(10-29-2021 09:53 PM)Troy_Fan_15 Wrote:  

(10-29-2021 09:36 PM)CardinalBlackTrojan Wrote:  

(10-29-2021 08:52 PM)HerdZoned Wrote:  At one time I didn't think there was a more delusional fan base than WVU. Then realignment happened in 2003 and Marshall found itself in CUSA. Two half weeks after that TCU left CUSA and they were looking for someone to replace them. A lot of new faces on the board then pimping their school. But something about the LA Tech pimping just rubbed me the wrong way. They thought their self worth was a lot more than the value they bring.

Ruston roughly has 22K population with aprox 12.4K enrolled at LA Tech. Take away the Tech enrollment that leaves 9.6K. Even if LA Tech wanted to claim Shreveport in the Ruston DMA (They aren't Ruston to Shreveport is 69 miles, Charleston WV to Huntington WV is closer at 43 miles) that still only adds 192K.

That's like Troy trying to claim the Montgomery MSA area at 45 miles away. Tons of Troy alumni there, and it's a straight shot to Montgomery.... but we certainly don't claim it.

Or Dothan. Maybe that’s what we should start doing. Claiming Montgomery, Dothan, and all cities in between.

I'm pretty sure Troy does...

This Spring I expect some serious announcements from Monroe's new mayor, Friday Ellis, and ULM on some joint ventures that will have Monroe investing heavily in ULM. I don't have any evidence of that happening though; just a feeling I have. Might even include West Monroe and try to lure them back from latech.

If there are out of division rivalries you want to protect in seasons you wouldn’t play each other (assuming the league will eventually work up a rotation schedule), then do what the ACC does…schedule them as an out of conference game. You play because your fans want it and the games sell tickets but the result wouldn’t count against your conference record.

I think it was Wake Forest and Duke maybe. Both in the ACC but wouldn’t play each other because they’re in different divisions. So they agreed to play as a non con game.

Obviously they did it because the campuses are so close together and it made no sense for them not to play and with the SB we’re talking about 1,000 mile distances between, but it’s an option.

(10-30-2021 10:02 AM)APPdiesel Wrote:  If there are out of division rivalries you want to protect in seasons you wouldn’t play each other (assuming the league will eventually work up a rotation schedule), then do what the ACC does…schedule them as an out of conference game. You play because your fans want it and the games sell tickets but the result wouldn’t count against your conference record.

I think it was Wake Forest and Duke maybe. Both in the ACC but wouldn’t play each other because they’re in different divisions. So they agreed to play as a non con game.

Obviously they did it because the campuses are so close together and it made no sense for them not to play and with the SB we’re talking about 1,000 mile distances between, but it’s an option.

Troy is close enough to GAST and GASO to do that but most likely won’t. I mean GASO travels to Troy well but I don’t think there is enough history to make that happen.

(10-29-2021 09:50 PM)GSUALUM17 Wrote:  only if La Tech accepted Benson's extended hand back in 2013.

That never happened. Tech called and pretty much got a "NEVER AGAIN!" response. If there was an extended hand, it was closed with the exception of the middle finger.

(10-30-2021 01:21 PM)airtroop Wrote:  

(10-29-2021 09:50 PM)GSUALUM17 Wrote:  only if La Tech accepted Benson's extended hand back in 2013.

That never happened. Tech called and pretty much got a "NEVER AGAIN!" response. If there was an extended hand, it was closed with the exception of the middle finger.

according to Benson on the Funbelt podcast, apparently he did offer back then... but LA Tech admins refused because "political reasons." of course, I don't have direct knowledge about this, so maybe some insiders from old SBC West schools can elaborate.

(10-29-2021 08:26 PM)AppManDG Wrote:  It's my understanding LA Tech made a furious last ditch effort to get into the SB. Louisiana & ULM didn't just close the door on that idea, they slammed it shut!

Here’s the story I got from key people at two Universities:

Sun Belt East schools wanted schools from the East. Troy wanted schools from the East so they could move West and build rivalries with USA and USM. ULM and UL were pushing for Tech to get an invite. With the Eastern schools and Troy referring additions in the East, Tech didn’t have the votes. ULM and UL backed the majority to make it a unanimous vote.

That’s the story. It had nothing to do with sticking it to Tech. It was about schools looking out for their best interests and the conference teams supporting each other

It makes sense Troy would be the swing vote.

We have a good relationship with USA.
I was at Ladd Pebbles in 2018.

Have another series coming up.
Excited for the new stadium.

I think La Tech has a good chance to replace Memphis in the AAC if the Tigers do get invited to the Big XII. Same with UTEP potentially replacing Boise State in the MWC if the Broncos go to the Big XII.

(10-30-2021 10:05 AM)Troy_Fan_15 Wrote:  

(10-30-2021 10:02 AM)APPdiesel Wrote:  If there are out of division rivalries you want to protect in seasons you wouldn’t play each other (assuming the league will eventually work up a rotation schedule), then do what the ACC does…schedule them as an out of conference game. You play because your fans want it and the games sell tickets but the result wouldn’t count against your conference record.

