LT Conf Future

[yosef13]

The bowl contracts is the only reason cusa is better at this time and those are going to change next year. Cusa is not better aac is though. I don’t think we are ready aac just yet. Cusa will be a downgrade after this year.

Okay, if we can get a bowl tie in with the AAC, i'm fine with staying. If they can't we need to get out. The #20 team in the country should not have to settle for the CUSA runner up. It is a crime.

[97APP]

One thing to keep in mind is that just prior to when we joined the SBC had ONE bowl game. That's it. The conference was by far the worst G5 league and was taking any scraps that were available. Now the conference is clearly the 3rd best G5 conference and has 5 tie-ins. I believe I heard somewhere that the bowls will be renegotiated next year with at least 3 of the 5 bowls being part of the ESPN bowl pool. I can see ESPN trying to create the best match-ups for the bowls they own. What we need is for our conference to make sure the NO bowl can't handcuff the SBC champion if better opportunities arise. Obviously the AAC is the better conference should we be given an invite, but right now the SBC has provided us an opportunity to hit FBS running and has made strides as well during our membership.

[JMappfan5]

FAU is playing SMU.

App is playing UAB.

It is a lateral move with the exception of the bowl tie ins. I was in favor for staying put, but after going 12-1, ranked #20, and getting UAB, the writing is on the wall. We need to get out of the SB.

Easier said than done.

Agree, but it should be one of our main goals. I did not think this way until our bowl selection yesterday. We are ranked #20 and our reward is UAB with 4 losses. That is our conference's fault. The SB has serviced its purpose and was the right fit at first, but if we have hopes of being a Boise type program, the SB is not the place to be.

No one else is interested in us...so what do you propose???

[hapapp]

The bowl contracts is the only reason cusa is better at this time and those are going to change next year. Cusa is not better aac is though. I don’t think we are ready aac just yet. Cusa will be a downgrade after this year.

Okay, if we can get a bowl tie in with the AAC, i'm fine with staying. If they can't we need to get out. The #20 team in the country should not have to settle for the CUSA runner up. It is a crime.

We can't get out if we have no place to go. The Sun Belt is improving in both on the field play and in bowl opportunities. Yes, this year stinks. But, when we joined, the conference had fewer opportunities than now and hopefully, that will improve moving forward. Let's not base our presence in this conference on one year's performance. Last year we were excited that the conference opened up the NO Bowl to the champion. We all act like the conference is holding us back but if we were in the AAC would we be 12-1? I'm not saying we wouldn't or couldn't be but certainly the level of competition would be stiffer. And I wouldn't shy away from that kind of competition but the odds of us being 12-1 are greater in the Belt and thus allowed us to be in consideration for NY6 bowl bid.

[Yosef84]

Nothing changes over night. The bowl alignments lag behind the on-field performance but at some point they will adjust...hopefully soon! Bowl alignments are negotiated periodically for multi-year contracts. I would be surprised if CUSA doesn't lose some of their favorable bowl alignments given the decline in the level of competition. It's frustrating to close out this year against UAB but I say let's go thump them on national TV and finish this season in the Top 20! That's a HUGE accomplishment, so I'm not going to complain too much.

[yosef13]

FAU is playing SMU.

App is playing UAB.

It is a lateral move with the exception of the bowl tie ins. I was in favor for staying put, but after going 12-1, ranked #20, and getting UAB, the writing is on the wall. We need to get out of the SB.

Easier said than done.

Agree, but it should be one of our main goals. I did not think this way until our bowl selection yesterday. We are ranked #20 and our reward is UAB with 4 losses. That is our conference's fault. The SB has serviced its purpose and was the right fit at first, but if we have hopes of being a Boise type program, the SB is not the place to be.

No one else is interested in us...so what do you propose???

This thread, including my comments, are based on hypothetical's. However, we should be doing whatever we can on and off the field to be ready if an opportunity presents itself. My hope is geographic realignment occurs soon allowing for better bowl options. Until then, just win.

[yosef13]

The bowl contracts is the only reason cusa is better at this time and those are going to change next year. Cusa is not better aac is though. I don’t think we are ready aac just yet. Cusa will be a downgrade after this year.

Okay, if we can get a bowl tie in with the AAC, i'm fine with staying. If they can't we need to get out. The #20 team in the country should not have to settle for the CUSA runner up. It is a crime.

