UAlbany / URI

[fmdane]

Could a conference trade really be possible . Sounds like URI is not commiting beyond 2010 . The four remaining CAA northern teams meeting on December 21st . We had 5 Hoftra players on campus this weekend , new stadium talk and rumors of some news after the Holidays makes you wonder.

[danefan]

I think its possible. I'll have to find the article, but the URI AD was quoted as saying they would play at the highest level that makes sense for them. He didn't say, like the Maine and UNH ADs did, that they wanted to play at the highest level possible.

 

Bryant in the NEC also helps as it would be an immediate rival.

 

I've been thinking about this more and more. Recent articles indiacte the Charlotte is CAA or Indy. If URI moves to the NEC and the CAA adds charlotte to the South, that leaves two north spots for a balanced schedule. I would think UMass, UNH and Maine would fight for us over SBU simply beacuse its much much easier to get to Albany than it is all the way out on the island. Then SBU and Fordham would duke it out for the last spot.

 

That would put the north division as Albany, UNH, UMass, Maine, Delaware, Villanova, SBU/Fordham.

 

South at W&M, JMU, Old Dominion, Richmond, Charlotte, Towson and Geogia St.

 

6 divisional games, 2 interdivisional (1 home and 1 away) and 3 OOC games.

 

This is the best possible scenario I can see for us.

[fmdane]

I think its possible. I'll have to find the article, but the URI AD was quoted as saying they would play at the highest level that makes sense for them. He didn't say, like the Maine and UNH ADs did, that they wanted to play at the highest level possible.

 

Bryant in the NEC also helps as it would be an immediate rival.

 

I've been thinking about this more and more. Recent articles indiacte the Charlotte is CAA or Indy. If URI moves to the NEC and the CAA adds charlotte to the South, that leaves two north spots for a balanced schedule. I would think UMass, UNH and Maine would fight for us over SBU simply beacuse its much much easier to get to Albany than it is all the way out on the island. Then SBU and Fordham would duke it out for the last spot.

 

That would put the north division as Albany, UNH, UMass, Maine, Delaware, Villanova, SBU/Fordham.

 

South at W&M, JMU, Old Dominion, Richmond, Charlotte, Towson and Geogia St.

 

6 divisional games, 2 interdivisional (1 home and 1 away) and 3 OOC games.

 

This is the best possible scenario I can see for us.

I can only agree with you and i don't believe it is that far fetched . With them meeting on December 21st shows some urgency in my estimation

[mainejeff]

Here's the latest article on this whole situation from today's Maine Sunday Telegram:

 

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=302083&ac=PHspt

 

 

All I can say is that my head hurts thinking about all of the scenarios that could play out over the next few years.

[Michigan_Dane]

I've waited a long time for Albany to catch a break. This period of time is our best bet of joining our peers UMass, UNH, URI and Maine. Full Scholly with one FBS a year is what I'm hoping for. A new conference or us joining the CAA is a real possibility. So many news stories coming out these days it's hard to keep up. We need to seize this opportunity. We'll be happy we did when the financial crisis blows over.

[danefan]

Here's the latest article on this whole situation from today's Maine Sunday Telegram:

 

http://pressherald.m...302083&ac=PHspt

 

 

All I can say is that my head hurts thinking about all of the scenarios that could play out over the next few years.

 

 

Thanks Jeff.

 

This link provides a ton of insight and confirms a lot of what we have been saying.

 

- Travel costs are a huge issue.

- URI's committment beyond 2010 in the CAA is suspect.

- People are thinking about revamping the Yankee Conference and we are a part of that discussion.

 

Lets hope Dr. McElroy is being proactive here and putting us out there.

[danefan]

And BTW, some of the more vocal URI supporters have been calling for URI to go to the NEC for some time.

 

 

 

 

[uofalbany]

URI is exactly the same size school as UAlbany, and the tuition looks about the same.

 

What are the reasons that URI supporters have been calling for the move?

URI competitiveness in the CAA compared to the NEC?

Travel costs?

24+ scholarship reduction and TITLE XI reduced requirements?

 

Swapping conferences with URI would be a fine scenerio in my opinion. The CAA is very well respected throughout the fcs football world. That in itself would be a fantastic recruiting tool, and puts the CAA option ahead of all others. Of course, with full scholarships, and a new football facility, the combination would be fantastic for the program.

