[Liberty22]

I got ya, I'm not trying to start a pissing match, i just found it a bit ironic that he was complaining about being in a conference with startups when next season is his schools first season lol

[flamesfilmguy]

Yea. I just think we got a whole lot more things to worry about right now. If VMI and Coastal both leave as predicted then we have absolutely no reason to stay in the Big South. It scares me that we have heard NOTHING from the admin. I still trust them but a little reassurance would be nice.

[adam42381]

Pissing isn't censored on here? What is this world coming to?

[Cider Jim]

http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2013/03/2 ... onference/
It's disheartening when there are NO real rumors or smoke around our name.

LU doesn't even get mentioned with VMI and Coastal as possible additions to the Southern Conference, but I don't know if that is a good or bad thing: does that imply that we are too big or still unworthy of the SoCon?

[ATrain]

http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2013/03/2 ... onference/
It's disheartening when there are NO real rumors or smoke around our name.

LU doesn't even get mentioned with VMI and Coastal as possible additions to the Southern Conference, but I don't know if that is a good or bad thing: does that imply that we are too big or still unworthy of the SoCon?

Why would any FCS conference want to add a school thats going to jump at the first FBS conference opportunity that comes along?

[jbock13]

Pissing isn't censored on here? What is this world coming to?

The four letter word version is. But apparently not the -ing.

[TH Spangler]

I believe u guys r making too big of a thing about the politics. If these schools are as tolerant as they preach, they would certainly respect our beliefs. However, since we know they are hypocritical, they will only talk the talk. Those who call us racist are just like those who say that the Republicans only care about the rich. It is something they say with zero concerns for the truth or facts. It has gotten to the point that you can write their silly arguments for them. Christ was perfect, never hurt anyone and he was killed by the crowd that really knew nothing about him.
I suspect our time will come. I would rather have us shut down the athletic department than to become just another Christian University in name only, to become a part of a group. I am not a hard core guy, I am speaking of the important things, not keeping every jot or tittle of the Liberty Way. We are light years ahead of when I drove into Lynchburg in 1972. I suspect we will take another huge leap forward in the next 40 years as well. Maybe we are trying to be taught some patience. .
Back to the regularly scheduled programming.

[ballcoach15]

LU would be a better addition to any conference than JMU. LU is still growing, while JMU has peaked out.

[TH Spangler]

I still hope the Sunbelt is interested.

As far as the politics, I believe Liberty can remain a conservative evangelical Christian school. I don't even think it's that big of a deal to have political figures speak at commencement...all kinds of colleges do that. However, it needs to separate itself from entities that send out emails saying they support Westboro Baptist's right to assemble (i.e. Liberty Counsel...it is sortof ironic because Westboro Baptist even picketed Thomas Road before...). I think Liberty Counsel sends out a lot of unnecessary emails in an attempt to get donations...but in the end it cheapens the image of the entire school. Just move Liberty Counsel into offices away from the school, change the name to something that doesn't have Liberty in it, and let them operate their own stuff...keep it separate from the college and law school.

Everything else could basically remain the same. I remember when Frank Page was elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention...he said that we need more people with a sweet spirit...in other words, he said, there were many people that believed the right things, but they seemed mad about it...you can still believe the right things and present them in a compassionate way.

I think Jonathan at Thomas Road, & Jerry Jr. at LU have done a great job at this. Holding to the Conservative Christian convictions, while at the same time not being mean about it. Speaking the truth in love, in a way.

But some people will always think we're intolerant, and there's nothing we can do about that. It is true that many people on the left in academia are actually hippocrites...they act like they're all for diversity, but the last thing they want to do is be associated with someone different than them.

It's funny that people will complain that Liberty can't be accepted because it's founder made "controversial remarks about gay people"...while at the same time they're gun-ho over James Madison University...a school named after a president THAT OWNED SLAVES!!

I'm just saying...maybe they should make JMU change their name before they join...I mean, William and Mary lost a feather...

I posted this link in the chapel thread .... it's a very good listen. 20:00 mark ... sums it up.
https://www.flamefans.com/forums/viewto ... 14&t=20431

[ballcoach15]

Good post jimflamesfan

There are a lot of "mad people" around, in all walks of life.

