Looks like the realignment decisions involving the Sun Belt will be happening sooner than later. If the Sun Belt only expands by 2 teams, is there a chance they would be okay with keeping UTA and LR? I think it's possible, but from what I've heard it doesn't seem too likely. As fans, I think we would like to go to the MoValley, but I really have no idea how our basketball budget compares to teams in that league. It's not something I think about, but obviously will be crucial to our administration as well as the folks that run the Valley. I would think that the Summit and Atlantic Sun would be happy to have us, but who knows if they are looking to add teams at this point in time. It is a shame that the Ohio Valley has fallen apart- Austin Peay and Belmont are already gone, and Murray State looks on its way out. Although we would still fit geographically, those are the 3 teams I would have been most excited about being in a conference with. Southland is also falling apart and really isn't very attractive to me. As I mentioned before, if CUSA is further decimated (they have lost 6 teams and it is possible they will lose Marshal, ODU, and USM to the Sun Belt) it is certainly possible they would be open to taking a non-football member to balance things out. Certainly looks to be an interesting time for our program.

I wonder if there are any money folks in Little Rock who would step up to get us in the Valley. While it is no longer the juggernaut it once was, it is still one of the most solid midmajor conferences for men's basketball. Maybe there are some folks who would see this as a major addition to our city. One can always hope.

(10-21-2021 07:33 PM)mjs Wrote:  Looks like the realignment decisions involving the Sun Belt will be happening sooner than later. If the Sun Belt only expands by 2 teams, is there a chance they would be okay with keeping UTA and LR? I think it's possible, but from what I've heard it doesn't seem too likely. As fans, I think we would like to go to the MoValley, but I really have no idea how our basketball budget compares to teams in that league. It's not something I think about, but obviously will be crucial to our administration as well as the folks that run the Valley. I would think that the Summit and Atlantic Sun would be happy to have us, but who knows if they are looking to add teams at this point in time. It is a shame that the Ohio Valley has fallen apart- Austin Peay and Belmont are already gone, and Murray State looks on its way out. Although we would still fit geographically, those are the 3 teams I would have been most excited about being in a conference with. Southland is also falling apart and really isn't very attractive to me. As I mentioned before, if CUSA is further decimated (they have lost 6 teams and it is possible they will lose Marshal, ODU, and USM to the Sun Belt) it is certainly possible they would be open to taking a non-football member to balance things out. Certainly looks to be an interesting time for our program.

I wonder if there are any money folks in Little Rock who would step up to get us in the Valley. While it is no longer the juggernaut it once was, it is still one of the most solid midmajor conferences for men's basketball. Maybe there are some folks who would see this as a major addition to our city. One can always hope.

Yeah I am really wondering what will happen to us. We don't have as many options as you guys do. I just hope we don't end up as independents, that would be a slow death for us. I was hoping we could go in as a package deal with ya'll, but that does not seem likely.

(10-23-2021 03:01 AM)RT98 Wrote:  

(10-21-2021 07:33 PM)mjs Wrote:  Looks like the realignment decisions involving the Sun Belt will be happening sooner than later. If the Sun Belt only expands by 2 teams, is there a chance they would be okay with keeping UTA and LR? I think it's possible, but from what I've heard it doesn't seem too likely. As fans, I think we would like to go to the MoValley, but I really have no idea how our basketball budget compares to teams in that league. It's not something I think about, but obviously will be crucial to our administration as well as the folks that run the Valley. I would think that the Summit and Atlantic Sun would be happy to have us, but who knows if they are looking to add teams at this point in time. It is a shame that the Ohio Valley has fallen apart- Austin Peay and Belmont are already gone, and Murray State looks on its way out. Although we would still fit geographically, those are the 3 teams I would have been most excited about being in a conference with. Southland is also falling apart and really isn't very attractive to me. As I mentioned before, if CUSA is further decimated (they have lost 6 teams and it is possible they will lose Marshal, ODU, and USM to the Sun Belt) it is certainly possible they would be open to taking a non-football member to balance things out. Certainly looks to be an interesting time for our program.

I wonder if there are any money folks in Little Rock who would step up to get us in the Valley. While it is no longer the juggernaut it once was, it is still one of the most solid midmajor conferences for men's basketball. Maybe there are some folks who would see this as a major addition to our city. One can always hope.

Yeah I am really wondering what will happen to us. We don't have as many options as you guys do. I just hope we don't end up as independents, that would be a slow death for us. I was hoping we could go in as a package deal with ya'll, but that does not seem likely.

I was hoping we could go as a "package deal" as well. However, I spoke to a LR administrator this week who stated that UTA and LR have "different goals". Really no idea what he meant. At the time, he said he was surprised by this so I got the impression that he was implying that UTA cares less about getting in a strong basketball league. Maybe he meant that UTA is looking at starting football. So who knows, but I did get the impression we are likely to go our own ways. That's to bad because I think we have quite a bit in common.

