Anything and everything about Liberty Flames football. Your comments on games, recruiting and the direction of the program as we move into new era.

Moderators: jcmanson, Sly Fox, BuryYourDuke, Class of 20Something

By tyndal23
Posts
#634937
Go Flames !!! We want Sam Houston !!! Enjoying the good news as I watch ACC VT and BC play, excited for our new conference and the launch pad it will give us to some day play and beat one of those teams on National TV - one can only dream. In the mean time, thankful we have arrived at the crucial next step of becoming an FBS G5 Conference Member while we welcome aboard the multitudes of FCS teams to our prestigious conference. Some day my grandkids will perhaps look back on this historic day and remember, “ if only Poppa were here to see this day”. Now please excuse me while I go and try to find a wife ( after the game ends of course ).
Liberty22 liked this
#634938
I'm happy with the move. Gives our football a home...improves hoops...the conference will grow over time and also gives LU some time to work on internal issues before the next round or realignment.

Hoping that WKU and MTSU stay but if they don't hope CUSA can bring in a few more members quickly. :)

Also...Hugh Freeze says he likes doing things that haven't been done before. Here's to hoping he sticks around for at least 2 more years and helps LU win it's first fbs football conference championship. :)
LUOrange liked this
User avatar
By Racenut
Registration Days Posts
#634939
Alright, here we go, I'm in 100% ! The hand wringing is over and the debate was lively and mostly civil. It is what it is! I'm sure the coaches had a lot of input and Ian has his hand much more on the pulse than I, so hopefully we can rule this conference and get enough quality P5/G5 games to fill out the schedule and stay on this upward trajectory. I still have this hope that somehow ARMY can be brought into the fold, but no matter, even without them there are still a lot of reasons to be optimistic.
The number one thing we have going for us is the mission. It is so much more than the average program has for motivation. It's so much more than what the world has to offer. The ability that this platform has to reach people for Christ and every week showing athletes that they can accomplish their dreams and still be encouraged to embrace their beliefs is unique in the collegiate realm. I hear it when the coaches and players speak. I see it every game day when fans get together without beligirent drunks fighting in the stands. I have yet to hear the foul mouthed arguments that I see at virtually every secular game that I attend. So now we have a chance to shine that light to a new group of schools. Hopefully we can continue to radiate the spirit within us to a new audience in victory and defeat. Hopefully mostly in victory.
TH Spangler, LU 57, Kricket and 4 others liked this
By tyndal23
Posts
#634940
The Die is cast - Go Flames ! Make lemonade out of lemons, rule the roost, Conquer CUSA, Beat NMSU ? ( not sure who or rival is yet - but beat whoever ). Thrilled we have regional rivals now that will pack The Bill and we no longer have to worry about scheduling too many P5 games. Go Flames ( did I say that already ) ?
User avatar
By sstaedtler
Posts
#634941
I'm very happy and relieved about this. I admit being angry with JMU and ODU who act like they are above us and to me, really were the reason they and Marshall left for the Sun Belt...a lot because of us. Anyway, this conference is already better than the MAC and Sun Belt in basketball, better than the MAC in baseball, and about equal to the Sun Belt in baseball. I like that we keep our 2022 schedule and we may even get rid of the UMASS and UCONN games in our 2023 schedule. I'd love to get rid of the FCS games also. I am undecided on whether UMass and UConn are good for the conference in football because they are only one sport and not really a geographic fit, at least right now. Sam Houston and Jacksonville St. are two decent FCS call ups.
By tyndal23
Posts
#634942
sstaedtler wrote: November 6th, 2021, 1:11 am I'm very happy and relieved about this. I admit being angry with JMU and ODU who act like they are above us and to me, really were the reason they and Marshall left for the Sun Belt...a lot because of us. Anyway, this conference is already better than the MAC and Sun Belt in basketball, better than the MAC in baseball, and about equal to the Sun Belt in baseball. I like that we keep our 2022 schedule and we may even get rid of the UMASS and UCONN games in our 2023 schedule. I'd love to get rid of the FCS games also. I am undecided on whether UMass and UConn are good for the conference in football because they are only one sport and not really a geographic fit, at least right now. Sam Houston and Jacksonville St. are two decent FCS call ups.
What in the world does LU have to do with JMU,ODU,Marshall leaving for the SunBelt - which is arguably now the best G5 Conference. Did I miss a memo- we were invited and turned it down? Please explain.
User avatar
By Kricket
Registration Days Posts
#634946
tyndal23 wrote: November 6th, 2021, 12:57 am The Die is cast - Go Flames ! Make lemonade out of lemons, rule the roost, Conquer CUSA, Beat NMSU ? ( not sure who or rival is yet - but beat whoever ). Thrilled we have regional rivals now that will pack The Bill and we no longer have to worry about scheduling too many P5 games. Go Flames ( did I say that already ) ?
Ever hear of Dunning Kruger? I feel like you're very far left on the graph and Ian is very far right. You need to chill out a bit and recognize that maybe you don't know everything that goes in to these type of decisions.
Image
For one, I have never heard you reference anything but football. In basketball we undoubtedly improved. As bad as you act like football will be, our basketball schedule is much much worse in the A-Sun. Football rules the roost for now, but it's not hard to envision a future that football isn't king anymore. Either way, there are more factors than football.

