[Sly Fox]

Stony Brook & Albany are announcing they are stepping up from non-scholarship to scholie football in 2007. That signals there is a strong chance they will be part of the America East sponsoring football. That would likely send Maine, New Hampshire, UMass and Rhode Island into the regional conference.

That would in turn open up some space in the CAA. Obviously with talk of ODU, GMU and possiby Georgia State all adding football they probably won't be looking for expansion. But this could just be the first step in a number of moves. We'll have to watch what happens next.

[Stevev]

That could open the door for us to move in. I guess we can't assume that those teams will jump if the 2 non-scollie teams step it up.

[Sly Fox]

I'm glad somebody else sees this as potentially major news for us. I had heard rumors of SB & Albany stepping up to scholarship football, but this still comes as a bit of a surprise.

I can't remember a time when there were more rumblings in the I-AA ranks about realignment on the East Coast than right now.

Yeah, I think its still a longshot for us to get an invitation but it does at least create enough upheaval that even the Big South might be able to benefit with a current I-AA coming our way that could get us auto-bif eligible even sooner. Either way could be a nice step in the right direction.

The more I look at Campbell's deal, the more I believe they might consider joining us in football as an affiliate member. That would be fantastic news for the league.

[PAmedic]

I'd love to know what moves AD Barber is considering, if any- in relation to the conf affiliation. I'm sure he wouldn't come right out and state ANY type of intentions to look anywhere else, but I'd love to know what's going on behind closed doors.

[Sly Fox]

Let's hope our AD and league commish are working the phones like crazy today in light of this news. This is the time of year when all the action occurs.

[bigsmooth]

campbell is a good fit, if they can get over the sunday thing. i would love to see g-webb and campbell come over for all sports and have a 12 team league...but that stilll would not help football immed.

[bigsmooth]

KK is probably still celebrating PC's entry to the big south.

[Sly Fox]

Cambell would help us in three years as opposed to the much longer wait for PC since the Cambells are already a Division I school. And the Sundays issue wouldn't be a factor for football. Frankly I don't tthink they would have much interest in joining us as an all-sport member due to the same issues that led them to leave before. But football would seem to be a viable option.

[Sly Fox]

KK is probably still celebrating PC's entry to the big south.

Let's hope not.

PS - I still think of a former coach when KK is used in this forum. But I hear ya.

[Chris Lang]

I assume the America East would have no problems taking UMass and Rhody as associate members ... no way those two would leave the A-10 in all sports.

So you could have:
AMERICA EAST
Maine
Albany
Stony Brook
New Hampshire
Massachusetts
Rhode Island

COLONIAL
Hofstra
Delaware
Villanova
James Madison
Old Dominion
Richmond
William & Mary
Towson
Northeastern

Still no openings for LU or anyone else, as far as I can tell. I'm not so sure UMass, Rhody and UNH would want to go to the America East because they'd have the same problems the Big South is having (going a couple of years without an auto-bid).

[Sly Fox]

While they wouldn't have an auto-bid for a couple of years, it really wouldn't hinder them from getting int he postseason. UNH would get a bid with a decent record regardless of affiliation. Once they were eligible they would get an auto over one of the currents without question.

I agree that Umass & URI are only looking for football affiliations. But if this scenario were to go down would Hoftsra and Northeastern consider jumping ship to a more geographically convenient league? Its what could happen once the dominoes start falling that could impact us down the road.

[Chris Lang]

For Northeastern and Hofstra, the America East would be a considerable step down. I just don't see it happening.

[bigsmooth]

i agree wih chris on this, but who knows at this point, and it is fun to speculate. here is a piece from SI..com on the campbell situation. it sounds like they are firm on non-scholarship football.
Campbell plans to resume football
Posted: Friday April 7, 2006 5:23PM; Updated: Friday April 7, 2006 5:23PM

BUIES CREEK, N.C. (AP) -- Campbell plans to resume football for the 2008 season, the first time in more than a half-century it will field a team.

The Camels will compete in the NCAA Division I-AA, non-scholarship level, similar to programs such as Davidson and Jacksonville. Both currently play in the Pioneer Football League along with Butler, Dayton, Drake, Morehead State, San Diego and Valparaiso.

Campbell plans to apply for membership as well.

"College football is one of the most exciting events in our country," athletic director Stan Williamson said. "The atmosphere that on-campus intercollegiate football brings to a campus is exhilarating. The addition of football at Campbell will certainly enhance the student life aspect of Buies Creek."

Football began at the school in 1925 and continued for 25 years, except for a six-year hiatus during World War II. Campbell dropped football in the early 1950s in part because of the Korean War, according to the school's Web site.

Campbell joined Division I in 1977 and became a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference in 1994.

The A-Sun doesn't have football among its 17 sports.

Campbell still must build football facilities, including a stadium, practice field and locker room. Expected costs are $2 million.

Jim Harbaugh, who played quarterback in the NFL for 15 seasons, coaches San Diego and led the Toreros to a school-best 11-1 record last season. They won their first Pioneer Football League title last season while also claiming the Sports Network Cup after finishing ranked No. 1 in the I-AA Mid-Major poll.

