(03-27-2013 02:05 PM)troy4ever Wrote: USA is a very unique and different situation than many in the conference. The history that exists between so many of the programs now in the SBC all goes back to football more than anything else. App and GaSo fans seem very excited to renew their series with Troy because there is a very competitive history there in football previously. I think Troy fans are very excited about renewing these as well. Especially the older part of our fan base that were there for many of those iconic games of our history. History does go a long way for established rivalries and excitement about being in a conference with those opponents.
With USA having not had football until recently, the USA history with teams was established in a different way and with much different teams. Many of those teams USA has history with had football, but USA did not. I wonder if USA deciding to add football so much later than those other schools has led to it being "left behind" in the Sunbelt while the members they have had the most history with have moved on to other things? Is USA a victim of its own decisions in regards to when they decided to add football?
Ultimatly the SBC immediately went in a much different direction the moment they voted to add football. Let's face it, the SBC is now a football conference whereas it was once a basketball conference. That's reflected in conference membership now which consists of universities and fan bases that place so much more focus on football than any other sport. I know Troy is one of those. Football is THE sport that Trojan fans love more than anything. All the other sports are just sports to tide us over till football season. I hope that culture is changing though at Troy.
I can definitely see how USA fans would feel they don't have many strong connections to the new schools compared to the other SBC schools that have a shared history. I've felt that way before with Troy and some of the former SBC members. It's a sucky place to be in mentally as a fan.
This is a much belabored point on our board. We had an invite back in the early 90's to the newly forming CUSA. Our then President, in his infinite wisdom, decided that it was better to be the stronger of the remaining conference, than join a new and have to work our way up again. No doubt about it - had we joined CUSA back then, we would have had football established at least a decade prior than we ultimately did. And who know what would've happened from there.
But . . .
I can honestly see where the SBC has the
chance now to be a stronger football conference than CUSA. If App and GaSo transition successfully, as I have no doubt that they will, if USA can continue to grow and gain experience, and if the others remain strong programs, we just may start to gain some steam in the coming years. Frankly, in football terms, I'd have us at a net positive with the addition of App, GaSo, and JMU both from an attendance/following point of view, as well as on the field, and will gladly take them over FIA/FAU/NT in those terms. Losing MTSU hurts no doubt, but that just means that one of us has to step up, whether it be South or someone else.
And we already are stronger in baseball. We have a lot of work to do in basketball, but if football strengthens to the point that we're all hopeful for, recruits will notice, and I'd hope/think that basketball would follow suit. We love South's hire of Graves from Butler. Hopefully that pays dividends and we all continue to improve.