If indeed App State and ga southern are going to be added, then lets go ahead and bite the bullet and get it done now. The conference will be better for it in a couple of years instead of continually having programs in transition for several years instead just a few years. Cusa is going to be having teams in transition for several years. I'd rather see the Sun Belt having fully transitioned in a couple of years while cusa is still wet-nursing the fbs newbies...

Agree. Of course the latest talk is 10/12 which is perfectly fine.

(05-03-2012 10:11 PM)Hilltopper2K Wrote:  Agree. Of course the latest talk is 10/12 which is perfectly fine.

I disagree. Adding them now is the way to go. It's what gets us closer, faster to CUSA. Bring them up now, and they are transitioning along with UTSA, ODU, and UNCC at the same time. Not 2, 3, 4 years later after those 3 have already taken their lumps (well, really 2, UNCC is way off) and are maybe becoming competitive. Anyway, point being, there's really no reason to wait. Go get em, establish the championship game, get them transitioning, and renegotiate your tv contract all in one fell swoop.

(05-03-2012 10:16 PM)BLEEDITRED Wrote:  I disagree. Adding them now is the way to go. It's what gets us closer, faster to CUSA. Bring them up now, and they are transitioning along with UTSA, ODU, and UNCC at the same time. Not 2, 3, 4 years later after those 3 have already taken their lumps (well, really 2, UNCC is way off) and are maybe becoming competitive. Anyway, point being, there's really no reason to wait. Go get em, establish the championship game, get them transitioning, and renegotiate your tv contract all in one fell swoop.

Preaching to the choir in regards to the Appalachian and Georgia Southern fans. I really hope our leaders can get this done. Moving up and bringing your biggest rival with you is a no-brainer to me if the offer is on the table.

Of course, nobody knows exactly where the Sun Belt stands in terms of wanting to extend an offer but I am encouraged to know that discussions are at least taking place.

(05-03-2012 10:16 PM)BLEEDITRED Wrote:  

(05-03-2012 10:11 PM)Hilltopper2K Wrote:  Agree. Of course the latest talk is 10/12 which is perfectly fine.

I disagree. Adding them now is the way to go. It's what gets us closer, faster to CUSA. Bring them up now, and they are transitioning along with UTSA, ODU, and UNCC at the same time. Not 2, 3, 4 years later after those 3 have already taken their lumps (well, really 2, UNCC is way off) and are maybe becoming competitive. Anyway, point being, there's really no reason to wait. Go get em, establish the championship game, get them transitioning, and renegotiate your tv contract all in one fell swoop.

Agree . . add Georgia Southern and App State now !!

Email your people if you really want to get it done.

(05-03-2012 10:09 PM)SpaceRaider Wrote:  If indeed App State and ga southern are going to be added, then lets go ahead and bite the bullet and get it done now.

I agree with this.

(05-03-2012 10:09 PM)SpaceRaider Wrote:  If indeed App State and ga southern are going to be added, then lets go ahead and bite the bullet and get it done now. The conference will be better for it in a couple of years instead of continually having programs in transition for several years instead just a few years. Cusa is going to be having teams in transition for several years. I'd rather see the Sun Belt having fully transitioned in a couple of years while cusa is still wet-nursing the fbs newbies...

I agree.
Take the big hit now, and enjoy it later on.

Can somebody tell the presidents to come read the board?

Within 2-3 weeks, we'll add Texas-Arlington.

I believe we'll be done after that.

(05-04-2012 07:03 AM)BirdofParadise Wrote:  Within 2-3 weeks, we'll add Texas-Arlington.

I believe we'll be done after that.

You don't think we'll be NMSU and Idaho's saviors?

Agreed, I want ApSt and GaSouthern added ASAP.

It will end the anxiety over Idaho/NMSU. I log on here with apprehension, just knowing I'll see a thread that says something like "Welcome back Vandals/Aggies!".

(05-03-2012 10:31 PM)ManzanoWolf Wrote:  

(05-03-2012 10:16 PM)BLEEDITRED Wrote:  

(05-03-2012 10:11 PM)Hilltopper2K Wrote:  Agree. Of course the latest talk is 10/12 which is perfectly fine.

