Over the last several years there has been speculation that the Power 6 could go to 12 teams each; the Power 5 would go to 16 teams each; the Power 4 would end up at 16 to 20 teams each; and the Final "Big Boy" conference would be between 25 and 35 total schools. Currently, there are 133 teams in FBS. Ignoring the highly reduced 25 to 35 team conference and assuming that realignment stops with the P4 with 16 teams each, realistically, how close do you think your team is to being one of those? Specifically,

• Is the School Administration/Board of Regents (or Governors, etc) dedicated to making the significant investment it would require?
• Do you have the facilities (limited to basketball and football) you need? How much to correct the deficiencies?
• Is the fan base really dedicated to becoming one of the top 50 in the country? Will they contribute the $$$ to improve?
• What is the biggest hurdle your school must overcome to improve?
• How long will it take to correct all the problems that will prevent your school from moving up?
• Do YOU think it will happen?
  

I have seen all the cross-comments about other schools (is that called "trolling"?) so please limit your comments to your school only. I am a Memphis fan and will be pulling my thoughts together, but I really would like to read some honest assessments from other school's fans.

• Is the School Administration/Board of Regents (or Governors, etc) dedicated to making the significant investment it would require?
  
  - Yes, they are. They have pushed for advancement of the athletics programs' overall improvement and facilities for more than 15 years now. The Evergreen Athletics Master Plan and moving forward with it's recommendations show their commitment.
  
• Do you have the facilities (limited to basketball and football) you need? How much to correct the deficiencies?
  
  - We will soon. We're in the process of building JRS out to 30k and adding a proper press tower. Halton is also slated for upgrades in the near future.
• Is the fan base really dedicated to becoming one of the top 50 in the country? Will they contribute the $$$ to improve?
  
  - The 49er Club has grown as well as contributions each year. We have a dedicated core of fans and alumni that give without reservation. It's a good foundation to build off of.
• What is the biggest hurdle your school must overcome to improve?
  
  - There are several, but the biggest IMMEDIATE issue is reconnecting with our alumni. We have 150k alumni with over 90k living in the Charlotte metro region. Football has brought a lot back in, but we have to continue to reach these folks first.
• How long will it take to correct all the problems that will prevent your school from moving up?
  
  - Three or four winning seasons in both sports. Our casual fans are a little too casual for my taste and they need a "winner" to engage their interest. We've added football and moved back into a conference with names ours casual fans will care more about, so the onus is now on producing a product people actually want to spend their money on.
• Do YOU think it will happen?
  
  - Sadly I have no feel for this. We're a growing and large university in a metro area that is doing the same, but we have to win, and we have to stand out from a crowded field.
  
  

68 schools is the top half.
You also suggested a P4 of 16 teams each, that would make 64.
Somewhere you asked about a top 50 (?)

I think most P leagues aren’t stopping at 16. Whether there will be three or four remains to be seen.

I think 70 May be the cutoff number.

Rice with our new President and AD looks committed to being in the top Half or higher.

If the cutoff ends up at 50 though… then over 90% of this Conference ain’t making the cut.

I’m guessing they stop at 69 teams.

(09-29-2023 02:09 PM)owl at the moon Wrote:  68 schools is the top half.
You also suggested a P4 of 16 teams each, that would make 64.
Somewhere you asked about a top 50 (?)

I think most P leagues aren’t stopping at 16. Whether there will be three or four remains to be seen.

I think 70 May be the cutoff number.

Rice with our new President and AD looks committed to being in the top Half or higher.

If the cutoff ends up at 50 though… then over 90% of this Conference ain’t making the cut.

And to finish out the questions:

The football stadium is getting there. We are expecting a plan soon from the new AD. Probably need to start from scratch for basketball, but if football shines Tudor/Autry is ok for interim.

The Rice donors are already stirring. They will get behind a committed administration.

Biggest hurdle is to keep the administration folks who want to “California my Texas” Rice Owls in check.

