American Athletic Conference

[Cdizzle]

The Pitt State versus Missouri State attendance number issue is skewed by one game in particular: Arrowhead Classic, Pitt State vs. Northwest Missouri that drew 17,000 in KC. I am sure if MSU played SIU at Busch Stadium or something, we would have a huge crowd that would pad our overall numbers.

Also Pitt State was very, very successful last year. They went like 10-2. Much easier to support a D2 winner than a struggling FCS team, as much as that stinks to say.

Even IF that is true, what does it say that Pitt St was able to get an "Arrowhead Classic" game while MSU was not? I am sure that if MSU played SIU at Busch Stadium or something that would pad your overall numbers, the problem is Busch Stadium wants absolutely nothing to do with that game.

That's like saying "our basketball attendance numbers would have been better last year if we had played WSU, Duke, KU, and Missouri at home every game."

[SHOCKvalue]

Also Pitt State was very, very successful last year. They went like 10-2. Much easier to support a D2 winner than a struggling FCS team, as much as that stinks to say.

Pitt State is ALWAYS a D2 winner. They have been elite at that level for as long as I can remember.

[Kung Wu]

I think Lusking nailed it on the head. Pitt St is on top of D-2 football. In other words, they are relevant. I think if Valley football were more relevant, it would be normal for teams to draw better.

It would be really nice if mid major football teams were able to hold their own a little better against the upper teams. In basketball, mid major teams have a smaller talent gap I guess. Football teams have such large rosters that all the talent can be successfully gobbled up into one upper echelon.

Someone tell me if I've discovered the solution. Would it not fix everything if schools were only allowed to pay their 22 (effectively one full team worth of players) top players each year? Scholarships for whomever as usual, but extra pay only for a limited number of players. Then it opens up the mid major level's ability to step in and say "hey, you didn't make the pay group at bcs, but you made ours, so if you come here you still get your scholarship and the extra money instead of just taking a general scholarship by itself at bcs." Maybe then, more guys from the "almost top talent" level would start choosing more playing time and more money by going mid major... Just like basketball

Excellent.

[LuskingforGuttin]

That game wasn't counted in their attendance figures. If it was, Pitt State would have outdrawn SWOMO by 2k instead of 1k.

Do you just make stuff up and hope no one ever fact checks you?

I didn't look into it thoroughly. When I am wrong about something I will admit to it. So I was apparently wrong about this one.

Still doesn't take away from the fact that Pitt State has been an MIAA power and that it is easier to get fans out for a winner.

[The Mad Hatter]

I didn't look into it thoroughly. When I am wrong about something I will admit to it. So I was apparently wrong about this one.

Still doesn't take away from the fact that Pitt State has been an MIAA power and that it is easier to get fans out for a winner.

In the context of a discussion that includes Missouri State fans who are arguing that FBS football is the path to success, doesn't the argument that winning at lower levels outweighs losing at higher levels pretty much negate the entire argument for MSU jumping up to FBS football?

[Cdizzle]

In the context of a discussion that includes Missouri State fans who are arguing that FBS football is the path to success, doesn't the argument that winning at lower levels outweighs losing at higher levels pretty much negate the entire argument for MSU jumping up to FBS football?

Logicbombed.

[Aargh]

So, if Pitt State outdraws Missouri State because Pitt State is a winner in D2, and MSU is a loser in FCS, how does moving UP a level to FBS improve attendance? It seems that an FCS loser moving into FBS would become a LARGE loser, which would drive away even more fans.

I think MUS's AD is a little smarter than the fanbase.

[Cdizzle]

I think MUS's AD is a little smarter than the fanbase.

I think he just can't find his letter opener. Why are all these invitation letters always SEALED?!?!

[ShockerPrez]

I think Lusking nailed it on the head. Pitt St is on top of D-2 football. In other words, they are relevant. I think if Valley football were more relevant, it would be normal for teams to draw better.

It would be really nice if mid major football teams were able to hold their own a little better against the upper teams. In basketball, mid major teams have a smaller talent gap I guess. Football teams have such large rosters that all the talent can be successfully gobbled up into one upper echelon.

Someone tell me if I've discovered the solution. Would it not fix everything if schools were only allowed to pay their 22 (effectively one full team worth of players) top players each year? Scholarships for whomever as usual, but extra pay only for a limited number of players. Then it opens up the mid major level's ability to step in and say "hey, you didn't make the pay group at bcs, but you made ours, so if you come here you still get your scholarship and the extra money instead of just taking a general scholarship by itself at bcs." Maybe then, more guys from the "almost top talent" level would start choosing more playing time and more money by going mid major... Just like basketball

Not a bad idea. Then the Big 5 would just go form their own league for sure.

But take that possibility away and your idea would definitely make things more equitable.

[MoValley John]

How can a bad D-1 team get outdrawn by a good D-2 team? I could see it if the D-1 team was like a Chicago State, where, even though a D-1 school, would be like the 10th choice for watching football. But when you are a D-1 team in a city like Cedar Falls, Springfield, Billings or Fargo, you are the only show in town and should never get out drawn by a team from a lesser division. Then again, schools like Chicago State simply don't offer football.

Embarassing.

[Dave Stalwart]

Not a bad idea. Then the Big 5 would just go form their own league for sure.

But take that possibility away and your idea would definitely make things more equitable.

Yeah I realized this after I posted it. They DON'T want parity at all. They want 3 strings deep of the best talent at very position. It's everyone else that wants the parity. Everyone who is already used to being systematically marginalized.

And now they are making their own rules so they don't have to jump through anymore hoops or feel bad about paying kids.

The idea would be great, but obviously, bcs doesn't want anything like mid majors knocking them off more often.

[Dave Stalwart]

Wait. On the other hand, it's probably not realistic for even an Alabama type team to pay all 50 guys a TON of money. Would there not be different levels of pay just as a general side effect of the goal, which is to buy the really high end players? Well, you probably aren't paying your 2nd string kicker the same as your main QB unless there is just a flat, capped kind of low amount that every player gets. It's just that if you do that system, you can't out bid competing schools, which is the true goal even if no one wants to admit it. Anyway, if there are levels of pay in the imminent approaching system, there is still a chance mid majors can out bid bcs for the 2nd and 3rd string kind of guys. It might still create some parity for the mid majors willing to pay well.

[Pigman]

Hey Lusking, I have a solution. Go down to Pittysburg and become a fan! They are worth watching and it's the best atmosphere You could ask for. I put two son's through Pitt St. and they have a great thing going down there. Then You can root for a winner. Win Win for You!

[Shock Therapy]

Pitt St would absolutely destroy MO St. That would be amazing!

[ShockBand]

Being also an alum of Pitt State (master's degree), all I can say is...

GO-RILLAS!


(I must admit that inflatable Gus is rather creepy)