Didn't we already know UTA was #12? No surprises there.

(05-19-2012 07:10 PM)panama Wrote:  There is no reason to go to 12 in an environment where it is not known what FSU and/or Clemson to B12 could generate downstream.

Honestly I don't think its going generate very much action downstream.

B12 (Florida State, Clemson)
ACC (Rutgers, Louisville) BC blocks UConn and their tiny 40mil budget
BE (BYU with home TV rights)

BE stopped at 12:

West: SDSU, Boise, BYU, Houston, SMU, Memphis
East: Cincy, Temple, UConn, Navy, USF, UCF

Things will probably be stable until 2017 when the B1G is ready to sign another TV deal.

(05-19-2012 08:28 PM)Tuscon Wrote:  I definitely think there's no point waiting if we know who we want to get to 12. Maybe they don't actually want to commit yet though? The presidents seem to want to get to 12, but don't like the current choices. Or they have a decision on the two they want to grab up.

I have a feeling we'd get to 12 right now if smoke was coming from the right places. All this waiting makes me think Appy, GS, NMSU, and Idaho are not actually in the mix...

It seems that even the "realignment process" has a pecking order.. I keep seeing posts that say this won't be resolved until the BE is finished, then cusa, then The Belt can "re-load." For my money, let's go 12/14 (basing that on UTA being the next invite). The Commish has already indicated a desire to be at 12 for FB. If we know who we want, give 'em the invites . . get the CCG. To hell w/the waiting and the pecking order .. let's get proactive .. and like that Larry guy says.. Get 'er done.

(05-19-2012 10:46 PM)Bobcat87 Wrote:  

(05-19-2012 08:28 PM)Tuscon Wrote:  I definitely think there's no point waiting if we know who we want to get to 12. Maybe they don't actually want to commit yet though? The presidents seem to want to get to 12, but don't like the current choices. Or they have a decision on the two they want to grab up.

I have a feeling we'd get to 12 right now if smoke was coming from the right places. All this waiting makes me think Appy, GS, NMSU, and Idaho are not actually in the mix...

It seems that even the "realignment process" has a pecking order.. I keep seeing posts that say this won't be resolved until the BE is finished, then cusa, then The Belt can "re-load." For my money, let's go 12/14 (basing that on UTA being the next invite). The Commish has already indicated a desire to be at 12 for FB. If we know who we want, give 'em the invites . . get the CCG. To hell w/the waiting and the pecking order .. let's get proactive .. and like that Larry guy says.. Get 'er done.

Don't forget the Big East currently has 13 football schools and if push came to shove could round things out with BYU, Army or even Villanova upgrading. They could simply drop back to 12 in football also.

The only school that could even be remotely attractive to the Big East is Southern Mississippi. The BE is serious about keeping its football reputation together and Old Dominion has little while Charlotte has absolutely none.

If So. Miss can bust the BCS in its last 2 seasons they'll have a very strong case for BE inclusion.

(05-19-2012 08:28 PM)Tuscon Wrote:  I definitely think there's no point waiting if we know who we want to get to 12. Maybe they don't actually want to commit yet though? The presidents seem to want to get to 12, but don't like the current choices. Or they have a decision on the two they want to grab up.

I have a feeling we'd get to 12 right now if smoke was coming from the right places. All this waiting makes me think Appy, GS, NMSU, and Idaho are not actually in the mix...

This is pure speculation but here are my thoughts: I think that it will either be both Appalachian and Georgia Southern that come to the Sun Belt or neither. For us, the jump would be easier to make with an existing rival and for the conference, it would make sense to either stay at 10 football members or add both to get to 12. Right now, GSU is not financially prepared to make the move. They are, however, making a serious push to get there. We're all just guessing at this point but I wouldn't be surprised to see both teams get an invite after the deadline to come on in 2014. That allows ASU and GSU to keep the rivalry alive without missing a beat and gives Southern another year to get their ducks in a row.

(05-19-2012 11:30 PM)asumike83 Wrote:  

(05-19-2012 08:28 PM)Tuscon Wrote:  I definitely think there's no point waiting if we know who we want to get to 12. Maybe they don't actually want to commit yet though? The presidents seem to want to get to 12, but don't like the current choices. Or they have a decision on the two they want to grab up.

I have a feeling we'd get to 12 right now if smoke was coming from the right places. All this waiting makes me think Appy, GS, NMSU, and Idaho are not actually in the mix...

