Marist in Patriot?

[Lehigh Football Nation]

While checking out the Lafayette/Marist preview (http://www.nj.com/sports/expresstimes/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1125652190274370.xml&coll=2) at the Express-Times, I read this:


Marist is one of just five football members of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, which has been dominated by Duquesne for years. There have been hints the Red Foxes would like to join the Patriot League, either for football or all sports. To that end Parady has made sure his team meets at least two Patriot League teams a season. The Foxes are at Bucknell on Oct. 1.

This doesn't mean that Marist will definitely "go Patriot" anytime soon, but this was the strongest hint on the matter I've ever seen. I would think that a prerequisite for this happening would be the bust-up of the MAAC in football - however I don't think Marist is leaving imminently. However, a Duquesne move, an Iona/St. Peter's fold or any other movement might precipitate it.

Thoughts?

[89Hen]

Cool mascot, but would Marist be a good fit athletically? I would think the PL would want to add somebody closer to the top of the league, not the bottom.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Cool mascot, but would Marist be a good fit athletically? I would think the PL would want to add somebody closer to the top of the league, not the bottom.

I agree 100% - and IMO academically they aren't in the same ballpark either. Maybe they would fit better as an associate member. Again, I view this as: Marist is positioning itself in a place where they could save football by going to the Patriot, not the Patriot aggressively looking to Marist to swell their ranks. Big difference.

If Iona, St. Peter's or LaSalle (or all three) fold their programs, Marist and possibly Duquesne look like they would go Patriot.

[TheValleyRaider]

As far as athletically, Marist football has a long way to go before being competitive in Football at the PL level. They're a decent MAAC team, but decent MAAC teams would be hammered in the PL. On the other hand, MAAC Basketball is pretty decent, and if Marist decides they'd rather break from a conference of small, historically Catholic schools (MAAC) for a conference with a higher academic profile (which they are unquestionably trying to attain), then I think they'd be competitive right away in that sport. Not HC or Bucknell good, but certainly competitive on a day-to-day basis.

Of course, this is only if the PL decides to take them. If they do, it'll be as a full member, not an affiliate. Marist has nothing positive to offer as a football-only school.

["Ho" Dweller]

Pass! ;)

[Go...gate]

I think PL needs another member, but Marist's academics need to come up. VMI would be nice.

[breezy]

In a recent interview posted on the Crossports message board, Holy Cross athletic director Dick Regan stated that HC would like to see the Patriot League expand to perhaps ten teams. One priority for Holy Cross in adding members is to cut down on travel requirements by adding a team either in New England or in close proximity. Marist might be attractive from that perspective. Duquesne, on the other hand, would exacerbate the current HC travel problems.

Of course, this is only one consideration, but it leads me to think that Marist has some potential as a future PL member.

[colgate13]

Marist has potential as a third or forth choice out of necessity. I think we'll try to land bigger fish before then.

Marist is also building a new stadium if I recall but it is on the small size. That could hurt their PL dreams.

[DFW HOYA]

As noted in a previous post, one of the major obstacles Georgetown has to deal with in PL football is an inability to offer the number of equivalencies that other schools do.

And even their budget is nearly three times what Marist is spending today. It's very hard to imagine Marist devoting half its $7M atheltic budget to offer 50-60 equivalencies, but I could see the entire MAAC 5 in a two-division NEC setup.

I understand the comment above about Holy Cross having no nearby opponents, bacause Georgetown doesn't have one either. The closest school to Worcester is 175 miles (Fordham). However, the closest to Georgetown is Lehigh (200 miles).

The ideal close school for Georgetown is Villanova, a complete other topic. The ideal for Holy Cross is finding a private school in New England with a football tradition that doesn't already play in the A-10/CAA...so will someone please wake up Boston U and get football back in Nickerson Field??

[Hoo-ah]

As noted in a previous post, one of the major obstacles Georgetown has to deal with in PL football is an inability to offer the number of equivalencies that other schools do.

And even their budget is nearly three times what Marist is spending today. It's very hard to imagine Marist devoting half its $7M atheltic budget to offer 50-60 equivalencies, but I could see the entire MAAC 5 in a two-division NEC setup.

I understand the comment above about Holy Cross having no nearby opponents, bacause Georgetown doesn't have one either. The closest school to Worcester is 175 miles (Fordham). However, the closest to Georgetown is Lehigh (200 miles).

The ideal close school for Georgetown is Villanova, a complete other topic. The ideal for Holy Cross is finding a private school in New England with a football tradition that doesn't already play in the A-10/CAA...so will someone please wake up Boston U and get football back in Nickerson Field??

Over John Silber's dead body (is he dead yet?) .

[DFW HOYA]

Over John Silber's dead body (is he dead yet?) .

Reports claimed that as arts and sciences dean at Texas, Silber once told UT regents chairman Frank Erwin that football was an impediment to the school's future. Erwin fired Silber in 1970.

BU isn't adverse to athletics spending, if you've seen the Agannis Center. No school below the BCS conferences has a facility like it. Now is the time for someone to sell the academic focus of the PL and get some movement.

[Hoo-ah]

Reports claimed that as arts and sciences dean at Texas, Silber once told UT regents chairman Frank Erwin that football was an impediment to the school's future. Erwin fired Silber in 1970.

BU isn't adverse to athletics spending, if you've seen the Agannis Center. No school below the BCS conferences has a facility like it. Now is the time for someone to sell the academic focus of the PL and get some movement.

My mother went to BU and it was quite an experience to go to games at Nickerson Field. Even she, (who could basically care less about sports, unless her sons were playing in them) was pissed when BU dropped football.

BU is a hockey school first, and I doubt it will ever have a football program again.

Sorry to get off the topic.

[blukeys]

My mother went to BU and it was quite an experience to go to games at Nickerson Field. Even she, (who could basically care less about sports, unless her sons were playing in them) was pissed when BU dropped football.

BU is a hockey school first, and I doubt it will ever have a football program again.

Sorry to get off the topic.

One of the best players I have ever seen playing Delaware in an opposition uniform was Bruce Taylor of BU. He later went on to play for the 49 ers. He was every bit as dangerous as Brian Westbrook when it came to returning punts. I found it incomprehensible at the time when BU dropped football and many East Coast teams lost a very credible opponent.

[Go...gate]

Marist may be willing to make such a financial commitment, both academically and athletically, because they see themselves as growing into a more national school, such as a Creighton, St. Louis, Villanova, etc., so they shoud not be ruled out altogether. They looked pretty good last night against Lafayette - their QB is a fine player. Need a better facility, though. :eek:

[maacfb]

so you saw the green monster?? that facility has been there since Marist played club ball in the 60's and is a major sore point in recruiting. it has to be a liabilty as the thing looks like it is going to collapse at any moment. how many people were at the game??

[DFW HOYA]

how many people were at the game??

2,891, according to the box score. What does it hold?

[maacfb]

about 2000-2500, so for them its a sell out. the facility is awful and capacity at the new one they are putting in this year isnt being raised which raises a red flag in my mind. football consistently fills what bleachers we have and not increasing capacity is either A) stupid B) a sign they dont have the commitment to football

I lean towards B as it seems to me they are putting in a new facility out of necessity but doing it as cheap as they can with no attachments to the football program. Realistically it should seat in the 3500-4500 range but if they build a bigger facility and make the call to axe football, the stadium will always be empty (seen as a waste at that point) as the other sports will never get more than 1,000 fans. not increasing capacity allows them to put in a new facility but not tie the new facility to the football program should they make the call they dont want to support football anymore.