(02-18-2020 01:08 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(02-17-2020 06:43 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(02-17-2020 01:22 PM)esayem Wrote:  

(02-17-2020 01:14 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  I'm starting to foresee more and more a scenario in which the AAC adds an all-sports member, as opposed to VCU/fill in the blank for football only.

UMass, Liberty ($$$), Old Dominion, Georgia State, UAB, So. Miss, Rice.

I’m going to need Mr. Dazzle’s thoughts on their expansion potential and personal connection with each of the aforementioned universities. Thanks.

Each of those universities would bring many positives to the table, and each would be deserving of an AAC invite (at least in some respects). If they asked the old Dazzler, I would choose ODU (for many reasons).

As to my personal connections (direct or indirect) with any of the seven schools you list ... I have a cousin who took some courses at UAB (for which, I must admit, I have a soft spot — since my father "loosely recruited" back in the 1970s when Gene Bartow coached at then-Memphis State University and Pops and I enjoyed following Clean Gene leading the Blazers after he left UCLA for Birmingham).

Who would you choose of the seven, esayem?

None of those schools currently add enough value to the AAC. And all of them will be available if they ever put it together in a few years

UMass - unless they start winning 8-10 FB games a year and reach the tourney every year, too small and on an island

Liberty will NEVER be invited to the AAC

ODU, GSU and UAB have good location, but don't really add enough. Again, sustained success is needed in FB and BB

Rice would only be considered in Houston left

USM adds nothing.

There likely is not one single athletic program that would add as much value as is ideal. So the American, assuming it needs to add a member to maintain its football title game, needs to add the school that brings as much value as possible. There is no outstanding option.