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This feels like 1999 all over again.

What washed up NFL coach will we find to replace Monken when he gets canned after we go 0-10 or 11?

Our home slate hasn't been that exciting for years. Assuming 8 conference games plus CIC games, that leaves 2 games for flex: an FCS and a P5. With teams like Syracuse, BC, WF, Vanderbilt...we can get a home-home series so we can still see a P5 time game at Michie about as often as we are seeing them these days.

I wish we could stay independent as well, but the landscape of college football has changed too much. This move was inevitable. The AAC gives us a chance at being competitive.

Wish we'd get over the A/N game "needing" to be at the end of the season and just move it to the last game of the season for each team and play it the week before the conference title game. Like every other rivalry game in the country during "rivalry weekend". The TV folks I'm sure can figure out how to schedule the games and give national exposure to the game...it doesn't have to be the only game on that weekend for people to watch.

gabn92 wrote: ↑Wed Oct 25, 2023 12:11 pm Our home slate hasn't been that exciting for years.

I can't remember a home slate that was "exciting" in 30+ years. When I was a cadet we had years were we played home games versus colgate, VMI and Lafayette in the same year.

But at least independence allows variety. We are going to be playing the same darn teams, year after year, forever. AAC sucks

From a competitive stand point, AAC is a good fit. UTSA is
currently tied for 1st place in the conference at 3-0.
Over the next 3 years, the only team coming to WP
that will draw a crowd is Syracuse. The rest of the schedule
is Mac, Sun Belt and AAC teams. The teams we have
been playing for years. Joining the AAC or not, the
schedule is still the same quality level.

Mike Buddie knows the history of Army football, and
I would like to think going forward he must see
the issue's with not being in a conference.

wpgrad wrote: ↑Wed Oct 25, 2023 12:26 pm

gabn92 wrote: ↑Wed Oct 25, 2023 12:11 pm Our home slate hasn't been that exciting for years.

I can't remember a home slate that was "exciting" in 30+ years. When I was a cadet we had years were we played home games versus colgate, VMI and Lafayette in the same year.

But at least independence allows variety. We are going to be playing the same darn teams, year after year, forever. AAC sucks

I agree. Best part about being independent is mixing up
Opponents and getting the chance to play some blue chips schools

Can’t wait to play charlotte every year

Does the prospect of being an AAC champ really excite anyone? Also going to be great when we have a great year and have a dog fight in the championship the week before navy, while they get 2-3 weeks to prepare for us.

I know that many people do not understand or care, but this move was absolutely necessary for financial reasons and to try to draw people to Michie. Attendance is down, year after year, and interest in West Point football is dropping. No one of any quality wants to come to West Point to play football. The payouts are not enough and they prefer to play other schools that make more sense for them. Bottom line is that Army schedule was going to get much worse in the near future, not better and that is not good. As for MONEY, Army needs the money that the AAC offers. Now, Monken, or whoever, is going to have to get better players to compete in this league. AFA does it VERY WELL in the mountain west and Navy has had some good years too. Yes, it is going to get tough, but it is the only way to go...And, BTW, no more games against the BETTER Power Five teams....play Vanderbilt, Northwestern, Duke, Wake Forest, Syracuse, BC and a few others and forget the rest....LSU taught us that we can no longer compete in that area....not even taking teams to overtime

Dong Fong '09 wrote: ↑Wed Oct 25, 2023 1:10 pm

wpgrad wrote: ↑Wed Oct 25, 2023 12:26 pm

gabn92 wrote: ↑Wed Oct 25, 2023 12:11 pm Our home slate hasn't been that exciting for years.

I can't remember a home slate that was "exciting" in 30+ years. When I was a cadet we had years were we played home games versus colgate, VMI and Lafayette in the same year.

But at least independence allows variety. We are going to be playing the same darn teams, year after year, forever. AAC sucks

I agree. Best part about being independent is mixing up
Opponents and getting the chance to play some blue chips schools

Can’t wait to play charlotte every year

Does the prospect of being an AAC champ really excite anyone? Also going to be great when we have a great year and have a dog fight in the championship the week before navy, while they get 2-3 weeks to prepare for us.

Lets remember this is exactly what happened for us to "break the streak." In 2016, Navy played the extra game and their QB, starting slot, and I think starting LB all got injured. And then we "barely" beat them with those injuries.

But, hey, we get to play charlotte each year. Maybe we can start a great rivalry with Tulsa!! And, I bet that 90% of army fans including the people on this board can't name Tulsa's mascot or 1 player who has ever played for tulsa. But, hey, good news, we are now locked in a conference with them!!! Exciting!!!

Going back to a common offense. Joining a conference. I am expecting to hear very soon that we hired Todd Berry to be our new coach. Bad times ahead gentlemen. Bad times.

Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat history

I have not been in favor of a conference. I loved our ability to schedule independently. And I think we would have been able to put together a schedule every year. But AD's at every level like a lot of the work done for them already, and a conference takes a lot off their plate. But I guess in these times independents are a dinosaur. The AAC seems like a done deal, so nothing I could say would make a difference. I do also think that the AAC will be a bit watered down by 2024, so I guess as long as it seems locked up, now is not a bad time to join.

But I will say this. No more "big" games. I'm done with Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma, LSU, and Notre Dame for that matter. In fact, I'd like to be done with all Power 5's except maybe the regional rivalries like BC or Syracuse. We don't need strength of schedule points. No need to impress the NCAA basketball selection committee with hopes of the Big Dance in the balance. And last I checked, we don't need the guaranteed payday. Only thing those games do is guarantee a loss, and expose our kids to a higher risk of injury against teams that are superior physically and athletically.

If we are lucky enough to play those big time Power 5's in a bowl, so be it. We will deal with it then. Until then, with a conference schedule to prepare for, I want those out of conference games to be none too daunting. In the meantime, I'll take the one FCS and any of UConn, UMass, New Mexico St., Liberty, a MAC school, etc.