CAA or AE??

[danefan]

Here's what we do know - there is no perfect conference at this point in time for us to be in.

 

There will be pros and cons to any action or inaction taken.

[mainejeff]

.....Stability is no reward. If you were poor would you keep your minimum wage job for life because its stabile? I would take that new job in the hope of a better life.

 

Don't give up on hope. - SoCal_Dane

 

You also don't want to lock your self into a position that is hard to get out of based on hope.

 

Lets open the stadium have some success in CAA football and prepare ourselves for a successful move to a true Mid Major conference..

 

And what Mid-Major conference would that be? The dying CAA? The Ivy? The Patriot? The MAAC? The NEC? Am I missing any East Coast Mid-Major conferences that Albany might be interested in???

 

You assume the CAA won't make a move before the AEast does. Historically the CAA has been much more proactive than the AEast ever has.

 

And why does it have to be a Northeast conference? If this realignment has shown us anything, its that regionalization of conferences isn't required anymore.

 

Oh, OK.........so now Albany is headed to a conference outside the Northeast? That should work out well..............

 

I'm not saying that, but I'm not ruling it out either.

 

The MAC is not a northeastern conference, but throw a couple schools in it (Albany, Stony Brook, Delaware, etc..) and all of sudden its a lot more manageable.

 

A bunch of Northern no-name schools in Ohio and Michigan........now that's a conference that is going somewhere!

[Dane96]

The America East has done absolutely nothing since we've been in it to show any desire to move beyond being a place for small Northeastern publics to put their small-budget DI athletic programs. It has been absolutely great for us to get to the point we are at now. It was the perfect place to start a DI program.

 

If we're happy being just that "a small Northeastern public with a small-budget DI athletic" then hte AEast is perfect.

 

If not, we should be exploring every single option out there right now, including the CAA.

 

I know that you are excited about your twin basketball bids and a new 8,500 seat stadium..........but what exactly makes you think that Albany is ready for prime-time???? Might want to at least improve your baseball field so you don't have to play in Orono, Maine in late March before you head for the CAA.

 

Jeff you are becoming annoying because you are just pushing aside concepts that are looking at big picture. What made ODU ready for prime-time? What made USF ready for prime-time? Etc.

 

You seem to be a smart guy so let me explain this pretty clearly: Even back in the day when President Hall was around, there is a desire in the University that there is at least one if not two more levels up that UA could try to be a part of or succeed at if they put the resources and time into such a move. We may never be an Ohio State. That's ok.

 

But you are basically pooh-pooing the desire of a few of us to compete at a higher level. Do I think the CAA is a higher level and a smart move on paper if UD and JMU leave. NO. But who knows what that league is going to look like, and the league very well be the next step in our evolution. Some of us are of the progress camp. You are of the status quo camp. You can point to the AE-4 and their failures as reasons not to do anything to try and improve our lot; some of us point to them and say, "Learn from their failures and do it better."

 

I agree with Patch that we need to let this play out a bit before we can decide what the right fit for UA is. However, I agree with others that we can't sit for too long...and exposure is exposure. Once we know what is to be made of Delaware (JMU is as good as gone and does nothing for me), we can evaluate our choices...if we have any.

 

This can pan out a lot of ways: Status quo, moving to a reconsituted CAA, some of the AE-4 (Towson and UD) coming back to the AE and the AE taking over CAA football, or a new East Coast All-Sport league.

 

Until then you are not in the position (nor are any UA fans) of being able to accurately say what is best for the school.

[UA_MA_2000]

 

So the choices are:

 

AE - low profile, stable.

CAA - higher profile, unstable.

 

I'd like to make sure the CAA is actually done losing schools. I don't know if it will happen but it seems like Northeastern and Hofstra want into the A10 as well.

 

This is an informative and interesting thread. My only thought is that academic profiles be a part of this discussion.

 

Academic profiles would probably favor us staying in the America East, but with Boston University leaving, the overall edge in U.S. News rankings may go to the CAA. But I bet overall research dollars is higher in the AE.

Edited April 2, 2013 by UA_MA_2000

[Clickclack]

.....Stability is no reward. If you were poor would you keep your minimum wage job for life because its stabile? I would take that new job in the hope of a better life.

 

Don't give up on hope. - SoCal_Dane

 

You also don't want to lock your self into a position that is hard to get out of based on hope.

 

Lets open the stadium have some success in CAA football and prepare ourselves for a successful move to a true Mid Major conference..

 

And what Mid-Major conference would that be? The dying CAA? The Ivy? The Patriot? The MAAC? The NEC? Am I missing any East Coast Mid-Major conferences that Albany might be interested in???

 

You assume the CAA won't make a move before the AEast does. Historically the CAA has been much more proactive than the AEast ever has.

 

And why does it have to be a Northeast conference? If this realignment has shown us anything, its that regionalization of conferences isn't required anymore.

 

Oh, OK.........so now Albany is headed to a conference outside the Northeast? That should work out well..............

 

I'm not saying that, but I'm not ruling it out either.

 

The MAC is not a northeastern conference, but throw a couple schools in it (Albany, Stony Brook, Delaware, etc..) and all of sudden its a lot more manageable.

