CAA losing ODU and Georgia State

[Roach]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/8076528/georgia-state-panthers-coach-ron-hunter-independent

It's looking worse and worse for the CAA with Old Dominion and Georgia State departing the league as they prepare to make the transition to 1-A football (or "FBS"), leaving the league with only 9 teams.

I wonder if George Mason is kicking itself for not making an aggressive attempt at joining the A10. At this point, I doubt the A10 wants 15 teams. I still think George Mason is a good fit, but I doubt they'll get an invite unless another A10 team bolts (maybe St. Louis?).

[Gines]

Weren't there talks of UMass leaving since they're joining the MAC in football?

[DoubleD86]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/8076528/georgia-state-panthers-coach-ron-hunter-independent

It's looking worse and worse for the CAA with Old Dominion and Georgia State departing the league as they prepare to make the transition to 1-A football (or "FBS"), leaving the league with only 9 teams.

I wonder if George Mason is kicking itself for not making an aggressive attempt at joining the A10. At this point, I doubt the A10 wants 15 teams. I still think George Mason is a good fit, but I doubt they'll get an invite unless another A10 team bolts (maybe St. Louis?).

If I am not mistaken, the decision for ODU and GSU to leave happened before VCU accepted the A-10 invitation and possibly even before GMU turned the A-10 down. I could be wrong on the last part.

[Roach]

If I am not mistaken, the decision for ODU and GSU to leave happened before VCU accepted the A-10 invitation and possibly even before GMU turned the A-10 down. I could be wrong on the last part.

That very well could be the case. This was the first time I'd heard about it. Were we sure before that they were leaving in all sports and not just football?

[xubrew]

If I am not mistaken, the decision for ODU and GSU to leave happened before VCU accepted the A-10 invitation and possibly even before GMU turned the A-10 down. I could be wrong on the last part.

You are not mistaken.

Georgia State never contributed much to the Colonial anyway, although they were trending up in basketball once Ron Hunter got there.

I don't think Mason is kicking themselves. One of their complaints was that there was a division between football and basketball schools. Well, with the football schools leaving, they're getting what they want. Having only nine teams isn't a bad thing if you're a conference that doesn't routinely earn at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament. It's less people that you have to share the money with, and instead of twelve teams fighting over one or two spots, it's only nine. Mason had the chance to leave after they learned VCU, ODU and GSU were leaving, and decided not to. One can only conclude that they did what they wanted to.

[waggy]

One can only conclude that they did what they wanted to.

Personally I conclude that the A10 never actually offered an invitation.

[X-band '01]

ODU was announced as a new all-sports member for C-USA when Charlotte accepted an invite there as well.

As for UMass possibly leaving the MAC, where would they go? Even the Big East won't open their legs for them as long as UConn is a member of that conference.

[Roach]

ODU was announced as a new all-sports member for C-USA when Charlotte accepted an invite there as well.

As for UMass possibly leaving the MAC, where would they go? Even the Big East won't open their legs for them as long as UConn is a member of that conference.

I don't understand why UMass and UConn are so nasty toward one another, institutionally speaking. Sure, Ohio State and Michigan fans and teams are not friends, but the schools at least understand the importance of the rivalry and the continued success of the Big 10. Can you imagine Michigan trying to get Ohio State expelled from the Big 10? Or Ohio State trying to end the annual football rivalry with Michigan? The very thought is ludicrous. If UConn and UMass are such rivals, why would UConn try to block UMass' entrance into the Big East, especially now that the league is in dire straits? UConn, it seems to me, is a bit too big for its britches. 15 years ago, the Huskies were one of the worst teams in 1-AA, and now they grasp at whatever administrative power they have in a dying league to prevent the admission of a rival that could ultimately help the league? It's fratricide, and it's stupid.

[xubrew]

The CAA has officially announced that Old Dominion and Georgia State will be barred from this year's CAA Tournament. This is shaping up to be a rather small field of unimpressive teams (minus Mason, of course).

