Rising Memphis is focused on big game and bigger future

[huskymedic]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...his-tigers-justin-fuente-win-streak/72661048/

>>We're the best fit for the Power Five, period, and my colleagues and everybody (in the industry) knows it," athletics director Tom Bowen told USA TODAY Sports. "We've had to build it one game at a time, and finally after three years of pushing the envelope we're in the perfect position. Thursday night is a defining moment for the University of Memphis. It's a celebration for the city, the university and all of us and it's the work of Coach Fuente. It's amazing what he's done. From my standpoint we will benefit immensely because we're going to be everywhere Thursday night."<<

 

[junglehusky]

Interesting that the Memphis AD is so public about it. When you say "we're the best fit and everybody knows it" in the USA Today, it comes off (to me) as slightly desperate, if the intended audience is the B12 presidents. If everybody knows it, you go into the meeting and present the numbers and they will come to the same conclusion (barring a political situation).

My guess is A) they feel they are behind Houston / BYU / UCF and are trying to make up ground, at least perception-wise B) he's just trying to take the opportunity to maximize local buzz / interest and sell more tickets for future games.

 

[TRest]

They have decades of suck to overcome as a football program. I wouldn't want to put all my expectations in this one basket tonight, what happens if they get stomped?

 

[Husky25]

This screams of puffer fish...Making yourself bigger than normal. UConn (Clearly a better P5 target, as evidenced by their new Big Ten Designation) did this and got them nowhere. What did we hear in advance of Tuesday's announced relationship with Wisconsin? Silence.

I think bigger things are in the works. President Herbst know that her time is better spent speaking calmly with the powers-that-be than screaming at no one in particular from the mountain tops.

 

[Exit 4]

Memphis is a natural fit for the B12 expansion. There is no denying this. My money is on TX politics and continued UT greed serving to thwart any actual follow through on expansion. Eventually the B12 bubble will pop.

 

[MemphisBlues]

It's not just a quote, Memphis is actually moving in the right direction with fan interest and investment. Recruiting and geography are major pluses.

>>"Should the Big 12 expand at some point, Memphis could argue it fits the league geographically, sits on prized recruiting turf and would allow the league to plant a flag in the heart of SEC country. It's almost certainly not a coincidence that on the same late June day Oklahoma president David Boren expressed his preference for the Big 12 to add two teams, second-year Memphis president David Rudd Tweeted a digital drawing of the $40 million athletic facilities project (including an indoor practice field) that will be completed during the next two years."<<

 

[sdhusky]

It's not just a quote, Memphis is actually moving in the right direction with fan interest and investment. Recruiting and geography are major pluses.

>>"Should the Big 12 expand at some point, Memphis could argue it fits the league geographically, sits on prized recruiting turf and would allow the league to plant a flag in the heart of SEC country. It's almost certainly not a coincidence that on the same late June day Oklahoma president David Boren expressed his preference for the Big 12 to add two teams, second-year Memphis president David Rudd Tweeted a digital drawing of the $40 million athletic facilities project (including an indoor practice field) that will be completed during the next two years."<<

To me, this sounds like he is playing to fans, alumni and donors.

"Look - I'm doing everything I can"

 

[CL82]

AAC athletic department revenue:

 

[RegisteredUconn]

It's not just a quote, Memphis is actually moving in the right direction with fan interest and investment. Recruiting and geography are major pluses.
<<

How is being absolutely surrounded by the SEC a plus (major or minor)? What does Memphis offer anyone (student, student-athlete, conference) that deserves the label "Must Have"?

 

[junglehusky]

How is being absolutely surrounded by the SEC a plus (major or minor)? What does Memphis offer anyone (student, student-athlete, conference) that deserves the label "Must Have"?

It would, in theory, be appealing to B12 coaches to have that recruiting territory where they would compete with SEC schools for football talent. Comparing the B12 to the B1G, I think football recruiting is higher up their list of priorities than it is for the B1G (or ACC) where academics, branding, etc get more weight.

Memphis probably only has 1 P5 option, that's the B12 where they have to compete with the schools I mentioned, whereas UConn might have 2 (B1G, ACC) and Cincy has 2 (B12, ACC).

 

[SubbaBub]

Great, the Donald Trump of Athletic Directors.

 

[Kolumbo]

This screams of puffer fish...Making yourself bigger than normal. UConn (Clearly a better P5 target, as evidenced by their new Big Ten Designation) did this and got them nowhere. What did we hear in advance of Tuesday's announced relationship with Wisconsin? Silence.

