The unofficial online home for fans of the UAB Blazers. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

(01-17-2016 09:35 AM)Blazer88 Wrote:  

(01-17-2016 09:28 AM)BamaScorpio69 Wrote:  

(01-17-2016 07:43 AM)mobileblazer Wrote:  How about in 4-5 years, with bball rolling and fball doing well, we set out sights on getting out of CUSA and into the AAC...

Because we should want this conference to do well. It just gave UAB Football a major lifeline and it's a better geographical fit for the most part.

I'd muchg rather have Memphis, UConn,and Cinci to play

And those schools would much less like to be playing us. And those probably wouldn't be in the AAC if and when UAB got there. You guys don't seem to get that. And when the AAC marquee programs leave, the conference will become a less attractive TV product and thus lose money from it's TV deal.

I think those would be good additions to CUSA, and the justifications are strong. James Madison has a beautiful setting, not a bad place for and early fall game !!!!

(01-16-2016 10:08 PM)Smaug Wrote:  

(01-16-2016 10:05 PM)BeliefBlazer Wrote:  First reference is always hyphenated other than in the Birmingham News. It's AP Style and most journalists respect and honor AP style guide.

Despite the fact that it is not, nor has it ever been, our name.

Sometimes AP Style is stupid.

Here a couple of tweets from Associated Press regarding this:

Note: on second reference UAB is still not listed, while even much younger programs FAU, FIU and UTSA are.

The AP Stylebook is like etiquette; created arbitrarily by someone with a superiority complex and only pertinent to those who care.

https://twitter.com/APStylebook/status/6...6204939264

Link in case anyone else wants to chide them on their uneven application when deciding whether or not to honor a schools wishes on their public persona.

Quote:AP Stylebook Verified account
‏@APStylebook

Teams that can be referred to by initials on first reference: BYU, UCLA, LSU, UTEP, UNLV, SMU, TCU. #APStyleChat

11:48 AM - 18 Nov 2015

https://twitter.com/APStylebook/status/6...6394675200

Quote:AP Stylebook Verified account
‏@APStylebook

Teams that can be referred to by initials on second reference: UCF, USF, USC, FIU, FAU, UTSA, ULM. #APStyleChat

11:50 AM - 18 Nov 2015

(01-17-2016 03:45 PM)blazerjay Wrote:  

(01-16-2016 10:08 PM)Smaug Wrote:  

(01-16-2016 10:05 PM)BeliefBlazer Wrote:  First reference is always hyphenated other than in the Birmingham News. It's AP Style and most journalists respect and honor AP style guide.

Despite the fact that it is not, nor has it ever been, our name.

Sometimes AP Style is stupid.

Here a couple of tweets from Associated Press regarding this:

Note: on second reference UAB is still not listed, while even much younger programs FAU, FIU and UTSA are.

The AP Stylebook is like etiquette; created arbitrarily by someone with a superiority complex and only pertinent to those who care.

https://twitter.com/APStylebook/status/6...6204939264

Link in case anyone else wants to chide them on their uneven application when deciding whether or not to honor a schools wishes on their public persona.

Quote:AP Stylebook Verified account
‏@APStylebook

Teams that can be referred to by initials on first reference: BYU, UCLA, LSU, UTEP, UNLV, SMU, TCU. #APStyleChat

11:48 AM - 18 Nov 2015

https://twitter.com/APStylebook/status/6...6394675200

Quote:AP Stylebook Verified account
‏@APStylebook

Teams that can be referred to by initials on second reference: UCF, USF, USC, FIU, FAU, UTSA, ULM. #APStyleChat

11:50 AM - 18 Nov 2015

This sounds like a job for our journalism professors or our marketing department.

My take:

If CUSA's new television package does indeed drop by the projected amounts, then this far-flung won't hold together very long. As the writer pointed out travel budgets are astronomical and not many of the schools can afford a travel budget that basically equates to its share of the television revenue long term.

Given this new situation, it would make more sense for the eastern teams to leave the conference and to cut ties with the Texas schools and form a new, more compact league. What little if any further deduction in rights fees that might occur, would be more than offset by travel savings by playing in more compact divisions.

