GA State doesn't want GA Southern in SB

[GoAppsGo92]

The entire move to Sun Belt discussion is still very much just message board chatter and what some seemingly informed bloggers have written.

That's it.

I haven't seen any official PR that there will be a vote of the SB presidents at their bball tourney next weekend ONLY blog speculation.

I don't believe the Sun Belt will act until WKU gets plucked. And that is also still message board and blog speculation as well.

Yep. OK. That's a position one can take. But with so many sources saying the exact same thing, plus members of the media in Atlanta and Charleston running with the story, one would have to have a very thick skull to not see what is happening. But, alas, we have but a week of waiting until the chorus gets even louder. Although some may wait until the joint press conference to actually believe it.

[GoAppsGo92]

We have had many discussions on this board regarding the FACT that UNCC has been no friend to App State during our attempts to join CUSA. Well here is some hard facts reflecting same sentiment from GA State regarding GSU joining Sun Belt. It is the same story played out down here in Georgia. You have a couple schools that had a golden opportunity thrown in their laps and now they are scared to death that the established programs would come in and steal their thunder. Truth is App and GSU probably will quickly outperform their nascent counterparts at the FBS level.

http://www.ajc.com/weblogs/georgia-stat ... your-help/

What fans say and what administrations do are totally different things. GSU and UNCC have a real reason for concern: Being equals with established programs like ASU and GSU could stunt the growth of their football programs. UNCC can avoid the issue by not playing us... GAGA St. will not have that luxury. Having said that: it is uncertain if GA State even has a vote since they are not members until July. Having said that: politically, both (UNCC and GA ST) would have to abstain if they couldn't bring themselves to vote "YES" to a fellow state institution's conference membership... a "NO" vote would be very problematic.

[AtlAppMan]

From what I have heard from GA State Administration I think they would like both GSU and App to join. It would greatly help them with regional travel issues for SB. If that happens I will definitely be attending APP at the NEW Falcons Dome beginning in 2017 and forward. Makes a nice easy day of watching my team play live football in my backyard.

Also on recruiting, GA State appears to be pulling in the kids that like inner-city schools and primarily recruiting in the ATL metro area whereas GSU and App are recruiting all over Georgia.

For App, this will provide us with great media coverage in the Atlanta market that we have never seen before by being in same conference as an Atlanta school. That translates into even more presence in Georgia recruiting market.

[Rekdiver]

And there's really no evidence to suggest that UNCC lobbied against adding App to CUSA unless you're just speaking generically about Judy's philosophy of not scheduling us for any sport to avoid padding Charlotte's loss column.

They really didn't need to campaign against us. We all know the expansion strategy of CUSA in 2012: media market, media market, media market. That paired with prior membership is the only reason that Charlotte found its way back to that washed up league in the first place.

Yes there is evidence. I personally heard Judy Rose at Quail Hollow Country Club last year say
she did not want App in the same conference with them. I asked her knowing she did not know I went to App.

[WataugaMan]

Get there first before you start beating your chest. No reason to act like we are the SBC's saviors.

I'm not beating my chest nor am I one of the types who is claiming we are the "savior". But I feel like App and Georgia Southern are the two best and most realistic options for the Sun Belt at this point.

I agree, it is what it is.

[Gonzo]

And there's really no evidence to suggest that UNCC lobbied against adding App to CUSA unless you're just speaking generically about Judy's philosophy of not scheduling us for any sport to avoid padding Charlotte's loss column.

They really didn't need to campaign against us. We all know the expansion strategy of CUSA in 2012: media market, media market, media market. That paired with prior membership is the only reason that Charlotte found its way back to that washed up league in the first place.

Yes there is evidence. I personally heard Judy Rose at Quail Hollow Country Club last year say
she did not want App in the same conference with them. I asked her knowing she did not know I went to App.

Did she say why? Did she say she was going to actively discourage the CUSA presidents from considering us?

[ImfromClayton]

And there's really no evidence to suggest that UNCC lobbied against adding App to CUSA unless you're just speaking generically about Judy's philosophy of not scheduling us for any sport to avoid padding Charlotte's loss column.

They really didn't need to campaign against us. We all know the expansion strategy of CUSA in 2012: media market, media market, media market. That paired with prior membership is the only reason that Charlotte found its way back to that washed up league in the first place.

Yes there is evidence. I personally heard Judy Rose at Quail Hollow Country Club last year say
she did not want App in the same conference with them. I asked her knowing she did not know I went to App.

Did she say why? Did she say she was going to actively discourage the CUSA presidents from considering us?

#1 please understand I take your word with a grain of salt. I can't imagine any UNC system employee would make those comments in a public forum.

#2 even if that is true, conference realignment was a much different animal as little as 2 months ago. That was before the Big East got their TV deal numbers.

[Gonzo]

And there's really no evidence to suggest that UNCC lobbied against adding App to CUSA unless you're just speaking generically about Judy's philosophy of not scheduling us for any sport to avoid padding Charlotte's loss column.

They really didn't need to campaign against us. We all know the expansion strategy of CUSA in 2012: media market, media market, media market. That paired with prior membership is the only reason that Charlotte found its way back to that washed up league in the first place.

Yes there is evidence. I personally heard Judy Rose at Quail Hollow Country Club last year say
she did not want App in the same conference with them. I asked her knowing she did not know I went to App.

Did she say why? Did she say she was going to actively discourage the CUSA presidents from considering us?

