After Ejecting Football, A-10 Commish Resigns

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A-10 COMMISSIONER LINDA BRUNO ANNOUNCES RESIGNATION

PHILADELPHIA, PA – Linda Bruno, the fourth commissioner in the history of the Atlantic 10 Conference, today announced her resignation, effective June 30, 2008. Bruno was named commissioner on June 14, 1994.

[bluehenbillk]

That's great news for the A-10, she was a horrendous commish for football & let's face it, they're hoops stature has seen better days too.

[Mountaineer#96]

I hope she never gets another job like that one.

[Tim James]

Besides discontinuing football she also did some other dumb things like adding Fordham just because they are in NYC. The A10 basketball is way over bloated at 14 teams and its showing because the conference now doesnt get as many NCAA bids as it used to. The Missouri Valley has gone right past them and they are smart to stay at 10 teams.

[umassfan]

Besides discontinuing football she also did some other dumb things like adding Fordham just because they are in NYC. The A10 basketball is way over bloated at 14 teams and its showing because the conference now doesnt get as many NCAA bids as it used to. The Missouri Valley has gone right past them and they are smart to stay at 10 teams.

I have a feeling the A10 will have a good year this year. X is ranked and a URI is a handfull. UMass is night and day but beat Cuse by 7 at their place. St Joes has a good team and Duquesne can score with anyone.

[RadMann]

Did she really eject football, or did the CAA members decide they wanted to be in their all-sports conference?

[saint0917]

Their is a god xthumbsupx

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Linda Bruno, the fourth commissioner in the history of the Atlantic 10 Conference, today announced her resignation, effective June 30, 2008. Bruno was named commissioner on June 14, 1994.

"After almost a decade-and-a-half with the Atlantic 10, I've decided it's time for new challenges," said Ms. Bruno. "I look back on the past 13 years with pride. The league has made tremendous strides, both on the field of play and off. We have strengthened our membership, strengthened our commitment to excel, and strengthened the future of the Atlantic 10."

During her tenure, Ms. Bruno strengthened the Atlantic 10's membership with the additions of Charlotte, Dayton, Fordham, La Salle, Richmond, and Saint Louis; negotiated two television contracts with ESPN - the most lucrative and extensive packages in league history; was among the first to sign a contract with College Sports Television; added women's rowing, men's and women's outdoor track & field, and women's lacrosse to the Conference's championship slate; and created officiating bureaus for baseball, field hockey, men's and women's soccer and women's volleyball to better serve those Atlantic 10 programs.

Linda Bruno (http://atlantic10.cstv.com/genrel/120507aaa.html)

[Cobblestone]

Their is a God xthumbsupx

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Linda Bruno, the fourth commissioner in the history of the Atlantic 10 Conference, today announced her resignation, effective June 30, 2008. Bruno was named commissioner on June 14, 1994.

"After almost a decade-and-a-half with the Atlantic 10, I've decided it's time for new challenges," said Ms. Bruno. "I look back on the past 13 years with pride. The league has made tremendous strides, both on the field of play and off. We have strengthened our membership, strengthened our commitment to excel, and strengthened the future of the Atlantic 10."

During her tenure, Ms. Bruno strengthened the Atlantic 10's membership with the additions of Charlotte, Dayton, Fordham, La Salle, Richmond, and Saint Louis; negotiated two television contracts with ESPN - the most lucrative and extensive packages in league history; was among the first to sign a contract with College Sports Television; added women's rowing, men's and women's outdoor track & field, and women's lacrosse to the Conference's championship slate; and created officiating bureaus for baseball, field hockey, men's and women's soccer and women's volleyball to better serve those Atlantic 10 programs.

Linda Bruno (http://atlantic10.cstv.com/genrel/120507aaa.html)

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

xthumbsupx

[89Hen]

xlolx Five years too late. If she had done this in 2000, the A10 might still have a football conference.

[DrG]

Did she really eject football, or did the CAA members decide they wanted to be in their all-sports conference?
It was closer to her ejecting football. I think it was just one less thing to worry about. As a practical matter, it just amounted to a name change, and I'm sure the full CAA members welcomed bringing football under their umbrella. But I have a sense that the associate football members, even the A10 members like UMass, weren't unhappy with the switch. A10 fans are nearly unanimous in their opinion that Bruno's departure can't come soon enough. The UMass AD's statement spoke volumes in its underwhelming assessment of her tenure.

It will be interesting to see whether the A10 goes after Elgin or Yeager, the commissioners of the two leagues (CAA and MVC) that have at least equaled or surpassed the A10 in recent basketball seasons.

