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Post by brandon on Apr 19, 2021 19:25:24 GMT -6
We know we are trying to get 2 more... Chattanooga is looking more promising. Is there anything else you can add to that brandon? It's been quiet around Chattanooga on the issue. I did ask our AD Mark Wharton about a potential conference change this winter and he said that both the A-Sun and OVC were courting Chattanooga hard but he had to look out for all Mocs sports, not just football and the SoCon was the right place for us at this time. Of course I wouldn't expect him to say anything less even if he had plans to leave the SoCon until the official announcement was made. In a recent interview - football HC Rusty Wright was asked if Jacksonville State was the Mocs' biggest rival in football and he agreed (and I think most of the fanbase would agree). If I'm Mark Wharton I have a few questions about the A-Sun: 1.) Who else are they going to add - Obviously a ETSU, TSU, Austin Peay, TTU, UT-Martin, WCU type would be a lot more appealing to Chattanooga than a Southland school. The A-Sun needs to add at least two more - maybe even four more. 2.) How does this impact our other sports? In terms of rivalry's, travel costs, as well as how well the A-Sun would benifit our teams as a platform for post season play. 3.) How stable is the new conference going to be. We don't want to leave the SoCon for something that will fall apart like the MEAC. 4.) If I'm satisfied with the three answers above, I'm asking how I pay the $1M SoCon buyout. I don't think you would have to worry about the ASUN falling apart like the MEAC. The only two schools I would be worried about leaving is Liberty and possibly Bellarmine, but I'm not sure Bellarmine would leave since EKU has joined. How it impacts other sports is, travel will be a was at the least. The way they want to do divisions will make travel better. Rivals, especially when you have 4 football schools (UTC, JSU, UNA and KSU) so close together, those that aren't already rivalries will quickly become one. And recruiting areas, not just for athlete's but for potential students are greater. Im not going to bring up FBS because that's a hit or miss thing that nobody can realistically predict. The reason I say it's looking more promising is because of some events that have taken place this spring. And when it comes to anything, I don't believe in coincidences. |
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Post by ekusteve on Apr 19, 2021 20:20:09 GMT -6
As an EKU fan, adding Chattanooga to me would be fantastic. Great basketball pedigree, another good football program within the footprint.
As for potentially falling apart, the three of us (EKU, JSU, UCA) joining I think is the biggest reason this won't fall apart as we all think this can be a great football conference and are committing a lot to do this.
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Post by unafied on Apr 20, 2021 6:27:45 GMT -6
As an EKU fan, adding Chattanooga to me would be fantastic. Great basketball pedigree, another good football program within the footprint. As for potentially falling apart, the three of us (EKU, JSU, UCA) joining I think is the biggest reason this won't fall apart as we all think this can be a great football conference and are committing a lot to do this. Agree with your last sentence. I could see one school taking a chance and jumping headfirst into a conference change based solely on promises of said conference, but for three schools to do it - two of them leaving otherwise stable conferences - says to me that there is more involved than just Ted Gumbart showing a fancy PowerPoint presentation. I would assume that leaders at all three schools have talked to those at places like Chattanooga, and gauged their interest and feelings on this. I think there is a plan in place for more schools, and those schools just wanted to get through this school year before making any kind of announcement (for whatever reason). I would be personally pretty surprised if we don't know the next 2 (or more?) members by July 1. Now, let me stress that I don't know anything. I have no connections. I'm just guessing. FWIW I live in Chattanooga and haven't personally heard anything about UTC. I've seen talk among their fans that they would at least be interested in the football side of things, though I think there is some hesitancy in other sports. Wrestling is big for them, they have it instead of baseball. So finding a home for their wrestling team would be a priority I'm sure. Would the SoCon let them remain as an affiliate? I wouldn't be surprised if that's one of the biggest issues for them to work out. I think West Florida is the other wildcard in this. If the Southland continues bleeding members, they would be the logical "next school up" from D2. Would the ASUN let them get away? Or would we want to stay away from more callups, at least until UNA is finished transitioning? |
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Post by mocs123 on Apr 20, 2021 8:20:51 GMT -6
I would think that wresting could stay in the SoCon much the same as when App State left. Of course if we leave I'm sure the SoCon wouldn't be happy with us but I think they need us as much as we need them in wresting.
If I am our AD I want to know who else is getting invited before I make the switch. West Florida doesn't particularly interest me but I guess the travel isn't any worse than VMI or The Citadel. The trip to Central Arkansas is already pretty long for a bus league but they are a quality program.
In my opinion, what we lack in the SoCon is rivalries. I'm not saying that programs like Furman or Wofford aren't good - they are, but I'm just not sure Mocs fans consider them true rivals, like we do say - JSU. Chattanooga fans hate JSU and I think JSU fans hate Chattanooga. The closest thing we have to a rival in the SoCon is ETSU and I think that rivalry could and should continue to grow - one reason I think Chattanooga fans would love for ETSU to come with us to the A-Sun if we go.
I had heard some things that made me think Chattanooga was likely to leave the SoCon but then it got quiet but I could have misinterpreted things. At this point I wouldn't be surprised to see us stay in the SoCon nor would I be surprised to see us join the A-Sun. At least on the football side of things, the A-Sun seems to have a lot to offer as far as potential rivalries. We already dislike JSU, and KSU and UNA (and to some extent EKU) are logical geographical rivalries.
