Is there any real value to the Commissioner's Cup which is an aggregate ranking of final standings of both men's and women's teams from every NCAA sport (in the Southland)?

We have won 3 straight and with about a quarter of all sports done in third overall this year - but poised to win a fourth. Sam won in the 2013-2014 season. Before that we won two in a row. So 5 out of the last 6 have gone to us. Does this mean we're just a better all-around sports school? Obviously football is the leading publicity sport for most, but SFA has built a sports juggernaut in our conference.

Does it matter or is it just a pointless measuring stick?

nacluth said:

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Is there any real value to the Commissioner's Cup which is an aggregate ranking of final standings of both men's and women's teams from every NCAA sport (in the Southland)?

We have won 3 straight and with about a quarter of all sports done in third overall this year - but poised to win a fourth. Sam won in the 2013-2014 season. Before that we won two in a row. So 5 out of the last 6 have gone to us. Does this mean we're just a better all-around sports school? Obviously football is the leading publicity sport for most, but SFA has built a sports juggernaut in our conference.

Does it matter or is it just a pointless measuring stick?

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Should we hang a championship banner? Probably not.

Is it important? I think it speaks to the health of the whole athletic department. We keep winning, even with an atrocious football team. Most schools would measure success by how well the football team does, but this gives us a good measure on the overall health. Fix the football team & we'll really soar.

Per our previous convos on conference affiliation, I think it's a useful marker to point to if/when we're considered by other conferences. It shows that our athletic programs really have their act together. Just my two cents.

Bonus thoughts, this is for free, not even two cents: My new favorite conference to aspire to is the Mountain West. They already tried to grab a purple clad team from the Greater East Texas so I think we're a perfect fit.

I think you're right about value to bidding up in conference. If we dominate sports year in and out, we have to think about the value of always being the big dog or more market value.

My dream conference is the American, but the FBS switch is probably too much to keep football. Realistically, C-USA is a decent step up right now. Though again, do you want to be middle of the pack there or top here? If we could get AAC then I say go for it, and let football get killed.

The Western conferences are right size and strength, but none are within 1000 miles of here. No one wants to play every conference game 1000 miles from home.

nacluth said:

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I think you're right about value to bidding up in conference. If we dominate sports year in and out, we have to think about the value of always being the big dog or more market value.

My dream conference is the American, but the FBS switch is probably too much to keep football. Realistically, C-USA is a decent step up right now. Though again, do you want to be middle of the pack there or top here? If we could get AAC then I say go for it, and let football get killed.

The Western conferences are right size and strength, but none are within 1000 miles of here. No one wants to play every conference game 1000 miles from home.

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My dream would be the American too, but it seems like the pecking order in prestige goes Conference USA, MWC, then AAC. AAC is almost a P6, & it'd be worth it getting killed in football every game, but I don't think we would forever. MWC distance sucks, but was my best attempt to balance a moonshot with some form of reality.

Conference USA is a decent step up, but will our fans show up to see "UAB or Middle Tennesee" anymore than they'd show up to see UIW or Lamar from a name brand basis? Nevada, Boise, UNLV, AIrforce would get fans into the stadium no matter what sport we were playing. But yes the distance would suck.

I'd think you follow the Wichita State example & hold out as long as possible so you're a true contender when you make the jump. That'd be the best plan. But we're a long way from any of those scenarios. We could probably make the jump to the Sunbelt, but I'm not sure that'd be the best plan right now.

Sunbelt was something 10 years ago when Texas State left, but it's now trash for the most part FB and BB. Essentially a lateral move in basketball with too much baggage for football. The only way it's better is FBS standing, but, with the rise of Wentz and other FCS stars making splashes in NFL, it's getting more prestige. If we had a shot at C-USA, we should go for it. And yes, I think we would get turnout for AAC or C-USA teams. If people can turnout for ACU which hasn't been around in the league long, we can get more if a bowl is on the line.

nacluth said:

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Sunbelt was something 10 years ago when Texas State left, but it's now trash for the most part FB and BB. Essentially a lateral move in basketball with too much baggage for football. The only way it's better is FBS standing, but, with the rise of Wentz and other FCS stars making splashes in NFL, it's getting more prestige. If we had a shot at C-USA, we should go for it. And yes, I think we would get turnout for AAC or C-USA teams. If people can turnout for ACU which hasn't been around in the league long, we can get more if a bowl is on the line.

