PFL Expansion Rumors and AQ playoff for 2011

[flyenhigh]

Rumors are circulating that Georgetown will be joing the PFL next year along with another high profile team. There are also rumors that the PFL will finally be getting an AQ in 2011 for the playoffs.

You heard it here first.

xcoachx

[nmatsen]

Rumors are circulating that Georgetown will be joing the PFL next year along with another high profile team. There are also rumors that the PFL will finally be getting an AQ in 2011 for the playoffs.

You heard it here first.

xcoachx

The question is, if they get a bye in the first round will they be sent to Mt. Union in the second?

[aceinthehole]

After some of your previous 'silly' posts, it's hard to take you seriously.

That being said, I can see G-town making the move to the PFL (although DFW and others may disagree), but not for next season. I just don't think its possible to make that move for NEXT season. In 2012, maybe. I think Georgetown will wait for the PL vote on scholarships before making any lon-term decisions for their program.

What other "high profile team" has the PFL on their radar? The NEC is very stable and there are no other candidates from the in the Northeast (PL or Ivy).

I also think the PFL will get the AQ in short order, I'm just not sure it will be in 2011. Again, 2012 may be a possibility for this change.

[LUHawker]

Rumors are circulating that Georgetown will be joing the PFL next year along with another high profile team. There are also rumors that the PFL will finally be getting an AQ in 2011 for the playoffs.

You heard it here first.

xcoachx

If that is true, then it would seem to imply that the Patriot League is, in fact, introducing scholarships. While I would like Georgetown to stay in the league with scholarships, I believe that the PL was losing one team, regardless of the decision. Either Fordham was going if no schollies and if this is correct, GTown is going if there are schollies.

[Dane96]

After some of your previous 'silly' posts, it's hard to take you seriously.

That being said, I can see G-town making the move to the PFL (although DFW and others may disagree), but not for next season. I just don't think its possible to make that move for NEXT season. In 2012, maybe. I think Georgetown will wait for the PL vote on scholarships before making any lon-term decisions for their program.

What other "high profile team" has the PFL on their radar? The NEC is very stable and there are no other candidates from the in the Northeast (PL or Ivy).

I also think the PFL will get the AQ in short order, I'm just not sure it will be in 2011. Again, 2012 may be a possibility for this change.

Mercer is probably the other team.

[FargoBison]

The only way the PFL gets an auto is if a conference loses theirs or the field is expanded.

[Bogus Megapardus]

I think Mercer indicated that it was applying for PFL membership. I can't see the Hoyas in the PFL - sorry. I think they'll stay in the Patriot and that the Patriot will do all it can to keep them.

[superman7515]

So which team is going to be losing their autobid?

[Dane96]

None...the playoffs will be expanded.

[401ks]

Mercer is definite.

http://www.mercer.edu/football/

"The sights and sounds of intercollegiate football will be returning to the Mercer University campus after a 70-year absence. The University’s Board of Trustees on November 19, unanimously approved a plan to resume competition in football in the fall of 2013. Mercer currently fields 15 men’s and women’s sports and is the only private university in Georgia to compete in NCAA Division I athletics.

“This was a well-thought-out, carefully deliberated decision by the board that followed more than two years of study and discussion,” chairman W. Homer Drake Jr. said at a University Center news conference following the trustees meeting. “The board’s action today reflects the trustees’ support for President Underwood’s ongoing efforts to further strengthen the University’s academic profile, reputation, and level of student engagement.”

Mercer President William D. Underwood told a packed news conference audience that the University is seeking membership in the Pioneer Football League..."

Stetson looks to be a decent possibility for the future, as well as Detroit Mercy.

xthumbsupx

[danefan]

None...the playoffs will be expanded.

Unless the MEAC voluntarily withdraws.

Expansion to 22 is very easy.

