(07-06-2023 07:13 AM)GreenBison Wrote:  

(07-06-2023 12:20 AM)DawgNBama Wrote:  

(07-03-2023 03:52 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(07-03-2023 10:57 AM)MT FAN Wrote:  

(07-03-2023 09:10 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  I'm a graduate of MTSU, as is my sister. Worked for the sports information department during two football seasons. Wrote for the student newspaper (Sidelines). I taught at MTSU (as an adjunct) for three years. My brother taught (both as an adjunct and as a full-timer) there. I watch the Raiders on TV and always want the teams to do well. I particularly enjoy following Rick Insell's women's basketball program. Rick has done an outstanding job.

But I don't feel MTSU is as well suited for the AAC as are some other universities (for example, Georgia State). Similarly, I don't feel Memphis (for which I also cheer due to family factors) is well suited/qualified for SEC membership (not that the SEC would ever remotely consider inviting the UofM).

Obviously, if Middle gets an AAC invite (let's say after SMU leaves), I would be very happy for my alma mater.

How is MT not a fit for the AAC when they are so similar to most the schools there? ALL the schools in the AAC are afterthoughts to most people in the markets they reside in, including your number one team Memphis. There are more UT fans in Memphis than Memphis fans. That doesn't mean they should be kicked out of the conference.

If I posted (and I don't think I did) that MTSU is not "a fit" for the AAC, I should have, instead, posted MTSU is not a "sufficient fit." Middle clearly would offer some positives to the AAC and even features some characteristics found with various AAC members.

As to your comment: "there are more UT fans in Memphis than Memphis fans," ... I would not be so sure about that. Shelby County is about 51 percent African-American and 34 percent White (and 15 percent other). Without offering (as I sometimes do on this board) my socio-political thoughts regarding the college sports fans in Memphis/Shelby County, lets just say there are a likely a good number of those folks who would not be too warm toward the Orange and Knoxville. I'll leave it at that.

I do agree with you that many AAC schools don't have large fan bases and, as such, are "afterthoughts" (as you note) to lots of the fans of the states in which those schools are located.

As I noted, I would be hugely happy for MTSU if the school replaces SMU in the AAC. But I would be concerned that the AAC would, with the addition of Middle, take one more step toward becoming the "old C-USA." And wanting to avoid that perception Memphis' sake, I favor the AAC attempting to add Army, Air Force, Boise and/or Colorado State.

Regarding the bolded bill dazzle, I still remember a Memphis fan carrying a poster, during a football game with Tennessee btw, saying "This aint Peyton's Place!!" FYI, Peyton is a refernce to Peyton Manning.

I was in Nashville for a weekend back in March. I didn't see one person with either Memphis, Tennessee, MTSU, or Vandy gear on. It was 100% Titans everywhere. Oh we were also accosted aggressively by a homeless guy in the middle of the day on Broadway. We had to call the police.

If you were on Broadway or any of the other tourist areas you weren't going to run into many locals, just more tourists like yourself. That will explain some of the lack of seeing any sports gear.

(07-06-2023 09:38 AM)GreenBison Wrote:  

(07-06-2023 08:22 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(07-06-2023 07:13 AM)GreenBison Wrote:  

(07-06-2023 12:20 AM)DawgNBama Wrote:  

(07-03-2023 03:52 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  If I posted (and I don't think I did) that MTSU is not "a fit" for the AAC, I should have, instead, posted MTSU is not a "sufficient fit." Middle clearly would offer some positives to the AAC and even features some characteristics found with various AAC members.

As to your comment: "there are more UT fans in Memphis than Memphis fans," ... I would not be so sure about that. Shelby County is about 51 percent African-American and 34 percent White (and 15 percent other). Without offering (as I sometimes do on this board) my socio-political thoughts regarding the college sports fans in Memphis/Shelby County, lets just say there are a likely a good number of those folks who would not be too warm toward the Orange and Knoxville. I'll leave it at that.

I do agree with you that many AAC schools don't have large fan bases and, as such, are "afterthoughts" (as you note) to lots of the fans of the states in which those schools are located.

As I noted, I would be hugely happy for MTSU if the school replaces SMU in the AAC. But I would be concerned that the AAC would, with the addition of Middle, take one more step toward becoming the "old C-USA." And wanting to avoid that perception Memphis' sake, I favor the AAC attempting to add Army, Air Force, Boise and/or Colorado State.

