SWAC Re-alignment? . . . Serious Question


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Deuce

Deuce

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Regardless of what one thinks about Rudy Washington, or the SWAC moving its headquarters to Birmingham, there is little doubt that the idea to split the SWAC into two divisions was a brilliant idea. The move has created excitement among football fans both inside and outside of the SWAC. The SWAC Championship Game has drawn no less than 30,000 fans in its first three years, with nearly 48,000 in attendance at the inaugaral SCG.

In the first three years of the SCG, the East has been represented by THREE different teams, and Alcorn appears to be poised to make a serious run at making it four different teams in four years representing the East. It could happen. On the other hand, in three years the West has been represented by only two teams, and more importantly, NO ONE other than Southern or Grambling appear to be remotely close to punching a ticket to Birmingham.

In view of this, is it time for the SWAC to consider realignment? Should a Mississippi school, Alcorn maybe, be shipped off to the West in exchange for Arkansas Pine Bluff? Or maybe Jackson State should go West with Pine Bluff moving to the East. Or is it to early to make a move? I don't think that it is. Grambling is looking as strong as ever, and Southern ain't looking bad either.

When the current allignment was drawn up a few years ago, it made sense. There were two strong teams in the East, JSU and Alcorn, and two strong teams in the West, SU and GSU. Everybody else was average at best. But with the arrival of L.C. Cole in Montgomery, and A&M's surprising ascent, the power balance in the East has been shaken.

With L.C. Cole in the East, look for the SCG to go through Montgomery for a long time. A&M should be able to build on the success that they had under Cooper, Dr. Thomas has folks excited in Lorman again, and hope springs eternal at JSU. The East will be a four-team race for a while. But unless something is done, the West will be Southern vs Grambling, and that's about it.

No disrespect to ANY team, especially Texas Southern and Pine Bluff, but it just doesn't look good for them getting to Birmingham any time soon. But things change. they did in Montgomery. But in the meantime, it may benefit the SWAC to realign now, and maintain the momentum of this move. That's my opinion.
 
Originally posted by Deuce


In view of this, is it time for the SWAC to consider realignment?

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NO, TOO SOON!

IF THE SWAC ADDS A TEAM OR TWO LIKE MORRIS BROWN OR TENN. ST. THEN AND ONLY THEN CAN I SEE A RE-ALIGNMNET, OR IF PV DECIDES TO DROP FROM THE SWAC OR SOME SITUATION LIKE THAT.
 



Deuce,

Let be real, you just want to do whatever you can to increase Bama State's chances at getting to the SCG year in and year out.

Do you really think the SWAC is going to move Jackson State (of all schools) from the East just to cheapen it for your school's benefit?

Lawd ham mercy!

Only 1n100 came come up with an idea like this!

TP, GR, Robber, JST, and the rest of the Mafia send help!
 
Originally posted by SAME OLD G
Deuce,

Let be real, you just want to do whatever you can to increase Bama State's chances at getting to the SCG year in and year out.

Do you really think the SWAC is going to move Jackson State (of all schools) from the East just to cheapen it for your school's benefit?
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Well, there goes the chance of having a serious conversation about a valid issue.

I didn't want this thread to deteriorate into SMACK, and I will try not to allow it to do so. But having said that, are you sure that it is not YOU who are afraid of having Jackson State in the West?

You've got it pretty good right now, only having to worry about Southern. I guess you don't want a strong JSU team or an improving Alcorn team to come in and spoil the party.

Anyway, Bama State has done pretty well against JSU lately, and handled Grambling in Montgomery too. So don't try to hide behind weak comments like the one that you made, my friend. You ain't foolin' nobody.
 
Originally posted by Deuce

Well, there goes the chance of having a serious conversation about a valid issue.
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Thats just it! This is not a valid issue. So it has to be smack. What is valid about moving Jackson State to the West and moving UAPB to the East? That is not vaild, that is stupid.

The current alignment is based on the geographical settings of the schools - which is also design to save each of the schools money related to travel expenses.

SMH at this foolishness!
 
Actually, if done right, this could be a good idea. Instead of moving people around as earlier posts, just divide the conference into North and South. Southern and Grambling would automatically be split.

The North
Grambling
Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Jackson State
Alabama A&M
Alabama State

The South
Southern
Alcorn State
Mississippi Valley
Texas Southern
Prairie View A&M

What do you think, seriously? It's more balanced than what we have right now. Three potentially good teams in each division. It's harder to come out of either division though.

Only problems .... replay of Bayou Classic a week later, takes away any chance of SU-JSU in the SCG.

However, to those who might say I'm trying to push SU into an easier spot, this was solely done on geography. If that is a problem, send down Jackson State, which makes no sense geographically, but competition wise, and move up Mississippi Valley.
 
And I thought it was just Bama logic. Dude there is nothing logical about this.

And the only thing you people are looking at is football. What about the other sports?

What is the advantage to all of this?

North and South :rolleyes:
 
The other sports that are divided are different how SOGgy? Let's see:

1 - number of people that have to be moved around. Football- well over 100. Baseball, Softball, Bowling - probably don't equal 100 all together.

2 - Pssss ..... no one said anything about any other sports any damn way! But if they did, what would be the problem. The only problem I see, when it comes to distance, would be in the North (Grambling playing an Alabama School or APB against one of them ). However, if it can be done for football, why not the other sports .... oh yeah, no one else in this conference seems to care about those other sports except Southern, the Texas Schools, and the Bama Schools.

3 - Some of the conferences sports aren't division divided any damn way. No effect on them.

