I admit it. I don’t like having Missouri in the SEC

#126
#126
If my memory serves me correct, I think that the first two targets in 92 were Clemson and Florida State and neither was going to do it as they didn't want the competition.

Of the 4 teams added since the only one that I think really fit is A&M (Football culture) as I was not wild about any of the rest.

Of the 4 Missouri is definitely the most out of place in the conference and they really belong in the Big 10 where they are a much better fit for many reasons.
 
#127
#127
Freak said:
It’s probably a get off my lawn moment, but I liked the league better when there were 12 teams. Who’s with me?
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I am totally with you. I was not in favor of either addition, although purely from a “marketing & branding” standpoint, A&M makes sense. Still yet, I don’t give a rat’s behind because I am traditional when it comes to the 12 team SEC that I grew up with. I remember when they were added that Dooley was against it, as he stated in a radio interview that he was probably also a bit of a traditionalist in that way (prolly the only thing he ever said I agreed with).

It has also always annoyed me how the timing of their addition worked out, specifically with Mizzou. When they joined, it was at one of the weakest cumulative moments for the big 3 of the East, and they won a couple of division titles only due to this. They were decent, but not great by any stretch of the imagination, yet I found Mizzou fans’ gloating over beating up on average teams for a few years especially annoying. If they’d joined in the 90’s or early 2000’s, it would not likely have been a very enjoyable experience for that fanbase. I do think that they’ve come back down to reality now though. Still wish they’d stayed in the Big 12.
 
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#128
#128
WestTennVol said:
Only way I'd say yes to that is if you drop Vandy. Never gonna happen but UM has been really competitive in football & basketball as of late. Long term I believe they would have more sustained competitive success.
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Also play pretty good baseball.
 
#129
#129
I say keep them in. They brought a TON of SEC media coverage to my local media market, Plus, Before they joined, I could wear my orange and might get a "GBO" a few times a year. Since, I get to tick off dozens a year wearing it.

College football interest here is actually pretty high and has gotten higher since the Rams deal really soured the market on the NFL, and the SEC is the dominant interest. There is a TON of Mizzou graduates in St. Louis, and it's the second largest media market in the league.

As for the "Southerness" of the state, I have ridden my MC all over the state and back more times than I can count, and I can only say that anywhere outside of St. Louis and KC feels about as "Southern" as you can get. I find the people to share values and beliefs quite similar to my East Tennessee upbringing.

All that said, it is true that you don't get that "breath, eat and sleep" all things Mizzou vibe like you get with the Volunteers in Tennessee.

And for what it is worth, there is a significant percentage of Mizzou fans that agree with Freak. They don't like being in the SEC either. They would prefer to go back to the Big 12 — partly for nostalgia's sake, and partly because they feel like they have a better chance of being competitive.
 
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#132
#132
volanatic said:
...When they joined, it was at one of the weakest cumulative moments for the big 3 of the East, and they won a couple of division titles only due to this. They were decent, but not great by any stretch of the imagination...
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Yes, you are correct that their timing was fortunate. But, they did take advantage of it.

Losing Gary Pinkel was the worst thing that happened for Mizzou. He was a very underrated football coach, and they haven't done much since.
 
#133
#133
savannahfan said:
No question, our heavy E.Tn. influence would naturally via for teams in that area. However being in one corner of the conference makes it less likely the "other" corners see things the same. I for one (likely only) think it's time to look at Memphis. As a second, someone east.....
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No offense man, but Memphis should never be allowed close to our conference. Tennessee and Vandy would block that in a heartbeat and Memphis adds zero monetary value to the conference.
 
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#134
#134
Freak said:
It’s probably a get off my lawn moment, but I liked the league better when there were 12 teams. Who’s with me?
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I don't know, I think Mizzou has more of a right to be in the SEC than Vanderbilt but that is just my opinion. Texas A&M gives the league a presence in Texas which is huge.
 
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#135
#135
Freak said:
It’s probably a get off my lawn moment, but I liked the league better when there were 12 teams. Who’s with me?
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I agree. I miss the previous home-away rotation with the west.
 
#136
#136
VolforFootball said:
Tbh honest I wouldn't have minded a 16-team SEC, but not one that included Missouri. Oklahoma, Clemson, Virginia Tech, and Texas A&M.
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JMO, I would pass on VA Tech. League has to think about the market, revenue stream, and television contracts as well. I think FSU would be a good fit and or possibly Miami. I wouldn't rule out Houston either just because of the Market and closeness to Louisiana. I can see LSU and Houston developing a Rivalry, especially in recruiting.
 
#137
#137
'Boro-vol said:
One other point against them is the uniform...they look like a bad High School or XFL team. JMO.
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I couldn't agree more with this. When they wear a traditional uniform, it looks okay. But they are one of those schools that thinks they have to have 15-20 different variations including every piece of gear they have.
 
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#138
#138
I’m with @Freak . Never have liked having them in the league. There’s nothing SEC about them. You could make a case for aTm, but Mizzou just doesn’t fit. Never has, never will. JMO.
 
#141
#141
I agree with those that like A&M in the SEC but not Mizzou. Mizzou seems better fitted back in the Big 12 or even B1G. I'd replace them with VT
 
#143
#143
Missouri was just part of the deal to get TA&M.

Just another one of the dumb conference realignment situations.

Up there with Maryland and Rutgers to the Big Ten.
 
#144
#144
DougAtkins91 said:
Southeastern Conference is, South of the Mason-Dixon Line and east of the Mississippi River. Plain and simple!
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So...Maryland.

Heh. You set the borders just then, not me.

Just kidding with you, of course. I do absolutely believe that the Mississippi River (along with the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Appalachian Mountains) plays a huge role in defining the "southeast".

