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FWIW, I heard from a pretty reliable source (outside of UA) that Albany planned on going to the Big South with Stony Brook but backed out. Also, wouldn't be surprised if they announced leaving for the Big South next year.

 

Forgive my ignorance, but this is for just football, right? I don't know much about what was formerly called Division I-AA football.

 

Also, can someone fill me in as to why SB and perhaps UAlbany would go to the Big South? Doesn't seem like much of an improvement over the America East (all sports) or NEC (football), so I must be incorrect in my thinking and missing something ... . Any insight would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

Finally, does anyone know why the America East doesn't have a football conference? Any plans of one in the future? It seems that that would be the most sensible option. There is no question in my mind that the America East is a superior academic conference as compared to the Big South, and anyone here will be hard-pressed to convince me otherwise at least on this point (just check the number of AE schools in the top two tiers of the US News & World Reports rankings).

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Stony Brook is going to the Big South for football only; they'll be the sixth team in the conference, so it can then apply in 2009 for an automatic bid to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, but there isn't an opening yet (only eight autobids are allowed). The Big South does allow their schools to use the full allotment of 63 scholarships for football, while the NEC only allows 30 at this time and therefore is at a disadvantage when it applies. The autobid is the ONLY sensible reason for Albany to play football in the Big South

 

America East had a football proposal about ten years ago, but some of the non-football schools (Hartford, UVM) blocked, and that's one big reason why Delaware, Hofstra and Towson left for the Colonial Athletic Association. If they hadn't left we might not be in the AE. There's been much talk of another try for AE FB, but nothing's come of it yet.

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UAalum72, thanks for all of the information!

 

I think it would be fantastic to see the America East adopt football; even better if they adopted hockey, but that's probably a tough one for a couple reasons (one of which is we'd need a team, of course).

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UA_MA_2000

If you want to read up on FCS football (formerly IAA) you should check out www.anygivensaturday.com. Its the major forum for FCS football and there are very knowledgeable fans and media guys over there. One word of advice though....be careful what you post. Those guys are sharks and have no mercy!

 

A quick forum search over there on America East Football will give you tons of reading material from those for and those against AEast football and such. Some pretty interesting and "inisde info" over there. :P

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FWIW, I heard from a pretty reliable source (outside of UA) that Albany planned on going to the Big South with Stony Brook but backed out. Also, wouldn't be surprised if they announced leaving for the Big South next year.

I was told by a Big South fan back in February that Albany moving to the BS was a lock 'all but the paperwork'. In the end only Stony Brook moved. I don't see it, unless 1) America East football and 2) an increase in scholarships for the NEC are both in trouble.

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I would much rather see us at 45 rides in the NEC than at 63 in the Big South. I don't think we are even ready to go to 63 yet because of Title IX issues. I think with 45 rides we can compete for an at-large bid from the NEC year in and year out.

 

I think SBU's move was premature, just like their move to Indy from the NEC. What I don't want to see is us falling behind SBU at all, even if its only temporary. It would be unacceptable to me.

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I can't speak to the quality of football in the Big South, but academically, it's nothing compared to UAlbany or Stonybrook. In a previous thread, I wrote up the rankings for the number of AE schools (yes, I know for football we're NEC) in the top two tiers, academically, of the US News and World Reports Rankings. High Point checks in at #15 for top comprehensive southern schools, but that's about it (from what I could tell after a cursory scan). I also saw VMI at #86 on the top liberal arts schools. Still, different conference, different quality, and just a different profile than what UAlbany should associate itself with. I just don't want to be mixed in or associated with schools like Winthrop, Radford, or High Point. Jeez. Maybe I'm going wrong here ... .

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I can't speak to the quality of football in the Big South, but academically, it's nothing compared to UAlbany or Stonybrook. In a previous thread, I wrote up the rankings for the number of AE schools (yes, I know for football we're NEC) in the top two tiers, academically, of the US News and World Reports Rankings. High Point checks in at #15 for top comprehensive southern schools, but that's about it (from what I could tell after a cursory scan). I also saw VMI at #86 on the top liberal arts schools. Still, different conference, different quality, and just a different profile than what UAlbany should associate itself with. I just don't want to be mixed in or associated with schools like Winthrop, Radford, or High Point. Jeez. Maybe I'm going wrong here ... .

