CSNbbs

http://hamptonroads.com/2013/04/odu-eyes...usa-invite

The only thing jmu brings to the table is saving some money on 1 schedule game a year per sport.

Do we really need to save the money THAT bad that we will give up our huge recruiting advantage as the third fbs team in the state??? Do we really want them and their obnoxious, cocky fanbase (the same fans who told us we would need years to even win a Caa game, the same fanbase that was predicting they were going to beat us by 40-50 in footbal)? Why should we want to associate with the same administrators who voted to ban us from postseason play, simply to save a few bucks in travel costs?

Completely ignoring the bball hire, Selig is getting this wrong as well in my opinion......we are better than jmu athletically, we've proven as much over the years time and time again and now, by joining cusa while leaving them in a rotting Caa, we've assured ourselves a competitive advantage for as long as they stay Caa or join the sun belt.

And now our own AD wants to negate that advantage simply to save some money?? If some of our fans really don't think being the first banana behind vt and UVA in the state of VA is an extremely valuable position to be in for the program, than I frankly just don't know what to think about odu fans anymore.

I can understand if your position is that we just simply can't afford to not have jmu in the conference, but I just don't see how that can be factual since we already did a cost/benefit analysis of making the move without them and decided we could afford to go. I don't think bringing them in will save that much money that it will be worth it to wreck our recruiting/budget advantage.

Can someone please explain what the hell wood is thinking here??

Btw, this is a little off topic from the thread, but good lord look at how many stupid people comment on pilot online stories!!!

http://hamptonroads.com/2013/04/odu-foot...heir-seats

The insanity of some of the people commenting beneath this story, and the sheer number of people who clearly have no idea how supply and demand, college football in general, or fundraising for the University actually work, is truly astounding.

It would be pretty freaking funny if it wasn't so sad that some of our own season ticket holders don't understand that running a football program, especially a fbs program, COSTS MONEY!!

(04-11-2013 01:58 AM)Razor Ramon Monarch Wrote: [ -> ]http://hamptonroads.com/2013/04/odu-eyes...usa-invite

The only thing jmu brings to the table is saving some money on 1 schedule game a year per sport.

Do we really need to save the money THAT bad that we will give up our huge recruiting advantage as the third fbs team in the state??? Do we really want them and their obnoxious, cocky fanbase (the same fans who told us we would need years to even win a Caa game, the same fanbase that was predicting they were going to beat us by 40-50 in footbal)? Why should we want to associate with the same administrators who voted to ban us from postseason play, simply to save a few bucks in travel costs?

Completely ignoring the bball hire, Selig is getting this wrong as well in my opinion......we are better than jmu athletically, we've proven as much over the years time and time again and now, by joining cusa while leaving them in a rotting Caa, we've assured ourselves a competitive advantage for as long as they stay Caa or join the sun belt.

And now our own AD wants to negate that advantage simply to save some money?? If some of our fans really don't think being the first banana behind vt and UVA in the state of VA is an extremely valuable position to be in for the program, than I frankly just don't know what to think about odu fans anymore.

I can understand if your position is that we just simply can't afford to not have jmu in the conference, but I just don't see how that can be factual since we already did a cost/benefit analysis of making the move without them and decided we could afford to go. I don't think bringing them in will save that much money that it will be worth it to wreck our recruiting/budget advantage.

Can someone please explain what the hell wood is thinking here??

Dr. Camden Wood Selig - Athletic Director Jim Jarrett Ath. Admin. Bldg. 683-3369 wselig@odu.edu

For one, there are no open spots in CUSA so there shouldn't even be a discussion on adding JMU. For 2, if an opening came to be, adding JMU would put UAB or WKU out west even further weakening the east. We have already lost ECU and Southern Miss out of the east since we joined. If a spot opens up, I'd rather add out west to keep UAB and WKU in the eastern half. If we decide to expand, I'd rather add 2 teams out west to bring Southern Miss back into the fold. In such a large conference, who is out west is almost irrelevant. Would you rather have UAB or JMU? Seems like a no-brainer, because this looks pretty weak (in fact pathetic):

ODU
JMU
MTSU
FIU
FAU
UNC-C
WKU

(04-11-2013 07:08 AM)EverRespect Wrote: [ -> ]For one, there are no open spots in CUSA so there shouldn't even be a discussion on adding JMU. For 2, if an opening came to be, adding JMU would put UAB or WKU out west even further weakening the east. We have already lost ECU and Southern Miss out of the east since we joined. If a spot opens up, I'd rather add out west to keep UAB and WKU in the eastern half. If we decide to expand, I'd rather add 2 teams out west to bring Southern Miss back into the fold. In such a large conference, who is out west is almost irrelevant. Would you rather have UAB or JMU? Seems like a no-brainer, because this looks pretty weak (in fact pathetic):

ODU
JMU
MTSU
FIU
FAU
UNC-C
WKU

Marshall ?

