(05-12-2013 01:34 PM)Underdog Wrote: (05-12-2013 01:27 PM)LastMinuteman Wrote: (05-12-2013 07:55 AM)Miami (Oh) Yeah ! Wrote: (05-12-2013 12:43 AM)BirdstheWord Wrote: (05-11-2013 08:11 AM)Miami (Oh) Yeah ! Wrote: If they don't fit, why did UMass admin think it was a good idea to join in the first place?
Because it was the best fit that they could get out of an FBS conference.
The deal wasn't for us to help them transition from FCS so that they could pretend to "fit" in our conference until they signed the paperwork and then complain from day 1 that they don't fit.
That is fiction. As I already pointed out, no FBS conference has more than 2 members near UMass. Especially in a football-only arrangement, there is therefore a negligible difference in travel between the MAC and playing anywhere else. We can nevertheless bemoan this needless state of affairs in northeast college sports without insulting the MAC. They had no role in creating this situation.
True....
The AAC would be the best fit for UMASS:
To start, add Delaware to the map for the MAC. Then in a couple years add two of Army, James Madison, and Stony Brook.
AAC - Uconn, MAC - Umass
AAC - Navy, MAC - Army
AAC - Temple, MAC - Delaware
AAC - Cincinnati, MAC - Miami
AAC - Memphis, MAC - Ohio
The AAC East and MAC East will be in direct competition in the same regions.
Now add James Madison or Stony Brook and then compare the rest of the MAC East vs AAC. Buffalo, Kent, Akron to 2 Florida schools.
Not to mention the MAC West is way closer to the Texas/Oklahoma-Centered AAC West.
The real question is if the MAC makes the right moves with Delaware and a few others and ESPN renegotiates the new TV at enough money, does Temple belong back in the MAC East with UConn football only with other sports in the Big East?
Lets face it, realignment at the top level is nearly done and will he at a stand still for the next 12 years until latest College Playoff contract expires and ACC GoR expires. There is only room for 64 in the elite 4 16-team conferences that will form in 12 years. Why wouldn't a UConn team that is now realizing they are left behind and will remain left behind wouldnt join the Big East to preserve their priority sport in a much better regional league, pocket $3 million, then pocket an additional $2 million playing football-only in the MAC. They would be making $3 million extra per year.
And don't discount that a much more stable MAC with UConn and Army and Grant of Rights couldn't make what the current Unstable AAC makes. Especially if we were taking one of your "Group A" teams and adding Army. We are already in very similar markets (see above). Even if the MAC only got $1.5 million, the extra $2.5 million per year that UConn would be making and them saving travel costs in the Big East and playing basketball in a much better conference with rivals would make the exit fee and jump worth it.
That lineup of UConn, UMass, Army, Buffalo, and Delaware would give the Northeast the lineup they pine for. Its called the MAC East.