http://johnsoncitypress.com/Sports/artic...z2QgF6j8A0

Full of Murry's boasting and excuse making. Hinting that he forced Mario out and that another player might be leaving. Hinting that O'Field might be ineligible.

Socon is still the most likely destination.

***ONLY 118 $50 football season ticket deposits have been made..
Very disappointing. Johnson City and ETSU proving their apathy towards Buc athletics....

Everytime I see his quotes or interviews he just pisses me off more and more.

(04-17-2013 07:00 PM)BartowZone Wrote:  http://johnsoncitypress.com/Sports/artic...z2QgF6j8A0

Full of Murry's boasting and excuse making. Hinting that he forced Mario out and that another player might be leaving. Hinting that O'Field might be ineligible.

Socon is still the most likely destination.

***ONLY 118 $50 football season ticket deposits have been made..
Very disappointing. Johnson City and ETSU proving their apathy towards Buc athletics....

120 now...I just made my two $50.00 half deposits..and I live in Powell in the Knoxville area. Give it some time...I think some people are waiting to see what happens with the coaching hire, stadium, etc. We will get there.

I for one donated to the kickoff fund but not the deposit for the season tickets. The season tickets are not going to be a sell out or anything, you can get those at any time. The kickoff fund I did more symbolic than anything else- they need that money now and i want a large group to show the students that they are willing to pay also. Would really like to know the number that have contributed to this.

(04-17-2013 08:18 PM)etsubuc Wrote:  I for one donated to the kickoff fund but not the deposit for the season tickets. The season tickets are not going to be a sell out or anything, you can get those at any time. The kickoff fund I did more symbolic than anything else- they need that money now and i want a large group to show the students that they are willing to pay also. Would really like to know the number that have contributed to this.

I think that the season ticket deposits are critical too...not saying that the Kickoff Fund isn't...it shows devotion as well. Both are equally as important. The season ticket deposits will come with time though.

Quote:Rumor: ETSU, Mercer Heading to SoCon. Owls Next?
According to the AnyGivenSaturday.com message boards, East Tennessee State and Mercer were unanimously chosen by Southern Conference (SoCon) Athletics Directors/Presidents in a poll to gain admission into the conference. The actual voting will occur in late May.

The Southern Conference had 12 members last season, but three are departing in July of 2014 so there will be a void to fill. If they elect to stick with 12 members, and the rumors are true about ETSU and Mercer, it would leave a third spot up for grabs, and that spot has a strong chance of belonging to Kennesaw State.

Supposedly the polling breakdown looks like this (I am guessing it is majority rule, so 5 of 9)

Mercer – Unanimous
ETSU – Unanimous
Coastal Carolina – Western Carolina, Chattanooga, Greensboro
VMI – Citadel, Wofford, Furman
Kennesaw State- Chattanooga, Samford, Western Carolina

Jacksonville and Campbell are on the outside looking in. There is a chance that KSU, VMI and CCU all could make the cut if the conference were to choose expansion. Kennesaw State seems like a very logical fit!

Update: According to the Marietta Daily Journal, “If the Owls are to begin play in a new conference in 2016, the decision of which one would likely have to come by the end of this year. Kennesaw State would have to give the A-Sun two years’ advance notice of its intention to leave or pay a $250,000 exit penalty.” The Owls are in no position to be paying exit fees, so expect a decision relatively soon!

http://www.ksuowlhowl.com/rumor-etsu-mer...owls-next/

nothing really new, but it seems like there are conflicting reports about ETSU's support to return to SoCon...has anyone out there heard anything new?

There's still some trust issues abound folks. Let it play out. When a coach runs a player off like that, it should be an NCAA rule that the institution loses the scholarship for one year and if the player cannot get hooked up elsewhere, then the school should pay for the next year of their education. It would put a stop to this transfer crap.

I agree Buccaneerlover- that would be a great rule and would help college basketball alot.

It's brutal, but dang enough's enough. The rule would need to be clear, if the player is ran off, meaning they're not good enough to play there but their grades are fine, etc... It's an epidemic in college athletics in general.

It's going to be a long month til the official SoCon decision is made.

