(06-20-2015 01:26 PM)DoubleDDuke Wrote:  

(06-20-2015 01:10 PM)BleedingPurple Wrote:  

(06-20-2015 12:28 PM)atljmualum Wrote:  

(06-20-2015 11:44 AM)DoubleDDuke Wrote:  I agree with you that it's time to stop making excuses but our revenue producing majors took some time to grow. Our business school is in good shape and our science and technology programs are continuing to gain steam although in comparison to schools of our side they are still relatively green. The school still has an alumni base that is skewed toward the liberal arts side and there's nothing wrong with that but we don't have a law school, med school, etc.

The funding conundrum is a chicken/egg thing IMO. When people are in school and we're playing Alcorn, they don't cling on and when they graduate, we lose them from an athletics perspective because they were never really engaged. In order to move up, we need their support and since they look back at JMU as being small time, they seem to just figure it's going to be that way forever. Several years go by and apathy begins to run deep. It sucks the position our "leadership" put us in because about a decade ago the iron was hot and they did nothing. Again, I hate to come off as making excuses. That's not the point. We need to put on our big boy pants and take a bit of a risk because we're taking even more of a risk staying in the CAA. I question whether the Sun Belt even wants us anymore. We're becoming the stuck up ***** who thinks she's hotter than she is to the point where all the guys are like "The hell with her, she's a waste of time".

Problem is, and I see it first hand with young execs here in Atlanta that are JMU grads, that you need to have a platform to keep these individual engaged as alums or else you lose them for life. If you keep sitting back and waiting or making excuses, then the timing will never be quite right. It's like deciding to have a kid for the first time... Timing and situations are never perfect but if you want a kid that is an offspring of you, then you need to just pull the trigger and learn how to make it work. In the end, it's a blessing that you don't regret making although the ride may be rough and trying at times.

These are two very good posts.

Thank you. Contrary to belief, we can have some meaningful conversations here. When people throw out "Would you come to see JMU play Troy?", my message is YES. Yes, I would.

Heck yea, I would go to the Troy game (even if Troy remains in the lower half), but those teams in the top half of the SB would be off the hook awesome, IMO.

EAST:
- Appalachian State
- Georgia Southern
- Georgia State
- James Madison
- South Alabama
- Troy

WEST:
- Arkansas State
- Louisiana
- Missouri State
- New Mexico State
- Texas State
- ULM

I'd LOVE to see this setup MUCH more than adding Eastern Kentucky or Coastal Carolina which are the current talked about targets. I don't see either of those schools as peer institutions. JMU is about the only quality FCS add left for the east. MAN I hope your administration gets their act together by next season!

(06-25-2015 02:11 PM)I AM an Eagle! Wrote:  EAST:
- Appalachian State
- Georgia Southern
- Georgia State
- James Madison
- South Alabama
- Troy

WEST:
- Arkansas State
- Louisiana
- Missouri State
- New Mexico State
- Texas State
- ULM

I'd LOVE to see this setup MUCH more than adding Eastern Kentucky or Coastal Carolina which are the current talked about targets. I don't see either of those schools as peer institutions. JMU is about the only quality FCS add left for the east. MAN I hope your administration gets their act together by next season!

That's the exact setup I've been wanting... It's a good mix of schools w some big upside... Id say as much as any other g5 conference except AAC because of their bball

If there is any hope for you guys is this, the revenue of athletics is finite, there is only so many ways to make money, but, expenses will continue to grow, as the gap between the two widens, I predict that the SBC and CUSA will have to realign the two conferences based more on regional rather than tv markets. I think eventually you will see an East Coast conference of App, GS, JMU, Charlotte ODU etc. Watch next year's new tv contract for CUSA, right now, the only significant advantage CUSA has over SBC is the present tv contracts. If the new one is considerably less than the present one, that might get the two conferences to the table alittle quicker.

