Going by the past few seasons Northwestern Ohio State Polytech Sisters Of The Poor could whip the MTSU Mens Basketball team, don't even need Ohio U for that.
MAC talk
- Thread starter BRaiderDave
- Start date
#1 - I don't believe we'll see any of that money. These things have a way of being lawyer-ed down to much less than the initial price tag.
#2 - I don't believe that if we do get any money, that it will be put to uses that will benefit us. Like I said before, I think they 'll repave a parking lot or two, then add some incentives to Stock and his buddy's contracts and call it mission accomplished. I have no faith in the conference leadership of CUSA to do anything pro-active with any money it gets.
#3 - Despite any short-term windfall $$$'s, I don't believe that new CUSA is positioned for success either competitively or financially long term. Say what you will about the MAC, but stability is important.
What's far more likely to happen is that we get a tweet about how smart we were for taking the cash, then you never see anything tangible happen from it. 4-years from now, the conference implodes when UConn drops football, UTEP ends up in the MWC, FIU in the Sunbelt, and we're left in a dumpster fire of FCS JUCOs in Texas wondering how we could have screwed up again.
IMHO, the path to where we want to be is through on field success. If you want to rebuild the program, it starts with offering a winning product and getting fans back interested. I think we have a better chance at that in the MAC than we do in the laughingstock that the new-CUSA - like I said before, we instantly have the best recruiting territory and one of the highest budgets in the conference. We have a destination that opposing MAC fans will want to visit. We'll have a TV contract that will allow us better exposure.
This decision is akin to investing in our retirement or blowing all our savings on a lottery ticket. The lottery ticket might pay off and no one is too excited about the slow and steady 401k, but we're far more likely to end up where we want to be by being smart and steady in the MAC instead of risking it all on the long-odds play of the new CUSA.
Just out of curiosity, when is the last time you have been to Murphy Center? There have been renovations somewhat recently. Definitely did improve the feel in there, but still hate the collapsable bleachers for indoor track. Need to add some box seats once (if) we get our IPF and move indoor track out there.
McDevitt actually gets higher rated players than Kermit did, but for some reason either they are overrated or he can't get them to play consistently.
^^^ This guy get's it. Imagine what SHSU will do with FBS scholarship numbers and the ability to recruit even better players now because they're an FBS/D1 team. I said it before and I'll say it again, SHSU is a sleeping giant. They will be a ranked team and whipping Power 5's in short order after joining FBS. Liberty is already a giant. Liberty hoops is also very good too.
Sure, NMSU and Uconn are not flattering....but neither is Akron and BGSU in the MAC. Both options are going to have very good programs and very bad programs. So why not go with the option that gets us the most $$$$? We (obviously) desperately need money for new facilities.
We would be fools to turn down $20 - $25 million while simultaneously paying CUSA exit fee's + MAC entrance fee's. It would probably approach a net negative of close to $30 million.
How exactly are they going to worm their way out of their buyout obligations? They legally have to pay the contractual agreed upon buyout, end of story. There's no damages or negligence or anything of the sort that would alleviate them from the contract. They wanted to leave the conference to join another conference on their own free will, they knew full well there is a buyout penalty, and so they have to pay it.
Are the Hilltoppers ready for MACtion?
Multiple news outlets have reported that WKU and rival Middle Tennessee State University are prime candidates to join the Mid-American Conference, with conference presidents meeting this week to consider the idea of expansion. MAC “likely” to add Western Kentucky & Middle Tennessee, perhaps by...
wkuherald.com
Are the Hilltoppers ready for MACtion?
Multiple news outlets have reported that WKU and rival Middle Tennessee State University are prime candidates to join the Mid-American Conference, with conference presidents meeting this week to consider the idea of expansion. MAC “likely” to add Western Kentucky & Middle Tennessee, perhaps by...wkuherald.com
LOL.
The WKU fan commenting in that article is hilarious. Delusions of grandeur TO-THE-MAX. He thinks WKU is going to join the MAC and steam roll the conference in both football and men's basketball.
Comedy gold.
If we do join the MAC, boy do those fans have a wake up call coming. The MAC has some very good football and basketball programs that are going to "surprise" those delusional WKU fans....
Having made a career in the world of corporations, complex contracts, and financial negotiations - the phrase "They legally have to pay the contractual agreed upon buyout, end of story." doesn't actually apply in the real world.
A contract isn't worth what it says - it's worth what the team of lawyers can negotiate it to.
I'm willing to bet there's billable hours being rung up right now making sure those figures aren't anywhere near what we'll end up paying/receiving.
Blah blah blah. The complaining gets so old after a while. I'm just happy to have a change and a chance at winning more championships hopefully in a high-quality league given the state of our athletics program.
ESPN is making the moves, they are more powerful than any conference. They will get everyone out of those buyouts I would be willing to put money on it.
Heck I talked to a WKU fan last night and he truly thinks they are moving to the Big 12. WTH they all think they are power 5.
