[ValleyBoy]

BearlyDoug

Idaho and NMSU do not have a vote. The six western members that have a vote are, UTA, TxSt, ArkSt, UALR, ULM, and ULL.

[jlread]

I thought I heard Texas St liked us!?!?!?

[BearlyDoug]

BearlyDoug, Idaho and NMSU do not have a vote. The six western members that have a vote are, UTA, TxSt, ArkSt, UALR, ULM, and ULL.

Thank you... I appreciate the clarification. Glad to know I wasn't wrong on Idaho and NMSU.

I thought I heard Texas St liked us!?!?!?

They're still trying to feel out their own position and Status... plus, they're really busy hating on UTSA (I have followers from both programs. It's hilarious to watch the interaction and trash talking between 'em, haha!)

It's a domino effect. If we get one or two of the hold outs, other schools will go along with them.

Here's the kicker to all of this. ULL wants out of the Sun Belt. They feel that they're playing in an inferior league (AKA WKU). Everyone else (Appy State, Georgia Southern, Georgia State... and yes, Liberty) LOVE the Sun Belt... and lobbied hard to get in (or in GSU Panthers' case, rejoin).

Biggest complaint most of the schools have (rightfully so) were the Bowl tie-ins and TV contract.

We had Karl Benson on TCR a several months ago, and we grilled him about both... he said that he was working on the Bowl situation first, and then adding teams to stabilize the league.

IF I remember correctly, he listed his priorities as follows:
1. Increase the number of Bowl tie-ins (4 guaranteed bowls plus up to 2 more on a rotational basis - CHECK)

2. Get the league to 12 CFB schools and STABLE (with WKU leaving, SBC is at 11. With JMU getting all hoity-toity, Liberty's definitely lookin' good). Sun Belt wants to have a Conf Championship game, which would bring in additional exposure and revenue. The focus/emphasis is to get schools that WANT to be in the Sun Belt Conf.

3. Get a TV contract that increases exposure for ALL Sun Belt Schools. Bringing in Appy State (remember the 2007 game where they upset a top ranked Michigan team?!) and Georgia Southern (making it a habit of beating SEC schools in a few sports) definitely increases the exposure... but there's still no one MARQUEE school that stands out (SEC is Alabama, Big 12 is Texas, Big 10 has a couple.... Pac 12 has USC, Cal, Stanford, etc). ESPN might not be the way to go, IMHO. With ESPN dominating the sports market, the SBC may need to look at Fox Sports or NBC Sports to get this contract in. Both TV networks are struggling to keep up with ESPN and would probably jump at the chance to work with SBC, IF the money was right for both entities.

4. Earn some RESPECT from all other conferences. The fact that the SBC had 8 of 9 member schools Bowl Eligible last year but only two made it into Bowl Games... and for this past MBB season... having several (very deserving, IMHO) schools that should have gone into the NCAAT (come on.. A10 sent 6 teams?! Pfffffft!) shows that this is probably going to be the biggest challenge to overcome.

Getting the right schools and right TV partner into place can take care of each and every point above.

[ValleyBoy]

I thought I heard Texas St liked us!?!?!?

Chiefsfan stated that from what he had heard Liberty had 6 yes votes and 5 no votes at this time. He said the 5 no votes were from the western schools which TxSt is one off. Now I have no idea what the vote total is at this time but just listed the western member schools.

If ArkSt is a no vote then more than likely UALR is also a no vote. Get ArkSt to change there vote to yes then UALR will change there vote also.

[jcmanson]

Thanks for those who listened last night, and Doug, thanks again for having me on. It was fun, hope we get to do it again sometime soon!

[CinciFlame]

I'm convinced no one really knows how many votes liberty has or doesn't have.

[TH Spangler]

The best case now for ODU would be for Liberty to get a Sun Belt invite. The Monarchs squeaked by the Flames last season in Norfolk and would be a nice opponent to align themselves with in the non conference going forward.

http://odubleedblue.com/jmu-supposedly- ... -sun-belt/

[R i]

Louisiana Gov. is the key note speaker this year at gradution.

[Liberty22]

The best case now for ODU would be for Liberty to get a Sun Belt invite. The Monarchs squeaked by the Flames last season in Norfolk and would be a nice opponent to align themselves with in the non conference going forward.

http://odubleedblue.com/jmu-supposedly- ... -sun-belt/

Agreed. OOC games against ODU would be great for both schools moving forward!

[R i]

Louisiana Gov. is the key note speaker this year at gradution.

Two of the 6 said "NO" votes, reside in his state.