If all the eastern schools (east of the Mississippi River) agreed, you would have a new group consisting of FIU, FAU, Charlotte, ODU, Marshall, Middle Tennessee, Western Kentucky Southern Miss, Louisiana Tech and UAB. That would be 10 schools and would still allow for a football championship game under the new rules agreed upon last week. The schools could always invite Rice along and/or back-fill to get to 12, but in this new reality there would really be no advantage to do so.

(01-17-2016 10:52 AM)blazers9911 Wrote:  

(01-17-2016 03:20 AM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  C-USA is not about to drop the four schools it has in two of the fastest growing states in its footprint. I would expect FAU and FIU to follow the path of USF and UCF by becoming larger and more athletically developed over the next 5 years. I think they have Miami scared to death since it has done poorly since the two local schools became south Florida factors.

I don't think Miami even knows where those two schools are located. What has either school done that would worry Miami in the slightest bit?

And what has Miami been doing since the two became D1 programs to show they can be safely ignored? If the hire of Mark Richt doesn't rescue the Miami FB program, what would they do next? As a private school in the ACC, Miami has the same problems as Vandy in the SEC. They must compete with well funded state universities while having only a fraction of their annual income.

You accomplish the same thing by adding two schools. (I like the four pod idea even cutting travel more) If the league splits in half we still have some weak teams everyone hates and it creates a nightmare in branding, contracts, logistics down to who gets the NCAA bid.

There is a reason Harry floated that out there. That guy is the most connected in this league. I suspect we will expand by two and basically operate as two separate leagues while still staying as C-USA. Will it be those two? I suspect Ga State will be one school and the debate will be on the second one. I have heard Ohio, JMU, and Louisiana. I'm torn on the second school. Ga State is a no brainer.

At least it is a pro-active move to what is coming. I also suspect the league to get creating looking into digital branding as a few of us have brought up in another thread.

(01-17-2016 06:00 PM)ATTALLABLAZE Wrote:  You accomplish the same thing by adding two schools. (I like the four pod idea even cutting travel more) If the league splits in half we still have some weak teams everyone hates and it creates a nightmare in branding, contracts, logistics down to who gets the NCAA bid.

There is a reason Harry floated that out there. That guy is the most connected in this league. I suspect we will expand by two and basically operate as two separate leagues while still staying as C-USA. Will it be those two? I suspect Ga State will be one school and the debate will be on the second one. I have heard Ohio, JMU, and Louisiana. I'm torn on the second school. Ga State is a no brainer.

At least it is a pro-active move to what is coming. I also suspect the league to get creating looking into digital branding as a few of us have brought up in another thread.

The pod system didn't work in the WAC and I doubt it would work here long term. Unless each pod is compact geographically and there is minimal ultra-long distance travel (especially in olympic sports), adding more schools simply does not solve the travel budget money drain with reduced media rights income.

(01-16-2016 09:52 PM)KevMo4UAB Wrote:  JMU has a beautiful football stadium. Georgia State has 33,000 students.

They would both help basketball, or at least they would this year. However Georgia State lost at home today, by 33 points.

Interesting proposition.

54,000

(01-17-2016 05:55 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  

(01-17-2016 10:52 AM)blazers9911 Wrote:  

(01-17-2016 03:20 AM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  C-USA is not about to drop the four schools it has in two of the fastest growing states in its footprint. I would expect FAU and FIU to follow the path of USF and UCF by becoming larger and more athletically developed over the next 5 years. I think they have Miami scared to death since it has done poorly since the two local schools became south Florida factors.

I don't think Miami even knows where those two schools are located. What has either school done that would worry Miami in the slightest bit?

And what has Miami been doing since the two became D1 programs to show they can be safely ignored? If the hire of Mark Richt doesn't rescue the Miami FB program, what would they do next? As a private school in the ACC, Miami has the same problems as Vandy in the SEC. They must compete with well funded state universities while having only a fraction of their annual income.

They've done way more than either of the F_U's. They have a tradition that Vanderbilt can only dream of. The basketball program has been on the rise. You don't know what Miami's income is, but my guess is they still pour money into their football program. The two schools in CUSA are no threat whatsoever to Miami.

Revenue
Miami $77M
FAU $23M
FIU $28M

Not much worked in the wac. Just because it didn't work there doesn't mean it won't here. I could get into their commissioner but not worth the effort.