ECU is more than just a viable candidate for Big 12 expansion....
ECU's the best candidate for the job.
I know, I know. Why start another thread with biased propaganda and be the catalyst for reviving the age old war between the ECU chest-thumpers, ECU directional haters (a.k.a., the in-state ACC fans), schools we're competing with over an opportunity to leave, schools already left behind years ago, basketball proponents, academic/market gurus, fake ECU fans that hate on ECU, real ECU fans that hate on ECU to counteract all of the forgoing, and even the occasional sincere & neutral observer?
For 2 reasons:
(1) because it's fun to watch.
(2) because ECU is in fact the best candidate.
Let's expound upon #2 for a bit just to get the juices flowing:
ECU is the best candidate for BIG XII expansion simply because ECU has the best overall merit score when adding up all of the important relevant factors.
The 1st factor is WVU: Don't underestimate old ties. ECU & WVU have a 21 game history that is set to resume (ECU has played more games against them than any other candidate has). Don't underestimate Mountaineer fan's desire to come to eastern NC in Autumn to watch football and hang by the beach (I've got several WVU alum friends that always come down for a bash in Greenville when we play btw). Also, perhaps most importantly, don't underestimate WVU's desire to gain exposure and recruit down in Carolina (a region not that far from them with great athletes).
Synergy: Bowlsby was quoted as saying that they're searching for synergy. There cannot be a more harmonious pick than ECU. ECU has the same culture as the rest of the BIG 12. ECU consistently outdraws all other candidates (sans the Mormons) even during down years. No other candidate has as much passion and pride as ECU and that's a tangible asset that is grossly underrated by some but it is not by those that truly matter.
The Media Market theory is antiquated and now out the window: The real reason ECU waited so long for a Big East invite. We're living in changing times and the market theory is now obsolete. ECU has real kinetic energy as opposed to an illusory untapped market that no longer even watches cable tv. ECU has a real fan base that shows up and they aren't just casual fans. ECU gets better ratings than NCSU when playing P5 teams and is virtually tantamount to UNC's football ratings in that same category.
Stadium is expanding and will trump every candidate's when completed:
Desperation actually is a positive: ECU wants big time football more than any other candidate by far. If you haven't been to Greenville then you can't understand it. Football and tailgating are a way of life down here. It's because of this that ECU would be willing to sell its soul for an invite.
ECU is likely the only school that would join the Big 12 for even a nominal pay increase.
TCU and West Virginia, for example, initially received pro rata shares upon joining the Big 12 until receiving a full share this year. ECU is so anxious to join a Power 5 league that they’d take a much much lower share for the long-term benefit. In fact, as crazy as it sounds, ECU would agree to no pay increase for the 1st 5 years just to play big time football. That's a real bargaining chip for ECU in a pecuniary society.
Btw: We already know that ECU's willing to do the football only thing and Dodd's reporting that that's on the table.
Determination: ECU has the work effort of an overachiever. There's always individuals that overcome odds to flourish. Just envision ECU as the guy that is naturally a gifted athlete but isn't quite looked at as elite level yet but is so dedicated and focused that he just consistently hits the gym harder, rides his bike farther, and eats the best nutrients until he can't be denied. He's even studying harder (only slightly behind WVU & TT in the latest USNWR). ECU supporters are blood thirsty for a higher level of relevance unlike any other candidate. ECU's trajectory is much more analogous to VT, WVU, and even South Carolina in the 90's and more recently with Louisville's meteoric rise (strong fan bases that refused to back down in the face of adversity and willing to put their money where their mouth is). ECU's paid it's dues and doesn't care if others underestimate its value. ECU wants it more than you do and the BIG XII is the only collective opinion that counts.
Ability: ECU is the only team that resides in a big state that has a real shot to separate themselves from the rest of their state. A strong argument can be made that ECU is already the best football program in NC. Big 12 could greatly benefit from gaining the 3rd biggest school in NC (not far from being #1) and ECU can be a real football frontrunner in NC to carry that BIG XII banner in this region. What other school is going for 6 in a row against a P5 league. ECU has beaten NCSU, UNC & VT all multiple x in a row. Nuff said.
