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Conference USA hit rock bottom in 2020


Philip Ferguson

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No sh-ts were given by this writer about CUSA!

https://www.underdogdynasty.com/conference-usa/2020/12/31/22206936/conference-usa-hit-rock-bottom-in-2020-cusa-sun-belt-coaching-hires-realignment-tv-contract

  • Poor expansion choices

  • Disastrous TV Contracts

  • Poor coaching hires

  • Geographic sprawl and lack of brand association

  • Stagnation from legacy programs

 

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27 minutes ago, Travis said:

I never ever understood taking teams based on tv. I thought that was horrible when better programs were passed over. 
 

Now how is our commissioner held accountable? How can we make such atrocious deals and she still have a job? Who is her watcher?

In fairness, Banowsky was still commissioner when all those additions were made.

And Judy was hired based primarily on his recommendation.

It's almost like he did everything he could to sabotage the conference on his way out.

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59 minutes ago, southsideguy said:

If Judy was a man she would be gone.  She has done nothing for CUSA and to that point we have not helped the conference.

Maybe Banowsky was looking at TV markets when he shouldn't have.  Judy took over and she has done nothing.  Nada. Zip.

If you're going to be paid like a CEO, then act like a CEO and do your job, Judy!  Right this ship!!!!

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I don't know Jarad Kalmus but he's more right than wrong.  His email address is @JaradUTSA so maybe he's from San Antonio.  To quote Tommy Lee Jones in "No Country for Old Men,"  (CUSA) "It'll do 'til the mess get's here."

I think we're beyond fixing CUSA and I don't care for the idea of merging with the Sun Belt.  I'd suggest starting anew. 

Find the best of CUSA and the Belt and create the CBELT or the SUNNY USA.  This would be an opportunity to regionalize a conference and correct mistakes currently existing in the 2 mother conferences.  I'd like to see a small conference with no need for a championship game and a bowl tie-in.   Every team plays every team every year.  It would create a good opportunity to develop rivalries.  Or, a 12 team conference with a championship game and bowls where ever they pop up.  

This would also provide a good opportunity to get a commissioner that would be pro-active and make himor her self known around the conference (has Judy ever been to APOGEE ?).

GO MEAN GREEN

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Unfortunately, we have a long history of blaming others for our troubles. A few that come to mind are SMU, the College of Music, our "artsy-fartsy" students, and our apathetic alumni base.  I have no idea if Judy MacLeod is a competent commissioner or not but what I do know is that it is very difficult to sell and promote a product that no one wants.

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8 hours ago, DeepGreen said:

Maybe Banowsky was looking at TV markets when he shouldn't have.  Judy took over and she has done nothing.  Nada. Zip.

If you're going to be paid like a CEO, then act like a CEO and do your job, Judy!  Right this ship!!!!

Banowsky also got sold on adding Charlotte and Old Dominion at the same time as us, UTSA, La Tech, and FIU. The reason? Because ECU’s AD told him they needed regional rivalries or they would leave...which they did about a week after we added those teams. Again, UTEP, UNT, and UTSA should never be playing in a conference setup with Old Dominion, Charlotte, or F_U.

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I don't think that CUSA, in spite of its once good name, is salvageable as it is currently configured.  Either take the 12 best based on attendance, facilities, reputation, etc. and make a super conference or divide CUSA and the Sun Belt geographically.  We would likely need to eliminate ULM (due to weak program and proximity to Louisiana Tech) and UTEP (due to distance from nearest programs).  If the South/West consisted of the remaining teams from Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama that would give us 12 teams with a somewhat regional base.  The other conference consisting of the states of West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, while also a rather large area, would still save quite a bit on travel compared to the present setup.  If they added Liberty or JMU they would still have some rather strong programs with 12 teams in that conference and having divisions would save a lot on travel.

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51 minutes ago, GrayEagle said:

I don't think that CUSA, in spite of its once good name, is salvageable as it is currently configured.  Either take the 12 best based on attendance, facilities, reputation, etc. and make a super conference or divide CUSA and the Sun Belt geographically.  We would likely need to eliminate ULM (due to weak program and proximity to Louisiana Tech) and UTEP (due to distance from nearest programs).  If the South/West consisted of the remaining teams from Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama that would give us 12 teams with a somewhat regional base.  The other conference consisting of the states of West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, while also a rather large area, would still save quite a bit on travel compared to the present setup.  If they added Liberty or JMU they would still have some rather strong programs with 12 teams in that conference and having divisions would save a lot on travel.

I always hesitate when someone starts saying we should kick a school out. Sorry, while I respect LaTech, if they think they are too good then let them look elsewhere (or stop complaining about the way SMU looks at us)

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On 1/9/2021 at 11:20 PM, Travis said:

I never ever understood taking teams based on tv. I thought that was horrible when better programs were passed over. 
 

Now how is our commissioner held accountable? How can we make such atrocious deals and she still have a job? Who is her watcher?

100% agreed.  No one wants to watch a bad team not matter the market.  We should have picked up App St. instead of Charlotte.  Sadly, the Sun Belt is a better brand of football at the current moment.  CUSA can change that though.  We have some teams with historical success.  But the conference as whole needs to step it up. 

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For CUSA to gain traction to get above the SBC or the MAC, they need their best brand names to perform. That’s Marshall in the East and Southern Miss/La Tech in the West to show up and win their divisions. Sorry, but UAB is looked at as a commuter school that Alabama tried to dump but couldn’t. They don’t move the needle in football. Nor does anyone else, sadly. Just like with F_Us and the UT-satellite schools, most of these schools are looked down on because of their names and lack of history and support...and yes, that includes us rather obviously. 

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