(04-23-2022 11:51 AM)Milwaukee Wrote:  

(04-23-2022 10:44 AM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  

(04-23-2022 10:01 AM)Milwaukee Wrote:  

(04-23-2022 06:44 AM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  

(04-23-2022 05:53 AM)Milwaukee Wrote:  I appreciate that optimistic sentiment, but in my view, that's somewhat of an overstatement. To maintain credibility, it's best to start out with realistic expectations.

A fairly convincing case could be made that UTSA (football) - - and perhaps UAB & (possibly) UNT - - might be nearly as good as UCF and Houston were in football in 2013-1d, and that UAB and UNT's MBB programs, in particular, may be better than UCF and Houston's were in 2013-14

However, Cincinnati had stronger FB and BB programs with a longer track record of success in 2013-14 than any CUSA6, and at present, UNCC, FAU, and Rice would be considered most comparable to the way AAC schools such as Tulane were in 2014, when they joined the conference.

That being said, Tulane's FB and MBB programs have improved a lot over the past few seasons. Tulane FB has played in two recent bowl games, and Tulane MBB finished in 5th place in the conference and won a conference tournament game.

It could take a few years for some of the programs to build up a head of steam, but the sky's the limit.
.

The flaw in your post is UCF and Houston made significant investments in their programs. I have seen nothing yet from any of the new members about their investments, but plenty of insolence.

That not correct unless you have data proving that UCF and Houston were already making "significant" investments back in March and April of 2012 - nearly 18 months before they began competing in the American.

Moreover, Rice Uniersity has already pledged to invest $100 million in their athletic programs, and they have already set a plan into motion to improve Rice Stadium. Did Houston, Cincinnati, or UCF commit $100 million in improvements to their athletic programs a full year and a half before they started playing in the American? If they didn't, then the CUSA6 may already be ahead of the game.

If you're not familiar with the Rice investment, then you may not be privy to the other CUSA6 schools' strategic plans.

Further, the investments that UCF and Houston made in their programs took place over a period of several years - - not 18 months before they joined the conference. They will have far more revenue to invest once they start receiving broadcasting revenue from ESPN in 2023.

I am not familiar with Rice’s investment. I am not familiar with any of the new member’s investments (except UAB) despite my requests. Instead, we get bombast and personal attacks.

I do not want to read the CUSA members are now ready to elevate the AAC when clearly the facts disagree. Tell us how each school (like Rice) will improve.

I'd just like to clarify that, I don't know if you have gotten any personal attacks, but if you have, they haven't been from me. My responses have all been on the facts.

In addition, I have made it clear that, in my view UTSA, UAB, and UNT have the potential to maintain or possibly even help elevate the conference. Nowhere have I suggested that the other 3 CUSA6 have the potential to do so. At this point, in my view, no one knows what potential Rice, UNCC, and FAU may have.

So winning 2 Cusa football titles in the last 5 years doesn't matter ? Killing uab in a title game a few seasons ago doesn't matter ? Killed North Texas in the other cusa title win btw too.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

(04-23-2022 03:21 PM)Ragu Wrote:  

(04-23-2022 11:51 AM)Milwaukee Wrote:  

(04-23-2022 10:44 AM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  

(04-23-2022 10:01 AM)Milwaukee Wrote:  

(04-23-2022 06:44 AM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  The flaw in your post is UCF and Houston made significant investments in their programs. I have seen nothing yet from any of the new members about their investments, but plenty of insolence.

That not correct unless you have data proving that UCF and Houston were already making "significant" investments back in March and April of 2012 - nearly 18 months before they began competing in the American.

Moreover, Rice Uniersity has already pledged to invest $100 million in their athletic programs, and they have already set a plan into motion to improve Rice Stadium. Did Houston, Cincinnati, or UCF commit $100 million in improvements to their athletic programs a full year and a half before they started playing in the American? If they didn't, then the CUSA6 may already be ahead of the game.

