If I was AAC commish...

[Marcelo]

45 minutes ago, greenminer said:

Have you seen their endowment? They are doing fine without being at the top of the rankings.

What does that have to do with my point? Stanford's endowment is larger yet they've made way more investments in athletics than Rice, even though they'd be doing more than fine if they didn't pay much attention to athletics. Again, if certain alums at Rice decide to push for better athletics, they'll easily do it and climb up the ladder. 

[greenminer]

1 hour ago, Marcelo said:

What does that have to do with my point? Stanford's endowment is larger yet they've made way more investments in athletics than Rice, even though they'd be doing more than fine if they didn't pay much attention to athletics. Again, if certain alums at Rice decide to push for better athletics, they'll easily do it and climb up the ladder. 

You bring up a valid point about Stanford.

I'm just reaching  for reasons to think Rice would suddenly decide to commit to fielding a competitive football team.  How long have they had a program?  Most of my life, the argument has been that athletics - particularly football - is a window to the university.  The best way to build your brand.

If anything, now I'm asking "why" about Stanford.  Makes me think their opportunity to compete in a much more appealing/TV-ready conference was attractive to them.  When the Southwest dissolved and Rice landed in the Western Athletic, maybe the entire program and alumni base checked out.

[El Paso Eagle]

Would be nice to see all of the teams moving to the American make a serious commitment to exceling on the gridiron. Not sure if it's true, but I have talked to people who live in Houston that have heard there is a lot of behind-the-scenes pushing going on to bring Tom Herman in at Rice.

[Side.Show.Joe]

If the AAC ever goes back to divisions, or moves to having 3 permanent rivalry games... I'd like to see our SMU game be played as our first conference game of the season. The Rice game played on Halloween every season. And, the UTSA game always be on Thanksgiving weekend. I just like the idea of having set dates that I can schedule around. 

[outoftown]

I agree with the OP. Those 4 schools are serious about investing in athletics these days. Charlotte is in between (financially better than most C-USA options were, but you might have just as well argued for ODU). Rice is nice from the presidents view, as they want to be affiliated with its academics and it is well placed, however Rice hasn't been serious about investing in sports lately and it really doesn't have a fan base worth mentioning, even compared to other G5s. I think the conference had been stronger without those two, but I also think those who say adding 6 was preemptive against losing teams are right, those likely were some thoughts at the time and back then they were reasonable. But now with the rules for the new playoff, I doubt there is any incentive for the Big12  to expand and for the ACC only if indeed one of their schools get poached by SEC or B1G. Both is now likely to happen later rather than sooner, as ESPN has zero interest in letting any of those schools out cheaper than the ACC contract allows them to be kept.

Edited November 23, 2022 by outoftown

[Dannymacfan]

6 minutes ago, outoftown said:

But now with the rules for the new playoff, I doubt there is any incentive for the Big12  to expand and for the ACC only if indeed one of their schools get poached by SEC or B1G.

Agree that the 12 team playoff changes the whole conference expansion thing in a big time way.  Getting the 12 team playoff was a huge positive for the G5 brand!

[97and03]

And without any real investment, Rice still managed to win a conference championship in football in the last 10 years. (And a natty in baseball in the last 20). Women’s basketball won the 2021 NIT. Just won the conference volleyball tourney over the weekend. In addition to arguably being the best university in the southern United States.

But we won in golf 80 years ago, so we’ve got that going for us. 
 

Edited November 23, 2022 by 97and03

[Matt from A700]

On 11/21/2022 at 12:27 PM, LitMedallion said:

Only 4 teams from CUSA would have been invited to the American. UNT, UTSA, UAB, and FAU.

We could play an 8 game schedule while rotating through all the teams more frequently. (UNT, SMU, UTSA, Tulsa) (Tulane, UAB, Memphis, ECU)  (FAU, USF, Navy, Temple) Play annually then you rotate the other 8 teams in the 5 remaining games.  These annual teams would be regional type rivals. Schedule the other 5 games as home and home and we'd rotate through the entire conference no less than every 4 years. 

