If you want to talk ASUN smack or ramble ad nauseum about your favorite pro or major college teams, this is the place to let it rip.

Moderators: jcmanson, Sly Fox, BuryYourDuke

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By Sly Fox
Registration Days Posts
#621009
You can feel secure that this is not on our radar. Even if we have to drag every sport other than football back to the Big South we will not be in a football league that looks like this mess.

That said, no one has a clue what things will look like in the next few years with G5 having a financial reckoning that will require significant realignment. Who knows where which chair we'll snare when the music stops in the next few years.
By tyndal23
Posts
#621350
Sly Fox wrote: January 18th, 2021, 8:52 pm You can feel secure that this is not on our radar. Even if we have to drag every sport other than football back to the Big South we will not be in a football league that looks like this mess.

That said, no one has a clue what things will look like in the next few years with G5 having a financial reckoning that will require significant realignment. Who knows where which chair we'll snare when the music stops in the next few years.
Hopefully no G5 snares’s us in to their entangled web of misery...
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By TH Spangler
Registration Days Posts
#621423
ballcoach15 wrote: January 26th, 2021, 8:49 pm It's official, the ASUN has expanded. I'm glad to see Jacksonville State leave Ohio Valley Conference and join ASUN.
Austin Peay and Chattanooga are both reported targets also.
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By Sly Fox
Registration Days Posts
#621428
What a mess is left behind in the Ohio Valley Conference. You have to start wondering if Belmont is interested in returning to the ASUN fold. Word is Murray State is dying to get into the MVC. The rest of the OVC is now a wasteland.
By olldflame
Registration Days Posts
#621433
Sly Fox wrote: January 28th, 2021, 3:14 pm What a mess is left behind in the Ohio Valley Conference. You have to start wondering if Belmont is interested in returning to the ASUN fold. Word is Murray State is dying to get into the MVC. The rest of the OVC is now a wasteland.


Put Belmont back in the ASUN along with The other schools mentioned, and you suddenly have one of the better mid/low major basketball conferences in the country.
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By Ill flame
Posts
#621447
Sly Fox wrote: January 28th, 2021, 3:14 pm What a mess is left behind in the Ohio Valley Conference. You have to start wondering if Belmont is interested in returning to the ASUN fold. Word is Murray State is dying to get into the MVC. The rest of the OVC is now a wasteland.
Murray st would be such a good fit in the MVC. There's really no good reason to keep them out of that conference. I'm curious if belmont will also try to join the MVC.
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By Ill flame
Posts
#621449
Also can someone explain to me why chattanooga would be interested in leaving their current conference? The ASUN is a clear step down for them. I understand all of the other schools that are being targeted.
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By Sly Fox
Registration Days Posts
#621461
How is the ASUN today a clear step down from the SoCon of today? The Southern Conference is a shadow of itself just a few years ago sans App State & Georgia Southern. Frankly neither the SoCon or Big South is any better than what the ASUN has assembled and arguably is a step down. And if you are looking beyond football, none of the leagues is getting an at large any time soon. In the century of SoCon hoops, do you know how many at large bids they have earned? The same number as the Flames at this point in our history. Zilch.

The only real impediment to any of the SoCon publics (UTC, ETSU or WCU) making the move is the $1M exit fee and the fact that it is easier for administrators to do nothing than actually make a decision. Of course there remains the possibility that moving to this new league could be a futile effort if JSU, EKU & UCA all wind up moving up as FBS Indies with their other sports parked in the ASUN.
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By Sly Fox
Registration Days Posts
#621468
I stumbled across the little rumor that I somehow missed earlier this week that has obvious connections to us:



With ODU and Charlotte obviously less than thrilled with their current CUSA predicament, this is not crazy talk. Obviously this might be the type of arrangement that would entice JMU out of the quickly decaying CAA. The A-10 is not what it once was but would be an obvious upgrade over the ASUN if Ian were to use some leverage to make that happen.
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By thepostman
Registration Days Posts
#621470
I've always been a huge fan of the A-10. I think most are except for our softball loving friend.

I also like the idea of that scheduling alliance. Makes developing a schedule that much easier when you have 5 or 6 schools automatically scheduled every year.

Of course it is just a random internet rumor so I'll take it with a grain of salt.
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By ballah09
Registration Days Posts
#621472
Take away basketball, I'm not really a fan of the A10. I'm actually content on staying in the ASUN esp with all the moves they are making. It's going to be strong top to bottom and If you're a big baseball person then we are about to be one of the best mid major conferences out there.
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By ballcoach15
Registration Days Posts
#621478
Overall, the ASUN is a lot better than the A-10. The ASUN "plays more than 1 sport", and is in a better geographical footprint of America.

Only thing I don't like about the ASUN, is their division format, where they put 4 Florida schools in 1 division and everyone else in the other division. I understand why they do it, but it creates an unbalanced schedule. With the new schools coming in, they might balance out the divisions, if they use a division format in future.