If you're not familiar with the Rice investment, then you may not be privy to the other CUSA6 schools' strategic plans.

Further, the investments that UCF and Houston made in their programs took place over a period of several years - - not 18 months before they joined the conference. They will have far more revenue to invest once they start receiving broadcasting revenue from ESPN in 2023.

I am not familiar with Rice’s investment. I am not familiar with any of the new member’s investments (except UAB) despite my requests. Instead, we get bombast and personal attacks.

I do not want to read the CUSA members are now ready to elevate the AAC when clearly the facts disagree. Tell us how each school (like Rice) will improve.

I'd just like to clarify that, I don't know if you have gotten any personal attacks, but if you have, they haven't been from me. My responses have all been on the facts.

In addition, I have made it clear that, in my view UTSA, UAB, and UNT have the potential to maintain or possibly even help elevate the conference. Nowhere have I suggested that the other 3 CUSA6 have the potential to do so. At this point, in my view, no one knows what potential Rice, UNCC, and FAU may have.

So winning 2 Cusa football titles in the last 5 years doesn't matter ? Killing uab in a title game a few seasons ago doesn't matter ? Killed North Texas in the other cusa title win btw too.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

Ragu, it's not going to stop until you stop. You've made your point.

(04-23-2022 06:44 AM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  

(04-23-2022 05:53 AM)Milwaukee Wrote:  

(04-23-2022 12:20 AM)T for Temple U! Wrote:  

(04-22-2022 09:09 AM)SMUstang Wrote:  

(04-22-2022 08:24 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  USF has proven in the recent past the capacity to achieve at a high level in football. USF is building a new stadium - a sign of commitment. All it takes (like all old AAC members) is hiring the right coach.

The AAC is now patch-worked with schools providing little value to old AAC members. It is unfortunate the old AAC had to comply with ESPN. It could have been better, sadly.

Thanks, and well said.

Quo, I have always respected your opinion but in this case I disagree. Any or all of the CUSA-6 are as good as Cincy, UCF, or Houston or any of the other AAC members were in 2013 or when they joined the AAC. The conference has improved a lot since then, and there is no reason to believe, that given time, the CUSA-6 will not do the same.

I appreciate that optimistic sentiment, but in my view, that's somewhat of an overstatement. To maintain credibility, it's best to start out with realistic expectations.

A fairly convincing case could be made that UTSA (football) - - and perhaps UAB & (possibly) UNT - - might be nearly as good as UCF and Houston were in football in 2013-1d, and that UAB and UNT's MBB programs, in particular, may be better than UCF and Houston's were in 2013-14

However, Cincinnati had stronger FB and BB programs with a longer track record of success in 2013-14 than any CUSA6, and at present, UNCC, FAU, and Rice would be considered most comparable to the way AAC schools such as Tulane were in 2014, when they joined the conference.

That being said, Tulane's FB and MBB programs have improved a lot over the past few seasons. Tulane FB has played in two recent bowl games, and Tulane MBB finished in 5th place in the conference and won a conference tournament game.

It could take a few years for some of the programs to build up a head of steam, but the sky's the limit.
.

The flaw in your post is UCF and Houston made significant investments in their programs. I have seen nothing yet from any of the new members about their investments, but plenty of insolence.

clt says you are obviously unaware that Charlotte received a $10M donation to upgrade our student tailgate area.

(04-23-2022 03:53 PM)SMUstang Wrote:  

(04-23-2022 03:21 PM)Ragu Wrote:  

(04-23-2022 11:51 AM)Milwaukee Wrote:  

(04-23-2022 10:44 AM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  

(04-23-2022 10:01 AM)Milwaukee Wrote:  That not correct unless you have data proving that UCF and Houston were already making "significant" investments back in March and April of 2012 - nearly 18 months before they began competing in the American.

Moreover, Rice Uniersity has already pledged to invest $100 million in their athletic programs, and they have already set a plan into motion to improve Rice Stadium. Did Houston, Cincinnati, or UCF commit $100 million in improvements to their athletic programs a full year and a half before they started playing in the American? If they didn't, then the CUSA6 may already be ahead of the game.