 

I'm not sure what you're talking about. Winthrop is a very respected university and has been in the "Best Values-South" for the past few years and ranks #23 on USNews Master's South while Radford ranks 43rd. Albany is a third tier university ranking well behind other SUNYs such as Binghamton, Stony Brook, and Buffalo. Obviously i don't see UA joining the Big South because... well, we're not in the South, are we? I just don't get why you're ragging on Winthrop or Radford for no reason when they are both really good schools. I'm all for pumping up my own UA degree but thats rediculous.

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I can't speak to the quality of football in the Big South, but academically, it's nothing compared to UAlbany or Stonybrook. In a previous thread, I wrote up the rankings for the number of AE schools (yes, I know for football we're NEC) in the top two tiers, academically, of the US News and World Reports Rankings. High Point checks in at #15 for top comprehensive southern schools, but that's about it (from what I could tell after a cursory scan). I also saw VMI at #86 on the top liberal arts schools. Still, different conference, different quality, and just a different profile than what UAlbany should associate itself with. I just don't want to be mixed in or associated with schools like Winthrop, Radford, or High Point. Jeez. Maybe I'm going wrong here ... .

 

I'm not sure what you're talking about. Winthrop is a very respected university and has been in the "Best Values-South" for the past few years and ranks #23 on USNews Master's South while Radford ranks 43rd. Albany is a third tier university ranking well behind other SUNYs such as Binghamton, Stony Brook, and Buffalo. Obviously i don't see UA joining the Big South because... well, we're not in the South, are we? I just don't get why you're ragging on Winthrop or Radford for no reason when they are both really good schools. I'm all for pumping up my own UA degree but thats rediculous.

 

 

I have kept my mouth quiet on the subject, and while I agree we should not be in the BS for athletics, your recognition of USNWR is troubling. First, most schools disagree with the rankings system; Even top graduate school deans have written letters, public ones, trashing the system. The Monitor and The Chronicle of Higher Ed have also trashed the system. Believe me, I worked long enough with administrators of schools ranging from WNEC to YALE!

 

Second, RADFORD IS AN ABSOLUTE JOKE! My cousin, a women's hoop player in the 90's from S. Kortright H.S. (Delaware County, NY) was a very good player at Radford. She is still in touch with the program. While it is a good education, it is FAR from the education even the most uneducated UA student could receive. THE ALBANY EDUCATION BLOWS IT OUT OF THE WATER. The stories she would tell us about "school" were laughable and scary at the same time.

 

Heck, I dont think the Radford education falls within the top 7 or 8 Virginia public schools.

 

As for Winthrop, yes, good education...but nothing like Albany; This is a small-private school and it cannot be compared to UA. If anything, it would be compared to the Colgate's of the world. In that battle, they also lose. Public wise, it would be compared to Geneseo...another losing battle.

 

People, the rankings are skewed, in a horrible way to the following: Student:teacher ratio; Acceptance ratio; and endowment. Fact is, UA will be penalized with this all the time. Now we do have to make the move on our sister public schools, however a comparison to BSOUTH schools is a non-comparison.

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I can't speak to the quality of football in the Big South, but academically, it's nothing compared to UAlbany or Stonybrook. In a previous thread, I wrote up the rankings for the number of AE schools (yes, I know for football we're NEC) in the top two tiers, academically, of the US News and World Reports Rankings. High Point checks in at #15 for top comprehensive southern schools, but that's about it (from what I could tell after a cursory scan). I also saw VMI at #86 on the top liberal arts schools. Still, different conference, different quality, and just a different profile than what UAlbany should associate itself with. I just don't want to be mixed in or associated with schools like Winthrop, Radford, or High Point. Jeez. Maybe I'm going wrong here ... .

