Posted this article on the Sun Belt's expansion plan on the JMU board.

Quote:Sun Belt commissioner, Karl Benson, announced the Sun Belt will expand following this weekend's FCS match-up between James Madison University and the University of Albany in a winner take all scenario. "The Sun Belt has been looking at JMU as a possible expansion candidate for some time. Just recently, the virtues of the Albany football program have come to light after their hot start to the 2014 campaign." Albany currently sits at 4-0. "Once the Sun Belt presidents and athletic directors began comparing the two programs the similarities were striking. Both have school colors of purple and gold, which are ideal for football, and large breed dog mascots. Both schools are situated in medium-sized media markets located in the country side. However, the Sun Belt fully anticipates Albany and JMU will deliver us the NYC or DC Metro TV markets, respectively, by virtue of their latent alumni bases."

When asked if he was concerned about Albany's financial commitment to FBS level football, Benson responded, "We've had assurances from the Albany AD that they will be dropping non-revenue sports like the plague and doubling their student fees to bring about a marginal improvement in their football product, similar to the steps taken by JMU. So, there should be no separation between the two programs there." Asked if he had any concerns regarding Albany's relative lack of on-field success, Benson smiled and replied, "You do realize Georgia State is in our conference now right?"

This is the first time conference expansion will be determined directly by on field results. "Were excited" exclaimed Benson, "This is the American way, were going to break this tie on the field. We're happy to take either program, but unfortunately only have room for one."

While the JMU Dukes are generally considered to be way too good for FCS football based on their 2004 National Title run, the Danes are a 7 point favorite heading into Saturday's contest.

Asked why the Sun Belt wouldn't be interested in taking Stony Brook University, a large state school with considerable resources that is actually located inside a major media market and a team that beat JMU in their first ever meeting last year, Benson replied, "we are only interested in pure-bred dog mascots and not sea-wolf amphibious hybrids during this round of expansion."

That's too well-written to be a product of the Sun Belt. On an upside, it employs more logic than the SB offered when they brought in GA State, so...

#RisingTribe

Just went to the JMU forum to read their responses. You hit a nerve. LOL

Next time, 90, just poke a stick in a 230 lb Africanized beehive...JMU fans could snap at any moment and get all SaintDK10 and Razor on us. Oh well, it's a bye week.

#RisingTribe

I was with this until the part where they compared Harrisonburg to the Albany/Capital District as similar "medium size media markets".

(09-30-2014 05:46 PM)Tribal Wrote:  Just went to the JMU forum to read their responses. You hit a nerve. LOL

Next time, 90, just poke a stick in a 230 lb Africanized beehive...JMU fans could snap at any moment and get all SaintDK10 and Razor on us. Oh well, it's a bye week.

#RisingTribe

Yeah, I needed something to occupy my time during the bye week. Most JMU fans are so depressed these days I almost feel for them. Figured I give them an avenue for their frustrations.

Bravo, well done !

Saw the title and got excited for a second thinking we were considering moving up to the FBS ranks

The Sun Belt isn't something we should ever be excited about.

It probably wouldn't make sense for WM right now, but I would love to be a D1-A team, even if we were in the Sun Belt

(10-01-2014 10:56 PM)TDenverFan Wrote:  It probably wouldn't make sense for WM right now, but I would love to be a D1-A team, even if we were in the Sun Belt

Right now the best a Sun Belt team can hope for in a given year is a trip to the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. While I wouldn't mind a trip to New Orleans that's a far cry from playing for an actual championship, even if it's a 1-AA championship. They're also taking Idaho and New Mexico State back. Fun trips, I tell ya. There certainly would be value in being in 1-A, but they'd be there just to be there for bigger teams to beat up. The basketball team already does that.

The traveling expenses associated with SB membership would bankrupt W&M. Football would manage but I can't see paying to send our volleyball and swim teams across the country several times a year. Any mention of the SB is silly...ACC or bust.

#RisingTribe

W&M joining the SunBelt our any other major conference is totally out of the question.

If we ever do move it will be to the Patriot or, a long shot, even the Ivy League.

The Patriot and Ivy are longer shots than the Sun Belt. While the Sun Belt would bankrupt us financially, the others would bankrupt us athletically.

I'm afraid the the ACC ship sailed when Dr. Graves did not follow though on all of Dr. Paschall's work in this regard. It's too bad that Dr. Paschall didn't hold on to the Presidency for a couple of more years. Whatever our conference affiliation might be going forward, I hope that it is in a conference that is Division I and is comprised of geographically compatible schools with whom we can compete.

The ACC thing was a joke.

#RisingTribe

Here's a lineup that makes sense. VMI, LU, Richmond, NSU, HU, Tribe, Christopher Newport,and JMU. The commonwealth conference. Attendance would be thru the roof and expenses would plummet. You could have a cable channel. It's all good

Ideal conference from my perspective would be WM, UR, JMU, UD, VMI, Citadel, Furman, Wofford, UD and Nova. Will not happen though.

Not that the Sun Belt would ever be a serious consideration, but since it's the bye week and I'm reaaaalllly bored, how many of the Sun Belt teams do you think this year's Tribe squad could beat? I haven't looked that close at all so I can't give an educated answer now, but interesting to think about (if you don't have other things to think about).

Idaho, Troy, and Georgia State for sure. Maybe Appalachian State, UL, Georgia Southern, and Texas State, too.

(10-02-2014 10:44 AM)SoCal Frank Wrote:  Here's a lineup that makes sense. VMI, LU, Richmond, NSU, HU, Tribe, Christopher Newport,and JMU. The commonwealth conference. Attendance would be thru the roof and expenses would plummet. You could have a cable channel. It's all good

I can't see CNU adding much at all. They're currently D3, and I doubt they would be financially able to make the transition.

I think something like WM, JMU, Richmond, Liberty, Towson, Delaware, Villanova, Elon, Coastal Carolina, and Norfolk would be good. Nova and Richmond would be football only, I guess. The only bad distance is Nova to Coastal and Elon, and that's about the same distance as Nova to Maine/UNH. That way you can get Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, south eastern PA, and a little bit of the Carolina's market. Maybe add in Western Carolina and Furman/Wofford to get to 12 football members and 10 all sport members, and to get a better presence in NC/SC.