(03-05-2024 12:32 PM)GreenBison Wrote:  I guess the real questions for WKU is...

Do you want to risk being left behind again and possibly losing MTSU to the AAC?
Do you want to have to back-fill once again and babysit more FCS schools?
Do you want to throw away all that work and money to get out of FCS only to wind up in a conference that is 60% FCS?

I don't get the FCS thing that much. Most all Sun Belt was FBS teams ten years ago. Just because the teams come from FCS does not mean they stay that way. Jax State did pretty good in their first year for an FCS team. If they move to the MAC, WKU is stuck there for life. Are they happy with that?

(03-05-2024 12:58 PM)Garden_KC Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 12:55 PM)BruceMcF Wrote:  From the MAC side:

WKU - easy travel, established Go5 FB school, plays offensive schemes well suited to MACtion, would come into MAC basketball raising MAC conference NET.

Delaware -- good institutional fit, not a terrible trip from Kent, Ohio, well supported Olympic sports

Illinois State would be fine if they were on an FBS transition trajectory already, Stony Brook would be a true travel partner with UMass, but they are not an an FBS transition trajectory either.

If no good all-sports adds are available, NDSU FB-only (though I am skeptical they are available for an FB-only add)

UConn FB-only as a last resort, at least H/A pair of OOC basketball games for MBB and WBB as a sweetener.

~~~~~~

(03-05-2024 12:26 PM)Garden_KC Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 11:58 AM)No Bull Wrote:  Stony Brook is a sleeping giant. Better basketball than a lot of people realize. Good football till last couple of years. 25k students. Good academics. Stadium looks easily expandable. Long Island is not too far from UMass. Could grow a pretty large fanbase pretty quickly

Long Island is pretty far from Amherst, MA.

Unless you are talking by plane.

3hrs 8min google drive, 127 miles.

Lots of current "the MAC is a bus league" schools are more than 127 miles apart.

They've got to drive through NYC though.

That will add a couple hours to the trip.

A) 5 hours bus drive time is still shorter than some MAC trips
B) They don't have to drive THROUGH NYC, like UMass to Delaware ... they are no the same side of Manhattan ... and when they get off the ferry, they are already in Connecticut. So it's going to more often add an hour for traffic than add two hours.

It's a big difference to UMass/Delaware, where all of NYC and all of Philadelphia lie in between the two.

(03-05-2024 01:52 PM)Turtle Power 98 Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 12:32 PM)GreenBison Wrote:  I guess the real questions for WKU is...

Do you want to risk being left behind again and possibly losing MTSU to the AAC?
Do you want to have to back-fill once again and babysit more FCS schools?
Do you want to throw away all that work and money to get out of FCS only to wind up in a conference that is 60% FCS?

I don't get the FCS thing that much. Most all Sun Belt was FBS teams ten years ago. Just because the teams come from FCS does not mean they stay that way. Jax State did pretty good in their first year for an FCS team. If they move to the MAC, WKU is stuck there for life. Are they happy with that?

Like you said, that was 10 years ago. Also most were upper tier FCS. SBC has 14 National Titles compared to CUSA with 2. So there's a whole different caliber of teams brought up. As for WKU, I just posed the question. Questions aren't answers, so not sure why you took offense to it.

MAC NET Top 8 with UMass/Stony Brook

85 UMass
103 Akron
141 Toledo
152 Ohio
167 Kent St
195 Stony Brook
209 Miami
243 BGSU

I guess the MAC tournament would be OK with Stony Brook in there instead of WKU. The MAC is not too strong in BB for a CAA program to compete in.

FB however WKU is way above a bottom feeder CAA program.

(03-05-2024 01:58 PM)GreenBison Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 01:52 PM)Turtle Power 98 Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 12:32 PM)GreenBison Wrote:  I guess the real questions for WKU is...

Do you want to risk being left behind again and possibly losing MTSU to the AAC?
Do you want to have to back-fill once again and babysit more FCS schools?
Do you want to throw away all that work and money to get out of FCS only to wind up in a conference that is 60% FCS?

I don't get the FCS thing that much. Most all Sun Belt was FBS teams ten years ago. Just because the teams come from FCS does not mean they stay that way. Jax State did pretty good in their first year for an FCS team. If they move to the MAC, WKU is stuck there for life. Are they happy with that?

Like you said, that was 10 years ago. Also most were upper tier FCS. SBC has 14 National Titles compared to CUSA with 2. So there's a whole different caliber of teams brought up. As for WKU, I just posed the question. Questions aren't answers, so not sure why you took offense to it.