Regarding the bolded bill dazzle, I still remember a Memphis fan carrying a poster, during a football game with Tennessee btw, saying "This aint Peyton's Place!!" FYI, Peyton is a refernce to Peyton Manning.

I was in Nashville for a weekend back in March. I didn't see one person with either Memphis, Tennessee, MTSU, or Vandy gear on. It was 100% Titans everywhere. Oh we were also accosted aggressively by a homeless guy in the middle of the day on Broadway. We had to call the police.

A decent percentage of Nashvillians have minimal if any interest in college sports. I suppose this dynamic is somewhat evident in other large cities, too. For example, we might see fewer folks in Atlanta, per capita, wearing Georgia Bulldog shirts/hats than we would see in, say, a small to mid-size Georgia town.

I hate to hear about your being confronted by the aggressive homeless man while visiting our city. I live and work in downtown Nashville and have experienced it myself on occasion (and witnessed it with others many times). It can be unnerving but I'm kind of use to it at this point.

I agree with the Big City populations and their allegiance to college sports. I go to Cincinnati regularly and it's all Reds and Bengals, rarely do I see any Cincinnati gear but I do see quite a few Ohio State shirts.

Lexington Ky is all UK all the damn time as a comparison.

As for the homeless guy... my son in-law was with us and he is a Plain Clothed Detective in another city, so he was "packin". He followed protocol and helped de-escalate the situation. My youngest daughter was pretty shook up over it though.

No doubt that the average resident of a city might be a bit more likely to enjoy and follow pro sports over college sports. Many reasons for that.

Good that your son-in-law defused the situation while you were visiting Nashville.

There are lots of folks carrying guns/knives and getting drunk on Lower Broadway and Second Avenue North in the heart of downtown Nashville — seven nights a week. As such, my goal is to always be home by 8:30 p.m. at the latest (particularly if I've been drinking). It can be dangerous.

Some tourists don't realize how bustling (and potentially violent) Nashville is until they arrive in the city. I've seen a lot of crazy (and sometime disturbing) people and incidences during my 15 years of living in the heart of downtown. This is not the small and quiet Nashville I left in 1987 to attend school in Chicago. My city has grown up — for both good and bad.

(07-06-2023 11:34 AM)MT FAN Wrote:  

(07-06-2023 07:13 AM)GreenBison Wrote:  

(07-06-2023 12:20 AM)DawgNBama Wrote:  

(07-03-2023 03:52 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(07-03-2023 10:57 AM)MT FAN Wrote:  How is MT not a fit for the AAC when they are so similar to most the schools there? ALL the schools in the AAC are afterthoughts to most people in the markets they reside in, including your number one team Memphis. There are more UT fans in Memphis than Memphis fans. That doesn't mean they should be kicked out of the conference.

If I posted (and I don't think I did) that MTSU is not "a fit" for the AAC, I should have, instead, posted MTSU is not a "sufficient fit." Middle clearly would offer some positives to the AAC and even features some characteristics found with various AAC members.

As to your comment: "there are more UT fans in Memphis than Memphis fans," ... I would not be so sure about that. Shelby County is about 51 percent African-American and 34 percent White (and 15 percent other). Without offering (as I sometimes do on this board) my socio-political thoughts regarding the college sports fans in Memphis/Shelby County, lets just say there are a likely a good number of those folks who would not be too warm toward the Orange and Knoxville. I'll leave it at that.

I do agree with you that many AAC schools don't have large fan bases and, as such, are "afterthoughts" (as you note) to lots of the fans of the states in which those schools are located.

As I noted, I would be hugely happy for MTSU if the school replaces SMU in the AAC. But I would be concerned that the AAC would, with the addition of Middle, take one more step toward becoming the "old C-USA." And wanting to avoid that perception Memphis' sake, I favor the AAC attempting to add Army, Air Force, Boise and/or Colorado State.

Regarding the bolded bill dazzle, I still remember a Memphis fan carrying a poster, during a football game with Tennessee btw, saying "This aint Peyton's Place!!" FYI, Peyton is a refernce to Peyton Manning.

I was in Nashville for a weekend back in March. I didn't see one person with either Memphis, Tennessee, MTSU, or Vandy gear on. It was 100% Titans everywhere. Oh we were also accosted aggressively by a homeless guy in the middle of the day on Broadway. We had to call the police.

