference expanding to 18 teams? Perhaps two of the following Georgia State

No GA State...Their faclities are not on par even with most CAA schools and I think they will struggle for years to come to even put 12K in the GA Dome. I compaire GA State to Buffalo. When we were in the MAC everyone said Buffalo was a "Sleeping Giant". Well it stayed asleep the whole time we was in the MAC. Buffalo won a total of 11 games from 1999-2004. Five of those games were IAA, two over Bowling Green, two over Kent State, one over Ball State and one DII game. They got up one time in 2008 to go to the bathroom (8-6 season), and went back to bed.

In 1999 Marshall rolled into Buffalo to play in week seven. The highest ranked team to ever play at Buffalo and probably ever will play at Buffalo, we were ranked 12th at the time. And there was 11-12K there to watch the game, with about 3-4K belonging to Marshall.

More people would rather go half way cross town and watch GA Tech or save up a few more dollars and go to a Falcons game, or even taKe the same amount and go to an ECHL game in Gwinnett.

I am not sure if you live in Atlanta but its not Buffalo. It's the capital college football. Even Div. II Morehouse draws 12k and leads Div II in attendance. Our problem has been twofold; 2 losing seasons and unknown opponents. Even last year in the CAA our closest opponent came from 8 hours away. ODU by comparison played outside VA twice last year. At any rate, while I know its fun to talk about school X being craptastic, we will be fine. Our HC Trent Miles turned Indiana State around (talk about exercises in futility ). We're playing a schedule of schools people have heard of locally. He has put together an excellent staff and did a crazy recruiting job in just 4 weeks.
Our MBB HC has won more games in 2 years than his predecessor did in the prior 4. His son is the CAA rookie of the year and we graduate only one Senior. Baseball is 11-6 and beat Georgia. We will be fine.

(03-09-2013 10:50 AM)HoustonCajun Wrote:  Replace Tulane with Louisiana.

I thought Tulane hasn't used "University of Louisiana" since 1884? Anyway, Tech has already jumped the Green Wave.

New Mexico State. Television, men's hoops, academics, and travel. All football, men's basketball, women's basketball, and baseball games in Las Cruces are produced by AggieVision and distributed to regional television networks so anyone with Dish Network or DirecTV can watch them. Aggie men's basketball can produce NCAA units like WKU. NM State is a land-grant Tier 1 national research university. NM State can help cut down on travel costs as a travel partner with UTEP.

If UTEP isn't ok with NM State, then WKU. Best remaining athletic program in the Belt. Ability to produce NCAA MBB unit$. Small market but a new state.

Georgia State third. Atlanta. C-USA will be renegotiating our TV contract in 2 years.

(03-08-2013 01:29 PM)RedParallax Wrote:  

(03-08-2013 01:16 PM)FIUFan Wrote:  

(03-08-2013 12:30 PM)HerdZoned Wrote:  NIU was in the MAC from 1973-1985 when they went independent to try and be a big time program. It failed miserably and they ended up spending the 93-95 seasons in the Big West. They rejoined the MAC in 1996, when Marshall moved up from IAA. I don't see them ever trying to move again.

Thanks for that but wouldn't you say times are a bit different now? Going indy is a very difficult proposition. The MAC is a quality conference (obviously) but I think the profile of C-USA may be larger and potentially much larger.

As has been mentioned here before, the MAC is the MAC and always will be the MAC. Certainly nothing wrong with that but it appears N. Ill may have more of a gambling spirit in their dna than can be satiated in that conference.

Anyways, I think C-USA should try to replace a midwest school with a midwest school if it comes to that; jmo.

I wouldn't really call Tulsa "Midwest" or in the same geographical region as Northern Illinois since they're 673 miles apart.

I consider NIU and Tulas both Midwest.

875 miles from Miami to Knoxville and you're still in the south. Heck, from Miami to Lexington is 1042 miles. Drive 1044 miles from Miami and you're on Marshall's campus.

