[Sly Fox]

This is the slow time of year and it also happens to be the best time for ridiculous gossip. This thread posted on AGS quoting a supposedly Fordham insider is a whopper:

Any Given Saturday Thread

If this proposed idea of 'Nova & UR going to the Patriot League were to happen, it would turn the entire I-AA world east of the Appalachians upside down. It might also be why we've been hearing these rumors about the CAA considering a move to I-AA. It might all fit together. Then again, this is June and crazy ideas seem to be ripe this time of year.

[PAmedic]

Makes my head spin.

couple of interesting points: the guy from UD pointing out that Hofstra, at 8000 students, is NOT small. (odd, considering "tiny Liberty" as described in the national media only has 9600 students: probably just the Napolean complex coming out again- and I haven't had any coffee yet today.)

second- someone explain why we are never a consideration for CAA inclusion in the theoretical new conf alignments? Yet some guy puts CCU and Geo South in there

I'm going back to bed

[LUconn]

Man, that confrerence they stuck us in is a death sentence. From what they say on that board, it seems as though the CAA is filled with a bunch of snob colleges. If that's the case, we should probably drop that dream all together.

[A.G.]

At least it's a conference with enough teams for a bid--better off than LU is now.

[ATrain]

One poster mentioned these as possible conferences:

America East
Albany
Hofstra
Maine
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
Northeastern
Rhode Island
Stony Brook

Big South/Southern (new name?)
Charleston Southern
Citadel
Elon
Gardner-Webb
Liberty
VMI
Wofford

Colonial/Southern (new name?)
Appalachian State
Coastal Carolina
Delaware
Furman
Georgia Southern
James Madison
Old Dominion
Towson
Western Carolina
William & Mary

Ohio Valley
Eastern Illinois
Eastern Kentucky
Jacksonville State
Murray State
Samford
Southeast Missouri State
Tennessee-Chattanooga
Tennessee-Martin
Tennessee State
Tennessee Tech

Patriot
Bucknell
Colgate
Fordham
Holy Cross
Georgetown
Lafayette
Lehigh
Richmond
Villanova

I would assume Presbyterian would be with us in that, and I think Furman as an institution would do better in our conference under that scenario as well (seeing as how LU, Elon, Liberty, PC, and Wofford are all privates). Overall though I think its very unrealistic that it'll ever happen. Also I journeyed over to the MEAC boards, and it looks like that conference (or at least the fans) are still riled up over the "Heritage Bowl" concept and expansion (NCCU, WSSU, SSU) as well. Things are sure to get more interesting soon...

[A.G.]

Furman will never be part of anything that LU is in. They were one of the schools that dropped us because of "who we are." A shame, too, b/c they USED to have a strong Baptist affiliation.

[Libertine]

Furman will never be part of anything that LU is in. They were one of the schools that dropped us because of "who we are."

Dropped us from what?

[Sly Fox]

I think he's referring to our bid to join the SoCon in the Late '80s. They were one of the ones who reportedly were most against giving us consideration for fear they would be lumped in with Jerry since they were an SBC school.

[A.G.]

They were also one of the schools that had made a comment about not scheduling LU in any sports.

[PAmedic]

that explains the reaction to one of my posts over on the CCU board by one of their fans. Still trying to figure that one out.

[Libertine]

They were also one of the schools that had made a comment about not scheduling LU in any sports.

Since when? They were our scheduled date the weekend of 9/11.

[ATrain]

Rumor from a close newspaper pal with contacts in a few athletic departments around the region:

A potential Big South with eight football members could be not too far away

ETSU and Campbell being the final pieces to the puzzle...and both are possibles.

Those additions would bring the BSC to an even 12 members for all sports. 8 for football with;

Campbell
Coastal
Charleston South
ETSU
Gardner Webb
Liberty
Presbyterian
VMI

Intriguing

Found this lovely little gem on AGS-this would be ideal, but its far from likely IMO, especially since Campbell's no schollie and ETSU hasn't stated 100% that football would be revived...but it is nice to dream.

And for the record: I'll believe this when I see it (regarding his "contacts")

[A.G.]

