bigdaddyg wrote: ↑

Mon May 29, 2023 3:26 pm

If the hardline criteria is the Bubba Cup rankings it's hard not to say D- or even F+ and when you see every sport laid out with their results it's a gut punch. I think back to when we were moving to the Belt and many over zealous fans here were either insulted or delusional. We all aspire to be in the best conference possible and many felt slighted by the CUSA snub- aren't we glad that fell through? Many over the last few years believed a move to the AAC was more our speed. How would that have turned out? Would that move magically trigger more money and improved facilities? Are we getting a little humble pie fed to us? We certainly don't need to go all gloom and doom but we also need to realize that there are a bunch of solid athletic programs in this conference now. During the SOCON glory days what was our worst overall finish? Were we ever in the bottom 5th percent?

The Bubas Cup is a little unbalanced with different schools fielding different numbers of teams/sports, but JMU sitting in second place with the same number of teams as App is certainly eye-opening. Six teams in the top three in their respective sport and a seventh in 4th.

WASU 93 wrote: ↑

Mon May 29, 2023 4:09 pm

bigdaddyg wrote: ↑

Mon May 29, 2023 3:26 pm

If the hardline criteria is the Bubba Cup rankings it's hard not to say D- or even F+ and when you see every sport laid out with their results it's a gut punch. I think back to when we were moving to the Belt and many over zealous fans here were either insulted or delusional. We all aspire to be in the best conference possible and many felt slighted by the CUSA snub- aren't we glad that fell through? Many over the last few years believed a move to the AAC was more our speed. How would that have turned out? Would that move magically trigger more money and improved facilities? Are we getting a little humble pie fed to us? We certainly don't need to go all gloom and doom but we also need to realize that there are a bunch of solid athletic programs in this conference now. During the SOCON glory days what was our worst overall finish? Were we ever in the bottom 5th percent?

The Bubas Cup is a little unbalanced with different schools fielding different numbers of teams/sports, but JMU sitting in second place with the same number of teams as App is certainly eye-opening. Six teams in the top three in their respective sport and a seventh in 4th.

If you only include the sports played by every conference member how do we rank? I assume all play football, basketball, baseball, volleyball.

Men’s Soccer didn’t lose a single game. That’s got to count for something

Don’t watch or keep up with all sports.

Football: D+
Basketball: C
Baseball: B+

Really hard to give a grade higher than a D on the season. With that being said, at least the year ended on a great note with baseball having a really good run in the Sun Belt tournament.

My grade….Incomplete….

It's interesting to me that South Alabama is usually winning the Bubas Cup

Looks like a pretty strong consensus , with outliers of course.We have work to do.Based on what I see , and hear from various sources,this coming year may well be one of the more interesting in decades.

The two non-Sun Belt sports had fabulous seasons. Football started exciting but ultimately finished disappointing. Baseball and CC were solid. Everything else, yikes. C-

AppfaninCAALand wrote: ↑

Wed May 31, 2023 9:27 pm

The two non-Sun Belt sports had fabulous seasons. Football started exciting but ultimately finished disappointing. Baseball and CC were solid. Everything else, yikes. C-

Women's Tennis and Field Hockey solid as well.

ASU84 wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 01, 2023 7:28 am

AppfaninCAALand wrote: ↑

Wed May 31, 2023 9:27 pm

The two non-Sun Belt sports had fabulous seasons. Football started exciting but ultimately finished disappointing. Baseball and CC were solid. Everything else, yikes. C-

Women's Tennis and Field Hockey solid as well.

FH was one of two non-Belt sports, wrestling being the other.

It's kinda funny that football was the worst fall sport. Both VB and WSOC had new coaches who improved the teams. FH had their best year but the coach left and the assistant was promoted, plus I think we lose the best player in program history (they got a COVID year, but not sure if they use it). Cross Country has always been competitive.

Both basketball teams were disappointing, especially the women. 10 returning players with experience and they fall off. Wrestling was excellent despite sputtering in the NCAAs.

Golf has always not been good in the SBC except for one year in men's where they finished 6th, and will mostly always struggled due to the issues in play.

Softball had a setback year after several years of improvement, but they just got a really good catcher transfer and I have faith in Coach Hoerner. Baseball obviously was much improved. Women's Tennis had a really good year.

Basically, I feel there will be improvement in 2023-24. And if not, some coaches will be on the hot seat.

hapapp wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 01, 2023 12:10 pm

ASU84 wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 01, 2023 7:28 am

AppfaninCAALand wrote: ↑

Wed May 31, 2023 9:27 pm

The two non-Sun Belt sports had fabulous seasons. Football started exciting but ultimately finished disappointing. Baseball and CC were solid. Everything else, yikes. C-

Women's Tennis and Field Hockey solid as well.

FH was one of two non-Belt sports, wrestling being the other.

Yeah, I led with field hockey and wrestling because those two non-SBC sports were the year's bright spot, and I think the ladies will be better this year. New coach Emily Dinsmore is a gem and I'm predicting field hockey to the NCAA tournament and a Top 25 ranking in '23.

We are struggling in the SunBelt over all , with bright spots , low lights and head scratchers.Most fingers point back to $$$$$ and our lack thereof.I read constantly that "we/they don't give them the resources" , "we are at the bottom in funding" .I don't really know where we stand but I do know that "we" and "they" , are "us".