I think it was Wake Forest and Duke maybe. Both in the ACC but wouldn’t play each other because they’re in different divisions. So they agreed to play as a non con game.

Obviously they did it because the campuses are so close together and it made no sense for them not to play and with the SB we’re talking about 1,000 mile distances between, but it’s an option.

Troy is close enough to GAST and GASO to do that but most likely won’t. I mean GASO travels to Troy well but I don’t think there is enough history to make that happen.

Right. It makes sense if you’ve got a heated rivalry you want to maintain or if App, Louisiana, and *Coastal want to maintain some strength of schedule.

*wait, Coastal and strength of schedule don’t belong in the same sentence.

It would make sense for Marshall and USM.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

(10-30-2021 03:48 PM)BeatWestern! Wrote:  I think La Tech has a good chance to replace Memphis in the AAC if the Tigers do get invited to the Big XII. Same with UTEP potentially replacing Boise State in the MWC if the Broncos go to the Big XII.

Nah.

First, let's deal with what happens with the MW if Boise and an AAC school (or 3) go to the Big 12. The MW could take UTEP, NMSU... or, curveball, Texas State. I mean, they do want to get into the state of Texas, specifically in the Central Time Zone and in the state of Texas. It would definitely be one of those three.

Regarding the AAC: if that conference loses either 1 (Memphis alone), or 3 (Memphis, SMU, and USF), then I think the AAC just gonna AAC. They'll go after MaRkEtZ and pOtEnTiAl. They'll get FIU, whether that ends them up at 14 or 12 in total.

If MTSU and WKU end up in the MAC, it is completely possible for La. Tech to be the lone ranger left from C-USA, or just them and poor ol UTEP.

(10-30-2021 02:30 PM)The Roach Wrote:  

(10-29-2021 08:26 PM)AppManDG Wrote:  It's my understanding LA Tech made a furious last ditch effort to get into the SB. Louisiana & ULM didn't just close the door on that idea, they slammed it shut!

Here’s the story I got from key people at two Universities:

Sun Belt East schools wanted schools from the East. Troy wanted schools from the East so they could move West and build rivalries with USA and USM. ULM and UL were pushing for Tech to get an invite. With the Eastern schools and Troy referring additions in the East, Tech didn’t have the votes. ULM and UL backed the majority to make it a unanimous vote.

That’s the story. It had nothing to do with sticking it to Tech. It was about schools looking out for their best interests and the conference teams supporting each other

That sounds completely plausible. I'd be surprised if that is anything but the truth.

The thing that La. Tech doesn't seem to understand, and I don't think this has been discussed enough is that even if ULM, A-State, and Louisiana wanted them in, what is in it for App State to add La. Tech? For Coastal? For Ga. Southern? For Ga. State? For Troy? For Texas State?

Those schools never shared a conference with LT, but their administrators saw the McClelland video, and the silence from LT leadership to refute their AD's declarations. They know the history. They're aware LT refused to play their conference mate ULM in a bowl game. Why would they want to share a conference with a school like that? Especially the schools in the east. They don't need a third school in Louisiana, especially a toxic one. As you said, the east schools wanted more eastern schools.

(10-30-2021 08:38 PM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  

(10-30-2021 02:30 PM)The Roach Wrote:  

(10-29-2021 08:26 PM)AppManDG Wrote:  It's my understanding LA Tech made a furious last ditch effort to get into the SB. Louisiana & ULM didn't just close the door on that idea, they slammed it shut!

Here’s the story I got from key people at two Universities:

Sun Belt East schools wanted schools from the East. Troy wanted schools from the East so they could move West and build rivalries with USA and USM. ULM and UL were pushing for Tech to get an invite. With the Eastern schools and Troy referring additions in the East, Tech didn’t have the votes. ULM and UL backed the majority to make it a unanimous vote.

That’s the story. It had nothing to do with sticking it to Tech. It was about schools looking out for their best interests and the conference teams supporting each other

That sounds completely plausible. I'd be surprised if that is anything but the truth.

The thing that La. Tech doesn't seem to understand, and I don't think this has been discussed enough is that even if ULM, A-State, and Louisiana wanted them in, what is in it for App State to add La. Tech? For Coastal? For Ga. Southern? For Ga. State? For Troy? For Texas State?

Those schools never shared a conference with LT, but their administrators saw the McClelland video, and the silence from LT leadership to refute their AD's declarations. They know the history. They're aware LT refused to play their conference mate ULM in a bowl game. Why would they want to share a conference with a school like that? Especially the schools in the east. They don't need a third school in Louisiana, especially a toxic one. As you said, the east schools wanted more eastern schools.

Even if Troy didn’t want in the West and ULM and Louisiana wanted La Tech, I’m not sure they’d have the votes. There are other administrations that would have reservations about them joining. To borrow a phrase others have made concerning Liberty, it’s different playing them in a game and sharing a conference with them. What could they do to show that now is the time they’d be good partners? If they got their way Sun Belt football wouldn’t even exist.