Thanks, forgot about Marshall. UAB is likely already gone and adding JMU as a replacement would likely push WKU out. They'll lobby hard against JMU bc they won't want to split with MTSU. Other option is doing a North/South split. That would put all the Texas and Florida schools in the same conference. Probably our best case scenario, but I don't see it happening.

I prefer WKU, but I'd also enjoy beating JMU every year. The trip to JMU this year was a blast, and I love looking at all the stunned JMU fans. No qualms either way from me.

If anything, it gives us a legit rival. But again, I won't cry in their absence. I think they're more likely headed to the Sun Belt if and when they make the move.

I say let JMU and their ilk rot in CAA hell for decades.

Maybe he's thinking, easy travel, easy FBS win, after we smash them in the mouth regularly we no recruit we want would go there....

but as I previously noted all former CAA teams can rot in their own decaying entrails!

I said it before, i wish JMU an upgrade to FBS in the Sunbelt. i wish to play them regularly as a home and home OOC game. the game would keep a local rivalry, count as an an FBS game, would not effect our conference standings.

Why JMU? Because compared to Louisiana and Arkansas St (and really any other option at the moment) they are head and shoulders a better athletic program.

But I understand why many would be against it, especially given the geographic concerns with the current CUSA lineup.

(04-11-2013 08:21 AM)monarchoptimist Wrote: [ -> ]Why JMU? Because compared to Louisiana and Arkansas St (and really any other option at the moment) they are head and shoulders a better athletic program.

But I understand why many would be against it, especially given the geographic concerns with the current CUSA lineup.

not sure I would agree with that. at least not for football.

(04-11-2013 07:08 AM)EverRespect Wrote: [ -> ]For one, there are no open spots in CUSA so there shouldn't even be a discussion on adding JMU. For 2, if an opening came to be, adding JMU would put UAB or WKU out west even further weakening the east. We have already lost ECU and Southern Miss out of the east since we joined. If a spot opens up, I'd rather add out west to keep UAB and WKU in the eastern half. If we decide to expand, I'd rather add 2 teams out west to bring Southern Miss back into the fold. In such a large conference, who is out west is almost irrelevant. Would you rather have UAB or JMU? Seems like a no-brainer, because this looks pretty weak (in fact pathetic):

ODU
JMU
MTSU
FIU
FAU
UNC-C
WKU

UAB is already in the West division with the current 14 teams. The East is:

ODU
Charlotte
Marshall
WKU
MTSU
FIU
FAU

One of the main reasons to consider an expansion to 16 would be to add two teams to the West (some combination ofULL, ASU, NMSU, other) so that UAB would slide to the East with us.

I'm one of the older geezers who remembers the old Sun Belt and our rivalries with UAB. I would love to have them in the East with us, along with Charlotte and WKU. It would be like old times.

Having said that, I'm not opposed to adding JMU. Hear me out. First, I dislike their fan base as much as anyone. If I have to hear one more time about their "superior" academics, I think I'll vomit. There are entire threads about that subject, so I won't belabor it. However, I also think it's important to establish rivalries for the good of the conference and ODU. JMU offers a ready-made rivalry for us. Our fan bases live, work and interact throughout Virginia. We dislike them, they dislike us. It's a no-brainer. Yes, their BB has sucked for 20 years, but we've got plenty of other teams to pick up the BB slack. And let's admit it, ULL and ASU aren't exactly BB titans.

As to establishing a recruiting advantage over JMU, I would contend we already have one. Aren't we 2-0 against the mighty Dukes? Didn't we surpass them in only 4 years? I'm not afraid to compete against JMU. Competition only makes us all stronger and better.

Finally, selfishly, having JMU in the conference would give me another easy game to travel to. I'm situated only 3 hours from Harrisonburg, 4 hours from Marshall and 7 hours from Charlotte and WKU. That's 4 games within easy traveling distance for me.

Excuse me now while I shower. I just advocated for JMU. I feel unclean.

(04-11-2013 09:20 AM)Maryland Monarch Wrote: [ -> ]

(04-11-2013 07:08 AM)EverRespect Wrote: [ -> ]For one, there are no open spots in CUSA so there shouldn't even be a discussion on adding JMU. For 2, if an opening came to be, adding JMU would put UAB or WKU out west even further weakening the east. We have already lost ECU and Southern Miss out of the east since we joined. If a spot opens up, I'd rather add out west to keep UAB and WKU in the eastern half. If we decide to expand, I'd rather add 2 teams out west to bring Southern Miss back into the fold. In such a large conference, who is out west is almost irrelevant. Would you rather have UAB or JMU? Seems like a no-brainer, because this looks pretty weak (in fact pathetic):

ODU
JMU
MTSU
FIU
FAU
UNC-C
WKU

UAB is already in the West division with the current 14 teams. The East is:

ODU
Charlotte
Marshall
WKU
MTSU
FIU
FAU

One of the main reasons to consider an expansion to 16 would be to add two teams to the West (some combination ofULL, ASU, NMSU, other) so that UAB would slide to the East with us.

