GP1

Your request isn't unreasonable or unobtainable.

So, nobody and the recent past wasn't realistic. You're asking me to believe something conjured up by athletic directors was something other than reckless and stupid?

A lack of schools isn't our problem. I guess the question is, who is out there worth adding?

The MAC has 12 schools. That's more than enough. Athletic Directors are some of the most recklessly stupid executives in the USA. They love conference expansion. That tells me it's a recklessly stupid idea and contrary to college athletics benefiting athletes students alumni fans and general communities. Our problem isn't the number of schools. Our problem is we don't do whatever is necessary to make the MAC interesting to outsiders or to insiders at this point. Bringing in the Jacksonville States of the world doesn't make it interesting. Maximizing better competition through better scheduling resulting in the opportunity for more wins and post season games is interesting. It creates meaningful games in November. Is there a conference like ours maximizing opportunities and making themselves interesting? Hell yes! It's called the Sun Belt! By eliminating one money game a year, going to a nine game conference schedule, playing one FCS team and playing one MAC like team, they open up interesting opportunities. 12 of their 14 teams will be going to a bowl game. 7 of 12 teams have 6-6 records. Think eliminating a money game is a bad idea? The Sun Belt is a conference that understand winning and going to the post season benefits the athletes students alumni fans and general communities around their universities. They are an interesting conference doing interesting things. The MAC is the conference that plays on weeknights. I hate the MAC leadership also and it has nothing to do with expansion. There is a complete failure to understand what really matters to schools like ours.

These are important games and we should play them every year. I'd love replacing Buffalo with BG. Only one is a rival.

We already have our rivalry. Schools only get one rivalry. I just think it makes for better competition and that makes the games more entertaining. If played right, which the MAC isn't capable of, it could give each MAC school an additional home game in the nice weather months. I know I'm being delusional about this and the conference leadership will use it to stuff in another week night game, but we can always dream.

I'd love 9 conference games. The Sun Belt and Big 10 both have 9. The MAC is a good league with entertaining games. Have some confidence in the product and play each other.

So, do they play the same pod plus two other pods? Not sure how they figure out the other six mac games.

I saw something about Pods next year. Can someone please explain what is and why it matters?

Excellent hire. He won at a dump like Kent. Imagine what he can do in the most beautiful city in America.

Thanks for the link. It's a good read. Society has changed a lot. OSU is struggling to sell out games. It's not just us or FCS schools. The trendy thing to do years ago was athletic directors boosting their resumes by convincing schools to expand facilities. Now those stadiums are empty. A lesson is to be careful of who you listen to and their motivations. This is a very complex problem and is probably a new normal at this point.

Barely beating Akron is worse than some of the losses.

Good post. Further, if we kick the crap out of them, we learn nothing. If we bring in a Sun Belt team, or something similar, we learn how our team is stacking up against teams from like conferences. We need this more than a gimmick game against YSU.

I don't blame the tarped seats for the tarped seats.

I don't think they would. They need home games just like us and they need a payday just like us. We can't take up a spot on their schedule for either if there is nothing in return.

To me, it's about what fans think is a good crowd. I believe 10,000 actual people in stadium is an achievable goal. Expecting sell outs isn't realistic. Wake Forest only has a 27,000 seat stadium and for many games there are only 15,000 actual people in seats and they are in the ACC. Nobody complains about attendance because gameday experience is good and the football is entertaining. If nobody wants that, that's their issue but the university does everything possible to make it a good event for those in attendance. I don't think free tickets are good because nothing is really free. I also am no a fan of middle men giving my customers something because of my efforts (Acme Zip Game). The people of Ohio are paying for Mac sports. Taxpayers should see the benefit of their tax dollars by getting four general admission tickets to two MAC sporting events every year. Give the public what they are already paying for.

Good post, but I respectfully disagree with this part. Akron needs to work in conjunction with the other mac schools to move to a 9 game conference season like the Sun Belt. The rivalries need to be within the conference. YSU would want home and home. That would not benefit the program in any way.

The guy in the bottom right of the photo looks like he is pi$$ed he had to wait in line to take a dump at halftime in the doorless stall containing the only toilet on the pressbox side.

Joe should be hesitant. Actually, he should be thoughtful. Nine years is enough for any coach to be at any school, unless you're a hall of fame coach, which their current meathead isn't. Wait the situation out. His play, assuming he wants to coach at another historically bad program, should be to wait for Narduzzi to get fired after what will be a horrible season next year and go after the job. Joe would be the lazy Yinzer pick because he's from the area which would put him at the top of the candidates for their meager fan base. If losing at Akron won't hurt him this year, it won't hurt him next year.

It's a decent schedule. There is a lot of time for the athletic department to screw this up between now and then.

He's 67 years old. I'm certain it is.

Good post. This is the real problem. If they made the athletic department a benefit to those on campus, those who have been on campus and the community, the financial losses would be more acceptable. It's never going to break even. The athletic department is a public service and I mean that for the entire MAC. Treat it as such and give the public access to what they are already paying for. The worst thing that can happen to college athletics is if the general public realizes how much they are paying for it and how little they are getting out of it.

It's pretty freaking hot in Florida. These games would be early season when most snowbirds are up north and the rest of the state is hiding from the heat inside. I'd be hard pressed to go to one.

Don't you mean "replace"?

Thinking outside of the box would be to benefit the athletes students alumni fans and general community around Akron in lieu of television networks.