(12-03-2023 08:44 PM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 08:28 PM)58-56 Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 07:56 PM)Turtle Power 98 Wrote:  Aresco should be pointing the blame at himself. He could have taken Liberty in the AAC but opted for Rice, Charlotte, and North Texas. Nothing against those schools but AAC would not be in this position if he had done so. And now CUSA is benefiting.

I'd rather be in a conference with actual universities like Rice, Charlotte and North Texas.

I would rather be in an athletic conference populated by schools excelling in athletics.

Step up.

There is no doubt Liberty would have been a better addition from a performance and potential perspective than at least some of the schools invited. However, it is my understanding the AAC had to accept ESPN's list or legacy AAC members would have lost media money. IMO, it was a short sighted decision depending on the media amount lost.

Winning matters. People like to see winning teams more than losing teams. Winning teams have the opportunity to earn NCAA BB and FB playoff spots. Wining teams (especially OOC) build a brand of a winning conference . In the long run, legacy schools may have netted more money from NCAA BB credits, CFP playoffs payments, better bowls, improved attendance, and increased media viewership by inviting schools more likely to win than those less likely to win.

Liberty's NY6 slot will cost the AAC $4 million in lost revenue. I surmise the CYP amount next year will be greater than $4 million. An AAC school represented the G5 six years straight prior to this season.

(12-03-2023 08:35 PM)Cubanbull1 Wrote:  I think going forward AAC schools need to rethink their OOC. Does it make sense to play Oklahoma, Alabama, Texas if losing to them will hurt your chances at making CFP. Is it better to only play mid level to lower P schools that you can beat and get credit for it?

I agree. IMO, AAC teams have taken the "p6" idea too literally, and aggressively scheduled top-shelf P5 like the ones you mention. But the truth is we aren't good enough and invariably lose all these games. That's why we went 1-20 vs the P5 this year with the only win coming over pathetic Houston.

AAC teams need to have a better sense of who we are, and schedule mid- and lower- level Ps going forward.

(12-03-2023 09:21 PM)UofMemphis Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 09:13 PM)seurat92 Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 07:56 PM)Turtle Power 98 Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 07:17 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

Aresco should be pointing the blame at himself. He could have taken Liberty in the AAC but opted for Rice, Charlotte, and North Texas. Nothing against those schools but AAC would not be in this position if he had done so. And now CUSA is benefiting.

_____________________________________________________________
Unbelievably poignant post coming from this rah-rah site.
The AAC put their nose up in the air at Liberty and shunned JMU too. Could have had both. Imagine that.
Hell....could have had Boise, AFA, Colo St, SDSU too.
COULD'VE HAD ALL OF THEM!
Can't believe the Aresco goosesteppers.

we took the teams ESPN told us to take to keep our contract

... which IMO was a mistake (nod to "Tiger1983" above who said it was short-sighted depending on the media amount lost). TV contracts expire, but conference "mates" are forever, unless your school drops down or gets invited upwards.

I would have preferred that we take a TV haircut from ESPN, even a substantial one, and invite schools with strong football backgrounds rather than take a pile of "market" schools with little of that.

(12-03-2023 07:50 PM)Ourland Wrote:  Good for Mike. Way to poke the committee in the eye. SMU should have been awarded the bid. The ACC will never stand up for SMU like that.

IMO, these statements are just red meat for AAC members. I doubt anyone at the CFP committee has a sore "eye" over this statement, they could probably care less about it.

But it makes AAC members feel good, and we pay his salary.

(12-04-2023 08:52 AM)VA49er Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 08:44 PM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 08:28 PM)58-56 Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 07:56 PM)Turtle Power 98 Wrote:  Aresco should be pointing the blame at himself. He could have taken Liberty in the AAC but opted for Rice, Charlotte, and North Texas. Nothing against those schools but AAC would not be in this position if he had done so. And now CUSA is benefiting.

I'd rather be in a conference with actual universities like Rice, Charlotte and North Texas.

I would rather be in an athletic conference populated by schools excelling in athletics.

Step up.

Although Memphis certainly has room for improvement, it is not Memphis' job to fill the deficiencies of other schools.

If you cannot acknowledge the gap between Memphis and schools like Charlotte concerning performance and other aspects in the sports that matter, then you are lost and beyond the reach of reason and it is pointless to continue an exchange.

