Taylor-Made'90
I'm 'Citrix SSO' batch!!!
There are several good suggestions regarding how a 'super conference' would look. But one question I would ask is this:
Do we rob Peter to pay Paul?
By excluding some schools in favor of adding others, will only further divide an already-fragile state of affairs for HBCU athletics. There's no way a newly-revamped SWAC would survive without a Jackson State, Southern or Grambling. The MEAC would wither without FAMU and a few others. So, would creating a new conference be worth leaving the others behind?
I don't think so. I think Jackson State loses when it leaves Valley and Alcorn behind. What happens to TxSou and PV if/when Southern leaves? What happens to PV and UAPB if/when Grambling leaves? See where I'm going with this?
Creating a new conference out of two conferences is basically an exercise in 'selective realignment', pitting the stronger teams against each other, and leaving the weaker teams to struggle. What does that say for HBCUs?
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What I'd like to see eventually happen is this: (and this is me wishing out loud).
I'd like to see the SWAC change it's scheduling format, playing fewer conference games, allowing only the division games to count every year. That way, teams could still play schools in the other division, but it wouldn't create a strength-of-schedule issue that seemingly happens now when teams don't play the same conference schedule (outside the division).
Also, I'd like to see the SWAC (as a conference) market itself to other conferences, negotiating football packages between member schools. Here's my example:
The SWAC approaches the SEC (for instance). With the next few upcoming seasons containing 14 weekends between Labor Day and Thanksgiving, Div 1-A schools will be able to schedule a 12th game. Most schools will schedule a non-conference opponent for the 1st game (around Labor Day) and have that game count sorta like a 'preseason' game. The SWAC approaches the SEC and says that we (SWAC) are willing to play every SEC team in their season-opener for the 2006 season. All the games would be home-openers for the SEC schools. The benefits would be: And extra home game for the SEC schools (helps with season ticket sales). The games would count toward the 6 required for bowl eligibility. The games would be non-conference, allowing teams to 'field test' themselves before confernce play starts. The benefits for us (SWAC) would be: National TV audiences. Nice financial paydays. We would also benefit from a recruiting stand-point. And we'd eventually be competitive enough to have some good games.
Now I know the nay-sayers will say that no payyoff is worth getting our heads beat in, and I'd agree to an extent. I just think the positives would out-weigh the negatives. Besides, most of our schools already play some PWCs in basketball and baseball, so why not football? And I think several PWCs would go for it.
Just a suggestion..
-------------------------------------------------------
But since we're talking Super Conference, here goes:
The Negro Division
FAMU
Alabama A&M
Alabama State or Tuskegee
South Carolina State
NCAT
The Coloured Division
Southern
Grambling
Jackson State
Alcorn
TennState
:dude:
Do we rob Peter to pay Paul?
By excluding some schools in favor of adding others, will only further divide an already-fragile state of affairs for HBCU athletics. There's no way a newly-revamped SWAC would survive without a Jackson State, Southern or Grambling. The MEAC would wither without FAMU and a few others. So, would creating a new conference be worth leaving the others behind?
I don't think so. I think Jackson State loses when it leaves Valley and Alcorn behind. What happens to TxSou and PV if/when Southern leaves? What happens to PV and UAPB if/when Grambling leaves? See where I'm going with this?
Creating a new conference out of two conferences is basically an exercise in 'selective realignment', pitting the stronger teams against each other, and leaving the weaker teams to struggle. What does that say for HBCUs?
------------------------------------------------
What I'd like to see eventually happen is this: (and this is me wishing out loud).
I'd like to see the SWAC change it's scheduling format, playing fewer conference games, allowing only the division games to count every year. That way, teams could still play schools in the other division, but it wouldn't create a strength-of-schedule issue that seemingly happens now when teams don't play the same conference schedule (outside the division).
Also, I'd like to see the SWAC (as a conference) market itself to other conferences, negotiating football packages between member schools. Here's my example:
The SWAC approaches the SEC (for instance). With the next few upcoming seasons containing 14 weekends between Labor Day and Thanksgiving, Div 1-A schools will be able to schedule a 12th game. Most schools will schedule a non-conference opponent for the 1st game (around Labor Day) and have that game count sorta like a 'preseason' game. The SWAC approaches the SEC and says that we (SWAC) are willing to play every SEC team in their season-opener for the 2006 season. All the games would be home-openers for the SEC schools. The benefits would be: And extra home game for the SEC schools (helps with season ticket sales). The games would count toward the 6 required for bowl eligibility. The games would be non-conference, allowing teams to 'field test' themselves before confernce play starts. The benefits for us (SWAC) would be: National TV audiences. Nice financial paydays. We would also benefit from a recruiting stand-point. And we'd eventually be competitive enough to have some good games.
Now I know the nay-sayers will say that no payyoff is worth getting our heads beat in, and I'd agree to an extent. I just think the positives would out-weigh the negatives. Besides, most of our schools already play some PWCs in basketball and baseball, so why not football? And I think several PWCs would go for it.
Just a suggestion..
-------------------------------------------------------
But since we're talking Super Conference, here goes:
The Negro Division
FAMU
Alabama A&M
Alabama State or Tuskegee
South Carolina State
NCAT
The Coloured Division
Southern
Grambling
Jackson State
Alcorn
TennState
:dude:
