mainejeff
Climbing Mt. St. James
UMaine Sports Forum: https://umainesports.freeforums.net
Posts: 75
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Post by mainejeff on Dec 5, 2023 15:45:54 GMT -5
And then there is this.....
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Post by Sons of Vaval on Dec 5, 2023 15:56:00 GMT -5
No kidding ^
There's no way the New England CAA football schools could possibly be happy with the likes of Campbell, NC A&T, Hampton, et al joining the league.
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Post by nycrusader2010 on Dec 5, 2023 16:03:13 GMT -5
And then there is this..... I do see W&M, Elon, UNCW and possibly Campbell sticking together, + Richmond in football. Elon did just recently pay a ton of $$ to LEAVE the SoCon so, paying another exit fee to the CAA to get back in? Doesn't seem likely to happen. I think this is more smoke than anything....for now. And I know it's a long time ago, but W&M LEFT the SoCon in the early 1980's because they didn't like the schools that were getting invited to the league then...ETSU, Chatty, App State, etc. I'm sure Tribe nation would love to re-start rivalries with Furman, VMI and The Citadel though.
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Post by longsuffering on Dec 5, 2023 16:11:13 GMT -5
Ivies rarely challenge themselves in the non-league. For every HC there's Pioneer League schools and St. Thomas. My theory is that they are scared. They have plenty of talent but the coaches don't care to showcase it. The fascination with the stuck up Ivies has boggled my mind for years. Other than it being a bus trip it does nothing for the football program to play any of them. Traditionally it has allowed Holy Cross to play teams stronger than themselves. For instance I think we have a poor overall winning percentage against H&Y our Two current annual IL opponents.
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Post by longsuffering on Dec 5, 2023 16:19:35 GMT -5
Ivies rarely challenge themselves in the non-league. For every HC there's Pioneer League schools and St. Thomas. My theory is that they are scared. They have plenty of talent but the coaches don't care to showcase it. The fascination with the stuck up Ivies has boggled my mind for years. Other than it being a bus trip it does nothing for the football program to play any of them. So let's do somethings new with the Ivies. Every IL team would beat Lehigh this year. They don't need to look far to find some cupcakes. They can still play for the IL title and we do the same in the PL. But then there's the end of season nerd bowl game. I think it would draw a good crowd. Play it at Yankee stadium or something. I see no downside. We won't be complaining about playing Merrimack and we will always be striving to beat our PL peers and ultimately the IL champion. Could be a really fun concept. Interestingly, I found none of the five OOC teams we played this year complaint worthy. I wouldn't give up a bid to the FCS tournament to play in the Egghead Bowl, but would accept an NIT like second finisher invite.
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Dec 5, 2023 17:21:24 GMT -5
HC is included in the National Liberal Arts College Carnegie classification. Six PL schools are in this classification, three others are in the National Universities Carnegie Classification (as is Georgetown and Fordham). Loyola is in the Regional University classification. (Richmond is also a National LAC.)
For brand and reputational purposes, HC is not moving out of the National LACs classification. VR has set a goal of moving up in the rankings of the LACs. HC is not interested in joining a conference(s) whose members are predominately / exclusively Regional universities. HC does not fit academically. HC would prefer to play schools that are in the same academic neighborhood. This includes the IL.
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Post by efg72 on Dec 5, 2023 17:26:18 GMT -5
I ask this group to bifurcate this issue
Academics and Athletic decisions are NOT joined at the hip
The principles and mission should be aligned where possible but not an absolute
If that is the ideal we should move to club sports
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Post by fillfittonfield on Dec 5, 2023 19:40:10 GMT -5
And then there is this..... This is very interesting. Thank you for sharing. Let’s assume for a moment that W&M, Elon, AND Richmond move to the Southern Conference. How would Villanova respond? I don’t think they would be content in the CAA without the aforementioned schools. Add to this that Delaware is leaving soon, one of their big rivals. Makes me wonder… Ifthe PL leadership had any vision, they would be holding a special meeting to discuss making an offer to Nova to join as an Associate member.
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Post by sader1970 on Dec 5, 2023 19:50:43 GMT -5
No! Full membership. Bring along their struggling basketball team too.
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Post by 78purple on Dec 5, 2023 19:53:59 GMT -5
And then there is this..... This is very interesting. Thank you for sharing. Let’s assume for a moment that W&M, Elon, AND Richmond move to the Southern Conference. How would Villanova respond? I don’t think they would be content in the CAA without the aforementioned schools. Add to this that Delaware is leaving soon, one of their big rivals. Makes me wonder… Ifthe PL leadership had any vision, they would be holding a special meeting to discuss making an offer to Nova to join as an Associate member. Who, exactly, is the PL leadership that will make this decision ??
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Post by drjack on Dec 5, 2023 19:59:36 GMT -5
I believe it'd be the Presidents of the member schools making the decisions.
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Post by 78purple on Dec 5, 2023 20:05:18 GMT -5
I believe it'd be the Presidents of the member schools making the decisions. I guess that's why I asked the question. Are they even remotely concerned about expanding their athletic footprint ??
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Post by drjack on Dec 5, 2023 20:36:20 GMT -5
That I can't speak to, but you never know how these things go.
Nova's president could be back channeling and reached out to us to see if there was a possibility, or maybe Fordam's president decides to call the others together as Fordham seems pretty ambitious right now.
I do think the PL would be foolish to not consider adding Villanova if there's even a small possibility of it happening.
