(07-28-2016 06:51 PM)First Mate Wrote:  

(07-28-2016 03:16 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  ...we should take Buffalo too then. Take the last 2 remaining FBS AAU schools off the board, to combine with Tulane (AAU).

You can't get half-pregnant, and if we're going with the 'academic' statement, I have no problem with that. We'd have obviously made a commitment to more building and why not double down than with the AAUs. That at least provides a start to forge a top notch identity, and its coupled with two very nice markets.

Throw UMass in if we need 3. The AAC's academic cred and brands would be impressive.

HOWEVER, there would be a lot of work to do... to say the least...

It would be like hitting a restart button... But, I think the coaches we have in this league can keep the train moving (access bowl invites, etc)

Of course, my preference is to invite the bball school(s) and stay at 10 strong!

But, if we must include Rice, than don't stop there.

God please no. No fans. We don't need any schools that will look like high school when they are on TV.

Not my first choice either.

The main positive is that it makes the AAC distinct from the other non-autonomy groups, who often are dismissed due to their institutional missions.

(07-28-2016 03:16 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  ...we should take Buffalo too then. Take the last 2 remaining FBS AAU schools off the board, to combine with Tulane (AAU).

You can't get half-pregnant, and if we're going with the 'academic' statement, I have no problem with that. We'd have obviously made a commitment to more building and why not double down than with the AAUs. That at least provides a start to forge a top notch identity, and its coupled with two very nice markets.

Throw UMass in if we need 3. The AAC's academic cred and brands would be impressive.

HOWEVER, there would be a lot of work to do... to say the least...

It would be like hitting a restart button... But, I think the coaches we have in this league can keep the train moving (access bowl invites, etc)

Of course, my preference is to invite the bball school(s) and stay at 10 strong!

But, if we must include Rice, than don't stop there.

I've thought this for a while now; I think this is why they thought I was you. My apologies for deflecting and transferring my frustration with them onto you.

(07-28-2016 07:00 PM)acc4life Wrote:  

(07-28-2016 03:16 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  ...we should take Buffalo too then. Take the last 2 remaining FBS AAU schools off the board, to combine with Tulane (AAU).

You can't get half-pregnant, and if we're going with the 'academic' statement, I have no problem with that. We'd have obviously made a commitment to more building and why not double down than with the AAUs. That at least provides a start to forge a top notch identity, and its coupled with two very nice markets.

Throw UMass in if we need 3. The AAC's academic cred and brands would be impressive.

HOWEVER, there would be a lot of work to do... to say the least...

It would be like hitting a restart button... But, I think the coaches we have in this league can keep the train moving (access bowl invites, etc)

Of course, my preference is to invite the bball school(s) and stay at 10 strong!

But, if we must include Rice, than don't stop there.

I've thought this for a while now; I think this is why they thought I was you. My apologies for deflecting and transferring my frustration with them onto you.

I'm not worried about it.
I think everyone is taking notice of some of the language being said about the apparent Big 12 "candidates"... and, if anything, it seems apparent that a certain snobbery guides the process.

If the AAC really plans on playing that game, these next candidates need to be chosen very carefully... according to brand or academic credibility.

I'm one of the ones that doesn't mind the old Big East model. It kept them in the BCS for over a decade and I believe that was due to their basketball as much as their football.

That said, I believe there are basketball brand names we can appeal to, starting with Wichita State (and ending with VCU, Dayton, etc), that would shine well on our overall brand name (helping football indirectly). A 10-team football conference would compare ok with the Big East 2.0, imo (depending on who we lose).

If we aren't relying on the segment of collegiate brands that can actually improve our TV contract (i.e. the established bb schools), then we stand pat.

Standing pat would be better than expanding just to give away money. However, we'll take a hit.

Nevertheless, if we're feeling charitable, we may as well buy some academic clout, and try to build those teams. If we pull expansion candidates from the wrong group, we will end up doing more harm than good.

(07-28-2016 07:15 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  

(07-28-2016 07:00 PM)acc4life Wrote:  

(07-28-2016 03:16 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  ...we should take Buffalo too then. Take the last 2 remaining FBS AAU schools off the board, to combine with Tulane (AAU).

You can't get half-pregnant, and if we're going with the 'academic' statement, I have no problem with that. We'd have obviously made a commitment to more building and why not double down than with the AAUs. That at least provides a start to forge a top notch identity, and its coupled with two very nice markets.

Throw UMass in if we need 3. The AAC's academic cred and brands would be impressive.

HOWEVER, there would be a lot of work to do... to say the least...

It would be like hitting a restart button... But, I think the coaches we have in this league can keep the train moving (access bowl invites, etc)

Of course, my preference is to invite the bball school(s) and stay at 10 strong!