I'm not sure that the new CUSA TV contract being less and potentially causing the Sunbelt and CUSA to morph into new east/west geographical conferences necessarily benefits JMU. The new eastern mix of teams (called either Sunbelt or CUSA) could field 12 teams from the following current teams:

EAST
ODU
Marshall
Charlotte
App St.
WKU
MTSU
UAB
GA ST
GA Southern
South AL
Southern Miss
FAU
FIU


The western mix could be as follows:

WEST
LA Tech
ULL
ULM
ARK St
ULAR
Rice
North Texas
Troy
UTEP
UTSA
Texas Arlington
NM St

If I left one of the current CUSA or Sunbelt schools out then that is just an oversight.

While I would like to see JMU in the eastern mix, unless someone leaves, having less money available isn't a good thing for an outsider looking to get a seat at the table. It would just be another mouth to feed with the same (smaller) budget.

(06-25-2015 08:57 PM)ODU BBALL Wrote:  I'm not sure that the new CUSA TV contract being less and potentially causing the Sunbelt and CUSA to morph into new east/west geographical conferences necessarily benefits JMU. The new eastern mix of teams (called either Sunbelt or CUSA) could field 12 teams from the following current teams:

EAST
ODU
Marshall
Charlotte
App St.
WKU
MTSU
UAB
GA ST
GA Southern
South AL
Southern Miss
FAU
FIU


The western mix could be as follows:

WEST
LA Tech
ULL
ULM
ARK St
ULAR
Rice
North Texas
Troy
UTEP
UTSA
Texas Arlington
NM St

If I left one of the current CUSA or Sunbelt schools out then that is just an oversight.

While I would like to see JMU in the eastern mix, unless someone leaves, having less money available isn't a good thing for an outsider looking to get a seat at the table. It would just be another mouth to feed with the same (smaller) budget.

TXST but we're used to being left out of things (think Bowl Games)

well, I get what your saying, but I still think its your best shot, if CUSA new contract matches or exceeds the present one, they will be in no hurry to add schools, or to talk with the SBC. As far as your list, I could see North Texas and Texas Arlington left out, South Alabama, Southern Miss moved to the west, and opening a spot for JMU, I don't know, just a lot of speculation. One thing I know, App would fight for you guys to get in, we aren't stupid, we see the potential for a great rival in sports, that would really excite both fan bases, which, of course, means a lot more money for both schools. We are also on the same level on academics, but as we have talked about over, and over, and over, your administration needs, NO MUST, start making it known they have every intention of moving up, even if its 4 or 5 years down the road, I don't know whats happening behind closed doors, but the perception is they are very happy in the CAA, and have no intention to move up, that's not a good thing when a position opens up and schools are being evaluated.

(06-26-2015 08:08 AM)moehler Wrote:  well, I get what your saying, but I still think its your best shot, if CUSA new contract matches or exceeds the present one, they will be in no hurry to add schools, or to talk with the SBC. As far as your list, I could see North Texas and Texas Arlington left out, South Alabama, Southern Miss moved to the west, and opening a spot for JMU, I don't know, just a lot of speculation. One thing I know, App would fight for you guys to get in, we aren't stupid, we see the potential for a great rival in sports, that would really excite both fan bases, which, of course, means a lot more money for both schools. We are also on the same level on academics, but as we have talked about over, and over, and over, your administration needs, NO MUST, start making it known they have every intention of moving up, even if its 4 or 5 years down the road, I don't know whats happening behind closed doors, but the perception is they are very happy in the CAA, and have no intention to move up, that's not a good thing when a position opens up and schools are being evaluated.

If the two conferences were ever to merge and then split for better geographical division, I don't see any school in good standing being "left out" or kicked to the curb. On the other hand if someone decided to leave on their own accord that would be a different matter which would perhaps open up an opportunity for another school to join.

Also, I disagree with South Alabama and Southern Miss being shipped to the west grouping, especially with teams such as another Alabama team (UAB) remaining in the east. People in Mobile (South Alabama) are close enough that they could go to Fllorida for lunch.

