[WinthropEagleFan]

http://www.vmi.edu/media/bov/bov%202005 ... inutes.pdf

A post on VMI's forum mentioned something about the VMI Board of Visitors minutes including some info about Big South membership, which included Gardner-Webb becoming a full member and Presbyterian applying for membership...It's on the bottom of page 11 of the linked minutes...

20. Mr. Mundy, chair of Athletics, reported on the meeting of his committee.
a. There was discussion on conference affiliation. There are currently nine members in
the Big South with five for football. Gardner-Webb, a football only member at present,
will be a full member in two years. Presbyterian is petitioning for membership. There is
concern over the possibility of Coastal Carolina leaving and Liberty moving to Division
I. Other conferences mentioned were the Southern Conference, the Colonial Athletic
Association, and the Patriot League.

[bigsmooth]

why not have gardner-webb as a full member. they have a decent program, much better than longwood and they are a better geographical fit for the big south than the A-Sun. im still cool with PC coming, that would bring the football membership to six, but i feel like coastal is gonna make a move so back to five. im hoping ETSU will revive it's program and join us in the big south.

[Sly Fox]

Wow! Nice find, WEF. I admit I don't spend much time on that Yahoo Group over at VMI. But that was interesting.

[Rocketfan]

I dont' know how it possible that you would, you pull info from everywhere else. Where do you find the time is my thought?

[Hold My Own]

you think Radford is our rival I'd have to saw GW would be our new big rival

[SuperJon]

I haven't heard anything about Longwood coming in until I came here. GW could challenge Winthrop in basketball a lotta years.

[A.G.]

GW in the league would be a serious about-face by the league presidents. As I mentioned in an earlier post, they were given a "no" vote due to some serious academic issues. I think it would be great to have the Running Dogs as a whipping boy. I dislike that bunch more than some of you guys dislike RU or WU.

[WinthropEagleFan]

GW in the league would be a serious about-face by the league presidents. As I mentioned in an earlier post, they were given a "no" vote due to some serious academic issues. I think it would be great to have the Running Dogs as a whipping boy. I dislike that bunch more than some of you guys dislike RU or WU.

Their probation ends next year..maybe the league sees that they've changed how they run stuff there...

[Sly Fox]

There's never been a driving need to admit G-W since we already have their football program. I admit its an interesting proposition. But I obviously have much more interest in snagging some of these angered MEAC schools.

[A.G.]

I agree with you there, Sly. But a 10 team league in the near future can help with some of the scheduling issues. Perhaps KK would actually start back up the travel partners in basketball like the conf USED to have. Now it seems like the only partners are when teams make the beach trip. Personally, I'd rather see Longwood, or even better, to heck with Coastal--let GW, Longwood, AND PC in as full members and we have our 6 football schools.

[ATrain]

I say get rid of Birmingham-Southern for Longwood...its geographically better...and I have no problem admitting GW into the league for all sports, and sure...why not PC? They'll be our 6th football school.

[Hold My Own]

AG you dont like GW? For some reason I was thinking you might like them....that's good to hear though I'm with you!

[SuperJon]

Man, AG, you really hate Coastal. I know they have some cocky fans who probably think they're better than they real are, but what's your problem with them? They were one dumb play away from the playoffs this year in football and were a #1 seed in baseball, along with one of the top golf programs in the country, and soccer is generally near the top. What's your beef with them?

[Sly Fox]

SJ - I think some on here are feeling a little spurned that CCU would want to ditch us for the SoCon. But there is no question that they are our strongest partner in the Big South. I certainly wouldn't want them to leave and I remind them of that at every opportunity. And keep in mind, we are rivals and sometimes the references on here are reflective of that (whether appropriate or not).

[SuperJon]

I've been on record in saying that I don't think the SoCon is any better than the Big South except for football. With that being said, do you blame Coastal for wanting to move? It doesn't look like the Big South is doing anything to make football better. You've said yourself that you'd jump in a heartbeat to the CAA (Satan will buy a winter jacket before that one happens) so I don't see the problem with them wanting to leave. If it betters the school then by all means, go for it.

Someone mentioned in the SoCon thread that the SoCon does revenue sharing a lot better than the Big South. That would be huge for Coastal. Coastal is the least funded public school in the state of South Carolina. It has very few alumni in prominent positions to donate a ton of money (like the LaHaye's or other donors for LU). The weight room in the LaHaye Student Center is 2-3 times larger than the one that the athletes at Coastal are supposed to use, if not more. The entire baseball team can't even fit in there to work out together. I walked in the athletic building last semester to get something from an office and the pitchers for the baseball team we working out in the lobby of the building. If they can get more money from a conference and have the chance to compete for a playoff bid (albeit an extremely hard road) then why not go for it?

We all forget that a 6th team does not guarantee us an automatic bid. Everyone is like, "We need to get the 6th team so that we can get a bid." The conference heads for the 8 bids now have to vote on it. We would need more than just a 6th team to get an automatic bid.

[Hold My Own]

Coastal is the least funded public school in the state of South Carolina. It has very few alumni in prominent positions to donate a ton of money.

Inside Informaaaation.....(ATH)

[SuperJon]

Haha, I love that.

[A.G.]

Man, AG, you really hate Coastal.

No, I don't hate Coastal at all. I just don't think we need to have all the gnashing of teeth at the prospect of them leaving, especially IF there are schools out there that could be brought in. Now GW--grrrrrrr

[Baldspot]

If memory serves me correctly, Rick Reeves is the girls basketball coach a GW. That could make or some interesting matchups.

[Hold My Own]

Not to mention they have our old Volleyball Coach and AD, with maybe a few more on the way...theres no truth that they are changing their name to Liberty #2

[Hold My Own]

Not to mention they have our old Volleyball Coach and AD, and maybe more...theres no truth that they are changing their name to Liberty #2

[fsn32]

GW would have been a member of the Big South long ago if Elon had not black balled them. That was right after Elon became members and right before they left... so it only makes sense to consider them again.

[PAmedic]

IMHO, at this point the BSOUTH need not look down there collective noses or snub ANY legitimate, regional institution that approaches them for full membership.

[SuperJon]

Medic said something smart. Mark this day on your calendar.

[PAmedic]

I know where you live

(you have no food, but I know where it is)