Rhody confirms CAA invite!

[Brad82]

http://news.providencejournal.com/sports/college/2012/08/uri-reconsidering-caa-in-football.html

Boy,is this awkward!

[49RFootballNow]

http://news.providencejournal.com/sports/college/2012/08/uri-reconsidering-caa-in-football.html

Boy,is this awkward!

Did Rhody move for travel issues or scholarship funding issues? We'll know the real answer to that question when they either move to the NEC or stay CAA. With Albany and Stony Brook, they're now back to 4 bus trips in their division.

[yorkcountyUNHfan]

xhurrayxxhurrayxxhurrayxxhurrayxxbeerchugx

[T-Dog]

Did Rhody move for travel issues or scholarship funding issues? We'll know the real answer to that question when they either move to the NEC or stay CAA. With Albany and Stony Brook, they're now back to 4 bus trips in their division.

Both. They've never come close to having 63 schollies (I've heard around 30-40) and they lost three bus trips in 2009/10 (Hofstra, Northeastern, UMass) and gained two plane trips (ODU, G-State).

[Brad82]

I agree with T-dog as to both.
However,I never heard they were playing with 30-40 schoalrships.

[UNH Fanboi]

Both. They've never come close to having 63 schollies (I've heard around 30-40) and they lost three bus trips in 2009/10 (Hofstra, Northeastern, UMass) and gained two plane trips (ODU, G-State).

I don't think you are correct regarding their scholarships because they have played FBS teams such as UConn and BC that I don't think would schedule non-counter FCS games.

I think it makes sense for URI to stay. They travel costs are back in line and the scholarship savings in the NEC would be somewhat diminished by the loss of the FBS paycheck. Not to mention that the CAA is clearly a better FB conference.

[aceinthehole]

... they lost three bus trips in 2009/10 (Hofstra, Northeastern, UMass) and gained two plane trips (ODU, G-State).

Well now they don't have to make the 2 plane trips, and they have already replaced 2 bus trips.

Adding CCSU would replace that 3rd bus trip xthumbsupx

[State Line Liquors]

I don't think you are correct regarding their scholarships because they have played FBS teams such as UConn and BC that I don't think would schedule non-counter FCS games.

I think it makes sense for URI to stay. They travel costs are back in line and the scholarship savings in the NEC would be somewhat diminished by the loss of the FBS paycheck. Not to mention that the CAA is clearly a better FB conference.

URI was spending a bit over $3.6Million in student aid to male athletes as of the most recent EADA report completed ending in July 2011. UNH was spending $3.7M. UMass was around $3.65. I'm sure each athletic department uses that aid a bit differently, but I feel comfortable making a fairly educated guess that it's a complete load a bull***** to say URI was only offering only 30-40 schollies.

[Sader87]

I wouldn't pencil URI back into the CAA just yet. Football has never been that big in Kingstown...

[dgreco]

Maybe it is hopeful thinking on my part, but I think if URI was leaving/not joining the NEC the release would not have been that the university is thinking about the move.

I think if URI goes maybe there is an outside shot that CCSU gets an invite to CAA Football and AEast.

That then leaves Bryant and a few other NEC schools in tough positions.

[Brad82]

This will really take some creative financing to stay in CAA.
My understanding is the scholarship differential was already promised to other sports.
$$ real tight now in RI.
To start with-play (2) guarantee games?
But,where there is a will there is a way.

[DFW HOYA]

Other than (maybe) Fordham, URI is the best northern option for the CAA at this point.

[Sader87]

URI, like UMass to a certain extent, has always been sort of the "poor cousin" school politically, financially etc. within its own state.

PC (and to a certain extent Brown) are the schools that wield the most power in Rhode Island. Just sayin' that I don't think there are a lot of voices in Providence/state gov't pushing real hard to keep URI playing CAA football and all the expenses that may entail.

[jmufan]

Ehh...let them go to the NEC where they belong. Sorry, but they wanted to leave because of money issues.

[BucBisonAtLarge]

URI, like UMass to a certain extent, has always been sort of the "poor cousin" school politically, financially etc. within its own state.

PC (and to a certain extent Brown) are the schools that wield the most power in Rhode Island. Just sayin' that I don't think there are a lot of voices in Providence/state gov't pushing real hard to keep URI playing CAA football and all the expenses that may entail.

