CSNbbs

(03-02-2016 01:35 PM)paintedblue2 Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-02-2016 12:52 PM)Monarchblue Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-02-2016 09:19 AM)ODUalum78 Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-02-2016 09:12 AM)MonarchsWon Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-01-2016 09:36 PM)cjpritODU Wrote: [ -> ]I personally feel like we should have made a bid to join the MAC. They have a better TV deal and they get those midweek MACtion games on ESPN which gives the institution lots of exposure when not much else is on TV sports wise and there are some strong teams in the MAC for football (UNI, Bowling Green, Toledo) and in basketball they are better than CUSA #10 in conference RPI compared to #22 for CUSA http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketba...conference just my thoughts but as it is now it looks like CUSA for the foreseeable future

I don't believe the MAC is a good fit for us at all. They offer an even worse geographic footprint and while a lot of people talk about the big Tuesday night MAC football games - I'm not sure that is such a good thing - even for the MAC. They are Tuesday night games in empty stadiums in crap weather. I'm not sure the exposure is all that great. Our fan base would respond TERRIBLY to Tuesday night games. I'd want no part of it at all. I'm not "happy as can be" with C-USA but I really think the conference is a mirror of Old Dominion right now - in transition and right on the edge of a big move forward. I think there are a lot of teams in both FBALL and BBALL right on the edge of real improvement. The conference has a lot of "young" programs that are transitioning from once conference to another or from FCS to FBS. We've finished the last 2 years with a FBALL team in the Top 25 - that's pretty good for rock bottom. I do believe BBALL will improve as a conference. Our FBALL program has been in a state of transition from season 1. We've either been building or transitioning. I'm not sure we've ever had a full roster of recruits at the level we are playing in - maybe one season at FCS?? Let us get our footing as a team and a program and a conference. There should be no talk of other conferences until we have won championships in C-USA. Once we start doing that consistently - who knows the future but that has to be the only goal. Win where we are now!

That is the most ridiculous, self fulfilling line of thought I have ever heard. The fear is that this conference is hurting our athletics. Well if the conference keeps us from living up to our potential, then we are probably not going to be winning a bunch of championships. The fact is that everything about this conference except the fact that it offers FBS football is a bad fit for us, and there is a significant possibility that we become mired in mediocrity because of it, just like when we were in the Sunbelt.

While I am very grateful to the transitional home which CUSA has provided for ODU, I do believe that the AAC would provide several things for ODU which our current conference does not; therefore I believe our administration should keep a finger on that conference's pulse, and continue to make ODU an attractive partner to whichever conference we are, or hope to be a member.

The AAC would provide ODU with additional media revenue, and perhaps more importantly with more media coverage.

Since the AAC has thus far held it's men's and women's basketball tournaments in seperate markets, with the men's being in large off campus facilities, ODU would have the chance to host the AAC Basketball Tournament in the coming VB Arena.

The AAC would also provide/re-unite ODU with a natural, close rival and travel pertner in ECU. I am not so certain that JMU will ever seek or accept admission to the Sun Belt, or that they would recieve a CUSA invite.

Where ODU ultimately winds up is of course largely predicated on the choices the administration makes regarding our new football stadium. If the AAC is the end game, and I believe that it should be, ODU MUST build a stadium whice can seat 30,000, or can be expanded to that capacity.

30k should be the absolute bare minimum for the new football stadium at its opening if ODU has any designs on leaving CUSA. Look at the capacity of the stadiums for schools in the AAC.

A previous post mentioned nobody being happy. If ODU builds a 25k stadium it kills any chance of leaving CUSA for decades. Further, I agree with another poster who said major movement shouldn't be expected until the GoRs expire in the 2020s.

(03-02-2016 12:52 PM)Monarchblue Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-02-2016 09:19 AM)ODUalum78 Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-02-2016 09:12 AM)MonarchsWon Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-01-2016 09:36 PM)cjpritODU Wrote: [ -> ]I personally feel like we should have made a bid to join the MAC. They have a better TV deal and they get those midweek MACtion games on ESPN which gives the institution lots of exposure when not much else is on TV sports wise and there are some strong teams in the MAC for football (UNI, Bowling Green, Toledo) and in basketball they are better than CUSA #10 in conference RPI compared to #22 for CUSA http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketba...conference just my thoughts but as it is now it looks like CUSA for the foreseeable future

