(09-17-2016 02:21 AM)PA-GAMECOCK Wrote:  A play for Air Force and Army would be nice but to get Air Force the AAC would need to get Army first and at least one range school preferably Colorado State. The AAC would also need to expand the western wing by at least two more schools from the MWC or one more MWC school and land BYU for all sports too. However is the AAC strong enough to pull that piece of expansion off even if it went to 14 or 16 teams. Also would there be enough TV revenue to justify a move of that nature.

I'd be totally on board with Army in the American, but the more I think about it the more I think it's in the best interest of the academies to not unify in one conference. If you're an AD, having the other two academies OOC makes your life that much easier, because it's two fewer OOC games you need to schedule every year and a guaranteed two solid but winnable OOC opponents without any haggling over 2-for-1s or the like. If anything, I'd expect to see Army go to the MAC or back to (a now much weaker) CUSA.

(09-16-2016 04:04 PM)uakronkid Wrote:  

(09-16-2016 11:01 AM)upstater1 Wrote:  As much as Buffalo can be described as a Rust Belt region, it is not quite what you imagine. People, including coaches, make the mistake of thinking it is. The economics may be rust belt, but this is a heavy, heavy, heavy Catholic area.

So is the whole rust belt.

I lived in Michigan. It is much heavier Catholic than Michigan. Lot of Dutch in Michigan.

(09-17-2016 04:38 PM)Bogg Wrote:  

(09-17-2016 02:21 AM)PA-GAMECOCK Wrote:  A play for Air Force and Army would be nice but to get Air Force the AAC would need to get Army first and at least one range school preferably Colorado State. The AAC would also need to expand the western wing by at least two more schools from the MWC or one more MWC school and land BYU for all sports too. However is the AAC strong enough to pull that piece of expansion off even if it went to 14 or 16 teams. Also would there be enough TV revenue to justify a move of that nature.

I'd be totally on board with Army in the American, but the more I think about it the more I think it's in the best interest of the academies to not unify in one conference. If you're an AD, having the other two academies OOC makes your life that much easier, because it's two fewer OOC games you need to schedule every year and a guaranteed two solid but winnable OOC opponents without any haggling over 2-for-1s or the like. If anything, I'd expect to see Army go to the MAC or back to (a now much weaker) CUSA.

I think the opposite. Academies have no trouble scheduling ooc, probably would like to play games in specific areas not covered by the conference and this would allow them opportunity to schedule ooc.

(09-17-2016 04:38 PM)Bogg Wrote:  ... but the more I think about it the more I think it's in the best interest of the academies to not unify in one conference. If you're an AD, having the other two academies OOC makes your life that much easier, because it's two fewer OOC games you need to schedule every year and a guaranteed two solid but winnable OOC opponents without any haggling over 2-for-1s or the like.

For the opponents Army wants, it doesn't have to haggle for 2-1's.

One benefit for Army of not being in the American is that the fight versus Navy is down to one game. In the American, playing the Army/Navy game during rivalry week ... if Navy loses to Army but finishes ahead of Army in the conference ladder (as would generally be expected), that waters down the impact of the win.

The other benefit is that it allows the Army / Navy game to be played in the week after CCG's are played, which lets it be a quasi-bowl game as far as viewership goes.

Quote: If anything, I'd expect to see Army go to the MAC or back to (a now much weaker) CUSA.

The MAC is far too compact to give anything like the national schedule that Army would like ... CUSA or AAC are the best for covering parts of the country in-conference so the OOC games can stretch out to the other parts.

And CUSA would definitely offer better prospects of Army going to a bowl game than the AAC would, so between the two, CUSA would be a better choice, if Army thought it needed to join a conference.

At present, Army doesn't need to join a conference. They can get the games they want, and are a good enough "get" for a G5 conference OOC game at the level of school they would like to be playing that they have been able to get some home games in the last half of the year.

I think The American can add Air Force as a football-only member. I think Army would agree to a scheduling agreement with the AAC or C-USA. Right now, Army looks really good this year and could possibly run the table as the team looks very strong this year, I hope they do well and at least get a bowl game this year.

(09-18-2016 01:02 PM)upstater1 Wrote:  

(09-16-2016 04:04 PM)uakronkid Wrote:  

(09-16-2016 11:01 AM)upstater1 Wrote:  As much as Buffalo can be described as a Rust Belt region, it is not quite what you imagine. People, including coaches, make the mistake of thinking it is. The economics may be rust belt, but this is a heavy, heavy, heavy Catholic area.

So is the whole rust belt.

I lived in Michigan. It is much heavier Catholic than Michigan. Lot of Dutch in Michigan.

I live in Michigan and I am Catholic.
The thing is, most Catholic do not go around and talk about it to everyone and everywhere that they go.
As for the Dutch Reform Types - in Michigan, they are primarily in Grand Rapids and Holland (Holland is the epicenter) - The Reformers are a highly vocal minority that feels that they need to interject their views and values daily to everyone that they meet.

(09-21-2016 07:49 AM)westernwilly Wrote:  

(09-18-2016 01:02 PM)upstater1 Wrote:  

(09-16-2016 04:04 PM)uakronkid Wrote:  

(09-16-2016 11:01 AM)upstater1 Wrote:  As much as Buffalo can be described as a Rust Belt region, it is not quite what you imagine. People, including coaches, make the mistake of thinking it is. The economics may be rust belt, but this is a heavy, heavy, heavy Catholic area.

So is the whole rust belt.

I lived in Michigan. It is much heavier Catholic than Michigan. Lot of Dutch in Michigan.

I live in Michigan and I am Catholic.
The thing is, most Catholic do not go around and talk about it to everyone and everywhere that they go.
As for the Dutch Reform Types - in Michigan, they are primarily in Grand Rapids and Holland (Holland is the epicenter) - The Reformers are a highly vocal minority that feels that they need to interject their views and values daily to everyone that they meet.

Put it this way, Buffalo has Catholic celebrations which are days off from school--like Dyngus Day (look it up). I mean, this town closes schools for celebrations the week AFTER Easter.

(09-21-2016 09:06 AM)upstater1 Wrote:  

(09-21-2016 07:49 AM)westernwilly Wrote:  

(09-18-2016 01:02 PM)upstater1 Wrote:  

(09-16-2016 04:04 PM)uakronkid Wrote:  

(09-16-2016 11:01 AM)upstater1 Wrote:  As much as Buffalo can be described as a Rust Belt region, it is not quite what you imagine. People, including coaches, make the mistake of thinking it is. The economics may be rust belt, but this is a heavy, heavy, heavy Catholic area.

So is the whole rust belt.

I lived in Michigan. It is much heavier Catholic than Michigan. Lot of Dutch in Michigan.

I live in Michigan and I am Catholic.
The thing is, most Catholic do not go around and talk about it to everyone and everywhere that they go.
As for the Dutch Reform Types - in Michigan, they are primarily in Grand Rapids and Holland (Holland is the epicenter) - The Reformers are a highly vocal minority that feels that they need to interject their views and values daily to everyone that they meet.

Put it this way, Buffalo has Catholic celebrations which are days off from school--like Dyngus Day (look it up). I mean, this town closes schools for celebrations the week AFTER Easter.

If being Catholic is what separates the East Coast from the Midwest, then Cincinnati is East Coast.

Although its only the 38th largest diocese by population (our region is split into 3 diocese along state lines), it has the 9th largest Catholic school system. Its 24 high schools educate about 20% of the high schoolers in the region (second in percentage only to St. Louis). And it's growing - 2 of the high schools were founded in the last 5 years.

When UC joined the Big East, I heard the joke that it belonged there because it was almost a Catholic school.