[Rooster Cogburn]

If the Sun Belt decides to go to 12 football schools, I see Liberty competing with Appalachian St and Georgia Southern for the last 2 spots.

It totally depends on what Benson and the conference presidents want to do. They could:
a) expand to 12 with New Mexico St and Idaho for football-only.
b) expand to 12 with Southern Conference rivals App St and Georgia Southern.
c) expand their footprint into Virginia and North Carolina by inviting Liberty and App St.
d) do nothing.

Personally, I feel Benson wants Liberty and App St because the Sun Belt can expand its footprint by two states. I also feel the conference presidents may want to stay "regional", thus giving Georgia Southern a slight advantage. I wonder if Falwell, Jr. will have the opportunity to "clear-up", if you will, any misunderstandings about Liberty to conference presidents.

But GaSo has some funding issues.

[LUconn]

I'm certain everyone who matters is very well informed about how ready we are and what we bring to the table. Who doesn't know is sunbelt beat writers who spend their days wondering when they'll get their local SEC team beat. As well as messageboard fans who have only heard of LU as that Falwell school.

Any school that wants that conference to stay out of VA because its out of their footprint really doesn't understand college athletics. But given that, it still would hurt us.

[bradyfan]

As moronic as the whole thing is, the Bill Maher nonsense could not have come at a worse time. That is going to scare some Presidents.

Possibly but I think it could help in a way. Falwell's response was fantastic imo, especially where he says this, "Liberty teaches the theory of evolution as well as the Biblical account of creation (including that the universe could have been created with the appearance of age just as the first man and woman were created as adults) and students make up their own minds on the issue." That should answer a lot of questions that Presidents may have had. Bill Maher saying that I think gave Falwell the opportunity to appropriately respond, which he did.

[BJWilliams]

I would agree with you about it scaring other school's if we had a terrible response BYD, but he certainly did handle himself very well in the statement in response.

[Hold My Own]

If this type of a thing scares them then so be it....we'll have our wait and eventually go independent if we have to. Do you really think ANYTHING (apart from God) is going to stop us from being wherever we ultimately want?

[TH Spangler]

The last line in the vid defines the man? Maher is nothing more than a comedian/shock jock making a killing off his liberal clones. He doesn't believe a word that comes out of his own mouth. With him it's all about keeping a straight face and making a buck. At least he is somewhat generous with his fortune, he did make a million dollar contribution to Obama's reelection. "Birds of a feather.....flock together"

[alabama24]

we'll have our wait and eventually go independent if we have to

Independent is not an option unless the NCAA changes its rules. Div 1A is "invite only." I am not worried. It will happen when the time is right.

It would be fun to be in the Sun Belt. My birth sister lives in Dothan and is a fan of Troy.

[jcmanson]

I know this is putting the cart before the horse, but anyone think once we have solidified ourselves in FBS, that our football team will go Independent?

[LUconn]

No. What would be the point?

[SumItUp]

I know this is putting the cart before the horse, but anyone think once we have solidified ourselves in FBS, that our football team will go Independent?

Eventually, yes.

[Rooster Cogburn]

Some dude posted this on the caazone board. No clue if it's true, but if it is our chances are improving with the MAC and may have taken a hit with the WAC.

Rock House Duke Wrote:We had an official invite from the WAC and the MAC and we told both of them "No"

The BOV met on Saturday afternoon to vote on it and JB said it was not in our best interest to go to the MAC. The current administration wants to stay in the CAA and FCS football until it is not longer a good option. As long is the Duke club is growing at a steady pace while we play FCS football and as long as we continue to sell out BFS then the athletic department is content to stay where we are currently.

In all honesty, it would take a boycott by the students, fans, and alumni for our administration to move forward and place us in FBS football. If ticket sells dropped and donations dried up then the administration would recognize FCS football and the CAA are not longer good options for JMU.

[Blessed1]

Some dude posted this on the caazone board. No clue if it's true, but if it is our chances are improving with the MAC and may have taken a hit with the WAC.

Rock House Duke Wrote:We had an official invite from the WAC and the MAC and we told both of them "No"

The BOV met on Saturday afternoon to vote on it and JB said it was not in our best interest to go to the MAC. The current administration wants to stay in the CAA and FCS football until it is not longer a good option. As long is the Duke club is growing at a steady pace while we play FCS football and as long as we continue to sell out BFS then the athletic department is content to stay where we are currently.

In all honesty, it would take a boycott by the students, fans, and alumni for our administration to move forward and place us in FBS football. If ticket sells dropped and donations dried up then the administration would recognize FCS football and the CAA are not longer good options for JMU.

I'm not sure what Delaware's status is (as far as being invited by another conference), but JMU seems to want App St and Delaware in the MAC with them. I think App St wants the Sun Belt, but JMU and Delaware does not. I do not know if the MAC approached App St or not about membership.

So now the question is "How many teams will the MAC take?" If JMU declined the MAC, Delaware is attached to JMU, and App St prefers the Sun Belt, would the MAC take Liberty by its self?
*Arsenio Hall Hmmmmmmm*

[Purple Haize]

As moronic as the whole thing is, the Bill Maher nonsense could not have come at a worse time. That is going to scare some Presidents.

