(09-26-2013 01:33 PM)CommuterBob Wrote:  

(09-26-2013 12:46 PM)CougarRed Wrote:  

(09-26-2013 11:12 AM)stever20 Wrote:  in a word, why for CUSA? Makes no sense at all on their side. That's 15 then? Surely they won't have an odd number.

As I predicted in my "Aresco is Talking 14 Again" post a couple of weeks ago:

Air Force and Army to American
UTEP to MWC
C-USA backfills

My concern there is AFA. I don't think they leave their closest geographic rivals (CSU, Wyo, UNM) and would have to move their other sports out of the MWC just be in the same conference as Navy. I think it could be much more likely that Arkansas St. joins JMU in CUSA and CUSA goes to 16.

Right now they are fine if Division IV happens. In that scenario, they are probably in the WAC and in the same boat as Army and Navy, without a Division IV all sports home.

(09-26-2013 12:38 PM)Miami (Oh) Yeah ! Wrote:  

(09-26-2013 11:41 AM)Tallgrass Wrote:  Over on the Sun Belt Board, a "knowledgeable" poster who claims to have talked to JMU athletic administrators, states that JMU along with Delaware are being considered for the MAC. And JMU is being considered by CUSA.

Link?

Think he means this:

http://csnbbs.com/showthread.php?tid=651199

(09-26-2013 01:33 PM)CommuterBob Wrote:  I think it could be much more likely that Arkansas St. joins JMU in CUSA and CUSA goes to 16.

Maybe. But Banowsky has never expanded proactively. All his expansion has been reactive to replace defecting schools teams:

To the initial round of 2003 defectors, he added Rice, Marshall, UCF, SMU and Tulsa. When TCU later decided to leave, he added UTEP. When Houston, SMU, Memphis and UCF left, he decided to go to 14 and added La Tech, FIU, Charlotte, UTSA, North Texas and Old Dominion. When East Carolina, Tulsa & Tulane left, he added MTSU, FAU and Western Ky.

Their pie is small enough as it is. I don't think their schools believe JMU (or Arkansas St or Delaware) will increase the size of the pie.

(09-26-2013 01:38 PM)stever20 Wrote:  

(09-26-2013 01:33 PM)CommuterBob Wrote:  

(09-26-2013 12:46 PM)CougarRed Wrote:  

(09-26-2013 11:12 AM)stever20 Wrote:  in a word, why for CUSA? Makes no sense at all on their side. That's 15 then? Surely they won't have an odd number.

As I predicted in my "Aresco is Talking 14 Again" post a couple of weeks ago:

Air Force and Army to American
UTEP to MWC
C-USA backfills

My concern there is AFA. I don't think they leave their closest geographic rivals (CSU, Wyo, UNM) and would have to move their other sports out of the MWC just be in the same conference as Navy. I think it could be much more likely that Arkansas St. joins JMU in CUSA and CUSA goes to 16.

Don't see CUSA going to 16. Think it's UTEP leaving or someone on the CUSA board from WKY was mentioning they might not leave the Sun Belt...

I seriously doubt WKU balks at going into CUSA.

(09-26-2013 11:41 AM)stever20 Wrote:  If BYU leaves, there is really 1 interesting team out west then. Gonzaga. I wonder if you could see the MWC pick up UTEP, BYU all sports, Gonzaga non football(to complement with Hawaii). 14 teams.

No. Those who choose to ignore history are doomed to repeat it (see Big East). Why does eveyrone insist on trying to merge the interests of basketball only programs with those that sponsor all sports including FBS football? They are completetly different and not mutually compatible (again, see Big East).

The MWC does not need Gonzaga to be relevant in the new world.

(09-26-2013 02:09 PM)LSUtah Wrote:  The MWC does not need Gonzaga to be relevant in the new world.

Correct. The MWC had 5 teams in the NCAA tournament last year, and 4 of them were seeded #8 or better.

(09-26-2013 01:33 PM)CommuterBob Wrote:  

(09-26-2013 12:46 PM)CougarRed Wrote:  

(09-26-2013 11:12 AM)stever20 Wrote:  in a word, why for CUSA? Makes no sense at all on their side. That's 15 then? Surely they won't have an odd number.

