What's this about bottom feeders in the MAC? Yes, we have some, but so do most all conferences. And take a look at C-USA. Memphis, according to a preview I read, has not had a winning record since '94. Last year, Army was 3-8, Tulane was 3-9, and Houston was 0-11. Many posters have mentioned ad nauseum that MAC teams defeated every C-USA opponent they played last year, and of course the MAC was 2-0 against C-USA in bowl games. The MAC had 2 teams ranked in the top 25, C-USA had 1. Let's see how things go this year. On the field, which is where it counts, how can anyone say C-USA is better than the MAC? Better yet, let's state this positively. As of today, the MAC is better than C-USA and it will stay that way until C-USA proves differently.
They have more bowl games because they spend a lot of money.
I would say that they have more bowl games because they have better geographics than the MAC schools in terms of warm weather and major city sites. C-USA has southern teams like So. Mississippi, Memphis, Houston, etc. which help make the conference more attractive to bowls while they have a couple schools in major media markets (ie. UC and Louisville) which the MAC really can't match. So Conference C-USA will always "win out" on having more bowls and a better TV deal.
Now, all that said if the NCAA goes through with the new IA attendance requirements and the MAC sheds a couple of our weakest entries (whereas my sense is that C-USA will remain intact) the "gap" (attendance and competitiveness) will close even more, which is why Marshall may end up choosing to stay in the MAC for an all sports affiliation.
For some reason much has been made of whether the MAC has one or two guaranteed bowl bids this year......much of this concern has come from the Herd fans. To be honest I'm surprised at all the "stink" over the issue, because wasn't it the Herd fans who told us that the Mobile bid was essentially put together for the Herd? Now we have a pre-season ranked Herd team, so why if the Herd travel like they do and have the appeal that they do then why should Herd fans worry about Mobile by-passing their team? No worries, right?
If the NCAA goes through with the attendance requirements, what happens to the affected schools? Do they lose their football programs? Are they put together in a "Bottom Feeder" conference? Someone enlighten me, please.
The proposed rules (which include # of home games vs. IA competition, total sports funded, scholarships and home attendance) are scheduled to go into effect in 2004. What I don't know is if there is any kind of probationary period should a school miss one of the minimum thresholds in 2004......I would think due to the havoc it might bring on scheduling that there would be some kind of provision for probation before exclusion.
If a program did not make the "grade", then it would presumably be forced to decide between dropping the program altogether or moving down to another (IAA?) level of NCAA football.
Those who fail to meet the 15,000 rule or any other I-A rule would be forced out of I-A. It would be up to the individual schools to decide whether to move down to I-AA or shut down football altogether.
Hopefully the lawsuits start. That's effectively the "death penalty" for programs that don't cheat.
And as someone else pointed out the obvious fact (that I'm ashamed never occured to me) is that no other NCAA sport has attendance regulations.
Hey, let's take out Sienna, Rider, LIU, etc for low bball attendance.
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by DrTorch:
Hey, let's take out Sienna, Rider, LIU, etc for low bball attendance.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">If they did this, UCF would be gone. Considering how much I hate Bball, I'm not saying its a bad thing. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Razz]" src="tongue.gif" />
How can you not like Bball when you have the Convo in your blood Mr. Econo?
I doubt it would make that much of a difference in MAC competitiveness if Kent, EMU and others were forced to drop to 1-AA. Only thing is that by dropping Kent and EMU, your depriving the MAC of 2 schools that could potentially be pretty good.
KC
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Econoknight:
Considering how much I hate Bball, I'm not saying its a bad thing. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Razz]" src="tongue.gif" /> </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I hate bball too...but in principle one must mention it along w/ football, even if it makes one cringe.
Econo, hope to meet you at the Akron v. UMd game.
<small>[ August 14, 2002, 03:14 PM: Message edited by: DrTorch ]</small>
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by DrTorch:
Econo, hope to meet you at the Akron v. UMd game.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Been thinking about going down to it. I've never been to Maryland's facility, I haven't heard favorable things about it. It is not a far drive from Crofton, like 20 minutes.
I'm trying to remember if my wife booked up that weekend or not...
wife=end of life
I feel sorry for Econo and Torch, having to compromise their MAC devotion for there better halves.
If you want to see a "live" Bobcat at the UMd-Akron game, just call on Kit-Cat.
KC
It looks like I have that day open.
Kit-Kat and Dr. Have you bought tix for that game or do you just go and do the tailgate thing? (anybody who ever goes to a Navy game will understand that question)
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Econoknight:
It looks like I have that day open.
Kit-Kat and Dr. Have you bought tix for that game or do you just go and do the tailgate thing? (anybody who ever goes to a Navy game will understand that question)</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I typically wait and buy one there from a tailgating party. It usually works out best for all around.