[GannonFan]

I have a feeling the A10 will have a good year this year. X is ranked and a URI is a handfull. UMass is night and day but beat Cuse by 7 at their place. St Joes has a good team and Duquesne can score with anyone.


Agreed - the A-10 is surely not what they used to be in the heydays of Temple/UMass, but they're quietly good this year. And the CAA is not what it was the past couple of years so you could see the A10 gain a little respectability back this year. Heck, 2-4 teams from the A10 could make the dance this year. That will do a lot to correct the sliding that the A10 has done recently.

[JMU2004]

It was closer to her ejecting football. I think it was just one less thing to worry about. As a practical matter, it just amounted to a name change, and I'm sure the full CAA members welcomed bringing football under their umbrella. But I have a sense that the associate football members, even the A10 members like UMass, weren't unhappy with the switch. A10 fans are nearly unanimous in their opinion that Bruno's departure can't come soon enough. The UMass AD's statement spoke volumes in its underwhelming assessment of her tenure.

It will be interesting to see whether the A10 goes after Elgin or Yeager, the commissioners of the two leagues (CAA and MVC) that have at least equaled or surpassed the A10 in recent basketball seasons.



Yeager is going no where. He started the CAA, and has taken it to where it is today. He feels that the CAA can keep moving up.

[Dane96]

NERO from the America East- Will be at the top of the list.

I hate him...but he will be there. Pedigree!

[CollegeSportsInfo]

Yeager is going no where. He started the CAA, and has taken it to where it is today. He feels that the CAA can keep moving up.

I say this with all honesty: I would prefer ANY existing commish from any of the other 29 Division 1 conferences over Yeager. My CAAzone pals can't hold that one against me when I know a number of them have similar views about Tom.

I've never been a Bruno fan and am glad the change is coming next June.

As for changes, cutting the fat tops the list for me and bringing the league down to 10 or 12 would be nice to see. The A10 is ranked #5 in the KenPom ratings thus far with the SEC and Big Ten behind then (http://kenpom.com/confrank.php).

[Tim James]

During her tenure, Ms. Bruno strengthened the Atlantic 10's membership with the additions of Charlotte, Dayton, Fordham, La Salle, Richmond, and Saint Louis;

Fordham and La Salle were bad additions IMO. They should be dropped. Fordham belongs in the Patriot League in all sports.

[Tim James]

Agreed - the A-10 is surely not what they used to be in the heydays of Temple/UMass, but they're quietly good this year. And the CAA is not what it was the past couple of years so you could see the A10 gain a little respectability back this year. Heck, 2-4 teams from the A10 could make the dance this year. That will do a lot to correct the sliding that the A10 has done recently.

Theres still too many mediocre programs in the A10. Do they really need 3 teams from Philadelphia ??? Why have Fordham when they play in a tiny gym and havent been to the NCAA's since they've been there. St. Bonaventure and Duquense make the NCAA tournament like once per decade.

[DFW HOYA]

Agreed - the A-10 is surely not what they used to be in the heydays of Temple/UMass, but they're quietly good this year. And the CAA is not what it was the past couple of years so you could see the A10 gain a little respectability back this year. Heck, 2-4 teams from the A10 could make the dance this year. That will do a lot to correct the sliding that the A10 has done recently.

Imagine what the A-10 would have done with teams like Penn State, Pitt, Rutgers, Villanova and West Virginia...all were former members, and they let each get away.

[Purple For Life]

Besides discontinuing football she also did some other dumb things like adding Fordham just because they are in NYC. The A10 basketball is way over bloated at 14 teams and its showing because the conference now doesnt get as many NCAA bids as it used to. The Missouri Valley has gone right past them and they are smart to stay at 10 teams.

xthumbsupx Yes we are.

[DrG]

Imagine what the A-10 would have done with teams like Penn State, Pitt, Rutgers, Villanova and West Virginia...all were former members, and they let each get away.

With the obvious exception of Nova, I would say all of those defections were football-driven.

I also agree with all of the above posts that say the A10 needs to lose a few bottom feeders. In defense of Fordham, at least they're trying. So is Duquesne at the moment. But it may be time for LaSalle and St. Bonaventure to go.

[Tim James]

xthumbsupx Yes we are.

Yes but you would take St. Louis as an 11th team should they decide to leave the A10. Theres no way you'd turn them down.

[URMite]

Did she really eject football, or did the CAA members decide they wanted to be in their all-sports conference?