Bottom line is ECU has more to offer from a totality of the circumstances perspective than any other candidate.
I'll likely name more reasons later when I have more time but just to make sure this thread gets moving in the right direction let me proceed to simultaneously tip my cap and throw shade at all of the usual suspects that when you really analyze it don't have as much going for them:
UH: Texas & TCU strongly object and the state of Texas is an already over-saturated Big 12 market.
BYU: With its religious mission, is a much different institution than the others, one that brings with it much more than just scheduling difficulties. There's a reason BYU has been left out so far. WVU and the BIG XII want to move east.
UCONN: incongruent proximity & culture. UCONN doesn't have much football history and they might as well be at the north pole. Big XII is 1st and foremost a football conference. Don't underestimate the significance of that.
Cincy: Never was any good at football till recently and is now just another AAC school shuffled in with the pack. Really doesn't even have a big football following and can never really compete with Ohio State.
Florida twins:
I know they're big and in Florida but neither of these guys have any real tradition at all (particularly prior to this millennium). Look at who's currently in the P5 leagues and name me one team that has no football history prior to the BCS. That matters more than most seem to think. USF literally didn't even have a team till then and they haven't ever won anything of merit since taking up the sport. Look up UCF's record against power conference teams (it's a surprisingly low winning %)
Memphis & Boise St: aren't even ranked in the USNWR (Boise isn't even listed as a national university). Memphis has virtually no football history to speak of and Boise seems to be regressing.
(This post was last modified: 07-19-2016 11:59 PM by Indiana Bones.)
RE: ECU is more than just a viable candidate for Big 12 expansion....
(07-19-2016 11:19 PM)Indiana Bones Wrote: ECU's the best candidate for the job.
I know, I know. Why start another thread with biased propaganda and be the catalyst for reviving the age old war between the ECU chest-thumpers, ECU directional haters (a.k.a., the in-state ACC fans), schools we're competing with over an opportunity to leave, schools already left behind years ago, basketball proponents, academic/market gurus, fake ECU fans that hate on ECU, real ECU fans that hate on ECU to counteract all of the forgoing, and even the occasional sincere & neutral observer?
For 2 reasons:
(1) because it's fun to watch.
(2) because ECU is in fact the best candidate.
Let's expound upon #2 for a bit just to get the juices flowing:
ECU is the best candidate for BIG XII expansion simply because ECU has the best overall merit score when adding up all of the important relevant factors.
The 1st factor is WVU: Don't underestimate old ties. ECU & WVU have a 21 game history that is set to resume (ECU has played more games played against them than any other candidate). Don't underestimate Mountaineer fan's desire to come to eastern NC in Autumn to watch football and hang by the beach (I've got several WVU alum friends that always come down for a bash in Greenville when we play btw). Also, perhaps most importantly, don't underestimate WVU's desire to gain exposure and recruit down in Carolina (a region not that far from them with great athletes).
Synergy: Bowlsby was quoted as saying that they're searching for synergy. There cannot be a more harmonious pick than ECU. ECU has the same culture as the rest of the BIG 12. ECU consistently outdraws all other candidates (sans the Mormons) even during down years. No other candidate has as much passion and pride as ECU and that's a tangible asset that is grossly underrated by some but it is not by those that truly matter.
The Media Market theory is antiquated and now out the window: The real reason ECU waited so long for a Big East invite. We're living in changing times and the market theory is now obsolete. ECU has real kinetic energy as opposed to an illusory untapped market that no longer even watches cable tv. ECU has a real fan base that shows up and they aren't just casual fans. ECU gets better ratings than NCSU when playing P5 teams and is virtually tantamount to UNC's football ratings in that same category.
Stadium is expanding and will trump every candidate's when completed:
Desperation actually is a positive: ECU wants big time football more than any other candidate by far. If you haven't been to Greenville then you can't understand it. Football and tailgating are a way of life down here. It's because of this that ECU would be willing to sell its soul for an invite.
