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Post by elongrad1996 on Jul 7, 2022 13:22:15 GMT -5
It appears CofC, Northeastern and Drexel are trying to find a way out of the CAA. A-10 is the reported target of each school. And Delaware has made no secret of their desire to move to FBS (likely C-USA as the landing spot). Without these schools, the full-time member line-up of the CAA really stinks. If Elon is to stay in FCS (which I think they have to), it look like the SoCon is the better place. Take W&M and UNCW with us. Going to be a really interesting next 12 months.
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fc97
Elon Only
Posts: 646
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Post by fc97 on Jul 7, 2022 13:48:59 GMT -5
I think it would be hilarious and fitting if Elon ended up without a home.
Elon burned the SoCon bridge. Elon burned the Big South bridge. A&T and Hampton burned the Big South bridge.
No way the SoCon allows Elon back. They would take UNCW and W&M without a doubt.
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Post by euphoenix99 on Jul 7, 2022 14:05:58 GMT -5
It appears CofC, Northeastern and Drexel are trying to find a way out of the CAA. A-10 is the reported target of each school. And Delaware has made no secret of their desire to move to FBS (likely C-USA as the landing spot). Without these schools, the full-time member line-up of the CAA really stinks. If Elon is to stay in FCS (which I think they have to), it look like the SoCon is the better place. Take W&M and UNCW with us. Going to be a really interesting next 12 months. Can you share a source? Trying to get into the A-10 and the A-10 wanting you are two different things. CofC and Northeastern could be appealing to them based on Boston and Charleston presence, but CofC has had very little A-10 level success in the past 10 years. Northeastern barely has any fan interest despite their recent basketball success. As far as Drexel, La Salle and St. Joe's are already in the conference, so not sure how much value Drexel adds. Delaware moving to CUSA as it stands now would be one of the worst realignment decisions ever. If anything they would be the best A-10 fit from the CAA despite being close to Philly. Not sure if they'd get the Richmond deal with CAA football though. I don't doubt that there will be more moves, but I'm not sure all of these schools that want to be in the A-10 are all that desirable. Other conferences picking off the top A10 teams could leave that conference looking very different 5 years from now too. Go Phoenix! |
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Post by euphoenix99 on Jul 7, 2022 14:13:21 GMT -5
I think it would be hilarious and fitting if Elon ended up without a home. Elon burned the SoCon bridge. Elon burned the Big South bridge. A&T and Hampton burned the Big South bridge. No way the SoCon allows Elon back. They would take UNCW and W&M without a doubt. Why would it be funny for you as an Elon fan? You can question the decisions, but they haven't been terrible decisions for when they were made. The Big South to SoCon move was a no brainer and the CAA move may have been questionable, but at least there was some rationale behind it. There are some excellent peer schools in the CAA and at the moment it's a decent conference home. We've been in the CAA (starting 9th season) nearly as long as the SoCon (11 years) now. BTW, I had no issue with the SoCon or remaining there, but I don't have an issue with the current CAA as a home either. things could always change though. Seems like you want bad things to happen. Go Phoenix! |
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Post by phoenixlifer on Jul 7, 2022 16:51:02 GMT -5
I think it would be hilarious and fitting if Elon ended up without a home. Elon burned the SoCon bridge. Elon burned the Big South bridge. A&T and Hampton burned the Big South bridge. No way the SoCon allows Elon back. They would take UNCW and W&M without a doubt. Why would it be funny for you as an Elon fan? You can question the decisions, but they haven't been terrible decisions for when they were made. The Big South to SoCon move was a no brainer and the CAA move may have been questionable, but at least there was some rationale behind it. There are some excellent peer schools in the CAA and at the moment it's a decent conference home. We've been in the CAA (starting 9th season) nearly as long as the SoCon (11 years) now. BTW, I had no issue with the SoCon or remaining there, but I don't have an issue with the current CAA as a home either. things could always change though. Seems like you want bad things to happen. Go Phoenix! 8 years in the CAA and what do we have to show for it?. Billy Taylor has his work cut out for him regardless of what conference we are in. |
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fc97
Elon Only
Posts: 646
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Post by fc97 on Jul 8, 2022 10:24:22 GMT -5
Because it is funny. We left the SAC-8 chased D-I dreams. We had moderate success and helped the Big South form football and the immediately left. We chased bigger and better in the SoCon. And honestly, we stunk it up for the most part in the sports that matter. App/Georgia Southern/Davidson/Charleston left and so we chased bigger and better. Now we're moderately more successful in some ways, worse in others. And we're watching JMU leave, Delaware wants to. Villanova should.
All of this chasing prestige, and what has it gotten? We've still only been to the FCS playoffs 3 times in 22 years. We've been to the NCAA basketball tourney 0 times, NIT 0 times. Women's basketball is ok, baseball has fallen down a lot.
We've burned so many bridges during this time that there's very few regional alternatives left. So Charleston, Drexel and Northeastern leave? Delaware leaves. Villanova probably does the same. The conference would collapse. W&M/UNCW would be welcomed anywhere. But we have a bad rep, and deservedly. There's honestly nowhere to go. Big South would not take us, SoCon wouldn't either. ASUN maybe. FCS is turning quickly into D-II for the 80s.
Not only that, the campus has focused on progressive politics and image more than it has focused on any of the above that we graduates care about.
So yes, eventually the chickens will come home to roost.
