(11-18-2020 05:26 PM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(11-18-2020 04:50 PM)lion1983 Wrote:  

(11-18-2020 04:25 PM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(11-18-2020 02:12 PM)lion1983 Wrote:  

(11-18-2020 01:47 PM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  First off all, even if this exchange really did happen, it doesn't really answer any questions. "Gumbart"'s replies are general and specifically don't mention any schools outside the A-Sun. He can act all prescient and say that EKU, JSU, and UCA were in these supposed discussions, but there's nothing prior to COVID that would have compelled them to buy into his crazy plan. Even now, the benefit to those 3 schools (and any others outside the MEAC) is dubious at best. So a shortsighted reaction to COVID canceling/postponing football in their conferences is the most plausible explanation for these rumored defections at the moment. And as I said, it could just as easily be simply a ploy for leverage against their current conferences (e.g., to try to ensure they play FB in the spring).

You understand that some things cant be mentioned in public before things are done, right? It's out of respect for those involved.

All 3 of these schools were mentioned as possibilities when the UAC thing was announced, and for a reason.

Gumbart himself said that the ASUN would not take enough from any conference to put them in jeopardy. The schools have been in talk for a while. Now it's down to negotiations of fees.

On a side note, its hilarious how most dont look at what is right in front of them...

How would you rationalize the proposed move of these 3 FCS schools to an inferior bottom-feeding conference now dominated by an excessively-resourced cancer of an institution other than (1) discontent over COVID sports suspensions or something similarly petty or (2) as leverage in negotiations with their current conferences?

Even if Gumbart's grand plan succeeds, the whole point of the all-sports (incl. FB) "UAC" is to be a feeder conference for the new A-Sun (what is now the CCSA). Even from the OVC or Southland, that's a downgrade.

The UAC split thing is over... this will just be the ASUN with football. If it's such a "downgrade" there is no reason for the 3 schools to even entertain the idea. But they are in negotiations now... soooooo, entertaining the idea has past, that means they are seriously considering it.

The A-Sun is pretty clearly a downgrade from any conference except perhaps the MEAC or WAC. This is just looking objectively -- I have nothing against the A-Sun. They're very low in the pecking order of D1 conferences, evidenced by their taking D2 call-ups and apparently being the only conference that couldn't say no to Liberty. That's why I claim that if these puzzling moves are actually taking place, they're due to some other motivation than the quality of the conference. Perhaps it does indeed come down to pandemic-related sports scheduling policies, which would explain why the hell UCA is involved.

The Atlantic Sun is not looked upon as an upper or mid tier conference...yet. The conference has been a stepping stone for many, many programs. Things can change. 25-40 years ago, the WAC was a really good conference. Now?