 

A bunch of Northern no-name schools in Ohio and Michigan........now that's a conference that is going somewhere!

 

Hey, we could always just keep beating up on Woodward but no one gets excited for that. You gonna really sit here and argue that the AE can hold a candle to the MAC?

 

Jeff has no answers if you look at his ramblings across many boards...he's a contrarian at heart. This is a guy who slams the AE for no leadership and then skewers anyone who is in position to explore their options. Which is it...should we just stay in the AE/the rudderless ship or look for ways to more forward and keep building this department?

 

Don't worry, your dismissive attitude regarding how/if we are ready for something bigger isn't anything new to UA fans, we've heard it all moving up to D1 etc. We have two options...keep building and improving or put our athletic department on pause like your school has done.

[dslyank]

I voted to stay in AE for now and like Patch and some others said, let's see how things pan out. I do not think conference shake ups is done yet. Also, I do not agree that the AE has no vision; and would not be shocked to see them take another look at adding football. I have absolutely NO inside information, but simply can not believe that higher ups in the conference are totally oblivious to what is going on consolidation/expansion/ etc wise in college sports. And for those knocking UMass Lowell; in case you have not noticed they have a team in the final four in hockey, have always had strong teams in whatever conference they were in, and I would not be surprised to see them quickly become very competitive in the AE

[Dane96]

The issue with Lowell isn't sports. It's the rogue behavior they have exhibited in the past regarding academics coupled with sports.

[mainejeff]

.....Stability is no reward. If you were poor would you keep your minimum wage job for life because its stabile? I would take that new job in the hope of a better life.

 

Don't give up on hope. - SoCal_Dane

 

You also don't want to lock your self into a position that is hard to get out of based on hope.

 

Lets open the stadium have some success in CAA football and prepare ourselves for a successful move to a true Mid Major conference..

 

And what Mid-Major conference would that be? The dying CAA? The Ivy? The Patriot? The MAAC? The NEC? Am I missing any East Coast Mid-Major conferences that Albany might be interested in???

 

You assume the CAA won't make a move before the AEast does. Historically the CAA has been much more proactive than the AEast ever has.

 

And why does it have to be a Northeast conference? If this realignment has shown us anything, its that regionalization of conferences isn't required anymore.

 

Oh, OK.........so now Albany is headed to a conference outside the Northeast? That should work out well..............

 

I'm not saying that, but I'm not ruling it out either.

 

The MAC is not a northeastern conference, but throw a couple schools in it (Albany, Stony Brook, Delaware, etc..) and all of sudden its a lot more manageable.

 

A bunch of Northern no-name schools in Ohio and Michigan........now that's a conference that is going somewhere!

 

Hey, we could always just keep beating up on Woodward but no one gets excited for that. You gonna really sit here and argue that the AE can hold a candle to the MAC?

 

Jeff has no answers if you look at his ramblings across many boards...he's a contrarian at heart. This is a guy who slams the AE for no leadership and then skewers anyone who is in position to explore their options. Which is it...should we just stay in the AE/the rudderless ship or look for ways to more forward and keep building this department?

 

Don't worry, your dismissive attitude regarding how/if we are ready for something bigger isn't anything new to UA fans, we've heard it all moving up to D1 etc. We have two options...keep building and improving or put our athletic department on pause like your school has done.

 

Whatever dude........in the end Maine and Albany will do what they are going to do........we'll still be fans of our respective schools no matter where, who, etc they are playing.

[Clickclack]

That's true jeff...very very true.

[mainejeff]

I voted to stay in AE for now and like Patch and some others said, let's see how things pan out. I do not think conference shake ups is done yet. Also, I do not agree that the AE has no vision; and would not be shocked to see them take another look at adding football. I have absolutely NO inside information, but simply can not believe that higher ups in the conference are totally oblivious to what is going on consolidation/expansion/ etc wise in college sports. And for those knocking UMass Lowell; in case you have not noticed they have a team in the final four in hockey, have always had strong teams in whatever conference they were in, and I would not be surprised to see them quickly become very competitive in the AE

 

It's good to note that "those in charge" are actually the Presidents and ADs of AE members.......imagine that! So those poo-pooing "the leadership"..........you're talking about your own guys (and the ones at the other 8 member schools). In the past........BU's leadership wielded the most power and in a sense......held AE hostage (that worked out well! ) They are gone now........I'm hoping that everyone is more on the same page now.......specially when survival as a conference is at stake.

[mainejeff]

The issue with Lowell isn't sports. It's the rogue behavior they have exhibited in the past regarding academics coupled with sports.

 

Like Towson and UNCW?

[Dane96]

Not even close. Not even in the same ballpark.

[mainejeff]

Not even close. Not even in the same ballpark.

 

We should punish schools for their past sins.........forever.

 

I think that UMass-Lowell has it going on.......like Stony Brook. Just my opinion.

[Dane Pound]

The Mid-Majority take on the CAA.

[mainejeff]

The Mid-Majority take on the CAA.

 

Interesting article and perspective. I honestly don't see Albany fitting in the same mold as Drexel, Hofstra and Northeastern.........but you guys know your school better than I do.