(10-23-2021 08:44 AM)mjs Wrote:  

(10-23-2021 03:01 AM)RT98 Wrote:  

(10-21-2021 07:33 PM)mjs Wrote:  Looks like the realignment decisions involving the Sun Belt will be happening sooner than later. If the Sun Belt only expands by 2 teams, is there a chance they would be okay with keeping UTA and LR? I think it's possible, but from what I've heard it doesn't seem too likely. As fans, I think we would like to go to the MoValley, but I really have no idea how our basketball budget compares to teams in that league. It's not something I think about, but obviously will be crucial to our administration as well as the folks that run the Valley. I would think that the Summit and Atlantic Sun would be happy to have us, but who knows if they are looking to add teams at this point in time. It is a shame that the Ohio Valley has fallen apart- Austin Peay and Belmont are already gone, and Murray State looks on its way out. Although we would still fit geographically, those are the 3 teams I would have been most excited about being in a conference with. Southland is also falling apart and really isn't very attractive to me. As I mentioned before, if CUSA is further decimated (they have lost 6 teams and it is possible they will lose Marshal, ODU, and USM to the Sun Belt) it is certainly possible they would be open to taking a non-football member to balance things out. Certainly looks to be an interesting time for our program.

I wonder if there are any money folks in Little Rock who would step up to get us in the Valley. While it is no longer the juggernaut it once was, it is still one of the most solid midmajor conferences for men's basketball. Maybe there are some folks who would see this as a major addition to our city. One can always hope.

Yeah I am really wondering what will happen to us. We don't have as many options as you guys do. I just hope we don't end up as independents, that would be a slow death for us. I was hoping we could go in as a package deal with ya'll, but that does not seem likely.

I was hoping we could go as a "package deal" as well. However, I spoke to a LR administrator this week who stated that UTA and LR have "different goals". Really no idea what he meant. At the time, he said he was surprised by this so I got the impression that he was implying that UTA cares less about getting in a strong basketball league. Maybe he meant that UTA is looking at starting football. So who knows, but I did get the impression we are likely to go our own ways. That's to bad because I think we have quite a bit in common.

I sure would like to know where we and UTA stand, and who is looking for what. That would be very enlightening!

(10-23-2021 08:44 AM)mjs Wrote:  [quote='RT98' pid='17765879' dateline='1634976100']
[quote='mjs' pid='17758536' dateline='1634862822']

However, I spoke to a LR administrator this week who stated that UTA and LR have "different goals". Really no idea what he meant. At the time, he said he was surprised by this so I got the impression that he was implying that UTA cares less about getting in a strong basketball league. Maybe he meant that UTA is looking at starting football. So who knows, but I did get the impression we are likely to go our own ways. That's to bad because I think we have quite a bit in common.

MJS - Guess I need to tell that LR Administrator that anything he says to you will end up on the message board. I remember 3 coaches back telling you at a meeting to not put info he was telling you on the message board


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

(10-23-2021 01:11 PM)RBL Wrote:  

(10-23-2021 08:44 AM)mjs Wrote:  [quote='RT98' pid='17765879' dateline='1634976100']
[quote='mjs' pid='17758536' dateline='1634862822']

However, I spoke to a LR administrator this week who stated that UTA and LR have "different goals". Really no idea what he meant. At the time, he said he was surprised by this so I got the impression that he was implying that UTA cares less about getting in a strong basketball league. Maybe he meant that UTA is looking at starting football. So who knows, but I did get the impression we are likely to go our own ways. That's to bad because I think we have quite a bit in common.

MJS - Guess I need to tell that LR Administrator that anything he says to you will end up on the message board. I remember 3 coaches back telling you at a meeting to not put info he was telling you on the message board


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ok MJS, you’ve been taken to the woodshed! But, unless someone specifically says that the info (if that’s even what you could call it) they are giving is confidential, then MJS did nothing wrong by repeating it. And if we had a program that supplied more information to the public and it’s fans, instead of operating like it does, this “totally in the dark” as to whether the program is getting ready to fall off a cliff or not might not exist.

(10-23-2021 01:25 PM)PTJR Wrote:  

(10-23-2021 01:11 PM)RBL Wrote:  

(10-23-2021 08:44 AM)mjs Wrote:  [quote='RT98' pid='17765879' dateline='1634976100']
[quote='mjs' pid='17758536' dateline='1634862822']

However, I spoke to a LR administrator this week who stated that UTA and LR have "different goals". Really no idea what he meant. At the time, he said he was surprised by this so I got the impression that he was implying that UTA cares less about getting in a strong basketball league. Maybe he meant that UTA is looking at starting football. So who knows, but I did get the impression we are likely to go our own ways. That's to bad because I think we have quite a bit in common.

