U Miss FCS?

[proasu89]

I miss the FCS like I miss my ex-wife.

you just won the internets.

[EastHallApp]

Has anyone ever actually disputed on this board that the level of play is higher in FBS than FCS? I've often seen posts refuting that claim, but I'm not sure I've ever actually seen anyone make it. (And can't imagine why they would.)

Yes, I do think some of the detractors have made that claim although not as much recently. My comment was actually prompted by something you said. I don't think it was your intent to say the level of competition hadn't increased, but some readers might read it that way. I didn't "quote" you on my statement because I wasn't attempting to create a debate....just making a comment.

"Eh, other than maybe 2006, I think we had more competitive games than that. Plus it's not like we're exactly fighting tooth and nail every week in the Sun Belt. We haven't really had more competitive games here the past couple years than we did in the SoCon.

Fortunately, I enjoy watching us beat the crap out of teams, so I have no complaint about that. "

Ah. No, I think it goes without saying that while there may be some FCS-caliber teams in the Sun Belt, obviously the overall level of play is higher. But if what you want is competitive games, you haven't seen many the past couple years from our conference opponents. That's just a fact.

Again, I'm fine with that. The worse we beat people, the happier I am.

[WVAPPeer]

There is extreme jubilation at winning a hard fought extremely competitive game - which also means there is the opposite with the opposite result - we saw so many over the years - Furman (about 5 times), JMU, UNI, Michigan and others - the flip side at Montana (I don't want to think of others) - AS AN OLD-HEAD I ABSOLUTELY ENJOY WATCHING APP BLOW AWAY OPPONENTS NOW - Don't need the additional stress - I'll take very close competitive games where I am not invested in either team and just want to see a good game such as Clemson vs. Alabama, SC vs. Penn St. (Rose Bowl), etc. ---

[MtnMan09]

There is extreme jubilation at winning a hard fought extremely competitive game - which also means there is the opposite with the opposite result - we saw so many over the years - Furman (about 5 times), JMU, UNI, Michigan and others - the flip side at Montana (I don't want to think of others) - AS AN OLD-HEAD I ABSOLUTELY ENJOY WATCHING APP BLOW AWAY OPPONENTS NOW - Don't need the additional stress - I'll take very close competitive games where I am not invested in either team and just want to see a good game such as Clemson vs. Alabama, SC vs. Penn St. (Rose Bowl), etc. ---

My sentiments exactly. I seemingly can only really "enjoy" App games if we are ahead by a large margin. The tension/stress nearly kills me when it is close. My wife is not a fan of those Saturdays. Like you, I enjoy the nail biters when its teams I have no emotional connection to.

[CVAPP]

The FG to beat Ohio was sweet, but the OT fumble at UT was heartbreaking. Like others have mentioned, I don't need a nail biter to find excitement in watching us play. Come to think of it I don't know if I ever needed as much exhilaration as a few of our close wins brought. I would have to say blowing Troy out of their own stadium in that first conference win for us was the type of exhilaration I prefer. Of course it would have not been nearly as exciting if we were not still trying to find our way at the time.

[bcoach]

I don't really see much difference. A couple teams are better and so are we, so the competition is about the same. The big change I have had is the money games. I just have no interest any more. Getting whacked most every year to see a good game every 10 years just doesn't interest me any more. Those drives home are just getting longer.

[MtnMan09]

I don't really see much difference. A couple teams are better and so are we, so the competition is about the same. The big change I have had is the money games. I just have no interest any more. Getting whacked most every year to see a good game every 10 years just doesn't interest me any more. Those drives home are just getting longer.

The competition is not "about the same." We have wayyyy better talent than we did in the SoCon and so do the teams we play against on a weekly basis. If last years team had played a SoCon slate someone would have needed to convene a UN War Crimes tribunal.

[bcoach]

I don't really see much difference. A couple teams are better and so are we, so the competition is about the same. The big change I have had is the money games. I just have no interest any more. Getting whacked most every year to see a good game every 10 years just doesn't interest me any more. Those drives home are just getting longer.

The competition is not "about the same." We have wayyyy better talent than we did in the SoCon and so do the teams we play against on a weekly basis. If last years team had played a SoCon slate someone would have needed to convene a UN War Crimes tribunal.

You can't say I am wrong by agreeing with me.

[WVAPPeer]

I don't really see much difference. A couple teams are better and so are we, so the competition is about the same. The big change I have had is the money games. I just have no interest any more. Getting whacked most every year to see a good game every 10 years just doesn't interest me any more. Those drives home are just getting longer.