The point is that most of these trips are ALREADY made in this conference. Why not try to make it more competitive (THE ADVANTAGE TO ALL OF THIS) if possible? We both know it will probably never happen.


BTW, geographically, Jackson State would be southern and Mississippi Valley would be northern.
 
1. Leave the teams in the current alignment

2. Seed the teams according to overall conference record.
Come up with a pre-determined and consistent means of
settling tie breakers since some teams are not going to play
each other.

I don't necessarily agree with doing this cuz conceivably you could win up with a "week later" replay of the Bayou Classic.
If it's guaranteed that GSU and SU would be in the Championship game prior to the Classic, it could hurt that games attendance.

Let's leave it as is...don't sell the teams in the West short. I think competition will help them rise to the ocassion.
 
To put Jackson State in the same division with Southern and Grambling would in effect kill the conference. You would have your three strongest programs in the West and the East would find itself the "weak sister" that it would be. I dont think anyone considered AAMU to be a strong team the year they made it to the SCG. To take JSU out and put UAPB in would do one good thing for the East; five traditionally weak teams would be assured of a greater opportunity to make the SCG. But it would be devastating for the West because two of the three stongest programs in the conference would sit home on SCG day. In a traditional sense, the two Western Division programs staying home on SCG day would be far superior to the Eastern representative and to all of the other programs constituting the East. Another thing, eighty percent of the SWAC's fan base would be in the West and those SU, JSU and GSU fans would only pay visit to Eastern campuses during the years they rotate onto Eastern shcedules. SWAC fans would soon lose interest in the SCG, and the biggest and most interested SWAC contests would be the Western Division match-ups. This suggestion, in my opinion, is a very bad one. If implemented, and it would never be, it could have fatal results.:(
 
why do folks think PV is leaving the SWAC? That rathole of a president is gone and the next man coming in WILL support full scholarships in all sports.

I think you might want us to leave because we're going to get better. Come ot think of it, besides football and baseball what else are we cellar dwellars in? We have claimed a SWAC NCAA berth unlike some schools, we were in the softball title game, we won the volleyball championship, we have a damn good men's track team. All this without 100-percent support.
 
Originally posted by Blu Panther
why do folks think PV is leaving the SWAC?
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Dude, who said anything about PV leaving the SWAC?

But since we are talking about schools being competitive...

The schools who are constantly cellar dwellers year in and year out only have themselves to blame. I agree that PV could be a constant contender in all sports if the school did a better job of supporting the athletic program. And I don't know what to say about UAPB and MVSU...good gawd!!!! Those two programs just constantly stink it up.

I thought the SWAC had initiated some kind of competative policy that required member schools to meet certain minimums in order to stay in the conference. PV was suppose to be on probation, but we have heard a dayum thing since then.

Jag 79,

Whatever that mess you posted is suppose to mean is straight gobbage! I don't even know anyone can divide the SWAC into North and South divisions. The schools that are furthest apart from each other are the Texas and Alabama Schools and they are East and West from each other!

And another thing, let be real about this since the only thing this topic is really about is football and the SCG, as long as the West representative is either Grambling or Southern the SWAC is happy. As long as the East representative is J-State, Alcorn, or the two Bama schools the SWAC is happy. Nobody else really matters. And if your school wasn't mentioned...do something about it.
 
Solution...

Leave the divisions as they are.

Take the SEC for example...The East Division has had only two representatives (Tennessee and Florida) since the concept was introduced. The West on the other hand has sent every team except Ole Miss. The attendance has only increased every year and there have been no complaints about the setup.

SU and Grambling are indeed the forces in the West with the other teams making slight improvements. J-State is no doubt the BEAST of the EAST with the others making it an interesting race.

The only suggestion that I might offer would be for the SWAC to market the product better and offer improved activities to attract the fans.
 



Originally posted by Tiger Trail
Solution...

Leave the divisions as they are.

Take the SEC for example...The East Division has had only two representatives (Tennessee and Florida) since the concept was introduced. The West on the other hand has sent every team except Ole Miss. The attendance has only increased every year and there have been no complaints about the setup.

SU and Grambling are indeed the forces in the West with the other teams making slight improvements. J-State is no doubt the BEAST of the EAST with the others making it an interesting race.

The only suggestion that I might offer would be for the SWAC to market the product better and offer improved activities to attract the fans.
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Dude I don't know if you are a GSU or JSU supporter, but you are a Tiger of some sort. And Tiger logic prevails everytime.

Good post!
 
There is a greater chance of a 4th different team from the east reppin in scg 4 than from the west. That doesn't speak very beastly about jsu.
 
I still think it makes sense to at least put Alcorn in the West and Pine Bluff in the East. The geographic distance isn't that different in relation to the schools in the East (except JSU), and this would benefit the schools in the West for the most part by cutting down on their travel distance. Isn't Alcorn closer to Southern than nearly every school currently in the West?
 
The aim of realignment would be about more than just geography. Geography is important, but competitiveness is also. Four strong teams in one division versus two in the other division is not good for the conference.
 
Deuce,

I think this is what you're looking for...

NORTH DIVISION

AAMU
UAPB
GRAMBLING
JACKSON STATE
VALLEY

SOUTH DIVISION

BAMA STATE
ALCORN
PV
SU
TEX SO.


It would be like cutting a congressional district to satisfy a political party.
 
Originally posted by Deuce
The aim of realignment would be about more than just geography. Geography is important, but competitiveness is also. Four strong teams in one division versus two in the other division is not good for the conference.
Click to expand...

Dude, there are not 4 strong teams in the East.
 
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