CUSA Regionalization concept would realign teams in AAC, Conference USA, Sun Belt

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Originally Posted by stodgdog

Can't you brief me?

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I think I can give a synopsys:

Fat Cats push out alley cats.

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Originally Posted by Blue Dawg

What are y'all seeing to convince you this AD is so much different? Serious question.

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From my perspective, Dr.Woods comes across as a tactful, servant-leader type who intentionally connects with the broad fanbase. I'm just a normal fan who attends multiple games. 3 times he has personally thanked me for attending a sporting event. First time was at a basketball game and he came and sat down on our row and thanked my daughters and their friend along with my wife and myself for coming out. I think he asked where we were from and sat beside us for a few minutes just because he wanted to meet us. Second time was at a baseball game (can't remember if it was Southern Miss or the NC State regional) and he reached out and shook my hand, saying he was glad to see me there. Third time was at the SMU football game. He was walking up the stairs and thanked my entire group for coming out. He's different in that way for sure. I also imagine he's probably fairly connected due his work at Arkansas and UCF. I'm not sure how long he'll be at Tech but I find him to be very personable and I'm proud to have him as our AD.

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Originally Posted by Dwayne From Minden

The movers and shakers I personally know are resigned to the fact we are probably getting hung out to dry...

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That's not what I'm hearing. First of all, I can promise you that most of the "shakers and movers" at LA Tech are totally clueless about what's going on with the AAC application. Only a very few people know anything about it. I've never seen Tech's leadership keep anything under wraps as well as they have this particular application. Don't mistake the quietness for inactivity. Tech may or may not receive an invite to the AAC, but I do know we have submitted a very strong application, and the AAC door was NOT slammed in our face.

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Originally Posted by HogDawg

That's not what I'm hearing. First of all, I can promise you that most of the "shakers and movers" at LA Tech are totally clueless about what's going on with the AAC application. Only a very few people know anything about it. I've never seen Tech's leadership keep anything under wraps as well as they have this particular application. Don't mistake the quietness for inactivity. Tech may or may not receive an invite to the AAC, but I do know we have submitted a very strong application, and the AAC door was NOT slammed in our face.

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hopefully I’m congratulating instead of joining in on the SOS excuse making we’ve been indoctrinated with for the past 15+ years

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Originally Posted by boxerdog

From my perspective, Dr.Woods comes across as a tactful, servant-leader type who intentionally connects with the broad fanbase. I'm just a normal fan who attends multiple games. 3 times he has personally thanked me for attending a sporting event. First time was at a basketball game and he came and sat down on our row and thanked my daughters and their friend along with my wife and myself for coming out. I think he asked where we were from and sat beside us for a few minutes just because he wanted to meet us. Second time was at a baseball game (can't remember if it was Southern Miss or the NC State regional) and he reached out and shook my hand, saying he was glad to see me there. Third time was at the SMU football game. He was walking up the stairs and thanked my entire group for coming out. He's different in that way for sure. I also imagine he's probably fairly connected due his work at Arkansas and UCF. I'm not sure how long he'll be at Tech but I find him to be very personable and I'm proud to have him as our AD.

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Thanks for this.

I certainly hope that his time of "listening and learning" is long over and his time of "getting shit done" is long begun. This is probably the most important year in the history of Tech since 1988: he can't afford to mess this up, so I hope for all our sakes he doesn't!

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Originally Posted by boxerdog

From my perspective, Dr.Woods comes across as a tactful, servant-leader type who intentionally connects with the broad fanbase. I'm just a normal fan who attends multiple games. 3 times he has personally thanked me for attending a sporting event. First time was at a basketball game and he came and sat down on our row and thanked my daughters and their friend along with my wife and myself for coming out. I think he asked where we were from and sat beside us for a few minutes just because he wanted to meet us. Second time was at a baseball game (can't remember if it was Southern Miss or the NC State regional) and he reached out and shook my hand, saying he was glad to see me there. Third time was at the SMU football game. He was walking up the stairs and thanked my entire group for coming out. He's different in that way for sure. I also imagine he's probably fairly connected due his work at Arkansas and UCF. I'm not sure how long he'll be at Tech but I find him to be very personable and I'm proud to have him as our AD.

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Interesting. The man has never spoken two words to me, and I've been in his small group "orbit" 3 or 4 times. He has also never returned my one phone call that I placed to his office.

