Woe is us

[PlummMeanGreen]

1 hour ago, Arkstfan said:

It's not about patches on a jersey and never has been. Conference can negotiate some TV exposure and bowl contracts but it all comes down to what you do about it. All the benefits of Big XII membership and Kansas football is still Kansas football, the good years are an aberration. SEC membership means Vandy football is still Vandy football. Last year Vandy lost to a terrible UNLV team that fired their coach for being so bad (who'd have thought hiring a coach straight from high school was a bad idea?).

Nebraska cashes larger checks in B1G but they are on the same slide to mediocrity that started back in the Big XII. Having most favored status in Big XII hasn't changed the reality that the University of Texas is a program w/o clear and distinct leadership, they are governed by a Politburo of politicians and donors who can't agree on anything beyond the need to spend more. Always comes down to the individual school. 

You are spot on (again). 
Arkstfan, betcha’ didn’t know UNT played a big part in the Wildcats 75 year NCAA wake up, did ya’?
This video is living proof. (So painful).😩

 

Edited September 13, 2020 by PlummMeanGreen

[GrandGreen]

I like CUSA's future, a lot more than the Belt. 

Just like I like the AAC's more than CUSA.

All three of these conferences would be better off swapping teams a making regional conferences. 

 

[TechBulldog11]

2 hours ago, Harry said:

Disagree 100% - I like the academic reputation Rice and also the opportunity to play  in Houston every other year.   I have been to Lafayette and it is nice little town (great seafood).  I would be fine with adding them but I think our friends in Ruston may have had an issue with it in the past.  I know UL wanted to get into the C-USA at one time.

UL-L has repeatedly tried to get into CUSA but we (along with USM) have been in opposition. They might not even want to move now that the belt has improved a little bit.

Personally, I would not be against letting UL-L in under the condition that they go by their state mandated name UL-L and drop the UL/University of Louisiana crap. 

[TechBulldog11]

38 minutes ago, GrandGreen said:

I like CUSA's future, a lot more than the Belt. 

Just like I like the AAC's more than CUSA.

All three of these conferences would be better off swapping teams a making regional conferences. 

 

Agree 100%.

Would love to see some regional conferences with UNT, SMU, UTSA, Rice, Houston, La Tech, UL-L, Tulane, USM, UAB, etc.

[Arkstfan]

7 hours ago, PlummMeanGreen said:

You are spot on (again). 
Arkstfan, betcha’ didn’t know UNT played a big part in the Wildcats 75 year NCAA wake up, did ya’?
This video is living proof. (So painful).😩

 

Those old pads made guys look like monsters

[El Paso Eagle]

8 hours ago, TechBulldog11 said:

Agree 100%.

Would love to see some regional conferences with UNT, SMU, UTSA, Rice, Houston, La Tech, UL-L, Tulane, USM, UAB, etc.

I know it's not popular with some, but I still believe, especially with the post Covid financial situation that the SBC & CUSA will do some type of merger or split of teams in the future to become more regional. Financially these schools need to find ways to reduce costs as increasing revenues might not be likely especially in the event the P5's do a split. And, IMO, any schools in either conference that thinks they are to good for other teams should be encouraged to go independent and see how that works. 

[PlummMeanGreen]

13 hours ago, Arkstfan said:

Those old pads made guys look like monsters

“They most sointely’ did, Ollie’! 

❤️🖤.......BTW, Arkstfan, a hearty congratulations on yalls huge win over KSU! 
 

[greenb.o.g.]

On 9/12/2020 at 10:52 PM, UNT 90 Grad said:

CUSA - West is already considered the worst in the FBS by many, I hate to say. 
https://www.usatoday.com/sports/ncaaf/sagarin/

Ouch!

But hey, at least UNT is considered the best of the worst (as someone pats me on the back) ...

Edited September 14, 2020 by greenb.o.g.