(12-03-2023 08:44 PM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 08:28 PM)58-56 Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 07:56 PM)Turtle Power 98 Wrote:  Aresco should be pointing the blame at himself. He could have taken Liberty in the AAC but opted for Rice, Charlotte, and North Texas. Nothing against those schools but AAC would not be in this position if he had done so. And now CUSA is benefiting.

I'd rather be in a conference with actual universities like Rice, Charlotte and North Texas.

I would rather be in an athletic conference populated by schools excelling in athletics.

Yours is a very sad universe, that I do not wish to inhabit.

(12-04-2023 09:14 AM)58-56 Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 08:44 PM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 08:28 PM)58-56 Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 07:56 PM)Turtle Power 98 Wrote:  Aresco should be pointing the blame at himself. He could have taken Liberty in the AAC but opted for Rice, Charlotte, and North Texas. Nothing against those schools but AAC would not be in this position if he had done so. And now CUSA is benefiting.

I'd rather be in a conference with actual universities like Rice, Charlotte and North Texas.

I would rather be in an athletic conference populated by schools excelling in athletics.

Yours is a very sad universe, that I do not wish to inhabit.

Because I want conference mates in an athletic conference who are good at winning games..... SMH.

Do you understand the difference between a league formed for an athletic purpose rather than for academic or political purposes?

We will never retain G5 prominence with such an attitude. SMH

(12-04-2023 09:14 AM)58-56 Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 08:44 PM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 08:28 PM)58-56 Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 07:56 PM)Turtle Power 98 Wrote:  Aresco should be pointing the blame at himself. He could have taken Liberty in the AAC but opted for Rice, Charlotte, and North Texas. Nothing against those schools but AAC would not be in this position if he had done so. And now CUSA is benefiting.

I'd rather be in a conference with actual universities like Rice, Charlotte and North Texas.

I would rather be in an athletic conference populated by schools excelling in athletics.

Yours is a very sad universe, that I do not wish to inhabit.

Yet it's the very world you do inhabit. All of us. If the mouse cared about academics, the game of the week would be Harvard vs Yale every Saturday at noon.

Sure, they want to act like they care, because they're virtue signaling hypocrites. In reality they don't give a flying flip.

(12-04-2023 09:09 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 09:21 PM)UofMemphis Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 09:13 PM)seurat92 Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 07:56 PM)Turtle Power 98 Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 07:17 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

Aresco should be pointing the blame at himself. He could have taken Liberty in the AAC but opted for Rice, Charlotte, and North Texas. Nothing against those schools but AAC would not be in this position if he had done so. And now CUSA is benefiting.

_____________________________________________________________
Unbelievably poignant post coming from this rah-rah site.
The AAC put their nose up in the air at Liberty and shunned JMU too. Could have had both. Imagine that.
Hell....could have had Boise, AFA, Colo St, SDSU too.
COULD'VE HAD ALL OF THEM!
Can't believe the Aresco goosesteppers.

we took the teams ESPN told us to take to keep our contract

... which IMO was a mistake (nod to "Tiger1983" above who said it was short-sighted depending on the media amount lost). TV contracts expire, but conference "mates" are forever, unless your school drops down or gets invited upwards.

I would have preferred that we take a TV haircut from ESPN, even a substantial one, and invite schools with strong football backgrounds rather than take a pile of "market" schools with little of that.

Give the new members a break. None of the legacy schools, except Tulane, did anything special either. The American finally loses the NY6 bowl, and everyone here follows the lead of the Liberty fan who decided to dump on the 'CUSA6,' as you all like to call us.

We were asked to join this conference due to our markets, our academics, and our potential to grow into this new conference. Aresco got it right, and with time you'll see that he got it right.

The American had a 'down' year, legacy schools included. Just look at the rankings for proof. The positive going forward is that we have a realistic chance to win all of our bowl games. That would be quite a statement for a conference in a rebuilding year.

(12-04-2023 09:13 AM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  

(12-04-2023 08:52 AM)VA49er Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 08:44 PM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 08:28 PM)58-56 Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 07:56 PM)Turtle Power 98 Wrote:  Aresco should be pointing the blame at himself. He could have taken Liberty in the AAC but opted for Rice, Charlotte, and North Texas. Nothing against those schools but AAC would not be in this position if he had done so. And now CUSA is benefiting.

I'd rather be in a conference with actual universities like Rice, Charlotte and North Texas.

I would rather be in an athletic conference populated by schools excelling in athletics.

Step up.

