(08-13-2019 12:43 PM)NBPirate Wrote: (08-13-2019 10:07 AM)esayem Wrote: (08-12-2019 06:18 PM)_C2_ Wrote: If the stars aligned differently, ECU would have been in the Big East in the 90's or later. They never had (and still don't) have a chance at the ACC because of the saturation of schools in their state and neighboring states who are already there but they could have been in the Big East and carried their weight, including some on the field.
How? Louisville, and arguably Cincinnati, were ahead of them even in 1990.
The aforementioned, plus USF and UCF, and even Temple were ahead of them in 2003.
Plus, UConn and Villanova had a green flag, so they were ahead of ECTTS too.
Dude, this shows little knowledge. In 1990, Cincinnati hadn't been to a bowl game in 40 years. USF's program was 6 years old in 2003 and UCF was in their first year as a I-A school.
Ridiculous assertions. In 1992, ECU won the Peach Bowl and finished the season ranked 9th.
ECU committed to big time football before Cincy, USF, and UCF, and stayed committed unlike Temple, Tulane, and others.
The last members to "join the club" are Oklahoma State in 1957, Florida State in the late 1970's, and Louisville in the early 80's.
ECU, Cincy, USF, UCF, and UConn follow, just about in that order. Rice, SMU, Houston, and TCU were dumped out of the club in 1996. Temple was dumped in 2001.
If football were all that mattered, ECU is rightfully in line next.
But football is not all that matters. ECU has no basketball program. You can not sustain a successful football program at ECU because you are in direct recruiting competition with NC State, UNC, Wake, Duke, UVa, VT, SC, and Clemson within your own media market.
Most of UNC's ptb would rather take a spiked catheter than play ECU. Have of NC State's ptb feel like they must play ECU or they have not had a football season while the other half would rather take that spiked catheter. As such it creates political tensions.
ECU, when led by the visionary/savant Chancellor Leo Jenkins, could have put their own man on the damn moon. He brought a medical school to Greenville over UNC-Ch objection - he stabilized the economy of Eastern NC around ECU. But he is dead now. And those that followed him are just not him.
Academic gentrification at ECU has been going on the last 25 years. Yes, when it was East Carolina Teacher's College, it was not hitting on much. It has made great strides, but like West Virginia, still looks after home grown kids and gives them a chance. The distance they have made up with UNC-Ch bothers the people at UNC-Ch, but ECU can't fully catch up because they can't bridge a 150 year head start. Here's the difference between ECU and UNC now when it comes to what really matters - professional programs. UNC is taking top kids from around the world and limiting NC students. ECU has yet to take a med student not from the State of NC.
If you aren't from NC and especially not from eastern NC, you don't necessarily know the current political situation at ECU, the Medical School, the relationship with UNC, the UNC Board of Governors, and the NC General Assembly. It's as ****** up as it has ever been. As such, the ptb in Greenville have to prioritize the Med School and the Dental School and the Public Health program over football right now.