I don't believe the MAC is a good fit for us at all. They offer an even worse geographic footprint and while a lot of people talk about the big Tuesday night MAC football games - I'm not sure that is such a good thing - even for the MAC. They are Tuesday night games in empty stadiums in crap weather. I'm not sure the exposure is all that great. Our fan base would respond TERRIBLY to Tuesday night games. I'd want no part of it at all. I'm not "happy as can be" with C-USA but I really think the conference is a mirror of Old Dominion right now - in transition and right on the edge of a big move forward. I think there are a lot of teams in both FBALL and BBALL right on the edge of real improvement. The conference has a lot of "young" programs that are transitioning from once conference to another or from FCS to FBS. We've finished the last 2 years with a FBALL team in the Top 25 - that's pretty good for rock bottom. I do believe BBALL will improve as a conference. Our FBALL program has been in a state of transition from season 1. We've either been building or transitioning. I'm not sure we've ever had a full roster of recruits at the level we are playing in - maybe one season at FCS?? Let us get our footing as a team and a program and a conference. There should be no talk of other conferences until we have won championships in C-USA. Once we start doing that consistently - who knows the future but that has to be the only goal. Win where we are now!

That is the most ridiculous, self fulfilling line of thought I have ever heard. The fear is that this conference is hurting our athletics. Well if the conference keeps us from living up to our potential, then we are probably not going to be winning a bunch of championships. The fact is that everything about this conference except the fact that it offers FBS football is a bad fit for us, and there is a significant possibility that we become mired in mediocrity because of it, just like when we were in the Sunbelt.

Wish I had said that. And sadly across the breadth of our athletic program we are on a good start towards mediocrity.

(03-02-2016 01:35 PM)paintedblue2 Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-02-2016 12:52 PM)Monarchblue Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-02-2016 09:19 AM)ODUalum78 Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-02-2016 09:12 AM)MonarchsWon Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-01-2016 09:36 PM)cjpritODU Wrote: [ -> ]I personally feel like we should have made a bid to join the MAC. They have a better TV deal and they get those midweek MACtion games on ESPN which gives the institution lots of exposure when not much else is on TV sports wise and there are some strong teams in the MAC for football (UNI, Bowling Green, Toledo) and in basketball they are better than CUSA #10 in conference RPI compared to #22 for CUSA http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketba...conference just my thoughts but as it is now it looks like CUSA for the foreseeable future

I don't believe the MAC is a good fit for us at all. They offer an even worse geographic footprint and while a lot of people talk about the big Tuesday night MAC football games - I'm not sure that is such a good thing - even for the MAC. They are Tuesday night games in empty stadiums in crap weather. I'm not sure the exposure is all that great. Our fan base would respond TERRIBLY to Tuesday night games. I'd want no part of it at all. I'm not "happy as can be" with C-USA but I really think the conference is a mirror of Old Dominion right now - in transition and right on the edge of a big move forward. I think there are a lot of teams in both FBALL and BBALL right on the edge of real improvement. The conference has a lot of "young" programs that are transitioning from once conference to another or from FCS to FBS. We've finished the last 2 years with a FBALL team in the Top 25 - that's pretty good for rock bottom. I do believe BBALL will improve as a conference. Our FBALL program has been in a state of transition from season 1. We've either been building or transitioning. I'm not sure we've ever had a full roster of recruits at the level we are playing in - maybe one season at FCS?? Let us get our footing as a team and a program and a conference. There should be no talk of other conferences until we have won championships in C-USA. Once we start doing that consistently - who knows the future but that has to be the only goal. Win where we are now!

That is the most ridiculous, self fulfilling line of thought I have ever heard. The fear is that this conference is hurting our athletics. Well if the conference keeps us from living up to our potential, then we are probably not going to be winning a bunch of championships. The fact is that everything about this conference except the fact that it offers FBS football is a bad fit for us, and there is a significant possibility that we become mired in mediocrity because of it, just like when we were in the Sunbelt.

While I am very grateful to the transitional home which CUSA has provided for ODU, I do believe that the AAC would provide several things for ODU which our current conference does not; therefore I believe our administration should keep a finger on that conference's pulse, and continue to make ODU an attractive partner to whichever conference we are, or hope to be a member.

The AAC would provide ODU with additional media revenue, and perhaps more importantly with more media coverage.

