The Big East may lose a couple more schools before this is all over, they may decide to go back to being an east coast conference and want to regain that south Florida presence. It's not completely out of the realm of possibilites. Also, ECU was trying hard to get that invite last year, they still may get that. So that takes a hit to the Sunbelt and the Mega Merger Conference.

(02-17-2012 12:54 PM)FIUFan Wrote:  The Belt is stronger than ever. It just needs another Bowl or two; which will become available once more schools begin to qualify (some sort 3-5 year rolling average or something) in a 12 team league.

I believe La Tech gets in as soon as they say Yes. Thing is, their waiting on the Alliance to make their decision. If it's a No, Tech will be in the Belt the next day. Forcing Benson to finish the job of getting to 12 and bringing on the Twins (unless NMSU wedges their way in between them).

Point is, the Sun Belt is now a go to conference. The WAC is gone and if you have dreams of playing FBS football in the SE and SW, we're it.

I agree, but how strong would it be if it lost 2-3 members to the Alliance?

Lets say The Alliance does its market thing and poach's UNT-FAU-FIU because they gain access to the markets and recuriting those schools offer. The 'Belt then has to fill in, probably with with the Texas Twins and some East Coast teams (Gsouth,Gstate, AppState etc etc..)

The 'Belt certaiinly would not be the same. It would survive of course, but I think its "prestiege" level would be set back to 2005 at least if not futher back when FAU/FIU accelerated to save it.

I understand that the only shot Georgia Southern has at joining the SBC is if they get raided by the alliance but I sure wish we could resume playing Troy, MTSU, and FIU. AND I don't want to quit playing App State, which is our biggest rival and I think they will get the nod without the SBC getting raided.

(02-17-2012 02:47 PM)GaSouthern Wrote:  I understand that the only shot Georgia Southern has at joining the SBC is if they get raided by the alliance but I sure wish we could resume playing Troy, MTSU, and FIU. AND I don't want to quit playing App State, which is our biggest rival and I think they will get the nod without the SBC getting raided.

Well, if the conference picks up LA Tech, UTSA and TX State, that puts us at 13 and in need of a 14th member and a team from the East. So, you might have a chance regardless of whether or not we get raided. I think we also need to find another home for UALR so we can be an All Sports Conference.

(02-17-2012 03:10 PM)HoustonCajun Wrote:  

(02-17-2012 02:47 PM)GaSouthern Wrote:  I understand that the only shot Georgia Southern has at joining the SBC is if they get raided by the alliance but I sure wish we could resume playing Troy, MTSU, and FIU. AND I don't want to quit playing App State, which is our biggest rival and I think they will get the nod without the SBC getting raided.

Well, if the conference picks up LA Tech, UTSA and TX State, that puts us at 13 and in need of a 14th member and a team from the East. So, you might have a chance regardless of whether or not we get raided. I think we also need to find another home for UALR so we can be an All Sports Conference.

Except a 14th team would probably be non-football to balance out UALR.

(02-17-2012 03:31 PM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  

(02-17-2012 03:10 PM)HoustonCajun Wrote:  

(02-17-2012 02:47 PM)GaSouthern Wrote:  I understand that the only shot Georgia Southern has at joining the SBC is if they get raided by the alliance but I sure wish we could resume playing Troy, MTSU, and FIU. AND I don't want to quit playing App State, which is our biggest rival and I think they will get the nod without the SBC getting raided.

Well, if the conference picks up LA Tech, UTSA and TX State, that puts us at 13 and in need of a 14th member and a team from the East. So, you might have a chance regardless of whether or not we get raided. I think we also need to find another home for UALR so we can be an All Sports Conference.

Except a 14th team would probably be non-football to balance out UALR.

I'm thinking UTA.

(02-17-2012 01:03 PM)OwlFamily Wrote:  I agree, but how strong would it be if it lost 2-3 members to the Alliance?

Lets say The Alliance does its market thing and poach's UNT-FAU-FIU because they gain access to the markets and recuriting those schools offer. The 'Belt then has to fill in, probably with with the Texas Twins and some East Coast teams (Gsouth,Gstate, AppState etc etc..)

The 'Belt certaiinly would not be the same. It would survive of course, but I think its "prestiege" level would be set back to 2005 at least if not futher back when FAU/FIU accelerated to save it.

I'm not trying to talk smack or stir up trouble, but out of FAU, North Texas, and FIU, the only one who has been successfull lately is FIU. losing North Texas won't be a huge blow in football, they've been bad for a while now. Now losing those two nice new stadiums will suck, but oh well.