MJS - Guess I need to tell that LR Administrator that anything he says to you will end up on the message board. I remember 3 coaches back telling you at a meeting to not put info he was telling you on the message board


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ok MJS, you’ve been taken to the woodshed! But, unless someone specifically says that the info (if that’s even what you could call it) they are giving is confidential, then MJS did nothing wrong by repeating it. And if we had a program that supplied more information to the public and it’s fans, instead of operating like it does, this “totally in the dark” as to whether the program is getting ready to fall off a cliff or not might not exist.

There are clearly some things I wouldn't reveal on a message board- certainly anything I was told was confidential. But, really I wasn't given anything of substance. Also I tend to feel like the handful of folks on this board are part of the Trojan "family". They are dying for info and, like PTJR said, we don't get very much of it. Like RBL mentioned, a previous coach said "don't put this on a message board" and of course I didn't.

(10-23-2021 08:44 AM)mjs Wrote:  

(10-23-2021 03:01 AM)RT98 Wrote:  

(10-21-2021 07:33 PM)mjs Wrote:  Looks like the realignment decisions involving the Sun Belt will be happening sooner than later. If the Sun Belt only expands by 2 teams, is there a chance they would be okay with keeping UTA and LR? I think it's possible, but from what I've heard it doesn't seem too likely. As fans, I think we would like to go to the MoValley, but I really have no idea how our basketball budget compares to teams in that league. It's not something I think about, but obviously will be crucial to our administration as well as the folks that run the Valley. I would think that the Summit and Atlantic Sun would be happy to have us, but who knows if they are looking to add teams at this point in time. It is a shame that the Ohio Valley has fallen apart- Austin Peay and Belmont are already gone, and Murray State looks on its way out. Although we would still fit geographically, those are the 3 teams I would have been most excited about being in a conference with. Southland is also falling apart and really isn't very attractive to me. As I mentioned before, if CUSA is further decimated (they have lost 6 teams and it is possible they will lose Marshal, ODU, and USM to the Sun Belt) it is certainly possible they would be open to taking a non-football member to balance things out. Certainly looks to be an interesting time for our program.

I wonder if there are any money folks in Little Rock who would step up to get us in the Valley. While it is no longer the juggernaut it once was, it is still one of the most solid midmajor conferences for men's basketball. Maybe there are some folks who would see this as a major addition to our city. One can always hope.

Yeah I am really wondering what will happen to us. We don't have as many options as you guys do. I just hope we don't end up as independents, that would be a slow death for us. I was hoping we could go in as a package deal with ya'll, but that does not seem likely.

I was hoping we could go as a "package deal" as well. However, I spoke to a LR administrator this week who stated that UTA and LR have "different goals". Really no idea what he meant. At the time, he said he was surprised by this so I got the impression that he was implying that UTA cares less about getting in a strong basketball league. Maybe he meant that UTA is looking at starting football. So who knows, but I did get the impression we are likely to go our own ways. That's to bad because I think we have quite a bit in common.

unfortunately that does not surprise me because our administration has proven time and time again that they don't care about athletics. Ya'll will probably wind up in the MVC ( I think you would be a great fit in a strong BB conf), I really don't know who will take us. WAC and Southland are looking for football schools.

I feel really bad for you guys. You have been in the SBC for 30 yrs, you basically helped save the SBC , and now they are "politely" showing you the door. We are also being shown the door, but we have only been in the league 7 yrs.

(10-23-2021 09:12 PM)RT98 Wrote:  I feel really bad for you guys. You have been in the SBC for 30 yrs, you basically helped save the SBC , and now they are "politely" showing you the door. We are also being shown the door, but we have only been in the league 7 yrs.

All this talk about being forced out. Ha. Will believe it when I see it or hear something authoritative. It's all sports board chatter from what I have seen. Now, maybe we WANT to leave or will want to. Looking at options (as UTA is) does not mean that staying in the Sun Belt isn't the best option for now (everything is so fluid right now).

They would have to actually VOTE us out. And we sure as hell would not be paying exit fees. I think chances are we can stay as long as we want to.

(10-23-2021 10:14 PM)UTArlingtonMaverick Wrote:  

(10-23-2021 09:12 PM)RT98 Wrote:  I feel really bad for you guys. You have been in the SBC for 30 yrs, you basically helped save the SBC , and now they are "politely" showing you the door. We are also being shown the door, but we have only been in the league 7 yrs.

All this talk about being forced out. Ha. Will believe it when I see it or hear something authoritative. It's all sports board chatter from what I have seen. Now, maybe we WANT to leave or will want to. Looking at options (as UTA is) does not mean that staying in the Sun Belt isn't the best option for now (everything is so fluid right now).

They would have to actually VOTE us out. And we sure as hell would not be paying exit fees. I think chances are we can stay as long as we want to.

