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Being the nation’s most successful Football Championship Subdivision (I-AA) program over the past 10 years wasn’t enough for the decision-makers at Appalachian State, who announced the athletics program is leaving the Southern Conference to join the Sun Belt Conference, which plays at the Football Bowl Subdivision (IA) level.

As soon as it was accepted, ASU became No. 1 in attendance in the Sun Belt among schools that currently play football in that league. Averaging 27,964 per game in 2012 - good enough to lead all FCS schools for a sixth straight year - is impressive at that level.

Joining a D-I league in which no schools average that many isn’t impressive, and doesn’t sound like a step up.

It’s a bold move for a university looking to be more than a big fish in a small pond, but the Mountaineers could be bottom feeders in a lower-tier FBS conference that bears no resemblance to the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 or the ACC.

Remember when Marshall left the SoCon in the mid-1990s? Five Mid-American Conference titles in seven years followed, but the past eight years seldom has been heard from the Thundering Herd, 39-57 since 2005.

Best case scenario for ASU before Wednesday was playing for conference and national titles - best case scenario three seasons away includes a league title and getting to a bowl you’ve never heard of.

Bigger is not always better and stepping up is not always moving forward, lessons ASU football may learn the hard way.

http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20 ... -move-ASU-

If this move eventually leads to an ACC spot, it's the right move. If it's a permanent destination in the Sunbelt, I would say not the right move. Needs to be a stepping stone move, unless the landscape of the FBS playoffs changes to include 20-32 schools.

For me, it boils down to this:

In FCS, App is a consistent contender for national titles. In the Sun Belt, they won't even be ALLOWED in the conversation. To me, the no-brainer move is to stay in the FCS. Perhaps a move to the CAA, or stay in the SoCon, but by all means stay FCS....

Gil Dobie wrote:If this move eventually leads to an ACC spot, it's the right move. If it's a permanent destination in the Sunbelt, I would say not the right move. Needs to be a stepping stone move, unless the landscape of the FBS playoffs changes to include 20-32 schools.

I agree but it that's a long ways down the road. I don't think the ACC would take ANY Sun Belt school, even if it's tops in attendance.

Gil Dobie wrote:If this move eventually leads to an ACC spot, it's the right move. If it's a permanent destination in the Sunbelt, I would say not the right move. Needs to be a stepping stone move, unless the landscape of the FBS playoffs changes to include 20-32 schools.

No school is making the jump thinking it is their last move. The hope is to eventually get to the upper tier but everyone knows that it will never happen by skipping tiers. It's a ladder that must be taken one step at a time. And very few, if any will make it. Some in the big boy pool will drop out.

Utah made it. Boise St. made it......and then didn't. UConn made it but is now on the outside looking in. Same with South Florida. If the ACC explodes, Wake Forest is in deep trouble of falling from the top tier. If the Big 12 had collapsed like it looked like it would a while back, Iowa St and Kansas were in deep trouble. Cincinnati is need of a life preserver too. TCU was big, then small, and now big again.

10 years from now we might find that the top FCS schools and the bottom FBS schools are all one separate division. Some of the "top FCS" schools are identifying themselves now by moving up. The rest will have to hope for an easy transition later. I'm thinking 80 schools in the top division and 80 schools in the second tier.

25 years from now the conferences will break up again and become smaller and more regional. Maybe even be like boxing and be part of different organizations with multiple "national champions". It might get that stupid.

Beardown wrote:

Gil Dobie wrote:If this move eventually leads to an ACC spot, it's the right move. If it's a permanent destination in the Sunbelt, I would say not the right move. Needs to be a stepping stone move, unless the landscape of the FBS playoffs changes to include 20-32 schools.

I agree but it that's a long ways down the road. I don't think the ACC would take ANY Sun Belt school, even if it's tops in attendance.

App St will NEVER be in the ACC's future plans. They've already got the TV market and most App fans also support an ACC school as that is what they were raised on....if the ACC didn't offer an invite to the West Virginia Mountaineers, they dam sure aren't going to offer to the in-state mountaineers..

If this move eventually leads to an ACC spot...

It won't.

Appaholic wrote:

Beardown wrote:
I agree but it that's a long ways down the road. I don't think the ACC would take ANY Sun Belt school, even if it's tops in attendance.

App St will NEVER be in the ACC's future plans. They've already got the TV market and most App fans also support an ACC school as that is what they were raised on....if the ACC didn't offer an invite to the West Virginia Mountaineers, they dam sure aren't going to offer to the in-state mountaineers..

