LFN: Friday Water Cooler: Patriot League Expansion

[Lehigh Football Nation]

http://lehighfootballnation.blogspot.com/2008/10/friday-water-cooler-patriot-league.html

Thanks to carney2, who inspired me to get off my butt, unearth that interview with Ms. Femovich in August, and listen to what she had to say back then on this.

[Go...gate]

Nice work. Interesting that Femovich, discussed the possibility that the PL might go to scholarships to if it meant attracting the right institution.

[ngineer]

Nice work. Interesting that Femovich, discussed the possibility that the PL might go to scholarships to if it meant attracting the right institution.

That would seem to be Richmond. Size-wise, academically, and a 'southern partner' for Georgetown.

[carney2]

I, and I suppose a few others, have been assuming that since some expansion decisions will apparently be made within a year, the process would proceed without football scholarships. You, LFN, seem to be of a contrary opinion, and provide some words from the top to support it. This gets curiouser and curiouser.

[ngineer]

I, and I suppose a few others, have been assuming that since some expansion decisions will apparently be made within a year, the process would proceed without football scholarships. You, LFN, seem to be of a contrary opinion, and provide some words from the top to support it. This gets curiouser and curiouser.

Yes, you are right on. The statements coming out of the PL office seem to be at odds with themselves. Of course, when have we ever seen 'double-talk' come out of an administrative office?

[DFW HOYA]

Nothing about this issue suggests the PL office will move in any expeditious manner.

1. If the PL can find an expansion partner that will play under the current model (Marist, Iona, Davidson), they would likely go there first. Lehigh, Colgate, et al. aren't going to get up and leave over football scholarships anyway, though I don't discount Fordham beginning to look around if the status quo prevails.

2. If the PL says they are moving "to" scholarships, chances are it won't be very fast and not in a number rapidly approaching 63. If Bryant or Duquesne can be added without a need to go much beyond 30, that will be fine with some presidents.

3. In a recessionary period, it's entirely possible that the timeline for this, even if approved, will stretch far into the future, e.g., an affirmative vote in 2009, a one year study on implemantation, then a measured rollout from 2010 to 2016 in 6 or 8 scholarship increments added each year. Will that be too late?

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Nothing about this issue suggests the PL office will move in any expeditious manner.

1. If the PL can find an expansion partner that will play under the current model (Marist, Iona, Davidson), they would likely go there first. Lehigh, Colgate, et al. aren't going to get up and leave over football scholarships anyway, though I don't discount Fordham beginning to look around if the status quo prevails.

But what if the league presidents simply don't want Marist or Iona? And although Davidson was (and is) still an attractive candidate, the simple issue of their geography still precludes them from joining in all sports.


2. If the PL says they are moving "to" scholarships, chances are it won't be very fast and not in a number rapidly approaching 63. If Bryant or Duquesne can be added without a need to go much beyond 30, that will be fine with some presidents.

I very much disagree with this statement. If scholarships are "on the table" with a potential member that the presidents want, it will have to be almost immediate. Think Richmond would downgrade their 63 scholarships in order for the rest of the Patriot League to "catch up" to them? If they're really going after one of the oft-speculated CAA teams in Richmond or Villanova, it's going to come with full scholarships right here, right now. For that matter, it's going to come with a team that's not going to have AI "issues", either.


3. In a recessionary period, it's entirely possible that the timeline for this, even if approved, will stretch far into the future, e.g., an affirmative vote in 2009, a one year study on implemantation, then a measured rollout from 2010 to 2016 in 6 or 8 scholarship increments added each year. Will that be too late?

The "recessionary period" absolutely plays a huge part in this (and other schools, too), and I am planning to look into this further next week.

[Dane96]

No offense to Bryant...but I see no difference between Bryant and Marist if Marist is willing to spend the $$.

[ngineer]

But what if the league presidents simply don't want Marist or Iona? And although Davidson was (and is) still an attractive candidate, the simple issue of their geography still precludes them from joining in all sports.



I very much disagree with this statement. If scholarships are "on the table" with a potential member that the presidents want, it will have to be almost immediate. Think Richmond would downgrade their 63 scholarships in order for the rest of the Patriot League to "catch up" to them? If they're really going after one of the oft-speculated CAA teams in Richmond or Villanova, it's going to come with full scholarships right here, right now. For that matter, it's going to come with a team that's not going to have AI "issues", either.


The "recessionary period" absolutely plays a huge part in this (and other schools, too), and I am planning to look into this further next week.


Exactly. Hence my thought of Richmond....or William and Mary, but Richmond is closer demographically as a private school.

[aceinthehole]

No offense to Bryant...but I see no difference between Bryant and Marist if Marist is willing to spend the $$.

96- I agree. Not to mention, Marist has an ESTABLISHED D-I atheltic program. They have NCAA apperances in many sports from their NEC and MAAC days. They are not a start-up and that seems to be an important factor for the PL.

(I think the NEC did a GREAT job by taking Bryant. I think they will be one of our better all-around programs in time)