(09-13-2014 08:26 PM)lazyeyep22 Wrote:  "Area Man Whines about Conference Affiliation"

mc

Yeah, I agree. Just wished we had another home is all.

(09-13-2014 10:18 PM)Cataclysmo Wrote:  

(09-13-2014 10:09 PM)eastside cat Wrote:  I am not even sure what that is supposed to mean. What a good conference means is more money, better recruiting, nothing to do with taking pride. That's what I meant. And be honest, are you happy with the schedule....Tulane, Tulsa, Blah, Blah and Blah blah.

(09-13-2014 08:15 PM)Cataclysmo Wrote:  I dont care anymore. Im just gonna root for UC no matter who we play and be happy. Taking pride in a conference is really something that only Kentucky fans do

Nope. Id love to be in a better conference. But I dont care anynore. Ill let Bohn and Ono worry about that while I enjoy the Bearcats

(09-14-2014 10:54 AM)mac6115cd Wrote:  Remember, the highest ranked G5 school goes to the Access Bowl. That should be our goal every year until something better comes along.

I expect to see ECU and UCF to continue to be very good competition. And Memphis, Temple and USF are headed in the right direction.

No conference is, top to bottom, great - they all have losers. As long as UC continues to win and these 5 teams improve, we'll get the Access Bowl bid over any other conference champion.

It's too early to say that USF is headed in the right direction. They are better than they were a year ago, but that's more about how bad they were last year than how good they are this year. By the law of averages they would be better. I need to see a bit more from them before I can safely say they are heading the right way.

At the risk of complaining about the conference...

This [The American] Conference is not just "average" with a couple of really good teams, a wide middle, and a couple of really bad teams... I'll break it down, from bottom-to-top:

REALLY, really bad teams:
11) SMU-- (already lost their coach, got badly shut-out in their first two games, probably in the WORST 5 FBS teams)
10,9,8) UConn, USF, Tulsa-- Hard to separate these three teams, from week-to-week they may jostle around their order but all three have serious, serious issues.

BAD/weak teams:
7) Houston (being optimistic here...)
6) Tulane

Open Question, but MIGHT be decent:
5) Temple
4) Memphis

Decent/Strong
3) UCF

Top-Flite:
2) UC
1) ECU

The trouble with the AAC is that "Cellar" is deep and really bad. Fully half of the programs in this conference are some sort of BAD, and a full quarter of them stink. Of the remaining half, two programs have potential but historically struggle. Of the remaining three, one (UCF) looks to be dangerous but perhaps not lethal, another (UC) has only played one game and so we still don't have a good idea of what's really going on, and the other (ECU) already has a loss on their record...albeit to a highly ranked South Carolina team.

Again, this is just an observation. But as a CFB fan, I don't see much in the AAC to be optimistic about in terms of quality across the conference.

Houston is going to be fine. UCF played in Ireland and and then at Mizzou, not easy.

(09-14-2014 08:51 PM)SuperFlyBCat Wrote:  Houston is going to be fine. UCF played in Ireland and and then at Mizzou, not easy.

What exactly is going on in Houston isn't exactly clear. On paper, they have enough talent to do well, but they are not executing at all. Will they be "fine"? I just don't know, time will tell, but it feels to me like it could honestly go either way (meaning they could improve or they could fall off the cliff entirely).

I think UCF is in a slight rebuilding mode. George O'Leary's teams seem to do this- they vacillate between being really good one year, then they take a major step back for a season and start over again. I think they are dangerous, there are not many games they won't be "in," I just don't know that they are lethal as they were the past couple of seasons. But if you ever sleep on UCF, you're asking to get beat.

For UCF I am sure the hill is pretty steep when you have to replace a first round QB draft pick.

(09-14-2014 08:01 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  At the risk of complaining about the conference...

This [The American] Conference is not just "average" with a couple of really good teams, a wide middle, and a couple of really bad teams... I'll break it down, from bottom-to-top:

REALLY, really bad teams:
11) SMU-- (already lost their coach, got badly shut-out in their first two games, probably in the WORST 5 FBS teams)
10,9,8) UConn, USF, Tulsa-- Hard to separate these three teams, from week-to-week they may jostle around their order but all three have serious, serious issues.

BAD/weak teams:
7) Houston (being optimistic here...)
6) Tulane

Open Question, but MIGHT be decent:
5) Temple
4) Memphis

Decent/Strong
3) UCF

Top-Flite:
2) UC
1) ECU

The trouble with the AAC is that "Cellar" is deep and really bad. Fully half of the programs in this conference are some sort of BAD, and a full quarter of them stink. Of the remaining half, two programs have potential but historically struggle. Of the remaining three, one (UCF) looks to be dangerous but perhaps not lethal, another (UC) has only played one game and so we still don't have a good idea of what's really going on, and the other (ECU) already has a loss on their record...albeit to a highly ranked South Carolina team.