Since the AAC has thus far held it's men's and women's basketball tournaments in seperate markets, with the men's being in large off campus facilities, ODU would have the chance to host the AAC Basketball Tournament in the coming VB Arena.

The AAC would also provide/re-unite ODU with a natural, close rival and travel pertner in ECU. I am not so certain that JMU will ever seek or accept admission to the Sun Belt, or that they would recieve a CUSA invite.

Where ODU ultimately winds up is of course largely predicated on the choices the administration makes regarding our new football stadium. If the AAC is the end game, and I believe that it should be, ODU MUST build a stadium whice can seat 30,000, or can be expanded to that capacity.

A lot of us don't like the arrogance from some posters that go on about how the AAC is part of the "P6" or is really a "tweener conference" and certainly not a part of the ridiculous and poor "G4", but there's not a single G5 program east of the Rockies that wouldn't take an AAC bid were it offered. But the AAC wasn't an option when ODU moved up because they're not going to take FCS callups, particularly ones that haven't been playing football for 10 seasons yet.

You want ODU in the AAC? Consider that everyone except UConn, Temple and Navy moved there from ... CUSA. Louisville, TCU, DePaul and Marquette went CUSA --> AAC/original Big East as well. So if you're trying to position yourself for an AAC move down the line, history favors CUSA over the MAC and Sun Belt.

(03-02-2016 12:52 PM)Monarchblue Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-02-2016 09:19 AM)ODUalum78 Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-02-2016 09:12 AM)MonarchsWon Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-01-2016 09:36 PM)cjpritODU Wrote: [ -> ]I personally feel like we should have made a bid to join the MAC. They have a better TV deal and they get those midweek MACtion games on ESPN which gives the institution lots of exposure when not much else is on TV sports wise and there are some strong teams in the MAC for football (UNI, Bowling Green, Toledo) and in basketball they are better than CUSA #10 in conference RPI compared to #22 for CUSA http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketba...conference just my thoughts but as it is now it looks like CUSA for the foreseeable future

I don't believe the MAC is a good fit for us at all. They offer an even worse geographic footprint and while a lot of people talk about the big Tuesday night MAC football games - I'm not sure that is such a good thing - even for the MAC. They are Tuesday night games in empty stadiums in crap weather. I'm not sure the exposure is all that great. Our fan base would respond TERRIBLY to Tuesday night games. I'd want no part of it at all. I'm not "happy as can be" with C-USA but I really think the conference is a mirror of Old Dominion right now - in transition and right on the edge of a big move forward. I think there are a lot of teams in both FBALL and BBALL right on the edge of real improvement. The conference has a lot of "young" programs that are transitioning from once conference to another or from FCS to FBS. We've finished the last 2 years with a FBALL team in the Top 25 - that's pretty good for rock bottom. I do believe BBALL will improve as a conference. Our FBALL program has been in a state of transition from season 1. We've either been building or transitioning. I'm not sure we've ever had a full roster of recruits at the level we are playing in - maybe one season at FCS?? Let us get our footing as a team and a program and a conference. There should be no talk of other conferences until we have won championships in C-USA. Once we start doing that consistently - who knows the future but that has to be the only goal. Win where we are now!

That is the most ridiculous, self fulfilling line of thought I have ever heard. The fear is that this conference is hurting our athletics. Well if the conference keeps us from living up to our potential, then we are probably not going to be winning a bunch of championships. The fact is that everything about this conference except the fact that it offers FBS football is a bad fit for us, and there is a significant possibility that we become mired in mediocrity because of it, just like when we were in the Sunbelt.

How is CUSA keeping ODU from reaching its potential? ODU's the one that can't dominate the 22nd-ranked basketball conference this season. ODU's the one that has a sub-.500 conference record in football. If ODU is the rose that grew from concrete, then it should manifest itself in ways other than the belief by its fans that they've already outgrown the conference.

If CUSA is constricting ODU athletics, what would the CAA be doing to them? Yes, yes, the CAA has a markedly higher conference RPI this season. Good for them — seriously. But you know what that top-10 RPI is probably going to get them? Bragging rights, a 13-14 seed in the NCAA and maybe a bottom-half seed in the NIT, presuming that it doesn't get wiped out by too many low-major regular-season champs choking on a fat one in their conference tourneys. Meanwhile, no VCU, no George Mason, eventually no JMU, and no chance for FBS football. But hey, Northeastern and Drexel are back on the schedule, and they brought their good friend Elon with them! Yay!