CUSA is adding smurfs at this point IMO.

(03-05-2024 02:54 PM)Garden_KC Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 01:58 PM)GreenBison Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 01:52 PM)Turtle Power 98 Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 12:32 PM)GreenBison Wrote:  I guess the real questions for WKU is...

Do you want to risk being left behind again and possibly losing MTSU to the AAC?
Do you want to have to back-fill once again and babysit more FCS schools?
Do you want to throw away all that work and money to get out of FCS only to wind up in a conference that is 60% FCS?

I don't get the FCS thing that much. Most all Sun Belt was FBS teams ten years ago. Just because the teams come from FCS does not mean they stay that way. Jax State did pretty good in their first year for an FCS team. If they move to the MAC, WKU is stuck there for life. Are they happy with that?

Like you said, that was 10 years ago. Also most were upper tier FCS. SBC has 14 National Titles compared to CUSA with 2. So there's a whole different caliber of teams brought up. As for WKU, I just posed the question. Questions aren't answers, so not sure why you took offense to it.

CUSA is adding smurfs at this point IMO.

Unlike the giant that the MAC just added?

I mean, come on, that's an unfair standard. Where could any conference be expected to find a football program of that quality?

(03-05-2024 01:16 PM)henfan Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 07:57 AM)Steve1981 Wrote:  DanSteenkamer is fine to talk about CUSA more national conference, but what did they do for your announcement, a press release, same for UD.

Yes. CUSA did indeed do a press release and joint press conference with Delaware. What more SHOULD they have done?
https://conferenceusa.com/news/2023/11/2...-2025.aspx
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9OmpbjGTNA

There are no signs that Delaware will be rescinding their recent agreement with CUSA to join the MAC, a conference that offers them no competitive or institutional advantage over CUSA. Pure internet message board nonsense not based at all in reality.

My bad if there was a video press conference for the public on ESPN+, Youtube and your sports media.

Chancellor Javier Reyes, Director of Athletics Ryan Bamford, MAC Commissioner John Steinbrecher, Head Football Coach Don Brown and Head Men's Basketball Coach Frank Martin on our move to the Mid-American Conference.

Hinting, It's a bigger deal with UMass and MAC as we anticipate being there a long time and very happy about the fit. The MAC has wanted us as a full time member for a very long time. But only as a full member.

(03-05-2024 01:19 PM)thecoffeecake Wrote:  

(03-04-2024 06:36 PM)ChooChoo Wrote:  Smartest bet is URI as Olympic Sports #14 and UMass travel partner with UConn as #14 FB only.
As mentioned, in time Delaware will do its best to align with Temple.

Rhody is going to join a worse conference for less money? That seems reasonable.

The amount this board doesn't understand about the northeast and non-FBS schools is shocking.

Doesnt matter if its Stony Brook or Rhode Island, these schools are never going to be FBS level. Interest in FCS level is barely there so to think the interest level will skyrocket if they go FBS is dumb.

(03-05-2024 11:58 AM)No Bull Wrote:  Stony Brook is a sleeping giant. Better basketball than a lot of people realize. Good football till last couple of years. 25k students. Good academics. Stadium looks easily expandable. Long Island is not too far from UMass. Could grow a pretty large fanbase pretty quickly

They arent a sleeping giant. Thats your own personal fantasy. College sports in general are on the downswing not the upswing. You cant just grow a large fanbase out of nowhere. Thats not how it works anymore. You cant just look at population and thinks it corelates to culture when it doesnt. Long Island, NY doesnt give a flying bleep about college football.

(03-05-2024 03:44 PM)inutech Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 02:54 PM)Garden_KC Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 01:58 PM)GreenBison Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 01:52 PM)Turtle Power 98 Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 12:32 PM)GreenBison Wrote:  I guess the real questions for WKU is...

Do you want to risk being left behind again and possibly losing MTSU to the AAC?
Do you want to have to back-fill once again and babysit more FCS schools?
Do you want to throw away all that work and money to get out of FCS only to wind up in a conference that is 60% FCS?

I don't get the FCS thing that much. Most all Sun Belt was FBS teams ten years ago. Just because the teams come from FCS does not mean they stay that way. Jax State did pretty good in their first year for an FCS team. If they move to the MAC, WKU is stuck there for life. Are they happy with that?