As I predicted in my "Aresco is Talking 14 Again" post a couple of weeks ago:

Air Force and Army to American
UTEP to MWC
C-USA backfills

My concern there is AFA. I don't think they leave their closest geographic rivals (CSU, Wyo, UNM) and would have to move their other sports out of the MWC just be in the same conference as Navy. I think it could be much more likely that Arkansas St. joins JMU in CUSA and CUSA goes to 16.

if CUSA had a 100 team expansion list...Arkansas State would be 101 on that list. its a fact we at ASU have been working to accept.

If we get out of the SBC...it will be to another league.

(09-26-2013 02:06 PM)CougarRed Wrote:  

(09-26-2013 01:33 PM)CommuterBob Wrote:  I think it could be much more likely that Arkansas St. joins JMU in CUSA and CUSA goes to 16.

Maybe. But Banowsky has never expanded proactively. All his expansion has been reactive to replace defecting schools teams:

To the initial round of 2003 defectors, he added Rice, Marshall, UCF, SMU and Tulsa. When TCU later decided to leave, he added UTEP. When Houston, SMU, Memphis and UCF left, he decided to go to 14 and added La Tech, FIU, Charlotte, UTSA, North Texas and Old Dominion. When East Carolina, Tulsa & Tulane left, he added MTSU, FAU and Western Ky.

Their pie is small enough as it is. I don't think their schools believe JMU (or Arkansas St or Delaware) will increase the size of the pie.

I'd say going to 14 was pretty damn proactive - especially the part where they got FAU and MTSU in a year earlier than originally announced. Banowsky is not as poor a commissioner as you might think. He's pretty sly.

(09-26-2013 02:26 PM)CommuterBob Wrote:  

(09-26-2013 02:06 PM)CougarRed Wrote:  

(09-26-2013 01:33 PM)CommuterBob Wrote:  I think it could be much more likely that Arkansas St. joins JMU in CUSA and CUSA goes to 16.

Maybe. But Banowsky has never expanded proactively. All his expansion has been reactive to replace defecting schools teams:

To the initial round of 2003 defectors, he added Rice, Marshall, UCF, SMU and Tulsa. When TCU later decided to leave, he added UTEP. When Houston, SMU, Memphis and UCF left, he decided to go to 14 and added La Tech, FIU, Charlotte, UTSA, North Texas and Old Dominion. When East Carolina, Tulsa & Tulane left, he added MTSU, FAU and Western Ky.

Their pie is small enough as it is. I don't think their schools believe JMU (or Arkansas St or Delaware) will increase the size of the pie.

I'd say going to 14 was pretty damn proactive - especially the part where they got FAU and MTSU in a year earlier than originally announced. Banowsky is not as poor a commissioner as you might think. He's pretty sly.

Adding FAU and MTSU? CUSA would be better off if they hadn't pulled the trigger on that move and stayed with 12 schools for the long run. Sometimes less is more.

(09-26-2013 02:26 PM)CommuterBob Wrote:  

(09-26-2013 02:06 PM)CougarRed Wrote:  

(09-26-2013 01:33 PM)CommuterBob Wrote:  I think it could be much more likely that Arkansas St. joins JMU in CUSA and CUSA goes to 16.

Maybe. But Banowsky has never expanded proactively. All his expansion has been reactive to replace defecting schools teams:

To the initial round of 2003 defectors, he added Rice, Marshall, UCF, SMU and Tulsa. When TCU later decided to leave, he added UTEP. When Houston, SMU, Memphis and UCF left, he decided to go to 14 and added La Tech, FIU, Charlotte, UTSA, North Texas and Old Dominion. When East Carolina, Tulsa & Tulane left, he added MTSU, FAU and Western Ky.

Their pie is small enough as it is. I don't think their schools believe JMU (or Arkansas St or Delaware) will increase the size of the pie.

I'd say going to 14 was pretty damn proactive - especially the part where they got FAU and MTSU in a year earlier than originally announced. Banowsky is not as poor a commissioner as you might think. He's pretty sly.

