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Post by thecrossisback on Jun 7, 2020 17:20:46 GMT -5
pittsburghsportsnow.com/2020/06/04/what-happens-to-football-if-robert-morris-leaves-northeast-conference/From the Article The news that Robert Morris is considering a move from the Northeast Conference to either the Horizon League or Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference for most sports, has left the school’s football program without an obvious home. PATRIOT LEAGUE The Patriot League is a middle-of-the-road option for Robert Morris. At 60 scholarships, the league maximum is less than the full 63 FCS limit, and with the conference just becoming full scholarship in 2016, many do not offer that many. The geographic footprint is forgiving, with Bucknell, Lafayette and Lehigh providing a trio of in-state foes. Fordham and Colgate in New York and Georgetown in Washington, D.C. are certainly doable trips, with only Holy Cross in Massachusetts as a lengthy drive. Robert Morris would make eight teams in the league, giving it an even number. The level of competition would be a slight downgrade, with the Patriot League ranked No. 11, just behind the NEC, by Athlon in 2019. The big question here is if the blue bloods of the Patriot League would have Robert Morris. The conference is full of older (the newest institution was founded in 1893) and richer (the smallest endowment is Lafayette’s $694 million — nearly 20 times RMU’s). I would like eight teams. But not that excited to travel to Joe Walton Stadium unless I can watch the Pittsburgh Pirates next door in the World Series.
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Post by bison137 on Jun 7, 2020 17:54:06 GMT -5
For Robert Morris to enter the PL, the league would have to abandon the Academic Index - and I doubt they are ready to do that, not for RMU in any case. RMU has very few players who would be admissible with the current AI.
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Post by nycrusader2010 on Jun 7, 2020 18:04:38 GMT -5
Although I believe it to be true (at least for this past season), I vomited a little bit at the part where the oaper called the PL a slight downgrade in competition. Exception as opposed to the norm, I hope.
I don't see the PL having any interest in RMU unless, say, Fordham left for the CAA in football and we needed to add someone as insurance to stay above 6 members (minimum for auto bid).
I would welcome Duquesne or Dayton to PL football. Pass on RMU for now. Wouldnt mind adding Pittsburgh to the PL footprint either, just the school isn't the right fit unless needed in a pinch, ala Towson 2 decades ago.
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Post by hc87 on Jun 7, 2020 18:33:53 GMT -5
There are really only 3 schools that make any sense for PL football expansion: Richmond, W&M and Villanova....Villanova is the only school insitutionally, geographically etc that really makes any sense.
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Post by trimster on Jun 7, 2020 19:04:46 GMT -5
There are really only 3 schools that make any sense for PL football expansion: Richmond, W&M and Villanova....Villanova is the only school insitutionally, geographically etc that really makes any sense. Agree but I don’t think the first two want to give up redshirting. Not sure the ‘cats redshirt. I actually think the redshirt issue is a greater stumbling block than the AI. I would take all 3 if they were interested. |
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Post by nycrusader2010 on Jun 7, 2020 19:42:06 GMT -5
There are really only 3 schools that make any sense for PL football expansion: Richmond, W&M and Villanova....Villanova is the only school insitutionally, geographically etc that really makes any sense. With regard to William & Mary, that ship sailed in 1986. I remember Richmond had some bad years in football in the 1990's early 2000's and there was talk ahout maybe exploring non-scholarship football and the PL. UR alum and boosters quickly squashed this idea and not kong after they had 2 I-AA national titles under their belt. Villanova -- a move to the PL was nevah' happening under Andy Talley. Now that hes retired, let's check VU's temperature in a decade or so. Again, wouldn't happen right now. |
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Post by A Clock Tower Purple on Jun 7, 2020 19:58:26 GMT -5
There are really only 3 schools that make any sense for PL football expansion: Richmond, W&M and Villanova....Villanova is the only school insitutionally, geographically etc that really makes any sense. You have a better chance of getting zapped by lightning and hitting the lottery on the same day than you do seeing any of these three schools in the PL of this era. |