If you were on Broadway or any of the other tourist areas you weren't going to run into many locals, just more tourists like yourself. That will explain some of the lack of seeing any sports gear.

That is an excellent point. However, there are a decent number of locals (both residents and office workers) in the heart of downtown (and particularly in The Gulch) at any given time.

(07-06-2023 11:46 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(07-06-2023 09:38 AM)GreenBison Wrote:  

(07-06-2023 08:22 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(07-06-2023 07:13 AM)GreenBison Wrote:  

(07-06-2023 12:20 AM)DawgNBama Wrote:  Regarding the bolded bill dazzle, I still remember a Memphis fan carrying a poster, during a football game with Tennessee btw, saying "This aint Peyton's Place!!" FYI, Peyton is a refernce to Peyton Manning.

I was in Nashville for a weekend back in March. I didn't see one person with either Memphis, Tennessee, MTSU, or Vandy gear on. It was 100% Titans everywhere. Oh we were also accosted aggressively by a homeless guy in the middle of the day on Broadway. We had to call the police.

A decent percentage of Nashvillians have minimal if any interest in college sports. I suppose this dynamic is somewhat evident in other large cities, too. For example, we might see fewer folks in Atlanta, per capita, wearing Georgia Bulldog shirts/hats than we would see in, say, a small to mid-size Georgia town.

I hate to hear about your being confronted by the aggressive homeless man while visiting our city. I live and work in downtown Nashville and have experienced it myself on occasion (and witnessed it with others many times). It can be unnerving but I'm kind of use to it at this point.

I agree with the Big City populations and their allegiance to college sports. I go to Cincinnati regularly and it's all Reds and Bengals, rarely do I see any Cincinnati gear but I do see quite a few Ohio State shirts.

Lexington Ky is all UK all the damn time as a comparison.

As for the homeless guy... my son in-law was with us and he is a Plain Clothed Detective in another city, so he was "packin". He followed protocol and helped de-escalate the situation. My youngest daughter was pretty shook up over it though.

No doubt that the average resident of a city might be a bit more likely to enjoy and follow pro sports over college sports. Many reasons for that.

Good that your son-in-law defused the situation while you were visiting Nashville.

There are lots of folks carrying guns/knives and getting drunk on Lower Broadway and Second Avenue North in the heart of downtown Nashville — seven nights a week. As such, my goal is to always be home by 8:30 p.m. at the latest (particularly if I've been drinking). It can be dangerous.

Some tourists don't realize how bustling (and potentially violent) Nashville is until they arrive in the city. I've seen a lot of crazy (and sometime disturbing) people and incidences during my 15 years of living in the heart of downtown. This is not the small and quiet Nashville I left in 1987 to attend school in Chicago. My city has grown up — for both good and bad.

I enjoyed my weekend in Nashville and I'll be back for sure.

(07-06-2023 11:34 AM)MT FAN Wrote:  

(07-06-2023 07:13 AM)GreenBison Wrote:  

(07-06-2023 12:20 AM)DawgNBama Wrote:  

(07-03-2023 03:52 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(07-03-2023 10:57 AM)MT FAN Wrote:  How is MT not a fit for the AAC when they are so similar to most the schools there? ALL the schools in the AAC are afterthoughts to most people in the markets they reside in, including your number one team Memphis. There are more UT fans in Memphis than Memphis fans. That doesn't mean they should be kicked out of the conference.

If I posted (and I don't think I did) that MTSU is not "a fit" for the AAC, I should have, instead, posted MTSU is not a "sufficient fit." Middle clearly would offer some positives to the AAC and even features some characteristics found with various AAC members.

As to your comment: "there are more UT fans in Memphis than Memphis fans," ... I would not be so sure about that. Shelby County is about 51 percent African-American and 34 percent White (and 15 percent other). Without offering (as I sometimes do on this board) my socio-political thoughts regarding the college sports fans in Memphis/Shelby County, lets just say there are a likely a good number of those folks who would not be too warm toward the Orange and Knoxville. I'll leave it at that.

I do agree with you that many AAC schools don't have large fan bases and, as such, are "afterthoughts" (as you note) to lots of the fans of the states in which those schools are located.

As I noted, I would be hugely happy for MTSU if the school replaces SMU in the AAC. But I would be concerned that the AAC would, with the addition of Middle, take one more step toward becoming the "old C-USA." And wanting to avoid that perception Memphis' sake, I favor the AAC attempting to add Army, Air Force, Boise and/or Colorado State.

