zippy5

Agreed. The only positive of UMass joining was the possibility we could get them to join for all sports. Without bball, they're useless.

UMass leaving the MAC after 2015. Guessing MAC said all or nothing, they chose nothing.

I think Akron, OU, Buffalo and Toledo (maybe WMU) would be a good starting point for an alliance if you will. Not for the ACC, but maybe to make a better mid-major conference.

To be clear.. The ACC wasn't a typo meant to be "AAC," and our budget is what's holding us back. Okay.

Can't wait for Duke to make their first appearance at the JAR.

ACC is a little further than a pipe dream

This is the impression I get as well. If JT gets it, he will basically be chief fundraiser/awareness.. and honestly, I can't think of many better to do that. As long as he picks the right people beneath him to manage the academic side, I can get behind it.

Yes, that's a little different than Marquette

UCLA is arguably the top job in college basketball. And it's in LA. He didn't turn it down last year knowing Marquette would offer him.

I'll be very confused if he passes on UCLA but takes the Marquette job.

I'd be all for strong-arming UMass into an all-sports member, and bringin Temple in. We're a couple solid programs away from being a decent conference. But if nothing happens in a few years, and TB has a few bowl games under his belt, I think we should look elsewhere. It's all a moot point until the football program is turned around.

I wouldn't think about it for a few years. Who knows, a couple winning seasons, bowl games... The rest of our sports do really well within the MAC. With the Cleveland/Akron/Canton market we might be attractive. But we aren't yet, I know that. I'd love an A-10 move with football in the MAC but I don't think they'd let it happen. I would also love the AAC but that's more of a pipe dream. Our most likely option at this point is improving the MAC.

Right I didn't say they'd accept us. But if we moved (everything) to the A-10, we would need a home for football, is what I'm getting at. In all likelihood, the MAC would tell us to screw off.

Right, so theoretically, we could join the A-10, and keep football in the MAC.

Didn't Temple do that?

No mention of Bo Borowski officiating the game? Maybe he's not all that bad if he's doing 2nd round games

Are you implying that the MAC is not worse off than the AAC?

UCF did it. Cinci did it. USF did it. SMU did it. Houston did it. Memphis, Louisville, so on.. Why can't we? Sure it could turn out bad. We could take our lumps for a year or two until our "Big six recruits" come in. But if we worry about the downside of everything as opposed to the upside, we'll never get anywhere.

Yeah I was gonna say, everyone might be worrying about something that isn't really necessary to worry about.

I don't believe Butler plays D-II football, thanks to the Dayton rule.

I'm not going to act like I know anything about finding a president. But I think our professors should be a tad more open minded and consider that the committee considered every last detail. At least I hope they consider everything.

I think a one year run has a better chance of creating "sustained success."

Perhaps we have a different definition of "Bigger." We already have MAC championships in MBB and WBB. It's not that I'm not happy with it, but why not shoot for something bigger? If you're good at your job, are you happy with staying in the same position forever or do you want promoted?

I for one would love to see us in the A-10 for basketball. We'd be a decent fit, and they play some good ball.

Hey if I knew the answer, I would be making more money. It starts with winning a big game and generating some fan interest. Joe Akron knows we can beat Miami U. Joe Akron becomes invested when we beat Iowa St/VCU/Notre Dame/St Marys/Gonzaga, etc. Until then, we're small time. And maybe rightfully so.