The main shot ECU had at moving to Big East in 2013 was San Diego State remaining in Big East. They are not.

Our main problem is that if we join in 2013 it will be football-only, leaving our other sports homeless for a year. When we join in 2014, it will be all-sports. Much easier to wait until 2014.

I'd rather not have MTSU and FAU join next year. I'd like one last game with Southern Miss.

Dang it. Why ECU must you screw stuff up. FAU and MTSU join now

C-USA 2013
FAU
FIU
Marshall
MTSU
USM
UAB

La Tech
Tulsa
UTEP
Rice
UNT
UTSA

Not bad.

(01-16-2013 02:11 PM)Noodles Wrote:  

(01-16-2013 01:58 PM)OwlFamily Wrote:  Not familiar with this Twitter, who is he?

Any credibility?

Reporter for the Sun Herald, I think. Used to write for Hattiesburg American. Very anti-Southern Miss most of the time.

Thats not true, he tells things like they are and you guys get pissed it isnt all sunshine.

(01-16-2013 09:03 PM)cyc46 Wrote:  

(01-16-2013 02:11 PM)Noodles Wrote:  

(01-16-2013 01:58 PM)OwlFamily Wrote:  Not familiar with this Twitter, who is he?

Any credibility?

Reporter for the Sun Herald, I think. Used to write for Hattiesburg American. Very anti-Southern Miss most of the time.

Thats not true, he tells things like they are and you guys get pissed it isnt all sunshine.

pretty much what cyc said.

(01-16-2013 10:58 PM)Big Dub Wrote:  

(01-16-2013 09:03 PM)cyc46 Wrote:  

(01-16-2013 02:11 PM)Noodles Wrote:  

(01-16-2013 01:58 PM)OwlFamily Wrote:  Not familiar with this Twitter, who is he?

Any credibility?

Reporter for the Sun Herald, I think. Used to write for Hattiesburg American. Very anti-Southern Miss most of the time.

Thats not true, he tells things like they are and you guys get pissed it isnt all sunshine.

pretty much what cyc said.

Dub, I disagree with you and cyc on this one. He LOVES to blame USM for anything that happens in Hattiesburg.

Magee was blaming USM for that gun-shooting incident that happened that hurt 3 of our football players (that's what started getting him in trouble with USM fans).

He basically accused the school of being responsible for the fact that trouble making/drug users e from Pike County (was it Pike county?) come over to the clubs in Hattiesburg. (He even reluctantly admitted that none of the players broke any curfew rules with the team).

In one article, he blamed USM for the gun-incident with Alford and his brother.

He blamed USM for the fact that we had a basketball player last year got arrested for felony theft.

He basically hates the fact that we have given kids (and to a lesser extent coaches) with potential issues a second chance at turning their life around. He never blames the players who are responsible for the various things they did, it was always the university's fault.

(01-16-2013 07:56 PM)PirateNation Wrote:  The main shot ECU had at moving to Big East in 2013 was San Diego State remaining in Big East. They are not.

Our main problem is that if we join in 2013 it will be football-only, leaving our other sports homeless for a year. When we join in 2014, it will be all-sports. Much easier to wait until 2014.

I'd rather not have MTSU and FAU join next year. I'd like one last game with Southern Miss.

If that's the only hold up for ECU moving early then I would call that unacceptable if I were the ECU admin. Screw the C7, they know they are leaving so they need to give in to what the rest of the conference wants 2013 to look like. If the C7 schools are still going to be in the BE for one more season, they can put up with ECU non-FB sports for one year. Several of them would probably lose to ECU basketball next year.

Certainly hope the Muts and FAU come aboard in 2013

(01-16-2013 08:33 PM)USM@FTL Wrote:  C-USA 2013
FAU
FIU
Marshall
MTSU
USM
UAB

La Tech
Tulsa
UTEP
Rice
UNT
UTSA

Not bad.

As a Middle fan, this is my favorite option. I have always been wanting to be in a division with Marshall, USM, and UAB. Very doable roadtrips and very similar programs. Also, still have some old Sun Belt rivalry/history with FIU/FAU. Hope it works out this way.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nca...e/1843111/

GRAPEVINE, Texas – Florida Atlantic and Middle Tennessee State are negotiating to exit the Sun Belt Conference a year early and join Conference USA in 2013, a person briefed on the talks told USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the negotiations are supposed to be private.

A decision about which league the schools will play in next season should be finalized by Feb. 1 so that football schedules can be completed.

If the schools stay until 2014, neither will owe the Sun Belt an exit fee, the person said. Schools are supposed to pay a $1 million penalty for leaving early, but the current negotiations center on whether they would owe the full amount. The person said Florida Atlantic and Middle Tennessee are joined at the hip and will either stay in the Sun Belt or join C-USA together......

So at worst, we're looking at:
C-USA 2013
FAU
FIU
Marshall
MTSU
USM
UAB
ECU

La Tech
Tulsa
UTEP
Rice
UNT
UTSA
Tulane

(01-18-2013 10:54 AM)USM@FTL Wrote:  So at worst, we're looking at:
C-USA 2013
FAU
FIU
Marshall
MTSU
USM
UAB
ECU

La Tech
Tulsa
UTEP
Rice
UNT
UTSA
Tulane

Looks like this is all but "done" now for 2013.. Unofficial BE schedules are out and no ECU/Tulane on their conference lineups, and Sun Herald and E*** both reporting now that the move for FAU/MTSU is "official"

@McMurphyESPN: FAU & Middle Tennessee leaving Sun Belt year early, will join C-USA this fall, sources told @espn

Good news looking forward to playing both

Good news. I think both schools have been operating under the assumption that they'd both be in CUSA in 2013 for a while now. It'll be interesting to see how much we end up paying to leave the Sun Belt.

Details? Our beat reporter said there's nothing really new here.

@dkurtenbach
We don’t really have any fresh news here re: MTSU + FAU, just a confirmation of efforts. The news is how much they have to pay to leave

We know MTSU has the money to pay the 1 million, and that Benson is adamant about FAU paying the exit fee. It's common knowledge that we don't have the cash laying around, and the only reason why MTSU hasn't made the jump yet is because of our financials. Therefor, I want to know what has changed, before I jump to conclusions like I did on Tuesday.
And please don't lecture me about us making the money back in 2 seasons, if it was that easy then we wouldn't be talking now. 3 mill in a short time (unless we take out some form of an advance, and pay it back over the course of a few years), isn't going to be easy for us with a renovated weight room, academic center, renovated baseball stadium, and a new basketball arena in the works.
I'm 95% sure that we'll make the jump WITH MTSU by the end of the month, but I want to know HOW if this is true.

Dieter Kurtenbach (@dkurtenbach) tweeted at 11:57 AM on Fri, Jan 18, 2013:
The exit fees are still being worked out, but FAU and MTSU have been pushing to leave. It’s been a solely cash issue for a week

I'm willing to guess (wink wink) that Conference USA is willing to pay the exit fees and deduct them from your revenue over the next couple of years.

Dieter Kurtenbach (@dkurtenbach) tweeted at 0:41 PM on Fri, Jan 18, 2013:
Contrary to reports from a Ct.-based TV station, there’s nothing new with FAU to C-USA. I lay it all out here: http://t.co/Rsbp61Oe

Troys AD

John Hartwell‏@john_hartwell

Glad to be close to resolution on MTSU and FAU Sun Belt departure dates in order to finish 2013 Football Schedule. GO TROJANS!

Sounds like its very close to done perhaps even the dollar amounts.