ECU is likely the only school that would join the Big 12 for even a nominal pay increase.
TCU and West Virginia, for example, initially received pro rata shares upon joining the Big 12 until receiving a full share this year. ECU is so anxious to join a Power 5 league that they’d take a much much lower share for the long-term benefit. In fact, as crazy as it sounds, ECU would agree to no pay increase for the 1st 5 years just to play big time football. That's a real bargaining chip for ECU in a pecuniary society.
Btw: We already know that ECU's willing to do the football only thing and Dodd's reporting that that's on the table.
Determination: ECU has the work effort of an overachiever. There's always individuals that overcome odds to flourish. Just envision ECU as the guy that is naturally a gifted athlete but isn't quite looked at as elite level yet but is so dedicated and focused that he just consistently hits the gym harder, rides his bike farther, and eats the best nutrients until he can't be denied. He's even studying harder (only slightly behind WVU & TT in the latest USNWR). ECU supporters are blood thirsty for a higher level of relevance unlike any other candidate. ECU's trajectory is much more analogous to VT, WVU, and even South Carolina in the 90's and more recently with Louisville's meteoric rise (strong fan bases that refused to back down in the face of adversity and willing to put their money where their mouth is). ECU's paid it's dues and doesn't care if others underestimate its value. ECU wants it more than you do and the BIG XII is the only collective opinion that counts.
Ability: ECU is the only team that resides in a big state that has a real shot to separate themselves from the rest of their state. A strong argument can be made that ECU is already the best football program in NC. Big 12 could greatly benefit from gaining the 3rd biggest school in NC (not far from being #1) and ECU can be a real football frontrunner in NC to carry that BIG XII banner in this region. What other school is going for 6 in a row against a P5 league. ECU has beaten NCSU, UNC & VT all multiple x in a row. Nuff said.
Bottom line is ECU has more to offer from a totality of the circumstances perspective than any other candidate.
I'll likely name more reasons later when I have more time but just to make sure this thread gets moving in the right direction let me proceed to simultaneously tip my cap and throw shade at all of the usual suspects that when you really analyze it don't have as much going for them:
UH: Texas & TCU strongly object and the state of Texas is an already over-saturated Big 12 market.
BYU: With its religious mission, is a much different institution than the others, one that brings with it much more just scheduling difficulties. There's a reason BYU has been left out so far. WVU and the BIG XII want to move east.
UCONN: incongruent proximity & culture. UCONN doesn't have much football history and they might as well be at the north pole. Big XII is 1st and foremost a football conference. Don't underestimate the significance of that.
Cincy: Never was any good at football till recently and is now just another AAC school shuffled in with the pack. Really doesn't even have a big football following and can never really compete with Ohio State.
Florida twins:
I know they're big and in Florida but neither of these guys have any real tradition at all (particularly prior to this millennium). Look at who's currently in the P5 leagues and name me one team that has no football history prior to the BCS. That matters more than most seem to think. USF literally didn't even have a team till then and they haven't ever won anything of merit since taking up the sport. Look up UCF's record against power conference teams (it's a a surprisingly low winning %)
Memphis & Boise St: aren't even ranked in the USNWR (Boise isn't even listed as a national university. Memphis has virtually no football history to speak of and Boise seems to be regressing.
Are you implying that ECU could compete with Ohio State?
RE: ECU is more than just a viable candidate for Big 12 expansion....
(07-19-2016 11:36 PM)colohank Wrote:
(07-19-2016 11:19 PM)Indiana Bones Wrote: ECU's the best candidate for the job.
I know, I know. Why start another thread with biased propaganda and be the catalyst for reviving the age old war between the ECU chest-thumpers, ECU directional haters (a.k.a., the in-state ACC fans), schools we're competing with over an opportunity to leave, schools already left behind years ago, basketball proponents, academic/market gurus, fake ECU fans that hate on ECU, real ECU fans that hate on ECU to counteract all of the forgoing, and even the occasional sincere & neutral observer?