[401ks]

The only way the PFL gets an auto is if a conference loses theirs or the field is expanded.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_aHPccFvfhGY/SRapr2kkCgI/AAAAAAAAAAo/GDwndDYeoUc/S220/obviousman.png

xlolx

[Go...gate]

After some of your previous 'silly' posts, it's hard to take you seriously.

That being said, I can see G-town making the move to the PFL (although DFW and others may disagree), but not for next season. I just don't think its possible to make that move for NEXT season. In 2012, maybe. I think Georgetown will wait for the PL vote on scholarships before making any lon-term decisions for their program.

What other "high profile team" has the PFL on their radar? The NEC is very stable and there are no other candidates from the in the Northeast (PL or Ivy).

I also think the PFL will get the AQ in short order, I'm just not sure it will be in 2011. Again, 2012 may be a possibility for this change.

PL vote on scholarships I believe is pretty soon, though. This may be a contingency.

[Bogus Megapardus]

PL vote on scholarships I believe is pretty soon, though. This may be a contingency.

December 13-14.

[Go...gate]

I have to think we are going scholarship. They have managed to keep it under their hats, though.

[blukeys]

The question is, if they get a bye in the first round will they be sent to Mt. Union in the second?

LOL!!!!!!!!!!! xsmileyclapxxsmileyclapxxsmileyclapxxsmileyclapxxs mileyclapxxsmileyclapx

[superman7515]

Unless the MEAC voluntarily withdraws.

Expansion to 22 is very easy.

I doubt the MEAC will withdraw since they are sending two teams to the playoffs this year. Any idea who the last out teams were? Had it been 22-24 (depending on how they go next year), FAMU may have been in as well.

[danefan]

I doubt the MEAC will withdraw since they are sending two teams to the playoffs this year. Any idea who the last out teams were? Had it been 22-24 (depending on how they go next year), FAMU may have been in as well.

The MEAC withdrawing from teh playoffs has nothing to do with how many MEAC teams lose in the first round. It has to do with how much money they're leaving on the table by not playing the SWAC champion. Which could be millions.

[superman7515]

The MEAC withdrawing from teh playoffs has nothing to do with how many MEAC teams lose in the first round.

I'm sorry, I forgot the Albany powerhouse has more historical success than FAMU, BC, and SC State.

[Dane96]

And what does that have to do with his response to your original question. His response, if you paid any attention this year, is a FACT. The reason the MEAC may leave is play the SWAC in a Bowl Game that creates millions of dollars. What many have questioned is whether this is indeed a true benefit to the MEAC.

It has nothing to do with Albany.

But for the record...I dont think anyone would say ANY of those three teams are "powerhouses", let alone Albany.

[superman7515]

It was a reply to his comment that it didn't matter how many MEAC teams lost in the first round, clearly assuming that whether they put two, three, or a dozen teams in that they were all going to lose. I fail to see how winning the Gridiron Classic once qualifies someone to denigrate a conference's ability in the playoffs. Thankfully a few of the schools have been quite outspoken that they are not interested in playing the SWAC in a season ending bowl game and will stay in the playoffs.

[danefan]

It was a reply to his comment that it didn't matter how many MEAC teams lost in the first round, clearly assuming that whether they put two, three, or a dozen teams in that they were all going to lose. I fail to see how winning the Gridiron Classic once qualifies someone to denigrate a conference's ability in the playoffs. Thankfully a few of the schools have been quite outspoken that they are not interested in playing the SWAC in a season ending bowl game and will stay in the playoffs.

The MEAC has been terrible in the playoffs and there is nothing to indicate that is going to change anytime soon. That is a fact.

[aceinthehole]

It was a reply to his comment that it didn't matter how many MEAC teams lost in the first round, clearly assuming that whether they put two, three, or a dozen teams in that they were all going to lose. I fail to see how winning the Gridiron Classic once qualifies someone to denigrate a conference's ability in the playoffs. Thankfully a few of the schools have been quite outspoken that they are not interested in playing the SWAC in a season ending bowl game and will stay in the playoffs.

