I still regret Boston U.'s dropping 1-AA football. Anyone think UMass will concede it made a HUGE, expensive mistake & move back to FCS level? How long will UConn put up with being in the AAC, after all, they place their flagship basketball teams above all else, & I'm sure their alum, students, & fans would prefer being in the Big East, their football team be damned (unless the ACC called). Lastly, why isn't Holy Cross interested in being a CAA program? Sure, scholarships cost money, but I was under the alum, students love their Crusaders. I remember the days when HC was undefeated, #1 in 1-AA, & had stars like Gordie Lockbaum & Jeff Wylie. In '87, ESPN televised HC-VU (2nd or 3rd season since VU revived football). I was a freshman & in the stands, the students taunted ockbaum with "Gordie goes both ways!"
Boston U., UMass, UConn, Holy Cross
- Thread starter ROMEOCAT
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Holy Cross decided to deemphasize athletics. I've heard nothing to suggest they're unhappy in the Patsy League.
BU decided to focus on hockey. I don't think they regret that decision.
Northeastern decided to forego the expense of football and focus on finding jobs for their grads.
UMASS upgraded football to keep pace with UCONN and perhaps replace BC in Big East. It didn't work out.
UCONN upgraded footbal to protect their hoops program and migrate to ACC. Still might happen
BU decided to focus on hockey. I don't think they regret that decision.
Northeastern decided to forego the expense of football and focus on finding jobs for their grads.
UMASS upgraded football to keep pace with UCONN and perhaps replace BC in Big East. It didn't work out.
UCONN upgraded footbal to protect their hoops program and migrate to ACC. Still might happen
I guess it was on the pay board, but about six weeks ago I posted that UMass and UConn should go to FCS. They are not good
football programs. And I say programs because they are not good teams year after year,esp UMass. They could join the CAA. Then join the Big East for hoops. IMHO I don't see UConn going to ACC.
football programs. And I say programs because they are not good teams year after year,esp UMass. They could join the CAA. Then join the Big East for hoops. IMHO I don't see UConn going to ACC.
UConn and especially UMass made poor decisions moving to FBS. Of course, there have not been many schools who have made the move successfully. Hard for institutions to admit they have made a mistake. Don't see these two schools moving back to FCS, unless there is a taxpayer revolt and sufficient faculty/student pressure.
Zero chance of uconn moving back, maybe 10% chance for UMASS. The faculty in Amherst would love it, but they just spent a bunch of money on the on-campus stadium. Problem is, there is nowhere for them to go, and the students just don't care.
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Nevada Reno successfully made the jump from FCS to FBS. So did Northern Illinois, Marshall, UCF and South Florida. Other examples abound, none so spectacularly unsuccessful as UMASS.
The atmosphere in the stadium that night again Holy Cross was one of the few truly electric atmospheres I have experienced in VU Stadium. It was great. We weren't ready to play them yet due to the program still being in its infancy, but it was great exposure for VU. There were a few Delaware games that had great atmospheres years ago, as well as some of the BC games.
Do they have a plan after '17? Scheduling will be a real challenge for them, especially getting home games that people want to attend (not that the MAC slate was must-watch-TV). I foresee a lot of 2-for-1s in their future.
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The American Conference seems a logical fit for them. I'm sure there will be some openings. I don't think Navy is going to throw its hat in the ring with this bunch for long.
Holy Cross was Dave Gavitt's first choice over BC when forming the Big East as Holy Cross was the premier athletic school in the state at that time playing Syracuse, Penn State, etc regularly in football.
Jury still out on UMass and UConn football, long term I still believe they will land in suitable conferences.
Threw out my idea to ADs and several sports writers, of a new FBS east coast football only league consisting of schools currently in ill suited conferences, independents, and FCS schools looking to or with the potential to move up. Not looking for any reply or expecting anything in return. Two ADs wrote back, Vince Nicastro out of politeness, and Navy's AD who replied in Andy Talley fashion and a true Navy man "that ship has sailed".
Jury still out on UMass and UConn football, long term I still believe they will land in suitable conferences.
Threw out my idea to ADs and several sports writers, of a new FBS east coast football only league consisting of schools currently in ill suited conferences, independents, and FCS schools looking to or with the potential to move up. Not looking for any reply or expecting anything in return. Two ADs wrote back, Vince Nicastro out of politeness, and Navy's AD who replied in Andy Talley fashion and a true Navy man "that ship has sailed".
My sister went to Holy Cross in the mid 90s. Not sure how good their football program was but the tailgating there blew Villanova's away.
Ahhh....those were the days my friend.....we thought they'd nevah end.
