And the NEC keeps rocking on-- Downing the PL once again!

[Dane96]

Congrats to Monmouth......took down Colgate at the 'Gate!

So far wins over:

Morgan State
Colgate
Georgia Southern
Delaware
Lehigh
Fordham

The top 3 in the NEC are very, very strong. This, in turn, will most likely kill any bid for the NEC (though quite possibly deserving) because NO TEAM is coming out unscathed.

Congrats to Monmouth!!!

[JALMOND]

Uh, yeah, sure. Whatever. Go NEC!

[OL FU]

Congrats to Monmouth......took down Colgate at the 'Gate!

So far wins over:

Morgan State
Colgate
Georgia Southern
Delaware
Lehigh
Fordham

The top 3 in the NEC are very, very strong. This, in turn, will most likely kill any bid for the NEC (though quite possibly deserving) because NO TEAM is coming out unscathed.

Congrats to Monmouth!!!

Congratulations Very Impressive

[Dane96]

Wait...I forgot...our west coast fan can't understand the significance of this win.

Thanks OL_FU, at least someone understands!

[mainejeff]

The top 3 in the NEC are very, very strong. This, in turn, will most likely kill any bid for the NEC (though quite possibly deserving) because NO TEAM is coming out unscathed.

:confused: I was totally confused by that statement then finally figured it out. I'm not so sure that one of those 3 teams going 2-0 vs. the other 2 is that much of a stretch. Other things are more likely to kill the chances of the NEC getting an at-large.

[JALMOND]

Wait...I forgot...our west coast fan can't understand the significance of this win.

Thanks OL_FU, at least someone understands!

All I'll add, Dane, is UMass 28 Colgate 7 (to put in perspective).
Good win anyway.

[OL FU]

All I'll add, Dane, is UMass 28 Colgate 7 (to put in perspective).
Good win anyway.

Strong wins for the NEC that only gives one half the scholarships as the rest of us.

GSU and UD wins were huge whether these are off or on years for those two

Second year in a row Colgate has fallen to the NEC

I will say it again.

Congratulations

[PantherRob82]

Seems like most people are either blowing this off or making too big of a deal out of it. Where's the moderation? The NEC is much improved, but will still need one of those teams to go undefeated through conference play, and possibly some outside help.

[Dane96]

Strong wins for the NEC that only gives one half the scholarships as the rest of us.

GSU and UD wins were huge whether these are off or on years for those two

Second year in a row Colgate has fallen to the NEC

I will say it again.

Congratulations

Correct, and thanks. But to put it into perspective for those who are failing to comprehend, the three schools (MONMOUTH, UA, and CCSU) have probably played less than 10 of 40 scholarship guys the teams have COMBINED.

Rob, you are correct...we still need a team to steamroll through the conference...

These wins are basically with NO SCHOLARSHIPS and very limited aid.

[bison137]

Strong wins for the NEC that only gives one half the scholarships as the rest of us.

Congratulations

Make that "the NEC only give one half the scholarships as SOME of us"

The NEC gives infinitely more scholarships than the Patriot League or Ivy League (and a few others), i.e. those that give no football scholarships.

For the PL, it is about time to reconsider.

[Dane96]

ARE YOU OUTSIDE OF YOUR HEAD...YES IN CAPS.

The NEC does not give more aid...in any shape way or form than the IVY or the PL.

Apparently, you know very little of the aid situation in all three leagues.

This, is one of the funniest posts I have read in a long time.

Sure, we give 8 schollys this year, for a total aid package of 160,000. How much is Bucknell giving?

Yeah, that is what I thought.

FUNNY STUFF!

[downbythebeach]

Dane, is that CCSU game getting to you already?^^^^:rotateh:

[Dane96]

No...but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night!

:)

[bison137]

ARE YOU OUTSIDE OF YOUR HEAD...YES IN CAPS.

The NEC does not give more aid...in any shape way or form than the IVY or the PL.

Apparently, you know very little of the aid situation in all three leagues.

This, is one of the funniest posts I have read in a long time.

Sure, we give 8 schollys this year, for a total aid package of 160,000. How much is Bucknell giving?

Yeah, that is what I thought.

FUNNY STUFF!

The differences are that:

1. We have to recruit players who qualify on the basis of need; and

(2) Our academic standards for football players are much higher than Albany's or other NEC schools.