Can we stop this nonsense - the MEAC is 0 for the last 10 in the playoffs. This is a FACT. The NEC is 1 for 4 vs the PFL in the GIC. That is a FACT. The 2 have no bearing on each other. We don't know how the NEC would have faired in the playoffs, nor do we know how the MEAC champ would have done in the GIC.

I guess it's fine when CAA fans cite a conference's playoff records as an indicator of conference strength, but its not OK for a NEC fan to point out the same observation.

[mcveyrl]

Unless the MEAC voluntarily withdraws.

Expansion to 22 is very easy.

Yep. Technically, expansion to up to 32 would be easy now that they've worked out the scheduling. Once you regionalize all those teams, you'd probably have a lot of bus trips. Not that this is a good idea, but still logistically pretty easy to do.

[superman7515]

Yep. Technically, expansion to up to 32 would be easy now that they've worked out the scheduling. Once you regionalize all those teams, you'd probably have a lot of bus trips. Not that this is a good idea, but still logistically pretty easy to do.

You can't do that though because the NCAA playoff rules say that half the field has to be automatic qualifiers. There aren't 16 conferences, let alone when you take out the SWAC and Ivy.

[BlueHenSinfonian]

You can't do that though because the NCAA playoff rules say that half the field has to be automatic qualifiers. There aren't 16 conferences, let alone when you take out the SWAC and Ivy.

They could make it so that conferences with internal divisions get an autobid from each division, but it still wouldn't quite make it to 16 this year.

[TheValleyRaider]

You can't do that though because the NCAA playoff rules say that half the field has to be automatic qualifiers. There aren't 16 conferences, let alone when you take out the SWAC and Ivy.

His point is only that with the extra round added to the postseason, you could expand to 32 without screwing up additional dates. I don't think anyone's even advocating for 32 in the playoffs, much less considering it a possibility

[WileECoyote06]

I think we shall see 24 in a few years. Maybe they will switch to the Division 2 method. I prefer auto-bids, but I will admit it is a good way to keep travel costs down.

[nwFL Griz]

You can't do that though because the NCAA playoff rules say that half the field has to be automatic qualifiers. There aren't 16 conferences, let alone when you take out the SWAC and Ivy.

Not sure that is true. Having gone through both the NCAA Div 1 manual and the FCS Championship Handbook, it looks like it is up to the championship committee to determine how many teams participate in the field. Bylaw 31.3.4.7.1, which states the 50% AQ requirement, specifically excludes football (men's basketball as well).

[Dane96]

You are 100% correct!

[superman7515]

Not sure that is true. Having gone through both the NCAA Div 1 manual and the FCS Championship Handbook, it looks like it is up to the championship committee to determine how many teams participate in the field. Bylaw 31.3.4.7.1, which states the 50% AQ requirement, specifically excludes football (men's basketball as well).

Good stuff.

[Milktruck74]

I say give the PFL an AQ for 3 years. if they don't win a playoff game in that time, banish them FOREVER!!!!

[Dane96]

?!?!?!?!?!

[JMUNJ08]

So the big "high profile" team is Mercer? PFL looks STACKED when and if Gtown and them join....

[Milktruck74]

hahahahaha

[WestCoastAggie]

I say give the PFL an AQ for 3 years. if they don't win a playoff game in that time, banish them FOREVER!!!!

To be fair, wouldn't the have to banish the MEAC, OVC & PL?

[CFBfan]

After some of your previous 'silly' posts, it's hard to take you seriously.

That being said, I can see G-town making the move to the PFL (although DFW and others may disagree), but not for next season. I just don't think its possible to make that move for NEXT season. In 2012, maybe. I think Georgetown will wait for the PL vote on scholarships before making any lon-term decisions for their program.

What other "high profile team" has the PFL on their radar? The NEC is very stable and there are no other candidates from the in the Northeast (PL or Ivy).