 

I'm not sure what you're talking about. Winthrop is a very respected university and has been in the "Best Values-South" for the past few years and ranks #23 on USNews Master's South while Radford ranks 43rd. Albany is a third tier university ranking well behind other SUNYs such as Binghamton, Stony Brook, and Buffalo. Obviously i don't see UA joining the Big South because... well, we're not in the South, are we? I just don't get why you're ragging on Winthrop or Radford for no reason when they are both really good schools. I'm all for pumping up my own UA degree but thats rediculous.

 

 

I have kept my mouth quiet on the subject, and while I agree we should not be in the BS for athletics, your recognition of USNWR is troubling. First, most schools disagree with the rankings system; Even top graduate school deans have written letters, public ones, trashing the system. The Monitor and The Chronicle of Higher Ed have also trashed the system. Believe me, I worked long enough with administrators of schools ranging from WNEC to YALE!

 

Second, RADFORD IS AN ABSOLUTE JOKE! My cousin, a women's hoop player in the 90's from S. Kortright H.S. (Delaware County, NY) was a very good player at Radford. She is still in touch with the program. While it is a good education, it is FAR from the education even the most uneducated UA student could receive. THE ALBANY EDUCATION BLOWS IT OUT OF THE WATER. The stories she would tell us about "school" were laughable and scary at the same time.

 

Heck, I dont think the Radford education falls within the top 7 or 8 Virginia public schools.

 

As for Winthrop, yes, good education...but nothing like Albany; This is a small-private school and it cannot be compared to UA. If anything, it would be compared to the Colgate's of the world. In that battle, they also lose. Public wise, it would be compared to Geneseo...another losing battle.

 

People, the rankings are skewed, in a horrible way to the following: Student:teacher ratio; Acceptance ratio; and endowment. Fact is, UA will be penalized with this all the time. Now we do have to make the move on our sister public schools, however a comparison to BSOUTH schools is a non-comparison.

 

Listen, i don't want to get into a big thing but my point was that we shouldn't be ragging on perfectly good schools for no reason. He used the USNews rankings to make his point and I made mine using the same reports. I could have also used the Princeton Review (for which Winthrop is ranked a "best buy" and a best Southeastern as voted on by students), Barrons Review (also a best buy national university), and Consumer's Digest (Top 50 Public Universities). I'm sure your cousin gives us an absolutely clear and unskewed/unbiased review of the educational quality of Radford as well though and we should really pay attention to it. Clearly, it means Albany is a far better institution than Radford. Also, Winthrop is a public school, not a small-private school but i'm sure you have the credentials to be judging the epic "battles" in which they lose to Geneseo and Colgate while they cannot be compared to Albany for some reason. Now, if you are arguing that Albany has more programs to choose from or a bigger population and more faculty then yeah, I would agree with you. But to pass off a good school like Winthrop as something you "don't want to be mixed in or associated" with as if you were so much better and it was beneath you... that is a joke. I get JUST as angry when people pass off Albany as a terrible party school when they really don't know anything about the academics.

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I can't speak to the quality of football in the Big South, but academically, it's nothing compared to UAlbany or Stonybrook. In a previous thread, I wrote up the rankings for the number of AE schools (yes, I know for football we're NEC) in the top two tiers, academically, of the US News and World Reports Rankings. High Point checks in at #15 for top comprehensive southern schools, but that's about it (from what I could tell after a cursory scan). I also saw VMI at #86 on the top liberal arts schools. Still, different conference, different quality, and just a different profile than what UAlbany should associate itself with. I just don't want to be mixed in or associated with schools like Winthrop, Radford, or High Point. Jeez. Maybe I'm going wrong here ... .

 

I'm not sure what you're talking about. Winthrop is a very respected university and has been in the "Best Values-South" for the past few years and ranks #23 on USNews Master's South while Radford ranks 43rd. Albany is a third tier university ranking well behind other SUNYs such as Binghamton, Stony Brook, and Buffalo. Obviously i don't see UA joining the Big South because... well, we're not in the South, are we? I just don't get why you're ragging on Winthrop or Radford for no reason when they are both really good schools. I'm all for pumping up my own UA degree but thats rediculous.