Because University Presidents put so much stock into what a faux Comedian/Theologan has to say...

[LUaddict]

Again, it has nothing to do with the veracity of his claims. It has everything to do with the fact that we are a target for such criticism on a regular basis by mainstream sources. It doesn't matter that it's garbage, and it doesn't matter that it's refuted easily. It matters because college president types want nothing to do with this sort of publicity.

I'm not saying we won't get invited because of it. But it certainly was bad timing.

+1

[Purple Haize]

I think the comments, just like Bill Maher himself, will be ignored and prove feckless and irrelevant.

[LUaddict]

I think the comments, just like Bill Maher himself, will be ignored and prove feckless and irrelevant.

I hope that the presidents are smart enough to look past that. Liberty is not school that everyone thinks we were because of Doc's previous public comments. I just hope that this bad publicity is nothing but irrelevant chatter and other university presidents do not see us as a school they do not want to be associated with. Especially, since the media bashes us so much.

[ATrain]

And now, Hampton wants to join the CAA:

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/sports/sp ... r-1935400/

"Hampton University continues to explore options about conferences and conference affiliations. We think that it's really prudent to do so for the continued competitiveness and welfare of our student-athletes," Avery said.

He chose not to comment when asked if HU has been in contact with the CAA about potential affiliation.

Norfolk State joined the MEAC in 1997. Marty Miller, the Spartans' athletics director, in an e-mail response to an inquiry, said, "We have not had any conversations about joining the CAA."

[Blessed1]

And now, Hampton wants to join the CAA:

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/sports/sp ... r-1935400/

"Hampton University continues to explore options about conferences and conference affiliations. We think that it's really prudent to do so for the continued competitiveness and welfare of our student-athletes," Avery said.

He chose not to comment when asked if HU has been in contact with the CAA about potential affiliation.

Norfolk State joined the MEAC in 1997. Marty Miller, the Spartans' athletics director, in an e-mail response to an inquiry, said, "We have not had any conversations about joining the CAA."

Good for them! I wished the Big South made a move on some of the schools from the MEAC. If Hampton leaves, SC State, Delaware St, and possibly Florida A&M may do the same. If they leave, it would end the myth that HBCUs would never leave other HBCU conferences.

[Blessed1]

This was posted on one of the Sun Belt boards....

Tony Barnhart ‏@MrCFB

"Sun Belt Conference will announce today or tomorrow if it will go to 12 FB teams. With Ga. State in, Ga. Southern should get a strong look."

Most Georgia Southern fans feel that it could be them and App St... We'll just have to wait and see about that.

[Rooster Cogburn]

This just says they will decide yes or no on 12. Then they have to decide who, if they vote yes.

[bradyfan]

This was posted on one of the Sun Belt boards....

Tony Barnhart ‏@MrCFB

"Sun Belt Conference will announce today or tomorrow if it will go to 12 FB teams. With Ga. State in, Ga. Southern should get a strong look."

Most Georgia Southern fans feel that it could be them and App St... We'll just have to wait and see about that.

June 1st is 9 days away. We can make a decision in 48 hours. How long does it take App St.? I feel like the Sun Belt needs a team that can join immediately. Would make a lot of sense. Now, where's the Turner Gill Speculation Crew? The guys that stalked at the airport and followed cars around Lynchburg all day. We need to know if we're going to the Sun Belt before the Sun Belt knows!

[Liberty22]

This was posted on one of the Sun Belt boards....

Tony Barnhart ‏@MrCFB

"Sun Belt Conference will announce today or tomorrow if it will go to 12 FB teams. With Ga. State in, Ga. Southern should get a strong look."

Most Georgia Southern fans feel that it could be them and App St... We'll just have to wait and see about that.

June 1st is 9 days away. We can make a decision in 48 hours. How long does it take App St.? I feel like the Sun Belt needs a team that can join immediately. Would make a lot of sense. Now, where's the Turner Gill Speculation Crew? The guys that stalked at the airport and followed cars around Lynchburg all day. We need to know if we're going to the Sun Belt before the Sun Belt knows!

lol seriously where are our ninjas?

[logic]

Sly has been uncharacteristically....sly about the whole thing and hasn't had much to offer. Is the old sage holding back information? I would agree with cj, we knew about Turner Gill well before it was official, in fact we even followed jets looking for information. The boards have been surprisingly very quiet about an FBS move.

[Sly Fox]

For the record, I just flew in from Tokyo last night. I have had limited internet access for the past 3+ weeks and no phone for the duration of the trip.

Now that I am back on U.S. soil, I will be able to focus more attention on the situation. I have little to no inside information at the present. Most of my contacts are much more focused on the Florida State/Notre Dame speculation (and the crazy UNC/VT to SEC rumors) than what is working at our level. But it is true that the focal points of the moment are with the Sun Belt meetings & anything coming from WAC discussions. WAC has to announce something quickly or they drop football for at least a year .... although they would retain FBS status as long as league doesn't completely fold.

[logic]

Someone should tweet to Tony Barnhart about Liberty instead of GaSouthern.


http://csnbbs.com/showthread.php?tid=571483