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Post by DOOMS on Apr 23, 2020 13:51:29 GMT -5
Since we love to argue, for argument's sake let's say the administration stated that for financial reasons we had four options. The four options were to move to the Big South, the CIAA, the SIAC, or stay in the MEAC but the cut the budget immediately by... a ton, thereby jeopardizing all our winning and losing coaches and the ability to recruit well or offer a full amount of scholarships in the process.
What would you choose? Why would you choose it?
Honestly, I'm kinda a CIAA guy myself.
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saabman
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Post by saabman on Apr 23, 2020 18:37:29 GMT -5
Since we love to argue, for argument's sake let's say the administration stated that for financial reasons we had four options. The four options were to move to the Big South, the CIAA, the SIAC, or stay in the MEAC but the cut the budget immediately by... a ton, thereby jeopardizing all our winning and losing coaches and the ability to recruit well or offer a full amount of scholarships in the process. What would you choose? Why would you choose it? Honestly, I'm kinda a CIAA guy myself. I don't believe in moving backwards laterally I can deal with but backwards no . A&T will get a lot more resource funds by staying FCS D-1 . They will only loss Financial Resources by moving to division 2 .
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Maxell
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Post by Maxell on Apr 23, 2020 20:02:52 GMT -5
Not even entertaining these choices. If the budget issues are that bad, I would consider dropping football (blasphemy) to focus on track and high caliber basketball. That basketball focus would more align with staying in the Big South.
But if most of us can't bear to lose football, I would consider going back to the MEAC.
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Aggie77
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Post by Aggie77 on Apr 23, 2020 20:35:08 GMT -5
Based on the scenario as presented, I don’t see how the Big South would be a viable financial and competitiveness option. I would expect all BS schools to still offer the full complement of scholarships in all sports. A reduced budget in the MEAC with the same travel footprint, would probably impact our scholarship levels, thereby directly impacting competitiveness against schools awarding more. I don’t think the SAIC travel footprint offers any advantage, plus none offer a travel advantage for me. The scenario didn’t suggest a reduction in student enrollment, so I have to assume the financial reduction is from other sources. Since athletic fee are earmarked for athletic it’s probably illegal to use them elsewhere, resulting in at least a $10 million budget. Less scholarships, lower travel expenses could/should translate into higher coaches salaries, improved facilities, etc, So, the CIAA is my choice for financial and personal reasons.
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Post by aggierattler on Apr 23, 2020 20:38:49 GMT -5
Since we love to argue, for argument's sake let's say the administration stated that for financial reasons we had four options. The four options were to move to the Big South, the CIAA, the SIAC, or stay in the MEAC but the cut the budget immediately by... a ton, thereby jeopardizing all our winning and losing coaches and the ability to recruit well or offer a full amount of scholarships in the process. What would you choose? Why would you choose it? Honestly, I'm kinda a CIAA guy myself. I don't believe in moving backwards laterally I can deal with but backwards no . A&T will get a lot more resource funds by staying FCS D-1 . They will only loss Financial Resources by moving to division 2 . I agree 100% with that! You can't bring in the same type of revenue in Division II as you can make in our situation in Division I. And we can't maintain the same national profile in Division II.
I live 50 miles from one of the most successful Division II programs in America, Valdosta State. They win big in football, basketball and baseball...and I rarely hear anything about them.
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Post by outsidethinker on Apr 23, 2020 23:18:21 GMT -5
I wish I could pull up the old "we're giving up the play offs for the quitters bowl" threads from 5 years ago so everyone could see their initial responses which totally contradicts everything being said now Smh.
The MEAC didn't hold meetings or anything else to allow us to voice our opinion on if we wanted to give up our AQ. Yet everyone let's that slide and beat up on our administration for not being transparent.
Famu allows for everyone to chime in on their decisions and you see how bad that's screwed them up the past decade. We're all educated Aggies, we know how business works.
Every week during a sports event all I read on this board is "I hope we don't get caught sleeping or get complacent or look ahead to the one or two games that matter".
At what point do we finally rationalize and use some logic and say let's try to push our capabilities to see whats our true potential?
I respect everyone on this board to the fullest extent, but can you imagine how idiotic it sounds to say "I will no longer travel to my dear old A&T and support them at home because of the visiting team they're playing?" That's just flat out petty.
How many "Aggies takeover Coastal Carolina, ECU, DUKE, UNC, Elon, Charleston Southern, Gardner Webb" threads have we had on this board prior to announcing a conference change?
You would think most of us would support seeing us beat up on PWIs as oppose to the normal thrashings we put on our fellow HBCUS. What are we proving by beating up on our fellow HBCUS that already got their teeth kicked in by PWIs during OOC play?
We're still an HBCU, our award winning Marching Band will still compete in every regional HBCU band battle including Honda BOTB and NC parades. We will still play HBCUs OOC. We're literally getting the best of both worlds. We are not Hampton nor TennST. We are very unique.
I didn't choose to go to A&T just because of who we play against. Did you? What's the MEAC record against the current Big South members?
Digressing, I'm all for the Big South move. If we fail miserably and see no financial benefit then we can join the ranks of Famu, WSSU and SSU by moving back home. It's clearly not uncommon and the doors are always open.
