(10-21-2016 05:21 PM)GE and MTS Wrote:  

(10-21-2016 08:16 AM)NewTimes Wrote:  

(10-20-2016 01:34 PM)voss749 Wrote:  

(10-20-2016 07:00 AM)panama Wrote:  

(10-18-2016 08:31 PM)voss749 Wrote:  However Georgia Southern would make a better addition to C-USA than Georgia State. Why?

1) Savannah is no worse than Birmingham on media market size
2) Savannah is an easy road trip for FAU, FIU , and charlotte
3) Georgia Southern has a much longer football tradition than Georgia State and would be quickly competitive in CUSA just as they have been in sun-belt.

Atlanta is bigger than Savannah, Birmingham combined and multiplied by 5

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IMO Georgia Southern is more attractive to us c-usa fans, FAU just signed a home and home series with them for 2020 and 2021. Plus Georgia State has to compete with Georgia tech in the atlanta market.

As GaSt has righted the ship last year and this year and become a credible FBS FB program, the advantage has shifted to them. As the selections of Charlotte and ODU has shown, market size does matter. It is the primary factor when a program has a fundamental foundation.

In a vacuum, if Liberty had Georgia State's season last year, it would be a disappointment to me. Georgia State made great strides for their young program but if it wasn't their 5th year playing football (or whatever) then wouldn't you be upset if your team lost to an FCS school and finished the season 6-7 in arguably the worst FBS conference? They were lucky to even make a bowl due to their upset of Georgia Southern in the season finale if I remember correctly.

Having said that, I would like Liberty to eventually be in a conference with Georgia State because they have great potential. They have a great location, aren't a directional school (like East Carolina, Central Florida, etc.), have solid academics, and appear committed to athletics. They have potential to be a future P5 school if they fulfill their potential and get some breaks. I don't see Georgia Southern like that; I see them as a Boise State program at best. That's admirable and extremely good but I think their ceiling is limited compared to Georgia State.

What is in Georgia Southern's favor is they have a passionate fan base which is what the networks want. The networks won't want to pay for Georgia State even if they are in Atlanta if they can't get people to watch their games. Would CUSA, the AAC, or someone else be willing to bet on Georgia State's potential? The Sun Belt did and I wager that another conference will too once Georgia State makes more strides.

Many good, valid points. GaSt eventually will get the right combination and carve out their piece of the pie. Their upside is greater than most if not all SBC teams, including App St.

Well, I guess expansion is dead in the water. Is there a minimum number of teams needed to have an FBS conference? I know if the Big South loses a team they lose their bid to the playoffs, but they are still a conference. What is the possibility of New Mexico St. and Idaho reviving the WAC and having UMass and Liberty join up?

(11-04-2016 01:54 AM)army56mike Wrote:  Well, I guess expansion is dead in the water. Is there a minimum number of teams needed to have an FBS conference? I know if the Big South loses a team they lose their bid to the playoffs, but they are still a conference. What is the possibility of New Mexico St. and Idaho reviving the WAC and having UMass and Liberty join up?

I think an FBS conference has to have a minimum of 8 conference members for all sports. Football-only schools wouldn't apply.

Idaho is already dropping down to FCS. New Mexico State is expected to give independence a go and try to make it work. I think it will be difficult for them but not impossible. I would say it would hurt their program but they haven't made a bowl game in decades (I think; maybe it is they haven't won a bowl in decades) so they can't get much worse from a performance standpoint. Reviving the WAC is a possibility, though very slim. It wasn't saved those several years ago when it was on life support so I don't expect it to be revived now. I would hope it gets revived and would have Liberty as a football-only member unless there was an eastern division.

Would you pay each member of the American Athletic Conference and the conference office $10 million each ($130 million) in order to join that conference?

LU's current endowement could do that and we'd still have a nice endowement.

I would... maybe

(12-08-2016 08:17 AM)army56mike Wrote:  Would you pay each member of the American Athletic Conference and the conference office $10 million each ($130 million) in order to join that conference?