We can't get out if we have no place to go. The Sun Belt is improving in both on the field play and in bowl opportunities. Yes, this year stinks. But, when we joined, the conference had fewer opportunities than now and hopefully, that will improve moving forward. Let's not base our presence in this conference on one year's performance. Last year we were excited that the conference opened up the NO Bowl to the champion. We all act like the conference is holding us back but if we were in the AAC would we be 12-1? I'm not saying we wouldn't or couldn't be but certainly the level of competition would be stiffer. And I wouldn't shy away from that kind of competition but the odds of us being 12-1 are greater in the Belt and thus allowed us to be in consideration for NY6 bowl bid.

We are talking hypothetically. If CUSA offered right now we should take it, based solely on the current bowl tie ins. I was not convinced we should do this until yesterday afternoon. We could win CUSA and be playing a AAC team instead of UAB.

[asu66]

For some reason, and all season long, I've not been able to escape this feeling that DG (and maybe a few prominent boosters) have been working behind the scenes courting the AAC. I've got no information of any sort to back that feeling up but it's lingered after certain comments or interviews rubbed me a certain way...things like that. We really didn't have the $$ at that precise moment to make the jump to the Belt but we did it and the $$, or at least enough of it, came. We'd obviously need more, at an even greater clip, to make the AAC jump (and to compete across the board in the AAC) but I think the right folks could sell the AAC on the Mountaineer brand. If we can show that basketball is on the rise, keep baseball pointed upwards, then I think we could convince enough people that App State is the next brand darling that they should want to buy. If it, it being an invite, were to happen - I don't even question it - AAC it is.

I believe a change is coming. Not certain how soon it will be, but it's coming. Discussions have been held by all the right parties. I get the feeling that a geographically-centered league is much more likely than the AAC. If it's the AAC, it will necessarily have to be way-way in the future due to the enormous amount of debt the Athletic Department will be carrying when the NEZ and 105 projects are complete. Do the math! The BOT and NC-BOG will only allow us to stick our necks out so far! There's a finite limit. The latter group (NC-BOG) will probably drag their feet on anything we propose going forward in an effort to limit our future athletic horizons. We've been makin' too much noise up our way!!!

[BallantyneApp]

For some reason, and all season long, I've not been able to escape this feeling that DG (and maybe a few prominent boosters) have been working behind the scenes courting the AAC. I've got no information of any sort to back that feeling up but it's lingered after certain comments or interviews rubbed me a certain way...things like that. We really didn't have the $$ at that precise moment to make the jump to the Belt but we did it and the $$, or at least enough of it, came. We'd obviously need more, at an even greater clip, to make the AAC jump (and to compete across the board in the AAC) but I think the right folks could sell the AAC on the Mountaineer brand. If we can show that basketball is on the rise, keep baseball pointed upwards, then I think we could convince enough people that App State is the next brand darling that they should want to buy. If it, it being an invite, were to happen - I don't even question it - AAC it is.

I believe a change is coming. Not certain how soon it will be, but it's coming. Discussions have been held by all the right parties. I get the feeling that a geographically-centered league is much more likely than the AAC. If it's the AAC, it will necessarily have to be way-way in the future due to the enormous amount of debt the Athletic Department will be carrying when the NEZ and 105 projects are complete. Do the math! The BOT and NC-BOG will only allow us to stick our necks out so far! There's a finite limit. The latter group (NC-BOG) will probably drag their feet on anything we propose going forward in an effort to limit our future athletic horizons. We've been makin' too much noise up our way!!!

We desperately need a billionaire to take interest in our program

I feel like the old guard is getting a little nervous seeing App State so much on ESPN this year...

[hapapp]

The bowl contracts is the only reason cusa is better at this time and those are going to change next year. Cusa is not better aac is though. I don’t think we are ready aac just yet. Cusa will be a downgrade after this year.

Okay, if we can get a bowl tie in with the AAC, i'm fine with staying. If they can't we need to get out. The #20 team in the country should not have to settle for the CUSA runner up. It is a crime.

We can't get out if we have no place to go. The Sun Belt is improving in both on the field play and in bowl opportunities. Yes, this year stinks. But, when we joined, the conference had fewer opportunities than now and hopefully, that will improve moving forward. Let's not base our presence in this conference on one year's performance. Last year we were excited that the conference opened up the NO Bowl to the champion. We all act like the conference is holding us back but if we were in the AAC would we be 12-1? I'm not saying we wouldn't or couldn't be but certainly the level of competition would be stiffer. And I wouldn't shy away from that kind of competition but the odds of us being 12-1 are greater in the Belt and thus allowed us to be in consideration for NY6 bowl bid.

We are talking hypothetically. If CUSA offered right now we should take it, based solely on the current bowl tie ins. I was not convinced we should do this until yesterday afternoon. We could win CUSA and be playing a AAC team instead of UAB.

