[LUconn]

I've been reading a lot on all the different boards about who is looking to go where and when this will happen. While none of it is certain and anythign can happen, I can tell that nobody ever has any interest in us. At least their fans don't. So I have to ask, who is out there lobbying for us and in our interest? Does Barber do it? I hope JF doesn't unless he's got some pull I don't know about. Because a shakeup is GOING to happen. It's enevitable. And the odds that the change will make the BSC better is slim. I don't mind a huge conference shuffle, I would just like LU to not be left out in the cold. And if I didn't know the fans weren't running things, I would think that is bound to happen. I think the Athletic Department needs to be proactive in securing it's future. I would hope this is going on behind the scenes but who knows.

[PAmedic]

I'd agree that-

1. big changes are on the horizon, and if history is any indication:

2. those big changes will happen SOONER than anyone thinks

3. my guess is that our AD is on top of things and most likely negotiating ANY possible option behind the scenes- time for us to start digging

[PAmedic]

here's one of the weirdest scenarios I've seen proposed yet. Of course, its coming from someone that identifies with "Hot Hot Hot"

http://www.coastalfans.com/forum/viewto ... &start=165

Not necessarily. Within 3-5 years the American East will probably take in the northern most CAA schools leaving JMU, Delaware, Towson, and ODU (adding football) . When that happens look for the CAA to go after ASU, GSU, and perhaps WCU. I suspect W&M will seek refuge in the SoCon along side Furman, Elon, Wofford, Davidson,and The Citadel. VMI will probably be readmitted and Presbyterian brought in to round out the league at 7 football playing schools. If Richmond could be persuaded to jump from the A-10 into an all sports conference that number goes to 8 and a neat package of small, mostly private schools is born. CofC, & UNCG may join up with UNCW, VCU, George Mason, and a few others for a bb league. It will be very interesting to see how this whole thing goes down.

[A.G.]

I doubt LU would ever publically go after anything b/c of the undying loyalty to The "Big" South. Kallander must have dirty photos of someone.

[LUconn]

That odd scenario is what made me start this thread.

I used to hate the Big South and I still would rather be in many other conferences but it's started to warm on me. I like it better the way it is now than the SoCon. We just need a few more football schools. If all of our nonfootball friends had established fball programs I think it'd be a conference with a lot of good potential. But they don't and that makes us weak, sitting ducks waiting to be plundered.

[A.G.]

No matter what Kallander thinks or wants, it will ALWAYS be a hoops conference, first and foremost. He needs to give up on the pipedream of admitting only football schools or the conference will die a rapid death. For LU, Longwood would be a natural add. My crystal ball sees in 5 years that Coastal AND VMI will be long gone, and there will still be no auto bid for the "Championship Division" in football.

[SuperJon]

Hmm

American East:
Albany
Stony Brook
Hofstra
Rhode Island
New Hampshire
UMass
Maine

CAA:
Towson
Coastal Carolina
Western Carolina
Delaware
JMU
App
GSU
WCU
Old Dominion

SoCon:
Furman
Wofford
Elon
VMI
The Citadel
William & Mary
Richmond
Presbyterian
Liberty

UTC, ETSU to OVC

Basketball Conference:
UNCW
UNCG
UNCA
Georgia State
George Mason
VCU
College of Charleston
Winthrop
Radford
Drexel
Davidson

High Point, Gardner-Webb, Charleston Southern to the A-Sun

[LUconn]

Eh, that conference is ok. I do like W&M and Richmond. As I've said before, ideally I would like a conference of VA schools. That would be fantastic game atmosphere-wise. Really I'd just like to tag along wherever W&M goes. I think that school knows what it's doing.

[ATrain]

Yeah, W&M will be a great school to be aligned with, the question is do they want to be aligned with us? And I'd probably send Radford over to the A-Sun as well.

If only Winthrop and Radford would just establish football, that would be great. Winthrop is one of the top schools athletically in our conference and Radford one of the biggest in enrollment. If it weren't for the huge financial costs involved, it would only make sense for them to.

[WinthropEagleFan]

Yeah, W&M will be a great school to be aligned with, the question is do they want to be aligned with us? And I'd probably send Radford over to the A-Sun as well.

If only Winthrop and Radford would just establish football, that would be great. Winthrop is one of the top schools athletically in our conference and Radford one of the biggest in enrollment. If it weren't for the huge financial costs involved, it would only make sense for them to.

I was curious a little while back and did a little research. Winthrop's student population is 70% female. Do you know how many Division I football programs (both I-A and I-AA) have that high of a female population? None. For Title IX reasons alone, it would be next to impossible for WU to field a team without some huge support from some donor to get it off the ground. Only 6 schools (out of the 220-something total Div. I football schools) have a 65% or higher female population. I would like WU to have football, but I don't see a feasible way to make it happen without gutting most of the other men's sports, which I don't want to see...

[ATrain]

What I would find interesting is how the fans of the non-football schools feel about our conference trying to position itself for an auto-bid, as well as all the talk of conference shuffling.

[LUconn]

the real question is: are we trying to position ourselves for an autobid? Based on what's been accomplished so far, it's questionable.

[Sly Fox]

Right now we are not being mentioned much because we are coming off our worst football/mens hoops year in school history. We are in no position to be bargaining. Now if we have the type of year many of us expect this fall and into the winter, we might be in mor eof a position of strength when the dominoes start falling. Right now we are so far off the radar that most conferences have no idea of how much we are investing in our athletic program.

