[logic]

It is hard for me to comprehend the fact that we're actually seriously entertaining the idea that Jerry and Jeff do not want us to move up.

Jbock no offense but you clearly haven't read carefully the news releases over the years.

I'll cite just two of many -

1. http://www.liberty.edu/index.cfm?PID=18495&MID=22296

"catalyst to FBS..."

2. http://www.liberty.edu/news/index.cfm?P ... &MID=13848

PUBLIC announcement of some day having 60,000 seats. Why would we need 60K for FCS?

You cannot "Be for evangelical Christians what Notre Dame is for Catholics and BYU is for Mormons" while still having FCS football. The goal has always been to move up ever since the 1970's.

[Purple Haize]

The only numbers that matter with regards to moving up are not stats nor won loss records.

200 + million
20,000

200 million of course being revenue minus expenses, and 20,000 the eventual enrollment goal. When you have that kind of funding and that many students, FBS success is a logical and natural next step.

That is why we're more than ready to move up.

If Jerry and Jeff say we're ready, then darnit we're ready! Jerry has said it publicly many times!!

You are missing one small detail. An invitation to JOIN an FBS conference, especially one that makes sense. Would a move to the WAC or MWC make sense?

[jbock13]

That's cute and all, logic. Why don't you try debating me on what I've said, rather than what you think you don't want to hear?

I never said I, or JB or JFL didn't want to go FBS. But its obvious that we're not ready, AD probably agress.

So until that day comes, get over it, or keep thinking we could beat Virginia Tech tomorrow.

[logic]

Where is the obvious big question haize, that and when. I would love the thought of joining either as a football only member though, yes. You're telling me you wouldn't want to see Boise State here in Lynchburg? Would you rather more DII matchups? Besides, CUSA would be the logical next step and if the Big East takes some of them they may be calling.

[LUconn]

since you guys are arguing about the same stupid point for the millionth time and ignoring the same answer for the millionth time, I'll throw in another topic of conversation.

Who is lobbying for us in any kind of conference realignment? We always act like Barber is out there behind the scenes trying to work the room so we come out smelling like roses. Who would he be talking to? In 99% of schools, the university president is responsible for the decision of where they're going, and really doing the leg work of getting there. I say 99% because LU doesn't really work like that. For some reason the Chancellor is the guy who is making all of those big financial decisions. I kinda wonder if he is actively working on positioning us for a realignment or if he would leave that up to Barber. But it just seems far fetched to me, to think that other school's presidents would want to be talking to an AD about such enormous decisions.

[jbock13]

Where is the obvious big question haize, that and when. I would love the thought of joining either as a football only member though, yes. You're telling me you wouldn't want to see Boise State here in Lynchburg? Would you rather more DII matchups? Besides, CUSA would be the logical next step and if the Big East takes some of them they may be calling.

No. I'd rather see us play Western Kentucky Presbyterian State than Alabama

[Purple Haize]

Where is the obvious big question haize, that and when. I would love the thought of joining either as a football only member though, yes. You're telling me you wouldn't want to see Boise State here in Lynchburg? Would you rather more DII matchups? Besides, CUSA would be the logical next step and if the Big East takes some of them they may be calling.

No. I'd rather see us play Western Kentucky Presbyterian State than Alabama

How embarrassing would it be to play Alabama! They might score 100!
Agree with LUCONN. Again. The question is what do we bring to a conference? Why would Boise St think playing in Lynchburg is a good move? Great move for us, not so much for them. We have to be WANTED and I'm not sure who wants us.
Did you really say " football only" logic

[phoenix]

Take a look at this article....I join the YEAs on the move up. It was Jerry's dream to play FBS football, I hopw it is sooneer than later...

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/3824 ... dy-for-fbs

That's about a year out of date. The landscape has shifted a LOT since then, and the author doesn't take a LOT of facts into consideration.

• Montana doesn't want to move up.
  Richmond and W&M don't have the fan bases to move up
  UMass is already gone (like I said, this was written in April of last year, so the guy didn't know. He gets this one right )
  Not sure what's going on with 'Nova -- they should be Big East by now.
  Texas State is also already gone
  I'm not sure anyone at New Hampshire has even thought about a move up -- they'd need a MUCH bigger stadium
  Butler??! Really?

It looks like all he did was make a list of FCS teams that were ranked and/or had playoff experience, regardless of whether they had the means or desire to move up.

[logic]

With our resources, recent growth, 20k enrollment goal, and potential for a Notre Dame like national following, I would think we would be an attractive choice for CUSA or another lower level FBS league. If they get poached I'm not sure why they wouldn't want us.

[RVAparks]

As BuryYourDuke's said, Richmond has not interest or ambition in moving up. I'd say the same for W&M.

I mean have you seen Richmonds new stadium? Doesn't it just scream FBS?

I don't know if this is meant to be sarcastic or not, but their football stadium holds less than their basketball arena. It's only seats 8,700 and they are not adding on.

[Dr. Sheh]

As BuryYourDuke's said, Richmond has not interest or ambition in moving up. I'd say the same for W&M.

I mean have you seen Richmonds new stadium? Doesn't it just scream FBS?

I don't know if this is meant to be sarcastic or not, but their football stadium holds less than their basketball arena. It's only seats 8,700 and they are not adding on.

Definitely sarcasm there. As you said, they just built a new stadium that basically precludes them from joining an FBS conference in the future because there is little to no room to add on.

We're gonna need an invite obviously to move up. I think the best we can hope for is that if the Big East adds 6 teams like they desire to, hopefully they'll raid the C-USA for 2 or 3. That looks like the best we can realistically hope for right now. With the rapidly changing landscape, we may have more or less options in 6 months.

[Kolzilla41]

Really, two threads on this?

