The Towel Rack Mailbag: At-large Chances, Conference Consolidation & the Meaning of Life

Welcome to the long lull that we have to endure when WKU plays just once a week.

Welcome to the long lull that we have to endure when WKU plays just once a week.

Okay, while we wouldn’t have been playing tonight anyway, it does seem very quiet on the WKU front with a rematch against Marshall staring us in the face, sans yesterday’s football schedule release.

So, I opened up our mailbag again and y’all did not disappoint with the questions this week. Lets get to them.

We are starting off REAL STRONG this week.

The best answer I can give is this — be the best you, live life as full as you can and love as often and as many as you can.

However, I say all of that realizing all of those things mean different things to different people, but this is my mailbag and I’m choosing not to directly address that.

Okay, a couple of different questions here, and one leads to the other’s answer.

Yes, C-USA is going to cannibalize itself. One could argue it already has, with MT beating WKU this past weekend. This year’s C-USA is far more balanced than in the last couple of years (in the way that MT isn’t going to run away with things), and so it’s just a sign of a competitive (at the top, anyway) conference. It sucks, but it’s also good.

Because of that self-cannibalism, WKU’s chances at an at-large bid are probably up. I only say that because C-USA was seen as so weak coming into the season and, despite how good Marshall, WKU and ODU have been, I don’t think the perception has changed.

If WKU is going to pull an at-large bid out of their butts, then yes, going undefeated is the only way to get it. I’d even argue the Tops have to make the C-USA tourney title game as well. There may be a chance they can squeak in as a First Four team if they lose in Murfreesboro, but any other loss, under any other circumstance, will be the kiss of death for at-large chances.

So, here’s the thing — I’ve seen reactions on both side of the aisle. I’ve seen people who think it’s a good thing (because, ultimately, it is) and I’ve seen people who think it’ll destroy mid-major basketball.

Here’s how I see it — how much of this WKU roster had to sit out a year last year? Damn near everyone. If Stansbury is going to make a living out of getting transfers to the Hill (which would be fine by me), then not having to sit out a year only benefits the Tops.

I could see how some players would take advantage of the new system, but are you telling me that players like T.J. Price, George Fant, Justin Johnson or any other stud who has come through would have left a year or two into being on the Hill if another, bigger school or program were recruiting them?

From the athletes perspective, it’s a big win. Coaches have free reign to go whenever, wherever free of consequence (granted if they leave a program not on probation), so why shouldn’t the players be given the same freedom, especially if it’s their coach who left?

I, as the most casual of college basketball fan, sees it as a positive, and hopefully will lead to a day where we see players being able to make money while still in school (but that’s another conversation for another day).

Alright, here’s how we are going to tackle this one — rather than spill the beans on my favorite student media outlet, I’m going to delve into why student media outlets matter.

I was lucky enough to be apart of two great media groups while attending WKU — the aforementioned Redzone and the Extra Point. I wanted to stretch my limbs into every possible media outlet, and openings in a radio program and the TV show opened, so I was able to do it.

Both were invaluable experiences, and I wouldn’t be where I am professionally, socially or even with this blog. In being with Redzone and Extra Point, I honed my craft as a broadcaster and expanded my WKU knowledge beyond what I ever could have imagined.

Now, here’s why this is important — I know (because I’ve done it and I catch myself doing it) that it’s easy to discredit student media because of the first word in that phrase — student. It immediately, in the minds of many, demeans the work. “Oh, it’s just students.”

And that isn’t the way to think about it at all.

Sure, they’re not professionals, but that doesn’t mean what they’re doing isn’t good work and they’re not busting their balls just as hard as Chad, Brad, Elliott or even us.

One of my best friends — my co-executive producer at Extra Point, actually — once said something along the lines of “It’s hard to describe what you do as student media because you almost instantly discredit yourself.” And it’s true. When I was a student, I had all the same access and resources that “professional,” media had. I just also had class the next morning.

Long story short, don’t discredit student media because they’re students.

And also, the Extra Point will always have a special place in my heart.

Another duel question tweet,but it will be allowed.

First, on the C-USA/Sun Belt thing. That rumor has been around as long as…well, something that’s been around for a long time. It’s a natural rumor to begin — the Sun Belt, in its current form, spans Georgia, Alabama, North and South Carolina, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico and Idaho. Of course, I feel it safe to say that if some sort of combination happens, you can kiss Idaho and New Mexico goodbye.

It almost makes too much sense that that’d they’d be merging partners. Which is why it’s a prominent rumor.

In terms of how I actually feel about it; I don’t hate it. It depends on how the combination will work. Are we just adding all of the SBC schools east of Texas to all the C-USA schools east of Texas? Will it be every school? How big will the conference be?

I’d love to see WKU play Georgia Southern and App State regularly. I’d love to rekindle the rivalries with ULL, Arkansas State and even South Al. So, in a broad sense, I’m for it.

However, as far as I know, there have been no serious conversations about such a merger any time soon. But, we all know how fluid college athletics can be.

As far as a red camo towel — that’s an excellent question and idea. WKU actually is very consistent with keeping the towel red at almost all times. The three exceptions I can think of are:

• A Pink Out Towel they did several years ago

• The Diddle Floor Towel they did vs. (I believe, anyway) Stony Brook in 2015

• The Justin Johnson jersey Towel they did last week

Other than that, it’s always red. Maybe you’re on to something, though…

Goodness did I go on for a while. Thanks for sticking it out, and more importantly, thanks for sending in your questions. We’ll do this again real soon.