TribePride wrote:CAA Flagship:
I recognize that you are only one opinion, but do you enjoy this move so far? ODU was admittedly on the way to being a perennial top 15-20 program in the FCS with a realistic shot at both the playoffs and the national title. Do you think the move was a good one? I do see your point about 4 FBS superconferences(TBD what teams get left out). I think that may occur as well. Under that theory though, it makes little sense why ODU, App State, GSU, UMass(especially), (Montana, JMU, fill-in your team here) would make the move. I believe Montana may the right call and I hope JMU does the same. Both those schools are relevant, can play with many of the FBS schools 1-2 weeks a year and compete for a championship. I just think it is a wide gap to go from a top team in FCS to a truly relevant FBS team. Nothing can diminish the pride and accomplishment of EWU, JMU, and App State's wins on FBS turf in the last 6 years. But look at Marshall. They were a FCS Champion in the 90's. Are they more relevant or more successful today? If not, I can't come up with even one other example where the move has worked.
If teams are moving around, I think it would have made more sense to see ODU stay and have GSU and App State join the CAA. Now that would have been a SUPER conference(but Delaware would have still been the flagship.....
)
Just now getting around the answering your questions:
1. I'm not crazy about the move. I liked the local rivalries of the CAA. I did not get my fill of CAA football.
2. I understand that the move was necessary. If a school can do it, they must make the move. You can always fall back, but moving forward is by invitation only.
3. The move was for all sports, even though football drove the bus. While the CAA has been very good to Old Dominion (and vice versa), getting left behind after defections could be very damaging to a program that eventually wants to move up.
4. Old Dominion is in a unique situation. Most of their athletic facilities have been recently upgraded or updated. Strong television market. Recently obtained "residential campus" status. Great recruiting area. When compared to Marshall, Old Dominion already has several advantages.
I liked the CAA, but I like the idea of testing the waters. You never know what will happen until you try. A couple of teams got lucky with this realignment (Utah and TCU). UCONN, Cincy and USF have not been so fortunate.
(By the way, my "flagship" name comes from a W&M asst basketball coach in 1993 as he used the term to describe Old Dominion's athletic program as a whole in a conversation I had with him.)