If you're not familiar with the Rice investment, then you may not be privy to the other CUSA6 schools' strategic plans.

Further, the investments that UCF and Houston made in their programs took place over a period of several years - - not 18 months before they joined the conference. They will have far more revenue to invest once they start receiving broadcasting revenue from ESPN in 2023.

I am not familiar with Rice’s investment. I am not familiar with any of the new member’s investments (except UAB) despite my requests. Instead, we get bombast and personal attacks.

I do not want to read the CUSA members are now ready to elevate the AAC when clearly the facts disagree. Tell us how each school (like Rice) will improve.

I'd just like to clarify that, I don't know if you have gotten any personal attacks, but if you have, they haven't been from me. My responses have all been on the facts.

In addition, I have made it clear that, in my view UTSA, UAB, and UNT have the potential to maintain or possibly even help elevate the conference. Nowhere have I suggested that the other 3 CUSA6 have the potential to do so. At this point, in my view, no one knows what potential Rice, UNCC, and FAU may have.

So winning 2 Cusa football titles in the last 5 years doesn't matter ? Killing uab in a title game a few seasons ago doesn't matter ? Killed North Texas in the other cusa title win btw too.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

Ragu, it's not going to stop until you stop. You've made your point.

I mean it's ignorant. So if they continue to prove they dont know much , I'll post the facts.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

(04-23-2022 03:21 PM)Ragu Wrote:  So winning 2 Cusa football titles in the last 5 years doesn't matter ? Killing uab in a title game a few seasons ago doesn't matter ? Killed North Texas in the other cusa title win btw too.

Here are the details of that game:

Date December 7, 2019
Season 2019
Stadium FAU Stadium
Location Boca Raton, FL
MVP Deangelo Antoine (WR, Florida Atlantic)
Favorite Florida Atlantic by 8
Referee Justin Elliott
Attendance 14,387

A great game by FAU. A huge win. And look at the last line in that summary: at your home field, for a conference championship, on a perfect blue-sky day, you brought 14,387 people.

When you go 11-3 and win a conference championship on your home field with Joey Freshwater on the sidelines, there's still a lot of work to be done if you can only convince 14,387 people to show up in paradise to watch it.

(04-23-2022 04:04 PM)58-56 Wrote:  

(04-23-2022 03:21 PM)Ragu Wrote:  So winning 2 Cusa football titles in the last 5 years doesn't matter ? Killing uab in a title game a few seasons ago doesn't matter ? Killed North Texas in the other cusa title win btw too.

Here are the details of that game:

Date December 7, 2019
Season 2019
Stadium FAU Stadium
Location Boca Raton, FL
MVP Deangelo Antoine (WR, Florida Atlantic)
Favorite Florida Atlantic by 8
Referee Justin Elliott
Attendance 14,387

A great game by FAU. A huge win. And look at the last line in that summary: at your home field, for a conference championship, on a perfect blue-sky day, you brought 14,387 people.

When you go 11-3 and win a conference championship on your home field with Joey Freshwater on the sidelines, there's still a lot of work to be done if you can only convince 14,387 people to show up in paradise to watch it.

I'm aware more fans would help but results on the field matter more than being mediocre with tons of fans. It's more of a tv-streaming sport to make money anyways now

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

clt says Charlotte has a substantial athletics master plan that we are eager to announce to the public. We know a few items are in place

Football stadium expansion- more seats, suites and amenities
Basketball area upgrade- 9100 is enough seats, we need more suites and amenities
Soccer specific stadium
Baseball upgrades- new scoreboard/ video board

(04-23-2022 01:30 PM)SMUstang Wrote:  

(04-23-2022 11:51 AM)Milwaukee Wrote:  

(04-23-2022 10:44 AM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  

(04-23-2022 10:01 AM)Milwaukee Wrote:  

(04-23-2022 06:44 AM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  The flaw in your post is UCF and Houston made significant investments in their programs. I have seen nothing yet from any of the new members about their investments, but plenty of insolence.