(06-26-2015 08:08 AM)moehler Wrote:  well, I get what your saying, but I still think its your best shot, if CUSA new contract matches or exceeds the present one, they will be in no hurry to add schools, or to talk with the SBC. As far as your list, I could see North Texas and Texas Arlington left out, South Alabama, Southern Miss moved to the west, and opening a spot for JMU, I don't know, just a lot of speculation. One thing I know, App would fight for you guys to get in, we aren't stupid, we see the potential for a great rival in sports, that would really excite both fan bases, which, of course, means a lot more money for both schools. We are also on the same level on academics, but as we have talked about over, and over, and over, your administration needs, NO MUST, start making it known they have every intention of moving up, even if its 4 or 5 years down the road, I don't know whats happening behind closed doors, but the perception is they are very happy in the CAA, and have no intention to move up, that's not a good thing when a position opens up and schools are being evaluated.

Publicly, our admin has finally started saying we are ready. They have only started saying this within the past nine months or so.

Now, behind closed doors, are they saying, "Okay guys, we are now appeasing our fans just enough to settle them down and we want everyone in this room to know that we really have no intention of leaving the CAA." Who really knows what they are thinking?

I believe with every single FBS conference, from the SB to the AAC all the way to the SEC, that we have a list of negatives on why we should say NO. The group leading us is not among the most aggressive and positive folk that I have been around.

As Andy and Barney said to Gomer about the girl they were about to set him up with, "but she's nice, real nice." That line applies to our administration.

(06-26-2015 08:45 AM)ODU BBALL Wrote:  

(06-26-2015 08:08 AM)moehler Wrote:  well, I get what your saying, but I still think its your best shot, if CUSA new contract matches or exceeds the present one, they will be in no hurry to add schools, or to talk with the SBC. As far as your list, I could see North Texas and Texas Arlington left out, South Alabama, Southern Miss moved to the west, and opening a spot for JMU, I don't know, just a lot of speculation. One thing I know, App would fight for you guys to get in, we aren't stupid, we see the potential for a great rival in sports, that would really excite both fan bases, which, of course, means a lot more money for both schools. We are also on the same level on academics, but as we have talked about over, and over, and over, your administration needs, NO MUST, start making it known they have every intention of moving up, even if its 4 or 5 years down the road, I don't know whats happening behind closed doors, but the perception is they are very happy in the CAA, and have no intention to move up, that's not a good thing when a position opens up and schools are being evaluated.

If the two conferences were ever to merge and then split for better geographical division, I don't see any school in good standing being "left out" or kicked to the curb. On the other hand if someone decided to leave on their own accord that would be a different matter which would perhaps open up an opportunity for another school to join.

Also, I disagree with South Alabama and Southern Miss being shipped to the west grouping, especially with teams such as another Alabama team (UAB) remaining in the east. People in Mobile (South Alabama) are close enough that they could go to Fllorida for lunch.

USA wants to stay WEST. We can drive to Florida for lunch, but Its 9 hours by car to Boca Raton (San Marcos, TX is closer to Mobile than Boca Raton or Miami - as is every single full member of the Sun Belt). We're 90 minutes from USM...We're 3 hours from ULL (and we share significant cultural ties).. Without Western Kentucky, there's really no one other than Troy that we have much of a history with.

USM wants to stay with La Tech. And La Tech wants to stay with the Texas schools.

(06-26-2015 10:01 AM)BleedingPurple Wrote:  

(06-26-2015 08:08 AM)moehler Wrote:  well, I get what your saying, but I still think its your best shot, if CUSA new contract matches or exceeds the present one, they will be in no hurry to add schools, or to talk with the SBC. As far as your list, I could see North Texas and Texas Arlington left out, South Alabama, Southern Miss moved to the west, and opening a spot for JMU, I don't know, just a lot of speculation. One thing I know, App would fight for you guys to get in, we aren't stupid, we see the potential for a great rival in sports, that would really excite both fan bases, which, of course, means a lot more money for both schools. We are also on the same level on academics, but as we have talked about over, and over, and over, your administration needs, NO MUST, start making it known they have every intention of moving up, even if its 4 or 5 years down the road, I don't know whats happening behind closed doors, but the perception is they are very happy in the CAA, and have no intention to move up, that's not a good thing when a position opens up and schools are being evaluated.

Now, behind closed doors, are they saying, "Okay guys, we are now appeasing our fans just enough to settle them down and we want everyone in this room to know that we really have no intention of leaving the CAA."

Well, all they need to do is log on this board to realize that didn't work ... like, not at all.