I would love to believe you are right. Especially after 30 years as an SBC member. But I don’t think there is a lot of honor when it comes to this stuff.

(10-23-2021 11:01 PM)PTJR Wrote:  

(10-23-2021 10:14 PM)UTArlingtonMaverick Wrote:  

(10-23-2021 09:12 PM)RT98 Wrote:  I feel really bad for you guys. You have been in the SBC for 30 yrs, you basically helped save the SBC , and now they are "politely" showing you the door. We are also being shown the door, but we have only been in the league 7 yrs.

All this talk about being forced out. Ha. Will believe it when I see it or hear something authoritative. It's all sports board chatter from what I have seen. Now, maybe we WANT to leave or will want to. Looking at options (as UTA is) does not mean that staying in the Sun Belt isn't the best option for now (everything is so fluid right now).

They would have to actually VOTE us out. And we sure as hell would not be paying exit fees. I think chances are we can stay as long as we want to.

I would love to believe you are right. Especially after 30 years as an SBC member. But I don’t think there is a lot of honor when it comes to this stuff.

They would definitely have the votes especially from the new schools when they come in. They really are a football conference

(10-23-2021 11:44 PM)RT98 Wrote:  

(10-23-2021 11:01 PM)PTJR Wrote:  

(10-23-2021 10:14 PM)UTArlingtonMaverick Wrote:  

(10-23-2021 09:12 PM)RT98 Wrote:  I feel really bad for you guys. You have been in the SBC for 30 yrs, you basically helped save the SBC , and now they are "politely" showing you the door. We are also being shown the door, but we have only been in the league 7 yrs.

All this talk about being forced out. Ha. Will believe it when I see it or hear something authoritative. It's all sports board chatter from what I have seen. Now, maybe we WANT to leave or will want to. Looking at options (as UTA is) does not mean that staying in the Sun Belt isn't the best option for now (everything is so fluid right now).

They would have to actually VOTE us out. And we sure as hell would not be paying exit fees. I think chances are we can stay as long as we want to.

I would love to believe you are right. Especially after 30 years as an SBC member. But I don’t think there is a lot of honor when it comes to this stuff.

They would definitely have the votes especially from the new schools when they come in. They really are a football conference

It it comes down to presidents. hard to predict. Actually voting a university out is a nasty, drastic thing. Not often done. Some presidents like our institutional profile, location, easy airport access. There are not too many R-1 and Texas Tier One universities in the Sunbelt. Texas State, for one, likes having us. (see the big promos when we play basketball down there and vice versa).

All I am saying is that I don't feel like it's a foregone conclusion. (Then again, maybe, in the end, we would not be so unhappy with being voted out and moving on to something more compatible or geographically favorable - without exit fees.)

(10-24-2021 09:39 AM)UTArlingtonMaverick Wrote:  

(10-23-2021 11:44 PM)RT98 Wrote:  

(10-23-2021 11:01 PM)PTJR Wrote:  

(10-23-2021 10:14 PM)UTArlingtonMaverick Wrote:  

(10-23-2021 09:12 PM)RT98 Wrote:  I feel really bad for you guys. You have been in the SBC for 30 yrs, you basically helped save the SBC , and now they are "politely" showing you the door. We are also being shown the door, but we have only been in the league 7 yrs.

All this talk about being forced out. Ha. Will believe it when I see it or hear something authoritative. It's all sports board chatter from what I have seen. Now, maybe we WANT to leave or will want to. Looking at options (as UTA is) does not mean that staying in the Sun Belt isn't the best option for now (everything is so fluid right now).

They would have to actually VOTE us out. And we sure as hell would not be paying exit fees. I think chances are we can stay as long as we want to.

I would love to believe you are right. Especially after 30 years as an SBC member. But I don’t think there is a lot of honor when it comes to this stuff.

They would definitely have the votes especially from the new schools when they come in. They really are a football conference

It it comes down to presidents. hard to predict. Actually voting a university out is a nasty, drastic thing. Not often done. Some presidents like our institutional profile, location, easy airport access. There are not too many R-1 and Texas Tier One universities in the Sunbelt. Texas State, for one, likes having us. (see the big promos when we play basketball down there and vice versa).

All I am saying is that I don't feel like it's a foregone conclusion. (Then again, maybe, in the end, we would not be so unhappy with being voted out and moving on to something more compatible or geographically favorable - without exit fees.)

I would have agreed a few weeks ago, but now it seems to be a done deal that the Sun Belt will move on without us. Like you noted, you provide a travel partner for Texas State as we do to Arkansas State. I'm not sure how keeping us hurts the league. Maybe its simply comes down to the fact that 16 teams is a lot for a one-bid basketball league. I do think the league won't be "nasty", in that the will give us time to find another home if we need it.