Three permanent opponents

[Prestonyte]

Willingness to lose, willingness to be well paid for losing, and willingness to derive glory from other than football. To this point, we aren't so dissimilar in terms of across-the-board product. They get their jollies from baseball and we get ours from women's basketball.

We've had our days in baseball, football and men's basketball - just no consistency. Hoping for return in football soon, baseball - no, and men's basketball - I don't know.

 

[KingWard]

We've had our days in baseball, football and men's basketball - just no consistency. Hoping for return in football soon, baseball - no, and men's basketball - I don't know.

We have not validated. We're not the only school that hasn't validated, but when you are assimilated into a conference, you only belong when you've validated.

 

[Prestonyte]

We have not validated. We're not the only school that hasn't validated, but when you are assimilated into a conference, you only belong when you've validated.

What would it take for us to be validated? Can you give an example of this being accomplished in another conference?

 

[uscnoklahoma]

Im great with not playing UGA. The easier the better.

 

[KingWard]

What would it take for us to be validated? Can you give an example of this being accomplished in another conference?

Utah. Win the conference championship in football. That would settle all doubts for the short term. This we did in our former, admittedly inferior, league. We cut ourselves out of the chance to defend and build anything there. Major bowl winners and national champions came from there, however. Perennially be in the top third of whatever configuration the SEC settles on once divisions go away. If we can't do that, we'd need to be behemoths in several other sports in order to hold our heads up. Right now, we ain't doin' it.

 

[Prestonyte]

Win the conference championship in football. That would settle all doubts for the short term. This we did in our former, admittedly inferior, league. We cut ourselves out of the chance to defend and build anything there. Major bowl winners and national champions came from there, however. Perennially be in the top third of whatever configuration the SEC settles on once divisions go away.

Utah. Win the conference championship in football. That would settle all doubts for the short term. This we did in our former, admittedly inferior, league. We cut ourselves out of the chance to defend and build anything there. Major bowl winners and national champions came from there, however. Perennially be in the top third of whatever configuration the SEC settles on once divisions go away. If we can't do that, we'd need to be behemoths in several other sports in order to hold our heads up. Right now, we ain't doin' it.

You're saying playing in the championship game and getting blown out doesn't do it. Not sure the PAC 12 has validated Utah yet.

 

[KingWard]

You're saying playing in the championship game and getting blown out doesn't do it. Not sure the PAC 12 has validated Utah yet.

No, it doesn't. Getting thumped in the bowl game after that doesn't do it, either. Utah has validated themselves as a tough out in that league, and they have no advantages I can think of. They are at least as bereft as us but handling it better. Southern Cal is about to reassert itself in that league but every league has three or four teams at least which belong. Utah can be one of those. They have to keep a top coach.

 

[Goat Rope]

They hate our freaking guts. I know plenty of dawg fans and they act like our game doesn’t matter and they expect to blow us out until it’s but cutting time and then they are as bad or worse than Clem fans. They are a rival. Sure they look down on us, let’s be honest, most of our long time rivals do, because we’ve sucked for the vast majority of our existence. But it is a rivalry.

Dude, they don’t gaf about us, They would much rather play Clempson annually than us, because they are a much more of a good heated and competent rival. We should focus on missou and Vandy, both of which would be competent rivals year in and out, and enjoy the banter and competitness that will abound from our equatable programs. It is what is is.

go cocks!

 

[GCJerryUSC]

Natural fit how? Because we are contiguous? Small and not populous state. Major non-SEC presence within the small state. Indifferent football heritage. Insignificant TV market. And as to the the "effect" SEC membership has had on GC sports, football is where it's at. If you ain't relevant in football, you ain't relevant. Relevant ain't struggling to get into the upper half of the weaker division. We're as lucky as a dog with two penises to be in this league. If UGA had a hand in it, they were more than Christian to us.

Meant geographically and culturally. SC has a larger population than Bama but that hasn't stopped them. Plus they have a semi-powerhouse state rival much as USC does but of course couldn't refer to Clemson as a semi-powerhouse at this time.

It's my understanding that when the ACC was busy poaching the Big East about 20 years ago by extending membership invitations to Miami, VPI, Syracuse, Pitt. etc, they informally checked in with USC to see if we were interested incoming back. I hope the polite response back then went something like "Thanks, but we're good. Wish we had had this conversation 20 years ago." (meaning 1982).

I've never read that before. That's interesting. In the long run, it has hurt the ACC more than it has USC when they allowed USC to exit. Still, our rivalries in the ACC were more intense and filled with hatred which made for some great games.
The ACC was stupid and shortsighted once again when USC went hat in hand semi-begging to be taken back in the late 70s but were rebuffed. At least, the ACC gave USC a face saving way out of that without publicly slamming the door in USC's face.

 

[KingWard]

I've never read that before. That's interesting. In the long run, it has hurt the ACC more than it has USC when they allowed USC to exit. Still, our rivalries in the ACC were more intense and filled with hatred which made for some great games.
The ACC was stupid and shortsighted once again when USC went hat in hand semi-begging to be taken back in the late 70s but were rebuffed. At least, the ACC gave USC a face saving way out of that without publicly slamming the door in USC's face.

As to the last post you addressed, I believe what we think we "know" about those machinations is anecdotal at best.

 

[atl-cock]

Willingness.

Willingness on both parties, e.g., the school and the league.

 

[KingWard]

Willingness on both parties, e.g., the school and the league.

The willingness of the league began at the league's inception. Ever since then, retention of membership has rested with the school. Every league has a relative small-fry. Ours happens to be in the middle of conference territory in a great town to visit.