Just want to point out that on the exit fees, no one leaving is writing a check or sending over some bitcoin. Those leaving will simply have to forego their annual revenue distributions from C-USA. There is no negotiating or lawyering that down. C-USA will distribute about $40 to $45 million next year and it will either go to five teams or three. Same for the following season. Also, as I demonstrated previously, the future distributions split across eight (or nine) teams vs the 14 will result in higher distributions to MT if we were to stay.
That makes sense. Don't really care how they decide to collect the $$$ as long as it gets collected.
question for you? don't you have to have the same group of 8 teams to retain the NCAA credits and also doesn't that affect the number of bowl you can have? So if it's down to 3 or 5, isn't the conference already screwed.
No, that's why C-USA is backfilling. The league will never fall below the minimum. As the nine leave the four new will enter. If us and wkcc leave too they will have to find one more to keep it together.
Maybe MT is showing interest in the MAC as a bargaining chip to get their share of the CUSA exit fees if they stick around. They probably also want a very strong say in the new programs.
Ha ha - who am I kidding? MT has no bargaining chips and wouldn't know how to use them anyways.
Ha ha - who am I kidding? MT has no bargaining chips and wouldn't know how to use them anyways.
I don't think our admin would know what to do with bitcoin but the exit fee explanation clears a lot up. Thank you for that MT01!
I can see Sydney and Chris playing rock paper scissors to pick to stay or go given the chance....
"ok, 2 out of 3 Chris!"
I can see Sydney and Chris playing rock paper scissors to pick to stay or go given the chance....
"ok, 2 out of 3 Chris!"
Honestly, a revamped CUSA or joining the MAC is somewhat exciting. Both options have their positives and negatives. I don't think being associated with Liberty/NMSU/SHSU/Uconn is the end of the world. Liberty has an elite football program and very good basketball. If I recall correctly Liberty won their tournament and made the NCAA's recently or at least was in the title game. I remember watching them in their conference title game and I thought they won it.
NMSU is obviously terrible on the gridiron but their basketball program is the real deal. Chris Jans is a great coach and I believe will continue to kick ass at NMSU. NMSU is a top 10 mid-major basketball program right now. As a side note, there were rumors Chris Jans wanted the MT job after Kermit left. SHSU is a sleeping giant in football with huge upside IMO. Don't know much about their basketball program I'm guessing it's average. I hate Uconn for football only. Would rather just add Jacksonville State or Jackson State (who averaged 30k+ fans in football) and be done with it. Uconn for football only is a terrible decision IMO.
The MAC in my eyes would be terrible for us in football, but basketball would interest me. I watch a lot of MAC hoops due to betting on CBB religiously and it's honestly really a pretty good league. They play very well out of conference and their conference games are always pretty tight. Attendance still sucks though. Their football and basketball programs are just not very well supported (we'd fit right in). MAC football just doesn't do it for me though.
So both options are interesting to me. The depressing part that I always circle back to is we have Massaro and McPhee in charge. So it doesn't matter where we end up, we will have terrible leadership either way. That's the bummer for me. I would settle for an FCS conference if it meant McPhee/Massaro got fired.
Last edited:
That "are the Hilltoppers ready?" article really underestimated them in basketball.
Since the 2000-2001 season they have won between 20 and 29 games an amazing 16 times.
Plus, after watching some of the game where WKU football destroyed boy-wonder Will Healey's team by a zillion points the other day, a person might come to the conclusion that WKU is indeed ready. I guess a coach doing backflips and summersaults every time something goes right can only get a team so far. Right, Charlotte?
Since the 2000-2001 season they have won between 20 and 29 games an amazing 16 times.
Plus, after watching some of the game where WKU football destroyed boy-wonder Will Healey's team by a zillion points the other day, a person might come to the conclusion that WKU is indeed ready. I guess a coach doing backflips and summersaults every time something goes right can only get a team so far. Right, Charlotte?
So Wiley, you are saying that you trust Judy. You trust her to help build this up the right way when she is the reason it all went to hell? I dang sure don't think that we would see a dime of that money. Plus, what deal did she make with Liberty? You know they got something extra out of the deal.
Charlotte's QB got injured and was out which is why they got destroyed. Our QB is down now too so WKU will eat our lunch this week as well.
I've been on MAC from the beginning. Posts here. On Twitter. On Facebook. Made maps. But in all reality, I've said this before and will say it again.
Judy.
I simply don't trust her to handle this right. I trust CM more and we all know how that has gone. If someone else with a better track record was rebuilding CUSA I would say stay. Take the $. But I don't trust her to handle the buyout negotiations, and yes there will be negotiations. ie WVU Big Easy and I can guarantee OU and TX won't pay full price. I'm willing to forego what money there will be to get in a stable conference without her and under ESPN.
Disagree. That is fine. In reality we all want the same thing. MT to grow and be successful. We just have varying opinions on how to do it.
Even though CM and McPhee drive us crazy, they are probably having the same discussions we are.
Judy.