I disagree. Adding them now is the way to go. It's what gets us closer, faster to CUSA. Bring them up now, and they are transitioning along with UTSA, ODU, and UNCC at the same time. Not 2, 3, 4 years later after those 3 have already taken their lumps (well, really 2, UNCC is way off) and are maybe becoming competitive. Anyway, point being, there's really no reason to wait. Go get em, establish the championship game, get them transitioning, and renegotiate your tv contract all in one fell swoop.

Agree . . add Georgia Southern and App State now !!

Ditto. As the chubby country boy says, "Get'er done!"

Guys, two words here....due diligence. Ga Southern and App St. have been real quit around here right up until the C-USA additions became known.

I've been an advocate for App. St. all along, just not sure how strongly they feel towards us. And I have not been convinced at all about Ga. Southern, they appear to be coming on strong lately but where have they been the 18-24 months leading up to this.

Ga Southern is a great FCS football program and I'm sure they would bring a strong baseball presence, but what about the rest of the athletic dept. (i.e. women's athletics and facilities). Do they have the financial wherewithall to upgrade to Title IX spec's, maintain a solid APR and bring their facilities up to FBS/Sun Belt standards? I know very little about these issues as far as they are concerned but don't you think it's a good idea to look first before you leap.

I think New Mexico St's chances are very good now that Texas State is in the SBC.

I could see Benson and the SBC presidents meet to discuss UTA and NMSU.
I think they are all in agreement on not inviting Idaho.

But there may be some interest in UTA and NMSU, not a majority for either one. That's why the hold up over inviting UTA.
jmo
I would love to see Appy St move up. And Ga Southern would be a good get too.

But I really think New Mexico St would be a great add for Sun Belt right now.

IMO......bring in UTA and New Mexico St in now. Invite Appy St and Ga Southern for 2015.

App is going to release something in the coming days. Good or bad, dunno.

GO I think App will release a statement that we are looking into to our options, nothing more. I hope I'm wrong.

I'm not sure the Belt is convinced GSU is ready to move (maybe 2014) and App is likely to want one additional eastern program to help with travel costs before joining the Belt. I hope the Belt would agree to taking App and GSU in 2014 vs. pulling in NMSU for 2013. Is one year that important?

(05-04-2012 08:58 AM)Saint3333 Wrote:  GO I think App will release a statement that we are looking into to our options, nothing more. I hope I'm wrong.

I'm not sure the Belt is convinced GSU is ready to move (maybe 2014) and App is likely to want one additional eastern program to help with travel costs before joining the Belt. I hope the Belt would agree to taking App and GSU in 2014 vs. pulling in NMSU for 2013. Is one year that important?

Yeah, I'd say that kind of announcement would be a bad thing. If there were a deal almost in place, they'd wait and release that.

I just hate seeing what all this realignment crap is doing to all our conferences.

It is down right sickening.

IMO......The NCAA should have had a rule in place that once you moved up or changed to a new conference, you had to sit there for 20 years. period.
What that would do is stop all this shotgunning conference jumping and if a certain school is desired, they would have to think long and hard about their decision to move because it is the only one they can make and it has to be for 20 years.
What it also would do is provide some stability for a conference to help it grow and members grow together and form those relationships and rivalries. So when 20 years is up, alot of bonding has been made and it will be very hard for schools to just make that free jump to another league.
I mean really, 5 to 10 years for CUSA or SBC is just not long enough to get a league growing and strong and bonding.
As soon as both leagues were getting stronger, another shake-up occurs
If that 20 year rule was in place, CUSA and SBC would be getting even stronger and better over the next 10 years.

Asked over a year ago whether NMSU should consider FCS status, Boston said: “It’s not in our best interest as an institution, to our brand, when we’re defined in a lot of ways by the company we keep. … The Sun Belt (was) not good company.”

McKinley Boston is the NMSU athletic director

http://www.abqjournal.com/sports/2012/05...dlong.html