Sure, CUSA has flaws. Every G5 conference — yes, including the worship-worthy AAC — has flaws. There probably isn't a single G5 member that doesn't wish it was in a better situation (Tulsa? Louisiana-Monroe?) The travel sucks. The rivalries aren't there yet. The American Sports Network only works when the hamster on a wheel running it is well rested, and they apparently think that streaming is something you do in the trough urinal. But unless the Big 12 or ACC decide to go completely off the grid and invite ODU, the CUA is the best reasonable place for ODU to be.

Prove that you're better than the company you keep, then give voice to it. Some of us seem to be getting it twisted.

(03-02-2016 03:26 PM)Cyniclone Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-02-2016 12:52 PM)Monarchblue Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-02-2016 09:19 AM)ODUalum78 Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-02-2016 09:12 AM)MonarchsWon Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-01-2016 09:36 PM)cjpritODU Wrote: [ -> ]I personally feel like we should have made a bid to join the MAC. They have a better TV deal and they get those midweek MACtion games on ESPN which gives the institution lots of exposure when not much else is on TV sports wise and there are some strong teams in the MAC for football (UNI, Bowling Green, Toledo) and in basketball they are better than CUSA #10 in conference RPI compared to #22 for CUSA http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketba...conference just my thoughts but as it is now it looks like CUSA for the foreseeable future

I don't believe the MAC is a good fit for us at all. They offer an even worse geographic footprint and while a lot of people talk about the big Tuesday night MAC football games - I'm not sure that is such a good thing - even for the MAC. They are Tuesday night games in empty stadiums in crap weather. I'm not sure the exposure is all that great. Our fan base would respond TERRIBLY to Tuesday night games. I'd want no part of it at all. I'm not "happy as can be" with C-USA but I really think the conference is a mirror of Old Dominion right now - in transition and right on the edge of a big move forward. I think there are a lot of teams in both FBALL and BBALL right on the edge of real improvement. The conference has a lot of "young" programs that are transitioning from once conference to another or from FCS to FBS. We've finished the last 2 years with a FBALL team in the Top 25 - that's pretty good for rock bottom. I do believe BBALL will improve as a conference. Our FBALL program has been in a state of transition from season 1. We've either been building or transitioning. I'm not sure we've ever had a full roster of recruits at the level we are playing in - maybe one season at FCS?? Let us get our footing as a team and a program and a conference. There should be no talk of other conferences until we have won championships in C-USA. Once we start doing that consistently - who knows the future but that has to be the only goal. Win where we are now!

That is the most ridiculous, self fulfilling line of thought I have ever heard. The fear is that this conference is hurting our athletics. Well if the conference keeps us from living up to our potential, then we are probably not going to be winning a bunch of championships. The fact is that everything about this conference except the fact that it offers FBS football is a bad fit for us, and there is a significant possibility that we become mired in mediocrity because of it, just like when we were in the Sunbelt.

How is CUSA keeping ODU from reaching its potential? ODU's the one that can't dominate the 22nd-ranked basketball conference this season. ODU's the one that has a sub-.500 conference record in football. If ODU is the rose that grew from concrete, then it should manifest itself in ways other than the belief by its fans that they've already outgrown the conference.

If CUSA is constricting ODU athletics, what would the CAA be doing to them? Yes, yes, the CAA has a markedly higher conference RPI this season. Good for them — seriously. But you know what that top-10 RPI is probably going to get them? Bragging rights, a 13-14 seed in the NCAA and maybe a bottom-half seed in the NIT, presuming that it doesn't get wiped out by too many low-major regular-season champs choking on a fat one in their conference tourneys. Meanwhile, no VCU, no George Mason, eventually no JMU, and no chance for FBS football. But hey, Northeastern and Drexel are back on the schedule, and they brought their good friend Elon with them! Yay!

Sure, CUSA has flaws. Every G5 conference — yes, including the worship-worthy AAC — has flaws. There probably isn't a single G5 member that doesn't wish it was in a better situation (Tulsa? Louisiana-Monroe?) The travel sucks. The rivalries aren't there yet. The American Sports Network only works when the hamster on a wheel running it is well rested, and they apparently think that streaming is something you do in the trough urinal. But unless the Big 12 or ACC decide to go completely off the grid and invite ODU, the CUA is the best reasonable place for ODU to be.

