[jcmanson]

Thanks RTF for a great idea

Predict your order of finish for the Big South conference this year.

[BJWilliams]

1. Liberty
2. G-W
3. Coastal
4. Stony Brook
5. PC
6. CSU
7. VMI

The title is Liberty's to lose I think this year but Gardner Webb and CCU will definitely be right there at the top (I think G-W loses to LU and beats Coastal to lock up that #2 position)

[Hold My Own]

A strong push by PC huh BJ! The Blue Hoes enjoy seeing that!

[BJWilliams]

I think PC will do decent next year. I see them losing to LU, CCU and possibly Stony Brook. Really you could interchange 4-6 potentially is my speculation.

[ATrain]

1. LU
2. Coastal
3. G-Dub
4. Stony Brook
5. Presby
6. CSUcks
7. VMI

I just don't see much improvement in VMI or CSUcks this year, which is why I pick Presby ahead of them. Stony Brook should be decent, but I doubt they'll beat any in the top 3. LU should win at Coastal, but hasn't yet, so I wouldn't be surprised if 1 and 2 were flipped at the season's end. G-Dub will finish solidly in third as they're better than the bottom 4 but not quite as good as the top 2.

[RagingTireFire]

You're welcome, Manson.

I expect CSU to bounce back a little this year. Their offense wasn't up to their standards last year and they've addressed that. Unfortunately, their defense is going to be horrible. I don't expect PC to make much progress in the conference this year since they've had so much turnover and they won't sneak up on anyone this time around. Early prognostication says:

1. Liberty
2. Coastal
3. G-Webb
4. Stony Brook
5. CSU
6. PC
7. VMI

[coolhandluke]

1. Liberty
2. Gardner-Webb
3. Coastal
4. VMI
5. Stoney Brook
6. Presby
7. Charleston Southern

I don't think anyone can hang with us this year unless we give up a game.
I think GW will beat Coastal, but it could go either way.
As much as I dislike them, VMI does have some talent and I believe they can beat the bottom half of the league.
Stoney Brook could be better than VMI, but because it is their first year, I put them at number 5.
Presby will be okay in a couple of years but I just don't see them doing that well this year, but they could be as high as 4th if they can beat stoney brook and VMI.
CSU is just flat out terrible, why do they even try anymore?

[SuperJon]

You're welcome, Manson.

I expect CSU to bounce back a little this year. Their offense wasn't up to their standards last year and they've addressed that. Unfortunately, their defense is going to be horrible. I don't expect PC to make much progress in the conference this year since they've had so much turnover and they won't sneak up on anyone this time around. Early prognostication says:

1. Liberty
2. Coastal
3. G-Webb
4. Stony Brook
5. CSU
6. PC
7. VMI

Exactly how I see it. Coastal could compete with us for the title if Childers is the QB. With MacDowell, I don't think they'll be as good. Their offense needs a duel threat QB to really be scary. Stony Brook will surprise people. PC had too much coaching turnover and their QB is coming back from a broken neck. VMI has a new staff and was terrible last year.

[SwissMilitant]

Given what we did to VMI last year at their place and on their homecoming, I find it ludicrous that some of you are picking them to finish higher than us. I don't think we'll be taking the conference by storm this season but we will have a slight advantage when playing some of you that we did not enjoy in 2007, namely, we'll be playing some real live home games this year.

Does anyone know anything at all about Stony Brook? It seems odd that they are such an enigma at the moment. Given that, I offer my predications with the caveat that Stony Brook could be inserted anywhere in the standings.

1...Liberty.....you guys were so much bigger and faster than anybody we faced last year in the Big South
2...CCU.....they were probably the most athletic team we faced
3a...PC.....we beat CCU, dominated VMI and should have beaten CSU last year so, given improvement, this is where we should be
3b...Gardner-Webb.....we didn't see these guys last year so I couldn't say firsthand but they seem to be a step below the top teams in the conference
5...CSU......I truly cannot believe that these guys were co-champs of the conference all that long ago
6...VMI.....I expect them to be just awful in 2008 which would be an improvement over the gawd-awful team they were in 2007

[Schfourteenteen]

Because everyone has said just about the same thing, Im gonna pull a Lundy and pick some sleepers

1-Coastal on a tie break
2-Liberty
3-Gardener Webb
4-Stony Brook
5-Presby
6-VMI
7-Chuck South

This sounds dumb but winning at Coastal may be harder than we think, especially with a new QB at Coastal.

[ToTheLeft]

You're welcome, Manson.

I expect CSU to bounce back a little this year. Their offense wasn't up to their standards last year and they've addressed that. Unfortunately, their defense is going to be horrible. I don't expect PC to make much progress in the conference this year since they've had so much turnover and they won't sneak up on anyone this time around. Early prognostication says:

1. Liberty
2. Coastal
3. G-Webb
4. Stony Brook
5. CSU
6. PC
7. VMI

I agree.

[jcmanson]

This sounds dumb but winning at Coastal may be harder than we think, especially with a new QB at Coastal.

I've been thinking this all along. That game down there I see as the Big South championship game. I don’t see us even coming close to losing to any other conference teams- we won’t lose at home in-conference, and we play PC and VMI on the road. If we lose to Coastal, they would have to lose 2 games in conference for us to be champs, and I don’t see that happening.

