(12-13-2012 03:48 PM)Noodles Wrote:  

(12-13-2012 03:47 PM)EagleProf Wrote:  Well seriously Noodles, can you see my point? If everything is horizontal or lateral or even a little worse in terms of bowl tie-ins, don't you want more passion as a fan than the indifference that will ensue in the nCUSA? ESPN may not care if Southern Miss plays ECU, UCF, Memphis, or UH instead of FIU, UTSA, MTSU, or North Texas. But I do. My tailgate tent will too.

They DO NOT WANT you in their conference. Have a little pride, man.

Nothing would feed my pride more than watching Southern Miss continue whipping teams that thought for a fleeting moment they were finally going to pass us by without having to beat us first.

It looks like the Big East Basketball schools will break away. From what I am hearing, they will keep enough of the existing members to actually be recognized as the official Big East Conference by the NCAA. If that happens, the former Big East football schools will be forced to start a new conference or join/re-join an existing conference. If they go the route of forming a new conference, it is my understanding they will have to go through a five year period of no automatic berths to any NCAA events. Am I correct?

(12-13-2012 04:07 PM)Noodles Wrote:  

(12-13-2012 04:01 PM)AndreWhere Wrote:  

(12-13-2012 03:48 PM)Noodles Wrote:  

(12-13-2012 03:47 PM)EagleProf Wrote:  Well seriously Noodles, can you see my point? If everything is horizontal or lateral or even a little worse in terms of bowl tie-ins, don't you want more passion as a fan than the indifference that will ensue in the nCUSA? ESPN may not care if Southern Miss plays ECU, UCF, Memphis, or UH instead of FIU, UTSA, MTSU, or North Texas. But I do. My tailgate tent will too.

They DO NOT WANT you in their conference. Have a little pride, man.

Those teams created a conference with USM. They want to be in a conference with us... maybe they won't sacrifice millions of dollars per year to be with us, but this notion that we should avoid realignment out of spite against teams that got moved up a few years (or days) before us is just ridiculous.

By your logic, we should turn down games against Ole Miss and MSU out of spite. But we don't...

By all means, go ahead and play Ole Miss without having a game scheduled. Join the BE without an invite. Hell, who knew it was so easy?

Ok, it's obvious that you can't have a reasonable conversation about this. Neither of us has said that we WILL get an invitation. We are talking about what we should do IF we did. Try answering points we actually raise next time.

Here's a simple question for you: IF we were invited to leave a conference containing members with whom we share no history and tradition and join join a conference, any conference, containing members with whom we have a strong history and tradition, should we? Should we, even if the move could be seen as lateral on papter in terms of prestige or bowl tie-ins or tv revenue, etc.? I say we should. You've given me no reason to change my mind.

(12-13-2012 04:15 PM)EagleProf Wrote:  

(12-13-2012 04:07 PM)Noodles Wrote:  

(12-13-2012 04:01 PM)AndreWhere Wrote:  

(12-13-2012 03:48 PM)Noodles Wrote:  

(12-13-2012 03:47 PM)EagleProf Wrote:  Well seriously Noodles, can you see my point? If everything is horizontal or lateral or even a little worse in terms of bowl tie-ins, don't you want more passion as a fan than the indifference that will ensue in the nCUSA? ESPN may not care if Southern Miss plays ECU, UCF, Memphis, or UH instead of FIU, UTSA, MTSU, or North Texas. But I do. My tailgate tent will too.

They DO NOT WANT you in their conference. Have a little pride, man.

Those teams created a conference with USM. They want to be in a conference with us... maybe they won't sacrifice millions of dollars per year to be with us, but this notion that we should avoid realignment out of spite against teams that got moved up a few years (or days) before us is just ridiculous.

By your logic, we should turn down games against Ole Miss and MSU out of spite. But we don't...

By all means, go ahead and play Ole Miss without having a game scheduled. Join the BE without an invite. Hell, who knew it was so easy?

Ok, it's obvious that you can't have a reasonable conversation about this. Neither of us has said that we WILL get an invitation. We are talking about what we should do IF we did. Try answering points we actually raise next time.

Here's a simple question for you: IF we were invited to leave a conference containing members with whom we share no history and tradition and join join a conference, any conference, containing members with whom we have a strong history and tradition, should we? Should we, even if the move could be seen as lateral on papter in terms of prestige or bowl tie-ins or tv revenue, etc.? I say we should. You've given me no reason to change my mind.

Hell, no. Is that plain enough? They can come back here first. If they hadn't left, for greed and nothing else, C-USA would have been calling ALL the shots right now. These supposedly SMART administrators and presidents chose to catch the first bus out of town. You really want to be part of that? I'd love having the rivalries back, but C-USA is in the power seat now. Don't be so quick to give power to those that should be begging us now.