Prove that you're better than the company you keep, then give voice to it. Some of us seem to be getting it twisted.

The short answer is by making the program less exciting. Less excited fans, less excited donors, less excited recruits.

(03-02-2016 03:26 PM)Cyniclone Wrote: [ -> ]How is CUSA keeping ODU from reaching its potential? ODU's the one that can't dominate the 22nd-ranked basketball conference this season. ODU's the one that has a sub-.500 conference record in football. If ODU is the rose that grew from concrete, then it should manifest itself in ways other than the belief by its fans that they've already outgrown the conference.

If CUSA is constricting ODU athletics, what would the CAA be doing to them? Yes, yes, the CAA has a markedly higher conference RPI this season. Good for them — seriously. But you know what that top-10 RPI is probably going to get them? Bragging rights, a 13-14 seed in the NCAA and maybe a bottom-half seed in the NIT, presuming that it doesn't get wiped out by too many low-major regular-season champs choking on a fat one in their conference tourneys. Meanwhile, no VCU, no George Mason, eventually no JMU, and no chance for FBS football. But hey, Northeastern and Drexel are back on the schedule, and they brought their good friend Elon with them! Yay!

Sure, CUSA has flaws. Every G5 conference — yes, including the worship-worthy AAC — has flaws. There probably isn't a single G5 member that doesn't wish it was in a better situation (Tulsa? Louisiana-Monroe?) The travel sucks. The rivalries aren't there yet. The American Sports Network only works when the hamster on a wheel running it is well rested, and they apparently think that streaming is something you do in the trough urinal. But unless the Big 12 or ACC decide to go completely off the grid and invite ODU, the CUA is the best reasonable place for ODU to be.

Prove that you're better than the company you keep, then give voice to it. Some of us seem to be getting it twisted.

No disagreement from me here. I don't think CUSA has anything to do with our mediocrity here. Now one could argue that the move to FBS and its associated expenses have impacted our recruiting for basketball, but I'm not convinced that's the case. Most of the AAC urbans (as well as UAB here) have the same issues and still manage to be ok. And we have the 757. We just have to do better at capturing it. ODU is now in the grind that it should have reached when it entering the CAA. We whizzed through that one and now we've reached our competitive level. Hopefully we can get to the top but there are programs in this league that won't let us whiz by. Some of us seem to blame the conference for that and in a way it is the truth--lol.

(03-02-2016 03:48 PM)Monarchblue Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-02-2016 03:26 PM)Cyniclone Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-02-2016 12:52 PM)Monarchblue Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-02-2016 09:19 AM)ODUalum78 Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-02-2016 09:12 AM)MonarchsWon Wrote: [ -> ]I don't believe the MAC is a good fit for us at all. They offer an even worse geographic footprint and while a lot of people talk about the big Tuesday night MAC football games - I'm not sure that is such a good thing - even for the MAC. They are Tuesday night games in empty stadiums in crap weather. I'm not sure the exposure is all that great. Our fan base would respond TERRIBLY to Tuesday night games. I'd want no part of it at all. I'm not "happy as can be" with C-USA but I really think the conference is a mirror of Old Dominion right now - in transition and right on the edge of a big move forward. I think there are a lot of teams in both FBALL and BBALL right on the edge of real improvement. The conference has a lot of "young" programs that are transitioning from once conference to another or from FCS to FBS. We've finished the last 2 years with a FBALL team in the Top 25 - that's pretty good for rock bottom. I do believe BBALL will improve as a conference. Our FBALL program has been in a state of transition from season 1. We've either been building or transitioning. I'm not sure we've ever had a full roster of recruits at the level we are playing in - maybe one season at FCS?? Let us get our footing as a team and a program and a conference. There should be no talk of other conferences until we have won championships in C-USA. Once we start doing that consistently - who knows the future but that has to be the only goal. Win where we are now!

That is the most ridiculous, self fulfilling line of thought I have ever heard. The fear is that this conference is hurting our athletics. Well if the conference keeps us from living up to our potential, then we are probably not going to be winning a bunch of championships. The fact is that everything about this conference except the fact that it offers FBS football is a bad fit for us, and there is a significant possibility that we become mired in mediocrity because of it, just like when we were in the Sunbelt.

