I'd rather have been bowling this year. Hate to see the streak broken, and am hoping that next year will begin it again.

So over the P-5 bull, and really wonder if watching us play other "G-5" schools as OOC games would be more fun. Know we need a money game annually, but why not grow the brand by playing around the US.

Do you agree?

Most people have little interest in seeing us play most G5 schools.

(12-31-2018 12:19 PM)EagNBran Wrote:  Most people have little interest in seeing us play most G5 schools.

Because they have unrealistic ideas of who we are?

Bingo

I mean, that’s definitely true, but I also think playing big name teams draws more fan attention in general. Same is true for P5 schools.

(12-31-2018 12:15 PM)LouisianaEagleEdD Wrote:  I'd rather have been bowling this year. Hate to see the streak broken, and am hoping that next year will begin it again.

So over the P-5 bull, and really wonder if watching us play other "G-5" schools as OOC games would be more fun. Know we need a money game annually, but why not grow the brand by playing around the US.
did
Do you agree?

I'd rather keep our winning season streak alive, which we did. Had we played and lost, that streak was over. We still have the "bowl eligible" streak alive.

As far as P5 / G5 games, I think we need as many P5 games against as many historically successful programs as possible. THAT helps building the brand (see the 80s, 90s and some 00s) more than playing random little G5 schools on the other side of the country - not to mention the added expense / travel. We also get payed a ton for the P5 games and we need as much money as possible. That's actually HOW we make money nowadays, considering the TV contract with CUSA is virtually nothing.

Aside from the P5 games, yes, please schedule old rivals such as Memphis, ECU, Louisville, Houston, etc. instead of the FCS-type games. I have NO interest in USM traveling this country to play other weak-ass, unknown, unpopular G5 schools from the MAC, WMC, etc. We get enough of that playing our current CUSA mates.

Stay local or with historical rivals or with big P5 schools (*except Bama...stay away from them as long as Sabon is there).

(12-31-2018 03:24 PM)Reggie Favre Wrote:  

(12-31-2018 12:15 PM)LouisianaEagleEdD Wrote:  I'd rather have been bowling this year. Hate to see the streak broken, and am hoping that next year will begin it again.

So over the P-5 bull, and really wonder if watching us play other "G-5" schools as OOC games would be more fun. Know we need a money game annually, but why not grow the brand by playing around the US.
did
Do you agree?

I'd rather keep our winning season streak alive, which we did. Had we played and lost, that streak was over. We still have the "bowl eligible" streak alive.

As far as P5 / G5 games, I think we need as many P5 games against as many historically successful programs as possible. THAT helps building the brand (see the 80s, 90s and some 00s) more than playing random little G5 schools on the other side of the country - not to mention the added expense / travel. We also get payed a ton for the P5 games and we need as much money as possible. That's actually HOW we make money nowadays, considering the TV contract with CUSA is virtually nothing.

Aside from the P5 games, yes, please schedule old rivals such as Memphis, ECU, Louisville, Houston, etc. instead of the FCS-type games. I have NO interest in USM traveling this country to play other weak-ass, unknown, unpopular G5 schools from the MAC, WMC, etc. We get enough of that playing our current CUSA mates.

Stay local or with historical rivals or with big P5 schools (*except Bama...stay away from them as long as Sabon is there).

I pretty much agree with everything you said RF... but I would change the very last sentence to say "Stay away from BAMA as long as they only allow SEC refs." Piss on them. They are the most talented team in the country year-in, year-out and they still get the most help from officiating crews of any team besides Notre Dame. I Know it'll never happen, but I'm okay with not playing them at all.

BUT....Bama is willing to pay us a meellion dollars to play them, hard to turn down when your budget barely escapes $20 million.

Also noticed where teams like Illinois, Okie State, Kansas and Texas A&W aren't too hip on playing a 1 for 1 or 2 for 1 anymore.

I'd like to play Boise, Colorado State, Nevada or Utah State again, but don't see a lot of that happening anymore, either.

I know we're playing Toolame in a few years, but I don't see our former "brothers" Memphis, ECU, Houston, UCF or SMU playing us even in a "one and done" at their place.

Yeah, we play at Bama with their refs 2 of the next 3 years I believe. At Auburn in between. I remember when we played Bama 10 straight years with the same setup. We got $500k per game back then. We get $2 million now. Bower had some strong teams in those years (4 C-USA titles), but beat Bama on the field only once. We were close in a good many of those losses and we were more than ready for C-USA foes after playing them. Back then, I hated it. Looking back on it, we were stronger for it. We could do it now, for bigger money, but how about LSU or Florida this time? LOL! No, seriously, playing either of those 2 could help.

We need the money those P5 games give us, but I’d rather see us play lower level P5 teams (Illinois, Kansas, Wake Forest, etc). Playing LSU, Alabama, Auburn, etc gives us very little chance at victory.

As far as building the brand, the formula is the same for all G5 teams. Go out and win 10 or more games year after year. Be the consistent outlier amongst the G5 schools.