I simply don't trust her to handle this right. I trust CM more and we all know how that has gone. If someone else with a better track record was rebuilding CUSA I would say stay. Take the $. But I don't trust her to handle the buyout negotiations, and yes there will be negotiations. ie WVU Big Easy and I can guarantee OU and TX won't pay full price. I'm willing to forego what money there will be to get in a stable conference without her and under ESPN.
Disagree. That is fine. In reality we all want the same thing. MT to grow and be successful. We just have varying opinions on how to do it.
Even though CM and McPhee drive us crazy, they are probably having the same discussions we are.
WKU's QB Zappe had 33 completions for 369 yards and 4 TD's.
Did Charlotte's injured QB also play corner or free safety? Did his absence make the defense atrocious?
Is Charlotte's injured football QB why WKU kicked butt in 16 of the last 21 basketball seasons?
Not trying to be rude but every last anti-MAC excuse has been blown out of the water.
Unfortunately we don't know what the discussions are behind closed doors. Hopefully Massaro and the WKU AD are making demands if we are to stay in CUSA. The MAC rumors definitely give us some leverage and if used right who knows what we could negotiate. I can only tell you what I would demand of Judy for us to remain in CUSA instead of leaving for the MAC.....but who really knows what's being discussed. We could have already made our minds up one way or the other, or there could be very serious negotiations ongoing about the direction we go.
If this requires vision and serious negotiations, then Chris won’t be involved. I mean we are 2 weeks removed from the regulars on this board considering a billboard in M’boro calling for M&M’s removal. I doubt either developed business or leadership skills in the past few weeks. I think events are happening around them and MT will end up in the MAC because WKU needed another school to keep things even or we do nothing to stay in CUSA. I consider each day Massaro doesn’t offer Stockstill or McDevitt a contract extension a win. Forget negotiating anything that could help MT long-term. I assume Massaro’s level of negotiation begins and ends with offering conferences discount coupons to Toots or a comp round of golf the Grove.
Last edited:
Good post.
Staying in CUSA and actually coming out better than in the MAC will require multiple parties who have shown nothing but incompetence, laziness, a lack of foresight, a lack of business ability, a lack of ambition, and no skills at managing the complex realities of collegiate athletics to all of a sudden completely reverse course and navigate us through the eye of a needle of conference realignment where any wrong move could very likely spell no-conference pergatory or the actual dropping of football.
If anyone's primary reason for staying in CUSA is to get cash windfall of exit fee money - humor me this scenario:
If you knew that all that money would not be invested in the program - no IPF, no real facility upgrades - just some window dressing (we painted the softball locker rooms!!!) and a few golf trips, and heck - an extension for our favorite coaches! - would you still be in favor of staying for that $$$$s?
That's the same decision/outcome as going to the MAC. Literally no difference.
If we're not going to build and make any legitimate effort to get better then go to the MAC cause really it's the same end result. And nothing matters. Either we're going to actually try to build the facilities or we're not. I mean they spent a lot of time and money just on putting those renderings together. If we're not actually ever going to do it then it doesn't matter what league MT is in and I can just go back to watching UTK's shit show. At least they are entertaining when losing.
I asked this earlier, but do we even have assurance the exit fee money will be directly distributed to the remaining membership schools? Or does it just sit in a CUSA bank account?
It counts as revenue, so it would be distributed. Maybe somewhere between 90 to 95% as I'm sure the league would find some new expense to siphon some of it off.
Anyone know how it works leaving?
ie if we stay, we should get money from the AAC and SBC defectors. But if we announce we are going to MAC, even if we don't leave till after the others do, we give up our share. Is that correct? Once you announce leaving you are no longer a member with regards to future earnings while you are technically a member?
ie if we stay, we should get money from the AAC and SBC defectors. But if we announce we are going to MAC, even if we don't leave till after the others do, we give up our share. Is that correct? Once you announce leaving you are no longer a member with regards to future earnings while you are technically a member?
Conference USA extends invites to four teams but seeking one more after being gutted during realignment
Conference USA is set to lose nearly 80% of its current membership
www.cbssports.com
Is this you all?
First I've heard of this. But it wouldn't surprise any of us that the Dynamic Duo of Massaro and McPhee could screw this up.Conference USA extends invites to four teams but seeking one more after being gutted during realignment
Conference USA is set to lose nearly 80% of its current membership
Is this you all?
Whoever it is, they're not the brightest bulbs. MAC travel would be a major reduction of travel time for both WKU and MT.Conference USA extends invites to four teams but seeking one more after being gutted during realignment
Conference USA is set to lose nearly 80% of its current membership
Is this you all?
I’m sure it is M and M. We are arguing over what’s best but none of us are driving the bus.
these guys would hydroplane in the desert
these guys would hydroplane in the desert
600 miles from Buffalo to NIU? How about 2000 from FIU to New Mexico St. - ?? A quick 22 hour drive.
hell in the new conference, it will stretch from mountain time zone to the eastern as well. actually more flights accept Jax St and WKU.
Conference USA extends invites to four teams but seeking one more after being gutted during realignment
Conference USA is set to lose nearly 80% of its current membership
Is this you all?