Two, you don't know how much our success and potential for other independents to be in conferences will impact our ability to schedule. Ian is going through it every day and you think you know better? You think he just has a really small vision for Liberty athletics? You think he really doesn't mean it when he says we have P5 potential?

I'm sure we will hear the reasoning from Ian at some point, and since he's fairly competent I think he will have good reasons for the move and also will have a plan to grow us into a P5 type school going forward.

Also, something tells me this may not be our last stint as an independent in football. It's not as hard to leave a conference once you're in one as it is to go the other way.
flamehunter, alabama24, thepostman and 2 others liked this
User avatar
By Kricket
Registration Days Posts
#634948
Also, everyone wants to talk about us being the Gonzaga of the east. There's zero chance we do that in the A-Sun. The A-Sun is terribly weak. We'd have a hard time getting an at large much less being a perennial top 25 in the A-Sun.

If you look at powerhouse football teams, there are a few who used independence to help, but there are many who took the conference route, so there is some debate there at which is best.

In basketball, can anyone find a powerhouse team that stayed in a conference as weak as the A-Sun? Gonzaga is in the WCC and they are much closer to the new C-USA level than they are A-Sun. The only other one I can think of with a big sustained rise is Butler and they conference hopped along the way to get there.

My point is, I can't find an example of sustained basketball success in a conference as bad as the A-Sun, so I feel a move was absolutely necessary to keep growing the program, as it was very very unlikely we'd get into the A-10 or Big East.
#634951
One thing we miss out on because of the realignment shuffle is building a solid rivalry. Hard to get jazzed against random opponents. That would stand for FBS independence too. It would be nice to have a home that feels at least semi-permanent.
By ballcoach15
Registration Days Posts
#634958
It will be almost impossible to get top 25 in basketball, regardless of W-L record. Even if we go undefeated, we must remember, poll voters are more crooked than politicians. They give special attention to P5 teams, and a small select group of others.
By tyndal23
Posts
#634964
Kricket wrote: November 6th, 2021, 8:10 am
tyndal23 wrote: November 6th, 2021, 12:57 am The Die is cast - Go Flames ! Make lemonade out of lemons, rule the roost, Conquer CUSA, Beat NMSU ? ( not sure who or rival is yet - but beat whoever ). Thrilled we have regional rivals now that will pack The Bill and we no longer have to worry about scheduling too many P5 games. Go Flames ( did I say that already ) ?
Ever hear of Dunning Kruger? I feel like you're very far left on the graph and Ian is very far right. You need to chill out a bit and recognize that maybe you don't know everything that goes in to these type of decisions.
Image
For one, I have never heard you reference anything but football. In basketball we undoubtedly improved. As bad as you act like football will be, our basketball schedule is much much worse in the A-Sun. Football rules the roost for now, but it's not hard to envision a future that football isn't king anymore. Either way, there are more factors than football.

Two, you don't know how much our success and potential for other independents to be in conferences will impact our ability to schedule. Ian is going through it every day and you think you know better? You think he just has a really small vision for Liberty athletics? You think he really doesn't mean it when he says we have P5 potential?

I'm sure we will hear the reasoning from Ian at some point, and since he's fairly competent I think he will have good reasons for the move and also will have a plan to grow us into a P5 type school going forward.

Also, something tells me this may not be our last stint as an independent in football. It's not as hard to leave a conference once you're in one as it is to go the other way.
Not sure how I could have been any more positive in my post. The decision has been made, I am all in.
User avatar
By Sly Fox
Registration Days Posts
#634975
I have some high profile Sam alumni who are already planning tailgates with me for '23 or '24 whenever the Flames come to town. I get Sam has not business moving up. But I am not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
phoenix liked this
User avatar
By Kricket
Registration Days Posts
#634985
tyndal23 wrote: November 6th, 2021, 11:20 am
Kricket wrote: November 6th, 2021, 8:10 am
tyndal23 wrote: November 6th, 2021, 12:57 am The Die is cast - Go Flames ! Make lemonade out of lemons, rule the roost, Conquer CUSA, Beat NMSU ? ( not sure who or rival is yet - but beat whoever ). Thrilled we have regional rivals now that will pack The Bill and we no longer have to worry about scheduling too many P5 games. Go Flames ( did I say that already ) ?
Ever hear of Dunning Kruger? I feel like you're very far left on the graph and Ian is very far right. You need to chill out a bit and recognize that maybe you don't know everything that goes in to these type of decisions.
Image
For one, I have never heard you reference anything but football. In basketball we undoubtedly improved. As bad as you act like football will be, our basketball schedule is much much worse in the A-Sun. Football rules the roost for now, but it's not hard to envision a future that football isn't king anymore. Either way, there are more factors than football.

