(11-30-2012 12:27 PM)ecumbh1999 Wrote:  

(11-30-2012 09:53 AM)mwp1023 Wrote:  2-1 or 3-1 would be ok by me. No need to have 1-1's with CUSA teams except for USM and Tulsa.

Okay, put the pipe down. You sound like a NCSU fan right now. We moved to a better paying confrence, not the SEC. We are ECU, not State or Bama, stop acting like them.

LOL. There's always "one" in the bunch. Marshall, USM, Tulsa have my utmost respect as programs. To demand a 2-1 or 3-1 from Marshall (much less the other two) might as well trigger the ECU Admin to take down the Marshall Memorial at the stadium. The friendship would be over. I, for one, would like to see the friendship continue.

(11-30-2012 12:14 PM)MTowho Wrote:  I'm pumped to get up to Marshall and visit the fine establishment where the story was born. Easily the funniest message board thread in the history of the universe.

Haha the Crowbar is a dive, man.

Most of the people who want us to go back to the MAC are the casual moron fans that also think Bob Pruett should be rehired. The trips to Oxford, Toledo, and Athens were great and can still be done without having to rejoin that conference. As for people not wanting to watch us play the move ups, I'm here to watch Marshall football no matter who we play.

Besides, trips to Boca, Miami, Murfreesboro (which is like next to Nashville I think), and Charlotte > trips to bumf**k, OH (Bowling Green, OH, Muncie, IN.)

(11-29-2012 11:05 PM)KevMo4UAB Wrote:  

(11-29-2012 10:59 PM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  I certainly hope there is some effort to keep the ECU-Marshall series going. Way too much bond and history there to not have it continue at least semi regularly.

It's like breaking up a relationship. It's over. There's no going back.

No going back to Legion field? Darn it!

I never thought I'd see Legion Field outlive the ECU-UAB series. Long live the king!

(11-30-2012 08:05 AM)Tallgrass Wrote:  This very fine analysis also applies to CUSA/West which is a tight geography of like-minded schools. The distances are relatively short, this is the area recruited, and this is where our alumni live. It is also a tight geography for the tv market.

Yes. I think most NT fans aren't too worried about what happens in conference realignment because CUSA West is such a good fit. There are also good replacement teams in the area if anyone leaves.

While I would not like UTEP or Tulsa leaving, if they did then CUSA just raids the SBC again and gets Texas St., or Arkansas St., or maybe the Ragin Cajuns.

Though, for instance, I would hate to not have all those DFW UTEP alums show up at Apogee the main thing is fans will get to travel to games, and work with people who went to those schools, that is what builds rivalries.

(11-30-2012 09:53 AM)mwp1023 Wrote:  2-1 or 3-1 would be ok by me. No need to have 1-1's with CUSA teams except for USM and Tulsa.

Funny stuff. More like 2-1 the other way since the recruits you want, and we are starting to get, will be in the stands in Norfolk, not Greenville.

(11-30-2012 12:18 PM)goldenhurricane2 Wrote:  

(11-30-2012 12:07 PM)SMUmustangs Wrote:  Excellent post Tallgrass.....I know some TU fans think they would like the MWC better, but I do not think the TU administration will fall into that trap again. The CUSA West Region is a perfect fit for Tulsa and I think that is exactly what the TU administration has pushed for the last few years.

Honest question... how would you feel right now if Tulsa and Houston had left the conference and you were left here with an uncertain future? Put yourself in our shoes.

Being from Tulsa, I understand your frustrtation. However, I think TU is better off staying with schools in their region than going to the far West again... They tried that once and it did not work so good.

TU would really be isolated if they were in the MWC. At least in the WAC they had Houston, Rice and SMU close by.

I think UNT with their new stadium will be a good mate, USTA is going to be a force to be reckoned with, LA Tech is doing really well. You still have Rice and UTEP. That is not a bad group of close schools. If So. Miss is moved to the West region that is a very good group.

