[ATrain]

Ok, I do not know how credible my sources at Longwood are (i.e. friends of mine who happen to be students) but from what a couple of them mentioned, Longwood is looking at adding football as a sport sometime in the not-too-distant future. I haven't heard anything out of Longwood's athletic department regarding this, so I'm not sure if its valid or if its just some people blowing smoke.

IF this is true, and they do add football, should they be let into the Big South Conference? Their men's basketball has already proven it can compete with anyone in the league besides Winthrop, they have also beaten several conference schools in softball and tennis as well.

Discuss

[PAmedic]

they're nuts

[Fumblerooskies]

If they were to add football...KK would roll out the red carpet and throw rose petals in their path to INVITE them into the league.

[Libertine]

Let's have a look here.

Longwood is a public school with about 3,700 students, which is pretty much the same ballpark as UNC-Asheville. It's a rural campus on about 150 acres -- which by comparison is about 1/29th the size of LU's campus -- in Farmville.

On the plus side: this school is not located in a state ending in "-lina" and travel would not be problematic for us; their nickname is 'The Prancing Lancers' which would easily surpass 'Blue Hose' and 'Chanticleer' as the gayest mascot in the Big South; Longwood was one of the nation's original women's schools and, should they add football, Winthrop would have absolutely no excuse not to do it themselves; their RPI in basketball, last year, was better than both Radford and CSU.

On the minus side: there is already one 'LU' in the conference and it is us; Longwood has only been D-1 for a year so adding them now doesn't do us much good; they have some rather creepy student traditions for a college campus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longwood_U ... udent_life) -- it's like something of 'Satan's School for Girls' or something --; their RPI in basketball would not balance out the gravity well that are the Radford and CSU programs.

I say, if they add football before 2010, bring it on. If not, let 'em swing.

[PAmedic]

how do you go from NO program to D-I (albeit FCS) ?

I repeat: nutty

[Fumblerooskies]

how do you go from NO program to D-I (albeit FCS) ?

I repeat: nutty

Coastal did a pretty good job with it...don't you think?

[PAmedic]

Coastal did a pretty good job with it...don't you think?

BEACH + GOLF + QUESTIONABLE PURSUITS vs. FARMS + UHHHHH...FARMS + UHHHHH...

[Libertine]

Coastal had about 3,000 more students, had already been D1 for a couple of decades, had a natural built-in recruiting base as well as having a lot more sports-hungry alumni than Longwood would presumably have (read: men).

[Fumblerooskies]

Now wait a minute...Medic asked "how quick?" He didn't say, "Given Longwood's location, size, and student make-up, how long would it take?" I answered his question.

[Libertine]

Now wait a minute...Medic asked "how quick?" He didn't say, "Given Longwood's location, size, and student make-up, how long would it take?" I answered his question.

Well, then, if Coastal is the blueprint, then I would say that Longwood will likely add football in 2025.

[LUconn]

so this is dumb because it's info coming from students. I'd have to say students are probably the least in the know at any school and are notorious for dumb made up info.

[Fumblerooskies]

so this is dumb because it's info coming from students. I'd have to say students are probably the least in the know at any school and are notorious for dumb made up info.

No kidding...I think "we" (FF.com) are exhibit A of that

[El Scorcho]

I'd have to say students are probably the least in the know at any school and are notorious for dumb made up info.

[ATrain]

so this is dumb because it's info coming from students. I'd have to say students are probably the least in the know at any school and are notorious for dumb made up info.

True...but it has made for some interesting discussion

[Sly Fox]

I sincerely believe the Longwood administrators have floated the idea in recent times realizing it was their only chance to join a regional conference other than possibly the A-Sun. I also believe they looked at the economics and the gamble involved in doing something with no assurances from any league and they decided to invest in what they already in place.

All of this is stated with no direct knowledge of the situation ... just observation.

[PAmedic]

For once I actually am in agreement with SLY

[ATrain]

I think Longwood is fully committed to pursuing Big South membership...when I e-mailed their interim athletic director for my newswriting class, he said that Longwood had had "no formal talks with other conferences" and as far as joining the other independents in a basketball association this year (United Basketball Conference or something like that) he said Longwood "Had no interest in joining."

I did not ask about football and I'm in agreement with Sly on the topic. However, from what I've gathered they're deadset on getting into the Big South.