St Xavier game .. DUMP IT !!

[cpacmel]

Pretty simple buy out st Xavier and hit the road for a D1 game at Mississippi valley state.

Time to bite the bullet ISU and spend the money to make this right.

 

[RedbirdSoxFan]

Pretty simple buy out st Xavier and hit the road for a D1 game at Mississippi valley state.

Time to bite the bullet ISU and spend the money to make this right.

Send season ticket renewal form back with a note stating to buy out the St Xavier game and then return renewal request to season ticket holder to renew season tickets.

 

[Redbirdwarrior]

I agree with all this. Usually I'm like "Let it be", but playing down to this level is laughable and does nothing for anyone. Our fans are upset because we are not playing teams they have heard of. Well, the guys on SXU are typically players that were sub 1-star players coming out of high school.

Not only will it be hurtful to our resume (even a 70 point win does nothing), it gives even more reason for students to not care. The first game that the incoming class of Freshmen will ever see ISU play will be against a team that is effectively a club team and then we will have to spend 4 years trying to explain to them why "no, no, no- this is really a top division 1 football team".

If you start on the road at Illinois or even a SWAC school or something, it gives more weight to the "we are D-1" argument.

 

[fourthandshort]

Pretty simple buy out st Xavier and hit the road for a D1 game at Mississippi valley state.

Time to bite the bullet ISU and spend the money to make this right.

:text-+1:

no brainer financial decision .. playing STX this season could likely be the reason we don't make playoffs.

given where this team is at, 7-4 is pretty likely the best we can expect given we have an FBS game and our defense will need time to find itself.

AD Lyons ... if you don't replace STX game, you better pray for 8-3 .. otherwise, picture late November, with the players and coaches sitting around Hancock party hall watching the FCS selection pairings .. the top 8, then fuilling out each regional until the last region is announced. Then picture the disappointment of all the players and coaches and fans, if we don't get in .. then picture all eyes turning on you.

Maybe we get in at 7-4, maybe we don't ... I do not like the thought of our playoff hopes hanging on the FCS selection committee looking at our 6 wins + STX game .... their track record for picking bubble teams is very weak. The STX game lets the selection committee off the hook .. even if we are still fully deserving of a bid.

Bite the bullet asap .. ETSU is available on 9/1, MVSU is available on 9/15 ... make it happen.

 

[StLRedbird]

UNI often plays two FBS for financial reasons. Would that be preferable to St. Xavier? Any available at this late date?

 

[fourthandshort]

UNI often plays two FBS for financial reasons. Would that be preferable to St. Xavier? Any available at this late date?

given losses to our defense, this is not the year I would want to do that .. good possibility of going 1-2 in nonconf, before heading into MVFC gauntlet might also kill playoff chances .... going 5-3 conf only gets us to 6-5 ... squarely on bubble, but not a position I would want to be in. Almost thinking were better off taking our chances with 6-4 in committee's eyes.

So that is tough call .. having to choose between 2 likely playoff killer games. But having said that, I'd rather go down fighting against a D-I schedule, even if it lessens our chances bit .. so I'm a yes on 2nd FBS game .. hopefully a winnable game.

 

[fourthandshort]

Hampton (6-5) is caught between a conference move and hasn't even posted their 2018 schedule .. they are currently MEAC and are slated to move to Big South .. so Hampton is trying to opt out o ftheir MEAC games, which is just plain stupid .. so maybe best to stay away.

But if dust is still settling in coming months, and they are looking for payday road game to fill an empty slot (9/1 or 9/15) last minute .. we might be able to get them cheap and at home.

So now we have ETSU, MVSU, and possibly Hampton will emerge from nowhere.

AD Lyons .. door is open .. please walk in and inquire.

 

[fourthandshort]

random thought .. any evidence that any reporter has asked Spack (or Lyons) about this STX game ??? It has to have been asked at some point.

 

[fourthandshort]

Hampton (6-5) is caught between a conference move and hasn't even posted their 2018 schedule .. they are currently MEAC and are slated to move to Big South .. so Hampton is trying to opt out o ftheir MEAC games, which is just plain stupid .. so maybe best to stay away.

But if dust is still settling in coming months, and they are looking for payday road game to fill an empty slot (9/1 or 9/15) last minute .. we might be able to get them cheap and at home.

