[VAGolf]

Just thinking outside the box here.

As some of you may know, Georgia Southern is 7-2 and is having a great season. Unfortunately, because of the FCS to FBS bowl eligibility, GSU will not be eligible for a bowl. Apparently, a student has started a #freeGSU petition to get the NCAA to waive this rule. Now, obviously no one from athletics is going to read or genuinely care about this post. But just in case someone happens to read this, why not support that movement? I would bet many students would sign the petition and even if they don't, trying definitely won't hurt our perception.

[TH Spangler]

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2014 ... rs_co.html

Some former UAB football players are concerned that the results of a study that's part of a university-wide strategic plan could lead to the elimination of the school's football program.

[ATrain]

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2014 ... rs_co.html

Some former UAB football players are concerned that the results of a study that's part of a university-wide strategic plan could lead to the elimination of the school's football program.

It's being conducted by Bill Carr and Associates,

"As you are aware," the letter says, "to lose football is to lose conference affiliation and to lose conference affiliation means that basketball and the rest of our outstanding sports programs would be relegated to the lower echelons of the NCAA. These thoughts are unacceptable, and we know that your leadership will not allow such drastic and unbeneficial decisions to be made."

[alabama24]

why not support that movement?

Why would we care about another school going to a bowl game? (There are too many bowl games in the first place. Most schools lose money when they get to a bowl game. Clean the toilet bowl and be done with it...)

[VAGolf]

why not support that movement?

Why would we care about another school going to a bowl game? (There are too many bowl games in the first place. Most schools lose money when they get to a bowl game. Clean the toilet bowl and be done with it...)

Why aren't we in the Sun Belt? Because we didn't/don't have the support.

Who is in the Sun Belt? Georgia Southern. How do you think their fans, faculty and administration would view us if we did all we could to help them? I would bet our perception around the conference would change for the better.

Also, I'm not a huge fan of bowls either. But I haven't heard of schools losing money to play in a bowl. Aren't there payouts for making a bowl game? Even so, if they want to go to a bowl game, why wouldn't we support them?

Am I wrong for thinking that it wouldn't be a bad thing for a current Sun Belt member to owe us one?

[LUminary]

It won't likely happen, but there is one odd provision for Georgia Southern to go bowling. If there aren't enough six-win, bowl-eligible teams to supply all the bowls, then teams such as Georgia Southern who haven't completed transition to FBS are to be taken ahead of any team with a losing record.

[TH Spangler]

More on UAB ...http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr- ... 03932.html

[ATrain]

UAB drops football and moves to the Missouri Valley. ODU gets JMU to take UAB's spot, much to the dismay of Arkansas State and the rest of the SunBelt. SunBelt decides they want a championship game, but with Liberty the only feasible option at the moment, make a public statement claiming a desire for "stabiliity," while they work the back doors of Lamar, Sam Houston State, etc...to make the jump to FBS.

Liberty stays in the Big South. The CAA takes Bryant to replace JMU.

[VAGolf]

VaGolf, I highly recommend you pick up a copy of Dan Wetzel's "Death a To The BCS". There is a chapter just on bowl games. Not only do schools lose money, they lose a lot of money.

The payouts are nice, but they usually don't offset the mandatory ticket buys. When the schools can't sell their overpriced tickets (you can buy them much cheaper in the secondary market), they get crushed.

Isn't that the idiot who ticked off South Korea?

Also, schools don't have to go to bowl games. Evidenced by LA Tech last season.

[ATrain]

UAB drops football and moves to the Missouri Valley. ODU gets JMU to take UAB's spot, much to the dismay of Arkansas State and the rest of the SunBelt. SunBelt decides they want a championship game, but with Liberty the only feasible option at the moment, make a public statement claiming a desire for "stabiliity," while they work the back doors of Lamar, Sam Houston State, etc...to make the jump to FBS.

Liberty stays in the Big South. The CAA takes Bryant to replace JMU.

Obviously stuff changes, but as of last spring JMU did not want to be in a conference with ODU. It was pretty much MAC or bust.

That's the first I've heard of that...

[VAGolf]

UAB drops football and moves to the Missouri Valley. ODU gets JMU to take UAB's spot, much to the dismay of Arkansas State and the rest of the SunBelt. SunBelt decides they want a championship game, but with Liberty the only feasible option at the moment, make a public statement claiming a desire for "stabiliity," while they work the back doors of Lamar, Sam Houston State, etc...to make the jump to FBS.

Liberty stays in the Big South. The CAA takes Bryant to replace JMU.

Obviously stuff changes, but as of last spring JMU did not want to be in a conference with ODU. It was pretty much MAC or bust.

Also, I'm pretty certain (maybe I'm wrong) that we have a better relationship with ODU than they have with JMU.

[VAGolf]

VaGolf, I highly recommend you pick up a copy of Dan Wetzel's "Death a To The BCS". There is a chapter just on bowl games. Not only do schools lose money, they lose a lot of money.

The payouts are nice, but they usually don't offset the mandatory ticket buys. When the schools can't sell their overpriced tickets (you can buy them much cheaper in the secondary market), they get crushed.

Isn't that the idiot who ticked off South Korea?