[coolhandluke]

Because everyone has said just about the same thing

I picked VMI forth. That was definitely different and risky cause they sucked last year!

[SuperJon]

Because everyone has said just about the same thing, Im gonna pull a Lundy and pick some sleepers

1-Coastal on a tie break
2-Liberty
3-Gardener Webb
4-Stony Brook
5-Presby
6-VMI
7-Chuck South

This sounds dumb but winning at Coastal may be harder than we think, especially with a new QB at Coastal.

Big South doesn't have tie breakers. If it was the same record, the two teams would be co-champs.

[coolhandluke]

Because everyone has said just about the same thing, Im gonna pull a Lundy and pick some sleepers

1-Coastal on a tie break
2-Liberty
3-Gardener Webb
4-Stony Brook
5-Presby
6-VMI
7-Chuck South

This sounds dumb but winning at Coastal may be harder than we think, especially with a new QB at Coastal.

Big South doesn't have tie breakers. If it was the same record, the two teams would be co-champs.

True, and I don't want to share anything with Coastal!

[ToTheLeft]

Because everyone has said just about the same thing

I picked VMI forth. That was definitely different and risky cause they sucked last year!

So, why? Just because?

You can't just randomly post nonsense. The Dell Curry thing and now this? Dude, I'm sorry, but you have to be somewhat reasonable here... Don't just say something to be different, use your brain and make an intelligent prediction...

[jcmanson]

I’ll go with:

1. LU
2. GW
3. CCU
4. Stony Brook
5. CSU
6. PC
7. VMI

[RagingTireFire]

Because everyone has said just about the same thing

I picked VMI forth. That was definitely different and risky cause they sucked last year!

"Different", yes, but "risky"? Only if there's money involved, in which case, "risky" doesn't begin to describe it.

[SuperJon]

I don't think there's any way Coastal finishes below second. Everyone's been saying G-W was going to contend for a few years and they haven't proven anything. I'm going with Coastal second.

[coolhandluke]

Because everyone has said just about the same thing

I picked VMI forth. That was definitely different and risky cause they sucked last year!

So, why? Just because?

You can't just randomly post nonsense. The Dell Curry thing and now this? Dude, I'm sorry, but you have to be somewhat reasonable here... Don't just say something to be different, use your brain and make an intelligent prediction...

The Del Curry thing was just me saying it would be cool. I didn't say it would happen, although it is possible just because his son is on the team.

The VMI thing makes sense. They were terrible last year, but with a new coach, you never know what could happen. They have some decent talent but it did not translate into wins for whatever reason.

With a new coaching staff, things may be totally different.

Look at Liberty a few years ago. 1-10 one year and then 6-5 the next year? A new staff could make a big difference. VMI underachieved last year and I believe they have they talent to beat out the likes of Presby and CSU and Stoney Brook. That's why I put them in 4th place. Its not non-sense.

[SuperJon]

The VMI thing makes sense. They were terrible last year, but with a new coach, you never know what could happen. They have some decent talent but it did not translate into wins for whatever reason.

With a new coaching staff, things may be totally different.

Look at Liberty a few years ago. 1-10 one year and then 6-5 the next year? A new staff could make a big difference. VMI underachieved last year and I believe they have they talent to beat out the likes of Presby and CSU and Stoney Brook. That's why I put them in 4th place. Its not non-sense.

Can't compare Liberty and VMI. Completely apples to oranges. VMI can't redshirt players. VMI can't bring in a 300 pound defensive tackle to stop the run. VMI athletes have so much more on their table than other schools. It's going to take a lot for them to be halfway successful, and that stuff hasn't even begun to happen.

[jcmanson]

I don't think there's any way Coastal finishes below second. Everyone's been saying G-W was going to contend for a few years and they haven't proven anything. I'm going with Coastal second.

Looking at the schedules, I actually have GW and CCU tied at 4-2, but with GW beating CCU. That's why I put them 2nd.

[SuperJon]

I don't think there's any way Coastal finishes below second. Everyone's been saying G-W was going to contend for a few years and they haven't proven anything. I'm going with Coastal second.

Looking at the schedules, I actually have GW and CCU tied at 4-2, but with GW beating CCU. That's why I put them 2nd.

Just asking, but why does G-W beat Coastal?

[jcmanson]

I see those 2 pretty even and it's at GW.

[coolhandluke]

The VMI thing makes sense. They were terrible last year, but with a new coach, you never know what could happen. They have some decent talent but it did not translate into wins for whatever reason.

With a new coaching staff, things may be totally different.

Look at Liberty a few years ago. 1-10 one year and then 6-5 the next year? A new staff could make a big difference. VMI underachieved last year and I believe they have they talent to beat out the likes of Presby and CSU and Stoney Brook. That's why I put them in 4th place. Its not non-sense.

Can't compare Liberty and VMI. Completely apples to oranges. VMI can't redshirt players. VMI can't bring in a 300 pound defensive tackle to stop the run. VMI athletes have so much more on their table than other schools. It's going to take a lot for them to be halfway successful, and that stuff hasn't even begun to happen.

Yeah, they are two totally different teams, but I still think a new coaching staff could help this team. They do have good talent. Maybe they will still suck next year, but maybe they will be a little bit better and finish in the middle of the pack, like, I dunno around 4th place! haha.