UMass is leaving the MAC

dingo38 · Post by **dingo38** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 2:51 pm

But it isn't expanding if you're losing Louisville and Rutgers. You add us and say marshall (if the rumors of them wanting out are true) and frankly that's not a terrible conference in either basketball or football. You could even work a north and south division with those teams.

UofMTigers · Post by **UofMTigers** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 2:51 pm

sleepy sheep wrote:We are doomed. How will these school be a better opportunity for all UMass athletics over the MAC? Ok Cincy/Memphis/Temple usually good in hoops.

Central Florida
Cincinnati
Houston
Memphis
South Florida
SMU
Temple
East Carolina
Tulane
Tulsa
Rutgers- gonzo
Louiville-gonzo
UConn- gonzo to ACC when they kiss and make up with BC.

lol, UConn and Cincy are stuck...ACC/Big12 dont want more mouths to feed.

UofMTigers · Post by **UofMTigers** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 2:52 pm

Kosty wrote:
UofMTigers wrote:AAC membership would be all sports or nothing...even then, i don't think we're expanding.
You're not.....you're losing two teams.......

And replacing them...i feel nothing for Rutgers...Tulane replaces them.

Losing louisville sucks...but SMU, Tulsa, Temple fill the void they leave.

njumass08 · Post by **njumass08** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 2:54 pm

Well a lot can change in two years. So luckily we have until 2016 to figure this out.

I don't mind Independent if we have to, but it's obviously not ideal with the new G5 payout situation that's starting this year with the "Playoff".

Sun Belt is the only other conference that would take us for Football Only. And the difference in travel costs from MAC to Sun Belt for Football Only isn't much different.

But hopefully sometime in the next two years we end up AAC for all sports.

We have no idea what the A-10 is going to look like in 2 years. That's what makes me really more nervous.

And especially if we see the A-10 get left behind when the FBS conferences decide to break-off and offer stipends.

Eagle22 · Post by **Eagle22** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 2:55 pm

njumass08 wrote:I see three outcomes.

1. Independent starting in the 2016 football season. (Hey Army, how are you doing?) Keeping basketball in A-10.

2. AAC for all sports starting in 2016.

3. Sun Belt for Football Only starting in 2016. Keeping basketball in the A-10.

Have heard #3 since late February, fwiw.

UofMTigers · Post by **UofMTigers** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 2:56 pm

dingo38 wrote:But it isn't expanding if you're losing Louisville and Rutgers. You add us and say marshall (if the rumors of them wanting out are true) and frankly that's not a terrible conference in either basketball or football. You could even work a north and south division with those teams.

We've already replaced them...2014-15 should look like:

Cincy - NCAA
SMU - NCAA
UConn - NCAA
Memphis - NCAA
Tulsa - NIT, maybe NCAA
Houston - NIT or CBI
USF
Temple (wont stay down)
UCF
ECU
Tulane
(NAVY football only)

Mark W · Post by **Mark W** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:00 pm

njumass08 wrote:I know some of you are happy about this, but unless we move to the AAC right away, this isn't a good move.

This is one of those issues that will get different responses based on what sport or group of sports one finds more important to UMass. For the football faithful, and I don't mean to be melodramatic, this could very well be the death knoll for that program. This University is in no position to attempt a run as an independent. Just look at what programs have been able to sustain that...Notre Dame (enough said)....Navy (going to the AAC for football)...Army. (they are a completely different animal than a state flagship university)...Temple( failed attempt)
I certainly hope for the sake of the program that something is in the works.
For basketball, hockey, and lacrosse going all-in with the MAC would have been disastrous. I'm glad that stood their ground.

This should be a very interesting 2 years for UMass. Two years that will have a long term affect on the athletic department for sure!

MullinsManiac · Post by **MullinsManiac** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:01 pm

McCutcheon isn't going to tell the MAC to pound sand unless he has a landing spot in mind. The sloppy-seconds AAC might be his most viable option.

photoman · Post by **photoman** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:02 pm

Wow. I've had my face stuck in front of my computer for two days straight (doing actual work

) so just found out about the MAC exit. Can't say I'm all that upset. I understand that they were the proverbial port in a storm, but it was geographically a complete misfit for us. I thank them for taking us on, but we've got to be able to find competition a little closer than Buffalo.

dingo38 · Post by **dingo38** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:04 pm

I'm still buoyed by what Whipple said when asked. If they were discussing this at the time of his interview and it was a real possibliity would he have signed on to coach a team that was going to either close up shop (the death knell Mark W mentioned) or is moving back down? I think the answer is no to both.

I'm still betting AAC expands (forgot about Tulane and Tulsa) and adds us +1.

njumass08 · Post by **njumass08** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:04 pm

I'm really thinking it's going to be Sun Belt for Football Only in 2016.

I don't see us ever getting into the AAC while UConn is still there. They'll block us.

Max11 · Post by **Max11** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:05 pm

I love the A-10, but the AAC is where we belong.
- Better TV contracts, bigger universities, higher ceiling.

A-10 was great this year in Hoops, but the last-placed team in the AAC (USF) just offered a coach $1million/year. It's just a better-financed conference, and one we fit better in.

Chris20 · Post by **Chris20** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:06 pm

UConn is smart. It's clear that you can't have two teams within an hour of each other have success in college sports. It destroyed Duke and UNC hoops.

UofMTigers · Post by **UofMTigers** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:07 pm

njumass08 wrote:I'm really thinking it's going to be Sun Belt for Football Only in 2016.

I don't see us ever getting into the AAC while UConn is still there. They'll block us.

One vote cant block you...but at the same time there's no pressing need on our end to add UMass.

Big10Land · Post by **Big10Land** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:07 pm

This is warm off the press and the administration was not blindsided. I bet something else is going to be said this week. Also, as said before, a lot can change in two years, who knows what opportunities will be there.