Would SoCon Actually Consider Belmont?

[SU DOG]

The article doesn't make much sense to me. IMO, Belmont needs to learn how to beat JSU in basketball before worrying about a conference jump. I am personally against any conference addition that does not play football. Anyhow, here is the Chatty newspaper article:

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/sports/college/story/2017/mar/08/adding-proven-contenders-could-end-socons-one/416549/

[ASU33]

Interesting

[walliver]

CofC was well-respected when they were added in the late mid '90's. Davidson was in the conference at the same time. If we couldn't get an at-large during that period, there is no reason to think Belmont would make a difference.


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[citdog]

If you don't play football get out.

[clenz]

You don't know **** about CBB if that's your take on Belmont

The MVC should be banging Belmonts door down

[citdog]

You don't know **** about CBB if that's your take on Belmont

The MVC should be banging Belmonts door down

Football is a real sport. I don't care to watch a bunch of dudes run around in their pajamas. If you don't play football the SoCon don't want you. UNCG needs to go.

[TTUEagles]

Belmont is good at basketball, for they have probably one of the top 5 coaches in the country. When Rick Byrd leaves, good luck to whoever wants to follow him. Not sure Belmont has much to offer outside of that, and as good as they have been, they've yet to get out of the first round.
The school has dramatically changed in the past 20 years (I'm also an alum of Belmont) and has a ton of money right now... Used to be a very small dump, but it's a beautiful, urban campus in the heart of Nashville with recent additions of many doctorate & post graduate programs.

[JSUSoutherner]

Belmont is good at basketball, for they have probably one of the top 5 coaches in the country. When Rick Byrd leaves, good luck to whoever wants to follow him. Not sure Belmont has much to offer outside of that, and as good as they have been, they've yet to get out of the first round.
The school has dramatically changed in the past 20 years (I'm also an alum of Belmont) and has a ton of money right now... Used to be a very small dump, but it's a beautiful, urban campus in the heart of Nashville with recent additions of many doctorate & post graduate programs.
I was about to ask that. Is there anything they are good at other than basketball?

[Pinnum]

CofC was well-respected when they were added in the late mid '90's. Davidson was in the conference at the same time. If we couldn't get an at-large during that period, there is no reason to think Belmont would make a difference.


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This is correct.

Realistically, you need multiple top-50 teams to get multiple bids the only exception being if you have one top-40 team that stumbles in the conference tournament and some team not expected to go takes the auto-bid.

The SoCon has ZERO top-50 teams this year. They have ONE top-100 team (ETSU at 66). Belmont is at 89 so they wouldn't push the conference over.

When you look some of the basketball conferences that the SoCon aspires to be more like, you'll see those teams not only have the top-50 teams but they also tend to have more top-100 teams.

Conference : Top-100 teams

Atlantic 10: 6
American: 6
Mountain West: 5
West Coast Conf: 3
Missouri Valley: 3
CUSA: 2
SoCon with Belmont: 2


Basically, I don't see why Belmont would make a significant impact in the conference. Belmont's reign has largely been to them being the top-dog in their conference, not because they are a world beater. I think of them like Texas Southern, another team that has done well at getting into the NCAA tournament due to their winning their conference.

The article mentions needing another team if Belmont did make the move and talks about Charleston but UNC-Wilmington seems like a better fit for the

[ASU33]

Belmont is good at basketball, for they have probably one of the top 5 coaches in the country. When Rick Byrd leaves, good luck to whoever wants to follow him. Not sure Belmont has much to offer outside of that, and as good as they have been, they've yet to get out of the first round.
The school has dramatically changed in the past 20 years (I'm also an alum of Belmont) and has a ton of money right now... Used to be a very small dump, but it's a beautiful, urban campus in the heart of Nashville with recent additions of many doctorate & post graduate programs.


Byrd has been there FOREVER!

