(02-19-2017 03:14 PM)Erictelevision Wrote:  How "gung-ho" for lack of better word is Navy about adding Army to the American?

Army fits well in some ways (academics/tradition/etc) and may detract in others (namely Navy's distinctiveness in the conference). I think Navy may like their identity as the sole academy in the conference.

I'm not sure anyone knows if Navy is "on board" with Army. Personally I would like the combination for the same reason I think UMass would only make sense as a combo with UConn.

It's about culture. Many of our programs have been together in other conferences because there is a lot of symmetry between us. Some people try and argue otherwise but they're confusing culture and history.

For instance, UConn shares history with the C7 but the culture of the two together conflicts. As a Houston fan during the days of the SWC, I know all about it given our relationship with the religious privates.

I think a good identity and culture has been created with the footprint that was developed in the AAC. As a fan of football, basketball, and baseball, the East-West, North-South, dynamic ideally suits all sports for recruiting and competition. When Mayors of major cities start betting on AAC championship games (such as Temple-Houston) we'll see the vision has gotten over.

Getting back to Navy, they have historical rivals in the AAC (SMU, for instance, who doesn't immediately come to mind). So, I don't think they would necessarily be against Army.

(02-18-2017 11:55 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(02-18-2017 11:40 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  What does that even mean? UConn would bring more prestige to the NBE than the reverse. They've won more Championships than that entire conference put together. They don't need the Catholic schools to give them the rub.

While the Big East would welcome back our old friend UConn, the bolded part is wrong. The Big East is doing better without UConn than UConn is doing without the Big East. UConn is fading on the vine in the AAC. Their fans don't care about any AAC opponents, except a smidge for Cincy. Half the teams UConn fans regard as rivals are in the Big East, the other half are in the ACC. And the competition doesn't prepare them for anything nationally.

Unless the ACC comes calling, and it probably isn't, UConn should rejoin the Big East in hoops and dare the AAC to kick out their football. The AAC would huff and puff but wouldn't do it.

The AAC better kick out Uconn if they take basketball/Olympic sports to the Big East.

Cheers!

(02-19-2017 03:20 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  So, hypothetically, if there's a UConn defection, what would BigEastHomer advise Aresco to do? You've talked down the usual list of options. So what's the plan, beyond I suppose "Listen to Navy"?

Hypothetically, if UConn decides to go somewhere (wherever), my advice to Aresco would be take his time.

All of the options I just mentioned should be vetted. Nevertheless, time is his friend given the other dominoes out there. The Big 12 is sitting on a fault line. There is also the possibility of a UCF-type candidate emerging from other conferences (as Attack has pointed out, Arkansas State is pouring money into their programs and you have other developing programs from underneath that are trying to take that next step).

There is simply no reason to force anything with a program with limited upside (geographically/economically/athletically/etc). The AAC has established its position. It wont fall behind the pack without a UConn.

Basketball-onlys (such as Wichita) are a possibility, especially with the open spot opposite Navy. Nevertheless, I really believe that Aresco already has a long term idea of what he wants to do (with perhaps 16 being over the horizon) and I'm not sure that he ever really factored basketball schools into it initially.

Time is on his side. As I said, positioning has already been established.

(02-19-2017 10:00 AM)Tigersmoke3 Wrote:  

(02-19-2017 09:28 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(02-19-2017 12:30 AM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  

(02-18-2017 11:55 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(02-18-2017 11:40 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  What does that even mean? UConn would bring more prestige to the NBE than the reverse. They've won more Championships than that entire conference put together. They don't need the Catholic schools to give them the rub.

While the Big East would surely welcome back our old friend UConn, the bolded part is wrong. The Big East is doing better without UConn than UConn is doing without the Big East. UConn is fading on the vine in the AAC. Their fans don't care about any AAC opponents, except a smidge for Cincy. Half the teams UConn fans regard as rivals are in the Big East, the other half are in the ACC. And the competition doesn't prepare them for anything nationally.

Unless the ACC comes calling, and it probably isn't, UConn should rejoin the Big East in hoops and dare the AAC to kick out their football. The AAC would huff and puff but wouldn't do it.

lol @ the Georgetown T-Shirt fan.

Dare the AAC to kick out football? They won't do it? As a Temple fan, I find that notion pretty funny... We've had our football jettisoned from two conferences.

LOL at the world's only Houston/UCF/Temple fan ... or what is it this week, Navy fan or Memphis?

