(09-14-2021 09:53 PM)HogDawg Wrote:  

(09-14-2021 09:47 PM)CoachMaclid Wrote:  

(09-14-2021 08:42 PM)dawgonit Wrote:  Did Marshall fans feel this way about Texas teams in CUSA 2.0?

No, games against 2.0 Texas schools would find their way onto ESPN or a Fox network, and Houston would be ranked here and there with QB's like Case Keenam, so they were worth the hassle.

Serious question: So, why was Marshall left behind? I mean, Houston has jumped two conferences now, all the way to the Big XII. TCU did the same earlier.

The only commonality between Houston and Huntington is the letter "H".

Let's be honest, what is the Big 12? It's going to absolutely get picked apart in the next few years, and it's going to lose its power status.

So these programs are making the leap to join a conference with a bigger payday now, that may not be there in a few years.

They're not joining the elite, those teams want to separate themselves from the Big 12, not align with them.

But let's also not try and compare Houston to Marshall, Houston is one of the largest cities in America. But those that hold the sentiment (of Houston as a peer) are looking at Houston from the early 2000s, not Houston in 2020.

(09-14-2021 10:43 PM)UAB Schnauzer Wrote:  

(09-14-2021 08:37 PM)goherd24herdfans Wrote:  

(09-14-2021 07:05 PM)deb025 Wrote:  

(09-14-2021 06:39 PM)BKTopper Wrote:  If almost everybody jumps ship I imagine these would be the backbone of the new new new shell. Somebody please tell me I’m wrong

If it goes that way then WKU and Louisiana Tech will be a good base to build from. However, I seriously doubt that CUSA teams will pay the exit fee to play on Tuesday and Wednesday night verse Sunbelt teams. If they're stupid enough to do that, then good riddance.

I PROMISE you, Marshall will accept an invite to the AAC or the Sunbelt by the end of September. UAB, USM and ODU (to my disdain) are also reportedly tied to us, being sold as a package deal, aka we're going to the sunbelt or the AAC together. IMO either conference those schools join will end up being the better league between the two.

there is no package deal. i can assure you that UAB is not refusing to go to the AAC over the exclusion of USM. I can also assure you that both USM and ODU would accept offers from the AAC without the inclusion of the others. your post is total BS

I tend to agree about it being BS. But that doesnt mean its not a good idea for whatever CUSA teams are moving, to do so as a package. That way you at least know what youre getting into. For example, its a lot better for ODU to consider the SB, IF Marshall, Charlotte and JMU go with us. Otherwise we may as well stay where we are. Unless of course, Marshall and Charlotte both leave CUSA. Id take an AAC invite because it makes sense for us to be with ECU and Temple. But the SB move makes no sense for us unless teams like Marshall and Charlotte or JMU come with us. So yeah, teams going AAC may do so on their own, but anyone considering the SB would have to know who else is coming along. At least for us teams not in the heart of SB territory.

Selected FCS just because I think C*USA may be the most realistic option for potential call-up Missouri State :-)

C*USA still has name recognition and could be a decent conference, even with departures, if the right replacements are chosen.

(09-15-2021 06:25 AM)BKTopper Wrote:  So far “other” is in the lead. Wonder who that could be. Again, this is the worst case scenario —one that tears apart our geography and takes athletic prowess, academics and marketz.

Louisiana Tech
UTEP
FIU
WKU
Middle Tennessee

If that’s what you’re left with, what next for a conference?

IMO if 9 members depart new leadership will be instated.

Where will 9 teams go ? I think at worst 7 go. 4 to AAC and 3 to sun belt. Doubt more than that go.

Even if 7 go , it's a mess. And I'll feel for those left behind. One could be my school if South Florida cowardly blocks us from the AAC and if the sun belt won't take back former members.

We've got a lot working for us but these are things working against us .

I like our cusa east division and UAB and still wish an Eastern league was possible. The sun belt has plenty of western based teams too.

If it is 7, Liberty Missouri state , James Madison etc are good candidates.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

A couple things this thread has highlighted.

1. There are some that don't understand the reasoning behind being in a conference in the first place.
2. Some, if not all, that were "left behind" in the last round have mostly been unhappy ever since and have lambasted the new members from the start, non-stop, and will not stop until they finally get their call-up and rejoin their old brethren..the brethren that left them behind for a reason.
3. The AAC decision can't be made soon enough.

(09-15-2021 09:20 AM)WKUApollo Wrote:  A couple things this thread has highlighted.

1. There are some that don't understand the reasoning behind being in a conference in the first place.
2. Some, if not all, that were "left behind" in the last round have mostly been unhappy ever since and have lambasted the new members from the start, non-stop, and will not stop until they finally get their call-up and rejoin their old brethren..the brethren that left them behind for a reason.
3. The AAC decision can't be made soon enough.