For 2 reasons:
(1) because it's fun to watch.
(2) because ECU is in fact the best candidate.
Let's expound upon #2 for a bit just to get the juices flowing:
ECU is the best candidate for BIG XII expansion simply because ECU has the best overall merit score when adding up all of the important relevant factors.
The 1st factor is WVU: Don't underestimate old ties. ECU & WVU have a 21 game history that is set to resume (ECU has played more games played against them than any other candidate). Don't underestimate Mountaineer fan's desire to come to eastern NC in Autumn to watch football and hang by the beach (I've got several WVU alum friends that always come down for a bash in Greenville when we play btw). Also, perhaps most importantly, don't underestimate WVU's desire to gain exposure and recruit down in Carolina (a region not that far from them with great athletes).
Synergy: Bowlsby was quoted as saying that they're searching for synergy. There cannot be a more harmonious pick than ECU. ECU has the same culture as the rest of the BIG 12. ECU consistently outdraws all other candidates (sans the Mormons) even during down years. No other candidate has as much passion and pride as ECU and that's a tangible asset that is grossly underrated by some but it is not by those that truly matter.
The Media Market theory is antiquated and now out the window: The real reason ECU waited so long for a Big East invite. We're living in changing times and the market theory is now obsolete. ECU has real kinetic energy as opposed to an illusory untapped market that no longer even watches cable tv. ECU has a real fan base that shows up and they aren't just casual fans. ECU gets better ratings than NCSU when playing P5 teams and is virtually tantamount to UNC's football ratings in that same category.
Stadium is expanding and will trump every candidate's when completed:
Desperation actually is a positive: ECU wants big time football more than any other candidate by far. If you haven't been to Greenville then you can't understand it. Football and tailgating are a way of life down here. It's because of this that ECU would be willing to sell its soul for an invite.
ECU is likely the only school that would join the Big 12 for even a nominal pay increase.
TCU and West Virginia, for example, initially received pro rata shares upon joining the Big 12 until receiving a full share this year. ECU is so anxious to join a Power 5 league that they’d take a much much lower share for the long-term benefit. In fact, as crazy as it sounds, ECU would agree to no pay increase for the 1st 5 years just to play big time football. That's a real bargaining chip for ECU in a pecuniary society.
Btw: We already know that ECU's willing to do the football only thing and Dodd's reporting that that's on the table.
Determination: ECU has the work effort of an overachiever. There's always individuals that overcome odds to flourish. Just envision ECU as the guy that is naturally a gifted athlete but isn't quite looked at as elite level yet but is so dedicated and focused that he just consistently hits the gym harder, rides his bike farther, and eats the best nutrients until he can't be denied. He's even studying harder (only slightly behind WVU & TT in the latest USNWR). ECU supporters are blood thirsty for a higher level of relevance unlike any other candidate. ECU's trajectory is much more analogous to VT, WVU, and even South Carolina in the 90's and more recently with Louisville's meteoric rise (strong fan bases that refused to back down in the face of adversity and willing to put their money where their mouth is). ECU's paid it's dues and doesn't care if others underestimate its value. ECU wants it more than you do and the BIG XII is the only collective opinion that counts.
Ability: ECU is the only team that resides in a big state that has a real shot to separate themselves from the rest of their state. A strong argument can be made that ECU is already the best football program in NC. Big 12 could greatly benefit from gaining the 3rd biggest school in NC (not far from being #1) and ECU can be a real football frontrunner in NC to carry that BIG XII banner in this region. What other school is going for 6 in a row against a P5 league. ECU has beaten NCSU, UNC & VT all multiple x in a row. Nuff said.
Bottom line is ECU has more to offer from a totality of the circumstances perspective than any other candidate.
I'll likely name more reasons later when I have more time but just to make sure this thread gets moving in the right direction let me proceed to simultaneously tip my cap and throw shade at all of the usual suspects that when you really analyze it don't have as much going for them:
UH: Texas & TCU strongly object and the state of Texas is an already over-saturated Big 12 market.
