The Virginian-Pilot's Harry Minium, their beat writer who covers ODU football, provides a comprehensive timeline of the six-plus weeks it took Old Dominion officials to decide on joining Conference USA.

http://hamptonroads.com/2013/06/lot-work...s-big-move

There are a couple other articles in their coverage today: one on the conference and another on head football coach Bobby Wilder.

The first link is an interesting to read from a logistical standpoint.

http://hamptonroads.com/2013/06/cusa-no-...ealignment

http://hamptonroads.com/2013/06/these-da...r-playlist

ODU could be a sleeping giant. The are in a large metro area. ~20(?) military bases near by means a huge contingent of 18-35 year old males with discretionary cash to spend.

If they could just do something about that color scheme...

Good article on the ODU move to CUSA. I found this as rather impressive and I think bodes very well for ODU's future in FBS:

Quote:Before taking the plunge, ODU officials needed to know if alumni had a taste for big-time football. Selig, Wilder and Mark Benson of the school's athletic foundation made calls on 15 potential donors in late April and early May.

"Not one of them said no," Selig said.

ODU raised $3 million in less than two weeks, each donor contributing an average of $200,000. Broderick called the fundraising "encouraging."

But one thing that has been bantered about by many of the ECU posters on this board was that supposedly ECU was instrumental in helping the bid for ODU. However, that support was not indicated in this article. They credit the CUSA associate commish and Banowsky mostly. I'm not syaing ECU wasn't influential, but that is certainly not indicated in this article.

Selig credited Holland in this Daily Press article from last year.

http://www.dailypress.com/sports/teel-bl...1337.story

(07-01-2013 09:28 AM)CommuterBob Wrote:  Good article on the ODU move to CUSA. I found this as rather impressive and I think bodes very well for ODU's future in FBS:

Quote:Before taking the plunge, ODU officials needed to know if alumni had a taste for big-time football. Selig, Wilder and Mark Benson of the school's athletic foundation made calls on 15 potential donors in late April and early May.

"Not one of them said no," Selig said.

ODU raised $3 million in less than two weeks, each donor contributing an average of $200,000. Broderick called the fundraising "encouraging."

But one thing that has been bantered about by many of the ECU posters on this board was that supposedly ECU was instrumental in helping the bid for ODU. However, that support was not indicated in this article. They credit the CUSA associate commish and Banowsky mostly. I'm not syaing ECU wasn't influential, but that is certainly not indicated in this article.

There was support from Holland as well as other AD's from CUSA, however as the article says, it largely came down to discussions between Britton Banowsky and John Broderick, as far as ODU's admittance into the the league.

ODU is one of two schools joining CUSA that I think have the potential to be absolute home run gets. Them and UTSA.

(06-30-2013 07:06 AM)VBR_Productions Wrote:  The Virginian-Pilot's Harry Minium, their beat writer who covers ODU football, provides a comprehensive timeline of the six-plus weeks it took Old Dominion officials to decide on joining Conference USA.

http://hamptonroads.com/2013/06/lot-work...s-big-move

There are a couple other articles in their coverage today: one on the conference and another on head football coach Bobby Wilder.

The first link is an interesting to read from a logistical standpoint.

http://hamptonroads.com/2013/06/cusa-no-...ealignment

http://hamptonroads.com/2013/06/these-da...r-playlist

If ODU can get a lot of Tidewater Virginia football players. They will shock the football world. ODU will hurt William & Mary, University of Virginia, and James Madison football programs recruiting in Tidewater Virginia. ODU will become the Top Dog in CUSA in the near future.