[WinthropEagleFan]

What I would find interesting is how the fans of the non-football schools feel about our conference trying to position itself for an auto-bid, as well as all the talk of conference shuffling.

From my perspective, it only makes sense that the conference do that. Obviously Coastal and Liberty are two very valuable members to this conference, so if not having an auto-bid means that they'll look to leave (which is obvious in Coastal's case), then the league should be looking into finding a way to get that auto-bid, just as long as if they bring in a new school, that it isn't someone like Savannah State (a completely non-competitive athletic program with NCAA troubles)...

[Sly Fox]

Its appearing more & more likely that SSU may have to abandon their I-AA football dreams fairly quickly unless the MEAC gives them a reprieve.

[WinthropEagleFan]

the real question is: are we trying to position ourselves for an autobid? Based on what's been accomplished so far, it's questionable.

I'm not really sure what more the conference could be doing..Aside from Savannah state, I don't see any programs available that the Big South can just pick up. Obviously it doesn't help in the short-term, but the league did get the one regional D-2 team that has moved up w/ a football program (PC). The only other option (aside from a program being started @ WU, UNCA, RU, or HPU) is to get a school to change leagues. I remember those talks about SC State and Hampton earlier, but until their hands are forced by what goes on the MEAC, I don't see why they would want to leave. As for any other schools, the Big South is just not in a great bargaining position. I mean, let's say the conference tries to get someone like Wofford or WCU or someone to move from the SoCon...is there any assurance that the Big South could give them that as soon as they come in that Coastal or Liberty won't get swooped up by the SoCon anyway and leave the league in the same position it is in now?

Maybe the league could be doing more...But I don't see where the league has really dropped the ball either. I mean, it is in the league's best interest to keep Coastal and Liberty around so I don't see why they wouldn't be trying...

[Sly Fox]

I think the chances of LU heading to the SoCon in any scenario are practically zero.

As for who we should be making overtures toward off the top of my head:

Hampton
NC A&T
SC State
WCU
The Citadel

I know there has been discussion of Delaware State as well. And I wonder if the CAA would be cool with ODU beginning in the Big South for a few years to get their legs under them? If Richmond is convinced their days in the A-10/CAA are numbered in such an overcrowded league, perhaps they could be enticed to the Big South if they saw an advantage. I realize the odds of the Spiders coming are practically zero but we should be trying nonetheless.

[Stevev]

Why would any program out there would want to come to a conference with no auto bits right now and probably not in the near future, and with half of the programs wanting to get out. Unless it is to free up the scheduling end of things.

[Sly Fox]

The scheduling is part of it. The MEAC schools listed aren't particularly happy with their league right now and under the right circumstances they might bolt together thereby keeping their primary rivalries intact.

As for WCU and The Citadel, they aren't getting a sniff of the playoffs in the SoCon and they could help the Big South land a bid that would be easier to win. There are a lot of reasons why we should be chasing El Cid. It makes sense on a number of levels.

[LUconn]

The same reason 3 teams from the Big East left to go to a conference with no championship game and the top football program looking to bail. Together it makes a darn good football conference.

[SuperJon]

Right now we are not being mentioned much because we are coming off our worst football/mens hoops year in school history. We are in no position to be bargaining. Now if we have the type of year many of us expect this fall and into the winter, we might be in mor eof a position of strength when the dominoes start falling. Right now we are so far off the radar that most conferences have no idea of how much we are investing in our athletic program.

This is just me asking because I honestly don't know. We finished worse than VMI in football and better in basketball. Why are they being linked to new conferences on a regular basis and we're not? They're coming off just as bad of years as we are. I'm not trying to smack on VMI, I really want to know. I know they have a big history and are a military school, but is that the only reasons they're getting the talk?

I think the chances of LU heading to the SoCon in any scenario are practically zero.

As for who we should be making overtures toward off the top of my head:

Hampton
NC A&T
SC State
WCU
The Citadel

There's no way Western will leave App. No way in the world. That rivalry is the biggest rivalry in non-ACC ball in North Carolina.

[WinthropEagleFan]

The same reason 3 teams from the Big East left to go to a conference with no championship game and the top football program looking to bail. Together it makes a darn good football conference.

I'm not sure the situations are very similar. They were going from one BCS-bid league to another. There was no risk that they could be left in the cold without a BCS opportunity. There's alot more risk for a school going from a I-AA autobid league to a league without a bid.

[Sly Fox]

If Appy is leaving them (which could very well happen), then they won't have as strong of ties to the SoCon.

As for VMI, they have a very strong alumni base and a long history with the SoCon. Academically the Institute has a tremendous reputation that puts them in line for consideration from Mini-Ivy leagues like the Patriot. They weren't booted from the SoCon ... they left on good terms and would be welcomed back theoretically speaking.

[SuperJon]

I agree completely. If App leaves, then you have the small chance that Western might as well. However, speaking from a western North Carolina perspective, SoCon has much more weight and reputation that Big South. The chances Western leaves is slim to none.

[Stevev]

I thought the Appy State going 1A was a dead issue right now. I thought that the board voted it down. If the Big South could get the teams Sly talked about that would be a big improvement from what it is now.