LU's current endowement could do that and we'd still have a nice endowement.

I would... maybe

If we were going to go that route just approach the CUSA and offer something similar. I wouldn't say 10 mil a team something less would be more ideal. After their horrible new TV deal and more mouths to feed I'm sure they would be all over it. But I don't know if something like that would completely backfire and we would be shunned.

Maybe we should just approach the NCAA and say hey we could sue you and get what we want but how about we make a large donation to the NCAA and get a waiver. It's not like there is a path to FBS. We all know about the conference invite rule but think about it for more than a second. It's impossible for FBS conferences to keep taking schools. After 12 they start to get too big. So almost all are completely full. The BIG12 has 10 members and Sunbelt will have 10 after next year. But the CFP money only pays 10 teams a conference so after 10 it gets less attractive to expand. So how would teams ever move up? Will each conference keep inviting schools till they have 20 teams each? Yeah that's silly and isn't going to happen. So there should be a path to FBS that doesn't involve a invite.

This is just my opinion I know things aren't so cut and dry once you mix in people and the whole politics of the situation. Just thought it would be fun to discuss.

(12-08-2016 08:17 AM)army56mike Wrote:  Would you pay each member of the American Athletic Conference and the conference office $10 million each ($130 million) in order to join that conference?

LU's current endowement could do that and we'd still have a nice endowement.

I would... maybe

Absolutely you have to at in that case. They pay I think somewhere near 2-3 million a year to their teams. The reason you have to is because of the level of competition and air time. You would go from a bottom dweller FCS conference to the best G5 conference. From playing Charleston Southern and PC to playing Houston and UCF.

As Curtis just described and the lessening availability of FBS vacant seats, it's a really weird and unusual situation and dilemma LU is in. With FBS membership, LU would expand the stadium and continue to improve facilities that would rival the best of CUSA or AAC.

And here is the double edge sword. With the monetary might to pay a hefty entrance fee, beyond most any other school could do, that in itself would be enough to chill conference members believing LU would use the same economic muscle to buy themselves credibility and conference championships. As LU to date lingers in the lowly Big South, and a grand total of 1 playoff appearance and 1 playoff victory, that has hardly been the case so far.

However, Curtis's $10 million per team mention takes it to another level. I just don't see LU getting the invite unless programs needing a cash infusion are swayed mostly by the cash. Stable and credible programs will not want to have LU included as the little rich kid that only gets to play because of his wealth.

As has been stated here, and several other threads on this BBS many, many times, LU's path seems to be the indy way. It could be why Barber is gone with his inability to deliver the FBS membership.

(12-08-2016 12:21 PM)NewTimes Wrote:  As Curtis just described and the lessening availability of FBS vacant seats, it's a really weird and unusual situation and dilemma LU is in. With FBS membership, LU would expand the stadium and continue to improve facilities that would rival the best of CUSA or AAC.

And here is the double edge sword. With the monetary might to pay a hefty entrance fee, beyond most any other school could do, that in itself would be enough to chill conference members believing LU would use the same economic muscle to buy themselves credibility and conference championships. As LU to date lingers in the lowly Big South, and a grand total of 1 playoff appearance and 1 playoff victory, that has hardly been the case so far.

However, Curtis's $10 million per team mention takes it to another level. I just don't see LU getting the invite unless programs needing a cash infusion are swayed mostly by the cash. Stable and credible programs will not want to have LU included as the little rich kid that only gets to play because of his wealth.

As has been stated here, and several other threads on this BBS many, many times, LU's path seems to be the indy way. It could be why Barber is gone with his inability to deliver the FBS membership.

I agree that LU's path is indy. I was mainly saying IF the AAC came to y'all with an offer of "you guys pay everyone 10 million and you are in" scenario then you would be dumb to not accept it imo. Will that ever happen... no.

Yeah, I know that would never happen. I just wondered how much fans would be willing for LU to pay to get into a conference, and when that amount would be too much.