But, if we must include Rice, than don't stop there.

I've thought this for a while now; I think this is why they thought I was you. My apologies for deflecting and transferring my frustration with them onto you.

I'm not worried about it.
I think everyone is taking notice of some of the language being said about the apparent Big 12 "candidates"... and, if anything, it seems apparent that a certain snobbery guides the process.

If the AAC really plans on playing that game, these next candidates need to be chosen very carefully... according to brand or academic credibility.

I'm one of the ones that doesn't mind the old Big East model. It kept them in the BCS for over a decade and I believe that was due to their basketball as much as their football.

That said, I believe there are basketball brand names we can appeal to, starting with Wichita State (and ending with VCU, Dayton, etc), that would shine well on our overall brand name (helping football indirectly). A 10-team football conference (with perhaps a UMass, which is the best fb/bb brand combo) would compare ok with the Big East 2.0, imo.

If we aren't relying on the segment of collegiate brands that can actually improve our TV contract, then we stand pat.

Standing pat would be better than expanding just to give away money.

However, if we're feeling charitable, we may as well buy some academic clout, and try to build those teams. If we pull expansion candidates from the wrong group, we will end up doing more harm than good.

Yeah, football wise, it's either the acadamies, Buffalo, Rice, Umass or nothing. Bball wise, the candidates are VCU, Dayton, Wichita State.

(07-28-2016 07:18 PM)acc4life Wrote:  

(07-28-2016 07:15 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  

(07-28-2016 07:00 PM)acc4life Wrote:  

(07-28-2016 03:16 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  ...we should take Buffalo too then. Take the last 2 remaining FBS AAU schools off the board, to combine with Tulane (AAU).

You can't get half-pregnant, and if we're going with the 'academic' statement, I have no problem with that. We'd have obviously made a commitment to more building and why not double down than with the AAUs. That at least provides a start to forge a top notch identity, and its coupled with two very nice markets.

Throw UMass in if we need 3. The AAC's academic cred and brands would be impressive.

HOWEVER, there would be a lot of work to do... to say the least...

It would be like hitting a restart button... But, I think the coaches we have in this league can keep the train moving (access bowl invites, etc)

Of course, my preference is to invite the bball school(s) and stay at 10 strong!

But, if we must include Rice, than don't stop there.

I've thought this for a while now; I think this is why they thought I was you. My apologies for deflecting and transferring my frustration with them onto you.

I'm not worried about it.
I think everyone is taking notice of some of the language being said about the apparent Big 12 "candidates"... and, if anything, it seems apparent that a certain snobbery guides the process.

If the AAC really plans on playing that game, these next candidates need to be chosen very carefully... according to brand or academic credibility.

I'm one of the ones that doesn't mind the old Big East model. It kept them in the BCS for over a decade and I believe that was due to their basketball as much as their football.

That said, I believe there are basketball brand names we can appeal to, starting with Wichita State (and ending with VCU, Dayton, etc), that would shine well on our overall brand name (helping football indirectly). A 10-team football conference (with perhaps a UMass, which is the best fb/bb brand combo) would compare ok with the Big East 2.0, imo.

If we aren't relying on the segment of collegiate brands that can actually improve our TV contract, then we stand pat.

Standing pat would be better than expanding just to give away money.

However, if we're feeling charitable, we may as well buy some academic clout, and try to build those teams. If we pull expansion candidates from the wrong group, we will end up doing more harm than good.

Yeah, football wise, it's either the acadamies, Buffalo, Rice, Umass or nothing. Bball wise, the candidates are VCU, Dayton, Wichita State.

That's how I see it.

"The highest rated research university in Northern Louisiana" (i.e. Louisiana Tech) is not going to help the AAC.

As I said, while it would be nice to find, we aren't shopping for a bellcow football program. There aren't any. That said, whoever we bring in has to improve perception of the AAC in some way, and there are only 2 ways to really do that (academics or basketball) while maintaining the appearance of our roster.

(07-28-2016 07:26 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  

(07-28-2016 07:18 PM)acc4life Wrote:  

(07-28-2016 07:15 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  

(07-28-2016 07:00 PM)acc4life Wrote:  

(07-28-2016 03:16 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  ...we should take Buffalo too then. Take the last 2 remaining FBS AAU schools off the board, to combine with Tulane (AAU).

You can't get half-pregnant, and if we're going with the 'academic' statement, I have no problem with that. We'd have obviously made a commitment to more building and why not double down than with the AAUs. That at least provides a start to forge a top notch identity, and its coupled with two very nice markets.

Throw UMass in if we need 3. The AAC's academic cred and brands would be impressive.

HOWEVER, there would be a lot of work to do... to say the least...

