Sweet. Thanks. Guy was at WVU before us. So hopefully he keeps up the good work. As well has a good relationship whenever we do get a new AD.

The Athletic Department has not been involved in this at all. They, including Ivey, knew nothing about it until about 18 days ago.

Dear current @SFASU students,

This should be a no-brainer. Thanks in advance.

Read: https://t.co/KDKxq7Bz49#AxeEm

— Jonathan Shuskey - “Buckets” (@SFA_Buckets) March 26, 2024

SFAJack_76 said:

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The Athletic Department has not been involved in this at all. They, including Ivey, knew nothing about it until about 18 days ago.

Dear current @SFASU students,

This should be a no-brainer. Thanks in advance.

Read: https://t.co/KDKxq7Bz49#AxeEm

— Jonathan Shuskey - “Buckets” (@SFA_Buckets) March 26, 2024

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Sounds like it's doomed

We all know how this went the first time.

This time the athletic fee wasn't even brought to...the athletic department? Yeah...this should go well.

Why is this being brought just 1 week before the vote?

JHard said:

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We all know how this went the first time.

This time the athletic fee wasn't even brought to...the athletic department? Yeah...this should go well.

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The first time it happened it passed. The second time it failed.

This third time is completely different. After reading the Timeline and have the UT system involved I think it has some legs!

Correct.

I'm curious the strategy here. Is the idea that 'if we don't make a big deal about it, the opposition won't get too loud?"

Buckets said:

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It's nowhere close to doomed. At least not if the SGA and student body get the same presentation/explanation I got this morning.

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Good to know.

Excuse my ignorance on the facts but what will the fee be used for? Upgrades to existing facilities? New facilities such as baseball/softball on campus?

120 per student at 12k students would be an extra 1.4 mil per semester?

2.8 total, minus the nearly 1 mil they won't get out of current student fee funding?

The athletic fee will not increase the Athletic Department budget. It will replace $960,000 in the budget that currently comes from student service fees.

Again, passage of this does not, currently, increase the Athletic Department budget.

Gotcha.

Hope this has a chance Axe 'Em Jacks

BASEBALL 3-23; 0-9
FOOTBALL 3-8; 0-6
SOFTBALL 9-25; 2-4
SOCCER 2-14-2; 1-6-2
BEACH VOLLEYBALL 8-20
TENNIS 10-12; 2-6

Men's basketball mas o minos

On the positive side bowling is still king, men and women's golf are on the rise, volleyball is maintaining the status quo, as well as track and field, Women's basketball is stable.

Just seems like SFA athletics are in a funk and we don't want to become the new Chicago State of the WAC.

Ivey got out of Dodge

SFAXE93 said:

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BASEBALL 3-23; 0-9
FOOTBALL 3-8; 0-6
SOFTBALL 9-25; 2-4
SOCCER 2-14-2; 1-6-2
BEACH VOLLEYBALL 8-20
TENNIS 10-12; 2-6

Men's basketball mas or minos

On the positive side bowling is still king, men and women's golf are on the rise, volleyball is maintaining the status quo, as well as track and field, Women's basketball is stable.

Just seems like SFA athletics are in a funk and we don't want to become the new Chicago State of the WAC.

Ivy got out of Dodge

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Soccer, softball, and beach all have new, young, high potential coaches. WBB has a first year coach.

You appear to be implying that Ivey ran from SFA. At least spell his name right.

Yep, he went to a better place.

Much respect, he did have a very ambitious vision for SFA, but it just wasn't to be.

Doesn't matter who comes in, it will be an up hill journey.

SFAXE93 said:

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Yep, he went to a better place.

Much respect, he did have a very ambitious vision for SFA, but it just wasn't to be.

Doesn't matter who comes in, it will be an up hill journey.

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I'm optimistic. Don't we have to be? I don't know if we are staying in the WAC. Without additional regional rivals, it doesn't make sense. When Sam and Lamar were part of the deal it was a sensible way to improve our MBB standing. The WAC delivered.

Other than the benefit for MBB, the move has had marginal benefit or some programs are just not resourced as well as GCU, UVU or California Baptist.

Back in The Southland we are probably competitive (top 4 or 5 in most sports) almost immediately. Baseball needs to decided on. If we give it (baseball)up I think we can better resource our golf and tennis programs.

SFAXE93 said:

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Just seems like SFA athletics are in a funk and we don't want to become the new Chicago State of the WAC.

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Your comment about becoming "the new Chicago State of the WAC" hurts to the core.....

SFA Jack Fanatic said:

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SFAXE93 said:

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Just seems like SFA athletics are in a funk and we don't want to become the new Chicago State of the WAC.

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Your comment about becoming "the new Chicago State of the WAC" hurts to the core.....

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The more I look at the WAC and the benefits, the more I am concerned that the WAC is a very expensive vehicle. It's been of great benefit to our national competitiveness in men's basketball. Beyond that ?

BigJack85 said:

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SFA Jack Fanatic said:

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SFAXE93 said:

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Just seems like SFA athletics are in a funk and we don't want to become the new Chicago State of the WAC.

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Your comment about becoming "the new Chicago State of the WAC" hurts to the core.....

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The more I look at the WAC and the benefits, the more I am concerned that the WAC is a very expensive vehicle. It's been of great benefit to our national competitiveness in men's basketball. Beyond that ?

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I think the national competitiveness is more in theory than in practice until the WAC starts getting higher seeds.

Meanwhile we've probably given up atleast one opportunity to play in March Madness on the men's side.

