Watch live OVC Media day online
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BulldogM.Ed.23
Bulldog Fan/Supporter
watching it now....by the way I heard that the OVC was flirting with UT-Chatt. for membership, is this true?
There?s going to be an elephant in the corner of almost every Greenville, S.C., Hyatt Regency hotel room early this week. No one has talked about it, and no one is scheduled to talk about it.BulldogM.Ed.23 said:
But the odds of it being mentioned are high.
Southern Conference officials have not put league-membership discussion on the athletic directors? meeting agenda at the league?s football rouser, which starts today. No league or University of Tennessee at Chattanooga representatives said they wanted to talk about it during the three-day event, but everyone is prepared in case someone else does.
"I would assume that would come up with some people," Mocs football coach Rodney Allison said. "I know the local interest has been pretty heavy. I don?t know what?s going to happen, but I?m prepared to talk about it."
Everyone has to be prepared, because UTC officials are seriously considering leaving the SoCon for the Ohio Valley Conference.
SoCon commissioner John Iamarino said there is no reason for the athletic directors to talk about membership issues this week because "it?s not their decision to make.
"At this point, there?s really nothing that the athletic directors need to discuss with each other about this," he said. "Their conversations will take place on their campuses with their presidents, who ultimately will make the decision."
The league?s presidents met in June and, according to Iamarino, membership and expansion were hot discussions. They decided they needed more information from the conference (which has since been provided) and from each school, which the presidents are gathering.
Iamarino said he is gathering a task force of league presidents to collect information from each school for their next scheduled meeting in November.
"Naturally, there?s a lot of sensitivity, because you?re talking about people in other conferences," Iamarino said.
The SoCon?s plan could change drastically with one forthcoming decision from UTC chancellor Dr. Roger Brown, who will not be at the rouser because of a scheduling conflict. He said he didn?t expect new athletic director Rick Hart to be bombarded with those questions from his peers during his second week on the job.
"Rick and I have not had the long talk that we want to have and will have in the next few days about the pros and cons of all this, so I think it?s great that the conference is giving us more time to talk about it," Brown said. "It?s a lot better, from my point of view. I want to talk about everything, pro and con, before I make a decision about this, and we?ve got a lot to discuss."
That will not be during the next three days, if Allison, Hart and Iamarino get their way.
"I know that at some time we?ll probably talk about expansion issues, and I?m ready to talk about those issues," Hart said. "But as far as the OVC overtures, I don?t think this would be the appropriate time to talk about it. I don?t see how that fits with the other 10 (SoCon) schools at this point. I feel like those discussions need to start at a different level.
"And from my perspective, there?s really nothing to talk about. Everyone is focused on winning championships in the Southern Conference, which is the conference we belong to."
Iamarino also said he didn?t think this week was the appropriate time.
"But will we talk about it? It?s very possible," he said. "We usually talk about things that aren?t on the agenda. We want to hear what all our members have to say. If it?s something they want to discuss, I?m sure we?ll discuss it."
Allison, who has declined making his conference opinion public, said the rouser would be "business as usual" for him and UTC players Eldra Buckley and Jeff Phillips.
"That is, right now, not a concern to me," Allison said. "That?s not a focus of mine. If I?m asked, or somebody wants me to give my opinion, I?ll be involved, but I?m not worried about it.
"We?re going to play in the Southern Conference this year, I know. There?s nothing up there that?s going to distract me from preparing for this season."