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Post by unafied on Apr 20, 2021 8:36:12 GMT -6
I would think that wresting could stay in the SoCon much the same as when App State left. Of course if we leave I'm sure the SoCon wouldn't be happy with us but I think they need us as much as we need them in wresting. If I am our AD I want to know who else is getting invited before I make the switch. West Florida doesn't particularly interest me but I guess the travel isn't any worse than VMI or The Citadel. The trip to Central Arkansas is already pretty long for a bus league but they are a quality program. In my opinion, what we lack in the SoCon is rivalries. I'm not saying that programs like Furman or Wofford aren't good - they are, but I'm just not sure Mocs fans consider them true rivals, like we do say - JSU. Chattanooga fans hate JSU and I think JSU fans hate Chattanooga. The closest thing we have to a rival in the SoCon is ETSU and I think that rivalry could and should continue to grow - one reason I think Chattanooga fans would love for ETSU to come with us to the A-Sun if we go. I had heard some things that made me think Chattanooga was likely to leave the SoCon but then it got quiet but I could have misinterpreted things. At this point I wouldn't be surprised to see us stay in the SoCon nor would I be surprised to see us join the A-Sun. At least on the football side of things, the A-Sun seems to have a lot to offer as far as potential rivalries. We already dislike JSU, and KSU and UNA (and to some extent EKU) are logical geographical rivalries. I think you guys are in a great position here. The SoCon surely wants to keep you, it's not a bad place to be, but the ASUN could be just as good of a fit... if not maybe better long-term. Really you probably can't lose regardless of the decision. It was talked about elsewhere, but I'd really love to see the ASUN pitch Chattanooga as a host for conference tournaments. Basketball especially, but possibly others as well. It would be as close to a "center" of the conference as you can get, other than maybe Atlanta. But the city would be a better fit for tournaments than a larger metro area, and there would obviously be plenty of hotels and things for visitors to do. |
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Post by mocs123 on Apr 20, 2021 8:46:43 GMT -6
IMO - the A-Sun would likely be a better fit. The SoCon is filled with small private schools (and two public military academies that operate like privates).
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Post by brandon on Apr 21, 2021 5:58:54 GMT -6
IMO - the A-Sun would likely be a better fit. The SoCon is filled with small private schools (and two public military academies that operate like privates). That is why I would like to see UTC, ETSU, WCU, and West Florida come to the ASUN... Football would be awesome... And other sports would have 8 team divisions (except for baseball) that would cut on travel. North Liberty Western Carolina Bellarmine EKU UCA ETSU UTC Lipscomb South UNA JSU KSU UWF UNF JU Stetson FGCU |
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Post by unafied on Apr 21, 2021 6:47:48 GMT -6
IMO - the A-Sun would likely be a better fit. The SoCon is filled with small private schools (and two public military academies that operate like privates). That is why I would like to see UTC, ETSU, WCU, and West Florida come to the ASUN... Football would be awesome... And other sports would have 8 team divisions (except for baseball) that would cut on travel. North Liberty Western Carolina Bellarmine EKU UCA ETSU UTC Lipscomb South UNA JSU KSU UWF UNF JU Stetson FGCU I think that is THE best-case scenario, Brandon. I just worry pulling the SoCon trio will be very difficult. They don't really have anything to lose staying where they are. If the ASUN pulls it off, I really think we can rival the MVFC/CAA/Big Sky conferences in football in a very short period of time. Plus, I think that could be a very solid mid-major conference in Olympic sports. I'm crossing my fingers, but not holding my breath. |
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Post by brandon on Apr 21, 2021 9:17:15 GMT -6
That is why I would like to see UTC, ETSU, WCU, and West Florida come to the ASUN... Football would be awesome... And other sports would have 8 team divisions (except for baseball) that would cut on travel. North Liberty Western Carolina Bellarmine EKU UCA ETSU UTC Lipscomb South UNA JSU KSU UWF UNF JU Stetson FGCU I think that is THE best-case scenario, Brandon. I just worry pulling the SoCon trio will be very difficult. They don't really have anything to lose staying where they are. If the ASUN pulls it off, I really think we can rival the MVFC/CAA/Big Sky conferences in football in a very short period of time. Plus, I think that could be a very solid mid-major conference in Olympic sports. I'm crossing my fingers, but not holding my breath. Yes that is best case scenario but I think that's what the want, and quite frankly the need is. If it was the SoCon of the time most of us remember, then no, but today it makes tons of sense. It would be difficult to pull off, but I remember people telling me the JSU and EKU wouldn't leave the OVC for the ASUN either. |
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Post by mocs123 on Apr 21, 2021 12:18:32 GMT -6
If - and it's a big if - the A-Sun was to lure Chattanooga and ETSU away from the SoCon - my guess is WCU would be begging to come. Chattanooga, ETSU, WCU, and UNCG (which doesn't have football) are the only public schools in the SoCon and really don't have much in common with the privates. My guess is UNCG would want out too, but might not have a landing place.
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