Right, and I think (could be wrong) that Furman was pretty fired up about JF's post-9/11 comments.

[Libertine]

Right, and I think (could be wrong) that Furman was pretty fired up about JF's post-9/11 comments.

A lot of people were, myself included. But, it's amazing how much friendlier people get when you offer them a 2-for-1. Prior to Rocco taking over, we were in talks w/ Furman for '07 or '08.

[A.G.]

That would be great, playing Furman. They have pretty much always been an upper echelon SoCon team.

[Brokeback Flamer]

They were also one of the schools that had made a comment about not scheduling LU in any sports.

Maybe this is what the clown from Liberty Council MEANT to sue against!! He just got confused by thinking it was still Lynchburg Christian Academy!! Mistakes happen

[Sly Fox]

Here's a story reiterating the same ideas from a New Hampshire fishwrap:

Key decisions loom at UNH

By Mike Zhe
mzhe@seacoastonline.com

The America East conference will hold its annual meetings in Saratoga, N.Y., in two weekends, and don’t be surprised if the discussion of football finds its way onto the agenda.

As it stands now, all systems are go for the University of New Hampshire football program as it prepares to move into the Colonial Athletic Association in 2007. The Wildcats - America East members in most other sports - and 11 other football teams will play their final season in the Atlantic 10 this fall.

But things have been tweaked a bit in the 13 months since that deal was struck. Enough to make you wonder who and where the Wildcats will be playing a few years from now.

Stony Brook has announced plans to bump up its program to a full 63 scholarships and flee the Northeast Conference for independent status in 2007. Many observers feel Albany - another America East member in other sports - is on track to do the same, which would give the league, at some point, four members playing "high-level" I-AA football.

Down south, Old Dominion is preparing to add football in 2009 and ultimately become the CAA’s 13th football school. Others - like George Mason and Georgia State - may have their sights set on becoming the 14th, which would give the Richmond-based league even more of a southern feel.

One of the league’s prominent coaches - James Madison’s Mickey Matthews - has already publicly wondered if the league, which annually places a half dozen teams in the top 25 and has produced two of the last three national champions, will be too bloated. Especially with just one automatic bid to the I-AA playoffs up for grabs.

Yes, the conference shuffle of 2003 that revamped the Big East seems almost ready for an encore, and this time Division I-AA football - or whatever it ends up being called after its eventual name change - will be on the front lines.

"A lot of things would have to fall into place for football to be in America East," UNH coach Sean McDonnell said. "But who knows? A few years ago, who would have talked about the Big East falling apart the way it did?"

In 2007, six teams will have full CAA ties - Delaware, William & Mary, James Madison, Hofstra, Towson and Northeastern, hence the reason for the change in banner. Villanova competes in the Big East, and UMass and Rhode Island are full A-10 members.

America East denizens UNH and Maine had little choice at this time a year ago: follow the rest of the herd to the CAA or get left behind. But travel costs are real concerns, as are schedules that have fewer games against regional rivals.

For UNH athletics director Marty Scarano, the last few years have been all about positioning his teams with others from "like-minded" institutions. With plans to build a new football stadium inching ahead and the explosive Wildcats again expected to be one of the top teams in the nation, he knows decisions about football must be made soberly.

Still, the idea of "getting the band back together" is appealing on many levels - provided the quality is there.

"If we could recreate an Eastern football league that would resemble what the old Yankee (Conference) was like, it would be fabulous," Scarano said.

But - and he emphasized but with "a capital B" - he’s not about to make any decisions that would minimize what’s turned into a jewel of a program. At this point, throwing in his lot with Maine, UMass, Rhode Island, Stony Brook and Albany simply for proximity would do that.

The bottom line is this: At a school that recently cut four varsity sports to take steps toward addressing an ugly budget deficit, football simply cannot get screwed up.

There are too many variables right now to accurately predict whether and when America East will sponsor football. There’s the CAA’s evolution, and whether Hofstra and Northeastern are still as infatuated with their relatively new homes as they publicly claim.

"At some point, football is going to drive this (situation) too," America East assistant commissioner Matt Bourque said. "Maine, New Hampshire, probably UMass and Rhode Island, maybe Northeastern - a lot of people are asking the question, ‘What are we doing?’"

