(05-10-2013 08:58 PM)JRsec Wrote:  

(05-10-2013 08:46 PM)vandiver49 Wrote:  

(05-10-2013 02:58 PM)USAFMEDIC Wrote:  

(05-10-2013 01:28 PM)bigblueblindness Wrote:  

(05-10-2013 01:16 PM)vandiver49 Wrote:  I just find it to be an intriguing proposition. Don't get me wrong, I really would prefer WVU (actually, I really want VT but that's not going to happen) and I just think two 7 teams divisions is too cumbersome. Is ECU what Slive wants? Of course not, but this move falls into 'the 10% of something beats 100% of nothing' decision matrix.


The SEC in the state of NC is the equivalent of of the golden ticket for the Pirates. Recruits would flock to the school from across the state and also from the Tidewater VA area. Match-ups between SCAR and UT in Charlotte would drive up demand for Pirate football across the Piedmont. While not the academic windfall of a UNC, it would be the kind of middle finger move the SEC is known for. No different than when Roy Kramer first proposed the SEC championship game.

Unfortunately, I think UNC and NCSU both realize the potential of such a gift and as such would probably prevent ECU from accepting the invite via the Univ System governance that all NC state schools fall under. If ECU were denied, who would the SEC turn to Cincinnati or just wait for the B12 GOR to expire?

First of all, the city of Wilmington would secede from North Carolina if the state government prevented ECU to the SEC because it would be utter ridiculousness. Second, it was discussed recently on the realignment board, but ECU needs to jump about 75 academic spots, double their revenue and become an athletic equivalent to UNC and NCSU, and rename their university to get rid of the "directional" and live up to that name (become a North Carolina version of an "A&M" or "Tech") for the SEC to even reply. Not trying to belittle ECU, because they are striving to be their best, but there is a long way to go. Believe me, most SEC fans want North Carolina back in the fold, just not at the expense of downgrading what we have going.

I think, like UCF and USF, ECU might be smaller for a few years, but would grow like hell if invited into the SEC. They would probably out-recruit all the other NC schools... Long term investment. it's looking increasingly like the SEC/ B1G prestige ticket is not buying much now.

BBB, is ECU's position any different than Ark and SCAR back in 1992. What about the compared to the MS schools? UAB is rank ahead of UAT, should the SEC invite the Blazers to the conference. (of course not) I am not trying to mock you for bringing up the academic rankings, just that they are simply an advertizing mechanism at best and a means elitism in academia at worst.

People like to mock WVU for the near universal acceptance for in-state residents, but honestly they are performing their mission far better than GT, UNC or UVA. That's why I refer to it as 'academic perception'.

And to USAFMEDIC's point, who else is available to help resolve the scheduling nightmare coming down the road with a 9 game conference sked and two 7 team divisions? Teams like Auburn ardently care for UGA/Auburn but a 6-2 format may very well be the thing that break the last two traditional rivalries in the SEC. This will even be detrimental to the MS who will see their frequency of visit to FL and GA plummet.

It has been speculated that the reason expansion to 16 died is because both the B1G and the SEC both wanted UNC and UVA. The window of ACC instability proved to be brief as Swofford did what no thought possible; made his conference stronger after losing a founding member. The additions of ND and L'ville placated the football first schools, allowed ESPN to plus up the TV revenue and provided the basis for and ACC GOR. So will the SEC deal with a decade of scheduling woes or swallow a bitter pill?

E.C.U. wouldn't be a bitter pill but who do you put with them? Cincinnati, South Florida, or do we go for someone a bit more unusual and if so who?

Bit, on another thread, explained the reasons for the WVU universal in-state admission policies. I cannot really remember the complete reasons, but it made perfect sense. They specialize in educating the state's students on things that pertain to West Virginia almost exclusively like mining/minerals. In short, they are meeting the needs of their own people.