Rhode Island moving to the NEC?

[bluehenbillk]

Cmon MJ, we're not trying to be hard on you, but the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter........

[Blue Hen Fanatic]

Losing URI will not be a big deal in the long run as they are a small fish in a big pond anyway. And road trips there are not much fun as they do not allow tailgating any longer and the game is often lopsided. I would rather travel to ODU.

[flash=]Later Rams[/flash].............

[mainejeff]

Cmon MJ, we're not trying to be hard on you, but the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter........

Answer my simple question regarding Delaware.

[mainejeff]

Losing URI will not be a big deal in the long run as they are a small fish in a big pond anyway. And road trips there are not much fun as they do not allow tailgating any longer and the game is often lopsided. I would rather travel to ODU.

[flash=]Later Rams[/flash].............

Soon you won't have to travel to New England at all (New England in the fall sucks anyway).

And once JMU, ODU and Georgia State leave you'll have a nice tidy 5 team conference stretching from Philadelphia to Williamsburg. I know that's a lot of travel for you folks in the Mid-Atlantic/Virginia area but you're just gonna have to deal with it.

[GannonFan]

Losing URI will not be a big deal in the long run as they are a small fish in a big pond anyway. And road trips there are not much fun as they do not allow tailgating any longer and the game is often lopsided. I would rather travel to ODU.

[flash=]Later Rams[/flash].............

Soon you won't have to travel to New England at all (New England in the fall sucks anyway).

And once JMU, ODU and Georgia State leave you'll have a nice tidy 5 team conference stretching from Philadelphia to Williamsburg. I know that's a lot of travel for you folks in the Mid-Atlantic/Virginia area but you're just gonna have to deal with it.

As for UD, what's to worry about?? Seriously, we're going to be fine regardless of what happens. I'm sure we'll find a home somewhere and we'll keep being a pretty healthy, revenue-generating program we've been for the past 30 years. That's not going to change, especially if two teams we've never played before (ODU and GSU) go away.

[mainejeff]

Soon you won't have to travel to New England at all (New England in the fall sucks anyway).

And once JMU, ODU and Georgia State leave you'll have a nice tidy 5 team conference stretching from Philadelphia to Williamsburg. I know that's a lot of travel for you folks in the Mid-Atlantic/Virginia area but you're just gonna have to deal with it.

As for UD, what's to worry about?? Seriously, we're going to be fine regardless of what happens. I'm sure we'll find a home somewhere and we'll keep being a pretty healthy, revenue-generating program we've been for the past 30 years. That's not going to change, especially if two teams we've never played before (ODU and GSU) go away.

Nice positive attitude.......but not very realistic. Yes, the 50+ crowd will continue to fill Delaware Stadium no matter who and in which conference you are playing. But IF JMU, ODU, and Georgia State leave.......and if Maine, UNH, and UMass leave (as so many CAA South fans are hoping)......who exactly is left? And who do you add to get back to 9 members???

[bluehenbillk]

As for UD, what's to worry about?? Seriously, we're going to be fine regardless of what happens. I'm sure we'll find a home somewhere and we'll keep being a pretty healthy, revenue-generating program we've been for the past 30 years. That's not going to change, especially if two teams we've never played before (ODU and GSU) go away.

Nice positive attitude.......but not very realistic. Yes, the 50+ crowd will continue to fill Delaware Stadium no matter who and in which conference you are playing. But IF JMU, ODU, and Georgia State leave.......and if Maine, UNH, and UMass leave (as so many CAA South fans are hoping)......who exactly is left? And who do you add to get back to 9 members???

UD will be fine regardless of whether it's in the CAA or FBS. Glad you capitalized "IF" with JMU, ODU & GSU. What FBS leagues do you see those schools playing in? Is the Sun Belt or C-USA really that attractive??

[mainejeff]

Nice positive attitude.......but not very realistic. Yes, the 50+ crowd will continue to fill Delaware Stadium no matter who and in which conference you are playing. But IF JMU, ODU, and Georgia State leave.......and if Maine, UNH, and UMass leave (as so many CAA South fans are hoping)......who exactly is left? And who do you add to get back to 9 members???

UD will be fine regardless of whether it's in the CAA or FBS. Glad you capitalized "IF" with JMU, ODU & GSU. What FBS leagues do you see those schools playing in? Is the Sun Belt or C-USA really that attractive??

You'll see.

And Delaware is NOT going to the FBS.....

You guys have had a hard time replacing your press box.......

[dgreco]

http://www.projo.com/uri/content/Szosta ... a5125.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Another article about a possible URI move to the NEC.

Joining the NEC is all but a done deal. Bjorn wants to talk to the team before making it official, which is his style, but the players are not going to revolt. They should thank him, and URI president David Dooley, for finding a way to keep varsity football. They will still be Division I football players, and they can still chase the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision title as a result of the NEC’s receiving an automatic bid to the 20-team tournament starting in 2010. And Bjorn should make this point clear to the 85 or so players in camp: there will be no training camp at Northeastern and Hofstra in 2013, but there will be one at URI.

[mainejeff]

Well......that pretty much seals the deal.

Come 2013, the CAA will definitely have 11 teams unless they add someone else. I wonder if Charlotte will become team #12?......

Maine
UNH
UMass
Villanova
Delaware
Towson

JMU
Richmond
W&M
ODU
Charlotte(?)
Georgia State

This looks like the most likely CAA Football line-up come 2013.

[49RFootballNow]

Well......that pretty much seals the deal.

Come 2013, the CAA will definitely have 11 teams unless they add someone else. I wonder if Charlotte will become team #12?......