 

 

I have kept my mouth quiet on the subject, and while I agree we should not be in the BS for athletics, your recognition of USNWR is troubling. First, most schools disagree with the rankings system; Even top graduate school deans have written letters, public ones, trashing the system. The Monitor and The Chronicle of Higher Ed have also trashed the system. Believe me, I worked long enough with administrators of schools ranging from WNEC to YALE!

 

Second, RADFORD IS AN ABSOLUTE JOKE! My cousin, a women's hoop player in the 90's from S. Kortright H.S. (Delaware County, NY) was a very good player at Radford. She is still in touch with the program. While it is a good education, it is FAR from the education even the most uneducated UA student could receive. THE ALBANY EDUCATION BLOWS IT OUT OF THE WATER. The stories she would tell us about "school" were laughable and scary at the same time.

 

Heck, I dont think the Radford education falls within the top 7 or 8 Virginia public schools.

 

As for Winthrop, yes, good education...but nothing like Albany; This is a small-private school and it cannot be compared to UA. If anything, it would be compared to the Colgate's of the world. In that battle, they also lose. Public wise, it would be compared to Geneseo...another losing battle.

 

People, the rankings are skewed, in a horrible way to the following: Student:teacher ratio; Acceptance ratio; and endowment. Fact is, UA will be penalized with this all the time. Now we do have to make the move on our sister public schools, however a comparison to BSOUTH schools is a non-comparison.

 

Listen, i don't want to get into a big thing but my point was that we shouldn't be ragging on perfectly good schools for no reason. He used the USNews rankings to make his point and I made mine using the same reports. I could have also used the Princeton Review (for which Winthrop is ranked a "best buy" and a best Southeastern as voted on by students), Barrons Review (also a best buy national university), and Consumer's Digest (Top 50 Public Universities). I'm sure your cousin gives us an absolutely clear and unskewed/unbiased review of the educational quality of Radford as well though and we should really pay attention to it. Clearly, it means Albany is a far better institution than Radford. Also, Winthrop is a public school, not a small-private school but i'm sure you have the credentials to be judging the epic "battles" in which they lose to Geneseo and Colgate while they cannot be compared to Albany for some reason. Now, if you are arguing that Albany has more programs to choose from or a bigger population and more faculty then yeah, I would agree with you. But to pass off a good school like Winthrop as something you "don't want to be mixed in or associated" with as if you were so much better and it was beneath you... that is a joke. I get JUST as angry when people pass off Albany as a terrible party school when they really don't know anything about the academics.

 

I stand corrected.

 

Much like UDel, Winthrop was technically NOT a state university in the same manner as Albany was over the years. Apparently, the change was made in the 90's.

 

Believe me...Radford is a $iena school.

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I can't speak to the quality of football in the Big South, but academically, it's nothing compared to UAlbany or Stonybrook. In a previous thread, I wrote up the rankings for the number of AE schools (yes, I know for football we're NEC) in the top two tiers, academically, of the US News and World Reports Rankings. High Point checks in at #15 for top comprehensive southern schools, but that's about it (from what I could tell after a cursory scan). I also saw VMI at #86 on the top liberal arts schools. Still, different conference, different quality, and just a different profile than what UAlbany should associate itself with. I just don't want to be mixed in or associated with schools like Winthrop, Radford, or High Point. Jeez. Maybe I'm going wrong here ... .

 

I'm not sure what you're talking about. Winthrop is a very respected university and has been in the "Best Values-South" for the past few years and ranks #23 on USNews Master's South while Radford ranks 43rd. Albany is a third tier university ranking well behind other SUNYs such as Binghamton, Stony Brook, and Buffalo. Obviously i don't see UA joining the Big South because... well, we're not in the South, are we? I just don't get why you're ragging on Winthrop or Radford for no reason when they are both really good schools. I'm all for pumping up my own UA degree but thats rediculous.

 

 

I have kept my mouth quiet on the subject, and while I agree we should not be in the BS for athletics, your recognition of USNWR is troubling. First, most schools disagree with the rankings system; Even top graduate school deans have written letters, public ones, trashing the system. The Monitor and The Chronicle of Higher Ed have also trashed the system. Believe me, I worked long enough with administrators of schools ranging from WNEC to YALE!