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Post by elonman on Jul 10, 2022 5:49:24 GMT -5
Obviously this is in the basketball forum so not sure if this is directed all at basketball. But let’s be honest here - it’s not like basketball was a juggernaut in any conference as pointed out the lack of NCAA tournaments. I don’t think being in a different conference would make a whole lot of difference from that standpoint.
I laugh at the comment that said “in sports that really matter” which I’m not sure what that really means but we have had success in all conferences to a certain degree maybe not in the sports you want which sounds like mens sports of football, basketball and baseball. I would argue that basketball has not been successful really ever and football has more playoffs at FCS level in the CAA then SoCon. Baseball has dropped off but is that the conference? Coaching? Lack of talent? Better competition?
Did you know in the CAA we have won 1 team conference title I believe every year we have been in the league? While yes we are not winning 4 or 5 which obviously is the goal it’s not like some sports are not having success.
In terms of the next move. The CAA could also pouch. The Sun Belt looked like it was going be left for the dead a few years ago now it’s going to be one of the best football conference at the Group of 5 level. College sports are changing a lot so this all might be looked at much differently than it was 5 or 10 or 20 years ago. The move to the CAA was not a bad one and honestly I don’t think that many “bridges” were burnt because in the end conferences need teams and if Elon makes the most sense a conference will take them. I would be more worried about our leadership not getting a head of the issues at hand than anything. But you never know what’s next. Two teams from LA just joined the Big Ten haha
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fc97
Elon Only
Posts: 646
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Post by fc97 on Jul 13, 2022 12:13:13 GMT -5
"sports that matter" means "revenue sports" which at a school like ours is really no sports. Football, Both Basketballs, and Baseball to a lesser extent.
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Post by epx on Jul 14, 2022 20:55:03 GMT -5
"Revenue Sports"Haha..hahaha....hahahahaha....
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EC90
New Member
Posts: 45 
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Post by EC90 on Jul 16, 2022 9:58:41 GMT -5
In hindsight it was a mistake to leave the SoCon. The CAA has become a bloated conference. You have Public, Private, Northeastern, Southern, HBCU, Football and Non-Football schools with little in common.
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Post by elonman on Jul 21, 2022 9:23:59 GMT -5
In hindsight it was a mistake to leave the SoCon. The CAA has become a bloated conference. You have Public, Private, Northeastern, Southern, HBCU, Football and Non-Football schools with little in common. What exactly was the mistake to leave the SoCon, more curious to what your reasoning is. Not saying I disagree with you . The geographical fit is better in the SoCon. Also don't forget you are seeing conferences spread from CA to NJ and NY to FL so maybe at this level it means more to be geographically located. SoCon is split public/private as well so don't see that being an issue. The CAA is very BIG EAST in terms of non-football schools - which either don't have or play down to FCS. IF we are talking just success in winning and losing - I would say we have had similar success give or take. If you look at the last 5 teams to leave the SoCon: App - Sun Belt Davidson - A10 Elon - CAA GA Southern - Sun Belt C of Charleston - CAA You really have to look at the CAA from Football and all other sports - since the schools are so different. I think from a football standpoint the conference was on of the best from a competition standpoint. Obviously once App left SoCon football hasn't had a national contender. Will be interesting to see who if any in the CAA step in to JMU position. |
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Post by fauxphoenix on Jul 21, 2022 14:59:53 GMT -5
Given the administration's limited financial commitment to big-time sports, the administration's emphasis on high academics, and the big donor's desire for a footprint in the northeast states, the Patriot League might be the best fit for Elon.
However, I'm not sure that the Patriot League would accept Elon since Elon falls too far out of the Patriot League's footprint. Smaller schools with limited budgets just can't afford to send all of their men's and women's so far south.
The on-going realignment of the FBS schools is bound to cause fallout at the FCS level.
It'll be interesting to view the revamped landscape when the smoke begins to clear.
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Post by elonfirefighter on Jul 21, 2022 15:20:03 GMT -5
Given the administration's limited financial commitment to big-time sports, the administration's emphasis on high academics, and the big donor's desire for a footprint in the northeast states, This is why we moved to the CAA. The School wanted a footprint in the North East. We recruit heavily up there for academics. Many students look to come south and Elon wanted to get there name up there. The SoCon was imploding at the time and the CAA was a decent conference. Though I think the move was more of an academic benefiting mover over a athletic. It was sold as athletic and a selling point that you would be lining up against teammates opponents from high school in this conference. Its also good to point out that its hard to recruit in our geographic region. We are swamped with mid to top FBS schools. So a lot of top talent are going to the ACC to ride the bench or walk on with a chance to make it big. |
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EC90
New Member
Posts: 45
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Post by EC90 on Jul 22, 2022 16:30:59 GMT -5
EF is correct in saying the SoCon was close to imploding at the time. I supported the move to the CAA because it was the top FCS conference and that would help elevate our football program into being a playoff contender. Living in Central Virginia I looked forward to the bball tourney being held in Richmond. However, the Basketball left Richmond because of the city's incompetent Mayor and city council not being able to get a new coliseum built. UR, W&M, UD, football programs have been in a down cycle for past few years. JMU left to join the Sun Belt and the replacements are not very exciting. I believe the CAA asked some of the SoCon recently about joining and they declined. That shows the SoCon is in a position of strength and the CAA is not. Who knows maybe it will change again soon!
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