(10-29-2021 09:53 PM)Troy_Fan_15 Wrote:  

(10-29-2021 09:36 PM)CardinalBlackTrojan Wrote:  

(10-29-2021 08:52 PM)HerdZoned Wrote:  At one time I didn't think there was a more delusional fan base than WVU. Then realignment happened in 2003 and Marshall found itself in CUSA. Two half weeks after that TCU left CUSA and they were looking for someone to replace them. A lot of new faces on the board then pimping their school. But something about the LA Tech pimping just rubbed me the wrong way. They thought their self worth was a lot more than the value they bring.

Ruston roughly has 22K population with aprox 12.4K enrolled at LA Tech. Take away the Tech enrollment that leaves 9.6K. Even if LA Tech wanted to claim Shreveport in the Ruston DMA (They aren't Ruston to Shreveport is 69 miles, Charleston WV to Huntington WV is closer at 43 miles) that still only adds 192K.

That's like Troy trying to claim the Montgomery MSA area at 45 miles away. Tons of Troy alumni there, and it's a straight shot to Montgomery.... but we certainly don't claim it.

Or Dothan. Maybe that’s what we should start doing. Claiming Montgomery, Dothan, and all cities in between.

Yeah, ESPN is really licking their chops thinking about that Ozark market.

I have a feeling that ULM and the cajuns "fought" for tech for appearances only and the fight was not all that hard. Just a way to build a little "good faith" for future schedule purposes maybe or to say, "hey, you're a dick but you are a Louisiana school so we'll throw you some love"

Parts of Jackson County you can see the transmitters for two Jonesboro stations and no where in the county can get Little Rock stations without a ridiculous antenna set up but it’s the LR market. So we will claim both.



Transmitters? Ridiculous antenna? It’s 2021……

(10-30-2021 09:26 PM)WARDAWG93 Wrote:  I have a feeling that ULM and the cajuns "fought" for tech for appearances only and the fight was not all that hard. Just a way to build a little "good faith" for future schedule purposes maybe or to say, "hey, you're a dick but you are a Louisiana school so we'll throw you some love"

I could see it. "Listen guys, my neighbor wants to join our club, but he's a giant *******. I'm gonna nominate him and talk about how nice he is, but if you guys could vote no, I'd really appreciate it."

I think any push back from our admin of adding Tech would be extremely stupid. If there was any school that actually pushed for them im assuming it was us.


Telling them to shove it would cost us so much money. Plus our beef with them is mostly that they won't play us. It's stupid to think it wouldn't be in ULMs best interest to have them in the conference.

Every other West school Tech is diminishing returns however although A State ULL both have some good stuff with them.

(10-30-2021 08:38 PM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  

(10-30-2021 02:30 PM)The Roach Wrote:  

(10-29-2021 08:26 PM)AppManDG Wrote:  It's my understanding LA Tech made a furious last ditch effort to get into the SB. Louisiana & ULM didn't just close the door on that idea, they slammed it shut!

Here’s the story I got from key people at two Universities:

Sun Belt East schools wanted schools from the East. Troy wanted schools from the East so they could move West and build rivalries with USA and USM. ULM and UL were pushing for Tech to get an invite. With the Eastern schools and Troy referring additions in the East, Tech didn’t have the votes. ULM and UL backed the majority to make it a unanimous vote.

That’s the story. It had nothing to do with sticking it to Tech. It was about schools looking out for their best interests and the conference teams supporting each other

That sounds completely plausible. I'd be surprised if that is anything but the truth.

The thing that La. Tech doesn't seem to understand, and I don't think this has been discussed enough is that even if ULM, A-State, and Louisiana wanted them in, what is in it for App State to add La. Tech? For Coastal? For Ga. Southern? For Ga. State? For Troy? For Texas State?

Those schools never shared a conference with LT, but their administrators saw the McClelland video, and the silence from LT leadership to refute their AD's declarations. They know the history. They're aware LT refused to play their conference mate ULM in a bowl game. Why would they want to share a conference with a school like that? Especially the schools in the east. They don't need a third school in Louisiana, especially a toxic one. As you said, the east schools wanted more eastern schools.

I think at that point the negotiation would be 2/2 and each division gets what they want. I'm not sure who the East would have picked between JMU and ODU but if the West schools really wanted Tech I'm sure they could have come to an agreement especially considering Marshall and ODU are pretty dang far away from Louisiana for example.

(10-29-2021 08:52 PM)HerdZoned Wrote:  At one time I didn't think there was a more delusional fan base than WVU. Then realignment happened in 2003 and Marshall found itself in CUSA. Two half weeks after that TCU left CUSA and they were looking for someone to replace them. A lot of new faces on the board then pimping their school. But something about the LA Tech pimping just rubbed me the wrong way. They thought their self worth was a lot more than the value they bring.

Ruston roughly has 22K population with aprox 12.4K enrolled at LA Tech. Take away the Tech enrollment that leaves 9.6K. Even if LA Tech wanted to claim Shreveport in the Ruston DMA (They aren't Ruston to Shreveport is 69 miles, Charleston WV to Huntington WV is closer at 43 miles) that still only adds 192K.

Tech claiming Shreveport isn't all that far-fetched. They're the closest FBS school to the city, and even though they're actually in the Monroe-El Dorado market, Lincoln Parish borders the Shreveport market.