RaiderInTheZone

I give my "Rudest Fans" award to Troy and FAU. Troy because they resulted to physical violence against an innocent MT fan back in 2004 who was only targeted because he went all out to support MT with his apparell and FAU for the fan that called into our postgame call-in show last year to tell us that we sucked and were overrated after we whipped their team's rearends. You get trash from the TAAC.

Northern Illinois too. NIU had Garrett Wolfe and was a MAC power not too long ago. They humiliated Troy in the 2004 Silicon Valley Classic. I believe that was NIU's last postseason victory.

Ahem. Middle Tennessee does not have all-metal bleachers. Plus, Troy fans have not seen our stadium since it's renovation during the summer. We added more open-air luxury suites in the North Endzone and we have a new scoreboard. That reminds me, now that Movie Gallery has tanked and declared a Chapter 11, what is Troy going to do for money now? It's like the Richard Scrushy fiasco all over again. You guys don't have good fortune picking benefactors to name your stadium after.

Florida Atlantic looked pretty sloppy in their win over Middle Tennessee. Had they brought their "A" game it would've been worse, however, it really helped FAU that Middle Tennessee was missing four starting offensive linemen and saw two other starters make exits during the game for sustaining injuries. The other four linemen were injured within a two-week time span before the season opener at FAU. Now, MT is having to bring in freshmen and walk-ons to start on the offensive line against Louisville tomorrow night. Having an offensive line decimated by an insurmountable amount of injuries will result in low rushing yards because the line can't give the tailbacks good looks as well as several quarterback sacks which also happened. Middle Tennessee also had a long-snapper who was making his first career start. He botched a snap that resulted in a 17-yard loss and an FAU score shortly thereafter. FAU can potentially be a strong team, but there is more to the story than what was seen in that score. And by the way, FAU did not pull starters and put in second string people.

How is it that Troy is Revenge of the Nerds? It doesn't take rocket science academics to get a degree from Troy. Plus, Larry Blakeney's team is top-heavy with junior college transfers and partial qualifiers--more recruited than any school in 1-A. When I think of nerds, I think of intelligent geeks. Troy is hardly a school for high quality intellects.

More panties in a wad, Charlie? Dude, this report surprises nobody. Memphis hates us. We know that. It's virtually a non-issue. We know where we stand with CUSA and as long as Memphis is in that league, we won't have a place. You think Southern Methodist is just going to sit back on their butts and let North Texas waltz right into Conference USA?? You remember when CUSA was expanding and North Texas was a candidate for the final spot? Who do you think was the most vocal against UNT's addition? How about SMU, Rice, and Houston? Don't be so surprised. At least UTEP is so far away in the western part of the state that they are pretty much in their own region away from SMU, Rice, and Houston's markets. CUSA has their players. They don't want in-state competition within their own conference. They made an exception for Rice and SMU because they were frantically looking for some replacements for their core that was swiped away by the Big East. It was too many to lose at one time for them. And I agree with the article about Tulane. Tulane is not going to fold. If that program even remotely looks like it might tank, somebody with a crapload of money and sympathy toward the Katrina-ravaged campus is going to step up.

At the Division 1 level?

We aren't doing anything illegal, and how do you know whether or not these guys are ex-pros? I've NEVER heard their names mentioned with Andre Agassi, Pete Samprass, or Rafael Nadal. These are pros that have been playing the game for much longer than Siljestrom and Born. I think maybe you're trying to make excuses for our ability to recruit international players (something UNT struggles to do) and our ability to produce a national title winner (something UNT has never accomplished in any sport at the Division 1 level). I don't see you harping on the other 'Belt schools like Troy and Florida International. You might take a look at some of the rosters they have in their sports. You'll see quite a few international players. There's nothing wrong, illegal, or immoral in offering a scholarship to kids from other countries. They have the same chances as any kid from the U.S. In fact, it's a lot harder for them to get into a U.S. college as they aren't as visible to the schools from overseas as kids from the U.S. are.

The emphasis was competitiveness. You choose to be competitive (or try to be) in two or three major sports. That's fine. That's North Texas' perogative. As for Middle Tennessee we ARE competitive in every sport. We're not going to strip funding from one sport and give it to football just because less people care about that sport compared to football. You might do that at North Texas and I'm sure other 'Belt schools do that, but we will not.

Let me first say that I do not think we can really do anything else to get into another conference. No "concerted effort" will matter at this point. The other leagues for the most part are set and won't come looking for new members unless they lose someone. However, I do want to point some things out to you. First, MeanGreenBuzz, you assume conferences look at success in football and only success in football and care nothing about the competitiveness in any other sport. You also assume that other leagues do not look at athletic budgets, facilities, campus size, support, as well as market in addition to several other factors. You think we got more points in the Bubas Cup Standings because we sponsor more sports? What planet are you from, dude? Middle Tennessee sponsors only 17 of the league's 19 sports. The only thing we do not sponsor is Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving. North Texas sponsors 16 sports--just one less than us! Big WHOOP! Check the scoring. Middle Tennessee finished with 43 more points than North Texas. I think it might have to do with the fact that Middle Tennessee only finished in the bottom half of the league standings in only 16 out of 17 sports--3rd from the bottom in Men's Cross Country, while North Texas finished in dead last in Women's Tennis and 2nd to last in football as well as bottom half finishes in softball, women's basketball, women's cross country, and women's golf. The fact that we sponsor more sports has nothing to do with it. FAU sponsors more sports than North Texas too yet they finished behind UNT in the standings. FAU also finished in last place in two sports and 2nd to last in two others. The reason why we are at the top of the league's all-sports standings is because we are competitive in every sport we have. I can't believe I have to explain this to you, again! I thought I already made that point abundantly clear, but apparently not all of you are getting the message. If North Texas would adequately fund each of it's sports, you could be competitive too. Now I see you highlighted a few of North Texas's strong points. Now it's my turn. Since joining this league, Middle Tennessee has won 2 Sun Belt co-titles in football, 4 consecutive league tournament titles in women's basketball in addition to 1st Round wins to nationally-ranked teams in 2 of those years. Middle Tennessee has been to a super regional in baseball and has received bids to the NCAA tournament 3 times. Volleyball won the league title this year and won a 1st-Round game against host Louisville in the NCAA tournament. Women's Soccer finished 2nd in the league behind only Denver this past season. Men's Outdoor Track and Field won it's 2nd straight Sun Belt title. Middle Tennessee Men's Doubles Tennis has been to the Final Four the past 2 years in a row and in fact won the national title just yesterday over the defending national champions from Illinois! Middle Tennessee has won the league's all-sports trophy 4 times of the last 7. One year wonders? I don't think so.

And counting. We've won the Sun Belt Tournament title the last four years in a row. Louisiana Tech is the only other school in league history to accomplish that feat. And while in the NCAA's we captured 1st round victories over #11 North Carolina (2004), #21 NC State (2005), and Gonzaga (2007). We lost to Utah in the 1st Round in 2006.

I remember seeing an article a couple weeks ago. Last year, Spring Fling brought $2.1 million to Murfreesboro. Murfreesboro will get all of their money back in three years and profit every year thereafter.

Fixed that for you.

The wealth is based on size of athletic budget supplied by Equity in Athletics. And I should rephrase, that Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky are the wealthiest of the public Sun Belt schools. Denver is the wealthiest, but their geographic anomaly makes it hard for them to put money toward their sports when they are paying for travel costs. By the way, Tennessee does not have the support of the Tennessee Board of Regents to fund anything to do with it's athletic department. All of our facilities have been paid for by the city of Murfreesboro, donations, corporate partners, athletic fees, etc. but not the state government. Denver--$19 million Western Kentucky --$16 million Middle Tennessee--$15.2 million Florida International--$15.1 million North Texas--$13.8 million Florida Atlantic--$13.2 million Troy--$12 million Arkansas State--$10 million Arkansas-Little Rock--$9.4 million Louisiana-Lafayette--$8 million South Alabama--$7.3 million Louisiana-Monroe--$7.1 million New Orleans--$4.5 million (this school was crippled by Katrina)