To me, it seemed the A10 was ambivalent or laissez-faire about football, while the CAA (under Yeager) expanded specifically with A10 football in mind (Delaware, Northeastern, Hofstra, Towson) so they would have a minimum of a 50/50 vote. Tom Yeager is a very shrewd man, but I don't see him leaving the CAA. His current relationship with UR is interesting to say the least. First, our leaving the CAA was a volatile situation. Now, our former AD is in charge of CAA football. Like I said, I don't see him leaving the CAA but UR being in the A10 with Tom Yeager as commissioner would be fascinating to watch. xcoffeex

[Lehigh Football Nation]

With the obvious exception of Nova, I would say all of those defections were football-driven.

I also agree with all of the above posts that say the A10 needs to lose a few bottom feeders. In defense of Fordham, at least they're trying. So is Duquesne at the moment. But it may be time for LaSalle and St. Bonaventure to go.

I keep thinking of this scenario where the Patriot League nabs LaSalle and Fordham from the A-10 in all sports, which fits the Patriot League's basketball dreams quite well. Of course, that doesn't impact football one whit, though.

That I'm talking about this possibility at all shows how bad the A-10 has fallen from grace. Five years ago, I'd say Fordham and LaSalle joining the PL in all sports would be some sort of dream. Now, I can look at such a possibility semi-seriously.

[GannonFan]

I keep thinking of this scenario where the Patriot League nabs LaSalle and Fordham from the A-10 in all sports, which fits the Patriot League's basketball dreams quite well. Of course, that doesn't impact football one whit, though.

That I'm talking about this possibility at all shows how bad the A-10 has fallen from grace. Five years ago, I'd say Fordham and LaSalle joining the PL in all sports would be some sort of dream. Now, I can look at such a possibility semi-seriously.

Fordham obviously makes sense, but why LaSalle? I can't imagine they fit in the same academic niche as they rest of the Patriot League.

[Tim James]

Fordham obviously makes sense, but why LaSalle? I can't imagine they fit in the same academic niche as they rest of the Patriot League.

Sure they do. Catholic schools all have higher academic standards. You have Georgetown in football. How is La Salle any different from Georgetown ?

[GannonFan]

Sure they do. Catholic schools all have higher academic standards. You have Georgetown in football. How is La Salle any different from Georgetown ?

You obviously don't know LaSalle if you seriously just compared a LaSalle education with a Georgetown education. xsmhx

[CollegeSportsInfo]

Fordham and La Salle were bad additions IMO. They should be dropped. Fordham belongs in the Patriot League in all sports.

Agreed. I was at Umass when Rutgers and WVU left and was worried about the future of the conference (losing state schools).

Dayton and Xavier were great additions and Virginia Tech was good as well (thanks to Ace Custis). Richmond to replace Virginia Tech made sense on a general geographical level as a natural rival for GW. Has Charlotte had the interest then, they would have been ideal...but in time they made the move.

The additions (or re-additions) I never liked were Fordham, LaSalle and Duquesne. They just weren't the best additions and I felt Fordham was better off in the Patriot.

My dream lineup would involve the demoting of Fordham, LaSalle, Duquesne and St. Bonaventure:

A10:
UMass
URI
Temple
St. Josephs
George Washington
Richmond
Charlotte
Xavier
Dayton
St. Louis

[Marcus Garvey]

To be fair, the A-10 never should have taken on football. They'd have been better off doing something like the Gateway. They're a football-only conference who's administered by the Missouri Valley. In a situation like that, the A-10 should have retained the Yankee Conf. name for the football league.

The conference saw an opportunity to correct a mistake by getting the CAA to take the football league, and took it.

I'm more disturbed by how far basketball's stature has fallen. In the mid/late-90's, the A-10 was clearly the best of the "non-power" (mid-major term hadn't been coined yet) in basketball. It ranked behind the Big East, ACC, SEC, Pac-10. It was ahead of the SWC before the Big XII was formed. For a while, the A-10 was the best "mid-major" conference, but that's clearly no longer the case. That's a shame considering some of the historic programs in the league such as St. Joe's, Temple, LaSalle, and Duquesne.

[umassfan]

To be fair, the A-10 never should have taken on football. They'd have been better off doing something like the Gateway. They're a football-only conference who's administered by the Missouri Valley. In a situation like that, the A-10 should have retained the Yankee Conf. name for the football league.

The conference saw an opportunity to correct a mistake by getting the CAA to take the football league, and took it.

I'm more disturbed by how far basketball's stature has fallen. In the mid/late-90's, the A-10 was clearly the best of the "non-power" (mid-major term hadn't been coined yet) in basketball. It ranked behind the Big East, ACC, SEC, Pac-10. It was ahead of the SWC before the Big XII was formed. For a while, the A-10 was the best "mid-major" conference, but that's clearly no longer the case. That's a shame considering some of the historic programs in the league such as St. Joe's, Temple, LaSalle, and Duquesne.

Right now the A10 is ranked 5th in the current RPI rankings.