How is CUSA keeping ODU from reaching its potential? ODU's the one that can't dominate the 22nd-ranked basketball conference this season. ODU's the one that has a sub-.500 conference record in football. If ODU is the rose that grew from concrete, then it should manifest itself in ways other than the belief by its fans that they've already outgrown the conference.

If CUSA is constricting ODU athletics, what would the CAA be doing to them? Yes, yes, the CAA has a markedly higher conference RPI this season. Good for them — seriously. But you know what that top-10 RPI is probably going to get them? Bragging rights, a 13-14 seed in the NCAA and maybe a bottom-half seed in the NIT, presuming that it doesn't get wiped out by too many low-major regular-season champs choking on a fat one in their conference tourneys. Meanwhile, no VCU, no George Mason, eventually no JMU, and no chance for FBS football. But hey, Northeastern and Drexel are back on the schedule, and they brought their good friend Elon with them! Yay!

Sure, CUSA has flaws. Every G5 conference — yes, including the worship-worthy AAC — has flaws. There probably isn't a single G5 member that doesn't wish it was in a better situation (Tulsa? Louisiana-Monroe?) The travel sucks. The rivalries aren't there yet. The American Sports Network only works when the hamster on a wheel running it is well rested, and they apparently think that streaming is something you do in the trough urinal. But unless the Big 12 or ACC decide to go completely off the grid and invite ODU, the CUA is the best reasonable place for ODU to be.

Prove that you're better than the company you keep, then give voice to it. Some of us seem to be getting it twisted.

The short answer is by making the program less exciting. Less excited fans, less excited donors, less excited recruits.

They get excited by winning and facilities — both factors that are completely in the program's control.

(03-02-2016 02:47 PM)TheDancinMonarch Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-02-2016 12:52 PM)Monarchblue Wrote: [ -> ]...The fact is that everything about this conference except the fact that it offers FBS football is a bad fit for us, and there is a significant possibility that we become mired in mediocrity because of it, just like when we were in the Sunbelt.
[/b][/i][/u]

Wish I had said that. And sadly across the breadth of our athletic program we are on a good start towards mediocrity.

I started to ask this question earlier when TDM posted about the SunBelt but I didn't. Now that it came back up and got an endorsement, I will throw it out. Obviously it has been a long time, but what about the Sun Belt during our time there had us mired in mediocrity? I know I may be forgetting some down years but there were at least two of them where the Sun Belt was one of the top 5-7 basketball leagues in the country and placed 4 into the NCAAs and ODU got at larges on those. I look at the Sun Belt years as a pinnacle in ODU's relatively short basketball history. What am I forgetting and why was it mediocre? My recollection is when we stepped back to the ECAC South (newly branded as CAA), our basketball dominated early before reducing itself to that level.

(03-02-2016 03:56 PM)FearTheLion Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-02-2016 02:47 PM)TheDancinMonarch Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-02-2016 12:52 PM)Monarchblue Wrote: [ -> ]...The fact is that everything about this conference except the fact that it offers FBS football is a bad fit for us, and there is a significant possibility that we become mired in mediocrity because of it, just like when we were in the Sunbelt.
[/b][/i][/u]

Wish I had said that. And sadly across the breadth of our athletic program we are on a good start towards mediocrity.

I started to ask this question earlier when TDM posted about the SunBelt but I didn't. Now that it came back up and got an endorsement, I will throw it out. Obviously it has been a long time, but what about the Sun Belt during our time there had us mired in mediocrity? I know I may be forgetting some down years but there were at least two of them where the Sun Belt was one of the top 5-7 basketball leagues in the country and placed 4 into the NCAAs and ODU got at larges on those. I look at the Sun Belt years as a pinnacle in ODU's relatively short basketball history. What am I forgetting and why was it mediocre? My recollection is when we stepped back to the ECAC South (newly branded as CAA), our basketball dominated early before reducing itself to that level.

I don't believe anyone said we were mediocre then but rather that we are on our way to it now.

Agree with above, and would add we have to not only win our conference championship a few times, but we also need to beat some P-5 teams before AAC will look at us seriously.

(03-02-2016 04:22 PM)Old Dominion Wrote: [ -> ]Agree with above, and would add we have to not only win our conference championship a few times, but we also need to beat some P-5 teams before AAC will look at us seriously.