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Post by longsuffering on Jun 7, 2020 20:07:27 GMT -5
There are really only 3 schools that make any sense for PL football expansion: Richmond, W&M and Villanova....Villanova is the only school insitutionally, geographically etc that really makes any sense. You have a better chance of getting zapped by lightning and hitting the lottery on the same day than you do seeing any of these three schools in the PL of this era. If you survived the lightning it would be a good day. |
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Post by hc87 on Jun 8, 2020 12:00:20 GMT -5
There are really only 3 schools that make any sense for PL football expansion: Richmond, W&M and Villanova....Villanova is the only school insitutionally, geographically etc that really makes any sense. You have a better chance of getting zapped by lightning and hitting the lottery on the same day than you do seeing any of these three schools in the PL of this era. Ahhh, with Villanova anyway, not so sure these days. Long-range, their football is a better fit in the PL than the CAA institutionally, geographically etc. Let's face it, no matter what "level" a school is in in FCS football, it's still somewhat small potatoes...Villanova may come to the realization that PL football is a bettah brand for their school than being in the CAA. |
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Post by hchoops on Jun 8, 2020 12:01:52 GMT -5
Hoops is the Nova brand, not football
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Post by hc87 on Jun 8, 2020 12:05:05 GMT -5
Hoops is the Nova brand, not football Basically my point....Nova switching to PL football from CAA football doesn't really change the scope of their program that much... but they will then be in a league with Georgetown, Fordham and HC as well as local private schools in their backyard. |
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Post by A Clock Tower Purple on Jun 8, 2020 12:06:58 GMT -5
CAA FB > than PL FB by any measure.
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Post by hc87 on Jun 8, 2020 12:12:50 GMT -5
CAA FB > than PL FB by any measure. Not debating that, it is, no question. My argument is: will Villanova really care that much about being that competitive at this level when, truth be told, it really doesn't do much for the school in terms of branding. HC draws bettah than Nova right now, there is really no TV/playoff $$$ etc to be made at this level etc etc Why not play GTown, Fordham and HC instead of Elon, Maine and URI?....is the question they may start to ask themselves... |
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Post by A Clock Tower Purple on Jun 8, 2020 12:34:44 GMT -5
'nova doesn't need to make $ on FB. MBB covers the nut for many sports.
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Post by hc87 on Jun 8, 2020 12:41:41 GMT -5
Again, going to my point....PL football may seem more "attractive" down the road to Villanova playing the likes of Georgetown, Colgate, Lafayette et. al. in terms of its school branding instead of playing Towson or Albany in front of 3,000 fans at home etc
I'm not saying it will or should happen...but I could easily see it happen.
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Post by longsuffering on Jun 8, 2020 12:59:29 GMT -5
Four teams from the Quaker State would make an "Arnold Palmer" the official league soft drink and would certainly upgrade PL football. A plus for HC other than making it 14% less likely to win the league and putting the squeeze on our nascent rivalry with Merrimack.
While Nova would reduce it's travel, HC travel would probably increase as most of our OOC games, of which we would have to sacrifice one, are local New England teams.
We have distant history with Villanova and it's a Catholic School but are the Wildcats a better fit than UNH, Harvard, Brown, Dartmouth, Yale? An extra league game would compact our OOC season and the Ivies start late, so instead of losing Merrimack/Central CT./Bryant we could lose a regional foe we've been playing for more than a century.
Gaining Villanova as a periodic OOC game might be better than expanding the league to play them, unless Georgetown joins a regional league or Fordham looks at their $100 million shortfall and puts football on hiatus again.
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Post by purplehaze on Jun 8, 2020 14:04:52 GMT -5
'nova has been recruiting at a very high level in recent years and is absolutely loaded for 2020 - the CAA is arguably the best league in the country and the PL has been underperforming, we can all agree.