After almost 30 years HC is finally (starting) to see its mistake....football-wise anyway. We'll probably nevah approach the level we did in the 80s due to some of the PL restrictions but the future of HC is brighter with football scholarships (the frosh and soph classes are scholarship) back and some interesting OOC schools on future schedules (BC, UConn, Syracuse etc).
Nova and HC should play more regularly moving forward....long football history against one another.
BU: nevah happening....any vestiges of football evah being played at Nickerson Field are long gone.
UConn: Who knows? The dissolution of the BE (as you here know) really screwed the pooch for them. No way they return to FCS though....
UMass: I don't think any school has gone back to FCS after elevating themselves to FBS but UMass could be the first. There's just no real interest in FBS football in Massachusetts outside of, a dwindling fan-base, of BC fans in Greater Boston. My guess is that if they don't ultimately get in the AAC w/ UConn or another more prestigious league (B1G?) they will drop football altogether.
You guys have a tremendous team this year....they very much remind me of some of those late 80s HC football teams. Good luck the rest of the season!!!
This post was edited on 10/16 1:50 PM by Sader87
After almost 30 years HC is finally (starting) to see its mistake....football-wise anyway. We'll probably nevah approach the level we did in the 80s due to some of the PL restrictions but the future of HC is brighter with football scholarships (the frosh and soph classes are scholarship) back and some interesting OOC schools on future schedules (BC, UConn, Syracuse etc).
Nova and HC should play more regularly moving forward....long football history against one another.
BU: nevah happening....any vestiges of football evah being played at Nickerson Field are long gone.
UConn: Who knows? The dissolution of the BE (as you here know) really screwed the pooch for them. No way they return to FCS though....
UMass: I don't think any school has gone back to FCS after elevating themselves to FBS but UMass could be the first. There's just no real interest in FBS football in Massachusetts outside of, a dwindling fan-base, of BC fans in Greater Boston. My guess is that if they don't ultimately get in the AAC w/ UConn or another more prestigious league (B1G?) they will drop football altogether.
You guys have a tremendous team this year....they very much remind me of some of those late 80s HC football teams. Good luck the rest of the season!!!
This post was edited on 10/16 1:50 PM by Sader87
UCONN will move to the ACC soon as several of the current football powers, i.e. Fla. St., Clemson and Miami will likely move to the super conference SEC . ACC will also covet the team with most (4) NCAA BB titles since 1999. Just a matter of time.
Playing Devil's Advocate here. I think ACC will prefer a school with a higher academic profile, a better TV market, one that has played nice with them and not attacked them in the past, one with many NCAA Championships and one that fit's a market hole in part left by the defection of Maryland. Oh, and one that currently has a better football program than Uconn. Time will tell.
JMU recently turned down the Sun Belt because the administration did not think it would give the program exposure any greater than what they currently have in the CAA.
Stony Brook has a new AD with PAC 12 experience, he is soliciting private donations for the basketball and football program with the anticipation of moving up.
Liberty admin. sees the value in big time sports and views itself long term as a BYU type program. Their games are already broadcast on the schools cable channel.
Liberty and Stony Brook have real nice facilities with the capability to add more seats.
Delaware is going through the same struggles as Villanova.
Stony Brook has a new AD with PAC 12 experience, he is soliciting private donations for the basketball and football program with the anticipation of moving up.
Liberty admin. sees the value in big time sports and views itself long term as a BYU type program. Their games are already broadcast on the schools cable channel.
Liberty and Stony Brook have real nice facilities with the capability to add more seats.
Delaware is going through the same struggles as Villanova.
Stony Brook gained from Hofstra and CW Post's decision to drop football. There is very little interest in FCS football on LI in general. There is a novelty factor in play with North Shore folks who never travelled to Hofstra. Stony Brook has made their stadium available to the high schools for football playoffs. They are doing what they can to make their facility a destination for the chronically underserved Suffolk County sports fan community. That said, I have my doubts. Islanders are pro sports fans first and foremost. They don't even support St. John's on those few occasions when the Gentle Red Breeze have made the mistake of scheduling a game at Nassau Coliseum. IMHO, there's a 0% chance of Sea Wolves moving up to FBS.
Liberty is a cult school, somewhere to the right of BYU. They play basketball in an empty gym. Although their football attendance is impressive. They register a 0% on the all-important DMV interest scale. Most of their support comes from unreconstructed North Carolinians who UNC has left behind.