[Kricket]

since you guys are arguing about the same stupid point for the millionth time and ignoring the same answer for the millionth time, I'll throw in another topic of conversation.

Who is lobbying for us in any kind of conference realignment? We always act like Barber is out there behind the scenes trying to work the room so we come out smelling like roses. Who would he be talking to? In 99% of schools, the university president is responsible for the decision of where they're going, and really doing the leg work of getting there. I say 99% because LU doesn't really work like that. For some reason the Chancellor is the guy who is making all of those big financial decisions. I kinda wonder if he is actively working on positioning us for a realignment or if he would leave that up to Barber. But it just seems far fetched to me, to think that other school's presidents would want to be talking to an AD about such enormous decisions.

I wonder this same thing too. I wonder if any higher ups have contact with C-USA or any other conference just to throw our name out there or if us fans are just completely irrational in thinking that this might be occurring? And who is responsible for throwing our name out there if it is, in fact, occurring?

I know I certainly don't know, being on LU online student I'm even more disconnected than most of you, but if I had a chance to ask any question to Jerry Falwell Jr. these would be the questions I'd ask.

[jbock13]

"I wonder if any higher ups have contact with C-USA or any other conference just to throw our name out there or if us fans are just completely irrational in thinking that this might be occurring"

This. Which btw since you're a DLP student we're okay with you asking, as you said you're not as well connected. There's some people who think we're ready to play the ACC in basketball just because we'll have 15,000 by 2019...

[Purple Haize]

"I wonder if any higher ups have contact with C-USA or any other conference just to throw our name out there or if us fans are just completely irrational in thinking that this might be occurring"

This. Which btw since you're a DLP student we're okay with you asking, as you said you're not as well connected. There's some people who think we're ready to play the ACC in basketball just because we'll have 15,000 by 2019...

It's what Jerry would have wanted.

[Cider Jim]

With our...potential for a Notre Dame like national following...

I want some of what he's drinking. Make it a double.
Seriously, though, don't we now have even more students than they do at South Bend?

[jbock13]

I'm not sure if you all have heard, but we really are joining a new conference.....

Field Hockey is joining NorPac

[logic]

Tough crowd here. You would think that for a culture that believes through blind faith in such incredible things as a virgin birth, surviving ovens, talking to burning bushes, lions, tigers, and bears, floods that cover the earth, hundreds of foreskins, and animals two by two and so on that believing LU could someday have a Notre Dame type following would be easy.

There are no other big-time Christian schools and Baylor is pseudo at this point. If 80% of the country professes to believe, why cant we corner that "market" ?

And yes Jim, ND has 11,985 students total, 8,372 of which are undergrads. We just need the alumni, academics, and bigtime football...I would argue we're well on our way.

[Cider Jim]

And yes Jim, ND has 11,985 students total

So LU's resident population of 12,500 (not even including LUO) is larger than Notre Dame's?

We really need to advertise this. Seriously. HMO, please reference that statistic at homecoming when you're talking to the alumni: LU is now larger than Notre Dame!

[alabama24]

How embarrassing would it be to play Alabama! They might score 100!

[Purple Haize]

Logic, I was shocked at your grasp of the topic.

Alumni. Who are most of our alumni? Pastors missionaries, teachers, etc. Not a bastion of donor dollars there. Numbers we can get but don't have yet. Whether these numbers represent serious capital is another matter.
Academics. We are a lloooooonnnggggg way from being elite there. Compare our academic rigors to ND and we come out lacking. Heck compare us to a Taylor Wheaton Azusa etc. Or any other college in say a 45 min driving Radius. Our are academic standards greater than LC? Roanoke? Randolph? W and L? VMI? Mot sure about Averett and Sweet Briar. We probably do have CVCC beat though!
Big Time Football. Can you really say we have a big time football program? The great BJ stated we were 7-35 against ranked opponents. Is that really Big Time? Does that really make us attractive to FBS conferences? Now if we were to field a consistently winning team on the field....

[jbock13]

Logic, I was shocked at your grasp of the topic.

Alumni. Who are most of our alumni? Pastors missionaries, teachers, etc. Not a bastion of donor dollars there. Numbers we can get but don't have yet. Whether these numbers represent serious capital is another matter.
Academics. We are a lloooooonnnggggg way from being elite there. Compare our academic rigors to ND and we come out lacking. Heck compare us to a Taylor Wheaton Azusa etc. Or any other college in say a 45 min driving Radius. Our are academic standards greater than LC? Roanoke? Randolph? W and L? VMI? Mot sure about Averett and Sweet Briar. We probably do have CVCC beat though!
Big Time Football. Can you really say we have a big time football program? The great BJ stated we were 7-35 against ranked opponents. Is that really Big Time? Does that really make us attractive to FBS conferences? Now if we were to field a consistently winning team on the field....

Yes Haize. We're ready to go FBS! Because... we're Liberty. Because we're good enough. We're smart enough. And... goshdarnit people like us!

[ProudPapa73]

If nothing else, we are making good moves towards moving up if/when the call comes...stadium expansion, baseball complex...certainly winning the conference and then a couple playoff games wouldn't hurt!

[Purple Haize]

JBock. Stuart Saves His Family is one of the most under rated SNL Alum movies. (along with So I Married an Axe Muderer)
"I wouldn't normally say this, but can you get to a pound cake?"

[FlamesBeBallin]

A response from Jerry Jr. regarding all of the conference shuffles, and speculations:

We are definitely watching all the changes closely but our goal for now is to win the FCS championship!

GOTTA WIN BABY! Each and every one of you know that these talks are pointless until our team is considered one of the FCS Elite, and that all starts with a run in the playoffs

We have the tools, and resources it takes to make it.
CAPITALIZE THIS MOMENT, ELIMINATE ERRORS, AND SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY!!