"For the school, it's not nearly the financial burden," he said in a phone interview. "You don't need to have the scholarships generated not only for the football program, but for the female sports, as well, because of gender equity. You have football without a lot of the costs."

[D Edcil]

I'd love to know what moves AD Barber is considering, if any- in relation to the conf affiliation. I'm sure he wouldn't come right out and state ANY type of intentions to look anywhere else, but I'd love to know what's going on behind closed doors.

PA you should know by now that JF IS the AD!! Barber will still not be able to make any decisions w/out JF saying yes or no. Hopefully JF is looking at this and give Barb's the OK

[PAmedic]

[PAmedic]

I know we started this discussion before but I can't find it. I guess us arguing about "going 1A" is gonna be moot- now we can start arguing instead about going "BOWL DIVISION".

http://newsadvance.com/servlet/Satellit ... th=!sports

Division I-AA title could soon change

By Chris Lang
Lynchburg News & Advance
April 27, 2006

Soon, NCAA Division I-A and I-AA football may cease to exist.
Sort of.

The NCAA board of directors convenes today in Indianapolis, and one of the items on the agenda is the long sought after end to the often confusing nomenclature in Division I football.

Schools that participate in Division I-AA have long wanted the moniker to go away, mostly because most casual football fans think that I-AA football is indeed not Division I football.

It is. Division I-AA football schools compete in Division I in all sports. Division I-A schools fund 85 football scholarships. Division I-AA schools fund 63. Schools like Gonzaga, Xavier and Radford are considered I-AAA because they compete in Division I but don't field football teams.

All those "A"s did was give smaller Division I schools an inferiority complex.

"The more critical problem was that it wasn't football specific, and people were calling us I-AA in all sports," Big Sky Conference commissioner Doug Fullerton told The Sports Network's Matt Dougherty. "It hurt us in other sports as well, and it was really hammering us in our basketball recruiting.

"There were always subtle references to Division I football, with even our own coaches referring to I-A as Division I."

If the name change is approved as expected, the current Division I-A will be known as the Bowl Division and I-AA will be known as the Championship Division. (The exact names may be tweaked, though.)

The vote could happen today, though the NCAA's official agenda for the meeting says "no action anticipated" on the I-AA enchancement proposals. The next board meeting is August 3.

The goal for Fullerton and other I-AA conference commissioners is to have their schools recognized simply for being Division I.

Liberty coach Danny Rocco said he wasn't sure how a name change would help in recruiting.

Rocco already has a certain type of athlete in mind when he is recruiting, one who is interested in pursuing education at a Christian school.

"You've got to sell your program for what it is and what you have and who you are," Rocco said.

Other proposed enhancements include:

Increasing the travel party for playoff teams to 135 for preliminary-round games and 150 for the Division I championship game (about 30 more people than before). This will allow for more walk-ons and practice players to travel, and the cost will be subsized by the NCAA.

The NCAA covering ground expenses for playoff teams.

Seeding eight teams in the championship bracket, elminating the chance that highly ranked teams will meet in the first round. Now, only four teams are seeded and geography is the main consideration for placing the other schools in the bracket.

Another matter for discussion is the adding a 12th game for I-AA schools. Legislation has passed allowing I-A schools to play 12 every season, and one win for a I-A against a I-AA can count toward bowl eligibility each season.

Some I-AA coaches have had lukewarm reactions to the idea of adding a 12th game. Liberty's Rocco is among them.

If a I-AA school plays 12 games and makes a deep run into the NCAA playoffs, there's the potential for a 16-game season.

"That what the NFL does," Rocco said.

Rocco joked that if the 12-game proposal passes, the NCAA should allow I-AA schools to have 10 more scholarships.

"I'm personally not in favor of the 12th game and I never have been regardless of whether I was at Texas, Virginia or Liberty University," Rocco said. "At 63 scholarships, it's hard to play an 11-game schedule. Division I-A schools have 85 scholarships and they have mixed feelings on playing a 12th game.

"If they do play a 12th game, they're always playing down against a team with 63 scholarships."

Even if passed, it's unlikely the 12-game rule would go into effect for the 2006 season. Most teams' schedules are already complete, and trying to add another game now would be a logistical nightmare.

[IHateTheBigSouth]

The bottom line is.......Liberty and anyone else who wants to go anywhere in D-I needs to get the hell out of the Big South Conf.!!!!!!!!

[Sly Fox]

Very diplomatic. How about registering and sticking around to explain to us how we can get to a better league?

[TallyW]

That's what we Christians are here for... to get the HELL out of the Big South...


Praise Je-sus-sa

[Brokeback Flamer]

That's what we Christians are here for... to get the HELL out of the Big South...


Praise Je-sus-sa

Youre KILLIN' me TALLY just KILLIN me!!! I wonder if we should start by cleaning our own house first?

[TallyW]

Say it with me brokeback.... Joke. Jooooookkkkeee...

Good boy.

[Brokeback Flamer]

Say it with me brokeback.... Joke. Jooooookkkkeee...

Good boy.

And it was a funny one at that my friend!!!