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I think turnout would be better for football with bowl potential, not sure those teams would be the same draw in basketball, but it'd definitely be good for academics. People show up for basketball already, so no harm if the better names aren't that much bigger of a draw. I'd be more interested in CUSA if the Sunbelt & CUSA realigned to more regional conferences as has been discussed. That said, I agree that we should jump at the chance if it's ever offered.

The biggest opportunity IMO is Big 12 realingment in 5-10 years. They'll backfill from AAC, AAC will Backfill with CUSA, & we've got as good a shot as anyone to hop into CUSA at that point.

If we go anywhere I want The Valley

cboothe09 said:

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If we go anywhere I want The Valley

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Missouri Valley? That'd be great for basketball, but I'm not sure it'd be the best fit for the rest of the school.

@nacluth: Another important reason for the commissioner's cup. Showing potential AD candidates what our Athletic Department is capable of.

In my mind, basketball is all that matters. Football isn't bad there either, and er wouldn't be to shabby in baseball

cboothe09 said:

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In my mind, basketball is all that matters. Football isn't bad there either, and er wouldn't be to shabby in baseball

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Conference affiliation affects a lot of academics type stuff too, from prestige to in conference initiatives.

Fair and True. I will say the educational value in the Missouri Valley isn't bad.
Bradley
Drake
Evansville
Illinois State
Indiana State
Loyola Chicago
Missouri State
Northern Iowa
Southern Illinois
Valporaiso

Other members include: Central Arkansas (Mens Soccer), Dallas Baptist (Baseball), Arkansas - Little Rock (Women's Swimming), Stony Brook (Women's Tennis)

I like everything about the MVC except that it's 500 miles to the nearest school. Being the outlier I believe is just really hard on university sports. I don't think it would impact attendance all that much, but it doesn't help (except maybe in basketball). I just can't see our administration thinking attaching ourselves to a remote league is successful on any level.

nacluth said:

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I like everything about the MVC except that it's 500 miles to the nearest school. Being the outlier I believe is just really hard on university sports. I don't think it would impact attendance all that much, but it doesn't help (except maybe in basketball). I just can't see our administration thinking attaching ourselves to a remote league is successful on any level.

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Same. I think any conference move is going to have to be local, which makes Conference USA our best aiming point for moving up. Although, MVC has shown to be probably the number one league at moving members up into bigtime sports over the past 100 years.


If we're going to travel a 1000 miles for any game, we might as well try to get that MWC invite. We'd have 30k at a football game if Boise was coming to town.

True Isaac, but C-USA has the potential to get an at large bid (not necessarily this year) whereas the Southland really doesn't. The truth is we're still probably close to a decade of continuous success from a substantially better league. That's only going to happen if we can get good coaches to stay.

My best case scenario: A new AD with vision and fundraising skills sees we need to lock up Keller for the long term. Conque breaks his funk and runs the Southland, and because we were so nice not to fire him, he stays and runs the SLC for years. Continual NCAA postseason appearances from all our sports turn SFA into a high profile school. Houston, UTA, and UTSA all fall on hard times in the next decade. Big 12 decides they need another Texas school...and here we are...ripe for the picking! 2032 will be a crowning success for the now famous 13 year veteran SFA AD Isaac Niedrauer who came from obscurity to bring a college to its pinnacle.

nacluth said:

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True Isaac, but C-USA has the potential to get an at large bid (not necessarily this year) whereas the Southland really doesn't. The truth is we're still probably close to a decade of continuous success from a substantially better league. That's only going to happen if we can get good coaches to stay.

