Question for the Southland folks....

[AppMan]

Does the SFL work well for its members?

How many other conferences do members belong to for other sports?

Was it a hard sell in the beginning?

[TexasTerror]

SFL has not existed in several years. The teams that did participate (Troy St and Jacksonville State) did not participate in other sports.

[blackfordpu]

May be a dumb question but what was the SFL?? :confused:

[exbearkat]

May be a dumb question but what was the SFL?? :confused:Southland Football League. :)

[McTailGator]

Does the SFL work well for its members?

How many other conferences do members belong to for other sports?

Was it a hard sell in the beginning?

Not a hard sell to the football playing schools in the conference. The SFL was merged back with the SLC once Troy left for I-A and JSU left for a chance to win. (;


The need for the SFL was simple, the football schools were tired of the non-football schools calling the shots and hurting the conference with anti-football votes. Since then Southeastern added football and gave the football schools a bigger majority when voting on issues.

There is still the desire by the non-football schools to add more non-football schools to the conference, but 7 voting members now gives us a STRONG majority thus we are protected from the whimpy little non-FB schools.

[TexasTerror]

And this issue of non-football versus football-playing is an issue we're facing now as expansion is looked over. Do the non-footballs want another football-playing or two? We'll see what comes of it...

[AppMan]

"Not a hard sell to the football playing schools in the conference. The SFL was merged back with the SLC once Troy left for I-A and JSU left for a chance to win."

I apologize for the mistake. I knew the merger had taken place, but I phrased my question in the wrong tense. Anyway, thanks for the response.

[JaxSinfonian]

... and JSU left for a chance to win. (;
Hey, JSU beat every team in the SFL at least once, except McNeese (and Troy - JSU still leads the all-time series against them 33-27-2, though).

We just couldn't string all those wins together in one season. ;)

[McNeeserocket]

Hey, JSU beat every team in the SFL at least once, except McNeese (and Troy - JSU still leads the all-time series against them 33-27-2, though).

We just couldn't string all those wins together in one season. ;)
I think McTailgator was implying that Jacksonville State never won a Conference title the entire time they were in the Southland. Now that they choose a different conference, they have won the conference title several times.

[dbackjon]

Issues like this (non-football vs football) is one reason I love the Big Sky - to be a member you HAVE to play football, and give out 50 + (not sure the exact number) of scholarships.

[Hansel]

Issues like this (non-football vs football) is one reason I love the Big Sky - to be a member you HAVE to play football, and give out 50 + (not sure the exact number) of scholarships.

60 scholies- and Fullerton has mentioned the possibilitiy of a non-FB member (Denver)

[dbackjon]

60 scholies- and Fullerton has mentioned the possibilitiy of a non-FB member (Denver)

Thanks.

I hope they don't add Denver (unless Denver adds football). While Denver in the Big Sky makes more sense than the SunBelt, and if we add UNC that would make a good travel partner for other sports, not sure I like the idea of a small private non-football playing school in the Big Sky. If we wanted one of those, we'd kept Gonzaga!

[NoCoDanny]

Thanks.

I hope they don't add Denver (unless Denver adds football). While Denver in the Big Sky makes more sense than the SunBelt, and if we add UNC that would make a good travel partner for other sports, not sure I like the idea of a small private non-football playing school in the Big Sky. If we wanted one of those, we'd kept Gonzaga!

They aren't all that small, 9,500 students, great facilities, strong academics, and deep pockets.

[dbackjon]

They aren't all that small, 9,500 students, great facilities, strong academics, and deep pockets.

That big?

What are the chances they would start Football?

[NoCoDanny]

That big?

What are the chances they would start Football?

None, they have no place to play. They dropped the football program, which was D1, around 1961 and up until the late 60's they had an on campus stadium that sat around 20K which was torn down and has now been replaced by buildings.

The closest stadium would be Invesco Field at Mile High which obviously would never happen. Across the interstate is the Denver Public Schools stadium which is a basic high school stadium that would seat maybe 3,000 or 4,000.

They are really pushing D1 Lacrosse now for whatever reason.

[arkstfan]

They are really pushing D1 Lacrosse now for whatever reason.

Rosters in the 30 to 40 range for the cost of 12.6 equivalencies, if they award them all. With the cost of tuition at Denver, lacrosse would nearly pay for itself in the amount of additional tuition it would bring in.

Also raises the profile of the school in the Northeast which has traditionally been a great area for private colleges to recruit students.

[kats89]

I really think the Southland is pushing for some more football playing schools to add to the conference because they have said it has been hard scheduling 4 and sometimes 5 non conference games every year. SE La starting football again really helped. And now there has been talk that Central Arkansas and Tarleton St have both sent inquiries to the Southland about joining and moving up from DII. Both would be good additions in my opinion.

[NoCoDanny]

Rosters in the 30 to 40 range for the cost of 12.6 equivalencies, if they award them all. With the cost of tuition at Denver, lacrosse would nearly pay for itself in the amount of additional tuition it would bring in.

Also raises the profile of the school in the Northeast which has traditionally been a great area for private colleges to recruit students.

That makes sense! Thanks for the clarification.

[blackfordpu]

I really think the Southland is pushing for some more football playing schools to add to the conference because they have said it has been hard scheduling 4 and sometimes 5 non conference games every year. SE La starting football again really helped. And now there has been talk that Central Arkansas and Tarleton St have both sent inquiries to the Southland about joining and moving up from DII. Both would be good additions in my opinion.

Tarleton would have been a great addition a couple of years ago. Look at their situation now though. They lost their head coach and most of the staff to Sam Houston this season. This means it will take some time for them to build up their program again. They need to establish themselves as a D-II powerhouse again before they think about making the jump to I-AA.

[kats89]

Tarleton St has already replaced their entire football staff. They acutually had it done before Sam Houston did. Their new head coach is another former Sam Houston Asst. Coach from the 90's. They will be fine and have sent a letter of inquiry to the conference. They would be a great addition along with the possibility of Central Arkansas.

Tarleton was 45-23 over the last 4 years. Not considered a "powerhouse", but they have done very well in the Lone Star Conf and DII the past 4 years.