(03-12-2013 11:33 PM)GreenBison Wrote:  

(03-08-2013 01:29 PM)RedParallax Wrote:  

(03-08-2013 01:16 PM)FIUFan Wrote:  

(03-08-2013 12:30 PM)HerdZoned Wrote:  NIU was in the MAC from 1973-1985 when they went independent to try and be a big time program. It failed miserably and they ended up spending the 93-95 seasons in the Big West. They rejoined the MAC in 1996, when Marshall moved up from IAA. I don't see them ever trying to move again.

Thanks for that but wouldn't you say times are a bit different now? Going indy is a very difficult proposition. The MAC is a quality conference (obviously) but I think the profile of C-USA may be larger and potentially much larger.

As has been mentioned here before, the MAC is the MAC and always will be the MAC. Certainly nothing wrong with that but it appears N. Ill may have more of a gambling spirit in their dna than can be satiated in that conference.

Anyways, I think C-USA should try to replace a midwest school with a midwest school if it comes to that; jmo.

I wouldn't really call Tulsa "Midwest" or in the same geographical region as Northern Illinois since they're 673 miles apart.

I consider NIU and Tulas both Midwest.

875 miles from Miami to Knoxville and you're still in the south. Heck, from Miami to Lexington is 1042 miles. Drive 1044 miles from Miami and you're on Marshall's campus.

Miami should not be considered part of the south. The last American out of there needs to bring the flag

(03-13-2013 01:14 AM)Thegoldstandard Wrote:  

(03-12-2013 11:33 PM)GreenBison Wrote:  

(03-08-2013 01:29 PM)RedParallax Wrote:  

(03-08-2013 01:16 PM)FIUFan Wrote:  

(03-08-2013 12:30 PM)HerdZoned Wrote:  NIU was in the MAC from 1973-1985 when they went independent to try and be a big time program. It failed miserably and they ended up spending the 93-95 seasons in the Big West. They rejoined the MAC in 1996, when Marshall moved up from IAA. I don't see them ever trying to move again.

Thanks for that but wouldn't you say times are a bit different now? Going indy is a very difficult proposition. The MAC is a quality conference (obviously) but I think the profile of C-USA may be larger and potentially much larger.

As has been mentioned here before, the MAC is the MAC and always will be the MAC. Certainly nothing wrong with that but it appears N. Ill may have more of a gambling spirit in their dna than can be satiated in that conference.

Anyways, I think C-USA should try to replace a midwest school with a midwest school if it comes to that; jmo.

I wouldn't really call Tulsa "Midwest" or in the same geographical region as Northern Illinois since they're 673 miles apart.

I consider NIU and Tulas both Midwest.

875 miles from Miami to Knoxville and you're still in the south. Heck, from Miami to Lexington is 1042 miles. Drive 1044 miles from Miami and you're on Marshall's campus.

Miami should not be considered part of the south. The last American out of there needs to bring the flag

Niiice. Next time try that with a little subtleness and without the dueling banjos soundtrack.

(03-13-2013 06:41 AM)panama Wrote:  

(03-13-2013 01:14 AM)Thegoldstandard Wrote:  

(03-12-2013 11:33 PM)GreenBison Wrote:  I consider NIU and Tulas both Midwest.

875 miles from Miami to Knoxville and you're still in the south. Heck, from Miami to Lexington is 1042 miles. Drive 1044 miles from Miami and you're on Marshall's campus.

Miami should not be considered part of the south. The last American out of there needs to bring the flag

Niiice. Next time try that with a little subtleness and without the dueling banjos soundtrack.

Miami is definitely south, but it just as definitely not THE South, any more than Los Angeles is in The South.

(03-15-2013 09:57 AM)Lee Moses Wrote:  

(03-13-2013 06:41 AM)panama Wrote:  

(03-13-2013 01:14 AM)Thegoldstandard Wrote:  

(03-12-2013 11:33 PM)GreenBison Wrote:  I consider NIU and Tulas both Midwest.

875 miles from Miami to Knoxville and you're still in the south. Heck, from Miami to Lexington is 1042 miles. Drive 1044 miles from Miami and you're on Marshall's campus.

Miami should not be considered part of the south. The last American out of there needs to bring the flag

Niiice. Next time try that with a little subtleness and without the dueling banjos soundtrack.

Miami is definitely south, but it just as definitely not THE South, any more than Los Angeles is in The South.