In total, that means the pool of athletes we pursue is a fraction of those who Albany can recruit. It makes a difference, especially when many of the ones on our radar screen (and those of Colgate, Lehigh, Lafayette, etc) are also being pursued by Ivys.

[Dane96]

Good lord...again, we know this. The teams combined play about 8-10 scholarship kids. They really have NO effect on the wins the past two years.

[JALMOND]

Correct, and thanks. But to put it into perspective for those who are failing to comprehend, the three schools (MONMOUTH, UA, and CCSU) have probably played less than 10 of 40 scholarship guys the teams have COMBINED.

Rob, you are correct...we still need a team to steamroll through the conference...

These wins are basically with NO SCHOLARSHIPS and very limited aid.

So what. Do we have to come to your level or do you have to come to ours? What we are talking about is a berth in the I-AA playoffs. I-AA as a whole and just not limited scholarships. You want a berth in the playoffs, fine. But you have to earn it against the play of the heavies.

You can talk all you want about limited scholarships or zero scholarships, but it depends on who you can beat and who you play on the whole I-AA level, not just limited scholarship teams. If you can do that based on your allotment of scholarships, then more power to you. If you can't, then don't compromise the system.

[Dane96]

Would you like me to pull the posts that said "NEC TEAMS HAVE TO BEAT IAA SCHOLLY TEAMS"?

The NEC has scheduled...and complied...started last year and is now more than 5 teams, in one season, deep.

[JALMOND]

Would you like me to pull the posts that said "NEC TEAMS HAVE TO BEAT IAA SCHOLLY TEAMS"?

The NEC has scheduled...and complied...started last year and is now more than 5 teams, in one season, deep.

Like I posted, if you can do that based on your allotment of scholarships then more power to you. If you can't then don't compromise the system. The NEC is looking stronger every week (this week the conference got a boost with Delaware's A-10 win over URI). However the one point win over Lehigh is looking very shaky, and losses to teams such as Fordham and LaSalle definitly do not help. The NEC should be commended for scheduling the heavies (and the heavies for playing the NEC). Results are what will get you the at-large bid, and the level of scholarships will not enter into it at all.

[Dane96]

LASALLE....how does that effect the top 3 teams we are talking about? No one expects St. Francis to do much, but some prognosticators. By your estimation, Albany's whitewashing of Fordham should have kept the PL from getting a bid.

[JALMOND]

LASALLE....how does that effect the top 3 teams we are talking about? No one expects St. Francis to do much, but some prognosticators. By your estimation, Albany's whitewashing of Fordham should have kept the PL from getting a bid.

I'm sorry. I thought you would want a good showing from the NEC, not just the top 3. You speak highly of the big strides the NEC has taken to play the full I-AA scholarship teams, yet you want to pick and choose which teams I can highlight? Is the NEC a good conference, or is it just a three team league?

I'm just looking at the NEC as a whole instead of bit parts.

[Dane96]

Dude...your parsing words. You intimated a low-level team getting beat is bad for a league. I retorted with Albany's thrashing of Fordham last season.

My question: Does the PL lose its bid because of a weak bottom (and their bottom has been weak for years).

HELL NO.

[JALMOND]

Dude...your parsing words. You intimated a low-level team getting beat is bad for a league. I retorted with Albany's thrashing of Fordham last season.

My question: Does the PL lose its bid because of a weak bottom (and their bottom has been weak for years).

HELL NO.

OK. Could the PL use the argument of its "weak bottom" beating the NEC's "strong top" this year? Is the PL deserving of two bids (the autobid and an at-large)? That remains to be seen. Speculation on my part, but what if the big 4 in the NEC (I'll give you Stony Brook), were to suffer a few losses to the lower level. Would that destroy the idea that the NEC is a strong conference (I don't think so)? Or rather would it hold up the idea that, top to bottom, the whole NEC stacks up pretty well. Are you saying that a conference loss to the lower tier would be bad for the conference as a whole? Will the committee need to only look at what you did in September and throw out the conference records of the NEC?

[Dane96]

What on earth....did you just say.

TOP of the NEC suffering losses to the lower level of the NEC? Yeah, if UA lost to the bottom of the NEC...they wouldnt deserve to get in.

If you are specifically talking about the Fordham game...I point to CCU two years ago. That is the excuse to keep an NEC team (if UA won out) out.

But that, my friend, is not what you were saying earlier.