Although Memphis certainly has room for improvement, it is not Memphis' job to fill the deficiencies of other schools.

If you cannot acknowledge the gap between Memphis and schools like Charlotte concerning performance and other aspects in the sports that matter, then you are lost and beyond the reach of reason and it is pointless to continue an exchange.

No doubt, but if it's as bad as you say, and it still took Memphis overtime to beat terrible Charlotte, then Memphis needs to step up, don't you think? I mean, Memphis finished 4th in a depleted AAC, below a new member. I get it; however, we all need to step up instead of constantly berating each other.

(12-04-2023 09:05 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 08:35 PM)Cubanbull1 Wrote:  I think going forward AAC schools need to rethink their OOC. Does it make sense to play Oklahoma, Alabama, Texas if losing to them will hurt your chances at making CFP. Is it better to only play mid level to lower P schools that you can beat and get credit for it?

I agree. IMO, AAC teams have taken the "p6" idea too literally, and aggressively scheduled top-shelf P5 like the ones you mention. But the truth is we aren't good enough and invariably lose all these games. That's why we went 1-20 vs the P5 this year with the only win coming over pathetic Houston.

AAC teams need to have a better sense of who we are, and schedule mid- and lower- level Ps going forward.

I agree. What the G5 teams need to realize is that this is not about breaking the glass ceiling like Cincy did or UCF was trying to do regarding the playoffs. Going forward, the G5 teams have a reserved slot in the playoffs. Therefore, they are competing against themselves for the slot. User beware regarding scheduling a very tough OOC.

(12-03-2023 11:44 PM)Memphis Yankee Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 11:21 PM)ghostofclt! Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 08:44 PM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 08:28 PM)58-56 Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 07:56 PM)Turtle Power 98 Wrote:  Aresco should be pointing the blame at himself. He could have taken Liberty in the AAC but opted for Rice, Charlotte, and North Texas. Nothing against those schools but AAC would not be in this position if he had done so. And now CUSA is benefiting.

I'd rather be in a conference with actual universities like Rice, Charlotte and North Texas.

I would rather be in an athletic conference populated by schools excelling in athletics.

clt is still waiting for you to list the memphis championships this season

We owe you Memphis championships Connoisseur? Do you need a chair? Can I make you a sandwich? Backrub perhaps?

Your bad program did nothing worthy to move you up to a better conference. The mouse gifted you for having semi tall buildings (not Chicago tall of course) owned by banks and a bunch of bad BBQ chefs.

Try adding something to a conversation once in a while. Your schtick has grown ever so tiresome.

clt says the memphis fans continue to avoid the question.

(12-04-2023 12:05 AM)ClaudeFunston Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 11:40 PM)Turtle Power 98 Wrote:  How would Liberty ever handle....

#86 Rice
#103 South Florida
#105 Navy
#106 North Texas
#109 FAU
#115 UAB
#118 Tulsa
#120 East Carolina
#127 Charlotte
#130 Temple

The Worst Scandal in Higher Ed belongs to Liberty University

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/10...University

I am not impressed overall with your university. Something tells me you will be on probation at some point soon.

clt says UNC CHeat is ahead of liberty in scandals

(12-04-2023 09:47 AM)VA49er Wrote:  

(12-04-2023 09:13 AM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  

(12-04-2023 08:52 AM)VA49er Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 08:44 PM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 08:28 PM)58-56 Wrote:  I'd rather be in a conference with actual universities like Rice, Charlotte and North Texas.

I would rather be in an athletic conference populated by schools excelling in athletics.

Step up.

Although Memphis certainly has room for improvement, it is not Memphis' job to fill the deficiencies of other schools.

If you cannot acknowledge the gap between Memphis and schools like Charlotte concerning performance and other aspects in the sports that matter, then you are lost and beyond the reach of reason and it is pointless to continue an exchange.

No doubt, but if it's as bad as you say, and it still took Memphis overtime to beat terrible Charlotte, then Memphis needs to step up, don't you think? I mean, Memphis finished 4th in a depleted AAC, below a new member. I get it; however, we all need to step up instead of constantly berating each other.

clt says it is obviously Charlotte's fault that tulane didn't play well after their hc was already out the door. sorry aac, we will do better!

(12-04-2023 12:55 AM)lollaperuna Wrote:  Liberty. Would have finished 5th in the American this year.