(04-17-2013 08:18 PM)etsubuc Wrote:  I for one donated to the kickoff fund but not the deposit for the season tickets. The season tickets are not going to be a sell out or anything, you can get those at any time. The kickoff fund I did more symbolic than anything else- they need that money now and i want a large group to show the students that they are willing to pay also. Would really like to know the number that have contributed to this.

I agree as I did both donation and the season tickets. But I think the average fan out there is waiting for the coach to be hired and most importantly they want to see ground broken on the new stadium. That big hole in the ground is boost that people are waiting for as that means the thing is actually happening. It is still very early and some fans do not know what is going on and most are waiting for more tangible evidence of a football program. I believe the support for a FCS team is out there and will be there when the program gets started.

I'm going to do the Kickoff Fund as soon as I get the extra $$$. I also give to BASA. Trying to help out as much as I can as an alumnus. I think it will pick up momentum within the next few months after a coach is in place and we know which conference we are going to. I agree, people like to see the tangible evidence and progress....which we are making, its just slow at this point.

(04-17-2013 08:35 PM)etsudolfan Wrote:  

Quote:Rumor: ETSU, Mercer Heading to SoCon. Owls Next?
According to the AnyGivenSaturday.com message boards, East Tennessee State and Mercer were unanimously chosen by Southern Conference (SoCon) Athletics Directors/Presidents in a poll to gain admission into the conference. The actual voting will occur in late May.

The Southern Conference had 12 members last season, but three are departing in July of 2014 so there will be a void to fill. If they elect to stick with 12 members, and the rumors are true about ETSU and Mercer, it would leave a third spot up for grabs, and that spot has a strong chance of belonging to Kennesaw State.

Supposedly the polling breakdown looks like this (I am guessing it is majority rule, so 5 of 9)

Mercer – Unanimous
ETSU – Unanimous
Coastal Carolina – Western Carolina, Chattanooga, Greensboro
VMI – Citadel, Wofford, Furman
Kennesaw State- Chattanooga, Samford, Western Carolina

Jacksonville and Campbell are on the outside looking in. There is a chance that KSU, VMI and CCU all could make the cut if the conference were to choose expansion. Kennesaw State seems like a very logical fit!

Update: According to the Marietta Daily Journal, “If the Owls are to begin play in a new conference in 2016, the decision of which one would likely have to come by the end of this year. Kennesaw State would have to give the A-Sun two years’ advance notice of its intention to leave or pay a $250,000 exit penalty.” The Owls are in no position to be paying exit fees, so expect a decision relatively soon!

http://www.ksuowlhowl.com/rumor-etsu-mer...owls-next/

nothing really new, but it seems like there are conflicting reports about ETSU's support to return to SoCon...has anyone out there heard anything new?

The fact that these conferences are not begging ETSU to join at this point speaks volumes for the abject sorry, low down, completely failed, destructive legacy of the two previous ETSU athletic administrative clowns.

Remember what I said- the one thing that can kill this thing is fan apathy, and this ain't really a good sports town.

The hiring of a coach could sell some tickets, but how many? I mean, the last time a football coach was hired they looked at a couple of coordinators from service acadamies and an assistant from Texas A & M. Beat still my heart. How many tickets do you think a Randy Sanders is going to sell?

To really make this successful you need to get the media behind it. You need Phil Fulmer to show up at the ETSU baseball game against Tennessee wearing a Bucs hat. There needs to be a demonization of the previous athletic administration that has always been avoided, and as a result Joe Johnson City doesn't point to Stanton and Mullins for football's demise, he points to apathy.

Now, this isn't to say that football's revival will not happen. But the recipe for success is in the above paragraph.

If that's right, and ETSU is ahead in the pecking order of VMI, Coastal, KSU, Jacksonville, and Campbell, I am impressed.

But, would you rather be in a conference with

Chattanooga
Mercer
Western Carolina
Elon
UNC-Greensboro
Wofford
Furman
The Citadel
Samford

OR

Gulf Coast
Jacksonville
North Florida
Lipscomb
Stetson
USC-Upstate
Northern Kentucky

And the chance to merge with the Big South?

It's a tough decision. The pound the ball into the line pick is to go SoCon. The big play option is to stay put and push for the Super Conference.

Of course, that big play might be recovering a muffed punt.

the SoCon would be the better route....it is more proven in football than the Big South and more schools have had success moving up to FBS from the SoCon.