Regarding the bolded bill dazzle, I still remember a Memphis fan carrying a poster, during a football game with Tennessee btw, saying "This aint Peyton's Place!!" FYI, Peyton is a refernce to Peyton Manning.

I was in Nashville for a weekend back in March. I didn't see one person with either Memphis, Tennessee, MTSU, or Vandy gear on. It was 100% Titans everywhere. Oh we were also accosted aggressively by a homeless guy in the middle of the day on Broadway. We had to call the police.

If you were on Broadway or any of the other tourist areas you weren't going to run into many locals, just more tourists like yourself. That will explain some of the lack of seeing any sports gear.

I was in Orlando / Disney in February and saw a lot of Florida and FSU gear. Saw a couple of UCF bumper stickers, but not many.

Also... everyone that lives in and around Orlando needs to re-take their Driver's Test! Holy Crap!

(07-06-2023 01:01 PM)GreenBison Wrote:  

(07-06-2023 11:46 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(07-06-2023 09:38 AM)GreenBison Wrote:  

(07-06-2023 08:22 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(07-06-2023 07:13 AM)GreenBison Wrote:  I was in Nashville for a weekend back in March. I didn't see one person with either Memphis, Tennessee, MTSU, or Vandy gear on. It was 100% Titans everywhere. Oh we were also accosted aggressively by a homeless guy in the middle of the day on Broadway. We had to call the police.

A decent percentage of Nashvillians have minimal if any interest in college sports. I suppose this dynamic is somewhat evident in other large cities, too. For example, we might see fewer folks in Atlanta, per capita, wearing Georgia Bulldog shirts/hats than we would see in, say, a small to mid-size Georgia town.

I hate to hear about your being confronted by the aggressive homeless man while visiting our city. I live and work in downtown Nashville and have experienced it myself on occasion (and witnessed it with others many times). It can be unnerving but I'm kind of use to it at this point.

I agree with the Big City populations and their allegiance to college sports. I go to Cincinnati regularly and it's all Reds and Bengals, rarely do I see any Cincinnati gear but I do see quite a few Ohio State shirts.

Lexington Ky is all UK all the damn time as a comparison.

As for the homeless guy... my son in-law was with us and he is a Plain Clothed Detective in another city, so he was "packin". He followed protocol and helped de-escalate the situation. My youngest daughter was pretty shook up over it though.

No doubt that the average resident of a city might be a bit more likely to enjoy and follow pro sports over college sports. Many reasons for that.

Good that your son-in-law defused the situation while you were visiting Nashville.

There are lots of folks carrying guns/knives and getting drunk on Lower Broadway and Second Avenue North in the heart of downtown Nashville — seven nights a week. As such, my goal is to always be home by 8:30 p.m. at the latest (particularly if I've been drinking). It can be dangerous.

Some tourists don't realize how bustling (and potentially violent) Nashville is until they arrive in the city. I've seen a lot of crazy (and sometime disturbing) people and incidences during my 15 years of living in the heart of downtown. This is not the small and quiet Nashville I left in 1987 to attend school in Chicago. My city has grown up — for both good and bad.

I enjoyed my weekend in Nashville and I'll be back for sure.

Great to hear. We want our visitors to have fun.

So who's getting the nod... you know... when SMU gets the call up to... you know... the PAC12.

(07-06-2023 09:56 PM)Bear Catlett Wrote:  So who's getting the nod... you know... when SMU gets the call up to... you know... the PAC12.

What are you gonna focus your attention on when the Pac 12 signs a deal?

(06-30-2023 01:04 PM)Pirate Rep Wrote:  

(06-30-2023 12:47 PM)Side.Show.Joe Wrote:  

(06-30-2023 11:00 AM)CoastalJuan Wrote:  

(06-30-2023 10:11 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(06-30-2023 09:48 AM)Side.Show.Joe Wrote:  We did catch up. Now we are back with our peers and continuing to grow. You do realize this conversation has nothing to do with you, ODU or the Sun Belt?

Well technically speaking several Sun Belt schools have been mentioned as replacements for SMU including ODU. There's been further discussion about whether ESPN would allow the AAC to take a SB school or if Sun Belt schools would even be interested or consider it a "step-up" And along those lines there were discussions regarding these "investments" that AAC candidates need to commit to which I personally laugh at and you find a way to bring up every chance you get.