Liberty was 2nd nationally in Total Offense Yards Per Game only behind LSU:

2 Liberty 514.9

For comparison's sake:

14 S Methodist 458.4
21 Memphis 443.3



And 5th in PPG...

5 Liberty 40.8

6 S Methodist 38.3
7 Memphis 38.2

In a conference not known for defense, Liberty would've blitzed most of the AAC teams.

Heck, a Liberty-Memphis game might've been the highest scoring game of the year. We wouldn't be able to stop each other.

(12-04-2023 09:55 AM)otown Wrote:  

(12-04-2023 09:05 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 08:35 PM)Cubanbull1 Wrote:  I think going forward AAC schools need to rethink their OOC. Does it make sense to play Oklahoma, Alabama, Texas if losing to them will hurt your chances at making CFP. Is it better to only play mid level to lower P schools that you can beat and get credit for it?

I agree. IMO, AAC teams have taken the "p6" idea too literally, and aggressively scheduled top-shelf P5 like the ones you mention. But the truth is we aren't good enough and invariably lose all these games. That's why we went 1-20 vs the P5 this year with the only win coming over pathetic Houston.

AAC teams need to have a better sense of who we are, and schedule mid- and lower- level Ps going forward.

I agree. What the G5 teams need to realize is that this is not about breaking the glass ceiling like Cincy did or UCF was trying to do regarding the playoffs. Going forward, the G5 teams have a reserved slot in the playoffs. Therefore, they are competing against themselves for the slot. User beware regarding scheduling a very tough OOC.

Rice has typically played tough out-of-conference schedules. This year was really no exception with games against Texas and Houston. There are benefits and negatives that come with it.

Tough OOC schedules are attractive to recruits. They want to play on the big stage, and in Rice's case, showing them a schedule that includes Texas, Houston, LSU, Baylor etcetera, is exciting to them. We usually get a 2-1 deal with Texas and LSU, so they come to Houston and play us at Reliant, which is a recruiting and financial windfall for us. These games also prepare us for our future opponents, as we can't practice against such athleticism. It makes us quicker and tougher.

On the negative side, a small school like Rice is usually on the losing end of the games against big opponents. It never helps our national standing, and destroys any miniscule chance that we may have at the playoff. Tough nonconference games can also lead to an inordinate amount of injuries, as the opponent's more physical players are pushing you around and physically whipping you. These injuries affect the rest of the season.

So, there are arguments to be made both for and against challenging nonconference schedules, but I tend to believe that you can't beat the big boys if you don't play them. We want a regular shot at Texas, LSU, and other big schools.

(12-04-2023 10:52 AM)Ourland Wrote:  

(12-04-2023 09:55 AM)otown Wrote:  

(12-04-2023 09:05 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 08:35 PM)Cubanbull1 Wrote:  I think going forward AAC schools need to rethink their OOC. Does it make sense to play Oklahoma, Alabama, Texas if losing to them will hurt your chances at making CFP. Is it better to only play mid level to lower P schools that you can beat and get credit for it?

I agree. IMO, AAC teams have taken the "p6" idea too literally, and aggressively scheduled top-shelf P5 like the ones you mention. But the truth is we aren't good enough and invariably lose all these games. That's why we went 1-20 vs the P5 this year with the only win coming over pathetic Houston.

AAC teams need to have a better sense of who we are, and schedule mid- and lower- level Ps going forward.

I agree. What the G5 teams need to realize is that this is not about breaking the glass ceiling like Cincy did or UCF was trying to do regarding the playoffs. Going forward, the G5 teams have a reserved slot in the playoffs. Therefore, they are competing against themselves for the slot. User beware regarding scheduling a very tough OOC.

Rice has typically played tough out-of-conference schedules. This year was really no exception with games against Texas and Houston. There are benefits and negatives that come with it.

Tough OOC schedules are attractive to recruits. They want to play on the big stage, and in Rice's case, showing them a schedule that includes Texas, Houston, LSU, Baylor etcetera, is exciting to them. We usually get a 2-1 deal with Texas and LSU, so they come to Houston and play us at Reliant, which is a recruiting and financial windfall for us. These games also prepare us for our future opponents, as we can't practice against such athleticism. It makes us quicker and tougher.

On the negative side, a small school like Rice is usually on the losing end of the games against big opponents. It never helps our national standing, and destroys any miniscule chance that we may have at the playoff. Tough nonconference games can also lead to an inordinate amount of injuries, as the opponent's more physical players are pushing you around and physically whipping you. These injuries affect the rest of the season.

