CUSA made a mistake with the FIU invite

[Eastwood Eagle]

would trade FIU for ULL in a heart beat and trade FAU for TX State in a heartbeat

yeap

[emmitt01]

Cristobal had several off the field issues, including pummeling a dude in a bar while repeatedly yelling "Panther power!" every time he punched him.

If this is true that deserved a contract extension and not a firing.

And we thought Mac was passionate about the school he coaches for.

[DeepGreen]

The burning question I have is this- had CUSA NOT invited FAU or FIU, would the conference have lost Tulane and Tulsa? Personally, I don't think so.

[VideoEagle]

The burning question I have is this- had CUSA NOT invited FAU or FIU, would the conference have lost Tulane and Tulsa? Personally, I don't think so.

It was a package deal, if I remember correctly. Their was a group of schools voted in and to get the teams in the West, La Tech, UTSA and us, they had to agree to some in the East. Some Florida school was a requirement to get anyone in.

The whole thing is also based on a couple of bad years. Based on a couple of really bad years, Michigan should not be in the B1g.

[MeanGreenHoops]

The biggest reason for this thread to be true is that there hasn't been a single FIU fan come on here to rip us for it.

[UNT90]

The burning question I have is this- had CUSA NOT invited FAU or FIU, would the conference have lost Tulane and Tulsa? Personally, I don't think so.

Yes, they would have. Just like they will lose UNT if UNT gets an AAC invite.

[Mean Green 93-98]

If this is true that deserved a contract extension and not a firing.

And we thought Mac was passionate about the school he coaches for.

Fair point. But that was not the only off-the-field issue. There were major issues with academics, there were issues with recruits being taken to a strip club and a player shooting a gun at a party. Not to mention that there were signs pointing to a prolonged decline on the field.

I definitely think they could have dealt better with Cristobal after the loyalty he showed. But there was more to his firing than one down year.

[Mean Green 93-98]

The burning question I have is this- had CUSA NOT invited FAU or FIU, would the conference have lost Tulane and Tulsa? Personally, I don't think so.

I don't think any one or two teams kept the old C-USA teams from coming back. If C-USA had only invited FIU, UNT, and LaTech, liked it looked like it was going to be at the beginning, I think there is a decent chance Houston, UCF, et al., would have come back to C-USA after the Big East implosion. And if only one or two of those teams had been added, it would make it even more likely. But by the time they were looking for a new home, C-USA had turned into the Sun Belt conference. And I can't blame them for setting their sights higher.

[Eagle1855]

Yes, they would have. Just like they will lose UNT if UNT gets an AAC invite.

Exactly.

AAC is a better conference. It's the CUSA we wanted to be a part of. And we'd join the first chance we get.

Too bad the next spot is going to Riverwalk U.

[Eagle1855]

I've held nothing but disdain for the F_U schools since they joined the SBC. From UNT's perspective, they offer absolutely zero upside to any conference they are a part of.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

Banowsky was a genius. He stole the Sun Belt right out from under the Sun Belt. Then, added some start-ups.

[Harry]

The burning question I have is this- had CUSA NOT invited FAU or FIU, would the conference have lost Tulane and Tulsa? Personally, I don't think so.

We absolutely would have lost Tulane as the walk in step with Gerald Turner and SMU and Tulsa -- always have always will.. I think Houston is what keeps Rice out because they are aligned with SMU/Tulsa and Tulane as well. The private schools stick together.

[Eagle1855]

We absolutely would have lost Tulane as the walk in step with Gerald Turner and SMU and Tulsa -- always have always will.. I think Houston is what keeps Rice out because they are aligned with SMU/Tulsa and Tulane as well. The private schools stick together.

I dont think UH cares as much. There isn't this animosity between the universities like there is with SMU and UNT. I think from the AAC's perspective, as UNT 90 said previously, it's all about market. Why take another Houston team? Similarly, why add UNT when you've got SMU, a similarly perpetually-underachieving G5 metroplex school?

It always comes to down to the same thing: just win. That's all we can control. One year of posting a respectable record got us a lot of run. Imagine posting 3 or 4 of them in a row?

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

Why take another Houston team...

...that no one in Houston follows.

[Eagle1855]

...that no one in Houston follows.

If you consider their average attendance vs student enrollment, they're kicking our asses in.

And when I say our, I mean UNT. I don't want to speak for you.

Rice averaged 18k fans per game with 6k students.

NT averaged 21k fans per game with 36k students.

So which program is it that "no one" follows.

Edited September 5, 2014 by Eagle1855

[NT03]

Per a source at the game, #FIU AD Pete Garcia took several fans chanting "Fire Pete" up to his suite. pic.twitter.com/fSW6S0DOiw

— Patrick Chalvire (@PatrickChalvire)

November 1, 2014

#Rice has more fans at #FIU than the home team. Sad. #FIUvsRICE

— Rhys Williams (@CoachRhysW)

November 1, 2014

Hard to show up to a football game on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Student section at #FIU (via @CoachRhysW) pic.twitter.com/YmsIx3VBhb

— Patrick Chalvire (@PatrickChalvire)

November 1, 2014

[GreenBat]

Rice is bragging about attendance?

[Mean Green 93-98]

Rice is bragging about attendance?

That's not a Rice guy, that's an FIU guy.

[GreenBat]

That's not a Rice guy, that's an FIU guy.

FIU ashamed of attendance.

[Harry]

FIU was a card that Banowsky had to play. It basically shut the Belt out of the great state of Florida. If you leave FIU you leave the Belt with a school to recruit to there. Some don't know this but FIU has been in C-USA before we were for a long time already in men's soccer so there were political connections. The other thing is this, FIU is one of the top 5? or thereabouts in terrms of overall enrollment in the country. Additionally they are in a terrific location (Miami) and have good academics. It also provides a natural rivalry for FAU. Yeah their fan support stinks but if they start winning again it will pick up.

[Ryan Munthe]

FIU was a card that Banowsky had to play. It basically shut the Belt out of the great state of Florida. If you leave FIU you leave the Belt with a school to recruit to there. Some don't know this but FIU has been in C-USA before we were for a long time already in men's soccer so there were political connections. The other thing is this, FIU is one of the top 5? or thereabouts interns of overall enrollment in the country. Additionally they are in a terrific location (Miami) and have good academics. It also provides a natural rivalry for FAU. Yeah their fan support stinks but if they start winning again it will pick up.

There's too much to do in Miami. No Miami team draws good crowds. Even in their heyday, the U rarely sold out Sun Life. It was a bad decision. FIU has shown no commitment to bettering facilities, improving performance, or any improvement in fan support. They may bring 1 fan to our game.

[NT03]

There's too much to do in Miami. No Miami team draws good crowds. Even in their heyday, the U rarely sold out Sun Life. It was a bad decision. FIU has shown no commitment to bettering facilities, improving performance, or any improvement in fan support. They may bring 1 fan to our game.

https://twitter.com/granttraylor/status/521635838862848000

[Ryan Munthe]

https://twitter.com/granttraylor/status/521635838862848000

Omg. I realize that's a pre-kick photo, but that's mindboggling.

Edited November 1, 2014 by Ryan Munthe

[Ben Gooding]

That's mind boggling? Wait if the P5 ever decides to play only P5. It's going to be really, really bad.

[NT03]

Omg. I realize that's a pre-kick photo, but that's mindboggling.

Person who took photo said it was during halftime performance