Again, this is just an observation. But as a CFB fan, I don't see much in the AAC to be optimistic about in terms of quality across the conference.

Nice summary Jerry. I do think it is hilarious to see this thread, and another endorsing that the AAC replace the Big Ten as a P-5 league, on this board, at the same time

^^ That gave me a chuckle as well. The real solution is relegation like we see in soccer leagues overseas. Schools like UC and UCF would be in and schools like Kansas and Purdue would be out. Of course, that would never happen.

(09-15-2014 07:33 AM)Bearcat Otto Wrote:  For UCF I am sure the hill is pretty steep when you have to replace a first round QB draft pick.

And Storm Johnson

yeah that is kind of funny. Still, I love this board. some funny stuff. Another funny is ECU fans on main board are already champions in their own minds.

(09-15-2014 07:59 AM)BJUnklFkr Wrote:  

(09-14-2014 08:01 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  At the risk of complaining about the conference...

This [The American] Conference is not just "average" with a couple of really good teams, a wide middle, and a couple of really bad teams... I'll break it down, from bottom-to-top:

REALLY, really bad teams:
11) SMU-- (already lost their coach, got badly shut-out in their first two games, probably in the WORST 5 FBS teams)
10,9,8) UConn, USF, Tulsa-- Hard to separate these three teams, from week-to-week they may jostle around their order but all three have serious, serious issues.

BAD/weak teams:
7) Houston (being optimistic here...)
6) Tulane

Open Question, but MIGHT be decent:
5) Temple
4) Memphis

Decent/Strong
3) UCF

Top-Flite:
2) UC
1) ECU

The trouble with the AAC is that "Cellar" is deep and really bad. Fully half of the programs in this conference are some sort of BAD, and a full quarter of them stink. Of the remaining half, two programs have potential but historically struggle. Of the remaining three, one (UCF) looks to be dangerous but perhaps not lethal, another (UC) has only played one game and so we still don't have a good idea of what's really going on, and the other (ECU) already has a loss on their record...albeit to a highly ranked South Carolina team.

Again, this is just an observation. But as a CFB fan, I don't see much in the AAC to be optimistic about in terms of quality across the conference.

Nice summary Jerry. I do think it is hilarious to see this thread, and another endorsing that the AAC replace the Big Ten as a P-5 league, on this board, at the same time

(09-14-2014 09:05 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  

(09-14-2014 08:51 PM)SuperFlyBCat Wrote:  Houston is going to be fine. UCF played in Ireland and and then at Mizzou, not easy.

What exactly is going on in Houston isn't exactly clear. On paper, they have enough talent to do well, but they are not executing at all. Will they be "fine"? I just don't know, time will tell, but it feels to me like it could honestly go either way (meaning they could improve or they could fall off the cliff entirely).

I think UCF is in a slight rebuilding mode. George O'Leary's teams seem to do this- they vacillate between being really good one year, then they take a major step back for a season and start over again. I think they are dangerous, there are not many games they won't be "in," I just don't know that they are lethal as they were the past couple of seasons. But if you ever sleep on UCF, you're asking to get beat.

Houston was a turnover machine in game 1 and UTSA has athletes. The BYU game was competitive. I remember the 2006 UC team sitting at 1-3 hosting Akron, and losing at Nippert 14-0. Akron is on the move, has the ball around the UC 25 yard line, we stop them on 4th down and dominate the rest of game. UC then upset Rutgers beat UConn to be bowl eligible.

Teams can improve and play better. Game 1 for Houston might not reflect how good they are week 5. BYU @ UCF might be interesting.

(09-15-2014 11:06 AM)SuperFlyBCat Wrote:  Teams can improve and play better. Game 1 for Houston might not reflect how good they are week 5. BYU @ UCF might be interesting.

I quite agree... The question is whether Houston will take that route or whether they will "quit." My (admittedly outsider) take is that either case could happen. And judging from some UH fans, there is a lack of confidence among UH fans that Levine can/will be able to turn the corner and start significant improvement. Again, time will tell.