So, there are arguments to be made both for and against challenging nonconference schedules, but I tend to believe that you can't beat the big boys if you don't play them. We want a regular shot at Texas, LSU, and other big schools.

Playing at Reliant is not a 2-1 deal. That is 2-0-1 (neutral site). I would differ in your take. Playing in the playoffs, beats out playing early in the season to a team like Texas and losing. Lets say you go undefeated in conference play, but have 1 or 2 losses against a high profile OOC team. All you got out of it was giving the committee an excuse to keep you out. However, going undefeated in conference play and beating some cupcakes in OOC..... you are most likely in the playoffs.

(12-04-2023 10:52 AM)Ourland Wrote:  

(12-04-2023 09:55 AM)otown Wrote:  

(12-04-2023 09:05 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 08:35 PM)Cubanbull1 Wrote:  I think going forward AAC schools need to rethink their OOC. Does it make sense to play Oklahoma, Alabama, Texas if losing to them will hurt your chances at making CFP. Is it better to only play mid level to lower P schools that you can beat and get credit for it?

I agree. IMO, AAC teams have taken the "p6" idea too literally, and aggressively scheduled top-shelf P5 like the ones you mention. But the truth is we aren't good enough and invariably lose all these games. That's why we went 1-20 vs the P5 this year with the only win coming over pathetic Houston.

AAC teams need to have a better sense of who we are, and schedule mid- and lower- level Ps going forward.

I agree. What the G5 teams need to realize is that this is not about breaking the glass ceiling like Cincy did or UCF was trying to do regarding the playoffs. Going forward, the G5 teams have a reserved slot in the playoffs. Therefore, they are competing against themselves for the slot. User beware regarding scheduling a very tough OOC.

Rice has typically played tough out-of-conference schedules. This year was really no exception with games against Texas and Houston. There are benefits and negatives that come with it.

Tough OOC schedules are attractive to recruits. They want to play on the big stage, and in Rice's case, showing them a schedule that includes Texas, Houston, LSU, Baylor etcetera, is exciting to them. We usually get a 2-1 deal with Texas and LSU, so they come to Houston and play us at Reliant, which is a recruiting and financial windfall for us. These games also prepare us for our future opponents, as we can't practice against such athleticism. It makes us quicker and tougher.

On the negative side, a small school like Rice is usually on the losing end of the games against big opponents. It never helps our national standing, and destroys any miniscule chance that we may have at the playoff. Tough nonconference games can also lead to an inordinate amount of injuries, as the opponent's more physical players are pushing you around and physically whipping you. These injuries affect the rest of the season.

So, there are arguments to be made both for and against challenging nonconference schedules, but I tend to believe that you can't beat the big boys if you don't play them. We want a regular shot at Texas, LSU, and other big schools.

IMO, Rice is not like the other CUSA6 callups. Rice is an elite academic school, and Rice also has a long athletic history. I've been watching football for 50 years and have been aware of Rice for just about all of them. Schools like UNT, Charlotte, UTSA, FAU, UAB, nobody ever heard of them.

FWIW, I am glad we added Rice. They are the one school of the CUSA6 I would have invited had I been the commissioner. And IMO it makes perfect sense that Rice schedules power programs especially in Texas.

IIRC, Rice has played Texas over 100 times, Texas AM over 80 times. Those are long venerable relationships, very unlike the rest of the CUSA6, which are really young-striver programs that don't have that pedigree. I think UNT has played Texas and TAMU a total of 10 times. Totally different, IMO.

So ... keep playing those schools. You have my permission, LOL.

Man, UCF, Cinci and Houston aren't even gone a year and you let Liberty get the NY6 spot? SMH.


On a more serious note, I don't think Liberty getting this spot is indicative of any larger signs of the AAC. Overnight, the Strength of Schedule and Prestige of the conference took a hit, and it was going to be an uphill battle no matter what for the incoming 6 to replace the outgoing 3.

Said differently, Liberty nearly missed out on the bid due to just how poor their Strength of Schedule is, but Tulane / SMU / Memphis did not overachieve enough to overcome the only undefeated "G5" team. I think just one more win instead of loss would have made the choice easier for the committee.

At the end of the day though, be proud you don't have to share a conference with that mockery of a university. Next year starts the race for the Playoff spot.