BYU: With its religious mission, is a much different institution than the others, one that brings with it much more just scheduling difficulties. There's a reason BYU has been left out so far. WVU and the BIG XII want to move east.
UCONN: incongruent proximity & culture. UCONN doesn't have much football history and they might as well be at the north pole. Big XII is 1st and foremost a football conference. Don't underestimate the significance of that.
Cincy: Never was any good at football till recently and is now just another AAC school shuffled in with the pack. Really doesn't even have a big football following and can never really compete with Ohio State.
Florida twins:
I know they're big and in Florida but neither of these guys have any real tradition at all (particularly prior to this millennium). Look at who's currently in the P5 leagues and name me one team that has no football history prior to the BCS. That matters more than most seem to think. USF literally didn't even have a team till then and they haven't ever won anything of merit since taking up the sport. Look up UCF's record against power conference teams (it's a a surprisingly low winning %)
Memphis & Boise St: aren't even ranked in the USNWR (Boise isn't even listed as a national university. Memphis has virtually no football history to speak of and Boise seems to be regressing.
Are you implying that ECU could compete with Ohio State?
RE: ECU is more than just a viable candidate for Big 12 expansion....
I have a friend who teaches at East Carolina and I have been to a game down there. It was a surprisingly excellent atmosphere for college football. I really had a good time that weekend.
I remember thinking at the time that they would be an excellent addition to the Big East - which had several attractive television markets locked up but needed more pure football atmospheres like ECU clearly provided.
Alas it never happened and it's probably not gonna happen with the Big 12 either. The OP flatly dismisses market size as a factor but I think he's whistling Dixie on that front. The conference is going to expand precisely for the purpose of establishing a cable channel. Now, there's obviously been a lot of cord-cutting in recent years and that trend will definitely continue. However, market size will remain an enormous factor for the rest of our lives. As such, I just don't see ECU even being on anyone's radar, much less as a favorite.
I'd love to be wrong though. As the OP pointed out, and then conclusively demonstrated, they have as much as anyone involved in this entire process. Unfortunately, they don't have a television market match. Otherwise, they would've been accepted in to a Power 5 conference many moons ago.
If I were the Big 12 I would expand by four teams in two phases and I would choose between the following teams:
1.) Central Florida
2.) South Florida
3.) Brigham Young
4.) Connecticut
5.) Cincinnati
6.) Colorado State
Personally, I would probably go with all of the eastern time zone teams. However, maybe not.
RE: ECU is more than just a viable candidate for Big 12 expansion....
I think ECU is flying under the radar but would be one of my picks. Large school, research institution, had a medical school, cares about sports, in the head of ACC country.
An even more long shot but would be great travel partner would be ODU. They are good in most sports, young football but have great fan support for such a young program. They also are a large research school. Both bring states that are into athletics and also have good recruiting.
Cinci and UConn are probably the front runners and obvious choices but I think ECU and ODU could bring a lot to the table.
RE: ECU is more than just a viable candidate for Big 12 expansion....
(07-19-2016 11:19 PM)Indiana Bones Wrote: ECU's the best candidate for the job.
I know, I know. Why start another thread with biased propaganda and be the catalyst for reviving the age old war between the ECU chest-thumpers, ECU directional haters (a.k.a., the in-state ACC fans), schools we're competing with over an opportunity to leave, schools already left behind years ago, basketball proponents, academic/market gurus, fake ECU fans that hate on ECU, real ECU fans that hate on ECU to counteract all of the forgoing, and even the occasional sincere & neutral observer?
For 2 reasons:
(1) because it's fun to watch.
(2) because ECU is in fact the best candidate.
Let's expound upon #2 for a bit just to get the juices flowing:
ECU is the best candidate for BIG XII expansion simply because ECU has the best overall merit score when adding up all of the important relevant factors.
