(06-30-2019 09:03 AM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  The point with Rice being, why tap them to be at your level when they are irrelevant in the major sports and don’t add territory?

They went to three bowl games this decade and I think won a C-USA title or two since they’ve been in the league. Basketball is puzzling. It seems they haven’t found that Fran Dunphy, Phil Martelli, Bob McKillop type.

I believe the days of expanding for markets are over, and reducing travel costs helps at the G5 level. The ACC is P5 and has three schools in damn near the same city. Seems to work just fine.

On a side note, anybody suggesting a 10 game conference schedule must be hoping for Navy to return to independence.

(07-01-2019 10:04 PM)esayem Wrote:  

(06-30-2019 09:03 AM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  The point with Rice being, why tap them to be at your level when they are irrelevant in the major sports and don’t add territory?

They went to three bowl games this decade and I think won a C-USA title or two since they’ve been in the league. Basketball is puzzling. It seems they haven’t found that Fran Dunphy, Phil Martelli, Bob McKillop type.

I believe the days of expanding for markets are over, and reducing travel costs helps at the G5 level. The ACC is P5 and has three schools in damn near the same city. Seems to work just fine.

On a side note, anybody suggesting a 10 game conference schedule must be hoping for Navy to return to independence.

Still....Lets remember what the AAC is trying to do here. The league is trying to fill the shoes of UConn. Basketball blueblood. State flagship. Biggest budget in the league. Large market. Large student body (32K). And terrible football.

Rice literally gets you nowhere on replacing any of those major attributes other than "terrible football"---and that was the ONE place where the UConn replacement should represent a major UPGRADE in this swap. Despite their stellar academics and their history with many current members, I just dont see how Rice fits the bill for this round of mini-realignement.

I believe ODU did beat Rice in football. I don't think ODU are terrible with close loses. Just need a player here and there to get them over the hump.

To me the best predictor of long term athletic success is community and donor support. Are you supported? Do people donate and if so how much? Old Dominion, being basically the only game in town, takes a back seat to no G5 school when it comes to that all important metric. Amazing things are happening right now at ODU. And athletics are just a part of that growth. To me Old Dominion University is in a great position of financial stability. Current law limits student fees to 55% of total athletic budget. I feel when all is said and done, ODU will come in well below that benchmark.

ODU has proven nothing at the FBS level and has a 22k seat stadium.

There are only two teams from CUSA that have enough respect to not hurt the P6 promotions..... Marshall and So Miss.

(07-06-2019 09:28 PM)herdfan129 Wrote:  ODU has proven nothing at the FBS level and has a 22k seat stadium.

There are only two teams from CUSA that have enough respect to not hurt the P6 promotions..... Marshall and So Miss.

Ha! Marshall and Southern Miss are both years removed from being the powers they once were, and neither of you is currently dominating C-USA. But, you are right about ODU.

Only one program has smoove Lane Kiffin and Cheeseburger Charlie Jr.

Plus, you know there’s the grand ESPN conspiracy to keep the AAC as G5, so FAU creates some more parity in FLA.