This is pure speculation but here are my thoughts: I think that it will either be both Appalachian and Georgia Southern that come to the Sun Belt or neither. For us, the jump would be easier to make with an existing rival and for the conference, it would make sense to either stay at 10 football members or add both to get to 12. Right now, GSU is not financially prepared to make the move. They are, however, making a serious push to get there. We're all just guessing at this point but I wouldn't be surprised to see both teams get an invite after the deadline to come on in 2014. That allows ASU and GSU to keep the rivalry alive without missing a beat and gives Southern another year to get their ducks in a row.

App State does not need GS to move up. Why on Earth would you think that? You have a rabid fan base that wants to move FBS. I would hope your administration wouldn't muck that up waiting on GS. You can find new rivals in the SBC.

That said, I still think if the SBC presidents wanted any of the names being flung around, we'd have invited them. Benson has already said he wants 12 so what's stopping him unless we don't want to invite the teams that seem to be available.

(05-19-2012 11:44 PM)Tuscon Wrote:  App State does not need GS to move up. Why on Earth would you think that? You have a rabid fan base that wants to move FBS. I would hope your administration wouldn't muck that up waiting on GS. You can find new rivals in the SBC.

That said, I still think if the SBC presidents wanted any of the names being flung around, we'd have invited them. Benson has already said he wants 12 so what's stopping him unless we don't want to invite the teams that seem to be available.

We don't need them to move up but our administration has stressed the importance of maintaining geographic rivals as they explore what options may be out there. That football rivalry in particular is very important to our fans. While App fans are generally supportive of an FBS move, there are are some who feel differently and moving with a familiar rival would ease a lot of minds. I do not envy our AD because I'm sure he is catching heat from all directions but making the move with a program we have that much history with is a good way to keep the most fans happy.

(05-19-2012 11:30 PM)asumike83 Wrote:  

(05-19-2012 08:28 PM)Tuscon Wrote:  I definitely think there's no point waiting if we know who we want to get to 12. Maybe they don't actually want to commit yet though? The presidents seem to want to get to 12, but don't like the current choices. Or they have a decision on the two they want to grab up.

I have a feeling we'd get to 12 right now if smoke was coming from the right places. All this waiting makes me think Appy, GS, NMSU, and Idaho are not actually in the mix...

This is pure speculation but here are my thoughts: I think that it will either be both Appalachian and Georgia Southern that come to the Sun Belt or neither. For us, the jump would be easier to make with an existing rival and for the conference, it would make sense to either stay at 10 football members or add both to get to 12. Right now, GSU is not financially prepared to make the move. They are, however, making a serious push to get there. We're all just guessing at this point but I wouldn't be surprised to see both teams get an invite after the deadline to come on in 2014. That allows ASU and GSU to keep the rivalry alive without missing a beat and gives Southern another year to get their ducks in a row.

This is definitely the way most Georgia Southern fans feel. 2014 would be perfect for us. This would give us time to increase our student fees, complete our stadium expansion/ 57k sq ft st operations center and get our budget in the $16 million range. Our enrollment will be 21k this fall and is projected to reach 25k within 5 years so affording FBS will not be a problem, it is a matter of getting everything in place by 2014.

App State and Ga Southern are each other's biggest rival and nobody wants to see that go away. It is too good of a rivalry to just throw away. Moving to the same conference makes too much sense for both schools and the Sun Belt.

(05-19-2012 10:59 PM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  

(05-19-2012 10:46 PM)Bobcat87 Wrote:  

(05-19-2012 08:28 PM)Tuscon Wrote:  I definitely think there's no point waiting if we know who we want to get to 12. Maybe they don't actually want to commit yet though? The presidents seem to want to get to 12, but don't like the current choices. Or they have a decision on the two they want to grab up.

I have a feeling we'd get to 12 right now if smoke was coming from the right places. All this waiting makes me think Appy, GS, NMSU, and Idaho are not actually in the mix...

It seems that even the "realignment process" has a pecking order.. I keep seeing posts that say this won't be resolved until the BE is finished, then cusa, then The Belt can "re-load." For my money, let's go 12/14 (basing that on UTA being the next invite). The Commish has already indicated a desire to be at 12 for FB. If we know who we want, give 'em the invites . . get the CCG. To hell w/the waiting and the pecking order .. let's get proactive .. and like that Larry guy says.. Get 'er done.

Don't forget the Big East currently has 13 football schools and if push came to shove could round things out with BYU, Army or even Villanova upgrading. They could simply drop back to 12 in football also.

The only school that could even be remotely attractive to the Big East is Southern Mississippi. The BE is serious about keeping its football reputation together and Old Dominion has little while Charlotte has absolutely none.