[R i]

If you are still not convinced, Jindal Announces Funding Hike for Higher Education in early 2014.

http://www.gov.louisiana.gov/index.cfm? ... cleID=4407

His word matters.

[Humble_Opinion]

If you are still not convinced, Jindal Announces Funding Hike for Higher Education in early 2014.

http://www.gov.louisiana.gov/index.cfm? ... cleID=4407

His word matters.

Uhh - here's a snippet from the statement you posted R i.

BATON ROUGE – Today, Governor Bobby Jindal joined leaders from higher education systems across Louisiana to announce a funding increase of $141.5 million for higher education institutions for the next fiscal year. The funding hike represents a 6.66 percent increase over the budget for the current fiscal year.

Sorry - I just thought it was hilarious.

[CinciFlame]

I'm convinced no one really knows how many votes liberty has or doesn't have.

Noted.

Present an argument otherwise. All this talk of 5 votes short is all opinion.

[jbock13]

ughhhhhhhhhh

[olldflame]

Keep in mind none of these "votes" are being "cast" in a vacuum. IMHO at least to some extent, there have been to this point "NO" votes for LU that were really more an expression of a preference for JMU and/or MSU. Once it sinks in that those are both no longer an option, perhaps we will start looking better.

[Liberty22]

That is my thought as well. Once the presidents hear JMU thumbed their nose at them and MoSt doesn't have the desire they may be more likely to vote yes, especially since JR went and visited Ark St and ULM etc.

[PAmedic]

the begging is kinda pathetic IMHO

[LUinPA]

the begging is kinda pathetic IMHO

Well...IMHO

Begging in the Streets for food in order to live another day!

vs.

Dying in the streets; i.e. being stuck in the Big South for the seeable future... of course I am not saying being in the BIG South is absoultely terrible......Wait a minute, yes it is when the vision is to be something bigger!

I CHOOSE LIFE!!!!

[R i]

the begging is kinda pathetic IMHO

So what do you suggest?

Enter SuperJon with the ugly girl at prom illustration.

[SumItUp]

the begging is kinda pathetic IMHO

I doubt there was any begging taking place.

[chiefsfan]

Haha Doug...They'll let me anywhere these days. Hope the radio show is going well...good to see you out and about on the internet.

I have 5 no votes...though its possible there are only 4. The No votes I know of are ULL, ASU, UALR, and ULM. I am assuming that while Texas State appears a Liberty supporter, they value their relationship with the other West schools a little more.

The Politics of Arkansas plays a big role in this process. Arkansas State currently has heavy boosters in the Governor's Mansion, as Speaker of the House of Representatives, and as head of the Board of Higher Education. If UALR takes a step that ASU doesn't like...it would take about 5 minutes for a phone call from one of those three people informing them how they should vote.

ULM is their own animal. They will fully say that they are not blindly following ULL, and they really do hate the Cajuns. But they do value their rivalries with West Division teams, and ultimately follow the crowd. ULL has a great relationship with Texas State, and I am operating off the assumption that Texas State is still following them around in voting, like they have every other vote.

You need 9 votes. Realistically, the way it works is, if you convince ASU and ULL...you've won.

While I cant comfirm all of this with sources, it should be very notable that Liberty's administration visited ASU, ULM, and UALR. My guess is they didn't visit those schools because they were so excited that they had 11 votes lined up to join the league.

Compromise is the word of the day. ASU expecially is a big fan of compromise, and would be the easiest to change the opinion of. If you change ASU, you change UALR by default, meaning you only need ULM to play along and your golden.

[PAmedic]

the begging is kinda pathetic IMHO

I doubt there was any begging taking place.

I started typing a response by way of explanation... something about admin making decisions not based on fan reaction, then I realized how much that sounded like BEEJAY so I immediately deleted it and then shot myself in the nuts

[SuperJon]

the begging is kinda pathetic IMHO

So what do you suggest?

Enter SuperJon with the ugly girl at prom illustration.

Man, for an illustration that I used once a few years ago, that thing's gotten quite a bit of play. Must've been a good one.

Honestly though, I don't mind the begging. It's better than the prideful "we have all the money in the world" stuff that we did two years ago.

[BJWilliams]

You deserve that sort of torture shorty for trying to insult yours truly

[Dr. Sheh]

the begging is kinda pathetic IMHO

I doubt there was any begging taking place.

I started typing a response by way of explanation... something about admin making decisions not based on fan reaction, then I realized how much that sounded like BEEJAY so I immediately deleted it and then shot myself in the nuts

This may be the funniest thing I've read on here in a while, and that's saying something!