Like you said, that was 10 years ago. Also most were upper tier FCS. SBC has 14 National Titles compared to CUSA with 2. So there's a whole different caliber of teams brought up. As for WKU, I just posed the question. Questions aren't answers, so not sure why you took offense to it.

CUSA is adding smurfs at this point IMO.

Unlike the giant that the MAC just added?

I mean, come on, that's an unfair standard. Where could any conference be expected to find a football program of that quality?

Smurfs are state schools that are less than directional.

Sam Houston St.
Jacksonville St.

Tarleton St? This is DII material stuff.

(03-05-2024 04:07 PM)darkdragon99 Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 11:58 AM)No Bull Wrote:  Stony Brook is a sleeping giant. Better basketball than a lot of people realize. Good football till last couple of years. 25k students. Good academics. Stadium looks easily expandable. Long Island is not too far from UMass. Could grow a pretty large fanbase pretty quickly

They arent a sleeping giant. Thats your own personal fantasy. ...

Be fair ... it's at least half right.

(03-05-2024 04:55 PM)Garden_KC Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 03:44 PM)inutech Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 02:54 PM)Garden_KC Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 01:58 PM)GreenBison Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 01:52 PM)Turtle Power 98 Wrote:  I don't get the FCS thing that much. Most all Sun Belt was FBS teams ten years ago. Just because the teams come from FCS does not mean they stay that way. Jax State did pretty good in their first year for an FCS team. If they move to the MAC, WKU is stuck there for life. Are they happy with that?

Like you said, that was 10 years ago. Also most were upper tier FCS. SBC has 14 National Titles compared to CUSA with 2. So there's a whole different caliber of teams brought up. As for WKU, I just posed the question. Questions aren't answers, so not sure why you took offense to it.

CUSA is adding smurfs at this point IMO.

Unlike the giant that the MAC just added?

I mean, come on, that's an unfair standard. Where could any conference be expected to find a football program of that quality?

Smurfs are state schools that are less than directional.

Sam Houston St.
Jacksonville St.

Tarleton St? This is DII material stuff.

So like Appalachian State, Troy State, James Madison, Old Dominion, Coastal Carolina?

(03-05-2024 03:44 PM)inutech Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 02:54 PM)Garden_KC Wrote:  CUSA is adding smurfs at this point IMO.

Unlike the giant that the MAC just added?

UMass is a highly regarded flagship university in one of America's larger states. The MAC did very well here.

(03-05-2024 05:17 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 04:55 PM)Garden_KC Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 03:44 PM)inutech Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 02:54 PM)Garden_KC Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 01:58 PM)GreenBison Wrote:  Like you said, that was 10 years ago. Also most were upper tier FCS. SBC has 14 National Titles compared to CUSA with 2. So there's a whole different caliber of teams brought up. As for WKU, I just posed the question. Questions aren't answers, so not sure why you took offense to it.

CUSA is adding smurfs at this point IMO.

Unlike the giant that the MAC just added?

I mean, come on, that's an unfair standard. Where could any conference be expected to find a football program of that quality?

Smurfs are state schools that are less than directional.

Sam Houston St.
Jacksonville St.

Tarleton St? This is DII material stuff.

So like Appalachian State, Troy State, James Madison, Old Dominion, Coastal Carolina?

Sure. MAC invites a power like UMass - I'll ask again. How could any of us hope to compare to that coup? Heck, the SEC is probably wishing they could handle realignment like that instead of settling for UT and OU.

Y'all feel free to smurf that UMass addition all the smurfing way the the top. If ever there was grounds for talking conference expansion smack, that's certainly earned it!

(03-05-2024 05:30 PM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 03:44 PM)inutech Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 02:54 PM)Garden_KC Wrote:  CUSA is adding smurfs at this point IMO.

Unlike the giant that the MAC just added?

UMass is a highly regarded flagship university in one of America's larger states. The MAC did very well here.

Absolute powerhouse. Who has managed to do as well? Like I said - feel free to smurf away on all of us peons. But don't leave out those wimps that only invited USC or UT-Austin.

Did you know UMass was really good at basketball in the 90s? I mean - as recently as that! And this season as well! You can't miss with a winning season per decade.