My best case scenario: A new AD with vision and fundraising skills sees we need to lock up Keller for the long term. Conque breaks his funk and runs the Southland, and because we were so nice not to fire him, he stays and runs the SLC for years. Continual NCAA postseason appearances from all our sports turn SFA into a high profile school. Houston, UTA, and UTSA all fall on hard times in the next decade. Big 12 decides they need another Texas school...and here we are...ripe for the picking! 2032 will be a crowning success for the now famous 13 year veteran SFA AD Isaac Niedrauer who came from obscurity to bring a college to its pinnacle.

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Did one of those guitar strings snap and pop you upside of the head, Ryan?

Every day Ed. But the lacquer fumes help me get over it.

INiedrauer said:

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I still think we're better off in the SLC unless/until there is an option to join a multi-bid league. All Conference USA accomplishes in my mind is a far harder path to the NCAA Tournament.

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Touche. Conference USA helps SFA from a prestige perspective for the rest of the school & football, but would make it tougher on the basketball team. I think the Wichita State route is the one we should aspire to, hold out until everyone knows you & you can pick which league you want to join & compete right away.

Quick question because this isn't my area of expertise? Outside of the Power 6, which leagues are multi-bid?

nacluth said:

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True Isaac, but C-USA has the potential to get an at large bid (not necessarily this year) whereas the Southland really doesn't. The truth is we're still probably close to a decade of continuous success from a substantially better league. That's only going to happen if we can get good coaches to stay.

My best case scenario: A new AD with vision and fundraising skills sees we need to lock up Keller for the long term.

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Agreed with this. We need sustained success for 10+ years & a few years of great success in the tourney. A solid football team would also be a requirement. The likely move of Texas from the Big 12 in 2024-2025 or whenever the grant of rights ends will open up some opportunities in leagues above us, but we'll need to be a heck of a brand to get an invite from a better league like CUSA or similar.


And what are you talking about Big 12? Let's join the Mighty SEC. Some talking head mentioned A&M as an 8 seed last night & they've won all of 3 SEC conference games. Heck, we were 8 points off from 3 wins with southland conference recruiting. Plus they need to expand their Texas brand, whereas the Big 12 is covered with 4 teams already.

INiedrauer said:

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nacluth said:

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who came from obscurity

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What are you trying to say?

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He's trying to say that's the narrative we'll spin to give you an underdog status. We can't have everyone knowing that we had one of the greatest sports minds in history stashed as director of our fan site. If that got out, we'd never be able to keep another writer for more than a year or two before the big leagues come calling. Right Nacluth?

Exactly. There's a fine line in being successful and so successful we lose the good thing we had. My heart can't take Isaac following Keller off to a P6 school yet - even if that's where they both should be. I'm trying to lock up the people I like in long term jobs with a certain appeal.

Nah, we need to join the Big 12 so we can violate West Virginia in every single sport every single year. Eventually force them to drop their athletic program all together. Then we move on to the SEC so we can do the same thing to LSU.

SFA_03 said:

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Nah, we need to join the Big 12 so we can violate West Virginia in every single sport every single year. Eventually force them to drop their athletic program all together. Then we move on to the SEC so we can do the same thing to LSU.

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You know how many couches they'd burn? Do you want to pay triple the price for the next couch you buy?

More than half the sports in for the year has us in a nice lead for our fourth straight cup, however, our diamond sports have us in a rough spot. With no men's tennis team, it would help to place top half in baseball and softball to keep from relying on track to bring us home. Only a couple more months left. Let's win one for the Gipper (or Mr. Hill)!

nacluth said:

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More than half the sports in for the year has us in a nice lead for our fourth straight cup

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That's very surprising! I really can't see us winning that thing again, though. Tennis and baseball are just too weak, and Prison Tech is just too good in baseball and track & field. As much as it hurts to say it, I think the trophy will be in Prison Town when the dust clears. I really hope I'm wrong.

It looks like baseball is going to cause us to fall one point short of Sam for the cup.