(03-09-2012 03:47 AM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  

(03-09-2012 02:10 AM)BLEEDITRED Wrote:  

(03-09-2012 01:21 AM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  

(03-08-2012 08:26 PM)BLEEDITRED Wrote:  Why would South possibly get pushed to the West, and lose any semblance of rivals we have in WKU, Troy, and to a lesser extent MTSU? That wouldn't make any sense. Assuming we keep everybody currently, it would make the most sense to go after two western schools already in that footprint to keep the divisions even and avoid any re-alignment. We'll go to 12 and play before we ever consider touching 14.

LaTech and UTSA are my votes. Then depending on who we lose, if anybody, in order after those guys I'd go Texas St, App St, Georgia Southern, Ga State.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but preserving South's rivalries is not at the top of the priority list when it comes to realignment, we're not talking about the Iron Bowl here. If the best two additions happen to both be in the west, than so be it, but we're not going to make our choices based on keeping anyone in the same division with anyone.

Really? I thought it was of Iron Bowl stature. Really. I did. No fib.

You sound as sure on that as you did about us losing a game during our second year.

Be realistic man, if the best option is Georgia State/La Tech, App State/La Tech, Georgia State/Texas State or whatever, that's what we're going to do. It's not the South Alabama Athletic Conference, if the best pair of new members moves South to the west, than so be it, anyhow the fact of the matter is the conversation is primarily about football and you don't have football rivals, even if you found yourself in the west you'd still play all the east schools in basketball every year at least once and some of them twice.

And the example of me believing you guys wouldn't make it through year two undefeated has nothing to do with this conversation, that was simply my belief that your schedule had gotten tougher and winning on the road against some better FCS opponents would be too much. This is about 10 other athletic departments coming together to decide which two programs are the best additions for the good of the conference and I guarantee you that whether or not USA gets to be in the same division as WKU and Troy is not a major concern for anyone outside of Mobile.

Well, you certainly set me straight. Good grief.

(03-09-2012 12:37 PM)Tiguar Wrote:  

(03-09-2012 12:17 PM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  

(03-09-2012 08:03 AM)Tiguar Wrote:  I think some of you are misconstruing the point. It would simply make no sense to move USA to the west and we would prefer not to be. No one is saying we should be given special consideration. Pardon us for wanting to be in the same division as the schools we feel most benefits our perception of a rivalry.

Whoa hold up there bud, I have no problem with you saying you'd prefer to be in the east division, that's perfectly understandable, what bleeditred said was it makes the most sense for us to add two schools to the west so South can stay in the east division. How is saying what makes the most sense for the entire conference, is doing something that specifically effects one school, not asking for special consideration?

I didn't interpret it the way you did. Looks to me like he said it makes the most sense for USA to remain in the East and add two west teams; not "lets add only from the west just so USA can stay east". Sorry, I'm just literalistic. Comes with the territory when you work in science.

Apprently I didn't word it correctly enough for him. Glad someone got it.

It's good for the conference for USA to stay in the East if possible. There may be other considerations that have a higher priority. Sort of like Missouri to the east in the SEC when it would have been better for them to be west probably.

(03-09-2012 01:21 PM)ark30inf Wrote:  It's good for the conference for USA to stay in the East if possible. There may be other considerations that have a higher priority. Sort of like Missouri to the east in the SEC when it would have been better for them to be west probably.

Difference scenarios, moving USA to the west would not cause the dramatic repercussions that moving Auburn to the east would have.

(03-08-2012 08:26 PM)BLEEDITRED Wrote:  Why would South possibly get pushed to the West, and lose any semblance of rivals we have in WKU, Troy, and to a lesser extent MTSU? That wouldn't make any sense. Assuming we keep everybody currently, it would make the most sense to go after two western schools already in that footprint to keep the divisions even and avoid any re-alignment. We'll go to 12 and play before we ever consider touching 14.

LaTech and UTSA are my votes. Then depending on who we lose, if anybody, in order after those guys I'd go Texas St, App St, Georgia Southern, Ga State.

I'd rank the potential invitees the exact same way.
When it comes to drawing up divisions, someone is always going to be unhappy. However, you not only have to think about protecting existing rivalries, but growing new ones. USA football will obviously have an immediate one with Troy and it's easy to envision another one growing with WKU because of the basketball rivalry that already exists. MTSU and South haven't become consistent rivals to this point, but I'd bet football will change that. Would the Raiders really have their strong feelings about Troy if they played in every sport but football?

(03-09-2012 01:44 PM)AtlantaJag Wrote:  

(03-08-2012 08:26 PM)BLEEDITRED Wrote:  Why would South possibly get pushed to the West, and lose any semblance of rivals we have in WKU, Troy, and to a lesser extent MTSU? That wouldn't make any sense. Assuming we keep everybody currently, it would make the most sense to go after two western schools already in that footprint to keep the divisions even and avoid any re-alignment. We'll go to 12 and play before we ever consider touching 14.