Blowing us all away with our little "smurf" additions. It's a wonder we're even allowed in the same division.

(03-05-2024 05:41 PM)inutech Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 05:30 PM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 03:44 PM)inutech Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 02:54 PM)Garden_KC Wrote:  CUSA is adding smurfs at this point IMO.

Unlike the giant that the MAC just added?

UMass is a highly regarded flagship university in one of America's larger states. The MAC did very well here.

Absolute powerhouse. Who has managed to do as well? Like I said - feel free to smurf away on all of us peons. But don't leave out those wimps that only invited USC or UT-Austin.

Did you know UMass was really good at basketball in the 90s? I mean - as recently as that! And this season as well! You can't miss with a winning season per decade.

Blowing us all away with our little "smurf" additions. It's a wonder we're even allowed in the same division.

Your skin is blue.

I can tell.

(03-05-2024 05:48 PM)Garden_KC Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 05:41 PM)inutech Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 05:30 PM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 03:44 PM)inutech Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 02:54 PM)Garden_KC Wrote:  CUSA is adding smurfs at this point IMO.

Unlike the giant that the MAC just added?

UMass is a highly regarded flagship university in one of America's larger states. The MAC did very well here.

Absolute powerhouse. Who has managed to do as well? Like I said - feel free to smurf away on all of us peons. But don't leave out those wimps that only invited USC or UT-Austin.

Did you know UMass was really good at basketball in the 90s? I mean - as recently as that! And this season as well! You can't miss with a winning season per decade.

Blowing us all away with our little "smurf" additions. It's a wonder we're even allowed in the same division.

Your skin is blue.

I can tell.

Sure. Because I'm shivering out here in the cold after missing out of the UMass sweepstakes for my conference. How will we ever go on?

Besides, this skin tone looks good with my white hat.


Talk your trash. If anyone has earned it, it's gotta be the MAC.

Can we please cut the trash talking? Please and thank you. I'd like to see this thread stay open.

(03-05-2024 05:41 PM)inutech Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 05:30 PM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 03:44 PM)inutech Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 02:54 PM)Garden_KC Wrote:  CUSA is adding smurfs at this point IMO.

Unlike the giant that the MAC just added?

UMass is a highly regarded flagship university in one of America's larger states. The MAC did very well here.

Absolute powerhouse.

If Harvard were interested in joining the MAC, I don't think we'd be nitpicking the competitiveness of their football team.

I'm delighted to have UMass. I expect the football team will eventually get competitive the way Buffalo and Temple both did in our conference, but it's a win for us either way.

(03-05-2024 03:44 PM)inutech Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 02:54 PM)Garden_KC Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 01:58 PM)GreenBison Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 01:52 PM)Turtle Power 98 Wrote:  

(03-05-2024 12:32 PM)GreenBison Wrote:  I guess the real questions for WKU is...

Do you want to risk being left behind again and possibly losing MTSU to the AAC?
Do you want to have to back-fill once again and babysit more FCS schools?
Do you want to throw away all that work and money to get out of FCS only to wind up in a conference that is 60% FCS?

I don't get the FCS thing that much. Most all Sun Belt was FBS teams ten years ago. Just because the teams come from FCS does not mean they stay that way. Jax State did pretty good in their first year for an FCS team. If they move to the MAC, WKU is stuck there for life. Are they happy with that?

Like you said, that was 10 years ago. Also most were upper tier FCS. SBC has 14 National Titles compared to CUSA with 2. So there's a whole different caliber of teams brought up. As for WKU, I just posed the question. Questions aren't answers, so not sure why you took offense to it.

CUSA is adding smurfs at this point IMO.

Unlike the giant that the MAC just added?

I mean, come on, that's an unfair standard. Where could any conference be expected to find a football program of that quality?

Unlike the giant that the MAC just added?
you're not serious? Not saying UMass is a top 40 USNWR school BUT I think Umass is #67 or something. Compared to Kennesaw state or Sam Houston State, Umass looks like Harvard Yale or Princeton

the ONLY reason C-USA picked kennesaw state is that it is an Atlanta suburb.