BUT --and I want to be very clear about this-- I DON'T CARE!! I don't mind at all that Dr Wood hasn't been personable with me, as long as he's doing his job and getting stuff done for LA Tech athletics. I don't need my ego stroked, or any of that nonsense, to be a very happy Bulldog fan. If Dr. Wood manages to get us in the AAC, he'll probably be instantly on my list of Top 2 LA Tech AD's of all time, regardless of if he ever speaks a word to me or not.

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Originally Posted by PawDawg

hopefully I’m congratulating instead of joining in on the SOS excuse making we’ve been indoctrinated with for the past 15+ years

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same

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Originally Posted by HogDawg

That's not what I'm hearing. First of all, I can promise you that most of the "shakers and movers" at LA Tech are totally clueless about what's going on with the AAC application. Only a very few people know anything about it. I've never seen Tech's leadership keep anything under wraps as well as they have this particular application. Don't mistake the quietness for inactivity. Tech may or may not receive an invite to the AAC, but I do know we have submitted a very strong application, and the AAC door was NOT slammed in our face.

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You were way out in front on Austin coming to Tech, so I believe you know what you’re talking about.

I think we all know the fan based PR game is just friendly window dressing. None of that means diddly squat to what’s really important. Some fans may feel a jolt of ego for the AD to say ‘hi’ and shake their hand, but where Woods’ greatest value is, is in doing deals with other ADs to benefit Tech moving forward. Second to that is getting our coaching circus straightened out to start competing better and winning some games that are considered over our heads. I’ve been around long enough to be skeptical of what Tech can accomplish when I count up all the shortfalls we’ve had. Hopefully... this time things will be different. My fingers are crossed.

After being turned down by the schools the AAC was initially targeting, their Commissioner has adopted Mickey Gilley's hit song "All The Girls Get Prettier At Closing Time" as the new AAC theme song!!! LOL!!!! Unless the AAC extends invitations to the top teams from the Sun Belt and CUSA (and they all accept) the AAC will not be any better than the SBC and MWC.

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Originally Posted by CajunDave1

After being turned down by the schools the AAC was initially targeting, their Commissioner has adopted Mickey Gilley's hit song "All The Girls Get Prettier At Closing Time" as the new AAC theme song!!! LOL!!!! Unless the AAC extends invitations to the top teams from the Sun Belt and CUSA (and they all accept) the AAC will not be any better than the SBC and MWC.

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Well, you may be right, but...I think we'd still go to the party, even if it mean that we were going with y'all. ;)

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Originally Posted by HogDawg

he'll probably be instantly on my list of Top 2 LA Tech AD's of all time, regardless of if he ever speaks a word to me or not.

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I'd be curious what your list is right now. It could be a fun offseason thread.

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Originally Posted by Dawgonit

I'd be curious what your list is right now. It could be a fun offseason thread.

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Yeah. I'll save that for the off-season.:laugh:

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Originally Posted by Bone_afide_Dawg

I think we all know the fan based PR game is just friendly window dressing. None of that means diddly squat to what’s really important. Some fans may feel a jolt of ego for the AD to say ‘hi’ and shake their hand, but where Woods’ greatest value is, is in doing deals with other ADs to benefit Tech moving forward. Second to that is getting our coaching circus straightened out to start competing better and winning some games that are considered over our heads. I’ve been around long enough to be skeptical of what Tech can accomplish when I count up all the shortfalls we’ve had. Hopefully... this time things will be different. My fingers are crossed.

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I don't care if he spits in my face if he can navigate what's coming.

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Originally Posted by CajunDave1

After being turned down by the schools the AAC was initially targeting, their Commissioner has adopted Mickey Gilley's hit song "All The Girls Get Prettier At Closing Time" as the new AAC theme song!!! LOL!!!! Unless the AAC extends invitations to the top teams from the Sun Belt and CUSA (and they all accept) the AAC will not be any better than the SBC and MWC.

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Dave, the AAC is apparently looking for national research universities who are competitive in football, basketball, and baseball and who also have a brand and a fanbase.

In truth, there are only 3 schools out of CUSA/SBC who meet that criteria - the Blazers, Bulldogs, and the Cajuns. If you drop the research university component, you could add the Thundering Herd to the list. USM would have been there a decade ago, but poor leadership has actually caused them to regress.

I know that many schools in the SBC have reservations about the AAC. But the NCAA's meeting later this year may change the look of the FBS. Those changes may continue over the next decade. And if that's the case I would want to be in either the AAC or MWC.