There was mutual interest between the SBC, CUSA, and both schools for MTSU and FAU to leave early. By that point realignment was in full swing and we wanted to get our outgoing teams all out at the same time. Once it was clear SBC teams could fill schedules out, it was an easy move.

(09-26-2013 02:24 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(09-26-2013 01:33 PM)CommuterBob Wrote:  

(09-26-2013 12:46 PM)CougarRed Wrote:  

(09-26-2013 11:12 AM)stever20 Wrote:  in a word, why for CUSA? Makes no sense at all on their side. That's 15 then? Surely they won't have an odd number.

As I predicted in my "Aresco is Talking 14 Again" post a couple of weeks ago:

Air Force and Army to American
UTEP to MWC
C-USA backfills

My concern there is AFA. I don't think they leave their closest geographic rivals (CSU, Wyo, UNM) and would have to move their other sports out of the MWC just be in the same conference as Navy. I think it could be much more likely that Arkansas St. joins JMU in CUSA and CUSA goes to 16.

if CUSA had a 100 team expansion list...Arkansas State would be 101 on that list. its a fact we at ASU have been working to accept.

If we get out of the SBC...it will be to another league.

You speak the truth. The Sunbelt could be a very solid conference if they can show some solidarity and keep the best regional/low ranked national universities in the South. Adding schools like Missouri State, Murray State, and/or UT-Chattanooga would be peer institutions to solid adds.

(09-26-2013 02:39 PM)bigblueblindness Wrote:  

(09-26-2013 02:24 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(09-26-2013 01:33 PM)CommuterBob Wrote:  

(09-26-2013 12:46 PM)CougarRed Wrote:  

(09-26-2013 11:12 AM)stever20 Wrote:  in a word, why for CUSA? Makes no sense at all on their side. That's 15 then? Surely they won't have an odd number.

As I predicted in my "Aresco is Talking 14 Again" post a couple of weeks ago:

Air Force and Army to American
UTEP to MWC
C-USA backfills

My concern there is AFA. I don't think they leave their closest geographic rivals (CSU, Wyo, UNM) and would have to move their other sports out of the MWC just be in the same conference as Navy. I think it could be much more likely that Arkansas St. joins JMU in CUSA and CUSA goes to 16.

if CUSA had a 100 team expansion list...Arkansas State would be 101 on that list. its a fact we at ASU have been working to accept.

If we get out of the SBC...it will be to another league.

You speak the truth. The Sunbelt could be a very solid conference if they can show some solidarity and keep the best regional/low ranked national universities in the South. Adding schools like Missouri State, Murray State, and/or UT-Chattanooga would be peer institutions to solid adds.

That has sort of been the way the SBC has been looking to expand. We've spent a lot of time calling regional FCS schools that are strong teams, but don't carry a market and checking if they are willing to expand.

I still think that at some point CUSA will break apart, and that will lead to a lot of restructuring on geographic lines for both leagues.

Either that, or Wood Selig will be named next CUSA Commissioner, because Bankowsky seems to listen to him for reasons that no one understands entirely.

I don't know if I buy JMU to CUSA. CUSA normally likes to go the 1 state 1 school route unless they are considering a highly populated state like Texas or Florida.

If they were to double up in a state, I think Louisiana would be the way to go because they would be a great rival for LaTech and USM, reducing travel cost for both. Louisiana is supposed to be expanding to 45,000 seats if I am correct and that screams CUSA material.

One thing to clarify here.....the original backfill for CUSA after losing schools was UTSA, LaTech, UNT and FIU. Charlotte and ODU came later after ECU complained about wanting more additions in the East. Then ECU left and MTSU and FAU were brought in. Finally WKU was added to replace Tulsa.

What does this history tell you? It says that CUSA would consider 16 if they think it could help the alignment of the conference. I just think with the alignment problem more in the west for Southern Miss the way to go here is Louisiana and ASU, both which have solid established programs that have been around for a while at the FBS level. That would help to revive CUSA's FB strength faster than adding a struggling FCS upstart like JMU (James Madision has fallen off from where they were 4-5 years ago).