Temple isn't UConn. It's not a state flagship. Different beast. UConn is just more valuable overall than Temple. If the ACC or B1G were to decide to expand in the northeast, UConn would be at the top of their lists, Temple wouldn't get a minute's discussion.

That's just the way it is.

We'll probably never know, but I can't see the AAC kicking out UConn football no matter what they do with hoops.

UCONN'S rivals are all in the ACC. UConn fans miss winning a helluva lot more than Providence and DePaul. They also are already scheduling the NBE teams they actually care about ooc, like Villanova and Georgetown Man, it was nice when it appeared like you'd taken a break from posting lol

Quo: you are wrong that the AAC would let Uconn football stay in the AAC if they went to the BE for Olympic sports. See BYU trying to keep 1 foot in the door with the MWC. It didn't work for them, and it won't work with Uconn. It's a self respect thing.
Tigersmoke: No, Uconn's rivals are not in the AAC. That doesn't mean that they should leave, or that I want them to. If they do though, it's not a huge loss for the AAC. Football drives the bus almost completely today. If the AAC loses Uconn then it should stay at 11 and see what happens with the Big 12 in 2024.

Cheers!

If UConn leaves, the American:

1. Adds Wichita State immediately
2. Searches for the best 12th school, be it football only or all sports

UMass is far down the list. Teams ahead of UMass:

BYU (football only)
Air Force (football only)
Army (football only)
Colorado St
New Mexico

Teams UMass would be competing against if all those said "No"

Marshall
Western Kentucky
Southern Miss
Toledo
Ohio
Northern Illinois

if uconns so called rivals are such a done deal how come they don't just schedule them OOC and quit bitchin? ... if u cant win the AAC regularly whatya gonna do in the BE? ... You've had injuries this year so start healing and winning all the time ... then get the hell out!

No. The AAC will look to the south for their 12th football member, or they'll drop Navy and stand pat at 10 members(Sorry to all the Navy fans around here).

(02-19-2017 12:16 PM)GoldenWarrior11 Wrote:  The UConn AAC/Big East argument will not end any time soon. As long as UConn is not in a power conference, the question will continue to be asked: For long long and to what extent is UConn and its athletic program willing to pursue the current course (in the American) into a power conference, and - at what point - do the leaders in charge decide to make a change and go down a different path (possibly with the Big East/Independence)?

There is, and has been, smoke with UConn since the AAC/BE split. Whether that materializes into anything is anyone's guess, but I find it hard to believe that UConn will still be in the American when 2020 rolls around.

There is no AAC/BE argument other than a few northeast media types or the random NBE fan starting up this tired subject over and over again. Common sense says there is no logical reason for UCONN to basically give up on a 100million + investment to play teams they can schedule in the nonconference anyway so a few people that can't move on can get there nostalgia fix

Not now. But in two years.

UAB will be ready.

(02-19-2017 03:57 PM)billybobby777 Wrote:  

(02-19-2017 10:00 AM)Tigersmoke3 Wrote:  

(02-19-2017 09:28 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(02-19-2017 12:30 AM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  

(02-18-2017 11:55 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  While the Big East would surely welcome back our old friend UConn, the bolded part is wrong. The Big East is doing better without UConn than UConn is doing without the Big East. UConn is fading on the vine in the AAC. Their fans don't care about any AAC opponents, except a smidge for Cincy. Half the teams UConn fans regard as rivals are in the Big East, the other half are in the ACC. And the competition doesn't prepare them for anything nationally.

Unless the ACC comes calling, and it probably isn't, UConn should rejoin the Big East in hoops and dare the AAC to kick out their football. The AAC would huff and puff but wouldn't do it.

lol @ the Georgetown T-Shirt fan.

Dare the AAC to kick out football? They won't do it? As a Temple fan, I find that notion pretty funny... We've had our football jettisoned from two conferences.

LOL at the world's only Houston/UCF/Temple fan ... or what is it this week, Navy fan or Memphis?

Temple isn't UConn. It's not a state flagship. Different beast. UConn is just more valuable overall than Temple. If the ACC or B1G were to decide to expand in the northeast, UConn would be at the top of their lists, Temple wouldn't get a minute's discussion.

That's just the way it is.

We'll probably never know, but I can't see the AAC kicking out UConn football no matter what they do with hoops.

