(12-04-2019 10:42 AM)Yosef Himself Wrote: I've been saying for a few weeks that I hope Commish Gill didn't go out begging (pleading) App's case. There's been plenty of those that disagree with me, for which I say isn't the job of jockeying for App to the nation belong to AD Doug Gillin? Haven't heard a word from DG on Raleigh/Charlotte/Atlanta radio or TV. Now this isn't a knock on DG. I wouldn't want him really out there trying to "pimp" App either. What Commish Gill said is exactly what I said a week or two ago. Win your games / Win respect.
I get your point here but there is no pleading that needs to be done. App's play on the field has spoken for itself hence the ranking in the CFP. However, for the general public who isn't watching ESPN+ and assumes that because App isn't on ESPN or ABC week in and week out that they must not measure up, you must get out and make some noise.
Winning will take care of itself long term. But for this years squad, the future is now. It isn't next year. It isn't 5 years from now. It is in this moment that something must be said for them. They won't get to go back in time in 2025 to 2019 when some new alignment changes occur. They will be stuck with what could've been done, if anything.
If you say something and it falls on deaf ears and blind eyes, so be it. But don't be silent and assume that anyone is going to give the Sun Belt respect because App won some games. Benson did a good job getting the conference to the point it is at. Being consistently rated higher than C-USA and the MAC when the Sun Belt was behind them for the better part of 2001 to 2014. Yet, that perception of the Sun Belt being a glorified FCS league persists, why? Because winning games matters, but it isn't the only factor in elevating the perception of the conference.
A 2 win, non-bowl eligible team from the Sun Belt beat Kansas who should've beat Texas. Our 2nd place team in the West played 2-loss SMU to a 7 point loss, and could've won. App won two P5 games. Georgia State beat a bowl bound Tennessee and finished 3rd in the East Division of the Sun Belt. Absent numbers and context, this is an impressive feat.
But do people attribute this to the Sun Belt? No. They look at the teams individually. When it comes to the AAC they are viewed as a collective which helps them. Collectively, people point at USA and Texas State when discussing the Sun Belt whereas the conversation for many other conferences are the schools at the top. It's the job of the person who ultimately represents the member schools to the NCAA and public to stump. Who's to say if there is another team in the next 5 seasons that has an opportunity to even be in the conversation in the Sun Belt?
If App loses a close game to Wisconsin, or wins, and still goes 12-1 next year will they still be behind a 2-loss AAC team? If so, you have a perception issue.
Note: App has a decent chance of playing Wisconsin to one score. Every game against P5 opponents who haven't gone on to the CFP since 2015 - absent Miami - has been decided by one score or less.