Times like this seem to be crucial to a Head Coach's development. There seems to be two basic routes that HC's come out of a time like this. Route 1 is that the HC perseveres, adjusts, wins the players over, and goes onto big things...either in the current season or in seasons to come. Route 2 is that the HC loses the confidence of the players, then the fans, and then the administration and their shot at the HC ranks is gone, often permanently. (Coaches like Steve Kragthorpe come to mind...) We'll see what camp and route Tony Levine falls into.

But, let's for the sake of peace and agreement agree that Houston is better than I give them credit for and move them up into the "Open Question/***Might*** be decent" rank with Temple and Memphis.

Superfly, the 2006 team had already played OSU and VT, in those three losses. I think the other loss had been to Wanny's underacheiving Pitt team.

Anyway, big difference losing to OSU/VT and Texas-wherever. I see your general point though.

Not trying to troll the thread, but in size of demographic Toledo and Buffalo make sense for the AAC. Not saying we are great in all sports. Maybe just football....and Buffalo hasn't been very good, but I certainly think they wouldn't be last and Toledo would still compete.

I think the only teams I'd be scared of are ECU and Cincy. NIU is in a rinky dink town and have no other pluses outside of football but they could win a league like the AAC every once in a while. I'm in agreement that the AAC needs to pick it up. Temple is in Philly so there is that draw, but they never beat a MAC team with a .500 or better record in their last stint in the MAC. Something like 0-16. Never did better than 5-3 in conference. This AAC kind of Lateralized all of the G5's giving each conference a few good teams, with a lot of bad teams.

Don't fear though. UC still carries a better name than most g5's.

(09-19-2014 08:30 AM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  Not trying to troll the thread, but in size of demographic Toledo and Buffalo make sense for the AAC. Not saying we are great in all sports. Maybe just football....and Buffalo hasn't been very good, but I certainly think they wouldn't be last and Toledo would still compete.

I think the only teams I'd be scared of are ECU and Cincy. NIU is in a rinky dink town and have no other pluses outside of football but they could win a league like the AAC every once in a while. I'm in agreement that the AAC needs to pick it up. Temple is in Philly so there is that draw, but they never beat a MAC team with a .500 or better record in their last stint in the MAC. Something like 0-16. Never did better than 5-3 in conference. This AAC kind of Lateralized all of the G5's giving each conference a few good teams, with a lot of bad teams.

Don't fear though. UC still carries a better name than most g5's.

Toledo football has been very good of late and I think Cincy fans respect the program. I'll be surprised if the AAC expands in the near term though. I think the conference is still struggling to find or build an identity. The AAC, born out of a crisis, may not have the right mix of schools yet. Navy will add academic prestige and a unique national following and their football has been very competitive at times.

My guess is, most UC fans haven't even given AAC expansion a minute of attention. Our focus is on winning the conference consistently, creating separation from the pack and getting the P5 invitation which I believe will happen in the next couple of years.

As it pertains to expansion, I would think Toledo or another MAC team should be rooting for us to get an invite. I think if UC left the AAC, it would be a slam dunk to try to backfill with an Ohio MAC team. Maybe Toledo. Maybe Ohio. Something like that.

I doubt we will ever be in it at the same time though for various reasons.

(09-19-2014 08:30 AM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  Not trying to troll the thread, but in size of demographic Toledo and Buffalo make sense for the AAC. Not saying we are great in all sports. Maybe just football....and Buffalo hasn't been very good, but I certainly think they wouldn't be last and Toledo would still compete.

I think the only teams I'd be scared of are ECU and Cincy. NIU is in a rinky dink town and have no other pluses outside of football but they could win a league like the AAC every once in a while. I'm in agreement that the AAC needs to pick it up. Temple is in Philly so there is that draw, but they never beat a MAC team with a .500 or better record in their last stint in the MAC. Something like 0-16. Never did better than 5-3 in conference. This AAC kind of Lateralized all of the G5's giving each conference a few good teams, with a lot of bad teams.

Don't fear though. UC still carries a better name than most g5's.

I agree that Toledo belongs in the AAC. You are welcome to our slot as soon as we head to the ACC or B12.

I have consistently said that if the AAC expanded, I think Toledo makes great sense for UC's self-interest. (Assuming UC is part of that equation) A natural, geographic rival, good school...

Buffalo? Meh...

(09-19-2014 11:08 AM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  I have consistently said that if the AAC expanded, I think Toledo makes great sense for UC's self-interest. (Assuming UC is part of that equation) A natural, geographic rival, good school...

Buffalo? Meh...

Good post, Toledo. If Toledo came into a conference like the AAC, they'd enjoy a nice spike in attendance (which is already decent) and would be able to compete immediately. Buffalo has strong academic chops, but really brings little else.