I would be very disappointed if NDSU moved to FBS with no hope of joining a major conference. MAC, WAC, Sunbelt are good stepping stone conferences. I would prefer a MVFC bulk move over a permanent home in the step-sister conferences.

Gil Dobie wrote:

Appaholic wrote:
App St will NEVER be in the ACC's future plans. They've already got the TV market and most App fans also support an ACC school as that is what they were raised on....if the ACC didn't offer an invite to the West Virginia Mountaineers, they dam sure aren't going to offer to the in-state mountaineers..

I would be very disappointed if NDSU moved to FBS with no hope of joining a major conference. MAC, WAC, Sunbelt are good stepping stone conferences. I would prefer a MVFC bulk move over a permanent home in the step-sister conferences.

Fargo isn't going to attract any major conferences....hell, it can't get a decent mid-major all sports conference to be comfortable with Fargo.

clenz wrote:

Gil Dobie wrote:
I would be very disappointed if NDSU moved to FBS with no hope of joining a major conference. MAC, WAC, Sunbelt are good stepping stone conferences. I would prefer a MVFC bulk move over a permanent home in the step-sister conferences.

Fargo isn't going to attract any major conferences....hell, it can't get a decent mid-major all sports conference to be comfortable with Fargo.

Even if NDSU was located in NYC or LA, I would feel the same way.

I initially wasn't that big a fan of this move, but I'm warming up to it a bit albeit slowly. I hope we can be competitive pretty quickly with these guys - the one thing I'll really miss is being able to drive to any away game from our house in under 4 hours. Aside from GSU and Ga State the closest away game would be Troy at over 5 hrs away. I just can't see ASU students and alumni (which are mostly located in the Charlotte/Hickory/Triad/Triangle areas of NC) being able to make much of a presence in Mobile, Monroe, or Lafayette.

SuperHornet wrote:For me, it boils down to this:

In FCS, App is a consistent contender for national titles. In the Sun Belt, they won't even be ALLOWED in the conversation. To me, the no-brainer move is to stay in the FCS. Perhaps a move to the CAA, or stay in the SoCon, but by all means stay FCS....

That's the dumbest suggestion I've heard, but for some reason people keep throwing it out there.

The fact that you think App State should stay in the FCS is evidence that App State made the right call in jumping to the Sun Belt. Especially when you think a move to the CAA would be better.

Gil Dobie wrote:

clenz wrote: Fargo isn't going to attract any major conferences....hell, it can't get a decent mid-major all sports conference to be comfortable with Fargo.

Even if NDSU was located in NYC or LA, I would feel the same way.

If NDSU was UW-M....you'd have in invite from the Horizon...or maybe MVC.

The big thing with the MVC...other than you're in Fargo...is the football piece to it. Been discussed ad nausem, but NDSU is a football first, second, third, and fourth school. The MVC is not interested in that. UNI, SIU, MSU, ISUb, ISUr, are all football schools...but they are all even 50/50 football basketball and most are well into basketball rather than football.

clenz wrote:

Gil Dobie wrote:
Even if NDSU was located in NYC or LA, I would feel the same way.

If NDSU was UW-M....you'd have in invite from the Horizon...or maybe MVC.

The big thing with the MVC...other than you're in Fargo...is the football piece to it. Been discussed ad nausem, but NDSU is a football first, second, third, and fourth school. The MVC is not interested in that. UNI, SIU, MSU, ISUb, ISUr, are all football schools...but they are all even 50/50 football basketball and most are well into basketball rather than football.

My discussion was aimed at the MVFC/Summit grouping, not the MVC. I'm fine with the Summit, having 3 additional former NCC schools is fine. I would not like to see NDSU go FBS, unless it's invited to a Big conference/10, 12 etc, or the MVFC going FBS as a whole. I don't consider the MVC a major conference. The chances of NDSU going to one of these Big conferences is slim to none, so my preference to move to FBS is the same. The MVFC going FBS are not likely in the future. Rather be FCS MVFC than FBS MAC or Sun Belt.

ASUMountaineer wrote:

SuperHornet wrote:For me, it boils down to this:

In FCS, App is a consistent contender for national titles. In the Sun Belt, they won't even be ALLOWED in the conversation. To me, the no-brainer move is to stay in the FCS. Perhaps a move to the CAA, or stay in the SoCon, but by all means stay FCS....

That's the dumbest suggestion I've heard, but for some reason people keep throwing it out there.

The fact that you think App State should stay in the FCS is evidence that App State made the right call in jumping to the Sun Belt. Especially when you think a move to the CAA would be better.

