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Maine in the CAA to stay; URI to go (early?)
Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 9:33 am
by aceinthehole
According to this article, Maine is in the CAA for the long haul and URI will be in the NEC for 2013.
Cosgrove attended the CAA's media day July 28 and two weeks later he was still steaming from the line of questioning he got, particularly from the southern media.
The folks with the cameras, microphones, tape recorders and drawls didn't want to know whether Warren Smith or Chris Treister would be starting at quarterback. They didn't ask how Jared Turcotte was feeling. And they weren't very concerned with whether last year's green defense had matured into a cohesive unit.
What they wanted to know was whether Maine is the next Northeastern or Hofstra, or if it will go the way of Rhode Island.
Not that those aren't legitimate questions. In the last year, the CAA's northern contingent has taken more hits than Jacoby Ellsbury's rib cage. Rhode Island announced it is moving to the less competitive Northeast Conference in 2013. Northeastern and Hofstra have dropped football altogether.
...
Like it or not, folks down there are going to look upon this season as a referendum on Maine's place in the CAA. And the conference is only going to get more of a Southern twang in the future, with Old Dominion scheduled to join in 2011 and Georgia State to follow in 2012.
Cosgrove insists Maine will be one of the teams there to greet them and that anyone banking on a rebirth of the Yankee Conference in the NEC had better not hold their breath. Given that Cosgrove has poured 18 years of his life into the program, it's virtually impossible not to take him for his word, especially if, as some are suggesting, he is in line to replace James.
http://www.sunjournal.com/local-sports/story/893793" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Re: Maine in the CAA to stay; URI to go (early?)
Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 9:42 am
by aceinthehole
I haven't seen anything announced officially from URI or the NEC, but rumors persist that Rhode Island may be NEC-bound as early as next year.
James Madison is on and Rhode Island is off Delaware’s 2011 football schedule, after the Colonial Athletic Association has revised the version it released earlier this summer.
...
Speaking of Rhode Island, the Rams are still scheduled to be in the CAA in 2011. But a move to the Northeast Conference in 2012 remains likely and could happen sooner, many beleive, meaning the 2011 CAA schedule would indeed have to be reshuffled, and maybe Delaware would play New Hampshire after all.
http://blogs.delawareonline.com/college ... e-revised/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Re: Maine in the CAA to stay; URI to go (early?)
Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 9:51 am
by Seahawks
There has been no mention of URI on the Northeast Conference website. Too premature I suppose.
Re: Maine in the CAA to stay; URI to go (early?)
Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 10:46 am
by GannonFan
Always interesting to hear local news reports. I'm not from the "South" per se, but it's interesting to hear the implicit recognition (if not outright bias) of the way Southerners talk in the article - the "twang", the "drawls". And also, isn't all media "southern" compared to Maine?
But as for the meat of the article, I agree - I haven't seen anything indicating the remaining Northern members of the CAA (UNH, UMass, and Maine) aren't in the CAA for the long term - all of them have invested in their programs, put quality teams to very good teams on the field, and they've been very competitive. You couldn't say that about NU and soon to be URI (I think it's a slam dunk they are leaving, and leaving soon) and Hofstra had struggled for quite some time. But the remaining three are all very good programs so I don't see them being unable to keep up with the Southern schools. Heck, after URI leaves, it's likely that the next programs to leave could be the JMU's of the world if they get the Sun Belt invite and if they want to go FBS.
Re: Maine in the CAA to stay; URI to go (early?)
Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 10:58 am
by 93henfan
GannonFan wrote:Sun Belt invite
Gosh, I shudder when I hear those three words, and I don't even like JMU.
"Sun Belt Invite" is like the Ni, Peng and Neee-Wom of the FCS world.
Re: Maine in the CAA to stay; URI to go (early?)
Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 11:06 am
by GannonFan
93henfan wrote:GannonFan wrote:Sun Belt invite
Gosh, I shudder when I hear those three words, and I don't even like JMU.
