(03-01-2018 11:46 AM)arkstfan Wrote: I think the logical takeaway is ODU wants an eastern league but does not have the critical mass to make it happen, at least not at this point.
Probably not but Selig, Massaro and Stewart collectively do, and I have been advocating to Massaro that he needs to get with the other two and figure out how to make this happen.
I believe the fear is loss of automatic bids particularly for MBB. That is likely the only thing standing in the way.
After what happened with the Big East and American, the NCAA has completely lost me on how you gain, retain, etc. an automatic bid. It seems like they moved the goal posts to protect certain schools (namely the Catholic basketball schools) - I hardly doubt they would do that for anyone in C-USA.
If the rule of seven schools with eight years together is necessary to gain/retain an autobid, MT, wkcc, ODU, Marshall, Charlotte, USM, UAB (and either of the Fla schools or La Tech) won't achieve that until 2021. But again I don't know if that even matters to the NCAA any longer. The by laws are a cluster of interpretation these days on this subject, and I don't fully know what the enforcement looks like or even the intent other than to protect the P5.
I understand Selig wants a tighter footprint. I think everyone sees that it is needed but helping out JMU move up does nothing for ODU - that one shorter trip is negated by the layer of competition added particularly in recruiting. Liberty makes absolutely no sense on any front. A tighter conference can be achieved with the core of C-USA east, perhaps one or two schools in the current Sun Belt and maybe even Ohio (which if you build a potential multi bid basketball conference I believe they would listen).
Lastly, aligning simply on geographic bounds alone is bad policy. There is an opportunity for the schools east of the Mississippi that are committed to a common level of competitiveness that could compete both for the top G5 conference in football while also consistently developing prospective multi-bid hoops teams for the NCAA Tournament. That should be our first focus. Geography second. Not the other way around.