An interesting article written in 02/05. Here the link:

<a href='http://navy.scout.com/2/349889.html' target='_blank'>Navy</a>

That article basically lists a whole lot of reasons why Navy should stay indy and not join a conference.

Much of it is summed up in this paragraph:

Quote:There is no conference in I-A football whose members' academic standards reflect those of the Naval Academy; any idea of a I-A Patriot League clone is a pipe dream. Even the most vocal supporters of Navy football joining a conference will admit that the moment it happens, Navy is at a competitive disadvantage. It takes a special person to commit to the challenge of Division I football on top of plebe year, a military obligation, and an unrelenting academic load; finding this kind of person is a difficulty that other schools do not face. Certainly there is no conference that, under the traditional concept of an alliance of similar schools, would be anything more than a geographical fit for USNA. By remaining independent, Navy creates a de facto league with Army and Air Force, complete with championship trophy. The focus of the program is setting the standard for these like-minded institutions rather than keeping up with the big-money and often shady world that makes up the rest of college football. With all due respect to our friends in Nashville, Navy doesn't want to become another Vanderbilt.

I definitely like it and have to agree with most everything it says. Navy does indeed play a schedule of mostly Eastern teams but it does try to get exposure down in Texas and out west. That's easily explainable since Navy traditionally played Eastern Independents which in larger terms really boiled down to more than the Joe Paterno 7 it also included Army, Navy, Notre Dame.

Its a shame Army and Navy feel this way...both schools are traditional eastern schools and are apart of the history that makes Eastern football unique....but with that being said there are some good reasons for them not to join a league which are explained well in the article


Jackson

I found this interesting, because many say they should be added to the BE. However, ND, PSU, Army, Navy or Temple will not be in the Big East in 2010. THe Big East will have to look saoutheast for the next 4 members in football/ IMHo.

I agree Wilkie. Bring in Memphis, ECU, S. Miss and Tulane.

Army56Mike Wrote:I agree Wilkie. Bring in Memphis, ECU, S. Miss and Tulane.

We'd like that just fine....

Capital Pirate Wrote:

Army56Mike Wrote:I agree Wilkie.&nbsp; Bring in Memphis, ECU, S. Miss and Tulane.

We'd like that just fine....

I just wish Tulane would draw some fans at home. New Orleans would be an awesome place to see a game. If you could put an ECU size fanbase in the Big Easy--Tulane would be a great addition. I'm not sure how things will shakeout but those four schools will be considered.

Be careful fellas, we just left those programs behind and unless their AD's can make some serious moves quick, none will be ready in time. Most likely would be ECU, they've make some good moves lately, but unfortunately only 9 wins total in fball and bball this year. Southern Miss has traditionally strong football(our natural rival in fball), but weak bball, with their new bball coach, could be. WVU and Southern miss fans would have a ball together! Tulane is not an option, terrible crowds, terrible in general sports wise. Memphis is being strangled in attendance by the Grizzlies, missed 3 of the last 5 NCAA's, and only play decent fball against UL apparently. Memphis had some serious title 9 issues as well.
I'd really rather see UAB than Memphis or Tulane. Really tough to beat in bball, had a decent run going in fball until they got a little cocky and got dusted a few times. Memphis would bring the Liberty Bowl and UAB would bring the GMAC Bowl.

I'm not terribly up on Tulane sports, but.....

Haven't they gone bowling three times recently and won them all I think.
I know they have a great baseball program.
They have played good basketball in the past, just not recently.

I'm just trying to offer a little defense for them. To me, there are only two reasons for not bringing them in. 1) Terrible attendance 2) Bad basketball

Uh, sort of flattering, but no thanks. USM has no business being in the Big East. Too much travel for a school that is required, by Mississippi law, to support itself, and have the budget finish "in the black". (Ole Miss and Mississippi State enacted this law trying to "starve" USM to death. Their SEC "welfare checks" more than make up for any budget shortfalls.)

USM has no business regularly playing WVU, Pitt, Syracuse, Cincy, etc. Occasionally OOC, but even then, I don't see the average fan in Mississippi getting excited about them. Remember, this is SEC country. LSU and Bama are considered "marquee" opponents. There aren't any Northeastern teams that will draw down South. Only Notre Dame, or maybe Ohio State or Michigan, would draw. USM has played Illinois and Pitt at home and only drew 25k or so. I'm pretty sure we'd have a bigger crowd regularly watching USM/Tulane versus USM/Syracuse.
Louisville was a nice rival for a while there (but still not a draw in H'burg - too many years of romping them to think highly of them by the average fan).

C-USA is now more sane geographically and that's a very important thing. As far as Big East expansion goes, ECU, Marshall, and Temple are your best choices, with Memphis and UCF being discussed on this board as well. 5 years from now, Memphis and UCF won't want to leave C-USA. By then it will be a "horizontal move". ECU I wouldn't blame for jumping, nor Marshall. They're in the Big East's geographic footprint. However, the politics involved with Marshall and WVU might be too nasty for that to happen. If either were to leave, C-USA would simply grab La Tech and/or North Texas. C-USA will be around for the duration, and USM will be its flagship.

USM@FTL Wrote:C-USA is now more sane geographically and that's a very important thing. As far as Big East expansion goes, ECU, Marshall, and Temple are your best choices, with Memphis and UCF being discussed on this board as well. 5 years from now, Memphis and UCF won't want to leave C-USA. By then it will be a "horizontal move". ECU I wouldn't blame for jumping, nor Marshall. They're in the Big East's geographic footprint. However, the politics involved with Marshall and WVU might be too nasty for that to happen. If either were to leave, C-USA would simply grab La Tech and/or North Texas. C-USA will be around for the duration, and USM will be its flagship.