"Sun Belt Invite" is like the Ni, Peng and Neee-Wom of the FCS world.
Well, you could throw in either CUSA or MAC invites, but neither is substantially much better than the Sun Belt (although the CUSA is a little bit - the fact that Temple can so readidly dominate the MAC speaks volumes about that conference's direction).
Re: Maine in the CAA to stay; URI to go (early?)
Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 1:12 pm
by JMUpurplehazed
JMU will never be a member of the Sunbelt Conference, makes zero sense for Madison...just won't happen.
OT: I've been trolling George Mason's boards and they are infighting over football which is an improvement over denial. I see Mason with spoken football plans < 3 yrs which is another VA school at 35,000 (?) students w/fball within short driving distance of most CAA schools. I hate GMU! They can't handle JMU's new stadium and ODU's upstart success much longer without cracking.
Re: Maine in the CAA to stay; URI to go (early?)
Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 6:55 am
by COBBLESTONE
Our A.D. is supposed to make an official announcement sometime before the end of this month about our move to the NEC. That is the last I have heard. Our HC was questioned by a reporter the other day about the move and he dodged the question. hmmmm.
I've heard 2013 as well. As far as I am concerned that isn't soon enough. I'll be glad to get out of the CAA and head into the NEC. As for Maine I think they should stay in the CAA. That program has come a long way over the years and continues to move up. If Hofstra and Northeastern has presidents who cared about football they could also be going the NEC route.
Re: Maine in the CAA to stay; URI to go (early?)
Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 8:01 am
by ∞∞∞
JMUpurplehazed wrote:OT: I've been trolling George Mason's boards and they are infighting over football which is an improvement over denial. I see Mason with spoken football plans < 3 yrs which is another VA school at 35,000 (?) students w/fball within short driving distance of most CAA schools. I hate GMU! They can't handle JMU's new stadium and ODU's upstart success much longer without cracking.
I think Mason will announce it within the next 5 years. It's not even message board talk anymore as I know some alumni and students are beginning to ask why GMU doesn't have the sport. Add to the fact that GMU is one of the most intelligently run universities in terms of growth and research, the fact that it's settled in Northern Virginia, and that it's already a core member of the Colonial, and you've got a storm brewing named "Patriot Football" heading towards DC.
And on a side note, VCU will be the last to do anything, if that. And to be honest, football, VCU, and the city of Richmond is probably a bad mix anyways...at least in the near future. If GMU starts football though, then VCU might be forced to do it too. But I wouldn't be too surprised if Hofstra restarted their program before VCU even announces theirs.
Re: Maine in the CAA to stay; URI to go (early?)
Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 8:15 am
by henfan
Cococo, I wholeheartedly agree re GMU FB. When UD, TU, HU & NU joined the CAA, I honestly thought that it wouldn't be long before Mason elevated its club program to NCAA level. I thought they'd get there before ODU, in fact. A huge incentive for GMU is going to be ODU's FB emergence and, to a much lesser extent, GSU FB.
It's interesting to note that VCU's new president isn't ruling out FB, which is a world away from where they were previously. FB at HU is dead for at least as long as their current CEO remains in power. There's no apparent hope for FB at UNCW, Drexel or NU.
Re: Maine in the CAA to stay; URI to go (early?)
Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 8:20 am
by 89Hen
COBBLESTONE wrote:As for Maine I think they should stay in the CAA. That program has come a long way over the years and continues to move up.
In what way? Their only playoff appearance since 2002 was one that most people argued shouldn't have been an invite. They had a great opportunity to build on the 2001 and 2001 seasons and have wallowed in mediocrity since. Nothing personal against Maine, but I think they're more into...
Re: Maine in the CAA to stay; URI to go (early?)
Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 8:21 am
by 89Hen
henfan wrote:When UD, TU, HU & NU joined the CAA, I honestly thought that it wouldn't be long before Mason elevated its club program to NCAA level. I thought they'd get there before ODU, in fact.