JMU is a safety school for upwardly mobile middle class sons and daughters of Northern Virginia. Big, cheap and 2 hours from home. They belong in the Sun Belt together with their Tidewater cousins at ODU. Of the 3 schools mentioned in this string, JMU is most likely to make the jump to FBS. Good luck with that.
RE: ACC-UCONN. BC has made a point of black balling the Hungries, I mean Huskies. That won't fly forever. I'm surprised the ACC's fallen for that this long. I see UCONN in the ACC in our lifetimes (ie. within the next 5 years. LOL). Although a lot of things would have to happen for VU to go ACC (in basketball), there is a huge gap in the ACC map right now. VU has good to excellent relations with most ACC basketball schools. The reconciliation with BC helps. And even Pitt has made overtures, first for the money game in football and most recently in basketball. Syracuse and VU are closer then they've ever been- closer than VU and any of the Big 5 rivals. Other than by Pitt, a probability lessening by the minute, I don't see VU Hoops being black balled by any of the ACC schools, especially if we don't push for including football. Same with GTown. Johnnies are a little too rough around the edges for the ACC. It would take some hard bargaining to include them.
This post was edited on 10/17 8:50 PM by DCFRANKLIN
Liberty is a cult school, somewhere to the right of BYU. They play basketball in an empty gym. Although their football attendance is impressive. They register a 0% on the all-important DMV interest scale. Most of their support comes from unreconstructed North Carolinians who UNC has left behind.
JMU is a safety school for upwardly mobile middle class sons and daughters of Northern Virginia. Big, cheap and 2 hours from home. They belong in the Sun Belt together with their Tidewater cousins at ODU. Of the 3 schools mentioned in this string, JMU is most likely to make the jump to FBS. Good luck with that.
RE: ACC-UCONN. BC has made a point of black balling the Hungries, I mean Huskies. That won't fly forever. I'm surprised the ACC's fallen for that this long. I see UCONN in the ACC in our lifetimes (ie. within the next 5 years. LOL). Although a lot of things would have to happen for VU to go ACC (in basketball), there is a huge gap in the ACC map right now. VU has good to excellent relations with most ACC basketball schools. The reconciliation with BC helps. And even Pitt has made overtures, first for the money game in football and most recently in basketball. Syracuse and VU are closer then they've ever been- closer than VU and any of the Big 5 rivals. Other than by Pitt, a probability lessening by the minute, I don't see VU Hoops being black balled by any of the ACC schools, especially if we don't push for including football. Same with GTown. Johnnies are a little too rough around the edges for the ACC. It would take some hard bargaining to include them.
This post was edited on 10/17 8:50 PM by DCFRANKLIN
http://www.delawareonline.com/story/sports/college/ud/2014/04/24/tresolini-time-come-delaware-move-fbs/8125459/
Nice piece on Delaware compared to JMU with regards to readiness to move to FBS.
In 1972 Fr. Monan turned a 30 million dollar deficit at BC into 1.9 billion dollar endowment following the model Theodore Hesburgh used at ND in 1967. Ulitizing successful alums, business, and football. A decade ago Jerry Falwell had to call friends on Fridays in order to make payroll. Today Liberty has over 100,000 students on campus and on-line and state of the art facilities. Football is a big part of the plan. Liberty is to Bible based Christians throughout the east coast what Catholic colleges were to baby boom kids in the 60's and 70's.
William & Mary is spending 20 million on Zabel Stadium, including an upper level and club boxes. The seating capacity will be in the 12,000 range. imo, see them moving to the Patriot League with Richmond.
Nice piece on Delaware compared to JMU with regards to readiness to move to FBS.
In 1972 Fr. Monan turned a 30 million dollar deficit at BC into 1.9 billion dollar endowment following the model Theodore Hesburgh used at ND in 1967. Ulitizing successful alums, business, and football. A decade ago Jerry Falwell had to call friends on Fridays in order to make payroll. Today Liberty has over 100,000 students on campus and on-line and state of the art facilities. Football is a big part of the plan. Liberty is to Bible based Christians throughout the east coast what Catholic colleges were to baby boom kids in the 60's and 70's.
William & Mary is spending 20 million on Zabel Stadium, including an upper level and club boxes. The seating capacity will be in the 12,000 range. imo, see them moving to the Patriot League with Richmond.
Where do you guys come up with some of this stuff? CW Post didn't drop football and the ACC will never admit a school that does not have a FBS program. One of the conditions for BC to join the ACC was that they would have sole control of the New England market. They will not agree to a override of this agreement. The Wildcats are in a good/great basketball conference with like minded schools. This is what your administration wanted all along. Be happy and enjoy beating up on UD in football and watching a perennial top 20 basketball program.