UA wins out....they have an argument. UA loses to anyone OTHER than Monmouth...no way in HELL they deserve a bid.

[JALMOND]

Just trying to follow you. Anyway, good win by Monmouth and a great victory for Albany.

[colgate13]

The differences are that:

1. We have to recruit players who qualify on the basis of need; and

(2) Our academic standards for football players are much higher than Albany's or other NEC schools.

In total, that means the pool of athletes we pursue is a fraction of those who Albany can recruit. It makes a difference, especially when many of the ones on our radar screen (and those of Colgate, Lehigh, Lafayette, etc) are also being pursued by Ivys.
This typical PL arguement doesn't hold much water. Strong academics might shut out some recruits, but it also attracts others. It's a wash. Albany's pool of recruits could in theory include everyone, but the kids looking at the PL are attracted to the perceived prestige factor as well. That's a PLUS for the PL schools.

Bottom line is: we are trying to field teams with a huge hurdle of need-based aid. Time to ditch the concept. It didn't work in hoops; why should it work in I-AA football?xcoffeex

On a different note, I don't think this is the death of the PL. Things move in cycles. This is a down year for the league, no doubt. But strong teams will return. There are a lot of young players getting lots of time this year for many teams.

[OL FU]

I'm sorry. I thought you would want a good showing from the NEC, not just the top 3. You speak highly of the big strides the NEC has taken to play the full I-AA scholarship teams, yet you want to pick and choose which teams I can highlight? Is the NEC a good conference, or is it just a three team league?

I'm just looking at the NEC as a whole instead of bit parts.

Every conference has strenght and weaknesses except the A-10, ( I am not going there)

[OL FU]

We have debated long and hard the strengths or lack of strength re: the NEC and PFL.

It is time to give some Congratulations:nod:

[89Hen]

Does anybody else find it somewhat ironic that Stony Brook is leaving the NEC because they thought they were more committed to football than the rest of the conference and now they're 0-4 while Albany, CCSU and Monmouth have a couple good OOC wins under their belts and are receiving votes for Top25 in the country? :nod: :eyebrow:

[89Hen]

Every conference has strenght and weaknesses except the A-10, ( I am not going there)
A man's got to know his limitations. :p

[aceinthehole]

Does anybody else find it somewhat ironic that Stony Brook is leaving the NEC because they thought they were more committed to football than the rest of the conference and now they're 0-4 while Albany, CCSU and Monmouth have a couple good OOC wins under their belts and are receiving votes for Top25 in the country? :nod: :eyebrow:

The SBU AD is pretty crazy. He actually tried to compare SBU to UConn!?!?!? I admire his ambition, but I question some of his moves. Only tiome will tell if this was a good move for SBU.

If you look at Albany, its seems clear they want to play up too (and they have), but it also makes sense to be in a conference for scheduling reasons, as well as achance to win a conference championship. That's why UA is staying, until something better (an AQ conference) comes along.

SBU schedule is by far the toughest this year, but they don't have the players yet. Even last season, while they did beat CCSU and were co-champs, I felt they played at home with a lot of emotion for their departing coach. Other than that season they have little success in the NEC.

Bottom line CCSU, Monmouth, and Albany are trying to make the NEC the best they can, while realizing they may want to move up in the future becasue they can provide more resources to FB than the rest of the conference. I'm glad UA is staying in the NEC, but I know once a realignment happens they will be gone (I just hope CCSU get to join a new conference too)

[OL FU]

A man's got to know his limitations. :p

Yes and lack of patience would be the main one:p :smiley_wi

[Dane96]

Does anybody else find it somewhat ironic that Stony Brook is leaving the NEC because they thought they were more committed to football than the rest of the conference and now they're 0-4 while Albany, CCSU and Monmouth have a couple good OOC wins under their belts and are receiving votes for Top25 in the country? :nod: :eyebrow:


From what I head, Priore is not happy about the independent schedule. Albany, when hearing of this, thought about leaving and then decided against it, realizing it would be better to be IN A CONFERENCE than nomadic. No one ever thought, however, the NEC would have three teams having a season like this.

My educated guess: SBU goes one year indy...and either moves into an AE conference if formed, or crawls back to the NEC. Fact is, their AD is absolutely FRICKIN' insane. His tenure can be defined as jumping into a pool headfirst, except the pool lacks water.
xidiotx

[aceinthehole]

From what I head, Priore is not happy about the independent schedule. Albany, when hearing of this, thought about leaving and then decided against it, realizing it would be better to be IN A CONFERENCE than nomadic. No one ever thought, however, the NEC would have three teams having a season like this.