That not correct unless you have data proving that UCF and Houston were already making "significant" investments back in March and April of 2012 - nearly 18 months before they began competing in the American.

Moreover, Rice Uniersity has already pledged to invest $100 million in their athletic programs, and they have already set a plan into motion to improve Rice Stadium. Did Houston, Cincinnati, or UCF commit $100 million in improvements to their athletic programs a full year and a half before they started playing in the American? If they didn't, then the CUSA6 may already be ahead of the game.

If you're not familiar with the Rice investment, then you may not be privy to the other CUSA6 schools' strategic plans.

Further, the investments that UCF and Houston made in their programs took place over a period of several years - - not 18 months before they joined the conference. They will have far more revenue to invest once they start receiving broadcasting revenue from ESPN in 2023.

I am not familiar with Rice’s investment. I am not familiar with any of the new member’s investments (except UAB) despite my requests. Instead, we get bombast and personal attacks.

I do not want to read the CUSA members are now ready to elevate the AAC when clearly the facts disagree. Tell us how each school (like Rice) will improve.

I'd just like to clarify that, I don't know if you have gotten any personal attacks, but if you have, they haven't been from me. My responses have all been on the facts.

In addition, I have made it clear that, in my view UTSA, UAB, and UNT have the potential to maintain or possibly even help elevate the conference. Nowhere have I suggested that the other 3 CUSA6 have the potential to do so. At this point, in my view, no one knows what potential Rice, UNCC, and FAU may have.

Looking strictly at athletic budgets, here are the numbers - Rice $41.9M, FAU $40.1M, UNT $39.9M, Charlotte $38.2M, UTSA $35.0M, UAB $32.9M

Where did you pull these numbers from? Last I saw, UNT was at $40.7M. Thanks.

(04-20-2022 10:54 PM)Eagle Talon Wrote:  

(04-20-2022 10:40 PM)Side.Show.Joe Wrote:  

(04-20-2022 10:22 PM)Eagle Talon Wrote:  

(04-20-2022 10:00 PM)Side.Show.Joe Wrote:  

(04-19-2022 11:53 PM)Eagle Talon Wrote:  If 14 was the Mouse’s requirement, we wouldn’t be having this discussion if the 6 adds were:
1. UAB
2. App St.
3. Marshall
4. USM
5. FAU
6. UTSA

App St. > Charlotte
USM > No. Texas
Marshall > Rice
But yet, here we are.

No. You are delusional.

Best of luck proving me wrong. Glad to see you excited for your team.

Football
UNT has beaten Southern Miss in 4 of our last 6 games, including a 38-14 beat-down this past season.

Basketball
UNT has beaten Southern Miss in any of the last 6 games. UNT basketball has now beaten USM for about 4 years and counting.

Academics
UNT is a Tier 1 Research University ranked #277. Southern Miss is a Tier 1 Research University ranked somewhere in the group of #299-#391.

UNT's athletic Budget is about $41million. Southern Miss has an athletic budget of about $23million

Southern Miss just isn't that great anymore, and certainly not any better than UNT.

It appears No. Texas and USM are 6-6 all time in football. Perhaps we will meet in a bowl one day to settle the score. I’d bet on USM. Congrats on your opportunity in the AAC.

Thanks. Of the three moving to the Sun Belt I like Southern Miss the best. I wish you well.

As for playing USM in the future... That probably won't happen for a while. We would have faced each other this coming season, but Southern Miss turned heels and bolted early. Now we are stuck with FIU on our schedule. Can't see our AD looking for any home and homes with USM any time soon. Plus, I'd think some of those G5 games on our OOC schedules will most likely go to LA Tech.

If we're talking performance, institutional/geographic fit, the only no brainer was UAB. UTSA is real close. Charlotte can get there, if they can get basketball back to Metro/CUSA days.

