(08-12-2014 10:02 AM)_C2_ Wrote:  

(08-12-2014 07:14 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  No, because UCF success makes it less likely that USF will succeed. They are in our backyards.

Maybe it might make some sense for me to hope Houston or UConn does well because they aren't, but .... no, that doesn't work, since we are all positioning ourselves for P5 invites.

Sorry, but I see only downside to rivals like UCF succeeding. In every way - media attention, recruiting, standing among P5 - it hurts us. Plus, I just don't like them. I hope they go 0-13 this year.

Again, if all schools win all their non-conference games and then half the conference dominates the other half (and thus becomes ranked) AND on top of that USF goes undefeated and makes the playoffs, wouldn't that be a better scenario than what you're hoping for? The conference USF would be dominating would look great so the naysayers can't say they beat nobody and USF would be the leading candidate to be picked up by the P5 since it was flawless in the said conference.

My goal is to get USF in a P5 conference and I think P5 chances depend on the brand value of a school. So that means creating as big as possible of a "positive brand value" gap between USF and other competing G5 schools. Sure, there are scenarios in which that gap is maximized by having another AAC school or schools win a game or games rather than lose them. But for that to happen, chips have to fall perfectly. Odds are, if other AAC schools are winning all their OOC games and becoming ranked, USF isn't going to be able to sweep them. That's just reality. I mean, sure, if USF goes 13-0 and wins a BCS-Access Bowl five straight years, we're probably going to get a P5 invite no matter what our conference mates do, but come on.

Realistically therefore, I think our best chance to shine is for others in our conference to fail. We will do the best we can to succeed.

Because SEC fans are still pissed about losing the war

At Georgia Southern, I NEVER pulled for a conference member in the FCS other than a few times in the playoffs. Now that we are in the SBC and the conference ranking in the G5 has a direct impact on my school's athletic finances I will always pull for the SBC out of conference, even our rivals.

(08-12-2014 02:20 PM)tnzazz Wrote:  

(08-12-2014 10:32 AM)stxrunner Wrote:  

(08-12-2014 07:17 AM)TerryD Wrote:  I am curious how a school can have "conference pride" while changing conferences every so often?

As a fan of a school that has searched its entire existence for a conference identity, I can tell you that I have no conference pride. I only root for other teams in the conference because it will help my alma mater's perception. So its still a self-serving interest in the end.

Yep. I root for Memphis at all costs, but I've seen how being a big fish in a small pond (Memphis basketball in CUSA) only brought us down. I pull for the AAC to win all OOC games and be competitive in conference.

I think that in basketball it's better to be a Big Fish in a small pond, but in football it's better to be in a big pond.

Being a big fish in a small pond did wonders for UC basketball. We got a lot more attention for basketball in C-USA than in the Metro or the Big East. And Memphis was always in the shadow of Cincy, Louisville, and Marquette before 2005, but when they were the Big Fish they got to the Final Four. I think Butler will soon find out the same thing - the Horizon was wonderful for them but life will be tough if they end up as Big East bottom feeders (which is where it looks like they're heading).

I think it's because in football the postseason is less important. Also there's a 4 week break between the end of the season and the bowl games.

But in basketball you play 3 conference games a week for two months, then a conference tourney with 3-4 games in 5 days. In a good conference that beats your team up, but if you're a Big Fish in a bad conference that's a lot of practice sessions. Then good conferences only have 3-4 days off before the NCAA tourney, while lower conferences have 5-10 days off.

(08-12-2014 10:32 AM)stxrunner Wrote:  

(08-12-2014 07:17 AM)TerryD Wrote:  I am curious how a school can have "conference pride" while changing conferences every so often?

As a fan of a school that has searched its entire existence for a conference identity, I can tell you that I have no conference pride. I only root for other teams in the conference because it will help my alma mater's perception. So its still a self-serving interest in the end.

This.

But oddly enough, I have a lot of pride in my high school conference (which I shared with you, Mr. St. X. runner). This is because it was built on a shared identity (in that case, a Catholic identity).

Pride in your school's athletic achievements is based on your identity with that school's ideals, so it makes some sense to root for conference mates if those other schools share those ideals and have a shared history.