I totally disagree. I think that would be short-sighted. There is no guarantee when the bowls renegotiate that CUSA will be in a better position than the Sun Belt.

[yosef13]

The bowl contracts is the only reason cusa is better at this time and those are going to change next year. Cusa is not better aac is though. I don’t think we are ready aac just yet. Cusa will be a downgrade after this year.

Okay, if we can get a bowl tie in with the AAC, i'm fine with staying. If they can't we need to get out. The #20 team in the country should not have to settle for the CUSA runner up. It is a crime.

We can't get out if we have no place to go. The Sun Belt is improving in both on the field play and in bowl opportunities. Yes, this year stinks. But, when we joined, the conference had fewer opportunities than now and hopefully, that will improve moving forward. Let's not base our presence in this conference on one year's performance. Last year we were excited that the conference opened up the NO Bowl to the champion. We all act like the conference is holding us back but if we were in the AAC would we be 12-1? I'm not saying we wouldn't or couldn't be but certainly the level of competition would be stiffer. And I wouldn't shy away from that kind of competition but the odds of us being 12-1 are greater in the Belt and thus allowed us to be in consideration for NY6 bowl bid.

We are talking hypothetically. If CUSA offered right now we should take it, based solely on the current bowl tie ins. I was not convinced we should do this until yesterday afternoon. We could win CUSA and be playing a AAC team instead of UAB.

I totally disagree. I think that would be short-sighted. There is no guarantee when the bowls renegotiate that CUSA will be in a better position than the Sun Belt.

Read my statement. I said if they offered right now. Meaning in the current state with the current bowl tie in. I also said if we can negotiate a tie in with the AAC in the future I would be okay staying put.

[AppGrad78]

Conference-USA is a step in the wrong direction. If we’re basing our dissatisfaction on bowl tie-ins, they are likely to change next year. Plus, the Myrtle Beach Bowl has tremendous potential for App fans.

[appstatealum]

For some reason, and all season long, I've not been able to escape this feeling that DG (and maybe a few prominent boosters) have been working behind the scenes courting the AAC. I've got no information of any sort to back that feeling up but it's lingered after certain comments or interviews rubbed me a certain way...things like that. We really didn't have the $$ at that precise moment to make the jump to the Belt but we did it and the $$, or at least enough of it, came. We'd obviously need more, at an even greater clip, to make the AAC jump (and to compete across the board in the AAC) but I think the right folks could sell the AAC on the Mountaineer brand. If we can show that basketball is on the rise, keep baseball pointed upwards, then I think we could convince enough people that App State is the next brand darling that they should want to buy. If it, it being an invite, were to happen - I don't even question it - AAC it is.

This is absolutely DGs end game. Hopefully we can keep him to make it happen. Basketball showing some improvement this year is a good first step.

[BeauFoster]

I believe a change is coming. Not certain how soon it will be, but it's coming. Discussions have been held by all the right parties. I get the feeling that a geographically-centered league is much more likely than the AAC. If it's the AAC, it will necessarily have to be way-way in the future due to the enormous amount of debt the Athletic Department will be carrying when the NEZ and 105 projects are complete. Do the math! The BOT and NC-BOG will only allow us to stick our necks out so far! There's a finite limit. The latter group (NC-BOG) will probably drag their feet on anything we propose going forward in an effort to limit our future athletic horizons. We've been makin' too much noise up our way!!!

We desperately need a billionaire to take interest in our program

I feel like the old guard is getting a little nervous seeing App State so much on ESPN this year...

I agree with both you and 66 - I wouldn't be the least bit surprised for the UNC BOG to start really cracking down to make sure that we don't get too big and overshadow their baby blue programs. God forbid Coach Kerns turns the bball ship around and gets us winning a bunch. Someone down in the triangle would try to dig up an no show program at App and get us the death penalty.

[asu66]

Oh, BTW, how many of you guys in this thread have Club Seat or Tower Suite contracts in an active status? Or how many of you have talked with a Yosef rep about premium seating in the NEZ? You'll be getting us CLOSER to that great "AAC DREAM IN YOUR HEAD" as soon as you sign a premium seating contract and start writing larger annual checks.

THAT'S HOW WE'LL GET THERE--IF WE EVER DO!

NEW REVENUE!

IT'S ON ALL OF US TO GET IT DONE!!!

[moonshine]

I understand fans' frustration with the bowl tie-ins but they are worlds better than what the SB had prior to App's arrival. We b*tched and moaned about NOLA not taking the champion and now we complain when they do. Some of our fans need to back away from the keyboard for a day or two, especially those spitting vitriol at Drink on a Twitter post about his daughter.