The 1st factor is WVU: Don't underestimate old ties. ECU & WVU have a 21 game history that is set to resume (ECU has played more games against them than any other candidate has). Don't underestimate Mountaineer fan's desire to come to eastern NC in Autumn to watch football and hang by the beach (I've got several WVU alum friends that always come down for a bash in Greenville when we play btw). Also, perhaps most importantly, don't underestimate WVU's desire to gain exposure and recruit down in Carolina (a region not that far from them with great athletes).
Synergy: Bowlsby was quoted as saying that they're searching for synergy. There cannot be a more harmonious pick than ECU. ECU has the same culture as the rest of the BIG 12. ECU consistently outdraws all other candidates (sans the Mormons) even during down years. No other candidate has as much passion and pride as ECU and that's a tangible asset that is grossly underrated by some but it is not by those that truly matter.
The Media Market theory is antiquated and now out the window: The real reason ECU waited so long for a Big East invite. We're living in changing times and the market theory is now obsolete. ECU has real kinetic energy as opposed to an illusory untapped market that no longer even watches cable tv. ECU has a real fan base that shows up and they aren't just casual fans. ECU gets better ratings than NCSU when playing P5 teams and is virtually tantamount to UNC's football ratings in that same category.
Stadium is expanding and will trump every candidate's when completed:
Desperation actually is a positive: ECU wants big time football more than any other candidate by far. If you haven't been to Greenville then you can't understand it. Football and tailgating are a way of life down here. It's because of this that ECU would be willing to sell its soul for an invite.
ECU is likely the only school that would join the Big 12 for even a nominal pay increase.
TCU and West Virginia, for example, initially received pro rata shares upon joining the Big 12 until receiving a full share this year. ECU is so anxious to join a Power 5 league that they’d take a much much lower share for the long-term benefit. In fact, as crazy as it sounds, ECU would agree to no pay increase for the 1st 5 years just to play big time football. That's a real bargaining chip for ECU in a pecuniary society.
Btw: We already know that ECU's willing to do the football only thing and Dodd's reporting that that's on the table.
Determination: ECU has the work effort of an overachiever. There's always individuals that overcome odds to flourish. Just envision ECU as the guy that is naturally a gifted athlete but isn't quite looked at as elite level yet but is so dedicated and focused that he just consistently hits the gym harder, rides his bike farther, and eats the best nutrients until he can't be denied. He's even studying harder (only slightly behind WVU & TT in the latest USNWR). ECU supporters are blood thirsty for a higher level of relevance unlike any other candidate. ECU's trajectory is much more analogous to VT, WVU, and even South Carolina in the 90's and more recently with Louisville's meteoric rise (strong fan bases that refused to back down in the face of adversity and willing to put their money where their mouth is). ECU's paid it's dues and doesn't care if others underestimate its value. ECU wants it more than you do and the BIG XII is the only collective opinion that counts.
Ability: ECU is the only team that resides in a big state that has a real shot to separate themselves from the rest of their state. A strong argument can be made that ECU is already the best football program in NC. Big 12 could greatly benefit from gaining the 3rd biggest school in NC (not far from being #1) and ECU can be a real football frontrunner in NC to carry that BIG XII banner in this region. What other school is going for 6 in a row against a P5 league. ECU has beaten NCSU, UNC & VT all multiple x in a row. Nuff said.
Bottom line is ECU has more to offer from a totality of the circumstances perspective than any other candidate.
I'll likely name more reasons later when I have more time but just to make sure this thread gets moving in the right direction let me proceed to simultaneously tip my cap and throw shade at all of the usual suspects that when you really analyze it don't have as much going for them:
UH: Texas & TCU strongly object and the state of Texas is an already over-saturated Big 12 market.
BYU: With its religious mission, is a much different institution than the others, one that brings with it much more than just scheduling difficulties. There's a reason BYU has been left out so far. WVU and the BIG XII want to move east.
UCONN: incongruent proximity & culture. UCONN doesn't have much football history and they might as well be at the north pole. Big XII is 1st and foremost a football conference. Don't underestimate the significance of that.
Cincy: Never was any good at football till recently and is now just another AAC school shuffled in with the pack. Really doesn't even have a big football following and can never really compete with Ohio State.