If So. Miss can bust the BCS in its last 2 seasons they'll have a very strong case for BE inclusion.

I think USM would be 3rd or 4th.

New commissioner after firing a commissioner means someone who is going to think different. With the BCS quite possibly a four team playoff and nothing else the Big East is likely to start thinking regionally. ECU with their support draws more TV attention through out NC than probably Wake Forest.

If the timeline works (ie. not an immediate addition) Charlotte will be well up the list along with ODU. The timeline is unknown so they stay further down in the 4-6 range.

Tulsa makes a lot of sense if the timeline is soon. They shore up the western FULL MEMBER edge of the league and as a private school they are likely viewed favorably by the private school bloc.

USM has to make the buster step to get relevant but if buster is 1-4 the deck is stacked.

An eastern focus puts FIU, FAU, and Georgia State into the early consideration hopper.

(05-19-2012 11:30 PM)asumike83 Wrote:  

(05-19-2012 08:28 PM)Tuscon Wrote:  I definitely think there's no point waiting if we know who we want to get to 12. Maybe they don't actually want to commit yet though? The presidents seem to want to get to 12, but don't like the current choices. Or they have a decision on the two they want to grab up.

I have a feeling we'd get to 12 right now if smoke was coming from the right places. All this waiting makes me think Appy, GS, NMSU, and Idaho are not actually in the mix...

This is pure speculation but here are my thoughts: I think that it will either be both Appalachian and Georgia Southern that come to the Sun Belt or neither. For us, the jump would be easier to make with an existing rival and for the conference, it would make sense to either stay at 10 football members or add both to get to 12. Right now, GSU is not financially prepared to make the move. They are, however, making a serious push to get there. We're all just guessing at this point but I wouldn't be surprised to see both teams get an invite after the deadline to come on in 2014. That allows ASU and GSU to keep the rivalry alive without missing a beat and gives Southern another year to get their ducks in a row.

One of the biggest misconceptions that for all intents and purposes has been created by the Southern fans is the notion that App State and Southern are anywhere near close in the pecking order in the realignment process. In terms of the athletic budget, facilities and overall quality of athletics programs, App State is much closer to your average Sun Belt school than Southern is close to App State. In fact, Southern is nowhere near close.

App State is not only well rounded as a school athletically, financially and academically, but they have legitimately been ready for a move to FBS for almost 10 years now, wheres Southern is not likely to be ready for another 10. It's a great disservice to App State to put them in the same category as Southern when you take into account that their budget is almost $7 million higher than Southern's, their facilities blow away anything Southern has to offer, and not to mention that App State has had the leadership that has provided a clear and consistent vision for growing the program for well over a decade now.

The only thing keeping App State from going FBS is their location and media market, whereas Southern is not only plagued by their location, but also their abysmal budget, lack of financial strength, atrocious facilities and questionable academics to put it mildly.

I understand regional rivalries are important to App State fans, but they need to give their school a little more credit and recognize that they are the class of SoCon, and light years away from Southern and pretty much any other SoCon school. I'm just being honest here.

(05-20-2012 10:43 AM)SaintDK10 Wrote:  

(05-19-2012 11:30 PM)asumike83 Wrote:  

(05-19-2012 08:28 PM)Tuscon Wrote:  I definitely think there's no point waiting if we know who we want to get to 12. Maybe they don't actually want to commit yet though? The presidents seem to want to get to 12, but don't like the current choices. Or they have a decision on the two they want to grab up.

I have a feeling we'd get to 12 right now if smoke was coming from the right places. All this waiting makes me think Appy, GS, NMSU, and Idaho are not actually in the mix...

This is pure speculation but here are my thoughts: I think that it will either be both Appalachian and Georgia Southern that come to the Sun Belt or neither. For us, the jump would be easier to make with an existing rival and for the conference, it would make sense to either stay at 10 football members or add both to get to 12. Right now, GSU is not financially prepared to make the move. They are, however, making a serious push to get there. We're all just guessing at this point but I wouldn't be surprised to see both teams get an invite after the deadline to come on in 2014. That allows ASU and GSU to keep the rivalry alive without missing a beat and gives Southern another year to get their ducks in a row.

One of the biggest misconceptions that for all intents and purposes has been created by the Southern fans is the notion that App State and Southern are anywhere near close in the pecking order in the realignment process. In terms of the athletic budget, facilities and overall quality of athletics programs, App State is much closer to your average Sun Belt school than Southern is close to App State. In fact, Southern is nowhere near close.