Give it a rest. ODU will stay in the CUSA for years before falling back to being a premier team in the FCS. This program is headed nowhere. The legislature does not want any school in Virginia challenging Virginia and Virginia Tech and has made it nearly impossible to fund the size stadium ODU needs to do that in the future. So all this nonsense about jumping to a better conference is moot. Ain't going to happen.

You're probably 100% correct Blue. If I were you I'd go find a real winner to follow and leave this sorry board to us dreamers.

(03-02-2016 04:33 PM)Monarch Blue Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-02-2016 04:22 PM)Old Dominion Wrote: [ -> ]Agree with above, and would add we have to not only win our conference championship a few times, but we also need to beat some P-5 teams before AAC will look at us seriously.

Give it a rest. ODU will stay in the CUSA for years before falling back to being a premier team in the FCS. This program is headed nowhere. The legislature does not want any school in Virginia challenging Virginia and Virginia Tech and has made it nearly impossible to fund the size stadium ODU needs to do that in the future. So all this nonsense about jumping to a better conference is moot. Ain't going to happen.

Eeyore, is that you?

(03-02-2016 03:26 PM)Cyniclone Wrote: [ -> ]How is CUSA keeping ODU from reaching its potential? ODU's the one that can't dominate the 22nd-ranked basketball conference this season. ODU's the one that has a sub-.500 conference record in football. If ODU is the rose that grew from concrete, then it should manifest itself in ways other than the belief by its fans that they've already outgrown the conference.

If CUSA is constricting ODU athletics, what would the CAA be doing to them? Yes, yes, the CAA has a markedly higher conference RPI this season. Good for them — seriously. But you know what that top-10 RPI is probably going to get them? Bragging rights, a 13-14 seed in the NCAA and maybe a bottom-half seed in the NIT, presuming that it doesn't get wiped out by too many low-major regular-season champs choking on a fat one in their conference tourneys. Meanwhile, no VCU, no George Mason, eventually no JMU, and no chance for FBS football. But hey, Northeastern and Drexel are back on the schedule, and they brought their good friend Elon with them! Yay!

Sure, CUSA has flaws. Every G5 conference — yes, including the worship-worthy AAC — has flaws. There probably isn't a single G5 member that doesn't wish it was in a better situation (Tulsa? Louisiana-Monroe?) The travel sucks. The rivalries aren't there yet. The American Sports Network only works when the hamster on a wheel running it is well rested, and they apparently think that streaming is something you do in the trough urinal. But unless the Big 12 or ACC decide to go completely off the grid and invite ODU, the CUA is the best reasonable place for ODU to be.

Prove that you're better than the company you keep, then give voice to it. Some of us seem to be getting it twisted.

I fully agree with the points you make, Cyniclone.

But, mostly, I love the metaphors well-turned phrases. Nicely done!

(03-02-2016 05:22 PM)AdoptedMonarch Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-02-2016 03:26 PM)Cyniclone Wrote: [ -> ]How is CUSA keeping ODU from reaching its potential? ODU's the one that can't dominate the 22nd-ranked basketball conference this season. ODU's the one that has a sub-.500 conference record in football. If ODU is the rose that grew from concrete, then it should manifest itself in ways other than the belief by its fans that they've already outgrown the conference.

If CUSA is constricting ODU athletics, what would the CAA be doing to them? Yes, yes, the CAA has a markedly higher conference RPI this season. Good for them — seriously. But you know what that top-10 RPI is probably going to get them? Bragging rights, a 13-14 seed in the NCAA and maybe a bottom-half seed in the NIT, presuming that it doesn't get wiped out by too many low-major regular-season champs choking on a fat one in their conference tourneys. Meanwhile, no VCU, no George Mason, eventually no JMU, and no chance for FBS football. But hey, Northeastern and Drexel are back on the schedule, and they brought their good friend Elon with them! Yay!

Sure, CUSA has flaws. Every G5 conference — yes, including the worship-worthy AAC — has flaws. There probably isn't a single G5 member that doesn't wish it was in a better situation (Tulsa? Louisiana-Monroe?) The travel sucks. The rivalries aren't there yet. The American Sports Network only works when the hamster on a wheel running it is well rested, and they apparently think that streaming is something you do in the trough urinal. But unless the Big 12 or ACC decide to go completely off the grid and invite ODU, the CUA is the best reasonable place for ODU to be.

