(02-12-2014 10:13 PM)GaStPanthers Wrote:  

(02-12-2014 07:50 PM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  How long will it be before ESPN starts picking who is in conferences? I think it's closer than you think.

I wouldn't be surprised if they don't already. I mean much of the marquee non-conference games are already organized by them.

When the Big East/AAC break up occurred, weren't there rumors that Fox Sports was meeting with the Big East on how to select as there last one or two basketball members?

They effectively do. Most expansion moves are now being made based upon TV. It may not be ESPN per se making the choices---but its pretty darn close.

(02-12-2014 10:38 PM)CajunFanatico Wrote:  

(02-12-2014 09:05 PM)BRtransplant Wrote:  I do, however, understand completely how it feels to watch former conference mates leave for another conference. It is especially tough when those that leave are schools that you once considered to be your peers. I lived through it as I watched the WAC disintegrate around us before we were invited to join CUSA. I do not wish that feeling on anyone, not even UL-L.

You must have me confused with someone else as I don't give a rat's rear about who goes where. Again, in my humble opinion, there's hardly a hill of beans difference among the G-5 member conferences....the only one with a slight advantage, at this time, is the AAC.

And while I fully understand the challenges of trying to go it alone as an independent, I don't fear that either. If the Belt implodes tomorrow, so be it. Have a plan or get left behind.

Interestingly, there are a number of posters on this site who somehow believe there's something magical about being in XYZ conference. There's not. A sucky program will suck equally in the MAC, the MW, C-USA or the Sun Belt. It doesn't matter what the name of the G-5 conference is. My point all along, though obviously missed by touchy-feely-I-need-a-conference-to-feel-safe-and-secure kinda fans, is that those guiding the Cajun athletic program need to concentrate on what's best for the longterm future of the program, and quite listening to all the silly chatter about whose conference is the most 'prestigious'.

Do such things as increase athletic budgets, hire quality coaches and staff, constantly improve facilities, build local fan support, and WIN, and everything else will take care of itself in due time.

Until recently, the Cajun athletic program, football in particular, was about 30 years behind everyone else because the same university president who was there when I graduated from the university in 1976, who was never a strong supporter of athletics, only recently retired! Fortunately, the new president has a different view and is pushing to close the gap.

Our university, with almost 20,000 students, is very fortunate in that it's located in the heart of a unique part of the country, in the middle of one of the best football-player-producing states in the country, in a city that is the hub for the thriving U.S. offshore oil service industry and in the middle of a population center of 250,000 or more potential fans. There is tremendous potential and I honestly believe that those in charge know it, see it, and are doing all in their power to leverage what we have into something bigger and better.

Who, just 5 years ago, would have thought that we'd be where we are today? We've made incredible progress in a short period of time and as long as I see the kind of committment and progress that the football program has made over the last 3 years, you're not going to see me whining about or being envious of the lateral moves of our 'peers'.

Let 'em do what's best for them and we'll do what's best for us.

You guys are in the Sun Belt today. Five years ago, that's exactly where I thought UL-L would be today. If UL-L gets snubbed again in what will likely be the last round of realignment that's coming up this Spring, then the Sun Belt is likely where you guys will be in ANOTHER five years. Throwing insults at the MAC, CUSA, or your own conference mates doesn't change reality. As far as going for being the best that you can be, by all means go for it. That's what everybody should be doing every day.

(02-13-2014 03:38 AM)BRtransplant Wrote:  You guys are in the Sun Belt today. Five years ago, that's exactly where I thought UL-L would be today. If UL-L gets snubbed again in what will likely be the last round of realignment that's coming up this Spring, then the Sun Belt is likely where you guys will be in ANOTHER five years. Throwing insults at the MAC, CUSA, or your own conference mates doesn't change reality.

Honestly BR, your fascination with 'invites' and what conference your team is in totally eludes me. Trust me when I say this, your view of reality and mine are 180 degrees apart. But then, I shouldn't be surprised. For the aveage La Tech fan, and apparently its administration as well, it's all about perception versus actual results. It was that mindset....we're more prestigious and deserve better....that resulted in a group of seniors whose hard work had managed to get the university's football team ranked in the top 25, having to endure the embarrassment and humiliation of sitting at home while their peers played in bowl games.

I believe that the Cajun athletic program will continue to grow and improve and if the Cajuns find themselves in the Belt in 5 years, it'll likely be because it's a far superior football conference and that's where they want to be. I don't know, and you don't know either as C-USA's future is just as cloudy as the Belt's. If you believe otherwise, you're drinking too much C-oolaid.

Stop pushing this 12 team conference thing. We don't need to add teams just for the sake of adding teams. If JMU doesn't want to join, then let's just stay at 11. Hopefully Idaho leaves and NMSU joins in all sports so we can be at 10.

(02-13-2014 09:21 AM)gostAte870 Wrote:  Stop pushing this 12 team conference thing. We don't need to add teams just for the sake of adding teams. If JMU doesn't want to join, then let's just stay at 11. Hopefully Idaho leaves and NMSU joins in all sports so we can be at 10.

I'm not married to 12 for sure. If MoSt and JMU call, I'm for 13.

(02-13-2014 09:27 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(02-13-2014 09:21 AM)gostAte870 Wrote:  Stop pushing this 12 team conference thing. We don't need to add teams just for the sake of adding teams. If JMU doesn't want to join, then let's just stay at 11. Hopefully Idaho leaves and NMSU joins in all sports so we can be at 10.

I'm not married to 12 for sure. If MoSt and JMU call, I'm for 13.

There may be some big changes coming with regard to whether divisions will even be required to have a conference championship game. Though I have heard nothing about it, if legislation is passed allowing conferences to individually decide how they crown thier champs---12 may no longer be the magic number required to be eligible to put on a championship game. A CCG may become an option open to any conference that wishes to determine thier champion in that manner. At the very least, there is a very good chance that divisions as we know them and the round robin format that accompanies the current divisional structure could be going away.