I also think the PFL will get the AQ in short order, I'm just not sure it will be in 2011. Again, 2012 may be a possibility for this change.

While I tend to agree with DFW for several reasons it is "interesting" the GU played 2 PFL teams this year (Davidson & Marist, both wins for GU).

[Bogus Megapardus]

While I tend to agree with DFW for several reasons it is "interesting" the GU played 2 PFL teams this year (Davidson & Marist, both wins for GU).

I wouldn't read much into that. Georgetown had to scramble becasue Richmond and ODU dropped games with the Hoyas. I think they've had a series with Marist for a number of years. Patriot teams play four or even five Ivy teams in a season. That doesn't mean anyone's switchng conferences.

[CFBfan]

I wouldn't read much into that. Georgetown had to scramble becasue Richmond and ODU dropped games with the Hoyas. I think they've had a series with Marist for a number of years. Patriot teams play four or even five Ivy teams in a season. That doesn't mean anyone's switchng conferences.

yes I would agree with you BM, just thought it was "interesting" and likely not related.
the travel for fans would be awful in the PFL and I really hope that GU stays in the PL as I think most do

[DFW HOYA]

While I tend to agree with DFW for several reasons it is "interesting" the GU played 2 PFL teams this year (Davidson & Marist, both wins for GU).

I wouldn't read much into that, as the Marist series was originally scheduled under Bob Benson, and no more or less coincedental that two NEC teams were added to the rotation in Wagner and Sacred Heart, or that Brown and Princeton are coming to the schedule soon.

Teams join the PFL for one overriding reason: they need enough games to meet the Division I scheduling minimum, which is why it's appealing to teams like Campbell and Mercer and less so for teams in the Northeast who have scheduling options. Between the CAA, Ivy, PL, and NEC, (and maybe a MEAC team thrown in here and there) no Northeastern team should ever have to fly to Drake or Dayton or San Diego to build a schedule around. Marist does so because they are not competiively ready for the NEC or PL, but should the PL be serious about expansion, Marist would, for better or worse, be near the top of the list.

Similarly I don't see any rush to judgment to go anywhere until a decision is made regarding coach Kelly and his staff. There is a considerable base of support out there for Georgetown football that Kelly has not tapped, and whether a new coach could do better on and/or off the field is a decision left solely to the new athletic director.

[danefan]

I wouldn't read much into that, as the Marist series was originally scheduled under Bob Benson, and no more or less coincedental that two NEC teams were added to the rotation in Wagner and Sacred Heart, or that Brown and Princeton are coming to the schedule soon.

Teams join the PFL for one overriding reason: they need enough games to meet the Division I scheduling minimum, which is why it's appealing to teams like Campbell and Mercer and less so for teams in the Northeast who have scheduling options. Between the CAA, Ivy, PL, and NEC, (and maybe a MEAC team thrown in here and there) no Northeastern team should ever have to fly to Drake or Dayton or San Diego to build a schedule around. Marist does so because they are not competiively ready for the NEC or PL, but should the PL be serious about expansion, Marist would, for better or worse, be near the top of the list.

Similarly I don't see any rush to judgment to go anywhere until a decision is made regarding coach Kelly and his staff. There is a considerable base of support out there for Georgetown football that Kelly has not tapped, and whether a new coach could do better on and/or off the field is a decision left solely to the new athletic director.

Marist is not in the PFL because they're not "compatitively ready". They're in the PFL because they don't want to spend dough on scholarships/equivalencies.

That's the same reason why anyone would join the PFL - want to play football - want to play DI basketball - don't want to pay for football scholarships.

I'm pretty sure Georgetown could easily fit into that category if the PL goes to a scholarship model with a minimum.

[Milktruck74]

To be fair, wouldn't the have to banish the MEAC, OVC & PL?

yep. But it would be fair to all involved!!!! I think tny conf that oes not win a playoff game in a set number of years should be in danger of losing their AQ. Make room for a new player to have a shot.