So now we have ETSU, MVSU, and possibly Hampton will emerge from nowhere.

AD Lyons .. door is open .. please walk in and inquire.

other related opportunity is any week they try to cancel with an already scheduled MEAC game .. their opponents will need a game .. maybe even be wiling to do road game for cheap.

 

[fourthandshort]

so MEAC is trying to coordinate this cluster-f--- with Hampton because they want to play Big South games next fall ... which means they would have cancel as many as 6 MEAC games.

https://pilotonline.com/sports/college/norfolk-state/football/article_693115a6-a808-5f5d-a81a-b0c27891cd01.html

I just posted this new thread on AGS:

http://www.anygivensaturday.com/showthread.php?202200-2018-Scheduling-note-from-ISUr-to-ETSU-MVSU-Hampton-and-MEAC&p=2613581#post2613581

 

[StLRedbird]

Can't say you didn't go the extra mile, fourth. :clap: At an absolute minimum, we deserve an explanation. Can you imagine, in your worst nightmare, Sheahon Zenger handling the situation in this way? We're not always gonna have ADs of that caliber, but damn. In any case, thanks for your efforts.

 

[TIMMY]

Sheahon is an actual AD. Started by playing then coaching football. You can't compare him to our current bean counter.

That said scheduling football is not as easy as it looks. More goes into it than you think. And you have to have a willing partner. Everyone has an agenda.

Back in the day we had home and away's with Murray State. That kind of thing makes scheduling a hell of a lot easier. It's like the EIU game. Some guys want to drop it. Some years they're up, some years they're down. But you can always count on them.

Just sayin.

 

[fourthandshort]

Can't say you didn't go the extra mile, fourth. :clap: At an absolute minimum, we deserve an explanation. Can you imagine, in your worst nightmare, Sheahon Zenger handling the situation in this way? We're not always gonna have ADs of that caliber, but damn. In any case, thanks for your efforts.

appreciate the note, but not done yet.

http://www.anygivensaturday.com/showthread.php?202200-2018-Scheduling-note-from-ISUr-to-ETSU-MVSU-Hampton-and-MEAC/page2

Jacksonville St has sever openings, and likes to do home/home deals ... but they really need a home game this year. They don't have an FBS lined up so looking for some quality FCS to strengthen their schedule. Guessing we could get them to come to Hancock maybe ... but we would need to go there next year ... do we have an opening next year ?

Downside is we lose our 1 patsy game .. but I am thinking a close JSU loss is much better than a huge STX win.

 

[StLRedbird]

Sheahon is an actual AD. Started by playing then coaching football. You can't compare him to our current bean counter.

That said scheduling football is not as easy as it looks. More goes into it than you think. And you have to have a willing partner. Everyone has an agenda.

Back in the day we had home and away's with Murray State. That kind of thing makes scheduling a hell of a lot easier. It's like the EIU game. Some guys want to drop it. Some years they're up, some years they're down. But you can always count on them.

Just sayin.

I didn't mean to imply that scheduling is easy. What has gotten under my skin is way that it's being handled. Is it so hard to drop a dime and give Reinhardt an explanation that he would pass on to us within minutes? Sorry, just venting.

 

[TIMMY]

Sheahon is an actual AD. Started by playing then coaching football. You can't compare him to our current bean counter.

That said scheduling football is not as easy as it looks. More goes into it than you think. And you have to have a willing partner. Everyone has an agenda.

Back in the day we had home and away's with Murray State. That kind of thing makes scheduling a hell of a lot easier. It's like the EIU game. Some guys want to drop it. Some years they're up, some years they're down. But you can always count on them.

Just sayin.

I didn't mean to imply that scheduling is easy. What has gotten under my skin is way that it's being handled. Is it so hard to drop a dime and give Reinhardt an explanation that he would pass on to us within minutes? Sorry, just venting.

I get it. I don't think they're going address anything, even slightly negative, about a game they're trying to sell tickets for. They want it to fly under the radar. Remember, this board is a small part of their audience and we're going to show up anyway.

 

[fourthandshort]

I hope AD Lyons is playing this like a duck in the water ... looks like he is doing nothing above the water, but his feet are paddling like mad below the surface ... I hope.