(12-08-2016 04:49 PM)army56mike Wrote:  Yeah, I know that would never happen. I just wondered how much fans would be willing for LU to pay to get into a conference, and when that amount would be too much.

I think it depends on the conference. SBC no more than a million per team (10million) SEC whatever you could afford lol.

(12-08-2016 08:46 AM)Curtisc83 Wrote:  Maybe we should just approach the NCAA and say hey we could sue you and get what we want but how about we make a large donation to the NCAA and get a waiver. It's not like there is a path to FBS. We all know about the conference invite rule but think about it for more than a second. It's impossible for FBS conferences to keep taking schools. After 12 they start to get too big. So almost all are completely full. The BIG12 has 10 members and Sunbelt will have 10 after next year. But the CFP money only pays 10 teams a conference so after 10 it gets less attractive to expand. So how would teams ever move up? Will each conference keep inviting schools till they have 20 teams each? Yeah that's silly and isn't going to happen. So there should be a path to FBS that doesn't involve a invite.

I think approaching the NCAA with a "donation" is a good idea. Perhaps along with that, bring along a signed declaration of support from the fellow FBS independents as an invitation to the "conference" of independence; if you can get enough independents who will want you in FBS, they shouldn't be ignored or made as a second class citizen as being less important just because they aren't in a conference for football. Army, Notre Dame, and BYU have some of the most storied histories in football and if they signed off on Liberty as an independent then why should the NCAA ignore Liberty?

I think 2017 will be a good year for LU. By 2018 we're gonna be FBS.

(12-18-2016 01:29 PM)Liberty Fan Wrote:  

That's encouraging if true. I would rather be in a conference but I will take independence.

(12-18-2016 01:45 PM)GE and MTS Wrote:  

(12-18-2016 01:29 PM)Liberty Fan Wrote:  

That's encouraging if true. I would rather be in a conference but I will take independence.

http://www.newsadvance.com/sports/damien...e7401.html

(12-18-2016 01:46 PM)Liberty Fan Wrote:  

(12-18-2016 01:45 PM)GE and MTS Wrote:  

(12-18-2016 01:29 PM)Liberty Fan Wrote:  

That's encouraging if true. I would rather be in a conference but I will take independence.

http://www.newsadvance.com/sports/damien...e7401.html

If we are going to go independent let's just hurry up and do it. All this is taking forever and I would rather it not.

(12-18-2016 02:04 PM)Curtisc83 Wrote:  

(12-18-2016 01:46 PM)Liberty Fan Wrote:  

(12-18-2016 01:45 PM)GE and MTS Wrote:  

(12-18-2016 01:29 PM)Liberty Fan Wrote:  

That's encouraging if true. I would rather be in a conference but I will take independence.

http://www.newsadvance.com/sports/damien...e7401.html

If we are going to go independent let's just hurry up and do it. All this is taking forever and I would rather it not.

I mean IMO it would be a better option brand wise. It is much more flexible and gives you the ability to get a ton of exposure all over the country. The issue is money. It's a lot to be independent but it would definitely out weigh the negatives to go to the FBS.

Your schedule would be something like this

One FCS
8 G5 probably 6 home 2 away
3 P5 all on the road

(12-18-2016 01:46 PM)Liberty Fan Wrote:  

(12-18-2016 01:45 PM)GE and MTS Wrote:  

(12-18-2016 01:29 PM)Liberty Fan Wrote:  

That's encouraging if true. I would rather be in a conference but I will take independence.

http://www.newsadvance.com/sports/damien...e7401.html

McCaw says the right things and talks a big game. I hope he can deliver. I want to believe what he says but he is meant to be a cheerleader for the school. Time will tell.

The Lynchburg News & Advance has written good follow ups stories to the new AD hire. I'm still mystified how silent things have been with the Barber "resignation". LU can keep a tight lip when it wants to.

Why hasn't McCaw gotten us to FBS yet!?! That's all I want to know!!!!! He's had plenty of time!!!!!!!!!!