That is the tale of all of the six 'flagship universities' of the New England states. They have always been in the shadow of the 'real colleges' in the region, the Ivys, NESCAC, and an elite cluster of Boston schools - BC, BU and MIT. For a long time, policymakers in those states were not graduates of those state institutions. This is now changing and is certainly different in Connecticut, where more US presidents than governors pass through Yale, and UConn grads now dot the legislature. I don't think my father, the bricklayer, would deride UConn as 'that cow college' these days. With Albany leaving the NEC, CCSU and URI would stand as the only public schools playing football in the NEC. Really?

[Larryl9797]

URI, like UMass to a certain extent, has always been sort of the "poor cousin" school politically, financially etc. within its own state.


Sounds Familiar to CCSU and UCONN ( also known as the Evil Empire) around these parts. But hey if it opens the door for a shot at a better conference fit for CCSU. Im all for it....

[NHwildEcat]

Maybe it is hopeful thinking on my part, but I think if URI was leaving/not joining the NEC the release would not have been that the university is thinking about the move.

I think if URI goes maybe there is an outside shot that CCSU gets an invite to CAA Football and AEast.

That then leaves Bryant and a few other NEC schools in tough positions.

If URI makes that decisions and then the powers that be decide to bring one more in to give a northern division of 6, I would think CCSU has a chance. It would give a team in the state of CT which I think would be nice. And if CCSU did that and joined AE, I would think (maybe I should choose the word hope) that the AE will finally push past just 9 teams, and move onto a 10th team, who knows maybe Bryant could be that team? I am an alum of a NE-10 school so I unlike some may not see that as such a bad thing.

[bluehenbillk]

Mixed feelings on URI - they've rarely been that good. They had already made the decision to go down & I'm sure they are operating at less than 63 schollies. Is there a date they have to make a decision by?

[aceinthehole]

Is there a date they have to make a decision by?

I was wondering the same thing.

[MplsBison]

URI, like UMass to a certain extent, has always been sort of the "poor cousin" school politically, financially etc. within its own state.

PC (and to a certain extent Brown) are the schools that wield the most power in Rhode Island. Just sayin' that I don't think there are a lot of voices in Providence/state gov't pushing real hard to keep URI playing CAA football and all the expenses that may entail.

I wonder if that has anything to do with the main public school being "outstate" from the central urban area?

[MplsBison]

That is the tale of all of the six 'flagship universities' of the New England states. They have always been in the shadow of the 'real colleges' in the region, the Ivys, NESCAC, and an elite cluster of Boston schools - BC, BU and MIT. For a long time, policymakers in those states were not graduates of those state institutions. This is now changing and is certainly different in Connecticut, where more US presidents than governors pass through Yale, and UConn grads now dot the legislature. I don't think my father, the bricklayer, would deride UConn as 'that cow college' these days. With Albany leaving the NEC, CCSU and URI would stand as the only public schools playing football in the NEC. Really?

I would think Vermont would be the exception? I don't know of any Ivy, Patriot or otherwise high academic/research/liberal arts university in that state.

Yet...U of Vermont is the one without a football team!!


I guess Maine would be another exception. And of course they do have a team.

[MplsBison]

This will really take some creative financing to stay in CAA.
My understanding is the scholarship differential was already promised to other sports.
$$ real tight now in RI.
To start with-play (2) guarantee games?
But,where there is a will there is a way.

Well, I suppose they could keep football in the CAA but at the 30-40 scholarship level? Unless the CAA has rules against that.

But what would be the point of that? Losing every week, just to stay in the better brand conference?

[NHwildEcat]

I would think Vermont would be the exception? I don't know of any Ivy, Patriot or otherwise high academic/research/liberal arts university in that state.

Yet...U of Vermont is the one without a football team!!


I guess Maine would be another exception. And of course they do have a team.

Find me football anywhere in Vermont...it's like Bigfoot over there.

[MplsBison]

Find me football anywhere in Vermont...it's like Bigfoot over there.

Wasn't what's-his-name from UNH, the great player a few years ago, from Vermont?

[NHwildEcat]

Well, I suppose they could keep football in the CAA but at the 30-40 scholarship level? Unless the CAA has rules against that.

But what would be the point of that? Losing every week, just to stay in the better brand conference?

I'd like someone to find some actuall proof that they are shorting their scholly's. I don't buy it. If they were doing that before, and the CAA lost the furthest travel destinations then URI wouldn't have to make a decision, it would be a no brainer. I think they are trying to decide if it would be better to continue down the path with the NEC and drop scholly numbers.

[NHwildEcat]

Wasn't what's-his-name from UNH, the great player a few years ago, from Vermont?

