Stateman
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05-06-2015 10:13 AM |
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Buccaneerlover
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RE: TSN Conference Rankings
Sure doesn't look like the same SoCon ETSU left...
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05-06-2015 01:31 PM |
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Buc66
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RE: TSN Conference Rankings
(05-06-2015 01:31 PM)Buccaneerlover Wrote: Sure doesn't look like the same SoCon ETSU left...
As you know, the SoCon was at or near the FCS top then. Gee whiz, who would have ever thought the Big South would surpass the SoCon (not sure they have)? Still SoCon best place to bring back ETSU football, best schools to be associated with. Over my many years of following college football, I find it difficult to constantly adjust to the changing realities. I can remember the SoCon of 1978 when ETSU joined -- a significant step up from the OVC in football. But, of course, the SoCon was headed to I-AA status at that time -- but remained at the top there until recently. Does anyone remember that ETSU looked into joining the Southern back in 1968 and actually released a drawing in the old Alumni Quarterly of an expanded Memorial Stadium to 25,000 seats? My, my.
(This post was last modified: 05-06-2015 04:06 PM by Buc66.)
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05-06-2015 04:04 PM |
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HerdZoned
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RE: TSN Conference Rankings
(05-06-2015 04:04 PM)Buc66 Wrote: Still SoCon best place to bring back ETSU football
I agree with this for ETSU. The only thing I could say that would have been better is if ETSU and UTC together would have left for the OVC and then I think that would have been a better situation.
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05-06-2015 05:17 PM |
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Buccaneerlover
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RE: TSN Conference Rankings
The writing was on the wall. The SoCon kept going after small, private Christian schools. Its why App and Ga. Southern left. They didn't fit the profile anymore. I don't believe ETSU or UTC fit here but are kinda stuck.
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05-06-2015 07:35 PM |
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Buc66
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RE: TSN Conference Rankings
(05-06-2015 07:35 PM)Buccaneerlover Wrote: The writing was on the wall. The SoCon kept going after small, private Christian schools. Its why App and Ga. Southern left. They didn't fit the profile anymore. I don't believe ETSU or UTC fit here but are kinda stuck.
And, as you know, App and Southern left hoping to make more money -- especially when it's easier to schedule more non-conference FBS games, hopefully with more Power Five schools. However, the Sun Belt still looks like an odd fit for App State, not as much so for Ga Southern. Do see that App has Wyoming coming to Boone next season, something that could never happen as an FCS school. Both App and Southern are likely looking to move on from the Sun Belt ASAP. However, more conference realignments are likely in the next decade as the new scholarship enhancements rules impacts the non-Power Five FBS schools. Maybe new, more regional conferences will emerge. Hopefully, ETSU will keep growing its athletic program and be in a position in the next ten years to be with App State, Ga Southern, et al again. After all, the new football stadium is being designed to expand to 30,000 seats, and a 30,000 seat stadium is, obviously, not for the Southern Conference. So, let's hope ETSU does not blow its opportunities this time.
(This post was last modified: 05-06-2015 08:06 PM by Buc66.)
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05-06-2015 08:03 PM |
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Buccaneerlover
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RE: TSN Conference Rankings
They left because they outgrew it. The schools both got tired of playing Wofford, Elon, Furman, Lenoir-Rhyne, Presbyterian, etc... in football. Appalachian couldn't get anyone to come to town that was big in FCS, and neither could Ga. Southern.
They aren't going anywhere in the Sun Belt for a LONG TIME. There are way too many schools C-USA would take over them (UL, Troy, Ga. State, JMU, Arkansas State, to name a few). The only way they're moving would be due to the eventual split that's going to happen sooner or later that will open a transition window similar to the one that moved the OVC from Division II to Division I.
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05-07-2015 10:12 AM |
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Buc66
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RE: TSN Conference Rankings
(05-07-2015 10:12 AM)Buccaneerlover Wrote: They left because they outgrew it. The schools both got tired of playing Wofford, Elon, Furman, Lenoir-Rhyne, Presbyterian, etc... in football. Appalachian couldn't get anyone to come to town that was big in FCS, and neither could Ga. Southern.
They aren't going anywhere in the Sun Belt for a LONG TIME. There are way too many schools C-USA would take over them (UL, Troy, Ga. State, JMU, Arkansas State, to name a few). The only way they're moving would be due to the eventual split that's going to happen sooner or later that will open a transition window similar to the one that moved the OVC from Division II to Division I.
App packed their stadium season after season playing and whipping those little guys that they had outgrown, and it was (and maybe still is) controversial when they moved up. Ga Southern did virtually the same playing little guys but moved up with less controversy. Ga Southern won the Sun Belt on first try -- a rather bold statement of how strong the SoCon had been at the top --- with App turning it around and making noise in the league on first try also. Both will be in the top tier there almost every year. I think App or Southern would a good candidate for C-USA if/when UAB is removed. I just can't see Troy, Ga State, the UL schools, Ark State as more attractive than App State or Ga Southern. Will be interesting to see what happens, though. In the future, it would be nice to see a group of southern regional state universities form a neat geographic league in whatever classification system that emerges with hopes that ETSU would be in a position to participate.
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05-07-2015 02:21 PM |
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abuc90
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RE: TSN Conference Rankings
App State's obstacle has and will be accessibility.
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05-07-2015 03:03 PM |
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HerdZoned
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RE: TSN Conference Rankings
(05-07-2015 10:12 AM)Buccaneerlover Wrote: They aren't going anywhere in the Sun Belt for a LONG TIME. There are way too many schools C-USA would take over them (UL, Troy, Ga. State, JMU, Arkansas State, to name a few).
You are right that Appy and GA Southern will be in the SB for a very long time. But Troy will be there also. Troy is going no where.
Troy Facts:
Troy has 16,750 students, but only 7200 are on Troy's Campus
The City of Troy AL is 14,000
Troy AL is in the middle of nowhere
The Troy water tower is in the middle of campus
Troy's endowment is somewhere around 44-46 million, one of if not the smallest in FBS.
If CUSA tells UAB that they have to find a new home if they don't reinstate football, and I fully expect them to tell them that. Then CUSA has to make a big decision. Do they take one of ULL or Arkansas State and go to 14 again. Or do they try and cripple the SB for the next 15 years or more and go to 16 and take 3 SB teams by taking ULL, Arkansas State and South Alabama.
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05-07-2015 04:36 PM |
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Buc66
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RE: TSN Conference Rankings
(05-07-2015 03:03 PM)abuc90 Wrote: App State's obstacle has and will be accessibility.
Hasn't hurt enrollment -- now approaching 20,000 and growing. Hasn't retarded football attendance - maybe even enhancing it due to the scenic location and weekend festive atmosphere. This business about market share,etc. is way over hyped, especially for mid-major schools. App State has made itself an attractive commodity.
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05-07-2015 04:42 PM |
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Buccaneerlover
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RE: TSN Conference Rankings
Well not everyone can get into Chapel Hill, Duke, Wake Forest or even NC State for that matter. Of the big name, football playing schools that just leaves East Carolina, Western Carolina, Charlotte, and Pembroke (which is historically a Native American school). Other than Charlotte, those are great destinations. Boone really isn't, either but App will always have the Lowe's connection even with Larry Stone retiring so that helps with a ton of employment.
Bottom line is if App doesn't beat Michigan in 2007, they're not what they are today both with enrollment and conference affiliation.
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05-08-2015 05:02 PM |
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