My educated guess: SBU goes one year indy...and either moves into an AE conference if formed, or crawls back to the NEC. Fact is, their AD is absolutely FRICKIN' insane. His tenure can be defined as jumping into a pool headfirst, except the pool lacks water.
xidiotx

Right on! SBU did announce its intentions, but the NEC hasn't publicly responded. I still don't know what their "buyout fee" was. There is still a chance they play in the NEC for 2007 (although its very unlikely).

I understand leaving the NEC for another conference with full schools and/or an AQ, but to go Indy is very risky. As has been debated a "CAA split" is very possible, but not likely untill 2011 or so. That's a long time to be Indy.

SBU will have no player/team/coach honors, a difficult time scheduling late season opponents, and various other problems playing as an Indy. I didn't think the NEC would have such a great year this season, but I think most UA fans (the only other NEC FB affiliate) would agree staying in the NEC is the best option until the formation of AE football or something similar.

[89Hen]

From what I head, Priore is not happy about the independent schedule. Albany, when hearing of this, thought about leaving and then decided against it, realizing it would be better to be IN A CONFERENCE than nomadic. No one ever thought, however, the NEC would have three teams having a season like this.
When I first heard the news, I was hoping SB was going to drag UA with them away from the NEC. No offense to CCSU or Monmouth, but I didn't realize they were improving at all and I thought SB and UA would leave the NEC in the dust. CCSU seemed to bet the first to step up their schedule, but they didn't have much success with the exception of beating Colgate last year. Monmouth had no real history OOC so they also were an unknown commodity.

I do like the timing and positioning of the NEC right now. Something has to give in the CAA in a couple years and it would make things a lot easier if there were 3-4 good teams in the NEC with whom the northern CAA associates could possibly align themselves. :twocents:

[rmutv]

I think with a new stadium ON CAMPUS that is now in it's second year and getting quality reviews, you'll see Robert Morris start to try and schedule some home-and-homes with stronger teams in the next couple of years.

They returned Dayton to the schedule this year after an absence, and the contracts with lowly Butler and D-3 Rowan should be done this year. They will always play cross-town rival Duquesne, but I think some stronger teams, perhaps across the state near Philly or in Delaware/Maryland might be on the docket beginning in 2007/2008.

CCSU, Albany, and Monmouth are at an advantage in terms of proximity to quality opponents outside of the NEC. At least, that's the perception down here in Southwest Pennsylvania. :)

[Pard4Life]

I think with a new stadium ON CAMPUS that is now in it's second year and getting quality reviews, you'll see Robert Morris start to try and schedule some home-and-homes with stronger teams in the next couple of years.

They returned Dayton to the schedule this year after an absence, and the contracts with lowly Butler and D-3 Rowan should be done this year. They will always play cross-town rival Duquesne, but I think some stronger teams, perhaps across the state near Philly or in Delaware/Maryland might be on the docket beginning in 2007/2008.

CCSU, Albany, and Monmouth are at an advantage in terms of proximity to quality opponents outside of the NEC. At least, that's the perception down here in Southwest Pennsylvania. :)

Robert Morris.. where are you anyhow? I thought central PA...

[UAalum72]

RMU is in Moon Township (Coraopolis, I think) west of Pittsburgh.

St. Francis is more central (near Altoona)

[Pards Rule]

Yes and the denizens of said township are really referred to as Moonies.

[Go...gate]

URI
Maine
UNH
UMass
Albany
SBU

And if you wanted to add private schools:

Fordham (if they are serious about leaving the PL)
Wagner
Monmouth

I do not see Northeastern, Villanova or Hofstra leaving the CAA unless they are kicked out.

[89Hen]

I do not see Northeastern, Villanova or Hofstra leaving the CAA unless they are kicked out.
In my best Sesame Street impression... one of those things is not like the other...

[dbackjon]

In my best Sesame Street impression... one of those things is not like the other...

You mean like Villanova is an affiliate for football only, while the other two are full members in all sports?

[JoltinJoe]

URI
Maine
UNH
UMass
Albany
SBU

And if you wanted to add private schools:

Fordham (if they are serious about leaving the PL)
Wagner
Monmouth

I do not see Northeastern, Villanova or Hofstra leaving the CAA unless they are kicked out.

