Quote: I'd never heard of Georgia Southern until Sun Belt realignment....

That's what some don't get. Nobody outside of GA knows who we are.
FBS will be the best thing to happen to Georgia southern since erk himself.

(04-08-2013 11:38 AM)Eagles Cliff Wrote:  

(04-07-2013 11:37 PM)joshdude182 Wrote:  I'd never heard of Georgia Southern until Sun Belt realignment....

This is the crux of the argument for moving to FBS for GS. All the success in I-AA and no one (outside our region) knows or cares. App upset Michigan and gained national recognition and their alumni came out of the woodwork to support the program with money and attendance.

I would rate App above GS as well

you dont know much about baseball if you never heard of georgia southern

(04-08-2013 10:38 PM)The4thOption Wrote:  

(04-07-2013 11:16 PM)rknj8993 Wrote:  

(04-07-2013 09:16 PM)The4thOption Wrote:  

(04-07-2013 05:09 PM)HERD-it-wuz-DJ Wrote:  I got alot of respect for the SunBelt.

I think you guys got a steal in Appalachian St.

Here's how I rank your adds.

#1 App. St. - CUSA should have invited them in. But instead, they are Sunbelt bound.
I really feel they will come in similar to how Marshall came in to the MAC. This is a strong football program that will compete for conference championships immediately. Their Olympic sports will get better in the Sunbelt.

#2 New Mexico St. - yes, their football is down now, but they are a legit fbs program and will be competitive in the new Sunbelt. Throw them in for all sports, which I think is gonna happen, and their basketball program will be at the top of the Sunbelt.

#3 Texas St. - good program, great market. Great investment for the future of Sunbelt.

#4 Idaho - again, another established fbs program that needs a conference like Sunbelt to get back on track. Alot better program then what people on here give them credit for.

#5 Georgia Southern - another good solid fcs program ready to compete in Sunbelt.

#6 UTA- good strong Olympic programs. Nice potential market pull.

#7 Georgia St- head scratcher. Similar to CUSA/Charlotte but Atleast Charlotte has solid basketball.
Great market but can they deliver market? Will they become a competitive program in Sunbelt?

Sunbelt potentials rankings......

#1 Missouri St. - solid program making all the right moves to make the move up to fbs. If they want in now, take them. If they need a year because of more planning, wait on them.
This possible addition would be similar to the Texas St addition. JMO

#2 whoever really wants in the Sunbelt the most and shows and means it.
Quit fu<king around with schools who are wishy washy. Go with schools who are showing the money and ready to be loyal to the Sunbelt.

No credibility

ANY person who ranks Idaho over Georgia Southern in ANYTHING other than potato making has lost their ever loving mind!

I get that App brought in another state and that gives them one up on the Eagles. Their attendance is currenly a little higher than Georgia Southern, something that was launched be their win over Michigan. But guys, Ga.Southern is a sleeping giant in terms of growing fan support. The state of NC is just about tapped out on much more growth in that area, plus Boone is harder to get to. GA is booming! And doing so close to Statesboro. Georgia Southern is only competing with 3 other in state FBS programs (App state is going to be competing against 6 others!). One of the three GA programs is GAST, obviously. Given that ALL 3 of the other in state FBS programs are very close together (Atl), the location (closer to FLA) of Georgia Southern and playing FBS programs is going to open up a lot of interest for people who want to watch foorball at that level in the rest of the State. Also, consider the recruiting advantages of Southern by location comparred to App State. I think that puts Georgia Southern at the TOP of your addition list with App being Second. The rivalry between the two helps put them both at the top of your list. Overall, I couldnt tell you much about that sport with the big orange ball, but we are GOOD in Baseball and GREAT in Football.
We will see how this plays out, but dont be shocked if everyone is agreeing with this comment within our first 5 seasons.

Not trying to be a dick here, but Appalachian is already known about around the nation. Georgia Southern is not. The SBC needed teams with a good reputation and good PR, and App brings that. I'm not saying that GSU doesn't, but App just tops Southern in that field.

I'll grant you that the Win over Michigan got your name out there and did a lot to get you guys known. (Dont forget that Southern beat you that year!) - And yea, more people have heard of you because of that. However, to say that Georgia Southern is not know around the Nation is spreading it just a little thin. I'm not saying the main line, young fans - but our name has been out there for decades and With as many National Champioships as we have played in - people from Coast to Coast know us. If you think your 3 have brought you more attention than our SIX - you are wrong. BUT - The UM thing gives your the advantage here is being known. BUT - your REP and PR is no better than GSU's.

Idaho's Rep is certainly not even close. And what do they average in Attendance?

I can make my points as to why I think Southern could be a bigger asset to the Conference after a few short years of success, and you don't have to agree with that (I expect nothing less!) - but my primary point is that even If App State ranks #1, GaSou. Should have been at least right behind them for all the same reasons that made you top the list.

I would say if they are interested, take in mo state asap or c-usa will and then we will have to pick from the likes of jax state or liberty..

(04-08-2013 08:44 PM)Eagles Cliff Wrote:  Those big markets aren't going to mean a lot when they consistently get their butts whipped by small markets. If market is so important, Ga State should be CUSA's next choice. stAte has a fine program, but their market and budget are among the smallest in FBS. Lafayette has had two winning seasons in a row so that obviously means they're awesome and too good for the SBC so maybe they'll get their wish and rejoin FAU, FIU, NT, MTSU, and WKU.

In any case, the challenge of playing better competition every week has me more excited about football than I've been in a while.

Southern Miss has one of the smallest budgets and they normally do great in football. ULM has one of the smallest budgets but have some impressive wins that any CUSA or Sun Belt team would like to have.
Could name a lot of schools with huge budgets that never have done anything.
It's not your budget or your market, but what you do with what you have.

For the record, App's high attendance and upward trend in giving started in 2005 (two years before the Michigan win). The administration made some changes in policy that encourages "game day" experience, and untied the hands of the coaching staff. Fans responded...and we won our first two championships. Yes...the Michigan win gave us an additional boost, and certainly put us on the national stage (briefly). It gave us name recognition, and that is a huge help....but the ball was in motion before that win.

I'm not trying to take anything away from that win. It's just that some folks seem to want to identify that as the starting point of our success....which is wasn't.

(04-12-2013 05:12 AM)Yosef84 Wrote:  For the record, App's high attendance and upward trend in giving started in 2005 (two years before the Michigan win). The administration made some changes in policy that encourages "game day" experience, and untied the hands of the coaching staff. Fans responded...and we won our first two championships. Yes...the Michigan win gave us an additional boost, and certainly put us on the national stage (briefly). It gave us name recognition, and that is a huge help....but the ball was in motion before that win.

I'm not trying to take anything away from that win. It's just that some folks seem to want to identify that as the starting point of our success....which is wasn't.

Very true, in fact that year we beat Michigan was the year we won our third straight national championship.

(04-12-2013 05:12 AM)Yosef84 Wrote:  For the record, App's high attendance and upward trend in giving started in 2005 (two years before the Michigan win). The administration made some changes in policy that encourages "game day" experience, and untied the hands of the coaching staff. Fans responded...and we won our first two championships. Yes...the Michigan win gave us an additional boost, and certainly put us on the national stage (briefly). It gave us name recognition, and that is a huge help....but the ball was in motion before that win.

I'm not trying to take anything away from that win. It's just that some folks seem to want to identify that as the starting point of our success....which is wasn't.

From my perspective, the App snow ball started when Richie threw like 100 completions against Furman back in 05(?)