Also, schools don't have to go to bowl games. Evidenced by LA Tech last season.

He is the guy. I think he is one of the very best sports writers in the game.

I've read some of his Yahoo stuff. He's a good writer but I disagree with him on just about everything, except Nascar.

[JakeP50]

I was actually talking to a friend on the LFSN student crew about going C-USA or AAC. I'm glad that Liberty is finally realizing the Sun Belt probably wont happen.

[TH Spangler]

If UAB drops football, the Blazers will be forced to leave Conference USA

C-USA would likely look to the Sun Belt Conference, perhaps to South Alabama, Troy or some other western team, to replace UAB.

http://hamptonroads.com/2014/11/will-ua ... affect-odu

[VAGolf]

With Charlotte joining next season, is the conference going to re-align their divisions? Currently, the C-USA has 13 teams and UAB resides in the 7 team, East division. Charlotte, I'm assuming will be added to the East. From just looking at the conference geographically, it would make sense that UAB would get moved to the West once Charlotte is added. So, the absence of UAB would mean that either the conference would seek a team for the West division or move a team from the East. If we were added, who would get moved? Mid Tenn State? Western Kentucky? Marshall?

[TIMSCAR20]

I have never wanted Liberty to go to the Sunbelt if I'm being honest. It is a poor league in my opinion. I would love to see them in the CUSA. I will be covering this league on ASN this season and based on my research so far, the schools in CUSA are teams that Liberty could compete with. CUSA is way higher profile than the Sunbelt but they aren't the conference they were when Memphis was in it for hoops. Still it would be a solid move. Then I may even get to call a Liberty game again someday. As long as they are in the Big South, I have no chance unless LFSN wants to let me back in.

AAC might be a bit of a stretch though. CUSA is possible I say. I hope we never talk about Sunbelt again. Them shutting Liberty out could be a blessing in disguise. I have experienced that sort of blessing recently myself

[Sly Fox]

Don't go hating on the Sun Belt. I know it is a lousy hoops league but it is arguably better than CUSA in football and baseball. I'd be thrilled with any FBS league.

[TIMSCAR20]

Don't go hating on the Sun Belt. I know it is a lousy hoops league but it is arguably better than CUSA in football and baseball. I'd be thrilled with any FBS league.

I guess I don't subscribe to the whole FBS is better theory. I'd say almost any league over the Big South is better but it doesn't have to be FBS. Other than being able to schedule FBS teams and a possible bowl appearance the Sunbelt just doesn't seem like a step up to me. The Sunbelt is basically a bowl eligible Big South to me. I think Liberty should aspire to do better.

[jcmanson]

Just get to FBS, whoever takes us. It's much easier to move from FBS Conference A to FBS Conference B than it is to move from FCS Conference A to FBS Conference A-Z.

[TIMSCAR20]

Just get to FBS, whoever takes us. It's much easier to move from FBS Conference A to FBS Conference B than it is to move from FCS Conference A to FBS Conference A-Z.

Yeah but if that is the goal to use the Sunbelt as a stepping stone to a better conference, that puts Liberty in the same boat with them as with the CAA. You are viable but it is obvious you will leave the 1st time a better opportunity approaches. It's like being perceived as a job hopper when interviewing for a new position. That's why employers always ask the cliche' question "where do you see yourself in 5 years". They want someone who is committed to staying there.

[TIMSCAR20]

Yeah but the Sun Belt is like McDonald's. They know every single one of their schools would leave if another conference comes calling.

That's true of almost every conference except for the Big Boys and even they had to deal with that in the past 10 years with the ACC on the prowl stealing teams from the other Big conferences

That's also true in my interview analogy. We would all leave our current jobs for a major opportunity. The difference is, we aren't telling everyone everyday that we can't wait for Microsoft to return our call.

[jcmanson]

I think we would be content in the Sun Belt for the time being. I doubt we would be actively seeking a new league, but instead waiting on other leagues to call us.

[Sly Fox]

Amen. If we land in the Sun Belt we would be postioned for very nice things down the road.

And back to the Tidewater fishwrap article, I don't see Troy moving to CUSA. South Alabama may be a possibility. I don't think many of the Sun Belt schools would consider the CUSA an upgrade at this point. They like having a tighter geographical footprint with lower cost structure. The two prized schools of Arkansas State & ULL have greater aspirations than CUSA and would be unlikely to rejoin most of their former Sun Belt brethren in CUSA. Not that La Tech wants the Cajuns in the same league with them anyway.

And let me go on the record as stating that if UAB does away with football, I applaud them. If you are not going to do something right and the product does not add to the campus experience, then perhaps you are better off doing without. And yes, I know the demons in Tuscaloosa are bullying UAB into oblivion at taxpayer expense. But this is UAB we are talking about here. There are several other schools in a similar category.

[LUminary]

Just get to FBS, whoever takes us. It's much easier to move from FBS Conference A to FBS Conference B than it is to move from FCS Conference A to FBS Conference A-Z.

Well put, and very true.

[LUnpretty11]

Those interested in UAB football... Their official attendance against LA Tech was 9,457. Their stadium seats 72,000... yikes. I bet half of the high school games in LA had higher attended games on Friday night.