LU is not a good fit.

Why not? They're a growing school with a large alumni base, have pretty good attendance, and have a large emphasis on athletics

JMU is as good as gone already. They are desperate to go FBS and would have already if anyone would take them. I can see why Marshall and App St went, they both had major success at our level with multiple championships, similar to NDSU right now. JMU is not close to those in success. One win over VT or UVA doesn't justify a move up in class, particularly when the best you can ever hope for is the 35th or 36th bowl. I respect the JMU program, the fan base, and the school itself and its progress, but if growth was all that mattered, Liberty would already be in FBS. In the CAA, they can play for a championship and have reasonable success and costs in all other sports. Many ODU fans wish that they had never left. The battle with Rice, Georgia St, or Tulane is just not appealing. But good luck in trying to convince the Dukes to enjoy where they are, they don't anymore. Football is driving all college sports right now, and not necessarily to a good place. The critical schools for the Tribe and its football future are UR, Villanova and Delaware. JMU's last game with us will be Nov. 1, unless no one will take them at FBS. If 2 of the above three leave, the CAA will cease to exist and we will be looking at the Patriot or the Southern. I see the Big South trying to join the Southern at some point. Unless the CAA solidifies itself, a merger of those 2 conferences might be the only FCS game around our area.

Is JMU as good as gone? Sure, if you take the pulse of students and some rabid alums, they might swear that a move is necessary. I'm not so sure the administration is entirely Gung ho. The financial uncertainty is there. There are the FCS move-up nightmare stories of UMass that would keep JMU administrators up at night.

JMU should have followed App State. They may still, I think that's there spot.

For W&M, I would like a league with UR, Villanova, Delaware, Elon, UNH, UAlba - oh wait, that's the CAA. Hey, we are already there.

I can't believe we're going down this road again. For three years all I've heard is "the CAA is dead" and since that time, we added SBU & UA for football and Elon & Charleston as full members. And, we're not going to the PL or joining hands with LU, CNU, or West Northern College of Gambling Redheads. This dead horse turned to glue years ago.

#RisingTribe

I would sell my organs to get Mason, VCU, and ODU (and Richmond as a full member) back in the CAA though. Not that it will ever happen.

For me the ideal CAA is made up mostly of teams that were already in the conference at one point. ODU, Mason, Navy, Mason, Madison, Richmond, W&M, ECU, American, UNCW, and VCU. That's a solid 11 team conference and it only stretches from Annapolis to Wilmington.

(10-02-2014 08:02 PM)Tribal Wrote:  I can't believe we're going down this road again. For three years all I've heard is "the CAA is dead" and since that time, we added SBU & UA for football and Elon & Charleston as full members. And, we're not going to the PL or joining hands with LU, CNU, or West Northern College of Gambling Redheads. This dead horse turned to glue years ago.

#RisingTribe

Tell me more about West Northern College of Gambling Redheads

TDenverFan: It is an online school with nice athletic facilities attached to it. If you have a pulse, you can get in. They lack credibility in most higher education circles. There are also elements of the institution that could be described as...I can't find the words. Crazy?

That is fine for them, but I feel we should seek to associate ourselves with like-minded institutions to the extent possible.

Now that the Patriot League is moving toward football scholarships, it would be interesting if Georgetown (a member of the PL only for football and women's rowing) could overcome its aversion to football schollies and become part of the conversation. I'd love to see them as a football-only CAA member someday if they were competing on an even footing.

They obviously don't have an aversion to athletic scholarships generally (see, e.g., basketball) -- why not for football?

(10-02-2014 08:02 PM)Tribal Wrote:  I can't believe we're going down this road again. For three years all I've heard is "the CAA is dead" and since that time, we added SBU & UA for football and Elon & Charleston as full members. And, we're not going to the PL or joining hands with LU, CNU, or West Northern College of Gambling Redheads. This dead horse turned to glue years ago.

#RisingTribe

Tribal, I can understand your frustration. I would much prefer all expansion and changes to die down and for us to remain in the CAA with other teams from our region. I would like to believe that all that talk is just talk and is over. From a historical perspective, we have seen the Yankee and then the CAA lose UMass, Hofstra, ODU, Georgia State, Richmond, George Mason and VCU(basketball and all other non-football) and the league has replaced them with Stony Brook, Elon Charleston, and Albany. The CAA is still a great league and I will continue to support it. The fear that a school might be left out has driven(along with major cash) much of the expansion/realignment of the last 5 years. We don't want to be ODU or JMU, but it is fun to beat them.

(10-03-2014 10:36 AM)Blow Gym rat Wrote:  Now that the Patriot League is moving toward football scholarships, it would be interesting if Georgetown (a member of the PL only for football and women's rowing) could overcome its aversion to football schollies and become part of the conversation. I'd love to see them as a football-only CAA member someday if they were competing on an even footing.

They obviously don't have an aversion to athletic scholarships generally (see, e.g., basketball) -- why not for football?

Eh I don't know about Georgetown. They don't really have a big football fanbase- their stadium only holds about 2500 people, and doesn't even sell out most of the time.

(10-02-2014 08:02 PM)Tribal Wrote:  I can't believe we're going down this road again. For three years all I've heard is "the CAA is dead" and since that time, we added SBU & UA for football and Elon & Charleston as full members. And, we're not going to the PL or joining hands with LU, CNU, or West Northern College of Gambling Redheads. This dead horse turned to glue years ago.

#RisingTribe

The only thing missing here is a sense of humor, although I could be wrong on that count. It's not uncommon, me being wrong. I've been wondering about that smell in the garage. Could be that horse.

(10-03-2014 11:30 AM)TDenverFan Wrote:  

(10-03-2014 10:36 AM)Blow Gym rat Wrote:  Now that the Patriot League is moving toward football scholarships, it would be interesting if Georgetown (a member of the PL only for football and women's rowing) could overcome its aversion to football schollies and become part of the conversation. I'd love to see them as a football-only CAA member someday if they were competing on an even footing.

They obviously don't have an aversion to athletic scholarships generally (see, e.g., basketball) -- why not for football?

Eh I don't know about Georgetown. They don't really have a big football fanbase- their stadium only holds about 2500 people, and doesn't even sell out most of the time.

We just need to get those who initially schemed up this beauty (see halfway down) to come back to the table. Georgetown would be an awesome addition.
http://www.hoyafootball.com/history/proposed_stadia.htm