Fordham is not serious about leaving the PL. That's just message board chatter. Fordham, Holy Cross and Georgetown are among each others' most played rivals and, as I've heard from various sources, are "joined at the hip" for football discussion purposes.

[89Hen]

You mean like Villanova is an affiliate for football only, while the other two are full members in all sports?
Yes. IMO if most of the associate members leave, it may be all. The only other associate left under Go..Gate's idea is Richmond. They and Nova do have the most ties to full time members (UR to JMU and W&M, Nova to UD) so they may both stay. Somewhat ironic since UR left the CAA to go to the A10 and now they could end up as one of only two associate members left. It's really too early to speculate now though. I don't think we'll see any major announcements for at least two years.

[aceinthehole]

From what I head, Priore is not happy about the independent schedule. Albany, when hearing of this, thought about leaving and then decided against it, realizing it would be better to be IN A CONFERENCE than nomadic. No one ever thought, however, the NEC would have three teams having a season like this.

My educated guess: SBU goes one year indy...and either moves into an AE conference if formed, or crawls back to the NEC. Fact is, their AD is absolutely FRICKIN' insane. His tenure can be defined as jumping into a pool headfirst, except the pool lacks water.
xidiotx

Good artice about Wagner's 4-0 start. It is understood they have a much weaker schedule than the top 3 in the NEC, but they are progressing at their own speed. Good for them!

Also, check out this excerpt:
NOTES: Stony Brook figured to contend for the NEC championship in its last season in the conference and its first without Sam Kornhauser, the only coach the program had known in its previous 23 seasons. The Seawolves' 0-4 start has raised questions not only about their status as contenders but also about whether they are ready to make the move. They lost to Hofstra 17-8 and Georgetown 7-0 before being pummeled by two I-AA powers, No. 1 New Hampshire 62-7 and Massachusetts 48-7.

http://www.silive.com/colleges/advance/wagner/index.ssf?/base/Sports/1159191186119710.xml&coll=1

[Pard4Life]

Fordham is not serious about leaving the PL. That's just message board chatter. Fordham, Holy Cross and Georgetown are among each others' most played rivals and, as I've heard from various sources, are "joined at the hip" for football discussion purposes.

Fordham would not seem to mix well with those schools. I read the Fordham board sometimes and I don't see why there is some anti-PL chatter on there... like you said, you face G'town and HC.. historical rivals and reputable schools. Frankly FU should be PL in all sports..

[Fordham]

Pard4, if you're there often enough you'll see that it's primarily a hoops board and those are the most anti-PL of all fans out there. They have good reason for their bitterness, imo, as we had a hoops team that made the NCAA tourney and was really playing well and looking to move up before we shifted to the PL and <poof!> the team was crushed for the next decade. Now there may be good arguments for why it was a 'failure of imagination' (ok, maybe of planning) but it's tough to now argue here on the benefits of schollies and then say that taking them away didn't have an impact on our hoops team back in the early 90's.

Then we left for the A10 and HC threatened to leave if they weren't allowed hoops' schollies and the PL gave in. Too bad they didn't make the concession earlier or maybe we still would have been in there. Odd, though ... and I know it's been noted ad nauseum here ... how HC was the primary reason for schollies being introduced to the PL and they're now the primary (possibly sole) impediment to them in football.

[Pard4Life]

Pard4, if you're there often enough you'll see that it's primarily a hoops board and those are the most anti-PL of all fans out there. They have good reason for their bitterness, imo, as we had a hoops team that made the NCAA tourney and was really playing well and looking to move up before we shifted to the PL and <poof!> the team was crushed for the next decade.

Then we left for the A10 and HC threatened to leave if they weren't allowed hoops' schollies and the PL gave in. Too bad they didn't make the concession earlier or maybe we still would have been in there. Odd, though ... and I know it's been noted ad nauseum here ... how HC was the primary reason for schollies being introduced to the PL and they're now the primary (possibly sole) impedement to them in football.

:dizzy: Makes you wonder why it's called "higher education" doesn't it?

[Go...gate]

Fordham is not serious about leaving the PL. That's just message board chatter. Fordham, Holy Cross and Georgetown are among each others' most played rivals and, as I've heard from various sources, are "joined at the hip" for football discussion purposes.

Sounds great to me. As you know, I'm very happy to have FU in the PL and would like to see it in all sports again.