(11-30-2012 03:20 PM)EverRespect Wrote:  

(11-30-2012 09:53 AM)mwp1023 Wrote:  2-1 or 3-1 would be ok by me. No need to have 1-1's with CUSA teams except for USM and Tulsa.

Funny stuff. More like 2-1 the other way since the recruits you want, and we are starting to get, will be in the stands in Norfolk, not Greenville.

Probably my biggest regret about not being in C-USA in the future is what I believe would have developed quickly with ODU. I'm really excited to open the season with you guys next year. I have a feeling that whether we are in a league together or not you'll be a pretty regular opponent on our schedule.

(11-30-2012 08:05 AM)Tallgrass Wrote:  This very fine analysis also applies to CUSA/West which is a tight geography of like-minded schools. The distances are relatively short, this is the area recruited, and this is where our alumni live. It is also a tight geography for the tv market.

Has anyone looked at the records of NM, Wy, and CSU? I don't think they have more than 4 or 5 wins...and, this, is not an aberation but their history. Oklahoma, a relatively small state of less than 4 million people, produces more IA football players that the states of NM, Colorado, Wy, and Nevada combined. There is a reason their football sucks.

TU beat Fresno in the LIberty Bowl; beat the MWC Co-Champs again this season. Walloped NM last time they played. Has NM and CSU on the upcoming nonconference schedule. WHy in the hell would one ditch CUSA/WEST for this mish mash of irrelevant football teams in a nonexistant tv market, palyed away from our alumni, and played where there is absolutely no hope to entice football recruits?

What would a school like Tulsa do if it found itself, unfortunately, in MWC? Probably turn around on DAY 1 and start scheduling as many Texas schools as possible for nonconference games for what reason? You guess it! There is where the alumni live, there is where we recruit, there is where the tv exposure is. Wyoming has less than 1/2 million people; NM folks wait for bb season...but bb doesn't drive the bus.

I look forward to playing UNT in Dalls-Ft. Worth Metro, and maybe the Dallas Kickoff classic too. I look forward to playing Rice in Houston, and UTSA in San Antonio, now a must trip with the River Walk. And UTEP has always been there for some time, a traveler of the road.

There seem to be some Tulsa fans that want to emulate the human drive that is within all of us, unfortunately, to "put down" someone by dissing them. It is an unfortunate disease that plagues mankind. But the best interest of all current CUSA schools is to make this conference work; it is our best option. And it is an excellent option.

The Nbe invitees will have substantial traveling expenses in playing their nonconference games. My guess they will try to save travel costs and schedule close-by teams. In other words, like Tulsa playing NM and CSU, my guess is that many of the old and new CUSA schools will end up playing the Nbe invitees in nonconference games. To a certain extent, they already do.

Very good post, Tallgrass. Those of us in the central time zone that have been members of the WAC know all to well how difficult it is to keep a fan base interested in a program when the local newspapers won't even have your game scores listed the next morning.

(11-30-2012 10:06 AM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  

(11-30-2012 09:53 AM)mwp1023 Wrote:  2-1 or 3-1 would be ok by me. No need to have 1-1's with CUSA teams except for USM and Tulsa.

Oh good grief shut it. We don't have the clout to demand 2-1's with anyone, much less Marshall.

Exactly...The things I have heard from some fellow ECU fans this past week after the Big East invite are just silly and asinine. Some act like we joined the Big East of the mid-90's. All we have done in joining the Big East is just get back to where we were in the early 2000's.....While it has been a short term gain in the big picture it is just getting us back to where we were prior to the 1st raid of CUSA.

With that said I think Marshall and USM should be on our OOC schedule, play Marshall even years and USM odd years. It will be very weird to not see USM on our schedule every year, I am really going to miss that game. If we can only keep one of them on a regular schedule basis I would go with Marshall because it is a fairly easy drive for each fan base and Marshall brings more fans.