Two, you don't know how much our success and potential for other independents to be in conferences will impact our ability to schedule. Ian is going through it every day and you think you know better? You think he just has a really small vision for Liberty athletics? You think he really doesn't mean it when he says we have P5 potential?

I'm sure we will hear the reasoning from Ian at some point, and since he's fairly competent I think he will have good reasons for the move and also will have a plan to grow us into a P5 type school going forward.

Also, something tells me this may not be our last stint as an independent in football. It's not as hard to leave a conference once you're in one as it is to go the other way.
Not sure how I could have been any more positive in my post. The decision has been made, I am all in.
:lol: ok, maybe I misread it as sarcasm. I don't think that's the case but I've been wrong before.
User avatar
By Sly Fox
Registration Days Posts
#634990
thepostman wrote: November 6th, 2021, 11:50 am Do you think their attendance numbers will go up at all with the move?
Nowhere to go but up. Huntsville is a bit of a hike from most of Houston and Dallas. It requires a commitment of time. Huntsville is not a big town and even put their new medical school half a haour south in Conroe to be closer to real population. They won't be building attendance through locals. It has to be through student body and curious alumni.

Sam folks remind me of LU when I was in school. They might drop by a game out of boredom. But their primary allegiances were to major universities back home. Most kids at Sam are bigger UT & A&M fans than their own school. That can change eventually.
thepostman liked this
User avatar
By BlueBlood
Posts
#635061
So will the current C-USA TV deal be over before LU joins?

I checked out the C-USA games a bit today. CBS SN was fine - if you have a sports package, you likely have this channel. So that’s better than our current ESPN3 streaming in my book. The game on Stadium was easy to access and free. Streaming was similar to ESPN3 (and way better than FloSports).

I guess I’m assuming that LU would still produce its own content.

I always prefer an alignment with ESPN but games on Fox-FS1/2 or CBS SN would be better visibility than our current ESPN3-only (with rare exceptions) set up.

Or - maybe not being aligned with ESPN could actually be an advantage when the next round of realignment hits? (as this time around it was basically ESPN stealing from others)
User avatar
By Sly Fox
Registration Days Posts
#635088
We will enter the league under a new media deal. It will be very interesting to see who winds up with the rights when it expires in June 2023. Typically negotiations begin a couple of years out with existing partners and heat up with a year to go with everyone else. Existing partners are not good. We'll see what develops next.
User avatar
By PAmedic
Registration Days Posts
#635090
I’d like to think Ian will be heavily involved due to our expertise but maybe I’m overly optimistic
I guess it’s more under the control of the league office but I haven’t heard much good about her
Sly Fox liked this
User avatar
By Ill flame
Posts
#635097
The more I think about it c-usa is in a tough spot in the upcoming tv negotiations. Sunbelt and MAC are already putting their top games during the week days to get on ESPN linear channels. Several conferences, especially the AAC, put games on Friday nights and of course Saturday is full of mostly P5 games. If c-usa wants to sign with espn what niche do they fill to get the spotlight? What match ups can they provide to beat out their competition in viewership?

If you look at fox, FS1 primarily shows P5 games with mountain west games at night. Maybe c-usa can get games on fs2 but not many people get that channel compared to the alternatives.

The more I look at it the more I think c-usa was right to put their games on CBSSN if the goal is to maximize the number of games on national TV. I think where they messed up is letting stadium sell off a ton of games to Facebook leaving fans confused on where to find games. If c-usa were to have tier 1 games on cbssn with all other games on espn+ it could be better than selling off all the TV rights to espn and struggling to get a handful of games on ESPNU every year.
LUOrange liked this
#635098
Everything is changing fast these days, ESPN is chomping to cut the cord themselves they want everything in an app and experts are saying they will be able to get $30 a month for a subscription. It will include NCAA sports and NHL hockey along with other content. Much could change by the time we enter cusa. What kind of app packages will Foxsports, CBSSN and others have in the future?
User avatar
By PAmedic
Registration Days Posts
#635123
I have Verizon Fios (Philly) and even with the sports package I don’t get CBSSN
I do get all the ESPNs and Fox Channels, NBCSN, SEC and BIG nets too.
Not sure why CBSSN isn’t on the list
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 12
Dondi Costin - LU President

The recent statements by Costin on moving away […]

There’s a cerebral side to the game. And it&[…]

NCAA Realignment Megathread

Duke Gonzaga B12? https://larrybrownsports.com/co[…]

FlameFans Fantasy Baseball

We are on!!! Hope to see everyone tonight at 9:30[…]