Yup, and he came on a track scholly to UNH. Vermont doesn't have a good record with football. The annual NH/Vermont game is non-competitive.

[MplsBison]

I'd like someone to find some actuall proof that they are shorting their scholly's. I don't buy it. If they were doing that before, and the CAA lost the furthest travel destinations then URI wouldn't have to make a decision, it would be a no brainer. I think they are trying to decide if it would be better to continue down the path with the NEC and drop scholly numbers.

I'm not saying they were before. I'm going off of Brad82's comment "My understanding is the scholarship differential was already promised to other sports.".

In other words, the AD has already told other sports that they're taking 20 scholarships out of football and pumping them into other sports starting in 2012 or 2013, whenever they were supposed to move.

[MplsBison]

Yup, and he came on a track scholly to UNH. Vermont doesn't have a good record with football. The annual NH/Vermont game is non-competitive.

So there you go, they have just as many athletes in that state as NH does. Just have to build the program up.

And it's not like UNH and Maine are playing with only in-state guys. Come on.

[NHwildEcat]

I'm not saying they were before. I'm going off of Brad82's comment "My understanding is the scholarship differential was already promised to other sports.".

I wasn't meaning to question your comment per say, more or less the idea that URI has operated well under scholly's. I just didn't feel like going back to find another relevant post.

[MplsBison]

I wasn't meaning to question your comment per say, more or less the idea that URI has operated well under scholly's. I just didn't feel like going back to find another relevant post.

That's what I'm saying.

I think they HAVE been at the high scholarship level when playing in the CAA and were planning on dropping down only once they starting playing in the NEC.

[NHwildEcat]

So there you go, they have just as many athletes in that state as UNH does. Just have to build the program up.

And it's not like UNH and Maine are playing with only in-state guys. Come on.

Not even close. Vermont also has nearly half the population of NH therefore in theory half the athletes.

The state of Vermont will not bring back football, not a chance. They are fine with playing the finest hockey conference in the nation and having one of the best bball programs in AE. With the great memories of an upset of Syracuse!

[NHwildEcat]

That's what I'm saying.

I think they HAVE been at the high scholarship level when playing in the CAA and were planning on dropping down only once they starting playing in the NEC.

Right. The big issue I think with URI at the time was having to fly down to Atlanta to play an NAIA team.

[MplsBison]

You're right, I had no idea that Vermont had such a small population or that NH had such a relatively large population.

But they do have more people than Wyoming....

[MplsBison]

Right. The big issue I think with URI at the time was having to fly down to Atlanta to play an NAIA team.

But...getting back to my post....if the AD has already promised other sports more scholarships, which were going to come from dropping football down to NEC levels....that's going to be a hard deal to take back.

Therefore...would URI try to stay in the CAA but with only 30-40?

[NHwildEcat]

But...getting back to my post....if the AD has already promised other sports more scholarships, which were going to come from dropping football down to NEC levels....that's going to be a hard deal to take back.

Therefore...would URI try to stay in the CAA but with only 30-40?

I haven't done the research, but has URI added more sports? I would have though by cutting back on football scholly's they would have dropped some useless women's sports to balance the scholly's back out.

[UNH Fanboi]

I would think Vermont would be the exception? I don't know of any Ivy, Patriot or otherwise high academic/research/liberal arts university in that state.

Yet...U of Vermont is the one without a football team!!


I guess Maine would be another exception. And of course they do have a team.

Middlebury College is a great school and is more highly ranked than all of the Patriot League schools. It also has a very good athletics program by D3 standards.

[DFW HOYA]

Middlebury College is a great school and is more highly ranked than all of the Patriot League schools.

Really?

[Sader87]

Sticking with the latest fascination with geography on this board, you people do realize that Rhode Island is the smallest (in area) state in the Union? There aren't too many places too far from anywhere in the state. URI is about half an hour south of Providence but it might as well be 8 hours for all the political power it has wielded historically in Providence.

I hope the Rams stay in the CAA, but again I don't think you'll see the gnashing of the teeth to do so that you would say at Delaware, UNH, Maine etc.

[MplsBison]

Sticking with the latest fascination with geography on this board, you people do realize that Rhode Island is the smallest (in area) state in the Union? There aren't too many places too far from anywhere in the state. URI is about half an hour south of Providence but it might as well be 8 hours for all the political power it has wielded historically in Providence.

I hope the Rams stay in the CAA, but again I don't think you'll see the gnashing of the teeth to do so that you would say at Delaware, UNH, Maine etc.