Talking, for starters.

Football will hardly dominate the discussion in Saratoga. America East desperately needs its programs to be stronger, particularly men’s and women’s basketball, which aside from Albany (men) and Hartford (women) weren’t a very impressive lot this winter.

UNH’s men’s program took a step forward by hiring Bill Herrion as coach and enjoying their finest season - 12-17 - in more than a decade. Now the league needs other programs to make similar inroads.

"I think it’s a fair statement that all of us in America East need to be more dynamic than we are right now," Scarano said.

This is anything but a typical summer at UNH. In addition to targeting potential donors for the football stadium, the school is in the process of choosing a new president - one whose position on athletics probably won’t be the primary reason he or she is hired.

The school’s football team is hot, cracking the preseason rankings at No. 1 (Lindy’s) and No. 2 (AnyGivenSaturday.com), returning two of the nation’s best offensive players in wide receiver David Ball and quarterback Ricky Santos, and coming off a big season at the gate (7,284 fans average) that saw it outdraw the men’s hockey team for the first time in recent memory.

The focus now is squarely on the transition out of the A-10 and ensuring a strong new home in the CAA. But that might not be the case for much longer.

"We’ve had some talk about it," said McDonnell, the reigning I-AA coach of the year, "but it’s not on our radar as much as the move to the CAA."

http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/0615 ... 107842.htm

Where there is smoke, there often is fire.

[PAmedic]

bottom line- a LOT of 1AA schools seem to be in the same boat here- uncertain about what may be the very near future.

[A.G.]

With all the possibilities of realignment, you'd think Kyle would jump all over trying to expand the conference--perhaps north like the BSC did back in the day when Towson and UMBC were brought in. Me? I think KK is too much of an idiot to know how to take advantage of a situation like this.

[ATrain]

With all the possibilities of realignment, you'd think Kyle would jump all over trying to expand the conference--perhaps north like the BSC did back in the day when Towson and UMBC were brought in. Me? I think KK is too much of an idiot to know how to take advantage of a situation like this.

I second that opinion.

[LUconn]

I've been reading the CCU board all day as I've had a lot of catching up to do. Why the heck do they want to be in the SoCon so bad? Every other post is about how they're already in. The conference is really not that great. I used to want LU in it a few years ago but really, it's only slightly better off than the Big South. If you're jumping conferences you might as well go all out instead of pulling a smalltime move like that. I guess the real question is, where else would they fit in.

[A.G.]

Why would CCU want in? Easy. FOOTBALL!!!

[LUconn]

You are correct. It is all about football. Aside from an autobid, which I'll admit is very important, what would be better for them in football? It is certainly not about the $$$ (or should I say -$$$) as we've discussed in other threads.

They've been playing football for 3 years, I think. What they've done so far is remarkable. But how do they know they're not gonna be Elon part II? It'd be far smarter to wait for the mass shakeup that is inevitable in AA football.

[PAmedic]

I've attempted to ask that queston numerous times; not only do they not appreciate me questioning the SoCon, neither do the other posters who are from other member-schools (see the FB thread: SoCon over there )

[PeterParker]

It would seem rather serendipitus that, within a year of proclaiming the Flames' intentions of ascending the latter to football prominence, a big shake up of conferences and affiliations of this magnitude would occur. It seems to follow that if the Flames do not take advantage of trying to align themselves with other power schools, then they may end up squandering a ripe opportunity to move away from the Big South into a conference that will help them accomplish the goals without having to go the independent route.

Even though it is wishful thinking, if the Fall out occurs, it would be interesting if the big schools from the CAA that currently have D1A Basketball and D1AA Football would form a league that would move the Football arm up to D1A and then establish a great geographical rivalry with the ACC. Wishful maybe, but with the success of the Virginia schools in the CAA in D1AA Football and average showing in the Basketball Tourney the past couple of years, it would be an interesting move--especially with the talent pool pipeline from Hampton Roads, DC, Richmond and Southern Virginia feeding the programs. If the Flames could get in the mix, even better.