Bowls will be re-negotiated in the near future, have some patience. All we can do as fans is support our players and program by buying tickets and going to NOLA.

If you can't make NOLA, donate the record ($12.01) to the S&C fund/Yosef Club or if you're feeling really confident, $13.01.

As for moving to CUSA, that's a big NO. App makes more money in the Sun Belt and after seeing the CUSA tv negotiations, I have zero confidence in Commissioner Judy doing any better with their bowl tie-ins. If App continues winning, ESPN may throw us a bowl bone in the near future.

[BeauFoster]

I understand fans' frustration with the bowl tie-ins but they are worlds better than what the SB had prior to App's arrival. We b*tched and moaned about NOLA not taking the champion and now we complain when they do. Some of our fans need to back away from the keyboard for a day or two, especially those spitting vitriol at Drink on a Twitter post about his daughter.

Bowls will be re-negotiated in the near future, have some patience. All we can do as fans is support our players and program by buying tickets and going to NOLA.

If you can't make NOLA, donate the record ($12.01) to the S&C fund/Yosef Club or if you're feeling really confident, $13.01.

As for moving to CUSA, that's a big NO. App makes more money in the Sun Belt and after seeing the CUSA tv negotiations, I have zero confidence in Commissioner Judy doing any better with their bowl tie-ins. If App continues winning, ESPN may throw us a bowl bone in the near future.

I saw that yesterday/last night. Unfortunately some folks just haven't grown up yet and think that this type of behavior is appropriate. It isn't, and I actually unfollowed a couple of folks yesterday because of it.

[WASU 93]

[u[/url]

The bowl contracts is the only reason cusa is better at this time and those are going to change next year. Cusa is not better aac is though. I don’t think we are ready aac just yet. Cusa will be a downgrade after this year.

Okay, if we can get a bowl tie in with the AAC, i'm fine with staying. If they can't we need to get out. The #20 team in the country should not have to settle for the CUSA runner up. It is a crime.

We can't get out if we have no place to go. The Sun Belt is improving in both on the field play and in bowl opportunities. Yes, this year stinks. But, when we joined, the conference had fewer opportunities than now and hopefully, that will improve moving forward. Let's not base our presence in this conference on one year's performance. Last year we were excited that the conference opened up the NO Bowl to the champion. We all act like the conference is holding us back but if we were in the AAC would we be 12-1? I'm not saying we wouldn't or couldn't be but certainly the level of competition would be stiffer. And I wouldn't shy away from that kind of competition but the odds of us being 12-1 are greater in the Belt and thus allowed us to be in consideration for NY6 bowl bid.

We are talking hypothetically. If CUSA offered right now we should take it, based solely on the current bowl tie ins. I was not convinced we should do this until yesterday afternoon. We could win CUSA and be playing a AAC team instead of UAB.

So, we should move all of sports to C-USA, just because we didn’t get the bowl game we wanted (yes, it sucks) and play conference games in all sports against FIU, FAU, Western Kentucky, etc???

Sometimes it’s better to take what you have and work to make it better or wait on the right situation to appear. The New Orleans Bowl isn’t a surprise. It’s just not what our fan base wanted.

There’s a certain Coach who’s getting torched for taking the first opportunity that came his way and not fulfilling obligations that he had made.

See the irony....

Our goals should be a Regional Conference or the AAC. And it may take a few more years of winning football + upgrading our other sports. Plus, the budget has to make sense because AAC travel and AAC coaching staffs cost more (although, you do have a growth in revenue)

[yosef13]

Yes. As I said, CUSA is a lateral move, on ALL fronts, with the exception of current bowl tie ins.

They are not going to offer, this is a hypothetical conversion, and we are staying put with the hopes of a new geographical conference in our future with better bowl tie in.

[BeauFoster]

Obviously the two best options are a regional, competitive conference that doesn't yet exist, or the AAC. Neither of those are viable at the moment (that we know of). So, we have no other choice than to make the best of our situation. Keep kicking ass in football, get bball back on track (look to be headed that way), grow our donations, and see what happens. I have to believe that our administration has been working the phones behind the scenes (there are even articles that have mentioned the regional conference thing in the recent past). Remember, 3-4 years ago, everyone ragged on UCF, saying they didn't play anyone and that the AAC was horrible and weak. We just have to hope that a rising tide (a strong App, a strengthening UL, typically good programs in GaSo and Ark St) raises the rest of the boats and continues to strengthen the perception of the Belt. That way, if we are still here when Bowl negotiations come around again in a couple of years, maybe we parlay that into better affiliations/bids. Play the hand we're dealt to the best of our ability.