My view is that we currently do not have a flagship.

If UAB wins CUSA again this year and goes to the NCAA tournament in basketball they can argue the point. If we win the west and a tournament game we can argue the point. After UAB the next in line is Marshall followed by WKU

(07-14-2021 11:21 AM)UAB Schnauzer Wrote:  My view is that we currently do not have a flagship.

If UAB wins CUSA again this year and goes to the NCAA tournament in basketball they can argue the point. If we win the west and a tournament game we can argue the point. After UAB the next in line is Marshall followed by WKU

Is this a "made up" award?

Maybe it's because I'm down here in Texas, but when I think of a program being a flagship for its conference, I think of Oklahoma and Texas. They have all the power and bend the conference to their will. They such up all the top talent. And, they also win just about everything every season. C-USA doesn't have a single athletic department like that. So I don't think we are even close to having a flagship in C-USA.

When I think of a flagship it’s who is the most known and recognizable. Imo USM and Marshall are the flagships.

(07-14-2021 11:30 AM)Ewglenn Wrote:  When I think of a flagship it’s who is the most known and recognizable. Imo USM and Marshall are the flagships.

Exactly and the most consistent winners over time. We had 18 straight winning seasons. Who else can say that? You want to throw in conference championships...ok we have 5 in CUSA...who else can say that? Also, 3 time division champs. The only reason it is in question now is b/c we have not been as consistent as we were known to be and that is fair but it doesn't take away our success.

(07-14-2021 12:08 PM)everyone Wrote:  

(07-14-2021 11:30 AM)Ewglenn Wrote:  When I think of a flagship it’s who is the most known and recognizable. Imo USM and Marshall are the flagships.

Exactly and the most consistent winners over time. We had 18 straight winning seasons. Who else can say that? You want to throw in conference championships...ok we have 5 in CUSA...who else can say that? The only reason it is in question now is b/c we have not been as consistent as we were known to be and that is fair but it doesn't take away our success.

I understand all that. This is factual. However, all this ended. And it did not end yesterday. It ended almost a decade ago.

(07-14-2021 12:11 PM)goliath74 Wrote:  

(07-14-2021 12:08 PM)everyone Wrote:  

(07-14-2021 11:30 AM)Ewglenn Wrote:  When I think of a flagship it’s who is the most known and recognizable. Imo USM and Marshall are the flagships.

Exactly and the most consistent winners over time. We had 18 straight winning seasons. Who else can say that? You want to throw in conference championships...ok we have 5 in CUSA...who else can say that? The only reason it is in question now is b/c we have not been as consistent as we were known to be and that is fair but it doesn't take away our success.

I understand all that. This is factual. However, all this ended. And it did not end yesterday. It ended almost a decade ago.

College football has been played for many decades. Where do you draw the line in the sand as wins no longer relevant b/c of time?

(07-14-2021 12:08 PM)everyone Wrote:  

(07-14-2021 11:30 AM)Ewglenn Wrote:  When I think of a flagship it’s who is the most known and recognizable. Imo USM and Marshall are the flagships.

Exactly and the most consistent winners over time. We had 18 straight winning seasons. Who else can say that? You want to throw in conference championships...ok we have 5 in CUSA...who else can say that? Also, 3 time division champs. The only reason it is in question now is b/c we have not been as consistent as we were known to be and that is fair but it doesn't take away our success.

You can’t be a flagship if you haven’t won a championship in nine years. USM was the best football team in the nineties in what was a basketball conference at the time.

(07-14-2021 12:13 PM)everyone Wrote:  

(07-14-2021 12:11 PM)goliath74 Wrote:  

(07-14-2021 12:08 PM)everyone Wrote:  

(07-14-2021 11:30 AM)Ewglenn Wrote:  When I think of a flagship it’s who is the most known and recognizable. Imo USM and Marshall are the flagships.

Exactly and the most consistent winners over time. We had 18 straight winning seasons. Who else can say that? You want to throw in conference championships...ok we have 5 in CUSA...who else can say that? The only reason it is in question now is b/c we have not been as consistent as we were known to be and that is fair but it doesn't take away our success.

I understand all that. This is factual. However, all this ended. And it did not end yesterday. It ended almost a decade ago.

College football has been played for many decades. Where do you draw the line in the sand as wins no longer relevant b/c of time?

I don't know where the dividing line should be. Should it be 5 years? 8 years? 10 years? 15 years? I don't know. But 8 years sounds like a long time.

(07-14-2021 12:18 PM)UAB Schnauzer Wrote:  

(07-14-2021 12:08 PM)everyone Wrote:  

(07-14-2021 11:30 AM)Ewglenn Wrote:  When I think of a flagship it’s who is the most known and recognizable. Imo USM and Marshall are the flagships.