App State is not only well rounded as a school athletically, financially and academically, but they have legitimately been ready for a move to FBS for almost 10 years now, wheres Southern is not likely to be ready for another 10. It's a great disservice to App State to put them in the same category as Southern when you take into account that their budget is almost $7 million higher than Southern's, their facilities blow away anything Southern has to offer, and not to mention that App State has had the leadership that has provided a clear and consistent vision for growing the program for well over a decade now.

The only thing keeping App State from going FBS is their location and media market, whereas Southern is not only plagued by their location, but also their abysmal budget, lack of financial strength, atrocious facilities and questionable academics to put it mildly.

I understand regional rivalries are important to App State fans, but they need to give their school a little more credit and recognize that they are the class of SoCon, and light years away from Southern and pretty much any other SoCon school. I'm just being honest here.

All we have to do is increase our student fees to the same level as Ga State's and our budget will be $17 million overnight.
- Our student fee vote will take place soon and they are definitely pro FBS.
- We will soon have 25k students which will be in the top 25% of the Sun Belt.
- Our budget will be at the Sun Belt average as soon as we begin preparations to move FBS.
- Stadium expansion is coming this fall.
- Things are moving quickly in the right direction now that we have a pro FBS President.
- International airport 45 minutes from the stadium via interstate.
- Alum and CEO/owner of Chic -Fil-a becoming more invlolved with the program. Chic-Fil-a is a huge supporter of college football. A few bones of his $2 billion will help.

As the mods have stated many times, let's not turn another thread into a Ga Southern vs Ga State pissing match that causes another thread to be moved to the smack board.

(05-19-2012 02:01 PM)ManzanoWolf Wrote:  Posted on May 19, 2012
By Chad Bishop

The Sun Belt Conference is scheduled to convene this week in Destin, Fla., for its annual spring meetings. While there, the league’s school presidents, athletic directors and other officials will decide when to announce the conference’s latest addition and where to go from there.

Western Kentucky president Dr. Gary Ransdell told the Daily News last week that he will chair a committee this week that will determine a five-year strategic plan for the conference’s future.

That plan will likely include whether future expansion is necessary, future conference championship sites and a restructured television partnership, amongst other things.

http://toppatime.wordpress.com/2012/05/1...o-add-uta/


From the WAC Board:

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=451&f=2368&t=9002545

Fan comment: The Sun Belt board meeting is next week Tuesday. The UTA board meeting is next week Thursday. Putting two and two together... UTA to the Sun Belt by Friday.


I live in Destin...Wahoo!

Is UTA the only non-football member we're looking at?

Yes. We only need one.

(05-20-2012 02:03 PM)panama Wrote:  Yes. We only need one.

Obviously. No, I mean are they the only school we're looking at to fill the final spot?

I'm guessing for the most part all of this means we're not getting App State or Georgia Southern, shame.

(05-20-2012 02:28 PM)TroyFootball05 Wrote:  I'm guessing for the most part all of this means we're not getting App State or Georgia Southern, shame.

(05-20-2012 02:28 PM)TroyFootball05 Wrote:  I'm guessing for the most part all of this means we're not getting App State or Georgia Southern, shame.

I think it just means you aren't getting App or Georgia Southern for 2013. I want to get ink on paper as much as anyone but this is a fluid process and I believe both are certainly still in play.

According to one source, FSU to the Big 12 is "inevitable":
http://dev.chuckoliver.net/2012/05/fsu-t...nevitable/

There are still plenty of dominoes set to fall.

(05-20-2012 03:26 PM)asumike83 Wrote:  

(05-20-2012 02:28 PM)TroyFootball05 Wrote:  I'm guessing for the most part all of this means we're not getting App State or Georgia Southern, shame.

I think it just means you aren't getting App or Georgia Southern for 2013. I want to get ink on paper as much as anyone but this is a fluid process and I believe both are certainly still in play.

According to one source, FSU to the Big 12 is "inevitable":
http://dev.chuckoliver.net/2012/05/fsu-t...nevitable/

There are still plenty of dominoes set to fall.

May be but there is a good chance we will do something else by the time that Mr. Benson gets out of office.
The MAC commissioner grew up in Boone and his dad taught and coached at Appalachian. Never heard that we have talked with them, but there were MAC message board rumors about us having an in vite from them a couple of months ago. Not an ideal situation but they do have at least one opening with Temple gone. Just tired of waiting, and truthfully not sure that the Sun Belt will ever invite us if they haven't already.

Any chance that CUSA goes after Northern Illinois to get a slice of that Chicago market?