Even if you guys lost FIU and UNT to the alliance you'd still can raid the WAC who doesn't have 8 fb members now. Plus it's far flung and has 4 non fb schools. It's just a mess. I think that the Alliance only takes 1 from you and Temple anyway. If they go to 20 and take 2 from you Temple and USU then you still have them beat, you also win out w/ better geography. UTSA, Texas St., La Tech easily fit into the footprint. Plus you have back up options that want to be FBS in App St., Lamar, Georgia St., Liberty, Jacksonville St. who all want in.

WAC has 7 fb now w/ only Lamar as an option w/ fb. Their only other options are CSUB, UVU, UTPA.

La Tech, UTSA, and App State would be the three I'd like to add if we lose one.

Troy has shown that a school that doesn't have a big market but can actually play good football can be more useful to a conf than a school that is in a market that can't play. Mr. Peanut should look at Troy when considering App St. They don't need any SJSU types big market but can't play and can't bring the market.

we're not going anywhere Fresno, no matter how successful we are. the Alliance has decided to take UAB, so we have no chance of getting in. To be honest though, I don't want us to join the MergAlliance crap. the Sun Belt has a perfect footprint and we are improving every year. Troy has been a big part of the improvement process and I am a proud member of this Conference. It's always better to build something and be proud of it than to join something you had no part in originally.

Not to mention the new Alliance Conference is ridiculously spread out. The best programs from both of those leagues have left, so the MergAlliance is basically the leftovers signing up together to form a monstrocity. I don't see it as a longterm success, whereas the Sun Belt's stablity ensures that we are here to stay.

That's how moving up the ladder works BE raids us we raid you, you raid whoever is below you. It's spread out but w/ only 1 cross over fb game ECU would only have to go to Hawaii once every 16 years. Even if it fails it would just go back to being CUSA and MWC. I'd rather be in Fresno's shoes than SJSU, NMSU, USU, Idaho shoes. They may be left w/ nothing but a bball only WAC. If you want the SBC to say as close as it is to now then you should hope it works. Otherwise those 8 will take 4 from you and our 8(UTEP moving to the west) would take 4 WAC schools.

by the time the Alliance falls apart the Sun Belt could be in a position to be the poacher. Our stability and ideal footprint make us a desirable league. To date, our league has simply been the youngest and as such as been the little guy everyone else dumps on. However, a decade of football has shown we are a force to be reckoned with as of late and we are only getting better. I wouldn't be surprised the least bit to see C-USA and the MWC find themselves in deep sh*t once their little experiment fails as they both need members, and SBC and MAC programs decide they don't want to leave their homes.

don't assume we are going to sit still and not improve. I expect us to continue our ascent while the Alliance tries it's little mistake of a merger.

(02-17-2012 06:13 PM)Burn the Horse Wrote:  by the time the Alliance falls apart the Sun Belt could be in a position to be the poacher. Our stability and ideal footprint make us a desirable league. To date, our league has simply been the youngest and as such as been the little guy everyone else dumps on. However, a decade of football has shown we are a force to be reckoned with as of late and we are only getting better. I wouldn't be surprised the least bit to see C-USA and the MWC find themselves in deep sh*t once their little experiment fails as they both need members, and SBC and MAC programs decide they don't want to leave their homes.

don't assume we are going to sit still and not improve. I expect us to continue our ascent while the Alliance tries it's little mistake of a merger.

That's homer talk. post that on any other board and see if anyone not in the SBC agrees. Sure you can get better. There were years where the WAC was better than the MWC but when it came time to take they took from us, not us from them.

The BE guys on the expansion board told me there was no way they get raided by the ACC and that they may poach the ACC. I said no, most told me I was dumb and didn't know anything. I took bets and provided the names of Syracuse, Pitt, UConn saying at least 2 of 3 would go to the ACC. Now they see that the ACC is higher up.

The operating budgets of most of these institutions will be stretched to the maximum and beyond.

Travel eats up lots and lots of money.

A significant number of these schools are going to wish they'd have "run the numbers" a bit better.

If the TV money isn't improved over what was there before the defections, the league is doomed due to COSTS.

