I could be wrong, but...

[Sir William]

...it seems that if the CAA were inviting Elon, it would've happened by now...and/or if Elon was gonna bolt the SoCon, that would've happened by now.

I could very well be wrong, but I'm just saying.

Whatever may or may not be occurring behind closed doors, I'd be willing to bet that the powers that be at Elon are waiting to see if indeed ETSU, Mercer and VMI receive and accept SoCon invites...which will probably happen within a couple of weeks. If those three schools join, watch Elon to stay put, regardless of all the fan-chatter on this board.

My xtwocentsx.

[The Cats]

If those three schools join, watch Elon to stay put, regardless of all the fan-chatter on this board.

I hope you are correct.

The timing of Elon leaving right now is not good for the conference, and probably not good or Elon. I think they'd be much better off to wait a while and see how the landscape of the CAA changes in the next several months, as there could be a mass exodus just as Elon joins.

[CID1990]

...it seems that if the CAA were inviting Elon, it would've happened by now...and/or if Elon was gonna bolt the SoCon, that would've happened by now.

I could very well be wrong, but I'm just saying.

Whatever may or may not be occurring behind closed doors, I'd be willing to bet that the powers that be at Elon are waiting to see if indeed ETSU, Mercer and VMI receive and accept SoCon invites...which will probably happen within a couple of weeks. If those three schools join, watch Elon to stay put, regardless of all the fan-chatter on this board.

My xtwocentsx.

You are probably correct. CAA reaches out to SoCon schools very frequently. Probably the reason this has become such a big rumor is that the Elon officials' statement on the matter was so ambiguous. It is likely that Elon's best bet is to sit tight and see what unfolds. The CAA will still be there in a couple years.


Sent from the center of the universe.

[PaladinFan]

I may have missed out earlier, but I don't see the appeal of the CAA to Elon. I realize they have more of a "northern" footprint than many of the SoCon schools, but unlike the other crowd of defectors, Elon doesn't do anything so well they need to go to greener pastures. There's not one program that has "outgrown" the conference. To me, it would be a lateral move with increased travel costs.

We can argue all day about whether the SoCon is still quality football without App and GSU. I believe it is. It is not as though the SoCon was a conference with 2 good teams and everyone else was terrible.

[walliver]

The only one of those three that would really interest Elon would be VMI, which expands the conference northward. Apparently the SoCon will make its announcement in late June, and I think they will know Elon's intentions before then.

Unlike the FBS moves, there is really no rush for Elon or the CAA. If JMU doesn't leave this year, it may make sense for Elon to put off its decision until next spring.

Too many recent conference moves are based on Chicken Little type fear, not reason.

The CAA conference makes some sense for Elon, but the CAA football conference is geographically inefficient, and is rapidly starting to resemble the old Big East and isn't particularly appealing to schools physically located in the South (at least not to the bean counters in the athletic departments.

[CID1990]

The only one of those three that would really interest Elon would be VMI, which expands the conference northward.

ETSU isn't too bad of a trip from Burlington, either. In fact it is certainly closer than Samford and El Cid, and the only thing that would make it less convenient than Mercer is that the Mercer trip would be all interstate.

[Sandlapper Spike]

The only one of those three that would really interest Elon would be VMI, which expands the conference northward. Apparently the SoCon will make its announcement in late June, and I think they will know Elon's intentions before then.

I get the impression that the announcement of new membership is more likely to happen at the end of May/beginning of June.

[FCS_pwns_FBS]

I think Elon is just dithering over the decision. The SoCon has made the decision less easy by considering stability (as others have mentioned) for adding new members. Even though the SoCon has assured it will be at best the third best FCS conference and somewhere in the middle of third-rate basketball conferences, there may be some wisdom in the new additions. Which conference's house is sitting on a stronger foundation right now - the SoCon's or the CAA's?

[The Cats]

Even though the SoCon has assured it will be at best the third best FCS conference and somewhere in the middle of third-rate basketball conferences

Why don't we play the games this coming season, and just see where the SoCon ends up in the FCS pecking order without GSU. I'm just amazed you didn't put the SoCon in 4th or 5th place without GSU.

[PaladinFan]

I think Elon is just dithering over the decision. The SoCon has made the decision less easy by considering stability (as others have mentioned) for adding new members. Even though the SoCon has assured it will be at best the third best FCS conference and somewhere in the middle of third-rate basketball conferences, there may be some wisdom in the new additions. Which conference's house is sitting on a stronger foundation right now - the SoCon's or the CAA's?

It just happens that the SoCon has been the most recent recipient of issues with conference realignment, so of course they are going to look like the weaker party at the moment. If you look at the past few years, the CAA has lost over twice as many football programs than the SoCon. They are more stretched geographically and have a much more loose affiliation with associate members.

Frankly, the SoCon was the third best football conference in the FCS last season (and probably the past few seasons). The conference will, in my opinion, remain the third best conference in the country next year, still with at least two bids, maybe three...just like always.

Effectively, you trade App State and GSU for Mercer, VMI, and ETSU. The SoCon stays the third best football conference in the country, becomes much better in basketball, and actually will get better in baseball. It might even be net positive.