Just funny that Maryland fits in your definition. :)
 
#146
#146
VFL-82-JP said:
FBS programs that would fit the SEC better (geographically and culturally) than Mizzou, by state:
  • Tennessee: Memphis, MTSU
  • Kentucky: Louisville, Western Kentucky
  • Ohio: Cincinnati
  • West Virginia: West Virginia, Marshall
  • Virginia: Va Tech, UVa
  • North Carolina: UNC, NC State, Duke, Wake Forest, App State, East Carolina, Charlotte, Coastal Carolina
  • South Carolina: Clemson
  • Georgia: Georgia Tech, Georgia Southern, Georgia State
  • Florida: FSU, Miami, UCF, USF, FAU, FIU
  • Alabama: UAB
  • Mississippi: Southern Miss
  • Louisiana: Louisiana, La Tech, UL Monroe
So that's 32 FBS schools that would've fit better than Mizzou.

But let's throw out the ones that are too small, because many of those are. We're left with:
  • Kentucky: Louisville
  • West Virginia: West Virginia
  • Virginia: Va Tech
  • North Carolina: UNC, NC State
  • South Carolina: Clemson
  • Georgia: Georgia Tech
  • Florida: FSU, Miami, UCF
Still leaves 10 good choices. All better options than Mizzou.

But let's take out the ones whose TV markets and recruiting beds we already access, or are too puny to worry with. That leaves:
  • Virginia: Va Tech
  • North Carolina: UNC, NC State
Three really good options there. The tidewater area of Virginia is rich in football talent, and expanding into Virginia gives us some pretty good markets, like DC, Norfolk, Richmond, Roanoke, etc.

Trouble with North Carolina is that UNC, NC State, Duke, and to a somewhat lesser extent Wake Forest, they're all tied at the hip. You simply can not get one of them without all of them. Really strong bonds. Especially the first three in the Research Triangle of Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill.

So, this exercise leads us to a simple solution: kick Mizzou to the curb, and invite Va Tech to join the best football conference in America.

Go Vols!
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I'm not trying to bash you but it is amazing how folks with no direct experience with ACC fans think schools like NCSU, UNC, Clemson, or Virginia would leave. Any of those schools leaving the ACC would be akin to Bama, Auburn, UGA, or LSU leaving the SEC.

Appalachian St is probably the best football school on a consistent basis in NC. But they don't offer much else right now. OTOH, they would gain a huge advantage in all sports if they were in a P-5 conference.

Va Tech, Miami, and WVU do not have strong conference histories or ties. UF will fight to keep other Florida schools out due to recruiting. I think VT and WVU make good targets to expand to 16.



On a sidenote:

IMO, the top 64 teams should form a new class of 4 conferences with 16 teams and two divisions each. Each division would produce a contender for the conference championship game followed by a 4 team playoff to produce a national champion on the field.

To preserve rivalries, conferences would have to change alignments. Any historic rivalry game that could not be made a conference game could still be one a team's 5 OOC games. Programs would no longer be punished for taking quality OOC opponents or for slow season starts.
 
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#147
#147
JohnWardForever said:
Thanks. I just alluded to the areas I'm familiar with. I always prefer Country to the City. The Mark Twain National Forest area is like a step back in time. Beautiful as any area I've seen.
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I live in a county of less than 10,000 people and own a 80 acre farm in the neighboring county that has 15,000 people. The closest two towns to my farm have less than 300 people each. The area economy is overwhelmingly Ag with row crop and lots of cow/calf operations.

Honestly, great people. Great lifestyle. Great pace of life. The culture is very similar to WNC where I grew up except for the nuances of being so Agricultural.
 
#148
#148
LittleVol said:
A lot of SEC folk live in Maryland. Its a gateway state. Good talent corridor too.

I think they could well.
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You're not wrong. I've always hated Maryland but bringing the DC area market to the SEC would be pretty huge. They're not a bad fit in the Big 10 though if they can hire a coach.
 
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#149
#149
sjt18 said:
I'm not trying to bash you but it is amazing how folks with no direct experience with ACC fans think schools like NCSU, UNC, Clemson, or Virginia would leave. Any of those schools leaving the ACC would be akin to Bama, Auburn, UGA, or LSU leaving the SEC.

Appalachian St is probably the best football school on a consistent basis in NC. But they don't offer much else right now. OTOH, they would gain a huge advantage in all sports if they were in a P-5 conference.

Va Tech, Miami, and WVU do not have strong conference histories or ties. UF will fight to keep other Florida schools out due to recruiting. I think VT and WVU make good targets to expand to 16.



On a sidenote:

IMO, the top 64 teams should form a new class of 4 conferences with 16 teams and two divisions each. Each division would produce a contender for the conference championship game followed by a 4 team playoff to produce a national champion on the field.

To preserve rivalries, conferences would have to change alignments. Any historic rivalry game that could not be made a conference game could still be one a team's 5 OOC games. Programs would no longer be punished for taking quality OOC opponents or for slow season starts.
Click to expand...
I agree with your comment about poaching those ACC schools in NC hence part of the reason that I feel FSU and Miami would be easier to attract. Though they have decent B-ball programs their football program is what they hang their hat on. I am not sure why the SEC would look at Houston, a great market, the talent, and its proximity to LSU. Conference ties are only as good as the money i.e. Nebraska going to the big 10.
 
#150
#150
Freak said:
It’s probably a get off my lawn moment, but I liked the league better when there were 12 teams. Who’s with me?
Click to expand...
Don't 14 but its the 2 additions that I was not a fan of. I think Clemson and Louisville or Florida St. made more sense.
 
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