Need at least 3 years to see this path develop. Key is that Bloomgren gets hired away due to his success at Rice, and we replace him without a drop-off in performance.

I think this happens especially if the ACC morphs into a haven for highly academic schools also serious about sports.

[*]Is the School Administration/Board of Regents (or Governors, etc) dedicated to making the significant investment it would require?

- Yes, they are. What other teams don't know is roughly 10 years ago there was sea-change at Tulane. New Board members included the Glazers(owners of bucs and manu) and Bensons(saints and pelicans owers) They plus other sports friendly peopl on the board changed the view from the top towards football. The school soon hired a new football friendly president and athletics focused AD who is does not have a "well we are a small private school" attitude when making decision.


[*]Do you have the facilities (limited to basketball and football) you need? How much to correct the deficiencies?

Football- Stadium is 10 years old. New Locker room etc. The department is committed to other stuff. The hurdle is Tulane has no and I mean no space for much. Right now Tulane is able to use the Saints facilities as the saints owner is on Tulane's board and the football field is named after the Benson family. Basketball is old and small. If pressed Tulane can play in Pelicans arena about just across town.

[*]Is the fan base really dedicated to becoming one of the top 50 in the country? Will they contribute the $$$ to improve?

Not sure. Tulane has more money than most. Alums are disperse. So little recent success its hard to gauge potential beyond that.

[*]What is the biggest hurdle your school must overcome to improve?

Physical: space for new facilities. Overall Proof of consistent[color=#1E90FF] winning

[*]How long will it take to correct all the problems that will prevent your school from moving up?



[*]Do YOU think it will happen?



[/list]

(09-29-2023 11:48 AM)OldManTiger Wrote:  Over the last several years there has been speculation that the Power 6 could go to 12 teams each; the Power 5 would go to 16 teams each; the Power 4 would end up at 16 to 20 teams each; and the Final "Big Boy" conference would be between 25 and 35 total schools. Currently, there are 133 teams in FBS. Ignoring the highly reduced 25 to 35 team conference and assuming that realignment stops with the P4 with 16 teams each, realistically, how close do you think your team is to being one of those? Specifically,

• Is the School Administration/Board of Regents (or Governors, etc) dedicated to making the significant investment it would require?
• Do you have the facilities (limited to basketball and football) you need? How much to correct the deficiencies?
• Is the fan base really dedicated to becoming one of the top 50 in the country? Will they contribute the $$$ to improve?
• What is the biggest hurdle your school must overcome to improve?
• How long will it take to correct all the problems that will prevent your school from moving up?
• Do YOU think it will happen?
  

I have seen all the cross-comments about other schools (is that called "trolling"?) so please limit your comments to your school only. I am a Memphis fan and will be pulling my thoughts together, but I really would like to read some honest assessments from other school's fans.

[*]Is the School Administration/Board of Regents (or Governors, etc) dedicated to making the significant investment it would require?

No. You all know the story.

[*]Do you have the facilities (limited to basketball and football) you need? How much to correct the deficiencies?

Yes, we are actually in good shape on these. Thanks to the below, not the above.

[*]Is the fan base really dedicated to becoming one of the top 50 in the country? Will they contribute the $$$ to improve?


We finally have a Foundation, with donors large and small.

[*]What is the biggest hurdle your school must overcome to improve?


Corruption.

The president pro tem of the Board of Trustees named himself System Chancellor, with no experience or qualifications. He draws $1.2mill a year.

Like other universities, UAB has had a building boom with many pretty new structures even as demographics say the number of college-age residents is dropping. But in other areas UAB has fallen behind; 20 years ago the thought that USF would reach AAU status before UAB would have been laughable. Then came Ray Watts.

Why? Well, just saying, it's a lot easier to get a kickback on cement than it is on a top-flight cancer researcher.

[*]How long will it take to correct all the problems that will prevent your school from moving up?


We need a new president and chancellor with integrity and experience and vision. We need an AD who can feed and dress himself.