For every point that you come up with to "prove" it isnt the south I can come up with one to prove it is. And I am probably a lot more familiar with Miami than most. Miami like most huge southern cities has its own identity. Once you get outside the city you would have a hard time convincing me that Homestead or Central Broward towns like Davie are not part of the South.

(03-15-2013 11:05 AM)panama Wrote:  

(03-15-2013 09:57 AM)Lee Moses Wrote:  

(03-13-2013 06:41 AM)panama Wrote:  

(03-13-2013 01:14 AM)Thegoldstandard Wrote:  

(03-12-2013 11:33 PM)GreenBison Wrote:  I consider NIU and Tulas both Midwest.

875 miles from Miami to Knoxville and you're still in the south. Heck, from Miami to Lexington is 1042 miles. Drive 1044 miles from Miami and you're on Marshall's campus.

Miami should not be considered part of the south. The last American out of there needs to bring the flag

Niiice. Next time try that with a little subtleness and without the dueling banjos soundtrack.

Miami is definitely south, but it just as definitely not THE South, any more than Los Angeles is in The South.

For every point that you come up with to "prove" it isnt the south I can come up with one to prove it is. And I am probably a lot more familiar with Miami than most. Miami like most huge southern cities has its own identity. Once you get outside the city you would have a hard time convincing me that Homestead or Central Broward towns like Davie are not part of the South.

I'm not worried about convincing you. . . . Just stating facts, and facts are that folks in Pensacola, etc. have pretty much disowned South Florida and consider them "yankees." Very few southerners consider Miami truly part of THE South. If you want to be a renegade, I'm not going to stop you.

(03-08-2013 09:32 AM)HoustonCajun Wrote:  

(03-07-2013 11:20 PM)Luckyshot Wrote:  

(03-07-2013 10:22 PM)HerdZoned Wrote:  

(03-07-2013 10:07 PM)techdawg88 Wrote:  

(03-07-2013 09:43 PM)HerdZoned Wrote:  Give me the Cajuns for pure selfish reasons. I lived in Lafayette for 11 years and it would give me a reason to go back and see friends.

would Tech try and block ULL?

I don't know that answer. I would rather take someone from the West to keep USM in the East too.

Replacing Tulsa with another western school doesn't keep USM in the East. More teams have been lost in the West and more added in the East. USM is going West regardless.

Don't overlook Louisiana. CUSA is top heavy in the East. We are located right on I 10 within driving distance of USM, Rice, UTSA, LA Tech, N. Texas, and fit right into the Western Division. In about 2 weeks, we will announce a $100MM+ Master Plan for athletics that will include immediate bowling of our stadium to seat 45,000+, new press box and suites, new offices, weight room, meeting rooms, recruiting facility, basketball practice facility, and baseball stadium and T&F renovations to go along with our new softball stadium and indoor practice facility, plus other items. Our budget is already up to almost $18MM and once the stadium and suites are completed, we will quickly surpass $20MM and continue to grow. Also remember, we beat E. Carolina this year and San Diego State last year and brought 40,000+ to both bowl games. Academically, we are a RU/H (Research University / High Research activity) Carnegie nationally ranked research university, a Top 377 Princeton Review university, a Rockefeller Institute of Government Top 100 public research university, and a Top 10 fastest growing R&D univerisity. Lafayette has over 800,000 people in a 50 mile radius. Compare that to Masters level Regional universities, weak demographics, small stadiums, and limited growth potential that are being considered or have been added. Peer institutions both athletically and academically with exhibited performance should matter.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You guys also travel very well. As a young kid, I remember ULL fans bringing about 3,000 fans to Rice Stadium on several occasions.

After jumping on their site and taking a look at their facilities, I'm going with Arkansas State. Western Kentucky and ULL are close behind. I'd also go with ASU due to geography. When Tulsa is lost, they need to be replaced by another western school.

If I had my way, I'd add three members and go to 16.


East:
Marshall
Old Dominion
UNC-Charlotte
Middle Tennessee
Western Kentucky
UAB
FIU
FAU

West:
UTEP
UTSA
Rice
North Texas
Louisiana Tech
Arkansas State
Southern Mississippi
Louisiana