[alabama24]

Wow! 12 Hours without a single post! You guys are really slacking. I expect more out of you Haize!

[Purple Haize]

Wow! 12 Hours without a single post! You guys are really slacking. I expect more out of you Haize!

I know. I've let the Board down and am big enough to admit it. I have been trying to deal with the aftermath of some personal news. I hate it when Real life gets in the way of posting
Plus, this Boston stuff is pretty compelling TV

[LUaddict]

Some news in regards to JMU and C-USA news, from the W&M Athletic Director

http://flathatnews.com/2013/04/19/athlet...-gift-caa/

"The committee also discussed the status of the CAA, which has seen several members leave in part of a nation-wide trend to align with large conferences.

“The CAA is hoping to add three schools, to bring the total to twelve,” Driscoll said.

Driscoll explained that all current members of the CAA have verbally agreed to stay; although, there has been speculation that JMU will link with Conference USA in the future.

“They have not been offered to join Conference USA, and their board does not yet understand the financial implications of joining,” Driscoll said.

With the departure of the University of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University and, most recently, Old Dominion University, the College and JMU remain as the only Virginia-based schools in the CAA."

[jimflamesfan]

I saw that news on the CAA. If the Sunbelt doesn't want us, maybe we need to look to developing a friend for the future. Maybe we should try and make Coastal our friend. We seem to have a good rivalry with them.

If LU and Coastal would move to the CAA as a group...that's not a bad move. Is it really worth it though? Sure, it would bring home games against Delaware, & theoretically JMU, and William & Mary...if everyone stays put...but who knows if they will...Stony Brook was excited about joining, now it's like the CAA could fall apart.

One thing about all of this realignment, as much as people make fun of the Big South, it's actually amazing how good the footprint is: VMI, High Point, Radford, Longwood, Gardner Webb, Coastal...just about every game is drivable. That surely has to cut down on travel costs. Also, who would have thought that last year the Big South would have two teams in the playoffs and both would win their first round football games?

Maybe everyone stays put. Or maybe not...I guess the CAA has better television exposure...and like I posted earlier, slightly larger teams...but the travel costs would go up somewhat, and it would be harder to win the conference...so I don't know.

I think I'd be excited to go to the CAA if Coastal came along and William & Mary stayed.

[jbock13]

37 hours...

[thepostman]

way to ruin it

[Purple Haize]

Indiana St?

[TH Spangler]

Indiana St?

Read that rumor .... sounds like they are not interested right now though.

[ATrain]

Indiana St?

Read that rumor .... sounds like they are not interested right now though.

Its b/c they're playing us like JMU is

[jbock13]

It's just weird. But not much Benson ever says or does makes any sense.

[roadkingjim]

For all us information hounds this was posted earlier today at csnbbs.com (http://csnbbs.com/showthread.php?tid=630034&page=16) I don't know it validity but certainly sounds reasonable with regard to everything else being rumored around...

RE: As the Sun Belt turns.
I am back because I found out some information at church today from two men who work in the football office at Liberty.

1. The Sun Belt is not waiting around for JMU, Liberty, Missouri State, Jacksonville State, or any other school. The reason that they have not named nor will name who is going to join the Sun Belt is because they simply do not know.

2. The Sun Belt is waiting to see how many schools the C-USA is going to take from them if they expand to 16, or if the the C-USA is raided again by a larger conference and thereby raiding the Sun Belt.

3. The Sun Belt really doesn't know who will join the Sun Belt because they aren't sure how many teams could be leaving their conference. Will they only have to fill one spot, two, three, four...they truly don't know and from what I was told they will not know until the C-USA or some other conference starts expanding to 16.

4. He explained to me that Liberty is an option for the Sun Belt, but so is any FCS school that has the ability to move up if and when the Sun Belt is raided by the C-USA.

5. He explained that if the C-USA doesn't expand then the Sun Belt will only have to fill one spot, which means that all the other FCS schools (Liberty, Missouri State, Jacksonville State...) are just out of luck for the foreseeable future.

6. He told me that no one is trying to hide anything, its just that everyone is reading into the situation too much.

7. He said that one possibility for Liberty and other FCS schools to move up is to form a new FBS conference which they are allowed to do if there is enough interest among the schools. He also said that there are very few FCS schools who have the legitimate capabilities to move up to the FBS so if a new conference is formed FCS teams would be forced together out of necessity.

8. I formally apologize to all of you Sun Belt people for nagging you so much, but I finally have a better grasp of the situation. I was looking at the whole situation from an FCS perspective instead of the FBS down.
(This post was last modified: Today 04:53 PM by FlamingSword.)

[jbock13]

What's so ironic about this is that all the Louisiana schools are blocking us because they don't have the athletic budget for travel.

It's sort of frustrating when you're getting blocked by schools that have no business being in FBS.

[LUaddict]

What's so ironic about this is that all the Louisiana schools are blocking us because they don't have the athletic budget for travel.

It's sort of frustrating when you're getting blocked by schools that have no business being in FBS.