These will be difficult to find. Well, easy to find - difficult to hire. I fear our next president (Ray is 69, dude) will be a failed politician, a Trustee, or a crony, or some combination.

[*]Do YOU think it will happen?

If it does, it will be another example of the power of alumni and students over-riding the will of the Trustees and President. We did it once already.

(09-29-2023 02:28 PM)58-56 Wrote:  

(09-29-2023 11:48 AM)OldManTiger Wrote:  Over the last several years there has been speculation that the Power 6 could go to 12 teams each; the Power 5 would go to 16 teams each; the Power 4 would end up at 16 to 20 teams each; and the Final "Big Boy" conference would be between 25 and 35 total schools. Currently, there are 133 teams in FBS. Ignoring the highly reduced 25 to 35 team conference and assuming that realignment stops with the P4 with 16 teams each, realistically, how close do you think your team is to being one of those? Specifically,

• Is the School Administration/Board of Regents (or Governors, etc) dedicated to making the significant investment it would require?
• Do you have the facilities (limited to basketball and football) you need? How much to correct the deficiencies?
• Is the fan base really dedicated to becoming one of the top 50 in the country? Will they contribute the $$$ to improve?
• What is the biggest hurdle your school must overcome to improve?
• How long will it take to correct all the problems that will prevent your school from moving up?
• Do YOU think it will happen?
  

I have seen all the cross-comments about other schools (is that called "trolling"?) so please limit your comments to your school only. I am a Memphis fan and will be pulling my thoughts together, but I really would like to read some honest assessments from other school's fans.

[*]Is the School Administration/Board of Regents (or Governors, etc) dedicated to making the significant investment it would require?

No. You all know the story.

[*]Do you have the facilities (limited to basketball and football) you need? How much to correct the deficiencies?

Yes, we are actually in good shape on these. Thanks to the below, not the above.

[*]Is the fan base really dedicated to becoming one of the top 50 in the country? Will they contribute the $$$ to improve?


We finally have a Foundation, with donors large and small.

[*]What is the biggest hurdle your school must overcome to improve?


Corruption.

The president pro tem of the Board of Trustees named himself System Chancellor, with no experience or qualifications. He draws $1.2mill a year.

Like other universities, UAB has had a building boom with many pretty new structures even as demographics say the number of college-age residents is dropping. But in other areas UAB has fallen behind; 20 years ago the thought that USF would reach AAU status before UAB would have been laughable. Then came Ray Watts.

Why? Well, just saying, it's a lot easier to get a kickback on cement than it is on a top-flight cancer researcher.

[*]How long will it take to correct all the problems that will prevent your school from moving up?


We need a new president and chancellor with integrity and experience and vision. We need an AD who can feed and dress himself.

These will be difficult to find. Well, easy to find - difficult to hire. I fear our next president (Ray is 69, dude) will be a failed politician, a Trustee, or a crony, or some combination.

[*]Do YOU think it will happen?

If it does, it will be another example of the power of alumni and students over-riding the will of the Trustees and President. We did it once already.

I somewhat disagree with your first answer. Yes, the community had to fight but we got the facilities that are needed to compete on the highest level. So, maybe the answer should be somewhat.

(09-29-2023 04:04 PM)kdblazer Wrote:  

(09-29-2023 02:28 PM)58-56 Wrote:  

(09-29-2023 11:48 AM)OldManTiger Wrote:  Over the last several years there has been speculation that the Power 6 could go to 12 teams each; the Power 5 would go to 16 teams each; the Power 4 would end up at 16 to 20 teams each; and the Final "Big Boy" conference would be between 25 and 35 total schools. Currently, there are 133 teams in FBS. Ignoring the highly reduced 25 to 35 team conference and assuming that realignment stops with the P4 with 16 teams each, realistically, how close do you think your team is to being one of those? Specifically,

• Is the School Administration/Board of Regents (or Governors, etc) dedicated to making the significant investment it would require?
• Do you have the facilities (limited to basketball and football) you need? How much to correct the deficiencies?
• Is the fan base really dedicated to becoming one of the top 50 in the country? Will they contribute the $$$ to improve?
• What is the biggest hurdle your school must overcome to improve?
• How long will it take to correct all the problems that will prevent your school from moving up?
• Do YOU think it will happen?
  