UCONN'S rivals are all in the ACC. UConn fans miss winning a helluva lot more than Providence and DePaul. They also are already scheduling the NBE teams they actually care about ooc, like Villanova and Georgetown Man, it was nice when it appeared like you'd taken a break from posting lol

Quo: you are wrong that the AAC would let Uconn football stay in the AAC if they went to the BE for Olympic sports. See BYU trying to keep 1 foot in the door with the MWC. It didn't work for them, and it won't work with Uconn. It's a self respect thing.
Tigersmoke: No, Uconn's rivals are not in the AAC. That doesn't mean that they should leave, or that I want them to. If they do though, it's not a huge loss for the AAC. Football drives the bus almost completely today. If the AAC loses Uconn then it should stay at 11 and see what happens with the Big 12 in 2024.

Cheers!

I agree with you. Another point is, Has anyone else ever thought that maybe outside of our current lousy contract (that is shortly coming to an end) that UCONN 's prez and AD may feel that if a p5 split ever comes to pass, that they may feel safer in the top g5 all sports league than a bball only league.

I'm watching UConn right now!

(02-19-2017 05:06 PM)Tigersmoke3 Wrote:  There is no AAC/BE argument other than a few northeast media types or the random NBE fan starting up this tired subject over and over again.

That's not true. This floats out of Connecticut every so often.

Quote: Common sense says there is no logical reason for UCONN to basically give up on a 100million + investment to play teams they can schedule in the nonconference anyway so a few people that can't move on can get there nostalgia fix

I'd say that makes a ton of sense, and on top of that basketball is a sport where your conference doesn't have to hurt you. (You're a Memphis fan, you know that as well as anybody.) But rumors keep starting.

More on the mark than "northeast media and butthurt NBE fans" would be "old-timer UConn basketball fans", which has some overlap with northeast media.

(02-19-2017 05:31 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(02-19-2017 05:06 PM)Tigersmoke3 Wrote:  There is no AAC/BE argument other than a few northeast media types or the random NBE fan starting up this tired subject over and over again.

That's not true. This floats out of Connecticut every so often.

Quote: Common sense says there is no logical reason for UCONN to basically give up on a 100million + investment to play teams they can schedule in the nonconference anyway so a few people that can't move on can get there nostalgia fix

I'd say that makes a ton of sense, and on top of that basketball is a sport where your conference doesn't have to hurt you. (You're a Memphis fan, you know that as well as anybody.) But rumors keep starting.

More on the mark than "northeast media and butthurt NBE fans" would be "old-timer UConn basketball fans", which has some overlap with northeast media.

Touche'. After a while there's nothing worthwhile to say about an over analyzed beat to death topic

This year's ACC may be the best women's basketball conference in a long, long time.
I ask you to name a better women's basketball conference right now.

(02-19-2017 05:07 PM)SMUfan Wrote:  Not now. But in two years.

UAB will be ready.

(02-19-2017 04:20 PM)CougarRed Wrote:  If UConn leaves, the American:

1. Adds Wichita State immediately
2. Searches for the best 12th school, be it football only or all sports

UMass is far down the list. Teams ahead of UMass:

BYU (football only)
Air Force (football only)
Army (football only)
Colorado St
New Mexico

Teams UMass would be competing against if all those said "No"

Marshall
Western Kentucky
Southern Miss
Toledo
Ohio
Northern Illinois

Complete agreement with point #1. In fact, that should be done regardless of whether UConn leaves or not.

None of those alternate picks is very exciting. May as well toss Arky St, Latech, and Old Dominion in the ring as well. If you shift Navy back east, the replacement school can really come from anywhere in the footprint.

With a 43 million dollar budget, solid facilities, rising attendance, decent on field performance---and a position as the TRUE #2 option in its state---Arky St might not be a bad option.

Academics often factors into the decision of who to add. Every AAC member but Memphis is a USNWR top 200 school. So, here are the top 200 USNWP members that play FBS football in the AAC footprint---Rice (#15), UMass (#74), Buffalo (#99), Ohio (#146), UAB (#159), Kent St (#188), Bowling Green (#194), LaTech (tied with several other schools for the last slot in the top 200). Not a lot of attractive football in that group. LaTech is about the only attractive football program, but they are just barely in the top 200 and they double up in a relatively small state. LaTech also typically has decent basketball as well.

That said, moving Navy east and adding either LaTech or Arky St makes for fairly compact geography for the AAC's 2 divisions.