The one elephant in the room is lacrosse. Remember, Mercer, Furman, VMI, and Elon all sponsor Division I mens lacrosse. Furman has sunk a ton of money into the program. If you can add members that play LAX to the SoCon, and create your own sustainable conference, you make some money as the only show in town.

[CID1990]

It just happens that the SoCon has been the most recent recipient of issues with conference realignment, so of course they are going to look like the weaker party at the moment. If you look at the past few years, the CAA has lost over twice as many football programs than the SoCon. They are more stretched geographically and have a much more loose affiliation with associate members.

Frankly, the SoCon was the third best football conference in the FCS last season (and probably the past few seasons). The conference will, in my opinion, remain the third best conference in the country next year, still with at least two bids, maybe three...just like always.

Effectively, you trade App State and GSU for Mercer, VMI, and ETSU. The SoCon stays the third best football conference in the country, becomes much better in basketball, and actually will get better in baseball. It might even be net positive.

The one elephant in the room is lacrosse. Remember, Mercer, Furman, VMI, and Elon all sponsor Division I mens lacrosse. Furman has sunk a ton of money into the program. If you can add members that play LAX to the SoCon, and create your own sustainable conference, you make some money as the only show in town.

I think El Cid might be adding scholly lacrosse in the next few years as the sport develops in the conference.

[kdinva]

I think El Cid might be adding scholly lacrosse in the next few years .

sounds like a winner..... xnodx

[FCS_pwns_FBS]

Why don't we play the games this coming season, and just see where the SoCon ends up in the FCS pecking order without GSU. I'm just amazed you didn't put the SoCon in 4th or 5th place without GSU.

You're surprised? Thinking that the SoCon won't take a hit without GSU and App. is just as silly as saying the conference will go belly up without them. I'm not saying the SoCon will be the OVC or anything, just that they will clearly take a hit.

[PaladinFan]

You're surprised? Thinking that the SoCon won't take a hit without GSU and App. is just as silly as saying the conference will go belly up without them. I'm not saying the SoCon will be the OVC or anything, just that they will clearly take a hit.

There will be a hit. The conference still has plenty of good football teams. There are right now four playoff contenders outside of GSU/App that would be in the conversation even if those two were still in the conference. I think you'll see Furman back in the playoff mix in two seasons.

Sure, the quality will decrease, but as you point out, its not like the cupboard is bare.

[GlassOnion]

There will be a hit. The conference still has plenty of good football teams. There are right now four playoff contenders outside of GSU/App that would be in the conversation even if those two were still in the conference. I think you'll see Furman back in the playoff mix in two seasons.

Sure, the quality will decrease, but as you point out, its not like the cupboard is bare.

App and GSU will be in the top 3, and most likely #1 and #2. The committee will select 1 team that would have been a #1-3 pick last year, and will select a Socon team that would have been sitting home last year. Anymore and it looks like a farce.

[cmaxwellgsu]

There will be a hit. The conference still has plenty of good football teams. There are right now four playoff contenders outside of GSU/App that would be in the conversation even if those two were still in the conference. I think you'll see Furman back in the playoff mix in two seasons.

Sure, the quality will decrease, but as you point out, its not like the cupboard is bare.

That's exactly how I see it. I don't know if the SoCon will have the same type of powerhouse devolop, but I do think the rift that exists within the conference with us and App will be greatly closed with the new adds. Personally, I can see Richmond and William & Mary winding up in the SoCon if the perfect storm develops in the CAA.

[PaladinFan]

That's exactly how I see it. I don't know if the SoCon will have the same type of powerhouse devolop, but I do think the rift that exists within the conference with us and App will be greatly closed with the new adds. Personally, I can see Richmond and William & Mary winding up in the SoCon if the perfect storm develops in the CAA.

I agree with that. I noted in another thread that right now, the disparity between the top teams in the conference and the bottom teams is nowhere near as great as it was 10 years ago. It's cyclical. App and GSU will leave, someone else will win 8 or 9 games a season, new programs like Mercer and ETSU will take it on the chin, and the whole thing just starts over again.

[cmaxwellgsu]

I agree with that. I noted in another thread that right now, the disparity between the top teams in the conference and the bottom teams is nowhere near as great as it was 10 years ago. It's cyclical. App and GSU will leave, someone else will win 8 or 9 games a season, new programs like Mercer and ETSU will take it on the chin, and the whole thing just starts over again.

The stability approach may prove to work out well long term too. I think it will make for a very stable conference having like-minded schools. If anything, us and App have sort of done that for the Sun Belt as well as the SoCon. However, I will miss the rivalry with Furman.

[BlackNGoldR3v0lut10n]

I agree with that. I noted in another thread that right now, the disparity between the top teams in the conference and the bottom teams is nowhere near as great as it was 10 years ago. It's cyclical. App and GSU will leave, someone else will win 8 or 9 games a season, new programs like Mercer and ETSU will take it on the chin, and the whole thing just starts over again.

Unless ETSU hires a Bobby Wilder clone.