How many members of the state government have ties to URI?

[MplsBison]

Middlebury College is a great school and is more highly ranked than all of the Patriot League schools. It also has a very good athletics program by D3 standards.

Ahh...I forgot about the NESCAC!

Yes, good point. I see Middlebury has an over $900million endowment. Also, I see THREE schools in the NESCAC are in Maine. Colby, Bowdoin and Bates. So U of Maine does in fact have in-state competition.


Though certainly neither state has it as tough as UNH does with Dartmouth.

[UNH Fanboi]

Really?

USNWR Liberal Arts College Rankings:

5. Middlebury
21. Colgate
29. Bucknell
29. Holy Cross
40. Lafayette

It's harder to compare it to GTown, Lehigh and Fordham directly since they are universities. GTown and Middlebury are probably about even. Lehigh's and Fordham's SAT ranges are way behind Middlebury's.

[Sader87]

How many members of the state government have ties to URI?

I really have no idea. I'm just going on having lived in this area for (cough, cough) a long time and seeing how URI usually gets the "short end of the stick" etc. As Buc Bison alluded to earlier, that may well be changing but historically PC (with the building/refurbishing of the Providence Civic Center now Dunkin' Donuts Arena for instance) and Brown (and maybe RISD as well) for other projects etc. always seemed to take precedence.

URI has always been a basketball school first and foremost. Football had some nice teams in the mid-1980's but it has never had a big following (attendence, media etc). One could make an argument that Brown football has a bigger following than URI in the Rhode Island/SE Mass market actually.

[aceinthehole]

Sticking with the latest fascination with geography on this board, you people do realize that Rhode Island is the smallest (in area) state in the Union? There aren't too many places too far from anywhere in the state. URI is about half an hour south of Providence but it might as well be 8 hours for all the political power it has wielded historically in Providence.

Yes, but for some reason peple keep feeding a troll who thinks he is right about everything when, in fact, he is wrong about almost everything.

The State of Rhode Island is about the same size of the Jacksonville, Florida.

State of Rhode Island: population of 1,050,000 in an area of 1,224 sq miles.
Consolidated City-County of Jacksonville, FL: population of 822,000 in an area of 885 sq miles.

[MplsBison]

Ace, people have been begging, pleading people not to "feed me" since I've been on here. How many years is that?

So either, I'm just that damn good of a troll that people can't help themselves -OR- maybe I'm not that much of a troll? You make the call.

[ccd494]

Ahh...I forgot about the NESCAC!

Yes, good point. I see Middlebury has an over $900million endowment. Also, I see THREE schools in the NESCAC are in Maine. Colby, Bowdoin and Bates. So U of Maine does in fact have in-state competition.


Though certainly neither state has it as tough as UNH does with Dartmouth.

I think most Liberal Arts students would prefer a Colby or Bowdoin degree to a Dartmouth degree.

I KNOW most Liberal Arts students would prefer a Middlebury, Williams or Amherst degree.

[MplsBison]

If not liberal arts, then what *undergraduate* degree can you obtain from an Ivy League school and be assured that you obtained it from the most desirable place in the United States?

Is it just business then?

And I'm including undergrad degrees in any science or math as "liberal arts".

[Sader87]

They're all great schools...I think one may get a better undergraduate education (in some disciplines) at some of the NESCACS than at some Ivies due to their size, focus on undergraduate education etc etc. But to say that the education one receives at a NESCAC is definitely "better or stronger" than at a Dartmouth is a stretch.

[DFW HOYA]

The NESCAC schools fill a need for the good students who aren't getting into an Ivy, whose parents live in the Northeast and want a pleasant, albeit expensive, place to send their daughter to school, and whose household income and social circles value the Middlebury name over UConn or Binghamton.

West of Pennsylvania, the number of kids that are ending up at Colby, Middlebury, or Bowdoin is in the double digits.

[UNH Fanboi]

The NESCAC schools fill a need for the good students who aren't getting into an Ivy

That is simply not true. Williams and Amherst in particular are harder to get into than several of the Ivies (cough, Cornell, cough).

[MplsBison]

The NESCAC schools fill a need for the good students who aren't getting into an Ivy, whose parents live in the Northeast and want a pleasant, albeit expensive, place to send their daughter to school, and whose household income and social circles value the Middlebury name over UConn or Binghamton.

West of Pennsylvania, the number of kids that are ending up at Colby, Middlebury, or Bowdoin is in the double digits.

