I don't know that to be truth about money...looking at some of these schools other sports facilities, though I could buy the support thing. But that's related to the product right? What makes us different? Why do we have the support and they don't?
Why do we have the money and they don't?

It seems everyone who gives an honest, frank opinion on a conference these days is labeled an SEC lover. Played out. If you expect pats on the back for 'trying' with every article you come across, I suggest you stop reading. Let's wait and see what happens on the court this season, but a little less whining please.

Who are the schools who don't "try" with basketball? I can only name three... UTSA, FIU, and FAU. Rice used to fall into this category, but is now definitely trying.

I'd add UNT as well right now. Rice is trying, but they've been a consistent 290-300+ RPI tug on our schedule (twice last year!), so I'll reserve my judgement until I see how well the Owls do this year.

You can add LA Tech and USM to the not trying list as well.

(07-28-2015 04:18 PM)Blue_Trombone Wrote:  I'd add UNT as well right now. Rice is trying, but they've been a consistent 290-300+ RPI tug on our schedule (twice last year!), so I'll reserve my judgement until I see how well the Owls do this year.

A consistent tug on your schedule? How many times have we even played?

It may be the booze talking but I'm feeling optimistic about CUSA BB. There's good well matched teams in the top third of the conference. I would like to see more emphasis put on the sport by the conference but just like football we're a conference of potential. Umm... ODU rules the rest of you guys suck.

Two years ago ODU had an RPI of 318, we made the changes necessary to be competitive. All teams will have their ups and downs, it's the apathy and lack of will for teams to improve that annoys me. Every team in this conference is deficient in some way, every team can get better, what's sad is seeing schools not try to make the changes to do so. Rice are doing what needs to be done.

Whether it's going from 300 to 200, 200 to 100 or 100 to making the tournament, we all need to try to get better.

I just don't get the lack of support. How many teams would average over 5k/game with the poor record Marshall had last year?

I also agree that the quality of this conference can increase, and I think the conference has improved.


ODU you need to stop whining and blaming your NCAA snub on the conference. Same can be said of Marshall fans in terms of football. If we go undefeated and then get left out of the AB then we have a reason to complain. If you would have taken care of business and then be left out of the dance, then you could have complained.

Neither of us did what WE were supposed to do......so stop casting blame on others and take responsibility for your own actions (or lack thereof.)

Southern Miss finished 2013 with an RPI of 27.
Southern Miss finished 2014 with an RPI of 29.

And we didn't even try...

The stupidity in this thread is most impressive.

(07-28-2015 06:24 PM)loki_the_bubba Wrote:  

(07-28-2015 04:18 PM)Blue_Trombone Wrote:  I'd add UNT as well right now. Rice is trying, but they've been a consistent 290-300+ RPI tug on our schedule (twice last year!), so I'll reserve my judgement until I see how well the Owls do this year.

A consistent tug on your schedule? How many times have we even played?

Sorry, I meant a consistent 250-300+ RPI team, that was a tug on our team twice last year. My bad.

(07-28-2015 04:14 PM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote:  Who are the schools who don't "try" with basketball? I can only name three... UTSA, FIU, and FAU. Rice used to fall into this category, but is now definitely trying.

I really don't understand UTSA. Why they still play in the high school gym. To me can build a new gym if they put the focus on doing it. I understand funds are the main issue. But if they want to take the next step, they need to invest in Bball, which will help with the other sports as well.

(07-28-2015 07:31 PM)Noodles Wrote:  Southern Miss finished 2013 with an RPI of 27.
Southern Miss finished 2014 with an RPI of 29.

And we didn't even try...

And didn't make the NCAAs because you didn't schedule anyone. Poor OOC scheduling with a very good team=not trying.

Yeah, we should have played ODU and VCU about eleventy billion times.

You know what, from now on I'm going to refer to ODU as ECU lite. Same region, same attitude.
We usually beat the **** out of ECU. Just saying...

Oh that's right I forgot it has nothing to do with resumes and everything to do with Judy MacLeod losing too many arm wrestling matches in the selection room.

(07-28-2015 09:44 PM)Noodles Wrote:  You know what, from now on I'm going to refer to ODU as ECU lite. Same region, same attitude.
We usually beat the **** out of ECU. Just saying...

Please understand that in the lowly CAA, we often had two NCAA bids, and once three, for basketball. We were a basketball school long before starting football, and care deeply about what happens on the hardwood. The scheduling comments, I believe, arise from a wide philospohical difference of OOC between the CAA and CUSA. CAA schools were pretty aggressive in OOC scheduling, and when the teams were good (ODU, VCU, GMU, UR), we were rewarded for that scheduling. CUSA schools tend to schedule down OOC, which does not help RPI when tourney selections are made (and for the record, nobody but ODU is to blame for no NCAA in 2014.....if we beat MTSU, we were in, and did not get it done).

I look forward to our football game this year versus a "name" CUSA program in football. Southern Miss has struggled in recent years, but the brand is strong and we will be amped for the opportunity. Hopefully, my family can get down to Hattiesburg for a game one day, as the Cajun food and experience would be well worth the trip.

Good luck until our game this year, and know that our fanbase cares deeply about the "brand", and a rising tide lifts ALL boats.

Hey, we'd love to schedule up in basketball, but we haven't had the funds to pay decent opponents. It is what it is. Plus, USM has always and will always be a football first school.
Your leadership chose to join C-USA. Do your part to make it better without putting down everyone else. Trust me, when the money is available, we will gladly spend it on bringing in better opponents. We've still been paying Ellis Johnson out the ass until recently.

Save the sermon for someone willing to listen to it. You threw out the ECU lite reference, not ODU fans, and it was not appreciated. As for the "put downs", ODU is pleased to be in CUSA, and we look forward to multiple NCAA BB and football bowl bids with our new conference partners. Your assertion of "having enough money to bring in better opponents" is incorrect. A G5 team does not schedule up by buying more expensive cupcakes.........it does so by playing good teams home and home/or guarantee games on the road/or early season tourney games at neutral sites against top 100 or top 50 RPI competition. That costs you little, and can be financially rewarding. It is not that difficult, and you should expect better....particularly with the recent RPI of your teams that were in the 20's with no tourney bids..........that is a fricking crime that the fanbase and conference should have as priority one to correct.