(03-28-2014 12:16 PM)pjc1979 Wrote: I thought us (App St) and Georgia Southern had it tough trying to become FBS at such a late date. Perhaps it wasn't so bad being FCS overly long like we thought it was.
I would argue that if App had moved in the late 90's, early 2000's, they would not be as well known as they are today. No huge Michigan upset, no 3-peat, may have tried to put Armanti at WR (f*** you Texas State), no surge in attendance and donations seen from the upset and 3-peat.
Not arguing App wouldn't be they are today, but I'm not convinced the notoriety would be there.
Georgia Southern, well, if we had an AD with vision and passion, we should have moved after #6. From what I have heard, we were invited to be one of the original Sun Belt football members but our AD would have nothing to do with it. This may have been his marching orders from the President, but from what I hear, he had no problem whatsoever being a big fish in a small pong. Made his job easy.
Once word got our about a possible 1-A invite, Baker went on a press tour denouncing the Sun Belt and proclaiming there would be a mass exodus from 1-A to 1-AA for teams that couldn't afford it. Some of the fans ate it up, while others weren't all that sure of that claim.
When we got our new President, he mentioned FBS many time searly on in his tenure, so we knew that was going to be the path he was attempting to forge. Despite what many Panties may say, the Georgia State announcement for FBS did not start turning the wheels for Georgia Southern's move to FBS, but it did kick it up a gear. There's no way we could let those guys pass us by, regardless of how they got there.
Us Southern fans are proud to be in a conference with similarly minded schools that have the same goals and vision we do. I, for one, never thought we fit into the SoCon of late.
Hail Southern and Hail Sun Belt!
Please correct any details I may have stated incorrectly.