(06-26-2015 11:24 AM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(06-26-2015 08:45 AM)ODU BBALL Wrote:  

(06-26-2015 08:08 AM)moehler Wrote:  well, I get what your saying, but I still think its your best shot, if CUSA new contract matches or exceeds the present one, they will be in no hurry to add schools, or to talk with the SBC. As far as your list, I could see North Texas and Texas Arlington left out, South Alabama, Southern Miss moved to the west, and opening a spot for JMU, I don't know, just a lot of speculation. One thing I know, App would fight for you guys to get in, we aren't stupid, we see the potential for a great rival in sports, that would really excite both fan bases, which, of course, means a lot more money for both schools. We are also on the same level on academics, but as we have talked about over, and over, and over, your administration needs, NO MUST, start making it known they have every intention of moving up, even if its 4 or 5 years down the road, I don't know whats happening behind closed doors, but the perception is they are very happy in the CAA, and have no intention to move up, that's not a good thing when a position opens up and schools are being evaluated.

If the two conferences were ever to merge and then split for better geographical division, I don't see any school in good standing being "left out" or kicked to the curb. On the other hand if someone decided to leave on their own accord that would be a different matter which would perhaps open up an opportunity for another school to join.

Also, I disagree with South Alabama and Southern Miss being shipped to the west grouping, especially with teams such as another Alabama team (UAB) remaining in the east. People in Mobile (South Alabama) are close enough that they could go to Fllorida for lunch.

USA wants to stay WEST. We can drive to Florida for lunch, but Its 9 hours by car to Boca Raton (San Marcos, TX is closer to Mobile than Boca Raton or Miami - as is every single full member of the Sun Belt). We're 90 minutes from USM...We're 3 hours from ULL (and we share significant cultural ties).. Without Western Kentucky, there's really no one other than Troy that we have much of a history with.

USM wants to stay with La Tech. And La Tech wants to stay with the Texas schools.

Hey, that's fine. I'm not claiming to be an expert on what USA wants as far as this hypothetical east/west division goes. Either way it doesn't change the principal of what I was originally saying which in essence is that there are already at least 24 schools available from which to populate the 12 east and 12 west 'new' conferences without having to add additional schools.

I know that USA at least use to have some rivalry with UAB when they were both in the Sun Belt (along with WKU, ODU, and Charlotte). I would expect that all of those would like to be in the east in this hypothetical.

(06-25-2015 02:11 PM)I AM an Eagle! Wrote:  EAST:
- Appalachian State
- Georgia Southern
- Georgia State
- James Madison
- South Alabama
- Troy

WEST:
- Arkansas State
- Louisiana
- Missouri State
- New Mexico State
- Texas State
- ULM

I'd LOVE to see this setup MUCH more than adding Eastern Kentucky or Coastal Carolina which are the current talked about targets. I don't see either of those schools as peer institutions. JMU is about the only quality FCS add left for the east. MAN I hope your administration gets their act together by next season!

+1

Would we play divisional basketball too with a 16-game schedule?

(06-26-2015 11:25 PM)HyperDuke Wrote:  Would we play divisional basketball too with a 16-game schedule?

I hope not. Most conferences dispensed with divisions years ago.

Do we hear a decision today or tomorrow?

(06-29-2015 07:40 AM)jmu-fan-1981 Wrote:  Do we hear a decision today or tomorrow?

I don't believe there to be a "decision", without looking it up, just some further statements regarding national branding. I know most of us want a decision to take us to FBS, but if we are lucky, it might say something like, "We are having discussions with all suitable conferences." Though, most likely, this will not be part of this disclosure on the 30th either. Furthermore, I'm not sure that it was stated that anything will be made public.

I expect nothing with any substance from them. Yes, I know you're reading this Jeff Bourne.

Just some BS fluff piece about 3-4 paragraphs long that states:
1 -- JMU is continuing to actively monitor the ever-changing football and conference affiliation landscape
2 -- JMU strives to provide a well rounded environment for the student athlete.

There's absolutely nothing they can do to nationally brand JMU in the CAA. Nothing. If and when it doesn't say that, it's all meaningless.