I doubt that Memphis and UCF will look at the Big East as a horizontal move. Number one, the Big East isn't losing its BCS bid. Second, even if it did, the power of the basketball side, even in a split, would be superior to C-USA's. And if more fans would come to see Tulane then Syracuse. . .wow.

USM@FTL Wrote:Uh, sort of flattering, but no thanks. USM has no business being in the Big East. Too much travel for a school that is required, by Mississippi law, to support itself, and have the budget finish "in the black". (Ole Miss and Mississippi State enacted this law trying to "starve" USM to death. Their SEC "welfare checks" more than make up for any budget shortfalls.)

USM has no business regularly playing WVU, Pitt, Syracuse, Cincy, etc. Occasionally OOC, but even then, I don't see the average fan in Mississippi getting excited about them. Remember, this is SEC country. LSU and Bama are considered "marquee" opponents. There aren't any Northeastern teams that will draw down South. Only Notre Dame, or maybe Ohio State or Michigan, would draw. USM has played Illinois and Pitt at home and only drew 25k or so. I'm pretty sure we'd have a bigger crowd regularly watching USM/Tulane versus USM/Syracuse.
Louisville was a nice rival for a while there (but still not a draw in H'burg - too many years of romping them to think highly of them by the average fan).

C-USA is now more sane geographically and that's a very important thing. As far as Big East expansion goes, ECU, Marshall, and Temple are your best choices, with Memphis and UCF being discussed on this board as well. 5 years from now, Memphis and UCF won't want to leave C-USA. By then it will be a "horizontal move". ECU I wouldn't blame for jumping, nor Marshall. They're in the Big East's geographic footprint. However, the politics involved with Marshall and WVU might be too nasty for that to happen. If either were to leave, C-USA would simply grab La Tech and/or North Texas. C-USA will be around for the duration, and USM will be its flagship.

You dont speak for the USM administration. Nor for the majority of USM fans. If USM was invited to the BE, they would accept the same day. No doubt about it. travel wont be an issue since USM would be recieving the bcs (or as you say welfare check) dollars.
And what exactly makes you think it would be a horizontal move in 5 years?

It's not a horizontal move if the BE keeps it BCS status.

But I don't ever see UAB playing in the BE even if they met the perceived BE standards. From a football standpoint no one would be interested in seeing a UAB/Syracuse or Pittsburgh game in Birmingham. The people here identify with the USM's and Memphis's more than BE schools. And I don't know if BE BCS money would be enough to really offset some major cost in traveling and etc. Sure the exposure would be nice but we're getting that in CUSA. Until the BE establishes itself as a BCS conference to be reckon with and becomes a stable conference, I don't see UAB risking leaving CUSA even if the grass may seem to be greener on the other side. Besides that, UAB is simply not a BE school.

Now if we were just a basketball school with no football UAB would love to be part of the BE. That's a no-brainer.

HiddenDragon Wrote:It's not a horizontal move if the BE keeps it BCS status.

But I don't ever see UAB playing in the BE even if they met the perceived BE standards.&nbsp; From a football standpoint no one would be interested in seeing a UAB/Syracuse or Pittsburgh game in Birmingham.&nbsp; The people here identify with the USM's and Memphis's more than BE schools.&nbsp; And I don't know if BE BCS money would be enough to really offset some major cost in traveling and etc.&nbsp; Sure the exposure would be nice but we're getting that in CUSA. Until the BE establishes itself as a BCS conference to be reckon with and becomes a stable conference,&nbsp; I don't see UAB risking leaving CUSA even if the grass may seem to be greener on the other side.&nbsp; Besides that, UAB is simply not a BE school.

Now if we were just a basketball school with no football UAB would love to be part of the BE.&nbsp; That's a no-brainer.

If your school has a real fb fan following, they will come to see their team play. If their is a team on their schedule and that team is getting some recognition as being a good team they will come. Syracuse fans will turn out to see a Boise St team at the Carrier Dome simply because they have established themselves as a winning program. Five years ago that game would seem to have no appeal in Orange nation, but since they are known for being a good team we would be interested in seeing our team match up with them. So if your team has a real following then the fans will come. Thats the difference between the BE and CUSA fans I guess. You say your fans identify with Memphis and other such schools than BE schools. What about Louisville and Cincy?

No matter what you may think of the BE, its still a bcs conference and still way ahead of CUSA. And it still gets way more exposure than CUSA. Your institution bigwigs would accept in a NY minute.

USM@FTL Wrote:5 years from now, Memphis and UCF won't want to leave C-USA. By then it will be a "horizontal move".

:rolleyes:

I really find it hard to believe that you are saying with a strait face that USM and UAB fans would rather see UTEP, SMU, Rice, and Tulsa more than Top 25 teams like WVU, Pitt, Louisville and your old rivals like UC and USF.
Come on!

And you wouldn't have to worry about money once you were getting BCS money. And your basketball would prosper from being around a bunch of winners.

I think the USM administration would accept immediately. There is way too much for them to lose.

It might be SEC country, but you're not in the SEC brother!

Come on over here, we're competitive, and I'd welcome you.

Central Florida, East Carolina and Memphis will leave for the Big East in a heart beat, the big question is who would be the 12th team?

" Until the BE establishes itself as a BCS conference to be reckon with and becomes a stable conference, I don't see UAB risking leaving CUSA even if the grass may seem to be greener on the other side."[QUOTE]

Do you realize how silly this statement is? Do you really think that CUSA is so stable, even if the BE is ready to one day expand they are going to just pluck schools away from CUSA? And those schools that the BE pluck away are going to be ready to ditch CUSA like the plague.
Look at the Memphis and ECU and Central Fl and Marshall boards.
CUSA is less stable than the BE.