#1 please understand I take your word with a grain of salt. I can't imagine any UNC system employee would make those comments in a public forum.

#2 even if that is true, conference realignment was a much different animal as little as 2 months ago. That was before the Big East got their TV deal numbers.

Yeah, I mean, I'm not saying Rekdiver is lying or anything, I just really don't think she would openly lobby against us in CUSA meetings. There is no need to do so even if she does want to dodge us like that. If she really does discourage our admission to decision makers in the conference, it would reflect more on her own insecurities than anything else and wouldn't change the outcome of CUSA's realigment strategy at all.

[Saint3333]

Guys let's not act like during this we have been UNCC's cheerleader, it cuts both ways. I don't see why people can't understand why they wouldn't want us.

[ImfromClayton]

Guys let's not act like during this we have been UNCC's cheerleader, it cuts both ways. I don't see why people can't understand why they wouldn't want us.

To be honest, a couple months ago it made sense for everyone to be out to get each other. Now that the TV deal numbers are back, and everybody is going to be making about the same amount of money, we all need to align ourselves as regionally as possible to save money in my opinion. I for one rooting for you guys.

[Saint3333]

I personally agree but I'm not sure our leaders do.

A conference of us two, ODU, GSU, MTSU, WkU, etc would be my ideal conference.

[Rekdiver]

It was a private setting for scholarship donors and she was dismissive of ASU. She could not lobby against us as she has no vote but she said and I quote "They have a nice little program and stadium up there but it's too hard to get to for Sunbelt Schools (Last Spring they thought they were going Sunbelt) and we see ECU as our rival not ASU"

[JCline0429]

It was a private setting for scholarship donors and she was dismissive of ASU. She could not lobby against us as she has no vote but she said and I quote "They have a nice little program and stadium up there but it's too hard to get to for Sunbelt Schools (Last Spring they thought they were going Sunbelt) and we see ECU as our rival not ASU"

Private setting? Are you a UNC-C donor?

[Gonzo]

It was a private setting for scholarship donors and she was dismissive of ASU. She could not lobby against us as she has no vote but she said and I quote "They have a nice little program and stadium up there but it's too hard to get to for Sunbelt Schools (Last Spring they thought they were going Sunbelt) and we see ECU as our rival not ASU"

Private setting? Are you a UNC-C donor?

We have a mole.

[Rekdiver]

It was a private setting for scholarship donors and she was dismissive of ASU. She could not lobby against us as she has no vote but she said and I quote "They have a nice little program and stadium up there but it's too hard to get to for Sunbelt Schools (Last Spring they thought they were going Sunbelt) and we see ECU as our rival not ASU"

Private setting? Are you a UNC-C donor?

No I am not but I have a family member by marriage who does and invited me to the event. And I am not a mole. Come visit me at space 320 in the Stadium lot and we can see who ends up stuck in the ground Gonzo!!

[Gonzo]

It was a private setting for scholarship donors and she was dismissive of ASU. She could not lobby against us as she has no vote but she said and I quote "They have a nice little program and stadium up there but it's too hard to get to for Sunbelt Schools (Last Spring they thought they were going Sunbelt) and we see ECU as our rival not ASU"

Private setting? Are you a UNC-C donor?

No I am not but I have a family member by marriage who does and invited me to the event. And I am not a mole. Come visit me at space 320 in the Stadium lot and we can see who ends up stuck in the ground Gonzo!!

I'd love to drop by your tailgate, but first you'll have to explain what you mean by "stuck in the ground."

[Rekdiver]

It means I'll show you where moles live!

[ImfromClayton]

It was a private setting for scholarship donors and she was dismissive of ASU. She could not lobby against us as she has no vote but she said and I quote "They have a nice little program and stadium up there but it's too hard to get to for Sunbelt Schools (Last Spring they thought they were going Sunbelt) and we see ECU as our rival not ASU"

June 1st she has a vote. I would consider ECU to be much more Charlotte's rival than Appalachian. We have shared a conference with them before, and are about to do it again, even if it's just for a year. We play them in most every sport, most every year. If you've never checked out a Charlotte/ECU game on the hardwood, you should. Most of them will tell you we are usually the biggest game on their schedule they feel like they have a chance in.

At no point were we under the impression that we were going back to the Sunbelt. We went from FCS independent to C-USA. Not to go on another fan bases board and call bull stuff, but your story has gotten milder and milder from the get go. You say the above comments are "dismissive" but in reality, that is the stereotype of App State. We all have to fight them. The stereotype of Charlotte is that we are a commuter school. In all honesty neither of these are really true anymore, but they are perception. Did you specifically ask Judy about App State? If so what is she supposed to say at an event aimed at Charlotte boosters? This just seems an incredibly sketchy situation to me. Judy Rose and Charlotte are not out to get Appalachian State.

[Saint3333]

App played UNCC too, well until App wins and you guys don't renew the deal.

[ImfromClayton]

App played UNCC too, well until App wins and you guys don't renew the deal.

You are exactly right. We still wanted a 2 for 1. You guys wanted a 1 for 1. You guys beat us, congrats, but that deal is still not solely our fault. We can debate the merits of that deal all day long, and hell, to be honest, I don't agree with our AD in that regard, but nobody on this message board can change it. I'd much rather play you guys every year than kennesaw state or georgia southern. It builds rivalry, and passion for both of us. You guys rocked the convocation center that night. My mom and twin brother went to App. I have never seen so many black and gold faithful care about basketball. It was pretty cool to be honest.