If it because of travel cost, that sucks! but that might just be speculation, who really knows why they are blocking us, or if that is even true at all. Maybe the dark side csn elaborate more on this, they have the inside track.

[jbock13]

I own a minority stake in the Dark Side

[rmiller1959]

Now I think I've heard everything:

http://tribstar.com/isu/x1520509571/ISU ... ball-level

“We were contacted by the Sun Belt. While flattering, it’s something we’re not ready for. We may be someday, but we’re not there now,” ISU Director of Athletics Ron Prettyman confirmed to the Tribune-Star.

We must really be radioactive if they're asking Indiana State to join. Wouldn't the Louisiana school complain about the travel?

[Blessed1]

The Sun Belt picked up two teams that NO ONE wanted in their conference for football just to host a championship game. If they do not get to 12 for the 2014, to me it would be an epic fail. For the Sun Belt to sit and wait to get picked apart is just a poor way in running an organization.

I kind of disagree on the Sun Belt being stuck on who to take. Their main problem is that there is only one team that is able to move up and they want to check ever other option first. It could have more to do with the presidents asking Benson to keep checking around. However, I feel that if a school has come out publicly to say that they're looking at other conferences, their vote should not hold too much weight! Why try to appease schools that are looking to leave?

In regards to Liberty starting a new FBS conference, I cannot see it because most FCS schools do not have the financial means to do such a thing. If they did, the WAC would have survived. Now if Liberty was willing to eat the costs (start-up fees, etc.), then it might work. There is no reason to do such a thing.

[LUaddict]

Conference Realignment update @Brent Thiobdeaux

@Savannah_dad @EBER4 Absolutely stand by my report on Liberty. They are no longer under consideration.

There you have it folks, our goose might be cooked!

[BJWilliams]

Woe be unto us all...even though no official announcement has been made!

[JK37]

Woe be unto us all...even though no official announcement has been made!

What kind of official announcement could one possibly expect? And from whom? Liberty? The Sun Belt office?

You've got to be joking. There was no formal or official announcement of interest, only a statement on record to a reporter. There will be even less if this is indeed true.

[PatrickKelly]

Personally I don't think travel cost is the issue. I'm sure to get in the conference we would have agreed to offset those costs for a limited time. let's go a couple if things that posters continue to bring up as to why we haven't been invited.
FOOTPRINT: The SB is clamoring for JMU so that doesn't hold up.
WINNING: What has Indiana St won? What has GA St won?
TRAVEL: The SB invited Idaho and MNSU?

I can only logically come back to this being a political and philosophical issue. Teaching creation is a pseudoscience to the academic world. Having 70,000 online students and making money hand over fist is not looked at favorably either. My guess is this. Benson knows we are the most ready program to make the move. Bensons decisions are about athletics, not politics. I bet he recommended us and the presidents quickly shot it down.

I want FBS football as much as anyone, but not at a price that compromises who we are. If the SB doesn't want Liberty then let them have their Alabama States or Indiana States.

[ATrain]

Woe be unto us all...even though no official announcement has been made!

What kind of official announcement could one possibly expect? And from whom? Liberty? The Sun Belt office?

You've got to be joking. There was no formal or official announcement of interest, only a statement on record to a reporter. There will be even less if this is indeed true.

Did you seriously just pull a BJWilliams on BJWilliams?

[SumItUp]

A Sun Belt offer was not made to Indiana State.

New Mexico State & Idaho were added as football only members because they are existing FBS schools. This was done to solidify the league's FBS standing and to help with scheduling for existing members.

[flamesfilmguy]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. we aren't getting an invite into FBS. I have a gut feeling its a mixture of Presidents not wanting us in because of what we stand for and the fact that our media market doesn't make people jump for joy. Its just something we have to deal with. I vote for focusing on getting in a better FCS conference where we can have more success at the level we are at. 2 of the best programs that would have stood in our way toward a national title just walked out the door. Go out and beat an NDSU and SHSU and get us a national championship. That should be the goal RIGHT NOW. (notice i said right now) and worry about FBS later on down the road. There will be other opportunities. CUSA isn't done yet and I have a feeling neither are the other big 5 conferences. just my .02

[Purple Haize]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. we aren't getting an invite into FBS. I have a gut feeling its a mixture of Presidents not wanting us in because of what we stand for and the fact that our media market doesn't make people jump for joy. Its just something we have to deal with. I vote for focusing on getting in a better FCS conference where we can have more success at the level we are at. 2 of the best programs that would have stood in our way toward a national title just walked out the door. Go out and beat an NDSU and SHSU and get us a national championship. That should be the goal RIGHT NOW. (notice i said right now) and worry about FBS later on down the road. There will be other opportunities. CUSA isn't done yet and I have a feeling neither are the other big 5 conferences. just my .02

[VAGolf]

Why are people living and dying by some random guy, who writes for Yahoo on Texas State athletics? What are his sources?

Secondly, I like that the Sun Belt had talks with Indiana State. That tells me, JMU is absolutely not interested and we are their best option. They wouldn't be exhausting every possible effort if we weren't being considered.