[LUminary]

We've talked to multiple conferences multiple times. Commissioners don't really have a problem with us and think we'd be good from an athletic standpoint, but no one wants to deal with the presidents and negative reaction.

That's exactly right.

[thepostman]

exactly, which is why the news doesn't generate anymore excitement around here. It is just much of the same

[LUconn]

We're wearing them down with our availability.

[thepostman]

ugh

[ATrain]

This is how I picture it:
Liberty gets on the phone to the Sunbelt and the MAC. "We're still available." Sunbelt and MAC think to selves *If we say no right off the bat, she'll just call back tomorrow* and thus say "We'll think about it some and let you know in a little bit."

[CinciFlame]

This is how I picture it. After several more years of trying we don't get an invite. Liberty will eventually petition the NCAA to allow us in as an independent. I think Liberty has a real argument to be made regarding inclusion. I think we've got to many hurdles to overcome to be invited into a existing league. Not that our outspoken views aren't enough to keep most progressive presidents from not voting for us, but the biggest hurdle is the fact that we're a private school. I think it was 1976 the last time a private school moved up from fcs. So let's sit back and enjoy the ride.

[flameshaw]

We are NEVER going independent. We will stay in the BSC for the next 100 years before we do that.

[Purple Haize]

This is how I picture it. After several more years of trying we don't get an invite. Liberty will eventually petition the NCAA to allow us in as an independent. I think Liberty has a real argument to be made regarding inclusion. I think we've got to many hurdles to overcome to be invited into a existing league. Not that our outspoken views aren't enough to keep most progressive presidents from not voting for us, but the biggest hurdle is the fact that we're a private school. I think it was 1976 the last time a private school moved up from fcs. So let's sit back and enjoy the ride.

[TH Spangler]

Benson and the Sun Belt also have numbers on their side. The league had 19 nonconference football wins this year, tying its all-time high with two bowl games remaining, and the Sun Belt went a combined 6-1 against C-USA (3-1), the MAC (2-0) and the Mountain West (1-0). The league is also in the thick of the combined non-AQ leagues in average BCS ranking.

The numbers aside, Farmer said the Sun Belt’s biggest battle is in perception.

“You ask 50 of our fans right now, and 47 will tell you Conference USA is a better conference, just because of perception,” he said. “The Sun Belt was significantly better in football this year. That perception is old ... it goes all the way back to the basketball glory days of the Metro. But our fans are just like everyone else’s fans ... they want success and they want more, and it’s not as simple as one year. You don’t change perceptions in one or two years.

http://theadvocate.com/sports/7892021-1 ... -has-ragin

[Sly Fox]

It sounds like the new JMU staff is telling recruits that they are headed to C-USA ...

Nittolo, who stands at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, took official visits to James Madison and Rutgers and chose the Dukes over New Hampshire.

“I just really loved the coaches and the whole staff,’’ Nittolo said. “It’s really up and coming and they’re moving to Conference USA soon. The new coaches I really like and I just loved the facilities and the school campus itself.’’

James Madison, which competes on the Division I-FCS level in the Colonial Athletic Association, is on the verge of moving up to the Division I-FBS level in the near future in Conference USA, according to Nittolo, though nothing official has been announced.

“I don't think it was as big as a decision as most people would think it is,’’ said Nittolo of James Madison’s impending move to the FBS playing level.

Click Here for Full Story

[Purple Haize]

It sounds like the new JMU staff is telling recruits that they are headed to C-USA ...

Nittolo, who stands at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, took official visits to James Madison and Rutgers and chose the Dukes over New Hampshire.

“I just really loved the coaches and the whole staff,’’ Nittolo said. “It’s really up and coming and they’re moving to Conference USA soon. The new coaches I really like and I just loved the facilities and the school campus itself.’’

James Madison, which competes on the Division I-FCS level in the Colonial Athletic Association, is on the verge of moving up to the Division I-FBS level in the near future in Conference USA, according to Nittolo, though nothing official has been announced.