Prove that you're better than the company you keep, then give voice to it. Some of us seem to be getting it twisted.

I fully agree with the points you make, Cyniclone.

But, mostly, I love the metaphors well-turned phrases. Nicely done!

Thank you! Credit to 2Pac's estate for the rose/concrete bit; that was the name of his posthumously-published collection of poems. Then, as with Pringles, once you pop, you just can't stop.

To address the question of the thread........... NO

ODU at this point has to move forward and into a better conference!
Not backwards

(03-02-2016 04:33 PM)Monarch Blue Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-02-2016 04:22 PM)Old Dominion Wrote: [ -> ]Agree with above, and would add we have to not only win our conference championship a few times, but we also need to beat some P-5 teams before AAC will look at us seriously.

Give it a rest. ODU will stay in the CUSA for years before falling back to being a premier team in the FCS. This program is headed nowhere. The legislature does not want any school in Virginia challenging Virginia and Virginia Tech and has made it nearly impossible to fund the size stadium ODU needs to do that in the future. So all this nonsense about jumping to a better conference is moot. Ain't going to happen.

Who let the angry JMU fan onto our forum?

While I applaud some of our fan's assessment of ODU's position in the national G5 pecking order, the reality is that we are a relatively unknown and unproven FCS moveup.

Delusions to the contrary, we were never in any consideration for the MAC or the AAC, nor are we now. In all likelihood, we will be in CUSA until at least the end of the GoRs; 2026. If we have strategically built on athletics by that time, we might be ready for consideration for whatever conference ECU and Navy are in. That should be our long term goal as the overwhelming probability is that JMU will not move up until then, if at all, and most likely not at all.

Realistically we will never become a P5, and IMO we should not aspire to that.
We need a med school instead.

If one looks carefully we are very similar in many ways to Middle Tennessee, WKY, Charlotte, and Marshall.
We need to do everything we can to be competitive with those programs, both on the field/court and with respect to facilities.

Basketball is cyclical. We are already showing signs of getting better.
Football is also cyclical. Bobby Wilder is a winner, so we will win, sooner than later.

However, the arrogance that we are better than CUSA is a headscratcher; very JMU like. We haven't proven anything yet, and we are not dropping back to FCS , so we going to be here for awhile.
Embrace it and enjoy.

I don't think there is anyone saying we are "better" than CUSA. I think people are saying CUSA is a terrible fit, and as such, they want to move on to a conference that IS a good fit as soon as is reasonably possible.

(03-03-2016 09:25 AM)ODUalum78 Wrote: [ -> ]While I applaud some of our fans assessment of ODU's position in the national G5 pecking order, the reality is that we are a relatively unknown and unproven FCS moveup.

Delusions to the contrary, we were never in any consideration for the MAC or the AAC, nor are we now. In all likelihood, we will be in CUSA until at least the end of the GoRs; 2026. If we have strategically built on athletics by that time, we might be ready for consideration for whatever conference ECU and Navy are in. That should be our long term goal as the overwhelming probability is that JMU will not move up until then, if at all, and most likely not at all.

Realistically we will never become a P5, and IMO we should not aspire to that.
We need a med school instead.

If one looks carefully we are very similar in many ways to Middle Tennessee, WKY, Charlotte, and Marshall.
We need to do everything we can to be competitive with those programs, both on the field/court and with respect to facilities.

Basketball is cyclical. We are already showing signs of getting better.
Football is also cyclical. Bobby Wilder is a winner, so we will win, sooner than later.

However, the arrogance that we are better than CUSA is a headscratcher; very JMU like. We haven't proven anything yet, and we are not dropping back to FCS , so we going to be here for awhile.
Embrace it and enjoy.

I agree on all points 78. For my part, all I am suggesting is that the AAC, should be ODU's eventual destination. In order to make that happen in time, the admin. needs to develop the football stadium so that it acn at least be expanded to a suitable size to reach that goal.

I'm not predicting success on a grand scale for our basketball program, but you never know (you can't tell me VCU or GMU saw what they accomplished happening.) A couple of surprise Sweet 16 runs would entirely change the perception of ODU Athletics and it's value to any given conference. The Administration has done a good job so far of being ready to take advantage of unexpected opportunities; they need to continue doing so. Meanwhile, I would be fine with CUSA membership at least until the GOR's expire.