[wardly]

On 9/13/2020 at 10:56 AM, Harry said:

Disagree 100% - I like the academic reputation Rice and also the opportunity to play  in Houston every other year.   I have been to Lafayette and it is nice little town (great seafood).  I would be fine with adding them but I think our friends in Ruston may have had an issue with it in the past.  I know UL wanted to get into the C-USA at one time.

The biggest surprise to me is that La. Tech scheduled a home game with UL Monroe this year. They hate the Warhawks so much that they once turned down an invitation to the Independence Bowl in Shreveport because their opponent was ULM. The Bulldogs didn't get another bowl invite and stayed home. 

[greenminer]

1 hour ago, wardly said:

The biggest surprise to me is that La. Tech scheduled a home game with UL Monroe this year. They hate the Warhawks so much that they once turned down an invitation to the Independence Bowl in Shreveport because their opponent was ULM. The Bulldogs didn't get another bowl invite and stayed home. 

Do we have any official releases that substantiate this ULM claim? The only thing I can find on it is a tweet from Yahoo Sports, and it doesn't even claim "according to sources."

Seems a lot like fun conjecture from fans, rather than reported news.

[DallasGreen]

On 9/13/2020 at 12:58 PM, TechBulldog11 said:

UL-L has repeatedly tried to get into CUSA but we (along with USM) have been in opposition. They might not even want to move now that the belt has improved a little bit.

Personally, I would not be against letting UL-L in under the condition that they go by their state mandated name UL-L and drop the UL/University of Louisiana crap. 

Assume   you don’ t mind TEXAS STATE who conveniently drops the at San Marcos from their name Texas State is a system of Sam Houston, SFA, and those wannabes in San Marcos. There is no school named Texas State as it is a system. Sam & SFA should also become Texas State just correctly adding @ Huntsville and @ Nacogdoches (Spelling)

[VideoEagle]

1 hour ago, greenminer said:

Do we have any official releases that substantiate this ULM claim? The only thing I can find on it is a tweet from Yahoo Sports, and it doesn't even claim "according to sources."

Seems a lot like fun conjecture from fans, rather than reported news.
 

It was a little more complicated than "if it's ULM we don't want a bowl," but close. The I bowl in Shreveport offered a spot to ULM and then started looking for an opponent. They called La Tech and offered that spot to them. La Tech wanted to look for another bowl before accepting but the I Bowl put a time limit on the response. La Tech didn't call back till well after time expired. La Tech said more prestigious bowls were talking to them, but what these bowls were have never been confirmed. Understandably, a number of their fans were furious and the La Tech athletic department claimed it was a gigantic conspiracy by the I Bowl, the City of Shreveport, ESPN, and the Sun Belt conference to screw them. 

 

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/8703346/louisiana-tech-bulldogs-9-3-go-bowl-game

Edited September 14, 2020 by VideoEagle

[KRAM1]

Maybe if CUSA has a Commissioner worth having? 

[wardly]

5 hours ago, greenminer said:

Do we have any official releases that substantiate this ULM claim? The only thing I can find on it is a tweet from Yahoo Sports, and it doesn't even claim "according to sources."

Seems a lot like fun conjecture from fans, rather than reported news.

The way I remember it is that La. Tech told the Independence Bowl that they would think about it , explore other options , and get back to them in a day or two.  Before they could the Independence Bowl moved on and La. Tech was left out of any bowl game. Speculation was, which I believe, is they just didn't want to play ULM. Hard to tell what was reported news , rumor has it , or pure conjecture.

[VideoEagle]

43 minutes ago, wardly said:

The way I remember it is that La. Tech told the Independence Bowl that they would think about it , explore other options , and get back to them in a day or two.  Before they could the Independence Bowl moved on and La. Tech was left out of any bowl game. Speculation was, which I believe, is they just didn't want to play ULM. Hard to tell what was reported news , rumor has it , or pure conjecture.

I'm going to say the ESPN story at the time is likely the most accurate.