The rest seem really pretty bad because of the whole package.

Rice is scary because we already have Tulsa, Tulane. Especially if SMU starts to slump.

FAU/UNT are potentially big schools with potential. But so what, AAC already has too many schools with underperforming potential.

UNT just feels very Sun Belt. Why add a Texas/southern school that isn't crushing football? Not an urban school. Feels more of MWC brand.

FAU feels like it was literally added just to have a Florida school. What does it really bring? They hired 2 big name football coaches, good for them. That's some ambition but they were still drawing sub-15k audiences in their 10+ win years. Who the hell wants to go to Boca? USF leaves for Big12? Then what? Add FIU? Ew.


Take UAB/UTSA/Charlotte. Ok I'm happy. You want to add Rice? Pair them with a Boise/App St, phenomenal. You want to add UNT/FAU? Pair them with Army/Air Force/Buffalo, great.

Half of the 6 are really not bad, its the full group that makes your stomach churn a bit.

(04-24-2022 01:29 AM)STL_Wave Wrote:  If we're talking performance, institutional/geographic fit, the only no brainer was UAB. UTSA is real close. Charlotte can get there, if they can get basketball back to Metro/CUSA days.

The rest seem really pretty bad because of the whole package.

Rice is scary because we already have Tulsa, Tulane. Especially if SMU starts to slump.

FAU/UNT are potentially big schools with potential. But so what, AAC already has too many schools with underperforming potential.

UNT just feels very Sun Belt. Why add a Texas/southern school that isn't crushing football? Not an urban school. Feels more of MWC brand.

FAU feels like it was literally added just to have a Florida school. What does it really bring? They hired 2 big name football coaches, good for them. That's some ambition but they were still drawing sub-15k audiences in their 10+ win years. Who the hell wants to go to Boca? USF leaves for Big12? Then what? Add FIU? Ew.


Take UAB/UTSA/Charlotte. Ok I'm happy. You want to add Rice? Pair them with a Boise/App St, phenomenal. You want to add UNT/FAU? Pair them with Army/Air Force/Buffalo, great.

Half of the 6 are really not bad, its the full group that makes your stomach churn a bit.

I bet if you asked all 8 ADs and Presidents who their top three adds would have been, you’d get lots of votes for all 6 of the new schools. That’s why 6 made sense, there was no clear obvious consensus on who the two or four best were.

To your last point, I’d say add UNT, Rice, UTSA and you (might) get AFA and Colo State in the near future.

From your post I gather you aren’t a big fan of a CSU though. You dismiss UNT as non-urban and MWC-like. UNT is in the least urban of the four main counties of the DFW metroplex and is probably the most MWC-like FBS school in town (despite TCU having actually once been a MWC school). UNT Is like CSU, a G5 in a college town in a fast growing country next to a large fast-growing city.

In case I didn’t yet answer the OP: the answer is no because #13 is just as good (or better depending on who you ask) as #12. And going to 14 gains tactical and competitive advantages.

(04-24-2022 01:29 AM)STL_Wave Wrote:  If we're talking performance, institutional/geographic fit, the only no brainer was UAB. UTSA is real close. Charlotte can get there, if they can get basketball back to Metro/CUSA days.

The rest seem really pretty bad because of the whole package.

You're way off on UNT, considering the fact that:

UNT is (1) one of two schools in the group that have played in the 2021 or 2022 NCAA tournament, and (2) is one of only three schools in the group that played in a 2021 bowl game.

(04-23-2022 04:07 PM)Ragu Wrote:  

(04-23-2022 04:04 PM)58-56 Wrote:  

(04-23-2022 03:21 PM)Ragu Wrote:  So winning 2 Cusa football titles in the last 5 years doesn't matter ? Killing uab in a title game a few seasons ago doesn't matter ? Killed North Texas in the other cusa title win btw too.