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Post by DOOMS on Apr 24, 2020 9:05:26 GMT -5
That is probably the best thread I've read on the whole thing. Very thought provoking and appropriate on all issues.
Thanks.
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Post by neighborhoodsuperstar on Apr 24, 2020 11:00:04 GMT -5
You would think most of us would support seeing us beat up on PWIs as oppose to the normal thrashings we put on our fellow HBCUS. What are we proving by beating up on our fellow HBCUS that already got their teeth kicked in by PWIs during OOC play? Normal thrashings, as in the ones we've put on FAMU and Morgan? I have no problem playing and beating PWIs......but if you're gonna ask me would I choose to play South Carolina State vs Chas Southern - give me SC State. If there's a choice between Delaware State and Monmouth - I'll take Del St. If there's a choice between G-W and Norfolk - give me Norfolk. I don't need to see "white school U" week in and week out. I just need to play a select few of them (preferably ones that are good and can give us a great barometer of where we stand). However, I'm not interested in playing Charleston Southern, G-W, North Alabama, Monmouth, and Kennesaw State every single year. I'm a devoted Aggie - I'll likely be at most of the away games in the BS. I went to G-W. I went to Chas Southern. Was it good to beat them? YES. Did it make me feel any better about our program after beating them, compared to beating a Norfolk or Bethune - NO. Let's keep it real - we were lucky to get into the Celebration Bowl for these past 2 years. We only went undefeated in 2017. We got in by the skin of our teeth for the past 2 years. Maybe beating G-W or North Alabama is something novel/new.....but I wonder how it will feel like 5 years down the road when the novelty of playing schools we really have no connections or inherent rivalries with wears off. Outside of Campbell and Hampton, I really could care less about the rest of the B-S football schedule <<Now granted, basketball may be better (I will concede that)>> Kennesaw State may be good right now, but they will be in the BS for long? Will they remain a great program? To be determined.... Let's hope this BS experiment works out in our favor......I don't see that much of a benefit (if any). If I'm wrong in 5-10 years, I have no problem saying so....
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Post by DOOMS on Apr 24, 2020 11:03:51 GMT -5
NSS, I'd be interested in your responses to the rest of his post. I'm also wondering what your reaction to the Celebration Bowl was when it was announced, because hell if I remember if you were even on the board back then.
I'm interested because you're one of our move vocal (would it be vocal when typed?) posters and I thought he raised very salient points in every sentence.
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Post by neighborhoodsuperstar on Apr 24, 2020 11:23:51 GMT -5
I was lukewarm about the CB.....I don't remember being all out for it. If there is a post showing me being vocally against it - so be it. I was wrong if I was. If I recall though, I don't think Aggie brass was enamored about the game either. Correct me if I'm wrong on that one...
I could care less about what FAMU did/does.....chiming in is one thing. However, if they cannot execute what their plans/goals are, then the crux of the problem is the faulty execution.
You have Aggie takeover threads because of the novelty of the teams we played; plus, most of the teams we played were equal/better than us. Those games were tests for our program to measure ourselves against. Coastal Carolina, Elon, Duke, UNC.....they represent an equal/better caliber of competition. Of course we wanted to bring Aggie Nation to all of those games to cheer our team on. Add Charlotte to that list as well.
When it's year 4 or 5 in the BS, will there be Aggie Takeover threads when it's time to play Charleston Southern? How about G-W? How about North Alabama? How about Monmouth? When the novelty of the BS wears off, then what?
Time will reveal all.....let's hope it works out well.
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Post by lenman1 on Apr 24, 2020 19:22:06 GMT -5
Why would you have a poll with the restrictions on the MEAC (basically making the program impotent) and not the Big South?
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Post by DOOMS on Apr 24, 2020 19:46:38 GMT -5
Because we’re moving to the big south to save money on travel and make additional money on conference revenue from streaming services.
More money.
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Post by lenman1 on Apr 24, 2020 20:16:22 GMT -5
Fake news! Staying in the MEAC would have not necessitated the financial penalties you have proposed in your hypothetical, where there essentially would be no program. The 2019 Intercollegiate report stated the program was in good shape! You guys have to get your talking points straight, your AD and Chancellor have repeatedly stated it was a lateral move, financially. Where are the projections for the "so-called" streaming revenue for a second tier, low budget, largely insignificant conference especially considering loss gate revenue and the MEAC penalty payment for leaving and the induction fee for the Little South! That's why there is so much interest in maintaining relationships with MEAC schools because most alumni don't really care about the Little South. Y'all making stuff up like Donald Trump!
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Post by DOOMS on Apr 24, 2020 20:34:08 GMT -5
A) It’s a hypothetical poll. I never said it was based on absolutes. That’s the meaning of hypothetical in the first place.
B) The financial reasons behind the move have been discussed in a large number of threads on this forum and were discussed by the chancellor and AD at the press conference. Just because you choose not to believe something you don’t like doesn’t make it fake.
C) If the wallet was predicted to remain healthy I think we can safely assume we’d still be in the MEAC.
D). Have a nice weekend.
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saabman
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Post by saabman on Apr 24, 2020 20:40:26 GMT -5
The man does have a good point.
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