LaTech and UTSA are my votes. Then depending on who we lose, if anybody, in order after those guys I'd go Texas St, App St, Georgia Southern, Ga State.

I'd rank the potential invitees the exact same way.
When it comes to drawing up divisions, someone is always going to be unhappy. However, you not only have to think about protecting existing rivalries, but growing new ones. USA football will obviously have an immediate one with Troy and it's easy to envision another one growing with WKU because of the basketball rivalry that already exists. MTSU and South haven't become consistent rivals to this point, but I'd bet football will change that. Would the Raiders really have their strong feelings about Troy if they played in every sport but football?

We don't have that strong of feelings about Troy, football is the only sport that moves the meter against Troy, but that's exactly the point. South is going to have a rivalry with Troy regardless, if the two schools end up in separate divisions, it's a given that you'll be each other's protected rival in football, but if you can create a rivalry in football with MT or WKU, why not with Louisiana? I could actually really see a Jags/Cajuns rivalry being one of the better results of USA ending up in the west.

I have to admit, that looking at it without colored glasses, USA in the western division appears to make more economic sense than ASU. Going thru Biloxi to Mobile will be more of an attraction for UNT, ASU, ULL and ULM fans plus techsters.

(03-09-2012 01:59 PM)FloridaJag Wrote:  I have to admit, that looking at it without colored glasses, USA in the western division appears to make more economic sense than ASU. Going thru Biloxi to Mobile will be more of an attraction for UNT, ASU, ULL and ULM fans plus techsters.

I meant WKU not ASU in the west.

I don't think with 12 members WKU being in the east makes any sense whatsoever. Just make it a protected rivalry where the games play every year.

Troy
South
Georgia St
FIU
FAU
Middle

WKU
ASU
ULL
ULM
UNT
New Member

If we expand to 14 move WKU back to the east then add two to the West.

But making the conference division not regional just so WKU and MT can be in the same division is kind of crazy if were preaching regional conference. The above configuration allows close division and non division games like the proximity of the Louisiana schools to South or WKU to Middle.

WEST

New Mexico State (football only)
UTSA
Texas State
Louisiana Tech
ULM
UALR (non-football)
Arkansas State


EAST

Louisiana
South Alabama
Troy
Western Kentucky
Middle Tennessee
Florida Atlantic


Learn it. Love it. Live it.

(03-09-2012 02:03 PM)FloridaJag Wrote:  

(03-09-2012 01:59 PM)FloridaJag Wrote:  I have to admit, that looking at it without colored glasses, USA in the western division appears to make more economic sense than ASU. Going thru Biloxi to Mobile will be more of an attraction for UNT, ASU, ULL and ULM fans plus techsters.

I meant WKU not ASU in the west.

South in the west makes more sense than WKU no matter how you look at it.

Of the four schools that will definitely be in the west(provided no one leaves) Arkansas State, ULM, Louisiana and UNT, Arkansas State is the only school within 600 miles of Bowling Green, whereas North Texas is the only one that is greater than 600 miles from Mobile.

Average distance of the four for USA: 422 miles
Average distance of the four for WKU: 594 miles

(03-09-2012 03:26 PM)CAJUNNATION Wrote:  WEST

New Mexico State (football only)
UTSA
Texas State
Louisiana Tech
ULM
UALR (non-football)
Arkansas State


EAST

Louisiana
South Alabama
Troy
Western Kentucky
Middle Tennessee
Florida Atlantic


Learn it. Love it. Live it.

New Mexico State is not happening.

(03-09-2012 03:06 PM)TrojanCampaign Wrote:  I don't think with 12 members WKU being in the east makes any sense whatsoever. Just make it a protected rivalry where the games play every year.

Troy
South
Georgia St
FIU
FAU
Middle

WKU
ASU
ULL
ULM
UNT
New Member

If we expand to 14 move WKU back to the east then add two to the West.

You've got it backwards friend. Mobile is closer to the west division schools than Bowling Green by 170 miles. Perhaps you just have the word "Western" stuck in your brain, just look at the map even, Bowling Green is east of Mobile.

Average distance of the four for USA: 422 miles
Average distance of the four for WKU: 594 miles

And in that scenario WKU doesn't have a single division member with 300 miles.

(03-09-2012 03:30 PM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  

(03-09-2012 03:26 PM)CAJUNNATION Wrote:  WEST

New Mexico State (football only)
UTSA
Texas State
Louisiana Tech
ULM
UALR (non-football)
Arkansas State


EAST

Louisiana
South Alabama
Troy
Western Kentucky
Middle Tennessee
Florida Atlantic


Learn it. Love it. Live it.

New Mexico State is not happening.

If it won't be NMSU, then it will be App State FB only and UL will be split. Football in the West and other sports in the East.