+1
Re: Maine in the CAA to stay; URI to go (early?)
Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 9:53 am
by clenz
89Hen wrote:COBBLESTONE wrote:As for Maine I think they should stay in the CAA. That program has come a long way over the years and continues to move up.
In what way? Their only playoff appearance since 2002 was one that most people argued shouldn't have been an invite. They had a great opportunity to build on the 2001 and 2001 seasons and have wallowed in mediocrity since. Nothing personal against Maine, but I think they're more into...
You mean Maine didn't deserve to have to spend the money to travel half way across the country to the state of Iowa and get their ass kicked (for the second time in the same season. They opened that season 90 miles south of UNI in Iowa City against the Iowa Hawkeyes)
Re: Maine in the CAA to stay; URI to go (early?)
Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 10:15 am
by 89Hen
UNI31f wrote:You mean Maine didn't deserve to have to spend the money to travel half way across the country to the state of Iowa and get their ass kicked (for the second time in the same season. They opened that season 90 miles south of UNI in Iowa City against the Iowa Hawkeyes)
Correct. They weren't even the best next team in the CAA let alone all of I-AA.
Re: Maine in the CAA to stay; URI to go (early?)
Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 12:46 pm
by LastMinuteman
COBBLESTONE wrote:Our A.D. is supposed to make an official announcement sometime before the end of this month about our move to the NEC. That is the last I have heard. Our HC was questioned by a reporter the other day about the move and he dodged the question. hmmmm.
I've heard 2013 as well. As far as I am concerned that isn't soon enough.
There's definitely no reason for URI to wait at this point. Now that the word is out, their next few recruiting classes are already ruined, even if they reverse course. No one is going to want to come to Rhode Island and have to worry about whether his scholarship will get trimmed if/when they make the move. If the NEC isn't ready for them, maybe URI should go independent for a couple years. They can keep their series alive with Maine and maybe UNH that way, but I don't think UMass will play away games at URI if they aren't required to. Too many other NEC teams are willing come here without a return game.
Re: Maine in the CAA to stay; URI to go (early?)
Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 2:39 pm
by pantherrob82
UNI31f wrote:89Hen wrote:
In what way? Their only playoff appearance since 2002 was one that most people argued shouldn't have been an invite. They had a great opportunity to build on the 2001 and 2001 seasons and have wallowed in mediocrity since. Nothing personal against Maine, but I think they're more into...
You mean Maine didn't deserve to have to spend the money to travel half way across the country to the state of Iowa and get their ass kicked (for the second time in the same season. They opened that season 90 miles south of UNI in Iowa City against the Iowa Hawkeyes)
2001 and 2008 ended poorly in Cedar Falls for the Black Bears.
Re: Maine in the CAA to stay; URI to go (early?)
Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 5:25 am
by mainejeff
Re: Maine in the CAA to stay; URI to go (early?)
Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 5:28 am
by mainejeff
Maine is not going anywhere (sorry CAA South fans!)
And if Maine did leave........then UNH and then UMass would likely follow. Add to that the impending eventual departure of Villanova, JMU, ODU, and Georgia State........you better be careful what you wish for!
Re: Maine in the CAA to stay; URI to go (early?)
Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 5:48 am
by T-Dog
henfan wrote: There's no apparent hope for FB at UNCW, Drexel or NU.
As a longtime resident of Wilmington, here's my take on UNCW.
Right now, there's no hope for it. Their current Chancellor, Rosemary Depaolo, doesn't give a damn about athletics. She is hellbent on turning UNCW into the Harvard of the South at the expense of athletics. The AD she hired is one of the most inept idiots possible. Kelly Merhtens makes Sam Baker look like a genius. Depaolo has to go before football at UNCW is even a glimmer in their eye.
Wilmington, NC is ripe for the picking. No pro teams on any level to compete with and 200,000 people within the immediate region. They would have no competition for front-page news. There's some very influential and rich people living on or near the beaches who would fork over big bucks if it became a reality.