(11-30-2012 03:20 PM)EverRespect Wrote:  

(11-30-2012 09:53 AM)mwp1023 Wrote:  2-1 or 3-1 would be ok by me. No need to have 1-1's with CUSA teams except for USM and Tulsa.

Funny stuff. More like 2-1 the other way since the recruits you want, and we are starting to get, will be in the stands in Norfolk, not Greenville.

Laughable...We have not recruited the Tidewater heavily in years. Just too hard to pull the quality recruits out of that area as Va Tech and UVA have pretty much put a lock down on that area. The ones left over are pretty much the same level we can find in Eastern NC.

Heck, there may even be more talent available in Eastern NC because many of these players get overlooked and are not scouted very much as there are tons of tiny little high schools in the eastern part of the state that have some talented athletes. Our best player is a prime example of the type of kids I am talking about. Justin Hardy went to High School 20 minutes down the road from ECU and he fell through the cracks, not even a single FBS or FCS offer. Hell, our old staff at ECU did not even give him a chance. When Ruff and staff got to town they needed some more receivers so they started looking around...Coach Kirkpatrick who was on Holtz staff but stuck around when Coach Ruff remembered Hardy and showed the film to the new staff and they immediately tracked him down and got him to come to ECU.

Our new staff has said over and over that there are several kids each year in Eastern NC who do not get any offers that if they played in Texas and were scouted they would have multiple big time offers. Riley said that if Hardy had played High School ball in Texas he probably would have had an offer from every school in the state and all the Big 12 schools....He said he was absolutely floored that Hardy had no offers.

(11-30-2012 06:39 PM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  

(11-30-2012 03:20 PM)EverRespect Wrote:  

(11-30-2012 09:53 AM)mwp1023 Wrote:  2-1 or 3-1 would be ok by me. No need to have 1-1's with CUSA teams except for USM and Tulsa.

Funny stuff. More like 2-1 the other way since the recruits you want, and we are starting to get, will be in the stands in Norfolk, not Greenville.

Probably my biggest regret about not being in C-USA in the future is what I believe would have developed quickly with ODU. I'm really excited to open the season with you guys next year. I have a feeling that whether we are in a league together or not you'll be a pretty regular opponent on our schedule.

I have no doubt you will get the better of us next year. My point was that ECU is not going to be requiring a 2-1 or 3-1 because it is in your best interest to play in Norfolk.

(11-30-2012 09:53 AM)mwp1023 Wrote:  2-1 or 3-1 would be ok by me. No need to have 1-1's with CUSA teams except for USM and Tulsa.

Sure, we can get 1-1s somewhere else. You aren't in the BE with Miami, the Who, VA Tech et al. ECU will not be able to demand a 2-1 with anyone.

As fragmented as the Tulsa administration has been recently. I would be surprised if the AD had talked to anyone about much of anything. It looks to me like Tulsa will not be going anywhere in the near future. That's sad, and no Tulsa will not be better off with situation as has developed.

(11-30-2012 10:19 PM)EverRespect Wrote:  

(11-30-2012 06:39 PM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  

(11-30-2012 03:20 PM)EverRespect Wrote:  

(11-30-2012 09:53 AM)mwp1023 Wrote:  2-1 or 3-1 would be ok by me. No need to have 1-1's with CUSA teams except for USM and Tulsa.

Funny stuff. More like 2-1 the other way since the recruits you want, and we are starting to get, will be in the stands in Norfolk, not Greenville.

Probably my biggest regret about not being in C-USA in the future is what I believe would have developed quickly with ODU. I'm really excited to open the season with you guys next year. I have a feeling that whether we are in a league together or not you'll be a pretty regular opponent on our schedule.

I have no doubt you will get the better of us next year. My point was that ECU is not going to be requiring a 2-1 or 3-1 because it is in your best interest to play in Norfolk.