Exactly and the most consistent winners over time. We had 18 straight winning seasons. Who else can say that? You want to throw in conference championships...ok we have 5 in CUSA...who else can say that? Also, 3 time division champs. The only reason it is in question now is b/c we have not been as consistent as we were known to be and that is fair but it doesn't take away our success.

You can’t be a flagship if you haven’t won a championship in nine years. USM was the best football team in the nineties in what was a basketball conference at the time.

CUSA football in the 90s was light years better than it is now, hardly just a basketball conference. Everyone knows this. When we won our conference championships we were nationally relevant and ranked. If you win CUSA now it does not even guarantee you are ranked or nationally relevant.

(07-14-2021 12:18 PM)UAB Schnauzer Wrote:  

(07-14-2021 12:08 PM)everyone Wrote:  

(07-14-2021 11:30 AM)Ewglenn Wrote:  When I think of a flagship it’s who is the most known and recognizable. Imo USM and Marshall are the flagships.

Exactly and the most consistent winners over time. We had 18 straight winning seasons. Who else can say that? You want to throw in conference championships...ok we have 5 in CUSA...who else can say that? Also, 3 time division champs. The only reason it is in question now is b/c we have not been as consistent as we were known to be and that is fair but it doesn't take away our success.

You can’t be a flagship if you haven’t won a championship in nine years. USM was the best football team in the nineties in what was a basketball conference at the time.

Agreed....football CUSA champions in 2011 and then lost in 2006 and 2015 CUSA-CG. No other CG appearnces since 2004 season so not exactly football flagship status. Basketball has been a nightmare with just 1 NCAA apprearance in the 2000s and that was 2012. OTOH, if we were talking about baseball only flagship USM would definitelly have that honor.

(07-14-2021 12:23 PM)goliath74 Wrote:  

(07-14-2021 12:13 PM)everyone Wrote:  

(07-14-2021 12:11 PM)goliath74 Wrote:  

(07-14-2021 12:08 PM)everyone Wrote:  

(07-14-2021 11:30 AM)Ewglenn Wrote:  When I think of a flagship it’s who is the most known and recognizable. Imo USM and Marshall are the flagships.

Exactly and the most consistent winners over time. We had 18 straight winning seasons. Who else can say that? You want to throw in conference championships...ok we have 5 in CUSA...who else can say that? The only reason it is in question now is b/c we have not been as consistent as we were known to be and that is fair but it doesn't take away our success.

I understand all that. This is factual. However, all this ended. And it did not end yesterday. It ended almost a decade ago.

College football has been played for many decades. Where do you draw the line in the sand as wins no longer relevant b/c of time?

I don't know where the dividing line should be. Should it be 5 years? 8 years? 10 years? 15 years? I don't know. But 8 years sounds like a long time.

I'm 42 lol. 8 years is nothing to me. I guess for younger fans the "what have you done for me lately" factors in more. We have beat Alabama 7 times but a young FAU fan would say, right only when Alabama sucked and I would say ohh so even the best team ever has sucked at times? Does that make them less relevant? USM needs to become a consistent winner again and then this flagship business will be sealed for good.

Flagship? more like sunken ship...

(07-14-2021 12:08 PM)everyone Wrote:  

(07-14-2021 11:30 AM)Ewglenn Wrote:  When I think of a flagship it’s who is the most known and recognizable. Imo USM and Marshall are the flagships.

Exactly and the most consistent winners over time. We had 18 straight winning seasons. Who else can say that? You want to throw in conference championships...ok we have 5 in CUSA...who else can say that? Also, 3 time division champs. The only reason it is in question now is b/c we have not been as consistent as we were known to be and that is fair but it doesn't take away our success.

History is something fans of that school look back on

Especially when all you have is that long ago history and your school did not build it with this conference make up.

Thats about like me talking about Western's top national basketball program. There's really only one school in this conference that had a TOP nationally know program. Other than a flash in the pan year or two.

top 5...4 times
top 10..8 times
top 15..12 times
top 20..19 times
top 25...21 times
9th best winning % overall
top 15 most wins
47..20 win seasons either 3rd or 4th all time
23 NCAA Bids, next closes UAB 15, ODU 12, and UNCC 11
ESPN top 50 program of all time
Basketball Street (I believe that the name) top 10 at that point in history
111 weeks in the AP and most likely another 100+ weeks before there was a AP
3 F4...1 ncaa and 2 when the NIT was the big tourney along with E8 and handful of sweet 16

Western basketball was treated as nationally by the media and not as a good little program that would sneak up and beat a good team every few years.

