(11-22-2020 01:07 PM)BKTopper Wrote:  

(11-22-2020 11:12 AM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(11-22-2020 09:54 AM)BKTopper Wrote:  

(11-22-2020 09:25 AM)panama Wrote:  

(11-18-2020 01:09 PM)bit_9 Wrote:  I don't know if we would have gone to the Sunbelt either. The way the story went (as I was told it) we, ODU, were not actively looking to move up. Had no intensions at that time, sure it was on the horizon but not then. But someone from CUSA was told "Hey, take a look at ODU" or something to that nature. They called and took a tour and offered us a spot right after. So, would CUSA taking a look and taking a pass caught the attention of the Sunbelt if we weren't actively reaching out or letting FBS conferences know? Shrug. It's been a while so that might not be how it happened but if we weren't shopping ourselves and CUSA passed I don't know if we wouldn't be FCS still with hopes of moving up now.

The urban legend is that our President told our AD to get us out of the CAA. There was a great deals animosity between us and CAA leadership. Our President allegedly wanted us in CUSA. At the time there was a clear hierarchy and CUSA was viewed as the better conference and a stepping stone to the Big East. Our AD was not successful allegedly because CUSA leadership at the time was familiar with her from her days at St Louis and may or may not have hated here guts. By the time things really heated up with the BE breakup it was musical chairs everywhere. SBC was calling and was a secure chair. CUSA may or may not have called after we were in the process of sitting down and asked us to wait. We allegedly took the sure chair rather than wait a week or two. It was an interesting crazy time.

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As a potential CUSA add WKU had several things going for it:
1. The Wood Selig ODU connection (our former AD)
2. Hundred Miles of Hate
3. Facilities
4. Other piece of bread on the Nashville market sandwich
5. Top 25 all-time basketball program, according to CBS Sports, recent AP ranking and Sweet 16 (at the time)
6. Coming off the Willie Taggart football revival



YET we were still the final add .

It was a nerve wracking. It felt like we might get left behind by our chief rival.

I’m sure the membership was set long before the actual announcements took place, but I guess it put a chip on our shoulders, right Marshall?

It seemed like CUSA added schools only in response to the loss of schools to the AAC. I don't think they had a grand plan in place beforehand because they couldn't have known which schools would be leaving. Here's the order of announcements:

1st round of oBE/AAC defections
12/7/11: Central Florida, Houston, SMU from CUSA to oBE/AAC for 2013
2/8/12: Memphis from CUSA to oBE/AAC for 2013

CUSA response
5/4/12: Charlotte, FIU, Louisiana Tech, North Texas, UTSA to CUSA for 2013 (Charlotte FB didn't join until 2015)
5/17/12: Old Dominion to CUSA for 2013 (FB didn't join until 2014)

2nd round of oBE/AAC defections
11/27/12: ECU (FB), Tulane from CUSA to oBE/AAC for 2014

CUSA response
11/29/12: FAU, Middle Tennessee to CUSA for 2013

3rd round of oBE/AAC defections with overlapping CUSA response
3/27/13: ECU (NFB) from CUSA to oBE/AAC for 2014
4/1/13: Western Kentucky to CUSA for 2014
4/2/13: Tulsa from CUSA to oBE/AAC for 2014

Even though the WKU announcement came a day before the Tulsa one, I think WKU was added only in response to Tulsa's notifying CUSA of their intent to depart. Had Tulsa remained in CUSA, WKU would still likely be in the Sun Belt.

Not a knock on the Sun Belt, but thank goodness we made the cut, just barely. WKU recruits heavily out of Florida, and Marshall has become a consistent rival. And 100 Miles of Hate might not survive MT and WKU being in different conferences.

I never realized how close we were to being left out. I assumed there was a short list put together months before the first round of defections to oBE/AAC.

Again, not a knock on Sun Belt. It's not even the same conference we left in a lot of ways. It's becoming a G5 FBS power and I cheer for its success. UALR and GaSt help out with basketball, kudos to all.

I dont take it as a knock at all. WKU is happy with their conference situation, and the Sun Belt is now happy with its situation. everyone should do what makes them happy. i disagree with UALR they have been bad for our basketball, with exception of one big year.

to your point about WKU being close to left out of CUSA, I still feel like that conference over expanded and WKU and either one of MTSU or FAU should still be in the Sun Belt.