The CAA has its own problems right now, especially on the basketball side. VCU, ODU, GMU, and likely now JMU are all headed elsewhere. The CAA is listing starboard at the present.

I mean, Delaware almost won the CAA men's tourney if that gives you any indication.

93henfan wrote:

ASUMountaineer wrote:
That's the dumbest suggestion I've heard, but for some reason people keep throwing it out there.

The fact that you think App State should stay in the FCS is evidence that App State made the right call in jumping to the Sun Belt. Especially when you think a move to the CAA would be better.

The CAA has its own problems right now, especially on the basketball side. VCU, ODU, GMU, and likely now JMU are all headed elsewhere. The CAA is listing starboard at the present.

I mean, Delaware almost won the CAA men's tourney if that gives you any indication.

And I sincerely am not trying to talk badly about the CAA, but to suggest App State would be better off joining the CAA rather than the Sun Belt is a clueless wonder.

Re: SoCon to Sunbelt The Right Move For ASU?

Chancellor Cheerleader and Chuckles the AD will not be around to see the ultimate damage this does to Appalachian.

The lunatics are running the asylum.

Aho Old Guy wrote:Re: SoCon to Sunbelt The Right Move For ASU?

Chancellor Cheerleader and Chuckles the AD will not be around to see the ultimate damage this does to Appalachian.

The lunatics are running the asylum.

Charlie is simply building a resume and hoping that this gets him into a larger institution. I hope Peacock used his accounting background to justify this move vs. some political agenda.

ASUG8 wrote:

Aho Old Guy wrote:Re: SoCon to Sunbelt The Right Move For ASU?

Chancellor Cheerleader and Chuckles the AD will not be around to see the ultimate damage this does to Appalachian.

The lunatics are running the asylum.

Charlie is simply building a resume and hoping that this gets him into a larger institution. I hope Peacock used his accounting background to justify this move vs. some political agenda.

After the *listening tour* and the release of the (privately-funded) FBS report, Chancellor Cheerleader claimed that additional ticket revenues and corporate sponsors will pay for the move, and ultimately reduce the need of the student fee structure to support the football program.

Still waiting for those details ...

(it will likely be a long wait)

Aho Old Guy wrote:Re: SoCon to Sunbelt The Right Move For ASU?

Chancellor Cheerleader and Chuckles the AD will not be around to see the ultimate damage this does to Appalachian.

The lunatics are running the asylum.

Time to move on, nancy.

Aho Old Guy wrote:Re: SoCon to Sunbelt The Right Move For ASU?

Chancellor Cheerleader and Chuckles the AD will not be around to see the ultimate damage this does to Appalachian.

The lunatics are running the asylum.

Stop being such a pessimist. Look at what the move up did for Middle Tennessee, Troy State, and Marshall. Those were schools not so different from App State that are now FBS powerh...

...oh wait.

Nevermind.

ASUMountaineer wrote:

Aho Old Guy wrote:Re: SoCon to Sunbelt The Right Move For ASU?

Chancellor Cheerleader and Chuckles the AD will not be around to see the ultimate damage this does to Appalachian.

The lunatics are running the asylum.

Time to move on, nancy.

Oh, really ?

I suspect you are right.

Appalachian will never see another penny from me, much less from my 7-figure estate. I also have a $100k life insurance policy that formerly was payable to the ASU Foundation. You know? The Foundation that exists solely to help create the best possible learning environment for Appalachian State University students.
(You see ... I don't have any children)

Check that .... I'll leave the University one dollar. They're not really worth that to me, anymore, but every little bit helps, huh?

Aho Old Guy wrote: (You see ... I don't have any children)

Dad? Is that you?!?!

Aho Old Guy wrote:

ASUMountaineer wrote:
Time to move on, nancy.

Oh, really ?

I suspect you are right.

Appalachian will never see another penny from me, much less from my 7-figure estate. I also have a $100k life insurance policy that formerly was payable to the ASU Foundation. You know? The Foundation that exists solely to help create the best possible learning environment for Appalachian State University students.
(You see ... I don't have any children)

Check that .... I'll leave the University one dollar. They're not really worth that to me, anymore, but every little bit helps, huh?

Wow, you're going to do all of that because they chose to switch conferences? Unreal. Were you this upset when they left NAIA?

Yes, I'm very familiar with the ASU Foundation...I used to work there.

You act like Appalachian switching athletic conferences was a personal attack against you. Get over yourself. I'm sure the university did not set out to intentionally harm you. I actually feel sorry for you, how could someone be so angry and bitter about a change in athletic conferences?

BTW, congrats you are net worth...I hope you feel better having boasted.