(03-09-2012 04:03 PM)CAJUNNATION Wrote:  

(03-09-2012 03:30 PM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  

(03-09-2012 03:26 PM)CAJUNNATION Wrote:  WEST

New Mexico State (football only)
UTSA
Texas State
Louisiana Tech
ULM
UALR (non-football)
Arkansas State


EAST

Louisiana
South Alabama
Troy
Western Kentucky
Middle Tennessee
Florida Atlantic


Learn it. Love it. Live it.

New Mexico State is not happening.

If it won't be NMSU, then it will be App State FB only and UL will be split. Football in the West and other sports in the East.

Or we could add two all sports members and another non-football, UT-Arlington or considering recent news UNO and go to 12/14.

Georgia St has not announced FBS aspirations.

App St has reviewed it several times now, and has not announced FBS aspirations.

Georgia Southern has never announced FBS aspirations.

All three would be ok to good choices IF they ever decide to go FBS, but some schools stay FCS by choice, and for legitimate reasons. The conference is not in the position, at least yet, to need to help make a decision for a FCS school to make the move.

Would seem to reason that the schools that the conference should look at first are those that either 1) are already FBS or 2) have clearly announced intentions. Those just so happen to be western schools. Not doing so means waiting even longer for them to get their ducks in a row, and therefore not being a positive early addition.

(03-09-2012 04:11 PM)BLEEDITRED Wrote:  Georgia St has not announced FBS aspirations.

App St has reviewed it several times now, and has not announced FBS aspirations.

Georgia Southern has never announced FBS aspirations.

All three would be ok to good choices IF they ever decide to go FBS, but some schools stay FCS by choice, and for legitimate reasons. The conference is not in the position, at least yet, to need to help make a decision for a FCS school to make the move.

Would seem to reason that the schools that the conference should look at first are those that either 1) are already FBS or 2) have clearly announced intentions. Not doing so means waiting even longer for them to get their ducks in a row, and therefore not being a positive early addition.

Either one of Georgia State or App State could announce this spring/summer with invite in hand. I just don't see the point of publicly announcing "we're going FBS...as soon as we have an invite" I might as well make a public announcement that I intend to date Emmanuelle Chriqui. Why make a public announcement and then let your fans twist in the wind and perhaps ultimately have the face the harsh reality that no one wants them? Any school could tell us behind closed doors that they're ready to go FBS and then make the public announcement with invite in hand, I'm pretty sure that's what UMASS did with the MAC and I'm pretty sure Georgia State has said all along that their ultimate goal is to be FBS sooner rather than later.

Quote:App St has reviewed it several times now, and has not announced FBS aspirations.

Absolutely incorrect.

The feasibility study committee recommended a move to FBS. The App State trustees agreed with that recommendation with a 9-1 vote. The school has made it known to everyone that we are looking for an FBS home, and we will accept an invite to an FBS conference if it makes sense geographically.

(03-09-2012 04:15 PM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  

(03-09-2012 04:11 PM)BLEEDITRED Wrote:  Georgia St has not announced FBS aspirations.

App St has reviewed it several times now, and has not announced FBS aspirations.

Georgia Southern has never announced FBS aspirations.

All three would be ok to good choices IF they ever decide to go FBS, but some schools stay FCS by choice, and for legitimate reasons. The conference is not in the position, at least yet, to need to help make a decision for a FCS school to make the move.

Would seem to reason that the schools that the conference should look at first are those that either 1) are already FBS or 2) have clearly announced intentions. Not doing so means waiting even longer for them to get their ducks in a row, and therefore not being a positive early addition.

Either one of Georgia State or App State could announce this spring/summer with invite in hand. I just don't see the point of publicly announcing "we're going FBS...as soon as we have an invite" I might as well make a public announcement that I intend to date Emmanuelle Chriqui. Why make a public announcement and then let your fans twist in the wind and perhaps ultimately have the face the harsh reality that no one wants them? Any school could tell us behind closed doors that they're ready to go FBS and then make the public announcement with invite in hand, I'm pretty sure that's what UMASS did with the MAC and I'm pretty sure Georgia State has said all along that their ultimate goal is to be FBS sooner rather than later.

The administration did announce that we are looking to move to FBS, but they have tried to keep fans expecations in check. Last year when this all came out, our AD said nothing is necessarily imminent, it COULD be a few years before we move, and we will only move if it is the right fit. That was their attempt to keep the fans from twisting in the wind, but I can say it definitely did not work lol.

I'm just getting around to reading this thread, but a lot revolves around potential USA football rivalries. It's a given that USA-Troy will be a rivalry. We are rivals in everything. But I also think USA-ULL could be a really good rivalry in football. We already have a rivalry in baseball and located close enough to make the games every year. I'd hate to get moved to the West and not be in the same division as WKU though because that's our longest conference basketball rival!

My picks would be UTSA, Texas State and La-Tech in that order. I've never wanted Tech back in before because of how they have treated OUR conference. But it could be fun for everyone to hate them and when they lose it'd be fun to read their meltdowns.