“I don't think it was as big as a decision as most people would think it is,’’ said Nittolo of James Madison’s impending move to the FBS playing level.

Click Here for Full Story

Big deal. We've been telling recruits we are going D1A/FBS for 20 years

[thepostman]

We had a recruit saying we would be in the Big East soon a couple of years ago. I can't remember who it was, but I am sure beej knows.

[LUGrad2000]

I coach football at a high school in Georgia. I remember a couple years ago when a recruiter from a Sun Belt school told one of our players that they expected to compete for a national championship within a couple of years. Most sound like used car salesmen. They tell recruits anything remotely true.
I am friends with an assistant coach on a Sun Belt staff and I asked him if he knew or had heard anything about LU or JMU. He knew nothing.

[ATrain]

Assistant coaches rarely know anything regarding conference realignment. Even head coaches of some sports sometimes do not know anything regarding realignment.

[flamesfilmguy]

http://www.kansascity.com/2014/01/07/47 ... mises.html

JMU coach was not promised a move. The writing is on the wall in Harrisonburg.

[jlread]

Didn't see this article posted on here yet. Pretty much another version of the post above.


Q: Are you happy with the conference and where you stand overall?

A: Absolutely. We need the 12th team, and not just for football reasons. Next year we'll be an 11-team basketball, volleyball, team sport league. We've got some geography issues, we've got some missed class-time issues that could be resolved with a 12th team, especially a 12th team in kind of our eastern Division - South Alabama, Troy, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Appalachian State. Just look at the map and we need somebody in there to be a travel partner for Appalachian State.


http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2014 ... mmiss.html

[TH Spangler]

APP State needs travel partner to meet academic standard.

“(A) subcommittee is currently examining the impacts of increased travel for eight of the university’s 20 varsity athletic teams. Currently, ASU policy requires that student-athletes do not miss more than 10 percent of the classes for any course. Specht noted in an email that student-athletes at some Sun Belt institutions miss up to 17 percent of some courses. Faculty Senate Vice Chairman Paul Gates commented that the academic ramifications should have played a larger role in the decision made two years ago to move up to the FBS level.”

http://www2.wataugademocrat.com/News/st ... -id-013757

http://www.appfans.com/2014/01/16/this- ... d-classes/

[Purple Haize]

APP State needs travel partner to meet academic standard.

“(A) subcommittee is currently examining the impacts of increased travel for eight of the university’s 20 varsity athletic teams. Currently, ASU policy requires that student-athletes do not miss more than 10 percent of the classes for any course. Specht noted in an email that student-athletes at some Sun Belt institutions miss up to 17 percent of some courses. Faculty Senate Vice Chairman Paul Gates commented that the academic ramifications should have played a larger role in the decision made two years ago to move up to the FBS level.”

http://www2.wataugademocrat.com/News/st ... -id-013757

http://www.appfans.com/2014/01/16/this- ... d-classes/

Pretty sure it won't be difficult to rewrite the policy

[TH Spangler]

Pretty sure it won't be difficult to rewrite the policy

Reading the commits, makes you think they may need a few more donors as well?

[Purple Haize]

Pretty sure it won't be difficult to rewrite the policy

Reading the commits, makes you think they may need a few more donors as well?

Well if they are COMMITS they should donate.

[TH Spangler]

Some of those posters were throwing fiery comets

[Liberty22]

Some sort of Sunbelt announcement happening tomorrow

Fans we're excited for tomorrow & to bring you a new chapter in our rise! Be sure to check our website (http://www.sunbeltsports.org ) tomorrow!


https://twitter.com/The_Sun_Belt

[PAmedic]

I would say something @ JB tweeting that he's been traveling a lot lately but I'm a Philly fan and remain cautiously pessimistic.

always.

about everything.

so I expect that SunBelt will announce the addition of NJIT or St Barnabus School for the Blind or Alaska Tech or something.

[PAmedic]

or its just that they extended their stupid "network" contract for one year.

https://www.flamefans.com/forums/viewto ... 12&t=21440

[thepostman]

yeah, I think it is just the network announcement. Don't get too excited.