I have absolutely loved having Western as a dance partner.

I've said many times over that I would love a best of the rest configuration, which includes Marshall, Western, ECU and App State, THAT would be freaking amazing.

But will never happen.

Don't look at the disgruntled nature of these fan bases as the reason for the instability, look to our lack of leadership at those conference offices that have completely left our media rights in shambles.

I've never understood why Marshall has chosen ODU as it's dance partner, and not Western. It should be Western or FAU in these talks with the AAC or Sun Belt.

(09-15-2021 09:18 AM)Ragu Wrote:  Where will 9 teams go ? I think at worst 7 go. 4 to AAC and 3 to sun belt. Doubt more than that go.

Even if 7 go , it's a mess. And I'll feel for those left behind. One could be my school if South Florida cowardly blocks us from the AAC and if the sun belt won't take back former members.

We've got a lot working for us but these are things working against us .

I like our cusa east division and UAB and still wish an Eastern league was possible. The sun belt has plenty of western based teams too.

If it is 7, Liberty Missouri state , James Madison etc are good candidates.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

There are countless scenarios out there as to how many may jump ship. I could see as few as 3 and as many as 9 go to the AAC, the SBC, and/or the MWC.

What we do after the fact, will be based on how many are left. The ASUN is an interesting scenario. It is currently non-football but plans to add football next year because several members have FCS teams and some of them have expressed interest in moving to FBS...i.e. Eastern KY, Jacksonville St, Central Arkansas, Liberty, Kennesaw State. Missouri State is a definite possibility too. Missouri only has one FBS team so I think Missouri State has a strong chance at succeeding as FBS. I don't believe JMU would jump at this hodge podge scenario. I think they're destined to go to either the AAC or the SBC.

I do know this, having talked a little bit on the Sun Belt board the last week, those folks are very salty towards the teams that "spurned" them over the last realignment. They are adamant they would much rather keep Louisiana Monroe then add a team with a pulse.

(09-15-2021 09:27 AM)rileylives Wrote:  I've never understood why Marshall has chosen ODU as it's dance partner, and not Western. It should be Western or FAU in these talks with the AAC or Sun Belt.

Is it, possibly, because FAU wants to have nothing to do with Sunbelt?

(09-15-2021 09:24 AM)rileylives Wrote:  Don't look at the disgruntled nature of these fan bases as the reason for the instability, look to our lack of leadership at those conference offices that have completely left our media rights in shambles.

Believe me, our conference leadership lack of vision and the botched media deal was the tipping point to our demise. There's no doubt about that.

(09-15-2021 09:31 AM)WKUApollo Wrote:  

(09-15-2021 09:24 AM)rileylives Wrote:  Don't look at the disgruntled nature of these fan bases as the reason for the instability, look to our lack of leadership at those conference offices that have completely left our media rights in shambles.

Believe me, our conference leadership lack of vision and the botched media deal was the tipping point to our demise. There's no doubt about that.

Yeah, it's been depressing. Even with all the crap thrown at us, I always wanted to just build up the conference, but it seems we have no desire at the top to work with the same passion.

(09-15-2021 09:29 AM)goliath74 Wrote:  

(09-15-2021 09:27 AM)rileylives Wrote:  I've never understood why Marshall has chosen ODU as it's dance partner, and not Western. It should be Western or FAU in these talks with the AAC or Sun Belt.

Is it, possibly, because FAU wants to have nothing to do with Sunbelt?

Maybe, but I'd hate to see the dust settle and have quality programs like La Tech, FAU and Western get left over with a bunch of FCS call uos.

(09-15-2021 09:27 AM)rileylives Wrote:  I've never understood why Marshall has chosen ODU as it's dance partner, and not Western. It should be Western or FAU in these talks with the AAC or Sun Belt.

It makes sense....Marshall knows they have to have the votes from members of those conferences. ODU most likely improves their voting numbers as opposed to WKU. Few AAC members know anything about WKU or see WKU as valuable. ODU checks more boxes for AAC membership than WKU. The SBC is very unlikely to vote for a former member.

(09-15-2021 09:35 AM)rileylives Wrote:  

(09-15-2021 09:29 AM)goliath74 Wrote:  

(09-15-2021 09:27 AM)rileylives Wrote:  I've never understood why Marshall has chosen ODU as it's dance partner, and not Western. It should be Western or FAU in these talks with the AAC or Sun Belt.

Is it, possibly, because FAU wants to have nothing to do with Sunbelt?

Maybe, but I'd hate to see the dust settle and have quality programs like La Tech, FAU and Western get left over with a bunch of FCS call uos.