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Post by nycrusader2010 on Dec 5, 2023 20:39:36 GMT -5
Villanova knows that if they want into the league as a football associate, all it will take is one phone call. No "special meeting" of presidents needed.
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Post by 78purple on Dec 5, 2023 20:40:06 GMT -5
So, where did things fall off the rails? Harvard played the University of St. Thomas and Howard U this year.... And Yale went Morgan State and Sacred Heart. We were amongst a rather interesting group as part of the H-Y OOC. Fortunately, we have better (CAA) options nearby. Hopefully, we learn some thing from that.......lets look/focus on UNH, UMASS, Villanova, Delaware, W + M, Richmond and Furman on a fairly regular basis for OOC.........it'll pay off on Selection Sunday
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Post by 78purple on Dec 5, 2023 20:42:59 GMT -5
That I can't speak to, but you never know how these things go. Nova's president could be back channeling and reached out to us to see if there was a possibility, or maybe Fordam's president decides to call the others together as Fordham seems pretty ambitious right now. I do think the PL would be foolish to not consider adding Villanova if there's even a small possibility of it happening. God, how great would that be
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Post by longsuffering on Dec 5, 2023 21:54:20 GMT -5
Villanova is in the Big East. Presidential focus on football might not be as strong at 'Nova as we project. The Wildcats would be a fine addition to PL FB. But they might not see it as worth the CAA exit fee and any restrictions or entrance fees the PL charges.
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Post by nycrusader2010 on Dec 5, 2023 21:56:55 GMT -5
Villanova is in the Big East. Presidential focus on football might not be as strong at 'Nova as we project. The Wildcats would be a fine addition to PL FB. But they might not see it as worth the CAA exit fee and any restrictions or entrance fees the PL charges. Not sure if there'd even be an exit fee to leave the CAA as an affiliate. They've been in that league for over 30 years, since it was the Yankee Conference.
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Post by nycrusader2010 on Dec 5, 2023 21:57:54 GMT -5
And Yale went Morgan State and Sacred Heart. We were amongst a rather interesting group as part of the H-Y OOC. Fortunately, we have better (CAA) options nearby. Hopefully, we learn some thing from that.......lets look/focus on UNH, UMASS, Villanova, Delaware, W + M, Richmond and Furman on a fairly regular basis for OOC.........it'll pay off on Selection Sunday Delaware is moving to Conference USA. Don't think we'll see them on the schedule.
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Post by gks on Dec 6, 2023 8:32:54 GMT -5
Back to the original jist of this thread....after watching the Harvard University President yesterday in front of Congress....We should never play them again in anything.
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Post by sader1970 on Dec 6, 2023 8:40:23 GMT -5
She speaks well of you!😂
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Post by longsuffering on Dec 6, 2023 8:57:10 GMT -5
College Presidents come and go but the Harvard/Holy Cross football series is well over a century old.
The quiet part doesn't get spoken out loud much, but no matter what industry/endeavor you are in, you like to associate with and be compared to the industry leaders. Aren't Harvard and Yale worldwide leaders in the Higher Education industry? And isn't higher education and the desire to excel in that the main mission of Holy Cross?
Because we split with H & Y this season when all three schools had quality teams (8-2, 7-3, 7-4 with each school being conference co-champions) there is no indication the IL (or PL) is holding HC back.
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Post by gks on Dec 6, 2023 9:03:46 GMT -5
College Presidents come and go but the Harvard/Holy Cross football series is well over a century old. The quiet part doesn't get spoken out loud much, but no matter what industry/endeavor you are in, you like to associate with and be compared to the industry leaders. Aren't Harvard and Yale worldwide leaders in the Higher Education industry? And isn't higher education and the desire to excel in that the main mission of Holy Cross? Because we split with H & Y this season when all three schools had quality teams (8-2, 7-3, 7-4 with each school being conference co-champions) there is no indication the IL (or PL) is holding HC back. You want to be associated with colleges where Presidents think like that? No thanks. Give me the 'dummies' at UNH, URI or other public schools any day.
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Post by rgs318 on Dec 6, 2023 9:08:27 GMT -5
What did the Harvard president say that was so horrendous? I have not heard about anything on the news.
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Post by longsuffering on Dec 6, 2023 9:37:47 GMT -5
College Presidents come and go but the Harvard/Holy Cross football series is well over a century old. The quiet part doesn't get spoken out loud much, but no matter what industry/endeavor you are in, you like to associate with and be compared to the industry leaders. Aren't Harvard and Yale worldwide leaders in the Higher Education industry? And isn't higher education and the desire to excel in that the main mission of Holy Cross? Because we split with H & Y this season when all three schools had quality teams (8-2, 7-3, 7-4 with each school being conference co-champions) there is no indication the IL (or PL) is holding HC back. You want to be associated with colleges where Presidents think like that? No thanks. Give me the 'dummies' at UNH, URI or other public schools any day. We get home and away games with H&Y in football and basketball even when HC is in an ice age competitively like the post-Willard years in MBB. UNH has been pretty good but I can't remember the last time URI played at Fitton or the Hart. The Rams came to Worcester in 2018 but that was in front of 2312 in the DCU. They are in the A-10 and CAA and will play home and home with a P.C. but not an H.C. at least recently. Maybe that is changing in FB and there are games at Fitton scheduled after the game at URI next season. We play both UNH and URI as well as H&Y in FB next year so there should be enough to go around for everyone's taste.
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