Gee golly mista! I suuuuure do appreciate you allowing us in your stadium. Weeze would be just as happy wit a 4-1 or 5-1 with you football masters. I thank ya for remem'brin us lil old ECU.

(11-30-2012 10:19 PM)EverRespect Wrote:  

(11-30-2012 06:39 PM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  

(11-30-2012 03:20 PM)EverRespect Wrote:  

(11-30-2012 09:53 AM)mwp1023 Wrote:  2-1 or 3-1 would be ok by me. No need to have 1-1's with CUSA teams except for USM and Tulsa.

Funny stuff. More like 2-1 the other way since the recruits you want, and we are starting to get, will be in the stands in Norfolk, not Greenville.

Probably my biggest regret about not being in C-USA in the future is what I believe would have developed quickly with ODU. I'm really excited to open the season with you guys next year. I have a feeling that whether we are in a league together or not you'll be a pretty regular opponent on our schedule.

I have no doubt you will get the better of us next year. My point was that ECU is not going to be requiring a 2-1 or 3-1 because it is in your best interest to play in Norfolk.

I agree as soon as you guys get your stadium expanded and officially move up to FBS I expect us to sign an extended home and home series with you guys. It's still going to be a good series with a lot of passion and of course sellout crowds.

Most of the people who want us to go back to the MAC are the casual moron fans that also think Bob Pruett should be rehired. The trips to Oxford, Toledo, and Athens were great and can still be done without having to rejoin that conference. As for people not wanting to watch us play the move ups, I'm here to watch Marshall football no matter who we play.

Besides, trips to Boca, Miami, Murfreesboro (which is like next to Nashville I think), and Charlotte > trips to bumf**k, OH (Bowling Green, OH, Muncie, IN.)
Exactly this

(11-30-2012 10:36 AM)FlyHawk98 Wrote:  If Marshall went back to the God awful frozen tundra we call the Mac....id never go to another game. Some of you are straight ridiculous. The teams who just started football are already on the same level as most of the Mac teams who have played for years.... kind of a no brained.

The thought of going back to the mac is a terrible option and I can only hope that NEVER happens.

(11-30-2012 11:50 AM)EagNBran Wrote:  I'm sorry, but I don't like a conference office who ignores their founding members to appease some whiners who could have, and possibly should have, stayed in the MAC. I'd tell them to get over it and be lucky they're here.

Indeed.
Last spring's round of expansion created significant political rancor in C-USA.

(11-29-2012 10:25 PM)MUHERD76 Wrote:  ....On losing ECU...hated to lose ECU but Marshall will continue to have relations with ECU and hopefully will continue to schedule football and basketball games in the future. Sad to see ECU leave but we wish them nothing but the best.

Some info here of note...

"The Pirates, headed to the Big East for football only, are a significant loss to the Marshall faithful, since both teams see themselves as rivals-of-sorts dating to two monumental moments in Herd football history - the last game before a 1970 tragic plane crash that took 75 lives, and an astounding 2001 GMAC Bowl.

OK, so our athletic director, Mike Hamrick, gets together with his buddy, ECU AD Terry Holland, and they create a non-conference home-and-home contract of considerable length, as the Pirates recently did over eight years (2013-20) with Virginia Tech.

That aids the Herd on the non-league side at a time when scheduling has a degree of difficulty it didn't previously. It's a quality date against an opponent in a game that moves fans of both schools to travel to road games, too.

And filling ECU into blanks on non-league schedules that already include Purdue (return game here in 2015), Ohio U., Miami (Ohio), Akron, Navy and Western Kentucky would be attractive to Herd fans."

He talks about a long term OOC series with ECU and apparently a series with Western Kentucky. I don't remember seeing anything about a series with WKU.

Also its interesting that he doesn't list Louisville's return game scheduled at the Joan for the 2014 season.

A lot of info in those few paragraphs.

Jack Bogaczyk column at HerdZone.com