Tbh, it's probably done more for WBB and VB by giving us better peers. We've got a few programs that can match us there and have earned an at large VB bid and an NIT without winning the regular season basketball bid for the Ladyjacks.

nacluth said:

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Is it better to be the Vanderbilt of the SEC or the James Madison of the Sun Belt?

Now the WAC isn't the SEC, but the Southland is a huge step down in many aspects and in every sport. Football which we're not even in the WAC for has been the main reason the WAC has gone sideways for us.

Could there be a better conference choice than the WAC? Sure, but let's set our sights a little higher than the ol SLC.

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If push came to shove I'd ask the ASUN what their plans are first.

But I'm content with not moving until the ACC and PAC2 drama plays out.

Nearly every scenario will impact the WAC and who's available and potentially where SFA is.

It could be that the Texas wing is the only schools left in the WAC and then we can use those autobids to raid the SLC for the best programs while still remaining regional.

It could be that SFA scores a CUSA invite when they need to reload.

The only thing jumping now gains us is having to use 2 million on a big check to whoever is left in the WAC.

TallTexan said:

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BigJack85 said:

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SFA Jack Fanatic said:

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SFAXE93 said:

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Just seems like SFA athletics are in a funk and we don't want to become the new Chicago State of the WAC.

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Your comment about becoming "the new Chicago State of the WAC" hurts to the core.....

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The more I look at the WAC and the benefits, the more I am concerned that the WAC is a very expensive vehicle. It's been of great benefit to our national competitiveness in men's basketball. Beyond that ?

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I think the national competitiveness is more in theory than in practice until the WAC starts getting higher seeds.

Meanwhile we've probably given up atleast one opportunity to play in March Madness on the men's side.

Tbh, it's probably done more for WBB and VB by giving us better peers. We've got a few programs that can match us there and have earned an at large VB bid and an NIT without winning the regular season basketball bid for the Ladyjacks.

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A 12 seed is better than the SLC averages. Other than ACU (14) and a some of SFA seeds (12/12/14/14) the SLC has been a 16 or playin.

nacluth said:

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Is it better to be the Vanderbilt of the SEC or the James Madison of the Sun Belt?

Now the WAC isn't the SEC, but the Southland is a huge step down in many aspects and in every sport. Football which we're not even in the WAC for has been the main reason the WAC has gone sideways for us.

Could there be a better conference choice than the WAC? Sure, but let's set our sights a little higher than the ol SLC.

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I agree 100%. Part of the reason I hope we get a visionary AD. Texan mentioned the ASUN. The ASUN is close to what I think we should target. If we could work a move with ACU and Tarleton all the better. We need to keep some of our regional rivals. I hope this type of move is on the radar, as the WAC may have given all it can give.

The WAC had a lot of ambitious ideas, including a group jump to the FBS in or about 10 years as a grandfathered in conference and continued expansion from the strong programs in SFA, McNeese, Sam Houston, ACU, and Tarleton. Unfortunately when McNeese backed out and Sam Houston left it really hurt the plans. SFA, McNeese, and Prison Tech were supposed to play off each other to build it up.

It's still better than the SLC, which we still might have won in football this year despite our deficiencies, but it's far from the dream conference we had hoped for when we joined in everything but Men's Basketball.

Hopefully we get an AD as ambitious and energetic as Ivey was. Despite the bad year SFA athletics as a whole was trending in the right direction, and I do think the UT system will continue to help our programs grow.

SFASawmillGuy said:

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The WAC had a lot of ambitious ideas, including a group jump to the FBS in or about 10 years as a grandfathered in conference and continued expansion from the strong programs in SFA, McNeese, Sam Houston, ACU, and Tarleton. Unfortunately when McNeese backed out and Sam Houston left it really hurt the plans. SFA, McNeese, and Prison Tech were supposed to play off each other to build it up.

It's still better than the SLC, which we still might have won in football this year despite our deficiencies, but it's far from the dream conference we had hoped for when we joined in everything but Men's Basketball.

Hopefully we get an AD as ambitious and energetic as Ivey was. Despite the bad year SFA athletics as a whole was trending in the right direction, and I do think the UT system will continue to help our programs grow.

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The UT system… I'm optimistic. Some facilities help would go a long way.

Absolutely. Honestly I don't see us staying in the WAC if a conference like C-USA comes calling at this point though. Outside of Men's Basketball, the upsides are not looking so up anymore. I could be wrong but it seems like the general excitement around the WAC is losing steam along with the conference aspirations.

I just really, really hope we don't take a step back and go back to the SLC. Dominating that league does absolutely nothing for our credibility as a good athletics department.

Certainly if we became dominant in the WAC it would help, but the travel cost is probably going to make it less worth it to not have closer opponents.

So.......when ARE we supposed to get a new AD? I haven't heard anything about this.

Wouldn't the ASUN be just as draining on the budget in terms of travel?

Everything was real compact in the SLC.

SFAXE93 said:

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Wouldn't the ASUN be just as draining on the budget in terms of travel?

Everything was real compact in the SLC.

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SFA to EKU(current furthest ASUN/UAC football team) is 858 miles. The new Georgia school might be further.

SFA to Utah Tech is 1335 miles.

For non football, even if you throw out Seattle(2271 miles)

SFA to CBU: 1549 miles
SFA to FGCU: 1119 miles.

So it's still a pretty big conference but shorter than the one out west.

I'd love to have a Southland level footprint of teams that are committed to a WAC level budget though.

In my view, if SFA is not ever going to prioritize athletics, and make a solid commitment to have a standout program like SH or Tarleton (which will significantly benefit enrollment and provide free publicity for our school), why does it really matter what Conference we are in????