So I don't mind that we aren't hearing anything .. unless he is not paddling like mad .. then I'm pissed as hell. And then he better pray for 8-3 or 6-5, because all eyes will turn on him at 7-4.

 

[fourthandshort]

Getting very ugly between MEAC and Hampton with their scheduled transition to Big South ... not sure about other sports, but for football, it was not supposed to happen until 2019 or later ??? but Hampton tried to have their cake and eat it too .. this from AGS and Feb 20 news release from Hampton regarding threatened MEAC sanctions. Basically gave them choice between a rock and hard place ... getting very very ugly and stupid. Note NC A&T poster's comment below .... that this way over the top reaction by MEAC towards Hampton, who stupidly trying to renege on their transition out of MEAC, was a strong signal/threat to rest of MEAC.

Might be best stay away, since this shi-t show is so up in the air with both sides playing irrationally .. someone might have to renege on us if/when cooler heads prevail.

http://www.anygivensaturday.com/showthread.php?202172-Hampton-s-2018-schedule-is-a-mess/page2

https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/pilotonline.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/80/28053dc6-1580-51af-a57b-3fab953f9098/5a8cbbb0e27cd.pdf.pdf

 

[Reggie Redbird]

I hope AD Lyons is playing this like a duck in the water ... looks like he is doing nothing above the water, but his feet are paddling like mad below the surface ... I hope.

So I don't mind that we aren't hearing anything .. unless he is not paddling like mad .. then I'm pissed as hell. And then he better pray for 8-3 or 6-5, because all eyes will turn on him at 7-4.

I would venture he is making as much progress at this game as he is towards announcing the start of construction on an indoor facility (firm date, secured funding, not a pipe dream).

We know the administrators who are responsible for scheduling. What matters more to me is why Spack would sign off on this one. Was there a trade off where he got more for staff salaries?

 

[fourthandshort]

I hope AD Lyons is playing this like a duck in the water ... looks like he is doing nothing above the water, but his feet are paddling like mad below the surface ... I hope.

So I don't mind that we aren't hearing anything .. unless he is not paddling like mad .. then I'm pissed as hell. And then he better pray for 8-3 or 6-5, because all eyes will turn on him at 7-4.

I would venture he is making as much progress at this game as he is towards announcing the start of construction on an indoor facility (firm date, secured funding, not a pipe dream).

We know the administrators who are responsible for scheduling. What matters more to me is why Spack would sign off on this one. Was there a trade off where he got more for staff salaries?

Reggie .. good point, and that would be the only" logical" explanation .. not acceptable, but possibly logical. Spack has spent 9 years raising the bar around Normal, IL. This game is a setback. If he did "make a trade" for the longer term good of the program, knowing we took some budget hits last season (no FBS payday, extra fly game to NAU, only 5 home games), and so we have to live within our budget/means this season .. then so be it.

But maybe he assumed this would year would be a reload year and not a rebuild year on defensive side of ball. But it really looks like a rebuild year on defense .. the outlook for offense vs defense scales have tipped 180 degrees from last offseason ... this year, the offense will need to carry the defense, until the defense figures things out.

Last year should/could have been a top 10 season with a playoff run .. it was not, mainly because of offensive coaching combined with OL losses + injuries .. so Spack made his offensive coaching staff changes one year too late. But I really like what he was able to assemble on his staff in a very short period of time and then not lose any recruits, despite the early signing period ... very impressive and encouraging.

But if your guess is correct ... and AD Lyons and HC Spack have any political capital with our limited donor base .... they should use it now to get out of this ST Xavier game. I love our new staff, but this game is more than likely going to be reason we miss playoffs 2 years in a row.

p.s. maybe I'm wrong, and the defense will come around sooner than I think .. but objectively, I think it will be more like 2013 on defense .. rough 1st half of season, then a strong 2nd half. The difference between 2013 and 2018 is that our offense should be much more potent and will take some pressure off the defense, especially with 95% of our run game (RB and OL) returning and getting OC Beathard back.

 

[SteveO]

I get the feeling that Coach Spack is focused on how to win the MVFC games and not on how to dump the St. X game. Win all or maybe just one loss and get a first round bye. Lose 2 and get a home game round one. As to AD Lyons, yes there are some issues. However, one thing he does very well is hire Head Coaches. Look at WBB and Volleyball last year and Track/CC a few years ago.