What isn't a part of the conversation is why CUSA didn't work, which you brought up and as is your MO labeled the CUSA6 the "pro-growth" contingent because like I said, every chance you get. I did take a minute to correct your revisionist history. But since then I'm really just using UNT (an AAC school) as an example of why the narrative that the CUSA6 (or any AAC school) are anymore serious about building their programs than the rest of us is AAC propaganda and is as laughable as the P6.

Whether you like it or not, the Sun Belt is very much a part of this conversation because the AAC could not tempt MWC schools or Army before and were forced to fish in the CUSA pool and very well may be forced to do so again.

I don't think we'd go to the CUSA pool again. The next CUSA teams down our wish list are now in the SBC.

I disagree. I don't think the Belt has anything the AAC needs. If we can't lure Army, Air Force, Boise, or Colorado State, than the AAC would be better off just stay as we are. If we ever do lose SMU, just let ESPN take their portion of the $, like they did when UConn left, and call it a day.

Agree with pretty much all said, except a Ga State move for Atlanta could make sense for the AAC.

Unless there is a miraculous hush hush industry plan being put together behind close doors by the PAC, I don't see SMU moving.

SDSU may wind up falling in our laps with a new time zone, if the PAC membership doesn't want to liquidate their media rights averages.

This would be large, but a demographically driven strategy could see the AAC wind up with 4 of SDSU, Boise, AFA, CSU, Army, or GSU.

If somehow we got Army that could be compelling enough for the AFA to join without CSU. I'd really like to get SDSU and Boise as a package. So my preferences are SDSU, Boise, AFA, and Army.

We would probably need to go ahead and sign a GOR for more money because the next movement won't occur till the end of the conferences contract term.

This was the direction the AAC was going but couldn't quite convince SDSU, Boise, AFA and CSU to leave. MWC 2.0 is a stronger FB conference than AAC 2.0.

If of course SDSU and a few others move from the MWC to the PAC the TV deal and exit fee is all but void thus the door would be open for MWC schools to move to the AAC.

MT is talked about a lot for AAC membership but I don't think they are very high up on the list. AAC I believe its #1 Army then #2 MWC members. FIU I'd give an outside chance because of its enrollment and market.

(07-06-2023 07:13 AM)GreenBison Wrote:  

(07-06-2023 12:20 AM)DawgNBama Wrote:  

(07-03-2023 03:52 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(07-03-2023 10:57 AM)MT FAN Wrote:  

(07-03-2023 09:10 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  I'm a graduate of MTSU, as is my sister. Worked for the sports information department during two football seasons. Wrote for the student newspaper (Sidelines). I taught at MTSU (as an adjunct) for three years. My brother taught (both as an adjunct and as a full-timer) there. I watch the Raiders on TV and always want the teams to do well. I particularly enjoy following Rick Insell's women's basketball program. Rick has done an outstanding job.

But I don't feel MTSU is as well suited for the AAC as are some other universities (for example, Georgia State). Similarly, I don't feel Memphis (for which I also cheer due to family factors) is well suited/qualified for SEC membership (not that the SEC would ever remotely consider inviting the UofM).

Obviously, if Middle gets an AAC invite (let's say after SMU leaves), I would be very happy for my alma mater.

How is MT not a fit for the AAC when they are so similar to most the schools there? ALL the schools in the AAC are afterthoughts to most people in the markets they reside in, including your number one team Memphis. There are more UT fans in Memphis than Memphis fans. That doesn't mean they should be kicked out of the conference.

If I posted (and I don't think I did) that MTSU is not "a fit" for the AAC, I should have, instead, posted MTSU is not a "sufficient fit." Middle clearly would offer some positives to the AAC and even features some characteristics found with various AAC members.

As to your comment: "there are more UT fans in Memphis than Memphis fans," ... I would not be so sure about that. Shelby County is about 51 percent African-American and 34 percent White (and 15 percent other). Without offering (as I sometimes do on this board) my socio-political thoughts regarding the college sports fans in Memphis/Shelby County, lets just say there are a likely a good number of those folks who would not be too warm toward the Orange and Knoxville. I'll leave it at that.

I do agree with you that many AAC schools don't have large fan bases and, as such, are "afterthoughts" (as you note) to lots of the fans of the states in which those schools are located.