I keep hearing this myself, but I disagree with it. The two wealthiest schools in the Sun Belt Conference are Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee in that order. Those two schools have the money to adequately fund competitive programs across the board. Both won 4 league titles apiece. That's 8 combined league titles in 19 conference-sponsored sports. Middle Tennessee didn't finish in the bottom half of the league in any of the 17 sports we sponsor. You have to give us credit. We're doing something right. And we built a new $4 million Track and Soccer Stadium (already paid for mostly by athletic fees and $1.5 million from the city of Murfreesboro), building a new $5 million baseball stadium (already raised by donations from the city and wealthy donors), installing more open-air boxes and a videoscoreboard to a football stadium that's pretty nice to begin with, installing TWO videoscoreboards in the basketball arena which is also pretty nice. We're doing everything right. Western Kentucky is doing everything right. That's why they are moving to 1-A in football and building a nice addition to their football stadium. They wish to stay at the top of the league overall and 1-A football will do that for them and they will need to put more money there as well. Doing it the right way through adequate funding is why Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky are at the top of the league standings for this award every year. It has nothing to do with bias. If North Texas was putting all of their athletic funding into football, then where are the much needed renovations to Fouts Field or new stadium? You don't even have a baseball stadium to worry about funding maintenance for. You have to have money sitting somewhere. I'm not trying to be mean, but I think when we keep hearing about the league being biased toward us for having more sports, it comes back to what are we doing to be at the top and what other schools in the league aren't doing that's keeping them at the bottom and it goes much deeper than number of sponsored sports or Title IX.

The most hilarious college mascot of all time has to belong to the Rhode Island School of Design. Their nicknames are the "Gonads" and their mascot's name is "Scrotie" and he is what it is sounds like.

Shhhh! People aren't supposed to know about the alcohol. It's not allowed in Floyd Stadium.

If they were Georgia Southern I think they might have support in the Sun Belt because of that large section of eastern core members. However, with 4 away and 4 home football slate it would be tough, and for Texas State it would be tougher. I don't see this league expanding for the sake of getting the numbers even. Texas State has a decent 1-AA football team, but I'm unimpressed with their other sports that would bring the prestige of the Sun Belt down. We ranked 9th overall in women's hoops and are currently 6th in baseball. Our football has gotten better and with the hiring of new coaches it's hard to say how the league will do. It's been unstable since it started in 2001 going through realignment twice. When we add a new member, 1-A football is something we expect, but we also want to see strength elsewhere. The San Marcos, Texas school doesn't deliver enough. I don't think Texas State would get enough support for expansion in the Sun Belt even if they did decide to move up to 1-A which is still not a guarantee. Their fans need to realize that a feasibility study does not equate to being in 1-A.

Hey, Mean Green fans. Please take a moment and stop by the Virginia Tech Insider and let their fans know that Mean Green fans of North Texas are behind them. http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?S=191&F=2...=191&F=2577 Today, we are all Hokies!

I agree. North Texas has done an AMAZING job turning around their program. Congrats on a great season and conference tournament run, Mean Green. We'll be cheering for you in the NCAA Tournament.

You mean Middle Tennessee grammar?

North Texas helped to separate me from some others in our pool. I'm currently 14-2 in correct picks during the men's and women's tournaments. I hope I'm wrong with our semifinal game, but I have UNT beating us and facing Western Kentucky in the championship game.

We do not match up well with North Texas. UNT is quicker and more aggressive in the paint. USA relied too much on the 3-pointer and it wound up costing them the game just as it did when they faced us in Mobile.

You mean USA. Actually, I hope North Texas does win this game today because I have you guys picked to win in our conference pool.

I'll just remain neutral since I got alotta' love for both ULM and North Texas!