(12-13-2012 04:15 PM)EagleProf Wrote:  Here's a simple question for you: IF we were invited to leave a conference containing members with whom we share no history and tradition and join join a conference, any conference, containing members with whom we have a strong history and tradition, should we? Should we, even if the move could be seen as lateral on papter in terms of prestige or bowl tie-ins or tv revenue, etc.? I say we should. You've given me no reason to change my mind.

To me it's going to be about stability and recognition along with TV coverage.

I miss the days of going to a ballgame at the Rock, it being aired on ESPN, and getting home to see the highlights.

That's what I'm more concerned with. I want us to get more media coverage. If it's seen as a lateral move but we get more national coverage, I'm all for it.

I want what's going to be best in the long run for USM.

(12-13-2012 04:07 PM)Noodles Wrote:  

(12-13-2012 04:01 PM)AndreWhere Wrote:  

(12-13-2012 03:48 PM)Noodles Wrote:  

(12-13-2012 03:47 PM)EagleProf Wrote:  Well seriously Noodles, can you see my point? If everything is horizontal or lateral or even a little worse in terms of bowl tie-ins, don't you want more passion as a fan than the indifference that will ensue in the nCUSA? ESPN may not care if Southern Miss plays ECU, UCF, Memphis, or UH instead of FIU, UTSA, MTSU, or North Texas. But I do. My tailgate tent will too.

They DO NOT WANT you in their conference. Have a little pride, man.

Those teams created a conference with USM. They want to be in a conference with us... maybe they won't sacrifice millions of dollars per year to be with us, but this notion that we should avoid realignment out of spite against teams that got moved up a few years (or days) before us is just ridiculous.

By your logic, we should turn down games against Ole Miss and MSU out of spite. But we don't...

By all means, go ahead and play Ole Miss without having a game scheduled. Join the BE without an invite. Hell, who knew it was so easy?

I don't know about Ole Miss... but for many years State wouldn't play us, and then recently they decided they would. So we're going to play them, we'll probably jam 40,000 people into MM Roberts, and we may even win.

We would never turn down State just because there was a period of time when they wouldn't play us, or just because they think they're better than us. That would be counterproductive.

(12-13-2012 02:45 PM)Up2stuff Wrote:  

(12-13-2012 02:31 PM)Noodles Wrote:  

(12-13-2012 02:21 PM)EagleProf Wrote:  I don't think Southern Miss would "jump" at defecting. But I do think, after some assurances are made regarding stability, we would go. Even if the money and prestige are considered roughly the same, even if everyone in the country including ESPN pundits consider it horizontal at best, the truth is, our fans, our program, have a solid history with nBE schools that it doesn't have in the nCUSA. Southern Miss is one of the few schools who cares about history and tradition; who cares about friendships and alliances. This was our argument for forming CUSA. This was our argument for keeping other programs from leaving CUSA in recent years. But now that most of have, this will be our argument for joining them. In a sense, however weak it is, the move would be seen as a chance at returning to our tradition (Metro/Early CUSA). Hate to break it to La Tech and UNT, but I think I'm right.

Now, why should other the nBE want us to join them? Because we are a safe decision. We offer a commitment and history of success in athletics (basketball recently), not an indecent market (especially given tv ratings), and rival play for fans of current BE schools like ECU and UCF; we also offer stability given the desire of Cincy and UCONN to split and our history of being a loyal committed conference member (something you would think the BE is looking for at this point). Plus, who else is there? Western teams like UNLV and Fresno will stay put, especially when Boise and SDSU decide to go off and anchor an all sports MWC or something similar. Who else is there in the East? ODU? Charlotte? We may get passed up once, but not twice or three times, and without BSU or SDSU, the BE sits at 10.

Besides, ECU wants us in and they run the show in the Big East.

You're proposing a lateral move to join teams that didn't want to be in a conference with us. I would hope we would have more self-esteem than that.

That is total BS. I'll never believe that those teams left because they didn't want to be in a conference with us. Our history goes way back with most of them. They left because they saw an opportunity to better their program. It didn't work out, but we would have left them in a heartbeat had we had the choice.

You are right it have nothing to do with not wanting to be in a league with USM. Since the dream of being in a true "power conference" is all but dead I really want ECU's long term home to be with USM, Marshall, UCF, USF, and assuming they prove to be what I think they will be ODU and Charlotte. ECU has played USM I believe every year I have been alive, or at least real close to it.