 

We will already rotate through the entire conference [twice] in a four-year period though. I know teams like UTSA are only play thrice in four years, but maybe skipping a year will build some anticipation for the next rivalry game. Plus, we need a couple more beatable opponents in conference play.

[meanJewGreen]

18 hours ago, Side.Show.Joe said:

If the AAC ever goes back to divisions, or moves to having 3 permanent rivalry games... I'd like to see our SMU game be played as our first conference game of the season. The Rice game played on Halloween every season. And, the UTSA game always be on Thanksgiving weekend. I just like the idea of having set dates that I can schedule around. 

Our fans are a way too fickle and apathetic to waste thanksgiving weekend on a rivalry game. I definitely think the game should be some time in november though 

[LitMedallion]

14 hours ago, 97and03 said:

And without any real investment. 
 

...And without any fans in the stands. 

[GrayEagle]

On 11/21/2022 at 4:12 PM, Green Otaku said:

I feel like there was some truth to the MWC rumors. If true the AAC made a preemptive move to block the AAC from getting into TX/the central time zone. 

Well, Oresco also liked us, trusted Wren, and made the first move.  It is what it is.  I would have been okay to have been in either, AAC or MWC, but I'm happier with where we landed.  The AAC has the potential to recover from what we had with Cincinnati, UCF and Houston if we get better coaching/recruiting.  There is also the possibility that the Mountain West loses San Diego State, Boise State, and/or UNLV to the Pac 12, which will definitely reduce their power and prestige.

 

 

[GrayEagle]

On 11/21/2022 at 9:17 PM, Marcelo said:

What does that have to do with my point? Stanford's endowment is larger yet they've made way more investments in athletics than Rice, even though they'd be doing more than fine if they didn't pay much attention to athletics. Again, if certain alums at Rice decide to push for better athletics, they'll easily do it and climb up the ladder. 

They're certainly capable.  If they can somehow soften their entry requirements for athletes to NCAA standards, and also find a Jess Neely clone for a coach, a Tobin Rote type quarterback, and a Froggie Williams receiver, they can compete with anyone in the American.  

 

[NT80]

47 minutes ago, GrayEagle said:

There is also the possibility that the Mountain West loses San Diego State, Boise State, and/or UNLV to the Pac 12, which will definitely reduce their power and prestige.

 

 

I also think the MWC will lose schools to the PAC.   This could leave Colo St, Air Force, New Mexico, et al available to be picked up by the AAC.

[Green Otaku]

7 hours ago, GrayEagle said:

Well, Oresco also liked us, trusted Wren, and made the first move.  It is what it is.  I would have been okay to have been in either, AAC or MWC, but I'm happier with where we landed.  The AAC has the potential to recover from what we had with Cincinnati, UCF and Houston if we get better coaching/recruiting.  There is also the possibility that the Mountain West loses San Diego State, Boise State, and/or UNLV to the Pac 12, which will definitely reduce their power and prestige.

 

 

I was on the MWC train because I didn't think there would be a chance to get to the AAC with SMU there. Not only thinking the wouldn't want us, but also that the AAC wouldn't want to overlap markets. AAC is definitely the better move, and I'm glad we ended up where we did.

The Pac12 is in a really interesting place, I feel like they are all eagle puking at the thought of having anyone outside of maybe SDSU join. I honestly see that as the last option and they will try either staying at 10 or maybe forming some alliance with the ACC before grabbing any MWC schools. 

[NT80]

6 minutes ago, Green Otaku said:

The Pac12 is in a really interesting place, I feel like they are all eagle puking at the thought of having anyone outside of maybe SDSU join. I honestly see that as the last option and they will try either staying at 10 or maybe forming some alliance with the ACC before grabbing any MWC schools. 

They will start to bail once the PAC media rights low estimates come in, about half of the Big12's expected new $$.  

[Green Otaku]

1 minute ago, NT80 said:

They will start to bail once the PAC media rights low estimates come in, about half of the Big12's expected new $$.  

That too. If there are any real options to leave, teams will. Maybe the left overs like WSU, and OSU rebuild the PAC12 by just absorbing the MWC.