As I noted, I would be hugely happy for MTSU if the school replaces SMU in the AAC. But I would be concerned that the AAC would, with the addition of Middle, take one more step toward becoming the "old C-USA." And wanting to avoid that perception Memphis' sake, I favor the AAC attempting to add Army, Air Force, Boise and/or Colorado State.

Regarding the bolded bill dazzle, I still remember a Memphis fan carrying a poster, during a football game with Tennessee btw, saying "This aint Peyton's Place!!" FYI, Peyton is a refernce to Peyton Manning.

I was in Nashville for a weekend back in March. I didn't see one person with either Memphis, Tennessee, MTSU, or Vandy gear on. It was 100% Titans everywhere. Oh we were also accosted aggressively by a homeless guy in the middle of the day on Broadway. We had to call the police.

First off, I am very sorry that you were accosted aggressively by that homeless man, and don't blame you for calling the police. I probably would have as well if I was in your situation at the time.
Got a fun little exercise for you next time you are in Nashville. Find the nearest Walmart, get in the middle of big aisle leading to all of the smaller grocery aisles, and look to see what t-shirts everyone is wearing. Plus, let's ignore everyone who has a Titans shirt on, since you know that the Titans have a significant fanbase in Nashville. After about 20-30 minutes, you should have a good rough idea of who roots for who in Nashville. Believe it or not, this is what I do when my managers send me up to the door to give a door greeter a break. Of course, I do check receipts, but I look at t-shirts and shirts also.

(07-07-2023 12:08 AM)Garden_KC Wrote:  

(06-30-2023 01:04 PM)Pirate Rep Wrote:  

(06-30-2023 12:47 PM)Side.Show.Joe Wrote:  

(06-30-2023 11:00 AM)CoastalJuan Wrote:  

(06-30-2023 10:11 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  Well technically speaking several Sun Belt schools have been mentioned as replacements for SMU including ODU. There's been further discussion about whether ESPN would allow the AAC to take a SB school or if Sun Belt schools would even be interested or consider it a "step-up" And along those lines there were discussions regarding these "investments" that AAC candidates need to commit to which I personally laugh at and you find a way to bring up every chance you get.

What isn't a part of the conversation is why CUSA didn't work, which you brought up and as is your MO labeled the CUSA6 the "pro-growth" contingent because like I said, every chance you get. I did take a minute to correct your revisionist history. But since then I'm really just using UNT (an AAC school) as an example of why the narrative that the CUSA6 (or any AAC school) are anymore serious about building their programs than the rest of us is AAC propaganda and is as laughable as the P6.

Whether you like it or not, the Sun Belt is very much a part of this conversation because the AAC could not tempt MWC schools or Army before and were forced to fish in the CUSA pool and very well may be forced to do so again.

I don't think we'd go to the CUSA pool again. The next CUSA teams down our wish list are now in the SBC.

I disagree. I don't think the Belt has anything the AAC needs. If we can't lure Army, Air Force, Boise, or Colorado State, than the AAC would be better off just stay as we are. If we ever do lose SMU, just let ESPN take their portion of the $, like they did when UConn left, and call it a day.

Agree with pretty much all said, except a Ga State move for Atlanta could make sense for the AAC.

Unless there is a miraculous hush hush industry plan being put together behind close doors by the PAC, I don't see SMU moving.

SDSU may wind up falling in our laps with a new time zone, if the PAC membership doesn't want to liquidate their media rights averages.

This would be large, but a demographically driven strategy could see the AAC wind up with 4 of SDSU, Boise, AFA, CSU, Army, or GSU.

If somehow we got Army that could be compelling enough for the AFA to join without CSU. I'd really like to get SDSU and Boise as a package. So my preferences are SDSU, Boise, AFA, and Army.

We would probably need to go ahead and sign a GOR for more money because the next movement won't occur till the end of the conferences contract term.

This was the direction the AAC was going but couldn't quite convince SDSU, Boise, AFA and CSU to leave. MWC 2.0 is a stronger FB conference than AAC 2.0.
If of course SDSU and a few others move from the MWC to the PAC the TV deal and exit fee is all but void thus the door would be open for MWC schools to move to the AAC.

MT is talked about a lot for AAC membership but I don't think they are very high up on the list. AAC I believe its #1 Army then #2 MWC members. FIU I'd give an outside chance because of its enrollment and market.

