Is USM a done deal?

[Scott Malkinson]

Hopefully the 247 guy isn't like the Vic guy.

Lol no this guy knows sports

[ManAboutTown]

Getting info from boosters that this thing is done. Expect SBC to wait until Marshall has a President in place to announce USM and Marshall to the belt at the same time.

[RaginScotsman]

That would be great.

Are we getting rid of Little Rock or UTA?

Also, isn't it fun to see La Tech sitting by the phone while the building around them is on fire and waiting for the AAC to call and save them?

[ZoomZoom]

Went by BBB this AM. They’re stuck fussing about what to call Louisiana while the rest of the G5 are walking around the walls of Ruston 7 times.

[Scott Malkinson]

Went by BBB this AM. They’re stuck fussing about what to call Louisiana while the rest of the G5 are walking around the walls of Ruston 7 times.

Nero also fiddled while Rome burnt to the ground

[CajunVic]

That would be great.

Are we getting rid of Little Rock or UTA?

Also, isn't it fun to see La Tech sitting by the phone while the building around them is on fire and waiting for the AAC to call and save them?

Their Stool Pigeon should fly in shortly and I don’t think they will like the message.

[CajunRebel]

I don’t know anything more than anyone else, but I’d be absolutely shocked if USM won’t be in the Belt in the near future. There’s just way too much smoke — and smoke from reliable sources — for there to not be fire.

It seems like the details may be undecided though. Like will we wait for UTA and LR to find homes first, will we go to 12 or 14, is Marshall going to make the jump if we don’t invite WKU or ODU, etc.

I really really hope we move sooner rather than later though. I’m not an advocate for inviting schools just to screw over another conference, but C-USA is undoubtedly going to make a play to steal some of our schools or push for regionalization, and taking USM + 1-3 will block any possibility of that happening.

[ManAboutTown]

Went by BBB this AM. They’re stuck fussing about what to call Louisiana while the rest of the G5 are walking around the walls of Ruston 7 times.

Lol’d

[RaginDave]

That would be great.

Are we getting rid of Little Rock or UTA?

Also, isn't it fun to see La Tech sitting by the phone while the building around them is on fire and waiting for the AAC to call and save them?

Yes, UTA and Little Rock will be leaving the league.

[CajunT]

Someone on the SBC forum posted a vague message that translated into saying that as of tonight, USM will be joining the SBC. There have been no official announcements, so I am a little skeptical. That said, everyone on the SBC board seem to be buying it. Anyone here heard anything from our people? Personally, I like the idea of adding USM.

You have also read nothing on Southern Miss being in contact with the Sun Belt Conference over the past few years discussing possible future membership either. Because you haven't heard, or read about doesn't mean it is not happening.

[Turbine]

Their Stool Pigeon should fly in shortly and I don’t think they will like the message.

I thought a stool pigeon was a police informant.?

[CajunRebel]

I’m going to post this again because I think it is really interesting and may explain why there could be some hesitation about expanding past 10 teams. This is a quote from our former commish Karl Benson:

“Again, the 10-team Sun Belt, and I don't know if we necessarily knew this at the time — we thought we had it. And we looked at the analytics, and we looked at the statistics and we've looked at the history — is that 10-team league delivers more teams that have winning records than a 12-or 14-team does in the percentage. The current revenue distribution of the Group of Five, and whether or not that will remain as is, the Sun Belt has has had a big advantage in producing those numbers: the computer numbers that determine the revenue share as a 10-team league. So I think you really have to keep that in mind.

The 10-team Sun Belt has delivered over the last three seasons, in terms of separating themselves from Conference USA and the MAC. And that the Sun Belt, using those analytics, the Sun Belt is much closer to the Mountain West and the American then Conference USA and the Mid-American are to the Sun Belt. And I truly believe that part of that, or a big part of that, is the 10-team league. Nobody's asked me for my opinion. You're the first person to ask me for my opinion on that, but I think that would be one of my standard questions is, ‘What’s wrong with what the Sun Belt is today as a 10-team league?' And is there anybody out there that truly will add value? You don't want teams to come in and reduce that. Those current computer rankings that are used to determine the revenue distribution."

There’s no doubt the presidents and ADs are aware of this fact.