But as I said, not under the current regime.
Re: Maine in the CAA to stay; URI to go (early?)
Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 6:11 am
by 89Hen
What is personal about it? Can you refute anything I posted? Didn't think so.
Re: Maine in the CAA to stay; URI to go (early?)
Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 6:15 am
by henfan
mainejeff wrote:Maine is not going anywhere.
Especially since they have no choice. If isolated UMaine wants to compete in a full scholarship FCS league, it's the CAA or nothing.
In the very near future, UMaine is going to be faced with the reality of having to invest even more institutional resources in their FB program, especially related to travel and, if they hope to compete for recruits, facilities. Given the continued state of the economy, UMaine's FB red ink, their dwindling FB attendance, and the continued departure of former Yankee rivals (UConn, BU and now URI), it's not unreasonable for the media to continue to ask questions about the future of Black Bear FB. The Cos and the rest of the UMaine AD had better get used to it.
Re: Maine in the CAA to stay; URI to go (early?)
Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 6:53 am
by State Line Liquors
mainejeff wrote:Maine is not going anywhere (sorry CAA South fans!)
And if Maine did leave........then UNH and then UMass would likely follow. Add to that the impending eventual departure of Villanova, JMU, ODU, and Georgia State........you better be careful what you wish for!
UD has been having extensive conversations with the Big South in the event of the impending and near eventual doomsday tale you share. The good news is that they've conditionally accepted us provided that we bring Maine along with us. Big South Conference officials said they think it's cute when Coach Cozzy get's all perturbed and want more of it!
Re: Maine in the CAA to stay; URI to go (early?)
Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 8:18 pm
by COBBLESTONE
89Hen wrote:COBBLESTONE wrote:As for Maine I think they should stay in the CAA. That program has come a long way over the years and continues to move up.
In what way? Their only playoff appearance since 2002 was one that most people argued shouldn't have been an invite. They had a great opportunity to build on the 2001 and 2001 seasons and have wallowed in mediocrity since. Nothing personal against Maine, but I think they're more into...
When I played Maine pretty much sucked and was usually at the bottom of the YC. They're better than they were back then and they've at least made it to the playoffs since being in the CAA which is more than we can say. When you're at the very bottom looking up, everyone's program looks better than yours.
And yes, hockey is # 1 at Maine just like basketball is # 1 at URI. That is how it is with New England schools, football always takes a back seat to another sport.
Re: Maine in the CAA to stay; URI to go (early?)
Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2010 8:19 am
by 89Hen
COBBLESTONE wrote:When I played Maine pretty much sucked and was usually at the bottom of the YC. They're better than they were back then and they've at least made it to the playoffs since being in the CAA which is more than we can say.
They made the playoffs in '87 and '89 and had 5 straight winning seasons during that time. They struggled in the 90's, had a great two year run to start the 2000's, but have had only two winning seasons in the last six. My point was I don't see them continuing to improve as was posted. They're basically where they were in the late 80's. Attendance has dropped the past two seasons to 4600 (was up to almost 7000 back in early 2000's). Obviously people aren't going to come out in bad Maine weather late in the season to see a team that is out of the playoff hunt, but they definitely haven't been improving there.
I wish every CAA success and I honestly don't like to see our teams struggle. I love to see JMU doing major renovations, Richmond building a new stadium, Villanova winning NC's, ODU selling out even before they join the CAA, UMass putting in lights, UNH going to the playoffs regularly and beating I-A's... I have been severly disappointed in Towson as I thought they'd be a player in the CAA in short order. Sad to see Hofstra go when they could have possibly made the move to join the rest of the CAA who are improving their programs. I will be sad to see URI leave, but at the same time, I won't shead a tear since they have been more focused on bball than football. NU, eh, Boston is cool, but there was nothing there football-wise.
Re: Maine in the CAA to stay; URI to go (early?)
Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2010 8:23 am
by 93henfan
89Hen wrote:Villanova winning NC's
You had me nodding until that little gem.