I'm one of the older geezers who remembers the old Sun Belt and our rivalries with UAB. I would love to have them in the East with us, along with Charlotte and WKU. It would be like old times.

Having said that, I'm not opposed to adding JMU. Hear me out. First, I dislike their fan base as much as anyone. If I have to hear one more time about their "superior" academics, I think I'll vomit. There are entire threads about that subject, so I won't belabor it. However, I also think it's important to establish rivalries for the good of the conference and ODU. JMU offers a ready-made rivalry for us. Our fan bases live, work and interact throughout Virginia. We dislike them, they dislike us. It's a no-brainer. Yes, their BB has sucked for 20 years, but we've got plenty of other teams to pick up the BB slack. And let's admit it, ULL and ASU aren't exactly BB titans.

As to establishing a recruiting advantage over JMU, I would contend we already have one. Aren't we 2-0 against the mighty Dukes? Didn't we surpass them in only 4 years? I'm not afraid to compete against JMU. Competition only makes us all stronger and better.

Finally, selfishly, having JMU in the conference would give me another easy game to travel to. I'm situated only 3 hours from Harrisonburg, 4 hours from Marshall and 7 hours from Charlotte and WKU. That's 4 games within easy traveling distance for me.

Excuse me now while I shower. I just advocated for JMU. I feel unclean.

I would still rather UAB slide east if we expand than add JMU. I'm no old geezer, but the old UAB/WKU/UNCC/ODU rivalries (and add MTSU) sound much more appealing to me than bringing in the Dukes. If we could negotiate some way to have one or both of F_Us go west, I could live with adding JMU.

(04-11-2013 08:36 AM)ODU_NYG Wrote: [ -> ]

(04-11-2013 08:21 AM)monarchoptimist Wrote: [ -> ]Why JMU? Because compared to Louisiana and Arkansas St (and really any other option at the moment) they are head and shoulders a better athletic program.

But I understand why many would be against it, especially given the geographic concerns with the current CUSA lineup.

not sure I would agree with that. at least not for football.

JMU's attendance is already on par with both those schools and, with an upgrade to FBS, attendance should improve. Both those schools could be more competitive in the short term (3-5 years) since they are already FBS, but neither team brings any kind of consistent success so that's not guaranteed. JMU has had consistent success (except against ODU) and spends more money than either school on athletics. I think JMU's ceiling is higher.

Plus, CUSA has already added too many slumbelt schools. We're at the bottom of the barrel. If football success is all that matters neither school is as successful as Troy.

Bc JMU in Conf USA benefits ODU more than the other schools mentioned.

But TV markets rull the roost nowadays and they are in BFE.

Razor,
Good question re: JMU.
The only thing I can figure is that JMU in the CUSA is better than JMU in the MAC or SBC. In other words, if it is inevitable that JMU will be FBS, the only way we would benefit us is if they are in the same conference.
Other than that, I have no clue.

But Razor, just think of how many more games you could easily drive to in your sweet convertible.

I can't speak for Razor, but I am looking forward to easily driving to Pittsburgh, DC, Chapel Hill, and Greenville next year.

(04-11-2013 09:33 AM)monarchoptimist Wrote: [ -> ]JMU's attendance is already on par with both those schools and, with an upgrade to FBS, attendance should improve. Both those schools could be more competitive in the short term (3-5 years) since they are already FBS, but neither team brings any kind of consistent success so that's not guaranteed. JMU has had consistent success (except against ODU) and spends more money than either school on athletics. I think JMU's ceiling is higher.

Plus, CUSA has already added too many slumbelt schools. We're at the bottom of the barrel. If football success is all that matters neither school is as successful as Troy.

The only drawback that I see is the 2 year wait for JMU to convert to FBS. We wouldn't schedule them during their transition year, I'm sure! I'm neither in favor or disfavor of their inclusion into CUSA, however, I have looked on the CUSA map, and see a gap in the S. Carolina/Georgia area, but find no real FBS eligible candidates.
Maybe there is a big attractive TV market/College program to include into the footprint of CUSA, but I don't see it for at least two years. That is, until one of the BCS conferences expand some more and take out some current CUSA schools. Not many here saw UMd moving to B1G.

James Madison, sooner or later, is going to be in the FBS.

Other than slightly helping there reruiting postion (CUSA vs. Sunbelt), there is no real downside to having them in CUSA with us.