fighting muskie wrote:
tute79 wrote:
George Mason looks like a natural.
I wouldn't think Davidson would be too isolated in NC with 3 VA schools (I'm including GMU in that).
Any of Northeastern, Hofstra, Siena, I suppose - I honestly don't know how decent their BB programs have been over the long haul -
it's usually a function of the coach that's been there for any given era.
With this realignment, I would like to see AE remain a conference of northeasern public and/or "flagship" schools, and would hope they would hang onto
Stony Brook et. al. In fact, I'd like to see Rhode island and Delaware wind up in AE, but I'm not sure there is any scenario that makes that happen.
If CAA loses GMU to A-10, and maybe JMU to SunBelt (assumes FCS -> FBS upgrade), the CAA could be reduced to a picked-over mess.
C of C might re-think their move to the CAA. W&M might solicit an offer from the Patriot.
If that sort of thing starts happeneing, I could see the AE and MAAC swooping in and cherry-picking the rest, and AE taking over sponsorship of CAA FB.
If they did the latter, they could offer CCSU / Bryant an all-sports package (including FCS football league).
I agree--if this plays out a certain way the CAA really will be a picked over mess because their is no cohesion among the schools left behind.
Here is something else to consider: What does the A-10 do if the Big East never follows through and takes St Louis and Dayton OR East/West politics in the BE leaves Dayton in the A-10 but takes Richmond instead? Do either of these scenarios necessitate adding at least one midwestern school to the A-10 or does the "disloyalty" of these two programs mean they get zero favors from the A-10? I don't think the A-10 would want a MVC or Horizon League coming in and taking these two schools if they can't get in the BE.
If there were 2 midwest schools left, that would be ideal for the A10...they'd likely just remain as they are. If all the midwestern schools leave, then no, no NEED to add from the region unless you want to.
And if 1 midwest school is left, meaning if Creighton and Richmond joined the Big East, then yes, I think you would see a miswestern school added to support Dayton (assuming they were left behind). But that would be based on Dayton remaining...likely you'd see a special clause added to increase their exit fee if they left...since as you implied, the A10 wouldn't want to add a midwest school like a Valpo, if all the other ones left.