Will the Patriot League Approve Football Scholarships?

[carney2]

Let's see how this board feels about the Patriot League brain trust on this issue.

[FCS_pwns_FBS]

xnodx

[LeopardFan04]

I decided to be optimistic and picked "yes, with limits."

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Yes with restrictions.

[LU73]

Scholrships are inevitable, but a jump to scholarships with no restrictions would be a real stretch. The big question is when.

[MplsBison]

I actually think no. Patriot League presidents think too highly of their schools to allow scholarships in football to disgrace their campuses like they do at lowly Stanford, Duke, Tulane, etc.

[danefan]

I also voted no. Just a gut feeling, but I'm not sure I see it happening by the June 09 deadline.

[Ivytalk]

I think the PL will hold out as long as the Ivies do. So I voted no -- although I'd love to see them change their stripes.

[Neighbor2]

The pressure point, today, is this . . .

The scholarship concept has already been "accepted" by the Patriot League via basketball. I voted "YES, but with a limit."

I believe the Patriot League presidents will choose continuing to be seen as something "more pure" than every other athletic conference, so. . .non need-based scholarships, but not too many!

[carney2]

A lot of early pessimism here (44% "No" votes as of this post).

[Go...gate]

They should, but they will not.

[danefan]

A lot of early pessimism here (44% "No" votes as of this post).

Probably because the PL admins haven't done anything with regard to football competitiveness since most of us have been around FCS football.

IIRC, the only decision that has been made is the AI, which is seen by most as a negative in terms of national competitiveness.

[TheValleyRaider]

I'm guessing they will do it, and it'll be similar to basketball in a "do whatever you want" kind of way

What I'm not confident about is that they'll do it by this June deadline.....

[89Hen]

I was too quick on the vote. I read the first line as Yes, with restrictions. xoopsx

[carney2]

I'm guessing they will do it, and it'll be similar to basketball in a "do whatever you want" kind of way

What I'm not confident about is that they'll do it by this June deadline.....

All valid points. Will Fordham accept a delay if there is a guarantee? Will Fordham accept some sort of a "phase in?"

[Fordham]

All valid points. Will Fordham accept a delay if there is a guarantee? Will Fordham accept some sort of a "phase in?"

You mean a guarantee as in "don't worry about this AI thing since we promise to do scholarships RIGHT after it gets wrapped up?" xrotatehx

As gullible as it sounds, my guess is that we'd be fine with waiting as long as it really did seem like a sure thing.

[LBPop]

I almost answered yes because there was no time limit to the question. :p
Like the guy walking around with the sign:

The End of the World is Coming!

You're pretty sure he's right, but the key question is when? xrolleyesx

[Ken_Z]

i voted yes, with restrictions since that is what i have been saying will happen for several years now. i think the PL would defer (delay, procrastinate, f-around) longer if they could, but Fordham is forcing their hands. the key issue is that the league cannot expand (and possibly not survive) the way they want if they vote no.

if they do vote no, they have to go out and beg Marist and/or Bryant to join, and they don't want to do that. the biggest concern i have is that Holy Cross is the school that says they will pack their bags and go if theyre are scholarships. my Bison are not leaders on this issue, but they can be dragged along to allowing scholarships. now that is not to say they won't do something stupid like refusing to authorize our coaches to offer them after the league approves.

[Fordham]

i voted yes, with restrictions since that is what i have been saying will happen for several years now. i think the PL would defer (delay, procrastinate, f-around) longer if they could, but Fordham is forcing their hands. the key issue is that the league cannot expand (and possibly not survive) the way they want if they vote no.

if they do vote no, they have to go out and beg Marist and/or Bryant to join, and they don't want to do that. the biggest concern i have is that Holy Cross is the school that says they will pack their bags and go if theyre are scholarships. my Bison are not leaders on this issue, but they can be dragged along to allowing scholarships. now that is not to say they won't do something stupid like refusing to authorize our coaches to offer them after the league approves.

Have you heard that this is HC's stance or are you guessing based on past experience? Just curious.

I voted 'yes' as well but moreso wishful thinking. I think it's about as 50/50 an issue as it can be but if I had to actually put money on the result I'd lean towards a 'no'.

[MDFAN]

Although I am in favor I voted no because I don't think the PL Brass will make any decision in the near future.

[jimbo65]

I hope they do but voted no because I don't think they will. Franly, I am astonished that Fordham pushed this button. Coach Massela must have some photos. xlolx

[DX Man]

Any opportunity to give a scholarship to any student is a good thing!