None of that matters today in this conference. Western did not build off that history. So the program has turned into a "good little school that sneaks up on teams". To the Western fans it still very important. But that's it...2021

(07-14-2021 12:25 PM)everyone Wrote:  

(07-14-2021 12:18 PM)UAB Schnauzer Wrote:  

(07-14-2021 12:08 PM)everyone Wrote:  

(07-14-2021 11:30 AM)Ewglenn Wrote:  When I think of a flagship it’s who is the most known and recognizable. Imo USM and Marshall are the flagships.

Exactly and the most consistent winners over time. We had 18 straight winning seasons. Who else can say that? You want to throw in conference championships...ok we have 5 in CUSA...who else can say that? Also, 3 time division champs. The only reason it is in question now is b/c we have not been as consistent as we were known to be and that is fair but it doesn't take away our success.

You can’t be a flagship if you haven’t won a championship in nine years. USM was the best football team in the nineties in what was a basketball conference at the time.

CUSA football in the 90s was light years better than it is now, hardly just a basketball conference. Everyone knows this. When we won our conference championships we were nationally relevant and ranked. If you win CUSA now it does not even guarantee you are ranked or nationally relevant.

CUSA was a Major basketball conference getting multiple bids with multiple teams winning. CUSA sent FOUR teams to the tournament more than one in the 90’s. It was a basketball conference first. Being good in the 90’s does not make you the flagship decades later. Southern Miss is 44-66 in football over the past 9 years. You can’t be a flagship with that recent history in the only major sport you compete in.

(07-14-2021 12:25 PM)everyone Wrote:  

(07-14-2021 12:18 PM)UAB Schnauzer Wrote:  

(07-14-2021 12:08 PM)everyone Wrote:  

(07-14-2021 11:30 AM)Ewglenn Wrote:  When I think of a flagship it’s who is the most known and recognizable. Imo USM and Marshall are the flagships.

Exactly and the most consistent winners over time. We had 18 straight winning seasons. Who else can say that? You want to throw in conference championships...ok we have 5 in CUSA...who else can say that? Also, 3 time division champs. The only reason it is in question now is b/c we have not been as consistent as we were known to be and that is fair but it doesn't take away our success.

You can’t be a flagship if you haven’t won a championship in nine years. USM was the best football team in the nineties in what was a basketball conference at the time.

CUSA football in the 90s was light years better than it is now, hardly just a basketball conference. Everyone knows this. When we won our conference championships we were nationally relevant and ranked. If you win CUSA now it does not even guarantee you are ranked or nationally relevant.

There were about 30 less Division I football teams back in the 90's.

(07-14-2021 12:36 PM)everyone Wrote:  

(07-14-2021 12:23 PM)goliath74 Wrote:  

(07-14-2021 12:13 PM)everyone Wrote:  

(07-14-2021 12:11 PM)goliath74 Wrote:  

(07-14-2021 12:08 PM)everyone Wrote:  Exactly and the most consistent winners over time. We had 18 straight winning seasons. Who else can say that? You want to throw in conference championships...ok we have 5 in CUSA...who else can say that? The only reason it is in question now is b/c we have not been as consistent as we were known to be and that is fair but it doesn't take away our success.

I understand all that. This is factual. However, all this ended. And it did not end yesterday. It ended almost a decade ago.

College football has been played for many decades. Where do you draw the line in the sand as wins no longer relevant b/c of time?

I don't know where the dividing line should be. Should it be 5 years? 8 years? 10 years? 15 years? I don't know. But 8 years sounds like a long time.

I'm 42 lol. 8 years is nothing to me. I guess for younger fans the "what have you done for me lately" factors in more. We have beat Alabama 7 times but a young FAU fan would say, right only when Alabama sucked and I would say ohh so even the best team ever has sucked at times? Does that make them less relevant? USM needs to become a consistent winner again and then this flagship business will be sealed for good.

I do not know what a young FAU fan would say but a 47-year-old like myself would point out that a flagship should not call itself a flagship if they had done nothing in the last 8 years. In order to become a consistent winner, one must first become a winner and that is what USM hasn't been in 8 years.

Flagships are known...they are not "claimed".

Hell even Memphis was the flagship of this conference for 6 to 8 years before they left CUSA. They hardly ever won over 4 fb games a year. You really need to win SOMETHING if you are going to be thought of as Flagship

Rice in baseball was probably the closest to a flagship in any sport until a few years ago. FB & MBB have been up and down the last decade. No one's been dominant throughout in either and most have had real stinker years to boot. So no.