(02-17-2012 06:22 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  

(02-17-2012 06:13 PM)Burn the Horse Wrote:  by the time the Alliance falls apart the Sun Belt could be in a position to be the poacher. Our stability and ideal footprint make us a desirable league. To date, our league has simply been the youngest and as such as been the little guy everyone else dumps on. However, a decade of football has shown we are a force to be reckoned with as of late and we are only getting better. I wouldn't be surprised the least bit to see C-USA and the MWC find themselves in deep sh*t once their little experiment fails as they both need members, and SBC and MAC programs decide they don't want to leave their homes.

don't assume we are going to sit still and not improve. I expect us to continue our ascent while the Alliance tries it's little mistake of a merger.

That's homer talk. post that on any other board and see if anyone not in the SBC agrees. Sure you can get better. There were years where the WAC was better than the MWC but when it came time to take they took from us, not us from them.

The BE guys on the expansion board told me there was no way they get raided by the ACC and that they may poach the ACC. I said no, most told me I was dumb and didn't know anything. I took bets and provided the names of Syracuse, Pitt, UConn saying at least 2 of 3 would go to the ACC. Now they see that the ACC is higher up.

how is my post homerism? stating that we have improved drastically over the course of a decade and intend on continuing to do so is in no way "homer talk," it is simply the way it works. Once the Alliance falls apart we may very well be in a position to be the Conference with the upper hand.

btw, this is the Sun Belt board. we generally have pro-Sun Belt opinions. If you don't like that, there are other boards you can visit.

(02-17-2012 10:14 PM)Burn the Horse Wrote:  

(02-17-2012 06:22 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  

(02-17-2012 06:13 PM)Burn the Horse Wrote:  by the time the Alliance falls apart the Sun Belt could be in a position to be the poacher. Our stability and ideal footprint make us a desirable league. To date, our league has simply been the youngest and as such as been the little guy everyone else dumps on. However, a decade of football has shown we are a force to be reckoned with as of late and we are only getting better. I wouldn't be surprised the least bit to see C-USA and the MWC find themselves in deep sh*t once their little experiment fails as they both need members, and SBC and MAC programs decide they don't want to leave their homes.

don't assume we are going to sit still and not improve. I expect us to continue our ascent while the Alliance tries it's little mistake of a merger.

That's homer talk. post that on any other board and see if anyone not in the SBC agrees. Sure you can get better. There were years where the WAC was better than the MWC but when it came time to take they took from us, not us from them.

The BE guys on the expansion board told me there was no way they get raided by the ACC and that they may poach the ACC. I said no, most told me I was dumb and didn't know anything. I took bets and provided the names of Syracuse, Pitt, UConn saying at least 2 of 3 would go to the ACC. Now they see that the ACC is higher up.

how is my post homerism? stating that we have improved drastically over the course of a decade and intend on continuing to do so is in no way "homer talk," it is simply the way it works. Once the Alliance falls apart we may very well be in a position to be the Conference with the upper hand.

btw, this is the Sun Belt board. we generally have pro-Sun Belt opinions. If you don't like that, there are other boards you can visit.

Be nice, having other fans give there opinion is OK. Enjoy the conversation. You sound like UAB and C-USA people. So far I've been baned by UAB from their board because they couldn't deal with a different opinion. The C-USA board is working on throwing people out. We are not C-USA, we are the Sunbelt, we are just better people.

I'm not being ugly, I am simply pointing out that this is OUR board and our membership normally posts from a perspective that is friendly to our Conference rather than other peoples' Conferences. You shouldn't be so quick to pass judgement my friend.

(02-17-2012 10:41 PM)Burn the Horse Wrote:  I'm not being ugly, I am simply pointing out that this is OUR board and our membership normally posts from a perspective that is friendly to our Conference rather than other peoples' Conferences. You shouldn't be so quick to judge people Usajags.

I wasn't judging, just saying welcome the alternate viewpoint. If he is in California, he could give us the mood on the left coast to this Mega Merger.

(02-17-2012 10:43 PM)Usajags Wrote:  

(02-17-2012 10:41 PM)Burn the Horse Wrote:  I'm not being ugly, I am simply pointing out that this is OUR board and our membership normally posts from a perspective that is friendly to our Conference rather than other peoples' Conferences. You shouldn't be so quick to judge people Usajags.

I wasn't judging, just saying welcome the alternate viewpoint. If he is in California, he could give us the mood on the left coast to this Mega Merger.

you are in fact passing judgement, because you are scolding me unjustly. He came to our board proclaiming our viewpoint to be "homerism," I simply reminded him of that fact. I understand text does not translate tone, so just read twice next time before you decide who is right and who is wrong.

I never told Fresno he was not welcome here, I just told him if he didn't like a Sun Belt perspective on the Sun Belt board that there were alternative places to post.