[FUrams7]

I voted yes with no restrictions.
if schollies are less than the 56.7 minimum as a 2yr average (it doesnt count towards bowl eligiblity wins)... and 1A's would be less likely to schedule FU and PL in general.

we have UConn 2011, Army 2014,15.. and it wouldnt suprise me to see Bowling Green, Duke, Rutgers as future opponents.. in 2010, 12,13. I have no inside information other than Rutgers was debating giving us a 2009 game.. but we didnt meet scholly minimum.. Dave Clawson HC at Bowling Green would prob. schedule us as a favor. we gave him his 1st HC gig.. and there are alot of Fordham - Duke alums on wall street that could lean on athletic depts to get a ftbl game scheduled..

[Ken_Z]

Have you heard that this is HC's stance or are you guessing based on past experience? Just curious.

I voted 'yes' as well but moreso wishful thinking. I think it's about as 50/50 an issue as it can be but if I had to actually put money on the result I'd lean towards a 'no'.

no inside info on this. i look at the three schools most commonly identified as least likely to support scholarships as follows:

Bucknell - may be against, but would not derail them if Colgate, Lafayette, and Lehigh pushed them on it. moreover, our President has explicitly identified league expansion as a priority. as i said, league expansion (with the schools the PL desires) cannot happen without scholarships.

Georgetown - who knows, but even if they really say we will leave if you adopt, the league is better equiped to survive (and i believe thrive) with Fordham AND scholarships rather than Georgtown and no schollys. i think this is clear to the Presidents. [and this in NOT a statement that Fordham > or preferable to Georgetown, it is a statement that a league with only 6 football members better have scholarships to attract another member. so please no hate mail from the G'town supporters for this statement ]

Holy Cross - no reason to say they have taken a position that they would leave, but if they did (and i think it is possible, but not likely) that would be a bigger problem for the league as it needs to attract not just a football associate, but a full member to replace them. if this is the case, the league would need to have a candidate lined up before they would risk losing HC. this could keep scholarships from happening. [ and I would hate to lose HC form the PL so no hate mail from the HC supporters either, but ] if we had a successor school lined up and it cost us HC to add scholarships, i would support that decision.

[RichH2]

I would be surprised IF HC quit, especially given their recet success and prior history when they joined up

[Seawolf97]

I voted yes but less than the 63 allowed. If they permit scholarships I suspect they may follow the NEC model and work toward maybe 40-45 scholarships. I dont think the PL Admins are going to make a quantum leap because Fordham is leaving but they may relent just a little.

[blukeys]

I voted yes but less than the 63 allowed. If they permit scholarships I suspect they may follow the NEC model and work toward maybe 40-45 scholarships. I dont think the PL Admins are going to make a quantum leap because Fordham is leaving but they may relent just a little.

Why would the PL go to 40-45 scollys when they are already funding 57 plus equivalencies??

They may not go to 63. (I think they should) but to drop 10-17 athletes who would get assistance will not make the league more competitive.

[turbodean]

I voted no, at least not at this time. I do not think the PL will change to scholies until it is stongly pushed for by at a minimum LU, LC, and Gate. I do not see this happening this year. It will eventiually happen, but not until after FU has moved on.

Fordham will not spend any more money than they are now, will pick up substantial revenue games, and improve the quality of recruits and the quality of the program when free from financial aid restrictions and AI sillyness.

[LUHawker]

I voted yes, but with some restrictions, maybe 58 or something to get the FBS eligbility.

I actually think that Fordham was the perfect institution to push for this change.
Unlike the full members and founding schools, it can risk being the bad guy because it won't have to suffer through the scorn of its fellow full members. With Fordham doing it, the other ADs now have the air cover to push for the change without having to be the cheerleader and risking consequences.

I think it will happen.

[Fordham]

I voted yes, but with some restrictions, maybe 58 or something to get the FBS eligbility.

I actually think that Fordham was the perfect institution to push for this change.
Unlike the full members and founding schools, it can risk being the bad guy because it won't have to suffer through the scorn of its fellow full members. With Fordham doing it, the other ADs now have the air cover to push for the change without having to be the cheerleader and risking consequences.

I think it will happen.
I hope you're right and think you make a great point about why we were the perfect institution to make this push. Makes me wonder if we may have been encouraged to do so. Just conjecture there on my part but I do plan on asking that question.

[ngineer]

I voted yes, but with some restrictions, maybe 58 or something to get the FBS eligbility.

I actually think that Fordham was the perfect institution to push for this change.
Unlike the full members and founding schools, it can risk being the bad guy because it won't have to suffer through the scorn of its fellow full members. With Fordham doing it, the other ADs now have the air cover to push for the change without having to be the cheerleader and risking consequences.
I think it will happen.


Wow,..You're a real schemer and conniver....I like it!;)