The only way we're playing VU in the future is to join the CAA - We have the facility, location, culture, and 'the coach' to do it.
Higher level of football and basketball - and I disagree with anyone who says we would have to drop our academic standards. We could do it if there was a will.
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Post by A Clock Tower Purple on Jun 8, 2020 14:26:17 GMT -5
^ Nails it.
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Post by hc87 on Jun 8, 2020 15:08:21 GMT -5
I'm at the "acceptance stage" of grief for my feelings for the PL. The school is far too intertwined in it now to evah leave.
Not really pushing for Nova into PL football here....I actually like having 5 (some years 6) OOC games...just thinking out loud what could happen with regards to Villanova and FCS-level football down the road.
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Post by longsuffering on Jun 8, 2020 15:20:41 GMT -5
I'm at the "acceptance stage" of grief for my feelings for the PL. The school is far too intertwined in it now to evah leave. Not really pushing for Nova into PL football here....I actually like having 5 (some years 6) OOC games...just thinking out loud what could happen with regards to Villanova and FCS-level football down the road. As far as being interwoven, do you mean we might diminish or blur our identity as a prestigious sub-Ivy LAC college if we part ways with Colgate, Lehigh, Lafayette, Bucknell and the service academies? |
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Jun 8, 2020 15:56:14 GMT -5
I'm at the "acceptance stage" of grief for my feelings for the PL. The school is far too intertwined in it now to evah leave. Not really pushing for Nova into PL football here....I actually like having 5 (some years 6) OOC games...just thinking out loud what could happen with regards to Villanova and FCS-level football down the road. That's a real move forward for you, I think, after, what, 20 years of the "depression stage" ? |
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Post by hc87 on Jun 8, 2020 16:06:46 GMT -5
I'm at the "acceptance stage" of grief for my feelings for the PL. The school is far too intertwined in it now to evah leave. Not really pushing for Nova into PL football here....I actually like having 5 (some years 6) OOC games...just thinking out loud what could happen with regards to Villanova and FCS-level football down the road. That's a real move forward for you, I think, after, what, 20 years of the "depression stage" ? LOL...very true...just feel at this point, we're not going back to a higher level of athletics... and quite frankly in today's world of "one and done" at places like Duke and $800,000/yr strength coaches at Iowa, we probably shouldn't. I believe there is something to that as well longsuffering...personally I feel we don't need the PL association but I think TPTB are very comfortable with it. We have sort of carved our niche as a place where kids can go and play their sport at the D1 level (albeit on mostly unsuccessful teams) as one of our biggah selling points. |
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Post by HC16 on Jun 8, 2020 16:29:11 GMT -5
I'm at the "acceptance stage" of grief for my feelings for the PL. The school is far too intertwined in it now to evah leave. Not really pushing for Nova into PL football here....I actually like having 5 (some years 6) OOC games...just thinking out loud what could happen with regards to Villanova and FCS-level football down the road. That's a real move forward for you, I think, after, what, 20 years of the "depression stage" ? I might have had him in "bargaining" for the last 15 years or so I've been following the board  |
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Post by joe on Jun 8, 2020 16:42:56 GMT -5
All the PL needs to do is collectively sign off on 3 simple rule changes and it will be instantaneously on par with (or better than) the CAA, and we all know what those 3 are. The two leagues could then merge and have regional divisions based on geography, creating easy travel, better crowds, better media coverage, and real rivalries.
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Post by southernsader on Jun 8, 2020 16:45:03 GMT -5
I'm at the "acceptance stage" of grief for my feelings for the PL. The school is far too intertwined in it now to evah leave. Not really pushing for Nova into PL football here....I actually like having 5 (some years 6) OOC games...just thinking out loud what could happen with regards to Villanova and FCS-level football down the road. As far as being interwoven, do you mean we might diminish or blur our identity as a prestigious sub-Ivy LAC college if we part ways with Colgate, Lehigh, Lafayette, Bucknell and the service academies? Yes |
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