(02-19-2017 06:44 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(02-19-2017 04:20 PM)CougarRed Wrote:  If UConn leaves, the American:

1. Adds Wichita State immediately
2. Searches for the best 12th school, be it football only or all sports

UMass is far down the list. Teams ahead of UMass:

BYU (football only)
Air Force (football only)
Army (football only)
Colorado St
New Mexico

Teams UMass would be competing against if all those said "No"

Marshall
Western Kentucky
Southern Miss
Toledo
Ohio
Northern Illinois

Complete agreement with point #1. In fact, that should be done regardless of whether UConn leaves or not.

None of those alternate picks is very exciting. May as well toss Arky St, Latech, and Old Dominion in the ring as well. If you shift Navy back east, the replacement school can really come from anywhere in the footprint.

With a 43 million dollar budget, solid facilities, rising attendance, decent on field performance---and a position as the TRUE #2 option in its state---Arky St might not be a bad option.

Academics often factors into the decision of who to add. Every AAC member but Memphis is a USNWR top 200 school. So, here are the top 200 USNWP members that play FBS football in the AAC footprint---Rice (#15), UMass (#74), Buffalo (#99), Ohio (#146), UAB (#159), Kent St (#188), Bowling Green (#194), LaTech (tied with several other schools for the last slot in the top 200). Not a lot of attractive football in that group. LaTech is about the only attractive football program, but they are just barely in the top 200 and they double up in a relatively small state. LaTech also typically has decent basketball as well.

That said, moving Navy east and adding either LaTech or Arky St makes for fairly compact geography for the AAC's 2 divisions.

+3 I totally agree with "moving Navy east and adding either LaTech or Arky St makes for fairly compact geography for the AAC's 2 divisions".

(02-19-2017 06:44 PM)jaredf29 Wrote:  

(02-19-2017 05:07 PM)SMUfan Wrote:  Not now. But in two years.

UAB will be ready.

We agree Jared.

Cheers!

(02-19-2017 08:05 PM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  

(02-19-2017 06:44 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(02-19-2017 04:20 PM)CougarRed Wrote:  If UConn leaves, the American:

1. Adds Wichita State immediately
2. Searches for the best 12th school, be it football only or all sports

UMass is far down the list. Teams ahead of UMass:

BYU (football only)
Air Force (football only)
Army (football only)
Colorado St
New Mexico

Teams UMass would be competing against if all those said "No"

Marshall
Western Kentucky
Southern Miss
Toledo
Ohio
Northern Illinois

Complete agreement with point #1. In fact, that should be done regardless of whether UConn leaves or not.

None of those alternate picks is very exciting. May as well toss Arky St, Latech, and Old Dominion in the ring as well. If you shift Navy back east, the replacement school can really come from anywhere in the footprint.

With a 43 million dollar budget, solid facilities, rising attendance, decent on field performance---and a position as the TRUE #2 option in its state---Arky St might not be a bad option.

Academics often factors into the decision of who to add. Every AAC member but Memphis is a USNWR top 200 school. So, here are the top 200 USNWP members that play FBS football in the AAC footprint---Rice (#15), UMass (#74), Buffalo (#99), Ohio (#146), UAB (#159), Kent St (#188), Bowling Green (#194), LaTech (tied with several other schools for the last slot in the top 200). Not a lot of attractive football in that group. LaTech is about the only attractive football program, but they are just barely in the top 200 and they double up in a relatively small state. LaTech also typically has decent basketball as well.

That said, moving Navy east and adding either LaTech or Arky St makes for fairly compact geography for the AAC's 2 divisions.

+3 I totally agree with "moving Navy east and adding either LaTech or Arky St makes for fairly compact geography for the AAC's 2 divisions".

The following 3 schools may not be in the "AAC footprint" but they all touch AAC states:
New Mexico: Borders 3 AAC schools and has history with them. Good academics.
Colorado St and Air Force: Border Oklahoma and played with Tulsa in the WAC 16. Good academics obviously.
I'd love those 3 and BYU if we are wishing for the AAC West with SMU, Houston, Tulsa and Tulane. If a Western Division were ever to happen, those are the 3 schools needed to lure BYU. Don't think AF would do it, but I'd love it.
Cheers!

Seems like Boise, CSU, AFA, and New Mexico would be more likely as I don't see BYU going for that. But that would solidify the AAC as the #6 conference and completely compromise the MW.