 

And I totally agree, the CAA has got to be considering adding teams now. With the defections going on, and the upcoming additions in the south, how can they not? Even if URI stayed, there's still room for UA.

[danefan]

Most URI fans do not believe that they can be succesful in the CAA. They haven't made the playoffs since the CAA was formed and they don't feel they can rebuild a program having to play in a conference that routinely has 5+ teams in the top 25.

 

I think its more than just travel costs. I don't think they carry the full 63 rides now anyway.

 

 

[uofalbany]

In that article, Maine's coach Cosgrove said:

 

He would like to see two former Southern Division teams bumped into a Northern Division with the New England teams. He suggests Delaware and Villanova.

 

I can't imagine Delaware and Villanova would favor it. And the league isn't about to start messing around with those teams.

 

"If they're not willing to do that, are they telling us we have to get something going? I don't know if there are any ready-made teams up our way to compete in our league."

 

He doesn't know if there are any ready made teams? We are not strangers to Maine. Are they considering Albany and Stony Brook? UAlbany is much closer to these remaining CAA teams.

[danefan]

We are not a ready-made team and neither is Stony Brook.

 

We have a lot of work to do to match the committments of Maine, UNH and UMass. That's all he was referring to. Sure we beat Maine this year, but we did so in a 1972 high school stadium. We also got our butts whooped at UMass. As did Stony Brook.

 

And I don't think Villanova and Delaware would favor it, but I do think they would do it for the sake of keeping UNH and UMass in the league.

[danefan]

double post.

[uofalbany]

What I'm getting at is... there aren't any ready-made programs, and I hope they have their eyes open to realistic possibilities... like Albany. The perfect outcome might be adding UA and SB, due to the huge potential ... and the markets involved. They would minimize disruption to the conference, and wouldn't be too much of a downgrade, if any.

 

Of course, I know this was only one initial statement from the Maine coach, and I don't want to pick it apart too much.

[danefan]

What I'm getting at is... there aren't any ready-made programs, and I hope they have their eyes open to realistic possibilities... like Albany. The perfect outcome might be adding UA and SB, due to the huge potential ... and the markets involved. They would minimize disruption to the conference, and wouldn't be too much of a downgrade, if any.

 

Of course, I know this was only one initial statement from the Maine coach, and I don't want to pick it apart too much.

 

 

Especially considering that article does point out the possibility of adding us and CCSU to the new Yankee conference if its formed.

[mainejeff]

In that article, Maine's coach Cosgrove said:

 

He would like to see two former Southern Division teams bumped into a Northern Division with the New England teams. He suggests Delaware and Villanova.

 

I can't imagine Delaware and Villanova would favor it. And the league isn't about to start messing around with those teams.

 

Hold on a minute!.......Delaware and Villanova better be in favor of it!.......otherwise the CAA drops to 7 members in 2011 and/or 8 members in 2012. That doesn't even include Villanova, which even though they don't have many ties to the NE4.......I'm not sure how they feel about staying in a Southern league that includes one close rival (Delaware).......and a bunch of schools in Virginia and Atlanta? Does Villanova recruit most of their students from the South? Does the CAA REALLY want to constrict down to 7 or 8 programs with the specter of JMU and/or ODU and/or Georgia State going to an FBS situation??? Does the CAA REALLY want to lose all of New England, New York/Long Island as a recruiting ground for students and student-athletes, and also lose any media coverage that they currently receive? The CAA is in a pretty precarious situation now that full conference members NU and Hofstra dropped the ball (no pun intended). I've been saying that as long as the NE4 stick together on this one (or at least Maine, UNH, and UMass do)......there is power in numbers at the momenet.......but they need to play their cards right!

 

From a NE4 point of view.......the best thing that could happen would be this:

 

1. Stay committed to the CAA and demand that Delaware and Villanova be placed in the North come 2012 when Georgia State joins.

2. Hope that Charlotte in admitted in 2013 and demand that a Northern team also be admitted to the North (this opens up a slot for Albany, Stony Brook or Fordham). This would give Albany 3 more years to get their house in order facilities and scholarship wise.