(09-26-2013 03:02 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  I don't know if I buy JMU to CUSA. CUSA normally likes to go the 1 state 1 school route unless they are considering a highly populated state like Texas or Florida.

If they were to double up in a state, I think Louisiana would be the way to go because they would be a great rival for LaTech and USM, reducing travel cost for both. Louisiana is supposed to be expanding to 45,000 seats if I am correct and that screams CUSA material.

One thing to clarify here.....the original backfill for CUSA after losing schools was UTSA, LaTech, UNT and FIU. Charlotte and ODU came later after ECU complained about wanting more additions in the East. Then ECU left and MTSU and FAU were brought in. Finally WKU was added to replace Tulsa.

What does this history tell you? It says that CUSA would consider 16 if they think it could help the alignment of the conference. I just think with the alignment problem more in the west for Southern Miss the way to go here is Louisiana and ASU, both which have solid established programs that have been around for a while at the FBS level. That would help to revive CUSA's FB strength faster than adding a struggling FCS upstart like JMU (James Madision has fallen off from where they were 4-5 years ago).

Wood Selig wants James Madison. Apparently what Wood Selig wants...Wood Selig gets.

(09-26-2013 03:02 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  I don't know if I buy JMU to CUSA. CUSA normally likes to go the 1 state 1 school route unless they are considering a highly populated state like Texas or Florida.

If they were to double up in a state, I think Louisiana would be the way to go because they would be a great rival for LaTech and USM, reducing travel cost for both. Louisiana is supposed to be expanding to 45,000 seats if I am correct and that screams CUSA material.

One thing to clarify here.....the original backfill for CUSA after losing schools was UTSA, LaTech, UNT and FIU. Charlotte and ODU came later after ECU complained about wanting more additions in the East. Then ECU left and MTSU and FAU were brought in. Finally WKU was added to replace Tulsa.

What does this history tell you? It says that CUSA would consider 16 if they think it could help the alignment of the conference. I just think with the alignment problem more in the west for Southern Miss the way to go here is Louisiana and ASU, both which have solid established programs that have been around for a while at the FBS level. That would help to revive CUSA's FB strength faster than adding a struggling FCS upstart like JMU (James Madision has fallen off from where they were 4-5 years ago).

Well, 4-5 years ago we were #1 in the nation, so yes, we have fallen off some.

We're currently #14 with a playoff appearance in 2011.

(09-26-2013 11:12 AM)stever20 Wrote:  in a word, why for CUSA? Makes no sense at all on their side. That's 15 then? Surely they won't have an odd number.

Because JMU would be a financial heavyweight in CUSA along with ODU. I agree that 15 doesn't make sense but with many of the hypothesized theories on this thread, CUSA might lose a school.

Or with the new restructuring of the top division, maybe they'll allow for 4 divisions and conference semi-final games leading to the conference championship game. That would make 16 teams manageable.

Reports that JMU will join Conference USA appear false:
http://hamptonroads.com/2013/09/reports-...r-be-false

(09-26-2013 04:29 PM)monarchman Wrote:  Reports that JMU will join Conference USA appear false:
http://hamptonroads.com/2013/09/reports-...r-be-false

Hmmm


I could buy it being debunked but I could be cynical and say ODU would not want JMU to be cutting into their slice of the pie.

(09-26-2013 02:24 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  if CUSA had a 100 team expansion list...Arkansas State would be 101 on that list. its a fact we at ASU have been working to accept.

If we get out of the SBC...it will be to another league.

haha, Arkansas State is like ECU... The Big East did finally get to calling on #101 though..

(09-26-2013 02:19 PM)Wedge Wrote:  The MWC had 5 teams in the NCAA tournament last year, and 4 of them were seeded #8 or better.

Too bad they had such a poor showing and looked way overrated once they actually took to the court...

#3 New Mexico - booted in first round by an Ivy league squad
#5 UNLV - lost their opener to the Cal
#7 San Diego State - steamrolled by a cinderella
#8 Colorado State - blown out by almost 30 in the round of 32
#13 Boise - beat down in the play-in game