It would be like hitting a restart button... But, I think the coaches we have in this league can keep the train moving (access bowl invites, etc)

Of course, my preference is to invite the bball school(s) and stay at 10 strong!

But, if we must include Rice, than don't stop there.

I've thought this for a while now; I think this is why they thought I was you. My apologies for deflecting and transferring my frustration with them onto you.

I'm not worried about it.
I think everyone is taking notice of some of the language being said about the apparent Big 12 "candidates"... and, if anything, it seems apparent that a certain snobbery guides the process.

If the AAC really plans on playing that game, these next candidates need to be chosen very carefully... according to brand or academic credibility.

I'm one of the ones that doesn't mind the old Big East model. It kept them in the BCS for over a decade and I believe that was due to their basketball as much as their football.

That said, I believe there are basketball brand names we can appeal to, starting with Wichita State (and ending with VCU, Dayton, etc), that would shine well on our overall brand name (helping football indirectly). A 10-team football conference (with perhaps a UMass, which is the best fb/bb brand combo) would compare ok with the Big East 2.0, imo.

If we aren't relying on the segment of collegiate brands that can actually improve our TV contract, then we stand pat.

Standing pat would be better than expanding just to give away money.

However, if we're feeling charitable, we may as well buy some academic clout, and try to build those teams. If we pull expansion candidates from the wrong group, we will end up doing more harm than good.

Yeah, football wise, it's either the acadamies, Buffalo, Rice, Umass or nothing. Bball wise, the candidates are VCU, Dayton, Wichita State.

That's how I see it.

"The highest rated research university in Northern Louisiana" (i.e. Louisiana Tech) is not going to help the AAC.

As I said, while it would be nice to find, we aren't shopping for a bellcow football program. There aren't any. That said, whoever we bring in has to improve perception of the AAC in some way, and there are only 2 ways to do that (academics or basketball).

agreed

(07-28-2016 05:48 PM)acc4life Wrote:  

(07-28-2016 05:43 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  

(07-28-2016 05:33 PM)Chappy Wrote:  I get the point of the OP, and as a baseball fan, I'd love Rice in that sport, but they are SO small... and when we already have a few small schools, I just don't know if they'd ever help that much.

I agree 100%.

That's why I really believe we need to stand pat at 10... and our TV deal would thank us if we bolstered basketball with the decent programs that are out there in that sport.

Nevertheless, if we invite Rice, I think that signals a new approach and we should just go all-in at that point.

Losing 3 and just inviting Rice is unacceptable. That's no way to grow a conference.

Aresco said he would stand pat at 10, because the contract renewal money is just not there (see:CUSA); that said, if I were him and we dropped down to 9, I would add Rice, Buffalo and a service academy.

Yeah, Rice doesn't work with 10. But if we also brought in Army and Buffalo, I could probably live with it. Plants an American flag in New York and raises the academic profile.

God no to Rice! We need a program with fans. At least odu fans care to show up.

(07-28-2016 07:43 PM)Chappy Wrote:  

(07-28-2016 05:48 PM)acc4life Wrote:  

(07-28-2016 05:43 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  

(07-28-2016 05:33 PM)Chappy Wrote:  I get the point of the OP, and as a baseball fan, I'd love Rice in that sport, but they are SO small... and when we already have a few small schools, I just don't know if they'd ever help that much.

I agree 100%.

That's why I really believe we need to stand pat at 10... and our TV deal would thank us if we bolstered basketball with the decent programs that are out there in that sport.

Nevertheless, if we invite Rice, I think that signals a new approach and we should just go all-in at that point.

Losing 3 and just inviting Rice is unacceptable. That's no way to grow a conference.

Aresco said he would stand pat at 10, because the contract renewal money is just not there (see:CUSA); that said, if I were him and we dropped down to 9, I would add Rice, Buffalo and a service academy.

Yeah, Rice doesn't work with 10. But if we also brought in Army and Buffalo, I could probably live with it. Plants an American flag in New York and raises the academic profile.

Aresco has 4 couple of options if we drop down to nine:


1) He could try to add either Army or Air Force and stay at 10.

2) If he can't get them, he could then go for either UMass or Buffalo, because he's scared to go to the CUSA well because of the CUSA2.0 stigma.

3) If for some reason neither of them bite, he could then go to Rice

4) He could just go straight for Rice to cover the Houston market.


Like I said earlier, if I were him, I would try to get Army and/or Air Force and then Rice and/or Buffalo.

(07-28-2016 03:39 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  

(07-28-2016 03:36 PM)Hurricane Drummer Wrote:  I think taking in Rice would definitely increase the fiber in our diet. No doubt.

That's about all it increases

Rice would make the AAC better endowed.

That's $5.6 billion.