[4everfsu]

I believe u guys r making too big of a thing about the politics. If these schools are as tolerant as they preach, they would certainly respect our beliefs. However, since we know they are hypocritical, they will only talk the talk. Those who call us racist are just like those who say that the Republicans only care about the rich. It is something they say with zero concerns for the truth or facts. It has gotten to the point that you can write their silly arguments for them. Christ was perfect, never hurt anyone and he was killed by the crowd that really knew nothing about him.
I suspect our time will come. I would rather have us shut down the athletic department than to become just another Christian University in name only, to become a part of a group. I am not a hard core guy, I am speaking of the important things, not keeping every jot or tittle of the Liberty Way. We are light years ahead of when I drove into Lynchburg in 1972. I suspect we will take another huge leap forward in the next 40 years as well. Maybe we are trying to be taught some patience. .
Back to the regularly scheduled programming.

+1 Well said!

[Blessed1]

Sun Belt candidate UT-Chattanooga is not ready for FBS... at this time. I guess the UTC advocates on the Sun Belt message boards will not like this.

Had it wanted to, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga might have been among the teams announcing Wednesday that it was headed to the Sun Belt Conference.

Interim athletic director Laura Herron said UTC was contacted by the Sun Belt two months ago and was asked about UTC's interest in moving from the Football Championship Subdivision up to the Football Bowl Subdivision, as Georgia Southern and Appalachian State did Wednesday.

"I let them know that that was not on our radar at this time, but you never know, with a change in chancellor and a change in AD, what the future might hold," Herron told the Times Free Press. "It's not anything we've looked at."

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2013 ... rtscollege

[coastalalum]

I think the CAA would be a major step up...just compare the stadium sizes CAA vs. Big South

Big South:
VMI: 10,000
Presby: 6,500
Coastal: 6,500
Chuck South: 4,000
Gardner Webb: 8,500

CAA:
Maine: 10,000
New Hampshire: 8,000
Delaware: 22,000
Towson: 11,000
Stoney Brook: 8,200
Rhode Island: 5,180
William & Mary: 12,300
Albany 8,500

you need to recheck your numbers on brooks stadium.

if an announcement comes down about vmi and coastal before anything happens for lu, this site may crash!!

[jbock13]

But that's just it. We know its a lie, but their perception is all that matters, regardless of whether it is real or a lie.

[flamesfilmguy]

But that's just it. We know its a lie, but their perception is all that matters, regardless of whether it is real or a lie.

QFT

[TIMSCAR20]

I have a couple of general observations about this thread: It is amazing how many on here think that what is going on here in this message board or any other message board is affecting the outcome of this situation. Why would we care what a bunch of fans on another message board think? It may be true that politics and religion might be a factor in accepting or rejecting Liberty. But that has nothing to do with how a small sector of fans on a message board are slamming Liberty. It doesn't matter and had little to do with the decision or the actions of the athletic dept and JLFJR on behalf of Liberty.

Secondly I am disappointed at so many who want to compromise their belief or stance or tone down the message for the sake of Football. The SUNBELT CONF no less!!!!! It shouldn't matter if the Big 10, ACC or any other power conference was calling. You should never change who you are or what you stand for. Flameshaw said it best. I'd rather them shut the whole athletic dept down than to compromise Liberty's conservative stance for the sake of getting an invitation.

I stay out of most if not all political and/or religious conversations on message boards and Facebook because they are pointless, people feel the need to be jerks about their position because they are behind a keyboard, and nothing ever gets resolved. I'm not saying that is happening here by the way. Most times people do more harm to their cause than good on either side of any argument.

However reading this thread I felt compelled to speak up. I think the most important thing here for Liberty is to be patient, keep working behind the scenes, keep making progress towards being FBS ready and it will happen when it is supposed to happen. I had this same attitude in 2001 when I was laid off from a very good telecommunications job and it took me 10 months to get even a part time job. Then I spent 7 years doing Contractor work as a Project Manager. Sure those positions were lucrative but also unstable. They could come in on any morning and tell me today is the last day. Finally I got a full time job in Healthcare and now I am working for a great company that is on the rise and I am in a key position. That was 10 years in the making but it did happen.

It may take 10 years for Liberty. The important thing is to keep doing things right and the process will eventually render the desired results.

[jimflamesfan]

coastalalum...I got the numbers from some Wikipedia list. However, I've been to Brooks twice and thought, "It has to be bigger than that".

Anyway, you're right, the board would go meltdown if you and VMI left...although it would show smart planning by your administration. Our administration might be thinking FBS or bust...and we may end up woth the OR Bust option.

I think the Socon will take Coastal. I don't think the Socon wants LU.

I think the CAA would take LU if we begged. The only reason the CAA needs more members, and a lot of other potential members would be shy about the travel costs...we need some humility and need to go full bore asking for an invite to the CAA.

Our FBS invite is probably 10 years down the road.

But I could still get excited about spending some time in the CAA...more exposure

[Blessed1]

I know schools presidents do not spend a lot of time on message boards, but it seems like JMU (if selected) would be unappreciative with any move to a FBS conference other than the MAC or nBE.