(02-13-2014 07:41 AM)CajunFanatico Wrote:  

(02-13-2014 03:38 AM)BRtransplant Wrote:  You guys are in the Sun Belt today. Five years ago, that's exactly where I thought UL-L would be today. If UL-L gets snubbed again in what will likely be the last round of realignment that's coming up this Spring, then the Sun Belt is likely where you guys will be in ANOTHER five years. Throwing insults at the MAC, CUSA, or your own conference mates doesn't change reality.

Honestly BR, your fascination with 'invites' and what conference your team is in totally eludes me. Trust me when I say this, your view of reality and mine are 180 degrees apart. But then, I shouldn't be surprised. For the aveage La Tech fan, and apparently its administration as well, it's all about perception versus actual results. It was that mindset....we're more prestigious and deserve better....that resulted in a group of seniors whose hard work had managed to get the university's football team ranked in the top 25, having to endure the embarrassment and humiliation of sitting at home while their peers played in bowl games.

I believe that the Cajun athletic program will continue to grow and improve and if the Cajuns find themselves in the Belt in 5 years, it'll likely be because it's a far superior football conference and that's where they want to be. I don't know, and you don't know either as C-USA's future is just as cloudy as the Belt's. If you believe otherwise, you're drinking too much C-oolaid.

I've never been critical of the Sun Belt Conference. In fact, I think the Sun Belt did an excellent job with the additions it made when it needed to backfill after losing some members in the last round of realignment. Some of you guys at UL-L, on the other hand, have been highly critical of the Sun Belt. I understand that you want to take that next step, whatever that next step may be. We all do. I just don't think that constantly throwing insults at others gets you any respect from anyone. One other thing. I don't think the futures of CUSA or the Sun Belt are cloudy at all. I think it is crystal clear that the P-5 conferences have driven a wedge between themselves and EVERY G-5 conference, and that the separation between the two divisions will only get larger as the funding differences between us continues to grow.

(02-13-2014 06:46 PM)BRtransplant Wrote:  I've never been critical of the Sun Belt Conference. In fact, I think the Sun Belt did an excellent job with the additions it made when it needed to backfill after losing some members in the last round of realignment. Some of you guys at UL-L, on the other hand, have been highly critical of the Sun Belt. I understand that you want to take that next step, whatever that next step may be. We all do. I just don't think that constantly throwing insults at others gets you any respect from anyone. One other thing. I don't think the futures of CUSA or the Sun Belt are cloudy at all. I think it is crystal clear that the P-5 conferences have driven a wedge between themselves and EVERY G-5 conference, and that the separation between the two divisions will only get larger as the funding differences between us continues to grow.

But you have been critical of the Sun Belt, BR. Every time you make a snarky comment about being "stuck in the Belt" or "snubbed", or that other universities are "leap frogging" the Cajuns by joining C-USA, you're insulting both the conference and the school.

I've said all along that, with the exception of the currently-configured AAC, the G5's are roughly all equal when it comes to football. I stand by that statement and that's in no way insulting other conferences. I do however reserve the right to tell fans of other schools who look down their noses at the Belt, especially those who JUST LEFT the conference like FIU and the UNTs, where to get off.

As you've probably figured out, I'm in disagreement with most Cajun fans about the issue of realignment.....preferring to see us stay where we are than making a lateral move to C-USA. AppState, Georgia Southern and even Georgia State will all prove to be solid football programs in the Belt. They've done it before elsewhere and there's no reason they can't do it again as a member of the Belt. Those new adds should make for some exciting and attention-grabbing games. I'd like to see us be part of that until something MUCH BETTER finally comes along.

In the end, you and I are probably agree on more than we disagree.

(02-13-2014 07:49 PM)CajunFanatico Wrote:  

(02-13-2014 06:46 PM)BRtransplant Wrote:  I've never been critical of the Sun Belt Conference. In fact, I think the Sun Belt did an excellent job with the additions it made when it needed to backfill after losing some members in the last round of realignment. Some of you guys at UL-L, on the other hand, have been highly critical of the Sun Belt. I understand that you want to take that next step, whatever that next step may be. We all do. I just don't think that constantly throwing insults at others gets you any respect from anyone. One other thing. I don't think the futures of CUSA or the Sun Belt are cloudy at all. I think it is crystal clear that the P-5 conferences have driven a wedge between themselves and EVERY G-5 conference, and that the separation between the two divisions will only get larger as the funding differences between us continues to grow.

But you have been critical of the Sun Belt, BR. Every time you make a snarky comment about being "stuck in the Belt" or "snubbed", or that other universities are "leap frogging" the Cajuns by joining C-USA, you're insulting both the conference and the school.

I've said all along that, with the exception of the currently-configured AAC, the G5's are roughly all equal when it comes to football. I stand by that statement and that's in no way insulting other conferences. I do however reserve the right to tell fans of other schools who look down their noses at the Belt, especially those who JUST LEFT the conference like FIU and the UNTs, where to get off.

As you've probably figured out, I'm in disagreement with most Cajun fans about the issue of realignment.....preferring to see us stay where we are than making a lateral move to C-USA. AppState, Georgia Southern and even Georgia State will all prove to be solid football programs in the Belt. They've done it before elsewhere and there's no reason they can't do it again as a member of the Belt. Those new adds should make for some exciting and attention-grabbing games. I'd like to see us be part of that until something MUCH BETTER finally comes along.

In the end, you and I are probably agree on more than we disagree.

You are right. Saying those things was disrespectful of the entire Sun Belt Conference. I will never do it again. Cheers to you as well.