I disagree. The AAC remains the better football conference. Tulane beat USC in the Cotton Bowl last season, and Boise (the flagship of the MWC) only beat UNT by 3 points in the Frisco Bowl (and UNT is probably a middle of the pack AAC program). Plus Memphis beat the tar out of Utah State in the First Responders Bowl. I think the AAC is better at the top and overall, a deeper conference.

I'll say it again--IMO-- GEORGIA STATE.

(IF they can't get ARMY or a MWC team)

(07-07-2023 07:00 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  I'll say it again--IMO-- GEORGIA STATE.

(IF they can't get ARMY or a MWC team)

Anyone bringing up this possibility has to ask themselves why even though Georgia State has done more than Charlotte in both football and men's basketball since they began FBS the AAC still ended up with Charlotte instead of them.

Now if you want to argue it's because ESPN is driving G5 realignment I can't disprove that but then there's still no reason to think anyone there's any movement between the SBC and AAC.

(07-03-2023 03:52 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(07-03-2023 10:57 AM)MT FAN Wrote:  

(07-03-2023 09:10 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(07-03-2023 08:04 AM)MT FAN Wrote:  

(07-03-2023 07:46 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  You might be correct, SS-Joe. But I rather doubt it. As a Nashville resident who is a fan of both Vanderbilt and MTSU (and with a long-time family and personal history involving both schools), I see a dynamic in the Middle Tennessee region that is not favorable to MTSU related to the AAC.

I will offer a comparison: Birmingham is home to lots of Auburn and Alabama fans (and fans of other SEC schools, no doubt). But the city offers only one university, UAB, that plays FBS football. As such, UAB provides a degree of "ownership" of a rather large and prominent (at least in the college athletics world) city.

In contrast, MTSU has zero ownership of Nashville. Yes, there are a decent number of Blue Raider fans living in Davidson County (likely more than Vanderbilt fans, for that matter). But there simply is no "MTSU feel" in Nashville. Vanderbilt, for all its football woes, nonetheless offers a major physical presence in the city — as its campus addresses two extremely visible and influential streets: West End Avenue and 21st Avenue South. Collectively Vanderbilt University Medical Center and VU employ almost 35,000 people. The VU influence in this city is significant.

Now I suppose one could argue that my support of the AAC adding Georgia State (which shares an Atlanta home with the ACC's Georgia Tech) suggests a certain hypocrisy on my part. I can see that. But I counter my noting GSU is much more academically prestigious than MTSU, would give the AAC a presence in Atlanta/Georgia (which could be helpful in recruiting) and could potentially bring more athletics potential than could MTSU.

MTSU is well suited for C-USA (and for the Sun Belt and MAC, for that matter). But this Blue Raider fan — just being honest — does not feel the school sufficiently fits the current AAC model.

Lol! You're no fan of MT....

I'm a graduate of MTSU, as is my sister. Worked for the sports information department during two football seasons. Wrote for the student newspaper (Sidelines). I taught at MTSU (as an adjunct) for three years. My brother taught (both as an adjunct and as a full-timer) there. I watch the Raiders on TV and always want the teams to do well. I particularly enjoy following Rick Insell's women's basketball program. Rick has done an outstanding job.

But I don't feel MTSU is as well suited for the AAC as are some other universities (for example, Georgia State). Similarly, I don't feel Memphis (for which I also cheer due to family factors) is well suited/qualified for SEC membership (not that the SEC would ever remotely consider inviting the UofM).

Obviously, if Middle gets an AAC invite (let's say after SMU leaves), I would be very happy for my alma mater.

How is MT not a fit for the AAC when they are so similar to most the schools there? ALL the schools in the AAC are afterthoughts to most people in the markets they reside in, including your number one team Memphis. There are more UT fans in Memphis than Memphis fans. That doesn't mean they should be kicked out of the conference.

As to your comment: "there are more UT fans in Memphis than Memphis fans," ... I would not be so sure about that. Shelby County is about 51 percent African-American and 34 percent White (and 15 percent other). Without offering (as I sometimes do on this board) my socio-political thoughts regarding the college sports fans in Memphis/Shelby County, lets just say there are a likely a good number of those folks who would not be too warm toward the Orange and Knoxville. I'll leave it at that.

This is true. Tennessee has long had trouble getting guys out of Memphis. It is hardly "in state" as Oxford, Fayetteville, Tuscaloosa, Auburn, Starkville and (barely) Baton Rogue are a closer drive from Memphis than Knoxville.