[JSUSoutherner]

The article doesn't make much sense to me. IMO, Belmont needs to learn how to beat JSU in basketball before worrying about a conference jump. I am personally against any conference addition that does not play football. Anyhow, here is the Chatty newspaper article:

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/sports/college/story/2017/mar/08/adding-proven-contenders-could-end-socons-one/416549/
Maybe the SoCon Should be considering us over Belmont. Since we're obviously superior in everything. :D

[The Cats]

Belmont, CoC, and UNC-W are not interested in the SoCon, so it's a waste of typing to even discuss it.

Even if they were interested, there's enough current schools that want nothing to do with "non-football playing schools" to block it. I also don't think the publics would vote to admit another private at this time.

[Anthony215]

I honestly think Jacksonville State would be a big consideration of the SoCon if the conference felt that JSU was satisfied and happy being in FCS. They probably believe they'll look to make the FBS jump in the next few years so in that instance I see why they may have legit interest in adding Belmont.

[JSUSoutherner]

I honestly think Jacksonville State would be a big consideration of the SoCon if the conference felt that JSU was satisfied and happy being in FCS. They probably believe they'll look to make the FBS jump in the next few years so in that instance I see why they may have legit interest in adding Belmont.
No way we're jumping to FBS anytime soon.

[walliver]

I am not aware of any interest in non-basketball schools. The conference made no effort of which I am aware to replace Davidson or CofC. CofC added nothing to the conference outside of baseball when they were here, so I see no reason to bring them back. I also don't see us adding another football school unless someone leaves. For twenty years, the conference has kept membership at 9 except for two years while waiting for Samford to fulfill its OVC obligations. 9 teams means everyone gets 4 home games and everybody plays everybody else.

If UNCG leaves, they may or may not be replaced. There is a lot of sentiment for football schools only, but the BB coaches and ADs like an even number of teams with 9 guaranteed home games every year. Divisions were not popular, so a BB school joining without UNCG leaving is extremely unlikely.

[SU DOG]

Maybe the SoCon Should be considering us over Belmont. Since we're obviously superior in everything. :D

JSU has a very good overall athletic program. I, for one, would like to see 'yall in the SoCon, now that you don't have Crowe, but I may be in the minority. Congrats on making the Dance.

[TTUEagles]

I was about to ask that. Is there anything they are good at other than basketball?
Women's basketball, I guess. Have a sweet baseball stadium on a hill overlooking downtown Nashville. But, they rather seamlessly moved from a NAIA power to consistent post-season participants: Rick Byrd. Helluva guy, helluva golfer, too.
Belmont produces a lot of music talent and good music producers, if that counts...

[Model Citizen]

Yes, people in the country music industry have poured a lot of money into Belmont. Up and coming school...but isn't this a football board?

[GodHelpTheBears]

You don't know **** about CBB if that's your take on Belmont

The MVC should be banging Belmonts door down

Why did our conference choose Loyola over Belmont again? xconfusedx

[JSUSoutherner]

Women's basketball, I guess. Have a sweet baseball stadium on a hill overlooking downtown Nashville. But, they rather seamlessly moved from a NAIA power to consistent post-season participants: Rick Byrd. Helluva guy, helluva golfer, too.
Belmont produces a lot of music talent and good music producers, if that counts...
Randy Owens > Brad Paisley :D

[Model Citizen]

Why did our conference choose Loyola over Belmont again? xconfusedx

Belmont had no interest in the MVC. Loyola was chosen over three other finalists: Valparaiso, Illinois-Chicago, and UMKC.

[clenz]

Belmont had no interest in the MVC. Loyola was chosen over three other finalists: Valparaiso, Illinois-Chicago, and UMKC.

Belmont had interest but had just gone from ASun to oVC about a year prior. Didn't want to jump again that quickly after.

Valpo would also have been a homerun. But....why add teams that have shown sustained success and carry a name

[Model Citizen]

Lol. Valpo may not have to wait long.

As for Loyola...not a bad choice. They have one more national title in mbb than the rest of the conference. All they really need is football in the PFL.

[clenz]

Lol. Valpo may not have to wait long.

As for Loyola...not a bad choice. They have one more national title in mbb than the rest of the conference. All they really need is football in the PFL.

