We have Purdue and OH on the schedule next year, and Louisville in 2016, so just like in years past we are going to get right back to our consistency of having a tough non-conference schedule with a P5 school, 2 MAC/AAC level teams, and an FCS.
Yes, that much looks to be the same in the future. No one's disagreeing with that.
What's different is what's important. Of course. You know that.
And what's different is that we've been forced to replace the UCFs ECUs Tulsas and Houstons with the likes of FIU, UNT, UTSA and even a brand new program in Charlotte.
Will things seem different in 10 years? Likely.
But
we are setting that trajectory right now as to whether we're going to shrink and eliminate the gap between us and AAC and MWC or if its going to just get wider...
Like I said, we're setting the trajectory now. If you're going to Myrtle Beach from Huntington this summer, the decisions you make early in the journey are most consequential to if/when you sink your toes in the sand. If we're blind to that and don't try to do what we can, we only have ourselves to blame for ending up meandering some backcountry roads and lost instead of promptly arriving at our condo and getting the fun started.
That's what's frustrating for me. Why be so hands-off as some seem to be about this. It makes no sense if you're truly pulling for your school to advance and put players in the position to play on the biggest stage reasonable.Finally, I choke on the words earlier that someone would rather play in the Heart of Dallas Bowl and win rather than play in the Peach Bowl and lose.
First of all, who's to say we couldn't win the Peach Bowl... more to the point, why would anyone automatically assume that? UCF fans certainly wouldn't assume that, so why are any of us talking like that? I don't get it.
But second, pragmatically and accepting the other poster's premise that we would lose one but win the other... how is it to our long-term benefit to win a bowl that pays out $1.1 million to our conference versus playing in a bowl, even if we lost, and the conference payout being something north of, conservatively, $10 million? (By the way, I can't find that anyone has reported exactly what the new payouts are going to be, given that there are essentially 6 major bowls now instead of 4... if anyone has that, please add to the discussion).
I know it pains some of you to ever even come close to agreeing with me. But please don't be so personality-focused. Think of the merits of all of this. Think of that political figure who you most dislike... for me it might be Charles Schumer. I disagree with the President (who often agrees with Schumer, of course) on a lot of things, but I not only disagree with Schumer, I strongly dislike the guy and the way he comes across. I think Mr. Obama is a likeable guy. Schumer, not so much. But even Schumer says some things on occasion that I have to agree with. Rarely. But it happens. And that's as it should be. I can't let my dislike for Schumer overall to keep me from picking out those things he's right about and nodding my head in agreement. Some of you guys have formed your own little clique of sorts here defiantly trying to put up a counter-offensive anytime I post something--one poster even recently said that s/he considers it a form of recreational to do just that. That's responding to a personality, and it's merely unfortunate at best, and completely counterproductive at worst. We aren't the biggest fan base. But we might be the most passionate one, pound-for-pound. We can make a lot happen just by acting with one voice, as fuzzy put it. But will we act with one voice. That's a huge question. Right now, it doesn't look that way. But I don't give up hope.
*bump*