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Whatever Happened to the Yankee Conference?

From: http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnf ... /index.htm

"No other schools are cringing more than Maine and New Hampshire. They already have been left out on an island in the northeast as the only CAA programs north of Villanova. Neither of those programs want to go anywhere else. They just don't want the CAA to keep moving farther away from them to the south.

"It's difficult for us to be where we are and not feel close to what's going on," Maine coach Jack Cosgrove said. "I don't know, there's not a lot of information (as to) where we going or where the league's directed to or where Maine fits in.

"We have just become that remote spot up north that's still a part of the conference. I'm feeling a little bit disassociated just because of the distance."

Said Wilder, who coached under Cosgrove: "It's incredible how far south this league has gone. When I was playing in the league in the mid-80s, it was the Yankee Conference. Then all of a sudden Richmond came in and we all went, 'What? What's Richmond doing in the Yankee Conference?' And then it just kept going south. And then we became the Atlantic-10. And then all of a sudden it became the CAA.

"I knew back in the mid-90s, when I was an assistant coach at Maine, where the league was going. I think it's difficult to watch it happen, to see what's happening with the northern schools. But the strength of this league now, the reputation with this league, it's at a point now that teams want in."

That's where the relatively new programs at ODU and Georgia State come in, as well as potentially others like Charlotte's future program. It's not so Yankee anymore."

More here: http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnf ... /index.htm

Where's henfan? I've been saying this for 12 years, but he never believed me.

Uh, no matter WHAT conference Maine is in, they'll always be "just that remote spot up north that's still a part of the conference".

Even if 'Nova goes to the Big East, you could still throw a towel over Maine, UNH and UMass. These crybabies need to just stop with the whining.

great article, it brought up points that have been discussed numerous times on this message board.

While the article said that Cosgrove and Maine are happy in the CAA, it definitely didnt sound like that when I watched his interview during media day on ESPN3.

The additions of ODU, GSU and possibly Charlotte are not to blame, I feel that its Hofstra and Northeastern that hurt the conference the most.

What are the Northern CAA schools whining about? Try travelling between Cheney and Flagstaff, or San Luis Obispo and Grand Forks. Now those are conference foes in a big geographical area. Maine to Virginia simply isn't that far.

ECB

The ncaa said that the name of that conference was "hostile and abusive" to the Southern People and forced a name change.

Those were the days, my friend,
We thought they'd never end...

citdog wrote:The ncaa said that the name of that conference was "hostile and abusive" to the Southern People and forced a name change.

AZGrizFan wrote:Even if 'Nova goes to the Big East, you could still throw a towel over Maine, UNH and UMass. These crybabies need to just stop with the whining.

LDopaPDX wrote:What are the Northern CAA schools whining about? Try travelling between Cheney and Flagstaff, or San Luis Obispo and Grand Forks. Now those are conference foes in a big geographical area. Maine to Virginia simply isn't that far.

Please do not lump us in with Maine or other norther schools. UNH is not whining about anything and, based on comments from the AD, is happy with their current place in the CAA.

Guess what, UNH fans, you will be lumped in with Maine because they are your longtime-rival and the only neighbor you have left. Deal with it.

Here's the deal. UMaine will not go anywhere without UNH. The administration has said this before and will continue to say it. They are just frustrated with the results the football team has produced in conference. Maine is better suited financially and facility-wise to remain in the CAA than UNH. The only reason people are complaining that Maine is in the CAA is the lack of ability to put a consistent competitive product on the field.

Travel shouldnt be a major issue, the distances between the northeast and midatlantic are small compared to conferences out west. And flying into Bangor, ME instead of Manchester,NH is basically a 30-40 minute difference in flight time.

If UM and UNH remain in the CAA, I see things getting better. Eventually, either Stony Brook and Albany sre going to join the CAA or team up with Maine and New Hampshire and build a northeast conference. It's bound to happen someday...

dunbar wrote:If UM and UNH remain in the CAA, I see things getting better. Eventually, either Stony Brook and Albany sre going to join the CAA or team up with Maine and New Hampshire and build a northeast conference. It's bound to happen someday...

You could probabley throw in Fordham and CCSU in with Albany and Stony Brook. Maybe even Monmouth looking to ramp up to more scholarships. I would like to think if a conference like that formed, Hofstra would think about restarting. Shame what happened there.