[Dane96]

Or just give every league that wants one, e.g. only the PFL, and AQ and be done with it.

The only two leagues that dont have the AQ (since the Great West is dead) would be the Ivy and SWAC...both of whom don't want or have asked for the shot.

Guaranteed they would get them if they did.

Your logic made sense years ago...not today.

[WestCoastAggie]

yep. But it would be fair to all involved!!!! I think tny conf that oes not win a playoff game in a set number of years should be in danger of losing their AQ. Make room for a new player to have a shot.

The NCAA doesn't have the gonads to take any conference's AQ away, especially the MEAC's.

The only way the MEAC will not have an AQ is if they give it up in lieu of a Legacy Bowl with the SWAC.

[SumItUp]

I think we shall see 24 in a few years. Maybe they will switch to the Division 2 method. I prefer auto-bids, but I will admit it is a good way to keep travel costs down.

What is the DII method?

[WestCoastAggie]

What is the DII method?

The Div-2 System does not have Automatic Bids. They instead have 4 "super regions".
The last 2 weeks of the season, they have a top 10 ranking for each super region. To have a spot in the playoffs, you have to rank in the top 6 within that region. Then they you are placed in a bracket within that region, ranked 1 - 6 according to that final super regional ranking. The top 2 seeds in each region have a bye.

[Model Citizen]

For the PFL, the key feature of D-II's system would be Earned Access.

[CFBfan]

I wouldn't read much into that, as the Marist series was originally scheduled under Bob Benson, and no more or less coincedental that two NEC teams were added to the rotation in Wagner and Sacred Heart, or that Brown and Princeton are coming to the schedule soon.

Teams join the PFL for one overriding reason: they need enough games to meet the Division I scheduling minimum, which is why it's appealing to teams like Campbell and Mercer and less so for teams in the Northeast who have scheduling options. Between the CAA, Ivy, PL, and NEC, (and maybe a MEAC team thrown in here and there) no Northeastern team should ever have to fly to Drake or Dayton or San Diego to build a schedule around. Marist does so because they are not competiively ready for the NEC or PL, but should the PL be serious about expansion, Marist would, for better or worse, be near the top of the list.

Similarly I don't see any rush to judgment to go anywhere until a decision is made regarding coach Kelly and his staff. There is a considerable base of support out there for Georgetown football that Kelly has not tapped, and whether a new coach could do better on and/or off the field is a decision left solely to the new athletic director.

well said DFW, thanks.
I don't think ANY coach would be worse than Kelly and with no contract I sure hope they don't renew him
as you point out, there is a LOT of potential (resources, recruiting, networking, fund raising, general good will for the program, etc) and while no one knows to what extent it could tapped one thing is certain, Kelly did very little to nothing in most if not all of these areas/opportunities.

[CFBfan]

Marist is not in the PFL because they're not "compatitively ready". They're in the PFL because they don't want to spend dough on scholarships/equivalencies.

That's the same reason why anyone would join the PFL - want to play football - want to play DI basketball - don't want to pay for football scholarships.

I'm pretty sure Georgetown could easily fit into that category if the PL goes to a scholarship model with a minimum.

Dane, I would suggest that Marist would replicate GU's 2009 record of 0 - 11 most years if the were in the PL.

[danefan]

Dane, I would suggest that Marist would replicate GU's 2009 record of 0 - 11 most years if the were in the PL.

I'm sure they would, because in their current state they don't fund the program to the same extent the other teams in the league do.

[superman7515]

yep. But it would be fair to all involved!!!! I think tny conf that oes not win a playoff game in a set number of years should be in danger of losing their AQ. Make room for a new player to have a shot.

That's already one of the requirements that are supposed to be reviewed each year.


