mainejeff

Delaware, Drexel and Northeastern do NOT = the Patriot League.

Huskyman

UMBC and UML are not regional universities? Pair the two conferences up and let me know how many match ups AEast wins, I think that would be an interesting exercise to see if you claim rings true. And regardless of assumptions that you are making William and Mary does in fact not have one foot out the door to the PL. Although other schools moves could make them reconsider joining the PL, the CAA would have also already invited new schools to take the spots of Mason, JMU with schools like SBU, UA, Elon etc

Binghamtonswag

No actually Uml and umbc are both classified as national research institutions. I'm not interested in doing your school by school "match up". Suffice to say actually looking requires an understanding of the difference between publics and privates and how this effects a schools ranking. The AE is on equal terms with the CAA academically whether you want to admit it or not

UMLFan

Fair question. I know they've been going after low DI type recruits, and have one committed for next year as well. This year has been disappointing for the program, but I'd imagine going DI would help with recruiting.

In regards to other sports (if I may), Lowell's field hockey team is a perennial national contender, the men's soccer team has had a resurgence the past couple of years, while baseball has been consistently good.

umainealum

In your opinion, why would SBU & Albany want to move to the CAA to take the spots of Mason & JMU? I would think if anything, those 2 would want to JOIN those 2 in the CAA, not be their replacements. They are competitive in the AE in sports (I don't follow all the sports so not sure how they compete in less profile sports) and are in a conference of very similar, like-minded institutions. The appeal of the CAA is what nowadays?

All you have left is Delaware as a state school...then Northeastern, Hofstra, Drexel, Towson, W&M, UNC-Wilmington, College of Charleston. Honestly, I'm not seeing the appeal to that. If anything, it makes a little harder to get to the NCAA Tourney in hoops...and that league isn't getting more than 1 bid so good luck with that.

__________________
UMaine - the epitome of mediocrity

Proud supporter of an AMERICA EAST team that made a coaching change...

iBOsbu

Lets see.. who should I believe.. them or you!

You really dont like the fact that we turned down CAA all sports invite and showed loyalty to AE. Its more than just loyalty. It makes more sense. Think of travel cost. Not just for MBB but for all other sports men and women. Not only to VA schools but also to UNC and now CofC.

And we have seen what happened to football programs in NU and Hofstra who could not afford it all.

Stony Brook is happy in AE. Fiore said it many times and I believe him.

AE gives us the best place to get to NCAA tournaments in Basketball and Baseball (I know.. no need to bring it up that we have yet to reach one in basketball). We can still schedule OOC games with VA schools if we want to. And we have a perfect place for our football program now.

Just because Albany was not invited all sports, don't cry over sour grapes!

Patman

Merrimack surprises and bothers me in that there rumors of a drop to Div III not so long ago.... But again, institutional changes change priorities. I would have no problem playing Merrimack but as a conference cohort I'd be extremely suspicious. I think the difference between what we have done and what they have done are rather significant.

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As a person who may end up running the DC alum chapter I slightly apologize for the first post... I don't like people bagging on us. I know our dynamics... A recovering (?) commuter school where a lot of the school works part or full time (hence poor four year rates). We are also a serious engineering school with significant features in plastics eng, meteorology, computer science, and music. Aside from that, we have the power plant and a few interdisciplinary programs.

I have seen this school come a long way since I started and even before Marty Meehan got "here". I came to Lowell because academic services contacted me about something in my essay/statement. That's when I signed onto Lowell. The people in the administration care very much about what they do and we wouldn't allow otherwise... Sure, there are some idiots in the staff ranks but even the idiots care. It is a great affordable school. I was lucky in that mom and dad picked up the tab at around 7-9 grand a year. I have a science doctorate, I have done a couple of significant things, I owe nothing in student loans. We want people who want to make something of themselves and we're glad to have the support of anybody who wants to come along for the ride.

All the boats are pulling in the same direction. We're not in this to be an also-ran.

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Other than that, can we get NU and BU back?

__________________
B.S. UMass-Lowell '04
Ph.D. UConn '09

mainejeff

Amen. If anything, the addition of UMass-Lowell pushes Maine toward a non-football path in the future if/when the CAA dissolves. This is about cost containment and sending UM teams to Lowell IS the best possible addition to AE from a Maine standpoint.

mainejeff

Not going to happen IMO (I mean Merrimack to AE).

mainejeff

So you think that the CAA has schools lined up if they lose GMU and JMU??? I think that if the CAA has anyone in line........they will quickly jump out of line if those 2 schools leave.

UVM Hoop Cat

UNH and Maine should be nothing but thrilled about this move.

__________________
"Let's win this game for all the small schools that never had a chance to get here"
- Hoosiers,
& UVM mens basketball NCAA's 2005

Binghamtonswag

Not likely but take solace. You're now in a conference with publics who have many of the same goals as your school's administration. Welcome!

Dane96

Choose to believe whomever you want. I know my sources...and I trust them since they have rarely been wrong, if ever.

Furthermore, why would there be sour grapes? Because Fiore allegedly shot down a conference that is allegedly better than the AE and your fans would love to go to (as would some of our fans)?

Does it make sense that Fiore turned this down? Turned it down because of a $1mm exit fee that you would have to pay if you moved up to FBS.

Let me really break it down for you: If you could afford FBS, and you do have sugar daddies...this is clear to all and not a swipe at SBU, you wouldn't worry about spending 2-4 years in the CAA and THEN moving to FBS while paying the fee.

No...nope, doesn't make senes that a higher profile TV contract, a national name (CAA is whether we want to admit it or not), and sports parked in one conference with great academic schools would be something Fiore turns down.

Unless it was never offered, of course.

iBOsbu

I like the addition of UML as I already mentioned earlier. Now I am reading rumors about NJIT too. I have some reservation, such as facilites and location. But again, what other North-east D1 schools without football do we have available? After all NJIT is a public academic school and easy travel for Stony Brook. If they are dedicated to improve their sports with increased budget, then I guess its a decent addition as well. I am sure the money they will save from no more flying out to west can be used for improvement as well.

iBOsbu

I can give you one answer "stabily". As unstable as AE seems, its much much much more stable than CAA. As lot of posters already mentioned above, when JMU goes FBS, GMU goes to A-10, then its just a lateral move to another ONE BID conference. Hold on a second, CAA is ALREADY a ONE BID conference with them!!! No one knows who is staying and who is leaving and who is coming to CAA anymore.

Believe who you want to. I believe what is being told to us by NY news and our AD.