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To position itself to eventually join the AAC?
Obviously facility upgrades and winning lots of football and basketball games. Here's my question. How does Wilder schedule for the future in order to build credibility?
Personally, I'd like to see us start playing AAC teams on a regular basis. Thoughts??

(06-06-2015 10:10 AM)Old Dominion Wrote:  To position itself to eventually join the AAC?
Obviously facility upgrades and winning lots of football and basketball games. Here's my question. How does Wilder schedule for the future in order to build credibility?
Personally, I'd like to see us start playing AAC teams on a regular basis. Thoughts??

AAC teams are not going to want to play us. They would have little to gain and much to lose. That is why Temple refuses to play us for example, and ECU is not so eager either. We should focus on being the best program in C-USA and not obsess about AAC.

Amen!!

Be the best that we can be in our current league and they will come running!!

We need to go undefeated in the CUSA in FB, Basketball, and consistently win NCAA
Tourney games and bowl games..... Then we might be looked at by a higher level league.

No rush, just steady growth. Hopefully our academic reputation will also grow.

(06-06-2015 10:34 AM)CalODUFan Wrote:  

(06-06-2015 10:10 AM)Old Dominion Wrote:  To position itself to eventually join the AAC?
Obviously facility upgrades and winning lots of football and basketball games. Here's my question. How does Wilder schedule for the future in order to build credibility?
Personally, I'd like to see us start playing AAC teams on a regular basis. Thoughts??

AAC teams are not going to want to play us. They would have little to gain and much to lose. That is why Temple refuses to play us for example, and ECU is not so eager either. We should focus on being the best program in C-USA and not obsess about AAC.

Agreed. The ONLY focus needs to be excellence and winning and recruiting and the rest will come. If we are not the best of C-USA - why would a higher caliber league be interested. They won't be. Having said that, I am astounded at how quickly we have risen in the ranks of C-USA and I am disappointed to see the lack of support so many C-USA programs have. We have constantly improving facilities, our crowds rank at the top of C-USA and our overall support is in the top of the conference. Now we need to win championships - period. How could we possibly think we should be in the AAC when we haven't won C-USA? Championships are the next phase and Championships are what will take us to the next level. The last 20 years of ODU athletics have been impressive and the next 20 are filled with opportunity and potential. I'm excited on every level.

ODU just needs to continue what it has been doing. Also, when the AAC losses UConn, and potentially a combination of Memphis, Cincinnati, or UCF, we will be in the perfect position. I honestly believe the current setup of that league is on borrowed time.

Continually increase our academic and athletic profile. Our admission rate is way to high. We need to be more selective. To be more selective you need to grow the pool of applicants. You do that by exposure and continually improving the campus.

A decent football stadium is all we need. Everything else has been in place for years.

(06-06-2015 12:33 PM)monarchman Wrote:  ODU just needs to continue what it has been doing. Also, when the AAC losses UConn, and potentially a combination of Memphis, Cincinnati, or UCF, we will be in the perfect position. I honestly believe the current setup of that league is on borrowed time.

Would you want to be in the AAC if they lost UConn, Memphis or Cincinnati? I think the geography would be better, and playing ECU and Navy in football would be great. But without the above mentioned teams The AAC would turn into one bid conference, and ODU deserves to be in a multi-bid league.

Keep doing what we are doing. Start winning some CUSA championships in football and basketball (yes, and baseball too) and the rest will take care of itself.

(06-06-2015 01:40 PM)Old Blue Wrote:  Would you want to be in the AAC if they lost UConn, Memphis or Cincinnati? I think the geography would be better, and playing ECU and Navy in football would be great. But without the above mentioned teams The AAC would turn into one bid conference, and ODU deserves to be in a multi-bid league.

First, it is unlikely the AAC loses more than 2 teams so at least one those schools will still be around. That already makes the AAC more attractive as a basketball conference than CUSA. Second, Temple, Tulsa & SMU are no slouches recently when it comes to basketball. The AAC as a basketball conference is a much, much better league than CUSA. Even with a few defections, it remains a much better basketball conference.
We agree the AAC is a superior football fit for ODU if ECU and Navy remain in the lineup.

I agree with all the above said. Old Dominion needs to focus on being the best team in Conference USA. I feel like we've done that in basketball and the same thing needs to be done in Football. We need to be more competitive with the better teams in our league and until we can get wins against Marshall, Middle Tennessee, and Western Kentucky, I would say don't even worry about AAC or higher challenges.

(06-06-2015 03:20 PM)monarchoptimist Wrote:  

(06-06-2015 01:40 PM)Old Blue Wrote:  Would you want to be in the AAC if they lost UConn, Memphis or Cincinnati? I think the geography would be better, and playing ECU and Navy in football would be great. But without the above mentioned teams The AAC would turn into one bid conference, and ODU deserves to be in a multi-bid league.

First, it is unlikely the AAC loses more than 2 teams so at least one those schools will still be around. That already makes the AAC more attractive as a basketball conference than CUSA. Second, Temple, Tulsa & SMU are no slouches recently when it comes to basketball. The AAC as a basketball conference is a much, much better league than CUSA. Even with a few defections, it remains a much better basketball conference.
We agree the AAC is a superior football fit for ODU if ECU and Navy remain in the lineup.

I did not know Navy joined AAC.

(06-06-2015 03:20 PM)monarchoptimist Wrote:  

(06-06-2015 01:40 PM)Old Blue Wrote:  Would you want to be in the AAC if they lost UConn, Memphis or Cincinnati? I think the geography would be better, and playing ECU and Navy in football would be great. But without the above mentioned teams The AAC would turn into one bid conference, and ODU deserves to be in a multi-bid league.

First, it is unlikely the AAC loses more than 2 teams so at least one those schools will still be around. That already makes the AAC more attractive as a basketball conference than CUSA. Second, Temple, Tulsa & SMU are no slouches recently when it comes to basketball. The AAC as a basketball conference is a much, much better league than CUSA. Even with a few defections, it remains a much better basketball conference.
We agree the AAC is a superior football fit for ODU if ECU and Navy remain in the lineup.

Tulane is actually recruiting now. Wasn't much of a basketball fan until we got Larry and it's fun having every one of our games on ESPN. Get paid nothing but exposure is good

We need a Medical school and or a Law School. That will improve the academic side. Need to pick up a couple of more women's teams (Volleyball and Softball). Track and Field should be in the near future also.

Blah, blah, blah....stay the course; 1,000 points of light!

(06-06-2015 08:25 PM)TedHead Wrote:  We need a Medical school and or a Law School. That will improve the academic side. Need to pick up a couple of more women's teams (Volleyball and Softball). Track and Field should be in the near future also.

We don't need a law school. There are way too many as it is. The EVMS merger makes too much sense. It should have happened years ago. Hopefully the tides change and everyone comes to their senses on that front.

Norfolk's a good market and ODU gets success from and good support for its major sports. Really there's nothing to do but keep on keeping on, no matter the destination. CUSA can be a good conference, even though I'd love to see ODU in one with ECU and Navy eventually. Meanwhile, it should be a loyal CUSA member to the end, whether that's next year or 100 years from now.

(06-06-2015 09:49 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  Meanwhile, it should be a loyal CUSA member to the end, whether that's next year or 100 years from now.

Sure, right up to the point where it no longer suits us because we have a better offer. Exactly like every other team in every other conference. Unless you want to become JMU....

C-USA > AAC