Here are the details of that game:

Date December 7, 2019
Season 2019
Stadium FAU Stadium
Location Boca Raton, FL
MVP Deangelo Antoine (WR, Florida Atlantic)
Favorite Florida Atlantic by 8
Referee Justin Elliott
Attendance 14,387

A great game by FAU. A huge win. And look at the last line in that summary: at your home field, for a conference championship, on a perfect blue-sky day, you brought 14,387 people.

When you go 11-3 and win a conference championship on your home field with Joey Freshwater on the sidelines, there's still a lot of work to be done if you can only convince 14,387 people to show up in paradise to watch it.

I'm aware more fans would help but results on the field matter more than being mediocre with tons of fans. It's more of a tv-streaming sport to make money anyways now

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

You know it's bad when UAB talks attendance smack on your school. Market theory is blowing up as media changes more and more to streaming. Actual fans matter, not just being in a big city.

We should've stopped at 10 with UAB and UTSA or UNT.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

Hell we shoulda stopped at 8 and taken the pay cut.

“8 is enough”

Good enough for the Southwest Conference for four glorious seasons.

(One of those seasons, Rice won the league title, by the way.)

8 teams -> easier to win a title.
It’s that simple.

UH was preparing to build a new stadium in 2009.

November 3, 2009
"Presently, the University is requesting submissions from general contractors on six possible construction plans which UH officials are mulling over."

https://jobtriopresident.wordpress.com/2...w-stadium/

Just the stadium and renovation of the UH's basket ball arena is over $200Million. UH has upgraded all of its sports facilities. Neither the city nor the state contributed,

UCF was strong when joining the AAC. It beat the Big-12 champion in the
Fiesta Bowl on 1-02-2014.

The CUSA-6 are days late and many $millions short.

With the CUSA6 additions, the AAC gains another Florida school, a good basketball, soccer and tennis school, a rabid football school, and 3 additional Texas schools which will lock up the state of Texas for the AAC. I would say that these are good additions that will bring good fruit to the conference.

UAB and FAU are smart adds. Don’t sleep on the Owls— they’ll make strides quickly. It would not surprise me if they (and UAB) join Memphis and SMU at the top of the conference sooner than later. UTSA has some potential we are already starting to see. No offense but.. the rest of the new adds, I just don’t get it.

If ECU can get right again too I don’t see the American having much of an issue holding the Mountain West off for the auto bid most years.

[quote='FonzKnight' pid='18208109' dateline='1650833884']
UAB and FAU are smart adds. Don’t sleep on the Owls— they’ll make strides quickly. It would not surprise me if they (and UAB) join Memphis and SMU at the top of the conference sooner than later. UTSA has some potential we are already starting to see. No offense but.. the rest of the new adds, I just don’t get it.

If ECU can get right again too I don’t see the American having much of an issue holding the Mountain West off for the auto bid most years.
[/quote

Don't sleep on Charlotte, North Texas or Rice either. Any of which may surprise you.

(04-24-2022 03:38 PM)SMUstang Wrote:  With the CUSA6 additions, the AAC gains another Florida school, a good basketball, soccer and tennis school, a rabid football school, and 3 additional Texas schools which will lock up the state of Texas for the AAC. I would say that these are good additions that will bring good fruit to the conference.

A rabid football school? LOL. I can see how a SMU fan would think all these Texas schools are great. As an Eastern fan it sucks. It's CTEX all over again but a lower quality.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

(04-24-2022 04:51 PM)b2b Wrote:  

(04-24-2022 03:38 PM)SMUstang Wrote:  With the CUSA6 additions, the AAC gains another Florida school, a good basketball, soccer and tennis school, a rabid football school, and 3 additional Texas schools which will lock up the state of Texas for the AAC. I would say that these are good additions that will bring good fruit to the conference.

A rabid football school? LOL. I can see how a SMU fan would think all these Texas schools are great. As an Eastern fan it sucks. It's CTEX all over again but a lower quality.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

Agree 100%. CTEX was still better then this though.