I think bigger things are in the works. President Herbst know that her time is better spent speaking calmly with the powers-that-be than screaming at no one in particular from the mountain tops.

Or as Coakley would say, surrounded by stootfish. Except in this case Memphis is more like a 4 trying to look like a 6. It has been extremely quiet around here so I hope there is a good reason.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I have nothing against Memphis, but I really hope its fans are realistic. Louisville is thus far the only urban/city public to go to the P5 (Pitt is a weird hybrid). Houston was in the big leagues of old in the SWC. Louisville, Cinci, Memphis, Houston, Temple and any other large, urban public U that exists as a cheaper and lesser alternative to its flagship state university, will always be looked upon differently. USF fills that role in Florida as well. Many of these schools are growing rapidly, precisely because more kids are going to college and they need a cheaper and easier alternative to the privates and flagship state universities.

Memphis will never be on the same footing as UT. Cinci will never be there with OSU. USF won't match Florida or even FSU. Temple will never be thought of with Penn State. Louisville is closest to being in the ballpark of U Kentucky, but even they won't ever get there. Houston is way behind UT and A&M. It's about prestige, history, mindshare of the fans and yes even academics.

This is why UConn will escape. It doesn't fit with those schools. They do, however, fit with each other. If UConn were in the ACC instead of Louisville, the American would be made up mostly of large, urban public universities that exist a notch or two below the state flagships.

 

[IMind]

It's not just a quote, Memphis is actually moving in the right direction with fan interest and investment. Recruiting and geography are major pluses.

>>"Should the Big 12 expand at some point, Memphis could argue it fits the league geographically, sits on prized recruiting turf and would allow the league to plant a flag in the heart of SEC country. It's almost certainly not a coincidence that on the same late June day Oklahoma president David Boren expressed his preference for the Big 12 to add two teams, second-year Memphis president David Rudd Tweeted a digital drawing of the $40 million athletic facilities project (including an indoor practice field) that will be completed during the next two years."<<

That's a nice little drawing you have there... we already got one though... oh yeah and a state of the art basketball facility... plus we have drawings of new hockey, baseball and soccer facilities. So you guys are about a decade behind.

 

[junglehusky]

I have nothing against Memphis, but I really hope its fans are realistic. Louisville is thus far the only urban/city public to go to the P5 (Pitt is a weird hybrid). Houston was in the big leagues of old in the SWC. Louisville, Cinci, Memphis, Houston, Temple and any other large, urban public U that exists as a cheaper and lesser alternative to its flagship state university, will always be looked upon differently. USF fills that role in Florida as well. Many of these schools are growing rapidly, precisely because more kids are going to college and they need a cheaper and easier alternative to the privates and flagship state universities.

Memphis will never be on the same footing as UT. Cinci will never be there with OSU. USF won't match Florida or even FSU. Temple will never be thought of with Penn State. Louisville is closest to being in the ballpark of U Kentucky, but even they won't ever get there. Houston is way behind UT and A&M. It's about prestige, history, mindshare of the fans and yes even academics.

This is why UConn will escape. It doesn't fit with those schools. They do, however, fit with each other. If UConn were in the ACC instead of Louisville, the American would be made up mostly of large, urban public universities that exist a notch or two below the state flagships.

I completely agree with you with a minor exception - Temple is, I belive, the same kind of hybrid that Pitt is, and both are urban schools closer to being state schools than they are to being private schools like BC.

The thing that ticks off UConn fans is the conferences we fit into, the B1G and ACC, we don't know their timetables and there 's not much urgency for them to act right now. The B12 has more urgency, but they're going to take a Memphis type of school.

 

[specialisthusky]

I'm betting on cinci tonight after some of those quotes.

 

[Dooley]

The thing that ticks off UConn fans is the conferences we fit into, the B1G and ACC, we don't know their timetables and there 's not much urgency for them to act right now. The B12 has more urgency, but they're going to take a Memphis type of school.

Spot on. It will make me furious if this FedEx dude can buy a mediocre athletic department and worse academic school into a P5 conference before we get into one. After we get in, I wouldn't care nearly as much.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Looks like the only moment being defined on ESPN right now is that Memphis has a half-full stadium and a bad team.

 

[Revrat]

Looks like the only moment being defined on ESPN right now is that Memphis has a half-full stadium and a bad team.

No love from the refs either. That was the worst no call on an offside I have seen in a while

 

[Dooley]

Dirty hit on Kiel. I've watched Memphis a few times. One time they had a fight after their bowl game. Another time, one of their thugs drills a QB in the head who was clearly sliding.

But yeah, "clearly" on top of everyone's expansion lists.