The mindset of JMU fans on joining the Sun Belt...

I think we will get an offer from the Sun Belt first and not act on it. People will go ballistic, but we will wait for the better opportunity. Timing is (backwards) on this one. I don't think anyone really wants to go SB anyway.

I pray that if we decide to go slumming, that it's football only.

*Note: Slumming is a sly way of referring to the Sun Belt. Some fans call them the 'Slum' Belt.

I hoping we can parlay a Sun Belt football only invite to a full MAC membership

If I were in charge at JMU I'd try to play the Sun Belt off against the MAC and CUSA to land the best offer I could get. When and if it became apparent that neither the MAC nor CUSA was seriously interested, I'd take the Sun Belt invitation. That may be what's transpiring now.

On the flip side...

The mindset of Liberty if an invite from the Sun Belt comes our way....

[flamesfilmguy]

I don't think anyone wants to compromise our values scar. I just think people are frustrated that this is passing us by again. as for the message boards and what people think? I just like to try and be different. Like you I hate getting into political debates for the exact reasons you stated. but I also think we should represent our school and our God with humility and set an example. I don't think anyone has gone over board just think we should be careful.

Speaking of Humility someone from this board and I had a conversation this morning and that word came up. we talked about a scenario that I haven't thought of that might be a possible addition to the list of reasons we are being being passed over again. I hope it isn't the case but could it be that our admin thinks we are too good for the sunbelt? I know our goal is to become the next Notre Dame and BYU but I would think the first step is to actually move up. into FBS where (in the future) we could continue to move to new heights. Maybe I've just become a pessimist, but this 2nd round of movement has been a real disappointment as far as hearing from our Admin on what is going on. I still have faith in our administration but if the SOcon makes their move we have got to do something. and fast. are we going to? we'll see. just my 2 cents.

[Purple Haize]

SCAR. Great post. However we are already FBS ready. We have a report telling us so!

[Purple Haize]

I don't think anyone wants to compromise our values scar. I just think people are frustrated that this is passing us by again. as for the message boards and what people think? I just like to try and be different. Like you I hate getting into political debates for the exact reasons you stated. but I also think we should represent our school and our God with humility and set an example. I don't think anyone has gone over board just think we should be careful.

Speaking of Humility someone from this board and I had a conversation this morning and that word came up. we talked about a scenario that I haven't thought of that might be a possible addition to the list of reasons we are being being passed over again. I hope it isn't the case but could it be that our admin thinks we are too good for the sunbelt? I know our goal is to become the next Notre Dame and BYU but I would think the first step is to actually move up. into FBS where (in the future) we could continue to move to new heights. Maybe I've just become a pessimist, but this 2nd round of movement has been a real disappointment as far as hearing from our Admin on what is going on. I still have faith in our administration but if the SOcon makes their move we have got to do something. and fast. are we going to? we'll see. just my 2 cents.

The Dark Side suits you......

[flamesfilmguy]

I don't think anyone wants to compromise our values scar. I just think people are frustrated that this is passing us by again. as for the message boards and what people think? I just like to try and be different. Like you I hate getting into political debates for the exact reasons you stated. but I also think we should represent our school and our God with humility and set an example. I don't think anyone has gone over board just think we should be careful.

Speaking of Humility someone from this board and I had a conversation this morning and that word came up. we talked about a scenario that I haven't thought of that might be a possible addition to the list of reasons we are being being passed over again. I hope it isn't the case but could it be that our admin thinks we are too good for the sunbelt? I know our goal is to become the next Notre Dame and BYU but I would think the first step is to actually move up. into FBS where (in the future) we could continue to move to new heights. Maybe I've just become a pessimist, but this 2nd round of movement has been a real disappointment as far as hearing from our Admin on what is going on. I still have faith in our administration but if the SOcon makes their move we have got to do something. and fast. are we going to? we'll see. just my 2 cents.

The Dark Side suits you......

why thank you

[LUalumfromnc]

Brent Thibodeaux‏@BrentThibodeaux22h
I've been told that Liberty is an option for the #SunBelt but not high up on the list.

[LUalumfromnc]

Again...

Brent Thibodeaux‏@BrentThibodeaux21h
@SpironNOTW Liberty is on the list but not high up on the depth chart.

People need to learn that most people who go to Liberty are not crazy Christians who say stupid stuff like former Liberty people did. Most people are forced to go to Liberty. Some are Christians as well, but not crazy Christians.

[LUconn]

Most people are forced to go to Liberty. Some are Christians as well, but not crazy Christians.

Uhhh what?