[Arkstfan]

5 hours ago, wardly said:

The way I remember it is that La. Tech told the Independence Bowl that they would think about it , explore other options , and get back to them in a day or two.  Before they could the Independence Bowl moved on and La. Tech was left out of any bowl game. Speculation was, which I believe, is they just didn't want to play ULM. Hard to tell what was reported news , rumor has it , or pure conjecture.

The story from a very good friend of mine (we lived together for 7 months) and was on the I Bowl committee was that it went down like this. 
 

They were short on both sides and had a list of like 7 schools. Selection committee decided to vote on the 7 (or so) one vote per member and if one got more than 50% they’d get an invite and if they didn’t they’d drop the lowest and keep revoting until someone got a majority. 
 

Tech got like 3/4ths of the vote first round. Then they voted on remaining six and ULM got the majority by one vote primarily because there was some fear ESPN wouldn’t like it. This surprised me because I thought ESPN took a much more active role. 
 

The director calls both and ULM accepts while Tech asks for time. Told OK but need answer today. ULM told to keep it silent. 
 

Short time later two (or more) selection committee members say they’ve gotten calls from Tech AD saying he will accept if they invite someone else. Committee meets. Gets heated. Vote is taken to determine whether they want to reopen the selection and replace ULM. The Warhawks get more votes to keep them than there had been to select them. 
 

Director calls AD says it’s ULM. Do you want in or not. AD says wait until Sunday because we think we are going to the Liberty if Big XII puts two in the BCS leaving a spot open. 
 

The call Liberty and they will only say they are looking a couple teams but can’t do anything until final BCS standings come out. 
 

They then call Banowsky to see if he will help. Says he has talked to Liberty and they are not making any commitments. Asks if they think NOLA would swap and take ULM instead of ULL but in meantime he’d lobby Tech because he’s not encouraged by Liberty but won’t rule it out.  
 

They then call Benson. To see if he will lobby NOLA to take anyone other than ULL. Says I don’t think so because if they can’t get the Cajuns they’ll want the winner of AState and MTSU and he’s already got an agreement from Liberty and GoDaddy that Liberty is going to take the winner and GoDaddy the loser if Big XII comes up short. With NIU having upset Kent State it looks like there won’t be a buster and Big XII is getting two in. 
 

I Bowl ups the heat and goes public with ULM invite. 
 

They call again and Tech again says wait. 
 

They call the MAC and are told 8 win Ohio will be available. The Bobcats had been ranked before fizzling with a rash of injuries.  
 

They table it. 

Meet again next day. Tech saying wait or change opponent. Committee says screw it votes to take Ohio if they are available. 
 

Meanwhile unranked Wisconsin routs Nebraska and when BCS formulation comes out NIU is 15 and since they were top 16 AND rated higher than an AQ champ (Wisconsin) they bust and Iowa State is available for Liberty. 
 

Huge disappointment in Jonesboro because we thought we were headed to Memphis. AState instead goes to Mobile. ULL was already locked into NOLA. So now dash is on to find a spot for MTSU and Tech and only chair left open is Detroit. 
 

Detroit and Tech talk but goes no where because Detroit has a deal with WKU. MTSU gets same message. 
 

But wait there’s more. 
 

MTSU on league conference call says this is a load of bull. We tied for second and should go to Detroit over WKU who finished two games back of us. WKU points out that bylaws say champ has to be placed and AState is going to Mobile so after that rules are silent. ADs vote that decision belongs to the bowl but encourage Detroit to consider MTSU. Detroit has been talking to WKU for weeks and has plans to send band and has multiple busses reserved for fans and students. MTSU only promises to take x number tix and no other plan. Detroit takes WKU. 
 

MTSU and La Tech get left out. My friend on the committee said the back channel requests to dump ULM changed the entire mood. The support for taking ULM had been tepid. There was some offense taken that Tech had been their clear first choice and didn’t have reciprocated interest. Throw in the counter negotiation and mood completely changed. 
 

And just for fun. The next year WKU scheduled  press conference to announce they were going to Mobile and had to cancel because AState was co-champions and had to be placed and there was no opening for them. The bylaws giveth and the bylaws take away.