Maine
UNH
UMass
Villanova
Delaware
Towson

JMU
Richmond
W&M
ODU
Charlotte(?)
Georgia State

This looks like the most likely CAA Football line-up come 2013.

I have no problem with that division. Not a team in it less than an 8 hour car drive away.

[mainejeff]

Well......that pretty much seals the deal.

Come 2013, the CAA will definitely have 11 teams unless they add someone else. I wonder if Charlotte will become team #12?......

Maine
UNH
UMass
Villanova
Delaware
Towson

JMU
Richmond
W&M
ODU
Charlotte(?)
Georgia State

This looks like the most likely CAA Football line-up come 2013.

I have no problem with that division. Not a team in it less than an 8 hour car drive away.

It would also allow the 4-some of JMU, ODU, Charlotte and Georgia State to market themselves together for a possible move to FBS in 2015ish.

[Seahawks]

If URI joins the NEC, welcome aboard.

[KAUMASS]

After reading that projo article, URI just punted on 4th down and 4 yards to go from the 50 yard line trailing by 10 points midway through the 4th. Good luck in the NEC. I don't think they will fare any better in the NEC. They will be down to 40 schollies and on even par with the NEC conference. What makes URI think they can win in the NEC?

Penny smart, dollar foolish if you ask me.

[Sly Fox]

The more I look at these scenarios the more the possibility of the CAA stepping up to FBS as a league becomes more realistic. Yes, I know it would require a slew more changes. But frankly it isn't as crazy as it was a year ago.

Obviously certain schools probably wouldn't be along for the ride (sorry affiliate members). But a couple other FBS wannabes wouldn't be hard to round up inside the league's footprint should schools like Towson and William & Mary pass on the opportunity. Just sayin'.

[mainejeff]

The more I look at these scenarios the more the possibility of the CAA stepping up to FBS as a league becomes more realistic. Yes, I know it would require a slew more changes. But frankly it isn't as crazy as it was a year ago.

Obviously certain schools probably wouldn't be along for the ride (sorry affiliate members). But a couple other FBS wannabes wouldn't be hard to round up inside the league's footprint should schools like Towson and William & Mary pass on the opportunity. Just sayin'.

There are only 3 current CAA football programs that can and will step up.......JMU, ODU and Georgia State. Towson and W&M?????

[Tribe4SF]

Charlotte has applied for CAA Football membership, and is a natural if URI leaves.

[49RFootballNow]

Charlotte has applied for CAA Football membership, and is a natural if URI leaves.

We have, officially?

[mainejeff]

Charlotte has applied for CAA Football membership, and is a natural if URI leaves.

Agreed. It will be a fairly short-term membership........but it will create nice geographic and competitive divisions.

[GannonFan]

As for UD, what's to worry about?? Seriously, we're going to be fine regardless of what happens. I'm sure we'll find a home somewhere and we'll keep being a pretty healthy, revenue-generating program we've been for the past 30 years. That's not going to change, especially if two teams we've never played before (ODU and GSU) go away.

Nice positive attitude.......but not very realistic. Yes, the 50+ crowd will continue to fill Delaware Stadium no matter who and in which conference you are playing. But IF JMU, ODU, and Georgia State leave.......and if Maine, UNH, and UMass leave (as so many CAA South fans are hoping)......who exactly is left? And who do you add to get back to 9 members???

Why is it not realistic? We've had a 50+ crowd for decades now, so obviously someone is filling in for all the old people who are dying off. Probably is all those families that come to the game, whose kids have their own kids and then they come to the games, and so on. It's not like the UD crowds were super young 20 years ago and now they're old. That's the thing about crowds that are multigenerational (as opposed to student heavy) - there are always going to be a good portion of old people. Of course, there are a good portion of young people too.

There'll always be a place somewhere for UD - we haven't played a single game against GSU or ODU so I'm pretty sure we can survive without them if they go away. And we've only been playing JMU regularly for 20 years now so obviously there was life before and after them. And most of the CAA South fans who are hoping Maine, UNH, and UMass leave are actually fans of those teams you say are going to be leaving UD while they go FBS, so it's not like UD is pushing those teams away. I know it may cause you dismay, but UD will be playing football for a long time past when either of us are no longer around.

[AZGrizFan]

Why is it not realistic? We've had a 50+ crowd for decades now, so obviously someone is filling in for all the old people who are dying off.

You fucker, GF. You owe me a new monitor!!!

[ladyflame]

by mlschubert » July 5th, 2010, 10:39 am

http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.as" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... y=obinsite

Liberty mentioned as a potential CAA add.. Do you think it will happen?

[henfan]

A conference proposal sure to please at least one Maine expatriate and the URI administration:

The PWNCCC (Provincial Whining Narcissistic Chronic Complainer Conference)
Northern Division
*UMaine
Southern Division
URI

That's pretty much it for conference membership.

*A reference to Jeff's constant PWNCC; not intended as a comment on UMaine or the many other fine Black Bear supporters.

[mainejeff]

A conference proposal sure to please at least one Maine expatriate and the URI administration:

The PWNCCC (Provincial Whining Narcissistic Chronic Complainer Conference)
Northern Division
*UMaine
Southern Division
URI

That's pretty much it for conference membership.

*A reference to Jeff's constant PWNCC; not intended as a comment on UMaine or the many other fine Black Bear supporters.

GoHens.net implosion..............

[henfan]

GoHens.net implosion..............

Hey, that sure beats a UMaine FB extinction.

Come on, at least give me some credit. I'm trying to think of ways to save UMaine FB and keep you happy, neither of which may be possible at this point.