Florida twins:
I know they're big and in Florida but neither of these guys have any real tradition at all (particularly prior to this millennium). Look at who's currently in the P5 leagues and name me one team that has no football history prior to the BCS. That matters more than most seem to think. USF literally didn't even have a team till then and they haven't ever won anything of merit since taking up the sport. Look up UCF's record against power conference teams (it's a surprisingly low winning %)
Memphis & Boise St: aren't even ranked in the USNWR (Boise isn't even listed as a national university). Memphis has virtually no football history to speak of and Boise seems to be regressing.
That was a lot of work for nothing. Anything posted on this board is worth nothing...zero. Except maybe you feel better. Sorry to be so blunt.
RE: ECU is more than just a viable candidate for Big 12 expansion....
I dig ECU. They've done all they can, always (and as the original post pointed out, they did this even when they sucked).
Love the color scheme. The stadium atmosphere is fantastic. The passion of the fanbase is top notch. And the 50 yard line design is excellent.
However, I think their ship sailed when the Big East went under. Although ... who knows what will happen when the NCAA re-organizes. I think that will almost create a "middle tier" (you'll have the "big boys", and those schools who want to stay up with the big boys, and those that just can't keep up). East Carolina will definitely be one of those who stays at the top level of football, no matter what. In that situation, you may see some improvements for the middle tier in terms of revenue, and organization. Hard to know though exactly how all that will shake out.
(This post was last modified: 07-20-2016 09:06 AM by Pervis_Griffith.)
RE: ECU is more than just a viable candidate for Big 12 expansion....
(07-19-2016 11:19 PM)Indiana Bones Wrote: ECU's the best candidate for the job.
Yeah, no.
Looking back at Big East expansion over the years, the following schools were invited ahead of ECU:
1. Louisville
2. Cincinnati
3. South Florida
4. TCU
5. UCF
6. Houston
7. SMU
8. Boise St.
9. San Diego St.
10. Navy
11. Memphis
12. Temple
13. Tulane (which received an all sports invite at the same time ECU received a football-only invite).
And ECU was a substantially better geographic fit in the Big East than the Big 12. The geographic center of the Big 12 makes most of the members of the MWC potential candidates.
(This post was last modified: 07-20-2016 09:34 AM by orangefan.)
RE: ECU is more than just a viable candidate for Big 12 expansion....
(07-19-2016 11:19 PM)Indiana Bones Wrote: Ability: ECU is the only team that resides in a big state that has a real shot to separate themselves from the rest of their state. A strong argument can be made that ECU is already the best football program in NC.
A strong argument how? I just saw North Carolina finish the regular season 11-1, and had an outside change (very outside, but a chance) to make the playoffs. They have been to bowls seven of the last 8 seasons, have the same number of non losing seasons (8) the past ten years as ECU, and also have 5 seasons with appearances in the AP poll, to two for ECU. Then there is Appalachian State, ye of 3 national championships in the last dozen years. So which program of these programs is there a "strong" argument they are better than?
Now that we have the pleasantries out of the way , on a more serious note, ECU's biggest detriment in terms of Big 12 expansion is, the further away you are from the core footprint of a conference, the more appealing you have to be to get invited. If UConn were located physically where Memphis was, and everything else were the same, they would be a no brainer shoo-in with Cincinnati. Being so far away, and with so many other attributes that otherwise would be appealing, they instead are playing the waiting game. The distance means they have to have just that much more. Meanwhile as much as I have not been able to fully wrap my head around it, Tulane seems to hang in there as a viable candidate, and that is purely because of their location in comparison to the other candidates, and its correlation to the Big 12 footprint. If ECU had everything the have now, but instead were located in rural Missouri instead of rural NC, they'd be near the top of the list. Add in the distance, and they become less appealing. The only programs that (seem) to have a strong appeal to the Big 12, and are far flung are BYU (for obvious reasons), and perhaps U_F because of possible untapped potential. Everyone else mentioned is far closer to the core footprint. More than anything else, that will keep them out.