(12-13-2012 04:21 PM)AndreWhere Wrote:  

(12-13-2012 04:07 PM)Noodles Wrote:  

(12-13-2012 04:01 PM)AndreWhere Wrote:  

(12-13-2012 03:48 PM)Noodles Wrote:  

(12-13-2012 03:47 PM)EagleProf Wrote:  Well seriously Noodles, can you see my point? If everything is horizontal or lateral or even a little worse in terms of bowl tie-ins, don't you want more passion as a fan than the indifference that will ensue in the nCUSA? ESPN may not care if Southern Miss plays ECU, UCF, Memphis, or UH instead of FIU, UTSA, MTSU, or North Texas. But I do. My tailgate tent will too.

They DO NOT WANT you in their conference. Have a little pride, man.

Those teams created a conference with USM. They want to be in a conference with us... maybe they won't sacrifice millions of dollars per year to be with us, but this notion that we should avoid realignment out of spite against teams that got moved up a few years (or days) before us is just ridiculous.

By your logic, we should turn down games against Ole Miss and MSU out of spite. But we don't...

By all means, go ahead and play Ole Miss without having a game scheduled. Join the BE without an invite. Hell, who knew it was so easy?

I don't know about Ole Miss... but for many years State wouldn't play us, and then recently they decided they would. So we're going to play them, we'll probably jam 40,000 people into MM Roberts, and we may even win.

We would never turn down State just because there was a period of time when they wouldn't play us, or just because they think they're better than us. That would be counterproductive.

But we would, and have, several times, turned them down for series played only on THEIR TERMS. Ole Miss has offered games at Oxford only, and we have said HELL NO.

(12-13-2012 04:09 PM)EagleProf Wrote:  

(12-13-2012 03:48 PM)Noodles Wrote:  

(12-13-2012 03:47 PM)EagleProf Wrote:  Well seriously Noodles, can you see my point? If everything is horizontal or lateral or even a little worse in terms of bowl tie-ins, don't you want more passion as a fan than the indifference that will ensue in the nCUSA? ESPN may not care if Southern Miss plays ECU, UCF, Memphis, or UH instead of FIU, UTSA, MTSU, or North Texas. But I do. My tailgate tent will too.

They DO NOT WANT you in their conference. Have a little pride, man.

Nothing would feed my pride more than watching Southern Miss continue whipping teams that thought for a fleeting moment they were finally going to pass us by without having to beat us first.

It is the University of North Texas master plan to pass all the schools in CUSA (some in the soon to be late Big East and one in the ACC) that we were actually ahead of athletically a few decades ago. Our Mean Green Athletic Village with Apogee Stadium as its shining belt gives us the venues to do this almost for the first time ever since we used to spread ourselves thin by splitting games at our old stadium, the Cotton Bowl and Texas Stadium. You have to play your games where your students live.

One high profile USM grad a few years ago once told me "when I was at Southern Miss, we were looking at North Texas and its AD/HFC Hayden Fry as our model. Yall were getting schedules with UT-Austin, Tennessee, Mississippi State and the likes while we were having to play the Sisters of the Poor." (Honest to goodness, that was what that Golden Eagle alum said to me and that is no smack board tommyrot).

I just want the old gang back together, and this has a real chance to happen. A mix of C-USA 1.0 and 2.0 is out there and can be made. I hope that's what happens and the whole cross country idea just dies since I don't think the money will be there to make it worth the trouble.

(12-13-2012 04:23 PM)Noodles Wrote:  

(12-13-2012 04:21 PM)AndreWhere Wrote:  

(12-13-2012 04:07 PM)Noodles Wrote:  

(12-13-2012 04:01 PM)AndreWhere Wrote:  

(12-13-2012 03:48 PM)Noodles Wrote:  They DO NOT WANT you in their conference. Have a little pride, man.

Those teams created a conference with USM. They want to be in a conference with us... maybe they won't sacrifice millions of dollars per year to be with us, but this notion that we should avoid realignment out of spite against teams that got moved up a few years (or days) before us is just ridiculous.

By your logic, we should turn down games against Ole Miss and MSU out of spite. But we don't...

By all means, go ahead and play Ole Miss without having a game scheduled. Join the BE without an invite. Hell, who knew it was so easy?

I don't know about Ole Miss... but for many years State wouldn't play us, and then recently they decided they would. So we're going to play them, we'll probably jam 40,000 people into MM Roberts, and we may even win.

We would never turn down State just because there was a period of time when they wouldn't play us, or just because they think they're better than us. That would be counterproductive.

But we would, and have, several times, turned them down for series played only on THEIR TERMS. Ole Miss has offered games at Oxford only, and we have said HELL NO.

If Ole Miss ever does want to play us on satisfactory terms, though, all that will be forgotten... just as, in a week or so, when ECU, Memphis, etc. come calling, we'll forget about whatever their supposed transgressions were.

