I'd Rather Stay 1 AA

[brizzock]

Somehow, BSKB's post was threadjacked. Plenty of other threads for the pro I-A crowd (which I'm a part of).

[NH/JMU Saxkow]

Yeah, BSKB, I agree as well with your basic premise. I love the current CAA. For basketball, I love the fact that we as a conference have been moving steadily up in the world. For football, I love the close rivalries that we have. Of course, as a New Englander I love the fact that we play up here so even I can attend games. I can even catch some games on TV.

But the CAA is not likely to stay the same. It looks like it is going to be a case of when, not if, the conference falls apart. As we've seen, all it takes is one Virginia school to express an interest in leaving and it all falls apart. If ODU, VCU, or Mason leaves, everything is over and we need to be ready for that.

Once the conference as we know it falls apart, we need to move to I-A. Hopefully it will be to a place along with ODU and Appy, but for the short-term it might not be. The best scenario I see so far is CUSA going to 16 by adding us, Appy, and ODU. This will eventually cause the conference to split and give us our strong mid-atlantic conference many of us dream about (with Marshall, ECU, UD, and Charlotte).

As for the playoffs, as you can tell from my signature, if there is no playoff there is no national champ. The progress made in the last month towards this in I-A football has been huge - and I truly believe that this will lead to a 16 team field very quickly (the profits made on this will be huge). It will give us the chance to compete for a trophy that we ask for.

[South Carolina Duke]

Everyone likes progress,but No one wants change!

[rufus]

Yeah, BSKB, I agree as well with your basic premise. I love the current CAA. For basketball, I love the fact that we as a conference have been moving steadily up in the world. For football, I love the close rivalries that we have. Of course, as a New Englander I love the fact that we play up here so even I can attend games. I can even catch some games on TV.

But the CAA is not likely to stay the same.

This. I've obviously supported a move to FBS for years, primarily because I have always believed that we need to appreciate the fluidity of our situation. The CAA circa 2003 - 2011 was not a bad place to be -- two Final Fours and a bunch of FCS national championships. The conference was a good place to be because it contained a number of schools on the rise.

So what's the flip side? When a conference is full of up-and-coming schools, it's obvious that a number of those schools are going to move up and out.

If we could preserve the CAA as of 2010/2011 forever, I could deal with just maintaining the status quo. Unfortunately, that conference is likely dead. It's time to move past denial and jump straight to acceptance.

[BSKB 24]

If everything was remaining the same, I'd be fine with staying for a while too but we can't live in a fantasy world. I don't see the CAA getting all of the schools to stay.

Well, it appears that ODU is staying put, as I predicted! So, nothing changes for us football wise.

[rufus]

Link? Not doubting you -- just want to read the details. I've seen speculation, but nothing concrete. It appears to me that things are simply still up in the air.

[Dukes09]

Well, it appears that ODU is staying put, as I predicted! So, nothing changes for us football wise.

hold your horses BSKB, that news report just notes the president's hesitation. I think the donors and fans storming the castle will quickly change his mind. i think if he blocks it then many will be wanting him to step down.

[Longhorn]

hold your horses BSKB, that news report just notes the president's hesitation. I think the donors and fans storming the castle will quickly change his mind. i think if he blocks it then many will be wanting him to step down.

If ODU's President says/recommends a no-go to their BOV, disgruntled fans can want whatever they want, but the President (who is relatively new there) won't be stepping down or going anywhere as the BOV will have the President's back.

[JMUPHAN]

If you want to watch diminished talent play whoever is left (or whatever the CAA brings in off the scrap heap), I don't get it.

The "other" I-A team in West Virginia is the poster child of diminished talent. After a year or two of hype that team (unfortunately) has to HOPE for not being the doormat of the major I-A programs they play. Before they left they WERE the essense I-AA football. Now? Look at Troy Univ. They are bad, I mean they really stink. They made the same move. They moved to be relevant in a region where no one gives a flip about them, nor will they ever -- they should have stuck where they could be competitve. Another team? UAB -- they just SUCK.

Do we really think we can ever be competitive at I-A? With Alabama? Nebraska? Ohio? Texas? OU? Vpi (we've beaten them once out of nine tries)? Duke (I'm serious)? You name 'em.

What does a move to I-A accomplish? A reason to raise tutition/student fees once again to expand the stadium? An even cooler stadium from the I-81 view for 5-7 games a year and a lot of room for parents at graduation (yes, a stated reason by a poster on this board for the just completed expansion)? Something for student ambassadors to talk about?

We want to be relevant as a program, I understand that and agree. Why not just stick where we have been successful and make sure we dominate (which by the way, through all the hype we've won the national championship exactly once and have competeted exactly once for the national championship). Marshall could sorta justify their move and see where they are? Troy lesser a justification; UAB? We want to be with them? Really? What do we gain? Not relevance.

(by the way $88 million plus debt service for a new arena is gross abuse of tax payer dollars. Oh, since the football stadium was said to have been paid for using cash from student fees have student fees been reduced?)

[olddawg]

This. I've obviously supported a move to FBS for years, primarily because I have always believed that we need to appreciate the fluidity of our situation. The CAA circa 2003 - 2011 was not a bad place to be -- two Final Fours and a bunch of FCS national championships. The conference was a good place to be because it contained a number of schools on the rise.

So what's the flip side? When a conference is full of up-and-coming schools, it's obvious that a number of those schools are going to move up and out.

If we could preserve the CAA as of 2010/2011 forever, I could deal with just maintaining the status quo. Unfortunately, that conference is likely dead. It's time to move past denial and jump straight to acceptance.

This is pretty much how I feel too. I love CAA football as it has been through last season. High caliber football, with close by rivals. Occasionally we take down one of the big boys and more often than not our top teams fare well in the playoffs. Our football history is with a lot of these teams. In basketball, we share a long history playing several of the non football schools and those teams have done the conference proud. If it stayed that way forever, I could live with that and be happy ( as long as we became relevant in hoops again).

But there are rumblings that can't be ignored. UMass left. ODU, Villanova and JMU have either had discussions about upgrading football or clear ambitions to someday do it. Who knows w/ Delaware, but if they ever decided to pull the trigger could find the money. On the basketball side, our two high profile members have had discussions about joining a higher RPI league. Just because it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't happen. There's just too much smoke here to think otherwise. It may not happen this year, but it's going to happen.

In a way, the CAA is a victim of its own success. We had at the beginning of last football season, 7 top level programs. And the 2 that were supposed to be patsies, rose up and had great seasons. Most of the bottom feeders have left/ leaving or disbanded over the years. It's a grind to win in our conference, but when you do win, it naturally gives you pause as to upgrading the program. Same goes for hoops. There is a ceiling of sorts with recruiting in the CAA. Mason & VCU may have to leave in order to continue to improve. Being that basketball is their main sport, I think it makes sense.

Do I wish the CAA was in a vacuum and would not change: Yes
Do I think that will happen: No
And the thought of being left behind when the changes do happen frightens me.