I have seen all the cross-comments about other schools (is that called "trolling"?) so please limit your comments to your school only. I am a Memphis fan and will be pulling my thoughts together, but I really would like to read some honest assessments from other school's fans.

[*]Is the School Administration/Board of Regents (or Governors, etc) dedicated to making the significant investment it would require?

No. You all know the story.

[*]Do you have the facilities (limited to basketball and football) you need? How much to correct the deficiencies?

Yes, we are actually in good shape on these. Thanks to the below, not the above.

[*]Is the fan base really dedicated to becoming one of the top 50 in the country? Will they contribute the $$$ to improve?


We finally have a Foundation, with donors large and small.

[*]What is the biggest hurdle your school must overcome to improve?


Corruption.

The president pro tem of the Board of Trustees named himself System Chancellor, with no experience or qualifications. He draws $1.2mill a year.

Like other universities, UAB has had a building boom with many pretty new structures even as demographics say the number of college-age residents is dropping. But in other areas UAB has fallen behind; 20 years ago the thought that USF would reach AAU status before UAB would have been laughable. Then came Ray Watts.

Why? Well, just saying, it's a lot easier to get a kickback on cement than it is on a top-flight cancer researcher.

[*]How long will it take to correct all the problems that will prevent your school from moving up?


We need a new president and chancellor with integrity and experience and vision. We need an AD who can feed and dress himself.

These will be difficult to find. Well, easy to find - difficult to hire. I fear our next president (Ray is 69, dude) will be a failed politician, a Trustee, or a crony, or some combination.

[*]Do YOU think it will happen?

If it does, it will be another example of the power of alumni and students over-riding the will of the Trustees and President. We did it once already.

I somewhat disagree with your first answer. Yes, the community had to fight but we got the facilities that are needed to compete on the highest level. So, maybe the answer should be somewhat.

We did, but not because the admin made the investment (which was the Old Man's question). We fought to get the Board and President to stop standing in the way of donor investments like the multi-million gift to remake the practice fields that then-Trustee (now Chancellor) Finis St. John IV directly ordered then-AD Brian Mackin to decline.

I don't equate "they stopped ****ing with things" with "they're now investing in those things."

You're right, we did get the facilities to compete at the highest level. But we did it despite our admin and Trustees, not because of them. And that may make us more capable of advancing to a higher plane.

(09-29-2023 02:21 PM)cscottl1981 Wrote:  I’m guessing they stop at 69 teams.

clt says that would be nice

Is the School Administration/Board of Regents (or Governors, etc) dedicated to making the significant investment it would require?

Kind of. UNT's administration is building and investing in athletics. UNT is building in everything. But, I doubt UNT's administration is willing to have their athletic department operate for a decade without any conference media payout.

Do you have the facilities (limited to basketball and football) you need? How much to correct the deficiencies?

Yes. DATCU and the Super Pit are both nice. DATCU is expandable to around 55K and already has the concessions and restrooms for the expansion.


Is the fan base really dedicated to becoming one of the top 50 in the country?

No. While UNT has an incredibly large alumni base within an hour's drive of our campus, they are still waiting for a real winner. But, if North Texas can put together a run like UCF or Cincy, watch out.

Will they contribute the $$$ to improve?

No. North Texas doesn't have an alum willing to pay $200 million to buy us into a better conference.

What is the biggest hurdle your school must overcome to improve?

Low standards and excuses. Too many fans are willing to make excuses for poor performance and not demand better results. UNT has a tendency of hanging on to bad/mediocre coaches for too long.

How long will it take to correct all the problems that will prevent your school from moving up?

No clue.

Do YOU think it will happen?

Not in the lifetime of most current Mean Green fans, but I'll enjoy it when it finally happens.