What I think is happening in baseball and softball this spring, is the ASUN tournament will be divided in half, with 4 Florida schools playing and the 5 other schools playing, and 2 winners meeting in finals. It would be better to stay with a straight double elimination tournament.
I was told than it's possible 2 teams could end up playing each other a total of 12 times this spring, based on current format the ASUN has dreamed up.
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By Ill flame
Posts
#621484
Sly Fox wrote: January 29th, 2021, 10:17 am How is the ASUN today a clear step down from the SoCon of today? The Southern Conference is a shadow of itself just a few years ago sans App State & Georgia Southern. Frankly neither the SoCon or Big South is any better than what the ASUN has assembled and arguably is a step down. And if you are looking beyond football, none of the leagues is getting an at large any time soon. In the century of SoCon hoops, do you know how many at large bids they have earned? The same number as the Flames at this point in our history. Zilch.

The only real impediment to any of the SoCon publics (UTC, ETSU or WCU) making the move is the $1M exit fee and the fact that it is easier for administrators to do nothing than actually make a decision. Of course there remains the possibility that moving to this new league could be a futile effort if JSU, EKU & UCA all wind up moving up as FBS Indies with their other sports parked in the ASUN.
I was looking at it more in terms of basketball since football is still an unknown at this point. The SoCon is clearly trending up ranking 10th this year between the A10 and MVC (2 of the better midmajors) and 13th the last two seasons. Meanwhile the ASun has been hanging out in 26th place with liberty being the only thing keeping them from being much lower. Baseball is also pretty even which is irrelevant because chattanooga doesn't have a team.

If I'm chattanooga I wouldn't make this move unless I'm convinced the ASun can get me into fbs or at least be one of the top fcs conferences with MVFC.
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By Ill flame
Posts
#621486
Sly Fox wrote: January 29th, 2021, 11:58 am I stumbled across the little rumor that I somehow missed earlier this week that has obvious connections to us:



With ODU and Charlotte obviously less than thrilled with their current CUSA predicament, this is not crazy talk. Obviously this might be the type of arrangement that would entice JMU out of the quickly decaying CAA. The A-10 is not what it once was but would be an obvious upgrade over the ASUN if Ian were to use some leverage to make that happen.
I don't believe this rumor but I would love to see more schools become independent in football. This is actually a viable arrangement that more schools should consider. I know boise St has thrown the idea around a couple times also.
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By LUOrange
Posts
#621489
I really likee the new additions to the ASUN, those schools all make the conference better in MBB where we need it to help us. An improving ASUN MBB only helps our chances at a better conference. However, I'd jump at the A10 of it were to happen. The A10 is a much better MBB conference, and for most, football and MBB are all that matters. But the idea of playing GWU, GMU, UR, VCU and Davidson regularly is a no brainer, and especially, if you add ODU and UNCC to the mix. Those are all excellent regional and drive-able rivals. I, also like the idea of the scheduling alliance in football, again, especially with ODU and UNCC in the mix. Of course, with that alliance, we'd have to abandon our FCS opponents (which I'm definitely in favor of).

Of course, I don't think the A10 thing will happen for us any time soon. But we should be patient as the Rona most likely has sped up the forthcoming next round of realignment.
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By ATrain
Registration Days Posts
#621492
Sly Fox wrote: January 29th, 2021, 11:58 am I stumbled across the little rumor that I somehow missed earlier this week that has obvious connections to us:



With ODU and Charlotte obviously less than thrilled with their current CUSA predicament, this is not crazy talk. Obviously this might be the type of arrangement that would entice JMU out of the quickly decaying CAA. The A-10 is not what it once was but would be an obvious upgrade over the ASUN if Ian were to use some leverage to make that happen.
Charlotte used to be in the A-10, and many years it is often a better basketball league than CUSA. I can see why they would want to make the move.
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By ballcoach15
Registration Days Posts
#621493
With the vision many have for Liberty Athletics, I don't think playing ODU and Charlotte are what they have in mind. (Nor A-10 schools)
By ATrain
Registration Days Posts
#621516
ballcoach15 wrote: January 29th, 2021, 7:25 pm With the vision many have for Liberty Athletics, I don't think playing ODU and Charlotte are what they have in mind. (Nor A-10 schools)
The vision has been the same since 1971. However, there are steps along the way, and the A-10 is a good step along the way
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By thepostman
Registration Days Posts
#621519
I have a basketball bias so clearly this is why I love this move but positioning our football and basketball programs well is far more important for the growth of our athletic program in the long term than staying in the ASun for the other sports.

That is my opinion anyways.
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By cruzan_flame13
Posts
#621521
As well all know, Football and basketball is the gateway to improve in realignment. I do hope we will get invited to a P5 someday, but I do not see us stepping in that direction remaining in the ASUN even with these additional schools. We will continue to be the school to be sucked on financially from the other schools. Going to the A-10 would be of best interest (unless somehow AAC comes calling ) since that is noted as a high major/top mid major conference. It's true that it may not be a top conference for softball or baseball, but that should give those programs a better chance to go to post-season play. In reality, those programs usually get good notable teams before conference play in order to remain notable in national talks anyways. If our basketball teams can succeed in the A-10 for awhile, then we could be light years ahead than remaining in the ASUN. Plus we will have better opportunities for supporters/fans to go to away games. Saving money during these times plus more national attention in two of the biggest sports in college sports is what we need to really grow our brand. Hopefully those rumors will be a reality. By the way, people know more of ODU than North Alabama and other ASUN schools if we're being honest.
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