 

Second, RADFORD IS AN ABSOLUTE JOKE! My cousin, a women's hoop player in the 90's from S. Kortright H.S. (Delaware County, NY) was a very good player at Radford. She is still in touch with the program. While it is a good education, it is FAR from the education even the most uneducated UA student could receive. THE ALBANY EDUCATION BLOWS IT OUT OF THE WATER. The stories she would tell us about "school" were laughable and scary at the same time.

 

Heck, I dont think the Radford education falls within the top 7 or 8 Virginia public schools.

 

As for Winthrop, yes, good education...but nothing like Albany; This is a small-private school and it cannot be compared to UA. If anything, it would be compared to the Colgate's of the world. In that battle, they also lose. Public wise, it would be compared to Geneseo...another losing battle.

 

People, the rankings are skewed, in a horrible way to the following: Student:teacher ratio; Acceptance ratio; and endowment. Fact is, UA will be penalized with this all the time. Now we do have to make the move on our sister public schools, however a comparison to BSOUTH schools is a non-comparison.

 

Dane96 & other posters:

 

It is not my recognition of the US News and World Reports that should "trouble you." Indeed, the rankings trouble me too. Look to high schools and popular culture that continue to put stock in those rankings! I completely agree with you about the US News and World Reports and the flawed nature of its variables and ways of measurement. But it is what it is, and perception can be reality for many high school seniors, and that's what many people (and high school students) continue to look to (at least in part), despite the misguided nature of doing so. I understand the problems with the variables they use and the qualms that many schools have with the rankings (but the schools complaining are not the ones ranked well, so you will always have complaints in ANY ranking system). The bottom line is, and I think we agree, that UAlbany is generally a step ahead of the schools of the Big South Conference. I'm not poking fun at the Big South; I'm simply stating the bottom line, as I see it. Problems with the rankings is a topic for another day, and one that I am in complete agreement with you about. And whether we like the US News rankings or not, we had better be at least sensitive and aware of it, rather than to not "recognize" it.

 

Having two parents who are faculty members at schools ranking a heck of a lot higher than UAlbany (Michigan, RPI), and having been a student myself in a Ph.D. program at UAlbany (which was, at that time, ranked #1 in the nation) prior to going to law school, I can say with great confidence, and I think I'm at least in a position to offer a reasonably educated view on this, that real or genuine respect for, and the "ranking" of, a university comes not from widely published rankings but from graduate programs and the research of those schools and its faculty. Quality of research and faculty have a much closer nexus to the quality of education that one will receive versus many of the variables that US News employs. And by a standard examining faculty and research and strength of graduate programs generally, UAlbany is far, far, far stronger than any school in the Big South and probably many schools that the US News people rank ahead of us (undergrad).

 

And I'm not "ragging" on any school down south. I certainly mean those schools no disrespect. I simply stated that UAlbany is better IMHO as far as strength of research and graduate programs (which I have explained better in this post), and I believe that the foregoing comments were also basically along these lines. Yet, I do respect a school like Winthrop, etc., and will save that debate for another day if anyone (or I) cares. But okay, I've been convinced that Winthrop, for example, is a relatively good school. So what? The Big South still doesn't compare to the America East (considering a move in sports other than football) or generally to UAlbany, and that was my only substantial point above. I think some of the above responses to my post are missing the bottom line here (attacking the US News rankings, which I agree with, and pointing out that Winthrop, for example, is a good school, which I also agree with!) and the point that I was attempting to make. Perhaps I did not make that point clear enough for the readers.

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I stand corrected.

 

Much like UDel, Winthrop was technically NOT a state university in the same manner as Albany was over the years. Apparently, the change was made in the 90's.

 

Believe me...Radford is a $iena school.

 

 

Dane96, I'm Sorry I got a little heated but that is because Winthrop and, to a lesser extent, Radford, along with Marshall U., are the canidates on my short Grad School list. I know more about those two schools and i guess i just wanted to protect them (especially Winthrop). Radford i don't know as much about so i'll take your word and do some more research before i give them as serious a look as my other two choices.

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