Loyola hasn't made the NCAA tournament since before the FCS had auto bids for the playoffs for each conference that wanted to participate.

Drake has a Final Four and 3 straight sweet 16s. Granted, those were before color tv was a real thing. They have one NCAA tournament bid since then, and have had about 40 losing seasons out of their last 45 seasons.

I suppose you'd call them not a bad choice for someone trying to strengthen a conference too?

What about Loyola wasn't a bad choice?

[Cocky]

Can we take up funds to help pay for the moving van? Rather have all members play football.

[Model Citizen]

Tradition and Chicago location account for something. You know they were up against UMKC, right?

[uni88]

Tradition and Chicago location account for something. You know they were up against UMKC, right?

There is too much competition from pro teams, B1G0 teams and others so the Chicago location means almost nothing from a market share / TV sets perspective. It might help with recruiting since family and friends would have a better chance to get to a game. But Valpo isn't far from Chicago either and brings more modern name recognition and success. Valpo would have been a better choice.

[clenz]

Tradition and Chicago location account for something. You know they were up against UMKC, right?
What tradition?

Loyola has played 97 seasons of D1 basketball. They have 5 NCAA tournament appearances. None since 1985. The other 4 appearances came between 1961-1968. They have just 7 seasons over .500 since 1985.

Chicago market? We already had it as much as we were going to get it. The MVC is on Comcast Sports Chicago, has been for years. We have a handful of illinois schools. Loyola is in a city of 10 million people and they can't get 2,500 people to a basketball game. That market share is just awful.


The same story plays out for Drake. Hurray, they were good in the late 60s. They have been complete **** since. They are actually at 45% for their all time win % over 111 seasons. They have just 4 NCAA trips in 111 years. 2008 and then 3 in a row between 1968-1971. Since 1971 they have just 11 seasons over .500. They have more seasons with a win % less than .200 than they do over .500.

Want to try again as to why a program like Loyola, UMKC, etc.. should have ever even been considered?

[Model Citizen]

Don't shoot the messenger. With all due respect to the Horizon's second place basketball team, the MVC didn't - and won't - have superstar candidates from which to choose.

[Bucs2016]

Football is a real sport. I don't care to watch a bunch of dudes run around in their pajamas. If you don't play football the SoCon don't want you. UNCG needs to go.

I like your thinking on this. Wish my conference thought more like this.

[dgtw]

Can we take up funds to help pay for the moving van? Rather have all members play football.

Can they take SIUE and Morehead with them?


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[OL FU]

JSU has a very good overall athletic program. I, for one, would like to see 'yall in the SoCon, now that you don't have Crowe, but I may be in the minority. Congrats on making the Dance.

I didn't understand why we didn't try to get them years ago. I am like others now though, since I believe there have been rumblings about making the jump in football.

[SU DOG]

There is another factor when considering JSU. In the old days of Gulf South D-2 football, Troy and JSU were the small scale war of Bama vs Auburn. This was one FIERCE rivalry, which had few equals outside of D-1. Even their bands tried to outdo one another for about 30 minutes after their games. I know for a fact that there are some old heads JSU folks that will never be happy thinking that the Trojans have one-upped them. It is actually a shame that the game isn't still played, though I don't know if it will ever happen again. My understanding is that JSU would be happy to play them even now, but Troy would be in a no-win situation, so they won't agree.

[PaladinFan]

I don't mind basketball-only schools. Unlike several years ago, the SoCon is a better basketball conference top to bottom.

Besides, there's a great deal of money to be made. I am just guessing, but I imagine Davidson's run through the NCAA tournament probably made more money for the SoCon institutions than all of App State's national titles in football combined.

[SU DOG]

I do mind those schools that don't play football joining, but PF you are exactly right. That Davidson run was an unmatched money milk cow that the SoCon schools enjoyed.

[walliver]

I do mind those schools that don't play football joining, but PF you are exactly right. That Davidson run was an unmatched money milk cow that the SoCon schools enjoyed.

Probably not as big a payday as when the 5 malcontents paid their good riddance fees 3 years ago.