The competition is not "about the same." We have wayyyy better talent than we did in the SoCon and so do the teams we play against on a weekly basis. If last years team had played a SoCon slate someone would have needed to convene a UN War Crimes tribunal.

I think bcoach was saying the respective level of competition is basically the same and not the SoCon players were/are the same quality as the SB players --- A couple of really good teams, a few fairly good teams and several bottom-type teams ---

[MtnMan09]

I don't really see much difference. A couple teams are better and so are we, so the competition is about the same. The big change I have had is the money games. I just have no interest any more. Getting whacked most every year to see a good game every 10 years just doesn't interest me any more. Those drives home are just getting longer.

The competition is not "about the same." We have wayyyy better talent than we did in the SoCon and so do the teams we play against on a weekly basis. If last years team had played a SoCon slate someone would have needed to convene a UN War Crimes tribunal.

I think bcoach was saying the respective level of competition is basically the same and not the SoCon players were/are the same quality as the SB players --- A couple of really good teams, a few fairly good teams and several bottom-type teams ---

Guess I misread. I thought he was saying he didn't see much difference in the quality of the teams we play. If so my bad.

[Appsolutely]

I enjoyed our FCS years (went to every playoff game 2005-2007, and all 3 national championships) and I would be the last one to belittle our accomplishments while we were there. But do I miss the FCS? Let me see...Miami, Wake, ECU, the Tar Holes...all coming to Boone? And a multi-game series with all of them? As opposed to a steady diet of Southern Conference schools?

Um...no...no, I don't think I do.

[t4pizza]

Just read through all 6 pages of posts on this topic, seems I'm a bit late to the party. I will agree with every poster except 2 that does not wish to go back to FCS. Our transition has far exceeded my expectations and proven just how much we belong in FBS football playing against our peers. I attended App from 88-93 and really enjoyed the football that FCS provided back then. The problem is that so many programs left FCS over the past 25 years that what remains is hardly recognizable to me. I mentioned this months ago when the first Conference USA/ SunBelt merger article came out, nearly every school mentioned to be in App's conference was FCS (or lower) in 1988. We had to move to keep up, and I am so happy that the move has gone well. No, I would not like to go back to FCS football.

[bcoach]

I think some lost track of the question. The question was do you miss it, not do you want to go back. There is a difference.

[ASU84]

I miss the FCS like I miss my ex-wife.

I'll second that statement.

[AppinVA]

I think some lost track of the question. The question was do you miss it, not do you want to go back. There is a difference.

The OP said he wanted GaSo to go back with Idaho, so I don't see the difference.

[bcoach]

I think some lost track of the question. The question was do you miss it, not do you want to go back. There is a difference.

The OP said he wanted GaSo to go back with Idaho, so I don't see the difference.

Well that was his answer but not his question. His question was do you miss it. That is the difference.

[AppinVA]

I think some lost track of the question. The question was do you miss it, not do you want to go back. There is a difference.

The OP said he wanted GaSo to go back with Idaho, so I don't see the difference.

Well that was his answer but not his question. His question was do you miss it. That is the difference.

I interprit the spirit of the question to be what over half of his post was about. He wants to go back to FCS, and is looking for others willing to agree with him. Maybe there was mixed opinion on the Georgia Southern board, but it's hardly mixed here.

[Gonzo]

I think some lost track of the question. The question was do you miss it, not do you want to go back. There is a difference.

The OP said he wanted GaSo to go back with Idaho, so I don't see the difference.

Well that was his answer but not his question. His question was do you miss it. That is the difference.

The distinction is moot if the response to both questions is the same.

*edited for length and quality of language.

[bcoach]

I think some lost track of the question. The question was do you miss it, not do you want to go back. There is a difference.

The OP said he wanted GaSo to go back with Idaho, so I don't see the difference.

Well that was his answer but not his question. His question was do you miss it. That is the difference.

Judging by the tone and plain language of virtually all of these posts I'd say that, if we're going to make that distinction the responses were as follows:

Do you miss the FCS --> No
Do you want to go back to the FCS --> No

The distinction is moot.

I would have to disagree. There are those that do miss FCS but would not go back so there really is a distinction but enough time spent on this.

[APPdiesel]

I think some lost track of the question. The question was do you miss it, not do you want to go back. There is a difference.

The OP said he wanted GaSo to go back with Idaho, so I don't see the difference.

If we were struggling like Ga Southern has struggled many of us would talk about how much we miss FCS. This weekend I saw an article (I think TK might've shared it on twitter) about App being a viable expansion candidate for other "bigger" conferences. They specifically mentioned CUSA as a "bigger/better" conference. I wouldn't. Not now.