WoolyBully

And we can't rule out that the AAC is being proactive...adding a surplus of teams at point-X, knowing - or at least certainly expecting - a number of members will be exiting in the foreseeable future. This pretty much ensures that there is less of a mad scramble to back fill vacancies. Given that the AAC has to realize that there will be no "P-6" (regardless of down marker decor), this could just be cementing the 'tallest midget' foundation for years to come. Get rid of USF & FAU, and who would be AAC find desirable? Appalachian State & Coastal Carolina? How 'bout Southern Miss & Troy? I would imagine that the non-P5 conferences view expansion much as the P5 does: what does [variable] bring to the table and how / is that advantageous to us going forward? Gotta think in terms of the non-P5 market not drying up and blowing away just because of P5 machinations. We - and you know who we are - still have a business to run regardless of what the neighbors are doing.

Got it, very straightforward. I like the idea of just picking winners per week within the conference given that CBS, and maybe ESPN, have pick'em for NCAA football each fall. I like the logos for each team rather than just a text listing.

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USF @ +14. Great Caesar has spoken.

Hmmmm....lemme put in call to Westgate & Caesars. I'll get back to you.

That is a good point. They started playing in '79. Interesting that a girl I knew in high school, upon graduation from Sun Valley High School in Monroe, NC ('78) went off to some place called the University of Central Florida. Mostly everyone else, who did opt for higher education, found themselves either at UNCC (pronounced Charlotte) or App State. A twenty odd year head start does make a difference, and I can see where upstart USF passing them could grind their gears. There were times when I wondered why UCF wasn't farther up the ladder to begin with.

How **** many owls do you want?! I wanna go back to the days of '97~'98 when we played Morehead State University. The chant of "We want ---- More Head, we want --- More Head" resounding through the stadium. Now it's just hooting owls. Much less entertaining.

Fellas, it's all a part of our marketing campaign. I'm sure you're familiar with the 'lipstick on a pig" metaphor. As pointed out above, the conference has to work with the tools and material at its disposal. Until such time as we are credible, this is what we have to contend with. Embrace it. We may be here for quite a while.

You'll pardon me if I don't slide all of my chips on that happening.

No. Absolutely not. The article is 100% truthful, and cites - not just op/ed - from persons actually associated with the programs; their assessment on divergence. It's a great catch-up if, unlike us, you've haven't been glued to USF football over the past decade or so. And if you think about it, given our relentless grousing over the trillions of alumni in the area who don't show up on game day, this makes for a good read. Just check in to take the pulse and go back to Noles & Gators. The article is a use of your discretionary time. You (board members) will not learn anything you didn't already know. No big reveal, no secret recipe. Think of it as an archival document. Doesn't change anything but it is a good history of why we're here and they're there. Now, if you're "uncomfortable with the history, makes you feel bad", well...

I ceased the excited for [entity] business some time back. I don't expect to be excited about winning three or four games this season. Once U of SF is back to contender status, then I'll see if I can muster excitement.

As do numerous possums and armadillos. I would prefer we finish "middle of the pack" or "middle of the conference".

So, 'couple of years back the Mrs. & I spent the day at the >21 pool at Flamingo. What you want to do is rent a day bed next to the pool. Don't get a cabana, because that is - in stadium parlance - an 'obstructed view'. Yes. Yes having a "Vegas pool" on a college campus stadium will definitely guar-ahn-teeee television coverage.

I haven't spent a ton of time delving into the whole "tax incentive" thing, which - just me - sounds like bakshish, but a lot of states are backing off of the idea or paring it down. I seem to recall that there was some Ybor City themed mafia flick that was shot in North Carolina again the tax credit issue being the reason. But...it's just a movie. Two hours of distraction. It'll be interesting to see how this one shakes out. Don't know that I'd actually spring for theater tickets, but I'm sure it will wind up on some media platform.

There is a finite number of jokes in the universe as there is a finite amount of patience on this interweb board. Our supply of said material was exhausted some time back. We want - no, demand - absolute immediate gratification. Anything less is absolutely untenable. It's 2023. Don't make me get all old skool pitchforky-and-torchy, 'G'.

I find stuff like this fascinating: " Crews are using huge water tanks, which were also used in films like "Captain Phillips." French said Florida is not ideal for film production, saying the state lacks film tax incentives and huge water tanks. "We are likely to come to Clearwater to do some exterior shots to help establish where the film is set for authenticity, but it probably will not include any of the lead actors because we’ve already shot those roles, and honestly, that’s a byproduct of the lack of state incentives for film and the fact that Florida doesn’t have the kind of open water facility that we need to shoot a major motion picture like this and do it safely," said French." about incentives https://www.wrapbook.com/blog/film-industry-tax-incentives turns out there is about fourteen states that offer no incentives.

Not my demographic.

Since we're embracing possibilities, at what point can USF start expecting an invite to either the SEC or B1G? You know, what with us being such a valuable property now that - according to the cutting-edge AI prognosticator - Jeff Scott, our new hire, is just packed to the brim with potential success.

Yep, stuck with only winning four times as many games as USF last season. The horror...the horror.

How would that be the case? If you have a 12-team playoff consisting of the following: The top four conference champions (let's just say B1G, SEC,ACC,PAC12), followed by some combination of the top six at-large bids and two highest-ranked remaining conference champions (Which I believe would come from Big XII &AAC). Teams will be ordered based on the College Football Playoff rankings. That guarantees at least one "Group of 5" team will make the Playoff each year and, while it's unlikely, allows the possibility of more than one G5 team making the Playoff in lieu of a "Power 5" team. If I were a gambling man, I don't know that I'd bet on "AAC > XII". Tulane finished up the year ranked #9 & Fresno State finished up #24. That being the case, although nice for the G5, I still think USF is long way (multiple years) from seeing the playoffs and just don't see the AAC bypassing the XII. * Listing excluded Texas & Oklahoma from XII

As you should be. One of life's simple pleasures is Vegas during football season or during NCAA hoops tourney.

Marketing! We went over this in the staff meeting, remember?! Gin up excitement, amp up emotions, make it an "event", put it on the calendar. Although we loved the West Virginia games, WVU considers Pitt to be their rival. L'ville & Kentucky play for the Governor's Cup. What did we have? Seriously? Other than UCF, what were our options? If you don't "need" a rivalry, then there is no need to look forward to establishing one in the future is there? But rivalries are what makes the down-marker go 'round. What is the Michigan agenda? Which matters more - Ohio State or Michigan State? How relevant is that USC game to UCLA? But let's look at our conference brethren in the year 2023. What sort of "new" rivalry (once we are capable of outscoring someone) could be concocted? Gotta come up with something! Oh, and don't forget, the proposed "rival" has to see the relationship the same way. Very important for advertising purposes!

I like any coach with a name like Biff Poggi. I don't put much stock in the preseason rags, but the AAC doesn't look like a dumpster fire, in particular the top six. Looking forward to this season getting under way. June's a long way from kickoff, but it will be here before you know it.