I can't believe there's really a "stay in CUSA thread. "

We should join with them getting the best terms possible. Southern Miss might be in a fairly strong negotiating position, but is the nCUSA compared to the nBE? We may have some bowl tie-ins and an existing tv contract, but the nBE has a set of well-established sports schools with bigger markets. I just don't see where nCUSA bargaining leverage over them comes from. Help?

(12-13-2012 04:28 PM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  I just want the old gang back together, and this has a real chance to happen. A mix of C-USA 1.0 and 2.0 is out there and can be made. I hope that's what happens and the whole cross country idea just dies since I don't think the money will be there to make it worth the trouble.

This means a lot coming from you. I hope you're right.

I've always said, if USM and ECU stay together, we will both be fine. Truly, we could anchor a solid sports conference that both our programs can once again enjoy, if we just play our cards right, together.

I want to move to the Big East.

I want to take Tulsa, La Tech, Rice, UTEP, Marshall, and I guess UAB with us. UAB and Rice have the most to be nervous about.

(12-13-2012 04:35 PM)USM@FTL Wrote:  I want to move to the Big East.

I want to take Tulsa, La Tech, Rice, UTEP, Marshall, and I guess UAB with us. UAB and Rice have the most to be nervous about.

Guys, do me a favor. When the BE invite NEVER HAPPENS, remember this conversation today. We are not wanted, and you guys are intent on embarrassing yourselves kowtowing to these pimps.

(12-13-2012 04:37 PM)Noodles Wrote:  

(12-13-2012 04:35 PM)USM@FTL Wrote:  I want to move to the Big East.

I want to take Tulsa, La Tech, Rice, UTEP, Marshall, and I guess UAB with us. UAB and Rice have the most to be nervous about.

Guys, do me a favor. When the BE invite NEVER HAPPENS, remember this conversation today. We are not wanted, and you guys are intent on embarrassing yourselves kowtowing to these pimps.

Get real, history shows that if anyone has any reason to be fearful of USM joining the BE, it's the BE. USM will never be "pimped" whether we are invited or not. Let Tulane feel like they are a beggar and giddy over scraps, but no one, no USM fan, no nBE member, no former conference foe will or should ever think of USM that way, ever. They know and we know that the only thing that has held us back is our market. Say that Tulane is getting pimped. But no one familiar with college football at all over the past few decades could say that with a straight face about Southern Miss, to the damn top.

What USM should do, depends on what happens in the leftover BE. Do SD state and Boise go back?? Do the others or all stand pat and start a New league? Does everyone run for what ever is available.

If the incoming NBE members decided to hold form and start fresh, With or without the 2 far west schools, it could be a pretty good league. I don't think the auto bid is a big deal, bb wise. Between Memphis, Cincy, and Temple it is very unlikely we don't get a team or teams in the NCAA. Bowls will be there. And a Tv deal though much smaller than before will happen. If everyone stayed I would go to 16, if the West 2 move 14. Will be an interesting ride in any case.

(12-13-2012 04:43 PM)EagleProf Wrote:  

(12-13-2012 04:37 PM)Noodles Wrote:  

(12-13-2012 04:35 PM)USM@FTL Wrote:  I want to move to the Big East.

I want to take Tulsa, La Tech, Rice, UTEP, Marshall, and I guess UAB with us. UAB and Rice have the most to be nervous about.

Guys, do me a favor. When the BE invite NEVER HAPPENS, remember this conversation today. We are not wanted, and you guys are intent on embarrassing yourselves kowtowing to these pimps.

Get real, history shows that if anyone has any reason to be fearful of USM joining the BE, it's the BE. USM will never be "pimped" whether we are invited or not. Let Tulane feel like they are a beggar and giddy over scraps, but no one, no USM fan, no nBE member, no former conference foe will or should ever think of USM that way, ever. They know and we know that the only thing that has held us back is our market. Say that Tulane is getting pimped. But no one familiar with college football at all over the past few decades could say that with a straight face about Southern Miss, to the damn top.

Then, I say, they can rejoin C-USA, or piss off. Unless they actually made us an offer rescinding entrance fees, and paid our exit fees to C-USA. Destroying a conference that would have been in a prime position had they remained still, was their idea, not ours. We shouldn't have to scrape together millions of dollars that we don't have just to join a bunch of quitters that will leave us again at the very first opportunity.

(12-13-2012 04:35 PM)USM@FTL Wrote:  I want to move to the Big East.

I want to take Tulsa, La Tech, Rice, UTEP, Marshall, and I guess UAB with us. UAB and Rice have the most to be nervous about.

lol no, Rice and UAB have the easier road to get invited to a better conference off your list especially over FIU and La Tech.