Then why did he say liberal arts students prefer those schools over Ivy League? Your post makes it sound like the other way around, just that they can't get in.

[Sader87]

Williams or Princeton? This has what to do exactly with URI staying in the CAA for football????

[DFW HOYA]

Then why did he say liberal arts students prefer those schools over Ivy League? Your post makes it sound like the other way around, just that they can't get in.

Until the 1970's, the Northeast lacked a strong network of public universities. For families of a certain income who a) did not want a public college, b) could not, or chose not, to go an Ivy, c) wanted a rural, small college envionment, d) did not want go to a Catholic college, and e) wanted to stay in the Northeast, there were a number of coeducational colleges including the NESCACs but also incorporating schools like Franklin & Marshall, Dickinson, Haverford, Swarthmore, and the like. While there are liberal arts schools elsewhere, you do not see the same concentration of schools elsewhere because state-sponsored colleges are better funded and a more popular destination for students.

With freshmen classes of 400-600, many coming from the NYC/New England area to begin with, these schools aren't competing for the same admissions pool as Penn, or Virginia, or even Georgetown, and they don't have to. These institutions are at risk, however, from the changing national demographics which will diminish the Northeast of its pool of high school graduates over the next 20 years.

[dgreco]

I agree with T-dog as to both.
However,I never heard they were playing with 30-40 schoalrships.

Read the full article that was in the actual Providence Journal today, the article talks about how URI is already near the 40 scholarships that the NEC requires and hasn't been near the 63 scholarships.

IDK how true that is, but it was reported in the full paper article.

[ccd494]

With freshmen classes of 400-600, many coming from the NYC/New England area to begin with, these schools aren't competing for the same admissions pool as Penn, or Virginia, or even Georgetown, and they don't have to. These institutions are at risk, however, from the changing national demographics which will diminish the Northeast of its pool of high school graduates over the next 20 years.

Obviously if you are choosing between an Ivy or a NESCAC school, you really can't go wrong, but just judging by the (granted, white, middle-to-upper class) friends I've had from Maine attending both, the NESCAC kids have been able to leverage alumni networks to much better jobs. There are more Harvard alums than Williams alums by a factor of 100 (at least), but the Harvard grad sitting behind a desk looking to hire someone may get 15 applicants from Harvard. The Williams guy may only have one Williams kid he moves to the top of the pile.

Now, if I were from like Omaha and wanted to make sure my degree would carry me anywhere, I'd go the Ivy route. But if I were from New England and wanted to stay in New England? I'd be beating down the doors to get into Williams, Amherst or Middlebury.

[danefan]

FYI - the CAA has asked Albany to amend its promotional materials to remove URI since there has been no full acceptance yet.

https://twitter.com/The_CAAFootball/status/233345029110910978

[Jackman]

Read the full article that was in the actual Providence Journal today, the article talks about how URI is already near the 40 scholarships that the NEC requires and hasn't been near the 63 scholarships.

IDK how true that is, but it was reported in the full paper article.

Rhode Island was playing at 59 scholarships at the time they announced the move to the NEC, and must have been at 57+ scholarships for at least the past decade to qualify for guarantee games against FBS opponents under NCAA rules. The 59 scholarship number is solid. It was referenced in articles about the NEC move at the time. They did need to cut scholarships to qualify for admission to the NEC, and you obviously don't want to cut all of them in a single year. But 2 years ago they were still in the mid/high 50s.

[aceinthehole]

The Monmouth head coach has reportedly said today that URI is staying in the CAA.

http://blogs.app.com/hawks/2012/08/09/mu-athletics-thursday-update/

And here's his tweet:


Tony Graham‏ (@tonygsports)

Yours truly and Edelson attended MU football media day..Callahan said URI is not coming into the NEC.....

[Seawolf97]

Well I hope URI stays in the CAA , that would give the 5 Northeast schools four regional games.

[MR. CHICKEN]

The Monmouth head coach has reportedly said today that URI is staying in the CAA.

http://blogs.app.com/hawks/2012/08/09/mu-athletics-thursday-update/

And here's his tweet:


16614.....ALL-RIGHTY DEN.....EVERAH-BODAH NEEDS UH....NORFFERN COLORADAH......TA ENHANCE..DUH W's.....EH...ER.....UH....UM....WAIT....WE LOST TA RHODEY..LAST TIME...:o:o:o...BRAWK!

[MplsBison]

So does anyone know if the AD is going to renege on his commitment to provide other sports with the difference in scholarship from football dropping down to NEC levels?

If they do end up staying, that is.