Lamar.

(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.

(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.

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Ohio. The rest can burn in hell.

(03-08-2013 09:34 AM)MU ATO Wrote:  Ohio. The rest can burn in hell.

I have no problem with Ohio but Ohio wants to be in a bus league. Nothing wrong with it, just the direction they want to go in. That's why I didn't list them.

none of the above. I see no reason to be above 12 members.

1) WKU
2) Arkansas State
3) Don't Care

(03-08-2013 09:34 AM)MU ATO Wrote:  Ohio. The rest can burn in hell.

I'd like Ohio if they'd build a new stadium. Peden is pitiful.

I find the Hilltoppers personally offensive, so IMHO, i'd invite ULL first.

But of your poll, WKU is the best overall choice. Best overall athletic program, gives us a new state, easy travel, fits well geographically.

ASU is a one trick pony athletic program which brings no market, were nothing but mediocre for most of the history of the sunbelt, and is located in a town no one should ever be forced to go. Besides, they're deserving of a bid to the NFC South any day now, just ask one of them.

GA State - I'm not sure that program ever gets off the ground.

TxSt - we already have UTSA.
NMSU - only if UTEP wants them and promises they'll stay.
Delaware - seems like it's way outside the footprint. Are they interested in FBS?

I think it should be a regional replacement; if it were Tulsa then maybe a N. Ill. (), if it were Marshall then WKU, etc.

I also think that the West is too strong and the East is not strong enough. I know in time it will balance out but for the first five years La Tech and USM are going to butt heads just to get out of their division.

ULL would be my preference. Good program, good fans, good food.

I hear it's the Ragin Cajuns. Info from a source I have found reliable.

This is very hard, and I'm glad i don't have to make the decision. I voted for WKU because I've come to believe they have the best overall sports program.

I like ASU because of the geography which give UAB a chance to stay in the East. I'd love to have at least one of our old mates with us in the East...absolutely NO disrespect to ANY of our Eastern partners...I'm just a traditionalist. Would love to keep USM too, but do realize that is not going to happen.

For the same reason, I like NMSU and ULL as well, but defer to UTEP and LaTech on those choices.

Actually, my strong preference would be for Tulsa to stay in CUSA, but realize that's not likely either.

Frankly, I would still go to 16. I just think 8 teams is easier to manage that 7in divisional play. If that happened I'd add Ark. State to replace Tulsa, and then WKU for the East and NMSU for the West for balance. Basketball should drive 15-16 if we move that direction.

No ULL. I don't want to hear "We're Louisiana, not Louisiana Lafayette." lol

Arky State. Good football, increasing commitment to athletics, pretty decent fan support. Also it makes great geographical sense, filling in the gap between the Texas schools and the schools in the northeastern part of the conference.

ULL would be right there with them, maybe ahead--but (1) ULL is not on the list, and (2) I live less than two hours from ASU, so I have some selfish motives in this as well.

Please no one list MAC schools. None of them are leaving their comfort of the MAC, none of them. If we look at the MAC in 50 years I could almost say with certianty that atleast 10 of those 13 programs will still be together.

I like Ohio, they are Marshall's long standing rival in everything. But I would rather keep them as an OOC opnt. Its an easy 88 mile drive and keeps an OOC spot filled.

(03-08-2013 11:20 AM)HerdZoned Wrote:  Please no one list MAC schools. None of them are leaving their comfort of the MAC, none of them. If we look at the MAC in 50 years I could almost say with certianty that atleast 10 of those 13 programs will still be together.
I like Ohio, they are Marshall's long standing rival in everything. But I would rather keep them as an OOC opnt. Its an easy 88 mile drive and keeps an OOC spot filled.

Sorry but I was advocating N. Ill before they went all BCS on us.

(03-08-2013 11:36 AM)FIUFan Wrote:  

(03-08-2013 11:20 AM)HerdZoned Wrote:  Please no one list MAC schools. None of them are leaving their comfort of the MAC, none of them. If we look at the MAC in 50 years I could almost say with certianty that atleast 10 of those 13 programs will still be together.
I like Ohio, they are Marshall's long standing rival in everything. But I would rather keep them as an OOC opnt. Its an easy 88 mile drive and keeps an OOC spot filled.

Sorry but I was advocating N. Ill before they went all BCS on us.

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.

(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.

(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.