[hoopsmalone]

From Chatanooga Times Free Press

Samford to join Southern Conference in 2008
Thursday, March 15, 2007, at 10:27 p.m.

By Wesley Rucker
Staff Writer

Samford has accepted an invitation to leave the Ohio Valley Conference for the Southern Conference beginning in the 2008-09 academic year, SoCon commissioner John Iamarino said Thursday morning.

The league's presidents met via teleconference Thursday morning and unanimously voted in favor of inviting Samford into the SoCon, according to Iamarino.

Iamarino said a formal announcement was coming later this afternoon.

LUCONN- When I say I have a reliable source, you should listen to me

[Sly Fox]

AGS and all of the SoCon boards have been reporting this was a done deal for about six weeks or so. Glad to see it is over and done with. The SoCon schools outside of Chatty are furious over this bizarre decision. Now we'll have to see where Jacksonville State goes. They would've made a much better match for hte SoCon than Samford. But Furman yields a lot of power in the SoCon.

[Fumblerooskies]

The power of the larger media market. Look where the SoCon has expanded...Greensboro, Charleston, Birmingham. Of course, Elon/Burlington pretty much blows that theory so never mind...

[Sly Fox]

Samford is in the Birmingham market but it is nothing more than a blip on the B-ham radar. Bama, Auburn and UAB dominate everything. This had more to do with placating Chatty's travel partner needs and the SoCon Private Clique's demands to not bring in another public school.

Ultimately, this is to our benefit since the obvious choice of CCU is now left in our league with a sour taste in their mouth for the other league.

Did I mention this helps our chances for an auto bid once we become eligible? The OVC has no business with an auto bid and this move (along with the inevitable JSU departure) only help our case.

[LUconn]

I still stand by what I said because it was right.

[SuperJon]

This feels like deja vu big time.

[PAmedic]

AGS and all of the SoCon boards have been reporting this was a done deal for about six weeks or so. Glad to see it is over and done with. The SoCon schools outside of Chatty are furious over this bizarre decision. Now we'll have to see where Jacksonville State goes. They would've made a much better match for hte SoCon than Samford. But Furman yields a lot of power in the SoCon.

has the BSOUTH made overtures toward JSU?

[RagingTireFire]

AGS and all of the SoCon boards have been reporting this was a done deal for about six weeks or so. Glad to see it is over and done with. The SoCon schools outside of Chatty are furious over this bizarre decision. Now we'll have to see where Jacksonville State goes. They would've made a much better match for hte SoCon than Samford. But Furman yields a lot of power in the SoCon.

[The league's presidents met via teleconference Thursday morning and unanimously voted in favor of inviting Samford into the SoCon, according to Iamarino.

The Appy guys and Catamount Man do not a "SoCon school" make.

[hoopsmalone]

app is hot hot hot, even when the weather is cold cold cold, app is hot hot hot!

[PAmedic]

indi-

gestion

[hoopsmalone]

AGS and all of the SoCon boards have been reporting this was a done deal for about six weeks or so. Glad to see it is over and done with. The SoCon schools outside of Chatty are furious over this bizarre decision. Now we'll have to see where Jacksonville State goes. They would've made a much better match for hte SoCon than Samford. But Furman yields a lot of power in the SoCon.

Jax State has its eyes on D-1A, and my friend, who is the director of athletic marketing at SU, told me that a big factor in our favor was that we were private- which is what the Furmans and Davidsons were looking for..... I don't have the list in front of me, but i believe this balances the leauge right at 6 private and 6 public. We were the lone private school in the OVC, and I think Furman, Davidson and certainly WOFF-ord will become great natural rivalries.

[SuperJon]

They are D-I. Get it right.

[thepostman]

You beat me to it SJ....I would harass this guy...but he's been getting it pretty bad already in other threads...I will just leave him alone

[hoopsmalone]

THERE I FIXED ITDivision 1A FOOTBALL....I'VE BEEN WORKING ALL DAY AND I WAS TYPING THAT OUT AT 12:46 AM ..AND I FORGOT 1 FRIGGIN LETTER! YA HAPPY? Have I met your standard yet oh lord of college sports knowledge? Are you glad you got to point out that typo of mine? Does it make you feel all warm and proud inside?

[Sly Fox]

No one doubts the reason Samford was selected over CCU. Its just not in the best interests of the league. That's good news for us since it assures the Chants stay in the Big South and it will hasten the FBS aspirations of Appy & GSU.

As for Samford, Furman & Wofford developing a big rivalry, I wouldn't count on it. Geography will be a major hindrance.

All that said, congrats on Samford getting out of the OVC and into a much better league.

[thepostman]

THERE I FIXED ITDivision 1A FOOTBALL....YA HAPPY? Have I met your standard yet oh lord of college sports knowledge?

just wait til PA Medic sees this.....he will correct you even further....

seriously dude its all in good fun...you need to look around this board more...we poke fun of eachother all the time when we make mistakes...

and yet again you wonder why people don't like you.....

[hoopsmalone]

I'm all about joking around too,that's why i reffered to him as the "lord of sports knowledge" but i can only take so much BS in one night. It also doesn't help that I'm a die-hard duke fan and a LITTLE edgy after that choke job. And for the record, i really don't give a rats about what a bunch of message board's think about me. If we all worried about that, this would be a sad world. Anyway, it's 1:46 a.m. and I've already wasted enough of my life on this board. Life is too short to get fired up about this stuff.

[TallyW]

hoops needs a hug

[thepostman]

group hug!!!!

by the way hoops...how is the space coast??

I was close to going home to Titusville this week for spring break, but decided I needed to work and make money more....I wish I were home though.....

[TDDance234]

You've got to grow a little thicker skin that that to hang around here..