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/8076528/georgia-state-panthers-coach-ron-hunter-independent

[xubrew]

I don't understand why UMass and UConn are so nasty toward one another, institutionally speaking. Sure, Ohio State and Michigan fans and teams are not friends, but the schools at least understand the importance of the rivalry and the continued success of the Big 10. Can you imagine Michigan trying to get Ohio State expelled from the Big 10? Or Ohio State trying to end the annual football rivalry with Michigan? The very thought is ludicrous. If UConn and UMass are such rivals, why would UConn try to block UMass' entrance into the Big East, especially now that the league is in dire straits? UConn, it seems to me, is a bit too big for its britches. 15 years ago, the Huskies were one of the worst teams in 1-AA, and now they grasp at whatever administrative power they have in a dying league to prevent the admission of a rival that could ultimately help the league? It's fratricide, and it's stupid.

UConn and BC are nasty toward each other. UConn tried to block BC from leaving the Big East for the ACC, and now BC is trying to block UConn from joining the BE. Funny how that has worked out.

I don't think UMass and UConn are all that at odds. The next football game UMass plays as an FBS team will be their first. I think that has more to do with why the BE isn't exactly interested in them. That, and their membership is already pretty bloated.

[GuyFawkes38]

George Mason is home to my favorite blogger, Tyler Cowen (of www.marginalrevolution.com). I like the school. Seems like the school has made great academic and athletic strides the past 10 years. But on the other hand, we don't need a larger conference.

[Roach]

UConn and BC are nasty toward each other. UConn tried to block BC from leaving the Big East for the ACC, and now BC is trying to block UConn from joining the BE. Funny how that has worked out.

I don't think UMass and UConn are all that at odds. The next football game UMass plays as an FBS team will be their first. I think that has more to do with why the BE isn't exactly interested in them. That, and their membership is already pretty bloated.

Yes, but can the Big East survive without BCS football? If the status quo remains, I would argue "no". Now that a 4-team, open-to-all playoff is in the cards, however, perhaps the answer is "yes". If the Big East needed football to survive, adding UMass only makes sense, geographically speaking. And yes, UMass is an unproven program making the jump from 1-A, but remember that the Big East just extended an invite to the team it unceremoniously expelled from the league 10 years ago (Temple). UMass has long been one of the best football programs in 1-AA, and the school has 30,000 students in geographically small, but heavily populated state. Aside from well regarded prep football, UMass has everything it needs to build a solid program. Even the prep football weakness I don't see as a problem. Other states have shown that prep football tends to improve in lock-step with the success of the state's premier college team. 10 years from now, I suspect that UMass will have proven this the right decision, and I'd bet dollars to donuts that they'll be in the Big East. I'm actually surprised they didn't make this jump sooner.

[xubrew]

I think UMass is completely inconsequential to the Big East. Adding them won't do a damn thing to help, and leaving them out sure as well won't do a damn thing to hurt. It isn't that UConn is adamately campaigning against them. It's that none of the full members even have UMass on their radar. Why would they??

As far as fitting the geographic footprint, everyone in the United States now fits the geographic footprint of the Big East. They already have twelve football members , and any more than that is a crowd.

[X-band '01]

The CAA has officially announced that Old Dominion and Georgia State will be barred from this year's CAA Tournament. This is shaping up to be a rather small field of unimpressive teams (minus Mason, of course).

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/8076528/georgia-state-panthers-coach-ron-hunter-independent

The only reason they were willing to wait was because a)Old Dominion needs more time to get their football team in I-A/FBS playing shape and b)Georgia State is already banned from the NCAA Tournament for a low APR score.

That's why VCU and Butler were ready to join the A-10 for this upcoming season instead of a year from now - get ahead of the posse before the conferences act to keep them out of their respective conference tournaments.

[xubrew]

The only reason they were willing to wait was because a)Old Dominion needs more time to get their football team in I-A/FBS playing shape and b)Georgia State is already banned from the NCAA Tournament for a low APR scores.

Georgia State's not banned from the NCAAs (although it is unlikely they will get there). Their APR is in the 970s. You may be thinking of Jacksonville State.

[X-band '01]

My bad - I was thinking of UNC-Wilmington (who is banned but staying in the CAA).

But what league will Georgia State play in should they play in I-A/FBS football?

[Roach]

But what league will Georgia State play in should they play in I-A/FBS football?

The Sun Belt (Western Kentucky, Middle Tennessee, Troy, etc.)

[sjbrink]

Mason had the chance to leave after they learned VCU, ODU and GSU were leaving, and decided not to. One can only conclude that they did what they wanted to.Mason tried to leave for the A10, and the A10 chose VCU over Mason. If Mason had a viable alternative to the CAA, I think they would leave the CAA very quickly.