That's my fear too. But I don't know that the sun belt would take FAU or wku back. I asked the same on their board and got mixed messages

Also I do like app, coastal , and the 2 Georgia schools. But also find it funny marshall and ODU want to leave a league with western schools to join one with schools in the same states... And schools like Louisiana Monroe and Texas state are way inferior to our schools in those states

If just UAB and rice left for example , we'd be fine if the sun belt didn't poach us. But sounds like you guys want to move on and I dont get excited about sun belt west schools

Firing Judy and staying together is fine with me. But so many are looking to bolt that FAU has to look too

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

(09-15-2021 09:29 AM)rileylives Wrote:  I do know this, having talked a little bit on the Sun Belt board the last week, those folks are very salty towards the teams that "spurned" them over the last realignment. They are adamant they would much rather keep Louisiana Monroe then add a team with a pulse.

They are salty because they feel the schools that left abandoned them. When you paint yourself as a victim, all you have is defensiveness, grudges, and entitlement.

(09-14-2021 08:42 PM)dawgonit Wrote:  

(09-14-2021 08:36 PM)banker Wrote:  The truth is I just want away from the Texas teams. Don’t hate them or anything, just will always feel disjointed. We haven’t even played UTEP in 11-12 years. 14 teams are just too many, especially with the geography.

Did Marshall fans feel this way about Texas teams in CUSA 2.0?

Not really. But then again at that time the CUSA 2.0 teams were better known and bigger schools and there was value in playing a Houston or an SMU. No offense to North Texas or UTEP or anyone else, but Houston and SMU have a much higher name recognition and our fans could get excited about matchups with them. I'm sure the western schools were not as excited to play Charlotte as they were to play ECU. Plus, as others have mentioned, the money was much greater so it was easier to justify the cross country road trips and what not. With the media money being largely lost, it just doesn't make as much sense to have us spread out all over the map. And, as others have said, there is evidence that the conference largely favors the western teams to the detriments of the eastern teams in various ways such as the 2013 Rice championship issue, basketball tournaments, bowl setups, etc. We may not all agree with that stance, but certainly some in the east feel that way, rightly or wrongly.

(09-15-2021 09:48 AM)Ragu Wrote:  That's my fear too. But I don't know that the sun belt would take FAU or wku back. I asked the same on their board and got mixed messages

Also I do like app, coastal , and the 2 Georgia schools. But also find it funny marshall and ODU want to leave a league with western schools to join one with schools in the same states... And schools like Louisiana Monroe and Texas state are way inferior to our schools in those states

If just UAB and rice left for example , we'd be fine if the sun belt didn't poach us. But sounds like you guys want to move on and I dont get excited about sun belt west schools

Firing Judy and staying together is fine with me. But so many are looking to bolt that FAU has to look too

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

There's no doubt that when the dust settles, Marshall, ODU, UAB, and USM are gone...Where? I don't know but they want out BAD. This has caused all the remaining schools to ramp up their efforts to be prepared for the inevitable and look at their options. I imagine the phone lines have been lit up like a Christmas tree for a couple weeks. Some have been polishing their portfolios trying to put their best foot forward and make themselves look attractive. That's a bigger challenge for some than others

There are some who see this shiny new SBC as the golden goose but I still believe it's a mirage. The SBC has some good programs, don't misunderstand....but....they're top heavy and those top teams have winning percentages that are skewed because of the weakness of the remainder of their conference. The "ugly" at the bottom of the SBC is in my opinion, uglier than the bottom of the current CUSA. The SBC media deal is the shining difference.

(09-15-2021 09:48 AM)Ragu Wrote:  

(09-15-2021 09:35 AM)rileylives Wrote:  

(09-15-2021 09:29 AM)goliath74 Wrote:  

(09-15-2021 09:27 AM)rileylives Wrote:  I've never understood why Marshall has chosen ODU as it's dance partner, and not Western. It should be Western or FAU in these talks with the AAC or Sun Belt.

Is it, possibly, because FAU wants to have nothing to do with Sunbelt?

Maybe, but I'd hate to see the dust settle and have quality programs like La Tech, FAU and Western get left over with a bunch of FCS call uos.

That's my fear too. But I don't know that the sun belt would take FAU or wku back. I asked the same on their board and got mixed messages

Also I do like app, coastal , and the 2 Georgia schools. But also find it funny marshall and ODU want to leave a league with western schools to join one with schools in the same states... And schools like Louisiana Monroe and Texas state are way inferior to our schools in those states

If just UAB and rice left for example , we'd be fine if the sun belt didn't poach us. But sounds like you guys want to move on and I dont get excited about sun belt west schools

Firing Judy and staying together is fine with me. But so many are looking to bolt that FAU has to look too

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

I hold your exact same sentiment. I do not get excited at all about those western Sun Belt teams, but if something were to work itself out like a best of the rest configuration, I am absolutely on board for that.

It might actually just be in Marshall's best interest to stand Pat with the rest of y'all and go forward, really only App State gets our juices flowing. But so does Western.