[PAmedic]

I'm just so proud of all of you (sniff sniff)

[hoopsmalone]

actually, we'll be just as far (or close, depending on how you look at it) as we were to most of our OVC opponents.
Here is a link with those details
http://samfordsports.cstv.com/genrel/031507aaa.html
"We are delighted that Samford University will become the 12th member of the SoCon," said Southern Conference commissioner John Iamarino. "Samford's institutional profile is one that is very consistent with those of our current members - strong academics, an unwavering commitment to the welfare and graduation of the student-athlete, combined with a burning desire to operate a successful athletics program within the mission of the institution."

"The addition of Samford will benefit the SoCon in many ways," Iamarino said. "It will strengthen our efforts in both football and basketball scheduling. It provides a road-swing partner for Chattanooga on the western flank of the conference. It opens up a significant southern market (Birmingham) to SoCon exposure. Most importantly, it gives us another institution committed to operating a good competitive program while not sacrificing its academic integrity in any manner. Simply put, Samford is going to make the Southern Conference a better league."
Southern Conference Office and Schools Information

Southern Conference
Location: Spartanburg, S.C.
Distance From Birmingham: 322 miles, 5.2 hrs.
Founded: Feb. 25, 1921
Commissioner: John Iamarino
Number of sports sponsored: 19
Website: www.soconsports.com

Appalachian State
Location: Boone, N.C.
Distance From Birmingham: 421 miles, 6.75 hrs.
Enrollment: 14,800
Founded: 1899
President: Dr. Kenneth E. Peacock
Athletics Director: Charlie Cobb
Nickname: Mountaineers
Number of varsity team: 19 (20)*
Website: www.goasu.com

College of Charleston
Location: Charleston, S.C.
Distance From Birmingham: 469 miles, 7 hrs.
Enrollment: 11,617
Founded: 1770
President: Dr. Conrad Festa
Athletics Director: Jerry Baker
Nickname: Cougars
Number of varsity team: 15 (18)*
Website: www.cofcsports.com

Chattanooga
Location: Chattanooga, Tenn.
Distance From Birmingham: 153 miles, 2.2 hrs.
Enrollment: 8,653
Founded: 1886
President: Dr. Roger Brown
Athletics Director: Rick Hart
Nickname: Mocs
Number of varsity team: 17
Website: www.gomocs.com

The Citadel
Location: Charleston, S.C.
Distance From Birmingham: 469 miles, 7 hrs.
Enrollment: 1,900
Founded: 1872
President: Lt. Gen. John W. Rosa, Jr.
Athletics Director: Les Robinson
Nickname: Bulldogs, Cadets
Number of varsity team: 11 (12)*
Website: www.citadelsports.com

Davidson
Location: Davidson, N.C.
Distance From Birmingham: 410 miles, 6.5 hrs.
Enrollment: 1,700
Founded: 1837
President: Bobby Vagt
Athletics Director: Jim Murphy
Nickname: Wildcats
Number of varsity team: 16 (19)*
Website: www.davidson.edu/athletics

Elon
Location: Elon, N.C.
Distance From Birmingham: 504 miles, 8 hrs.
Enrollment: 5,230
Founded: 1889
President: Dr. Leo M. Lambert
Athletics Director: Dave Blank
Nickname: Phoenix
Number of varsity team: 16
Website: www.elon.edu/athletics

Furman
Location: Greenville, S.C.
Distance From Birmingham: 296 miles, 4.5 hrs.
Enrollment: 2,630
Founded: 1826
President: Dr. David Shi
Athletics Director: Dr. Gary Clark
Nickname: Paladins
Number of varsity team: 17
Website: www.furmanpaladins.com

Georgia Southern
Location: Statesboro, Ga.
Distance From Birmingham: 358 miles, 5.5 hrs.
Enrollment: 16,646
Founded: 1906
President: Dr. Bruce Grube
Athletics Director: Sam Baker
Nickname: Eagles
Number of varsity team: 14 (15)*
Website: www.georgiasouthern.edu

UNC Greensboro
Location: Greensboro, N.C.
Distance From Birmingham: 481 miles, 7.5 hrs.
Enrollment: 14,900
Founded: 1891
President: Dr. Patricia A. Sullivan
Athletics Director: Nelson E. Bobb
Nickname: Spartans
Number of varsity team: 18
Website: www.uncgspartans.com

Western Carolina
Location: Cullowhee, N.C.
Distance From Birmingham: 302 miles, 5 hrs.
Enrollment: 9,000
Founded: 1889
President: Dr. John W. Bardo
Athletics Director: Chip Smith
Nickname: Catamounts
Number of varsity team: 16
Website: www.catamountsports.com

Wofford
Location: Spartanburg, S.C.
Distance From Birmingham: 322 miles, 5.2 hrs.
Enrollment: 1,160
Founded: 1854
President: Dr. Benjamin B. Dunlap
Athletics Director: Richard Johnson
Nickname: Terriers
Number of varsity team: 17 (18)*
Website: www.woffordterriers.com

[Sly Fox]

You don't have to list the membership of the SoCon to anyone on our board. Once upon a time, we aspired to that league. Thankfully those days are in our rearview mirror.

Iamarino is a slight improvement over KK ... but not much IMHO.

[hoopsmalone]

You don't have to list the membership of the SoCon to anyone on our board. Once upon a time, we aspired to that league. Thankfully those days are in our rearview mirror.

Iamarino is a slight improvement over KK ... but not much IMHO.

I was listing them because you mentioned the distance. If you compare that to the OVC, like i said, it's about the same distance to most of the opponents.

[PAmedic]

Once upon a time, we aspired to that league. Thankfully those days are in our rearview mirror.

you got that right