SunBelt needs to be careful

[Turbine]

When it comes to being a football conference, Wright Waters is treading the loose cooperation league now known as the Sunbelt down the slippery slope of oblivion.

Can anyone explain how the Sunbelt in the span of 4 years went from a Conference where the final conference standings were the only criteria used to determine the bowl representative . . . . to a conference where the final conference standings are the only criteria that is totally excluded?

If you do not FIRST determine conference standings then you do not have a conference. What you have is a loose agreement between schools willing to play each other year in and year out with the best overall team getting rewarded. Rewarded not for what they did IN the conference but what they did outside the conference.

Four years ago they said that if they determined the conference champion had a losing record they would then take the second place team in the conference provided they had met the criteria needed to be a bowl team.

Now they are prepared to completely ignore the conference and look at each team as an island.

The Sunbelt is in trouble, they need to be careful.

jmo

[CajunKahouna]

If you do not FIRST determine conference standings
jmo

I don't understand your reasoning. It appears conference standings are being considered. If the Sunbelt ends in a three way tie for conference champion, the three teams are co-champions. That out the way, the next step is to determine the bowl rep and the elimination of any bowl ineligible team would be the logical first step, would it not?

I must be missing something in trying to interpret your post.:confused:

[Turbine]

.It appears conference standings are being considered. If the Sunbelt ends in a three way tie for conference champion, the three teams are co-champions. That out the way, the next step is to determine the bowl rep and the elimination of any bowl ineligible team would be the logical first step, would it not?

Let’s say there is a 3-way tie at the end of the season.

If you are truly a conference, you establish the actual standings between the three teams even if there is no bowl tie in. Check any media guide for any conference in history that had a 3-way tie at the top and you will see the actual hierarchy. One team will be higher on the spread sheet than another based on tie breakers even though an asterisks will note it was a three way tie.

If everyone wins out. . . . Next year the Sunbelt will note that there was a three way tie at the top but will place ASU at the top and this is not the case. If everyone wins out UL is the first place finisher in conference not ASU.

Instead of looking at conference first they are looking at Bowl eligibility first and this is the cart before the horse.

jmo

[CajunAmos]

Wouldn't this also be the case if (heaven forbid) mutiple teams were going to bowls, and the conference had a tie in with their first place team.

[BirdofParadise]

Let’s say there is a 3-way tie at the end of the season.

If you are truly a conference, you establish the actual standings between the three teams even if there is no bowl tie in. Check any media guide for any conference in history that had a 3-way tie at the top and you will see the actual hierarchy. One team will be higher on the spread sheet than another based on tie breakers even though an asterisks will note it was a three way tie.

If everyone wins out. . . . Next year the Sunbelt will note that there was a three way tie at the top but will place ASU at the top and this is not the case. If everyone wins out UL is the first place finisher in conference not ASU.

Instead of looking at conference first they are looking at Bowl eligibility first and this is the cart before the horse.

Your logic is flawed.

The only reason we are breaking a tie to begin with is to decide the bowl representative. If a team is not bowl eligible, they are excluded. This tiebreaker isn't to figure out the conference champion. All those tied for first are conference champions.

Makes perfect sense.
jmo

[Turbine]

. . . All those tied for first are conference champions.

No doubt, but I suspect in any 3-way tie in any conference, in any sport, in any division, they won't all be listed on the same line.

Some sort of heirarchy exists.

[AboveAverage]

I don't know why you brought this up, we don't even know the final scenario yet.

[CajunKahouna]

Your logic is flawed.

The only reason we are breaking a tie to begin with is to decide the bowl representative. If a team is not bowl eligible, they are excluded. This tiebreaker isn't to figure out the conference champion. All those tied for first are conference champions.

Makes perfect sense.
jmo

My point exactly! Thanks.

[Turbine]

Makes perfect sense.
jmo

Using todays "perfect sense" system, who would be the 2001 Sunbelt Conference Champ?

[ATXCajun]

I don't know why you brought this up, we don't even know the final scenario yet.

ULM OWNS US. We will probably end up on line 4 and end this debate.