Automatic Qualification Criteria/Process
The Division I Football Championship Committee will annually make the determination
of which eligible conferences will receive automatic qualification. The following criteria
are used when determining which conferences shall receive annual automatic qualification
for the NCAA Division I Football Championship:
1. Non-conference records;
2. Strength of non-conference opponents;
3. Recent postseason history; and
4. Competition against Football Bowl Subdivision opponents.

[ST_Lawson]

The Div-2 System does not have Automatic Bids. They instead have 4 "super regions".
The last 2 weeks of the season, they have a top 10 ranking for each super region. To have a spot in the playoffs, you have to rank in the top 6 within that region. Then they you are placed in a bracket within that region, ranked 1 - 6 according to that final super regional ranking. The top 2 seeds in each region have a bye.

Sounds like an interesting idea. Is there a set "map" for the super regions or is it adjusted every year? I'd love to see that system applied to this year's FCS teams.
I believe there's 124 FCS teams this year (including Ivy and SWAC, not sure what we'd do about those, just exclude them from the rankings maybe), so it'd be 4 super regions of 31 teams each. I'd imagine with the large number of FCS teams on the east coast, to normalize the number of teams, you'd have to do something like:
Northeast region: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delware, and everything northeast of there
Southeast region: Maryland, Virginia and south down the coastal states,
Midwest region: the Dakotas down to Texas as the west border, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama on the east border
West region: Everyone from Northern Colorado west.

As I said, dropping the Ivy League will push the boundaries for the northeast region a little south and west, and dropping the SWAC would cause adjustments to the midwest and southeast regions.

Do you know if Div. II does anything to address first round conference matchups? Like, for example, if the midwest region's #1 team was UNI and #6 was WIU, do they just go ahead and play each other in the first round, or do they adjust it to avoid that?

[danefan]

That's already one of the requirements that are supposed to be reviewed each year.

Yes - but in practice its not. The NCAA will not take an AQ away from a league that has one to give it to another league that wants one.

[CFBfan]

I'm sure they would, because in their current state they don't fund the program to the same extent the other teams in the league do.
what is their funding?
is it really LESS than GU????

[danefan]

what is their funding?
is it really LESS than GU????

Marist spends half of what GU spends on football.

Marist - $760,000
Georgetown - $1.43 million

[CFBfan]

Marist spends half of what GU spends on football.

Marist - $760,000
Georgetown - $1.43 million

wow, GU has "almost" NO football aide packages and a lot less travel then Marist. What am I missing here?

[DFW HOYA]

wow, GU has "almost" NO football aide packages and a lot less travel then Marist. What am I missing here?

Georgetown does have "some" packaging and Marist has none. In addition, Marist has only two full time coaches on staff, Georgetown has eight.

[CFBfan]

Georgetown does have "some" packaging and Marist has none. In addition, Marist has only two full time coaches on staff, Georgetown has eight.
oh! thanks DFW

[Model Citizen]

Yeah, yeah. a few bucks more for the coaches.

Seriously...tuition and fees at Georgetown is 56 grand.

Georgetown giving "almost" no athletic aid is like a diabetic eating "almost" no bags of sugar.

[CFBfan]

Yeah, yeah. a few bucks more for the coaches.

Seriously...tuition and fees at Georgetown is 56 grand.

Georgetown giving "almost" no athletic aid is like a diabetic eating "almost" no bags of sugar.

what??
in terms of # of packages IT IS almost none

[Model Citizen]

Give the exact number.

[CFBfan]

Give the exact number.

are you a PFL alum? former player?

[Bogus Megapardus]

DFW - if Georgetown was not going to keep Kelly next season, wouldn't the AD have announced that already, or be getting ready to announce it in the next week or so? It would make little sense to wait until March or something. Might Kelly's retention be contingent on Georgetown's decision either to remain in the Patriot or seek membership elsewhere?

[DFW HOYA]

DFW - if Georgetown was not going to keep Kelly next season, wouldn't the AD have announced that already, or be getting ready to announce it in the next week or so? It would make little sense to wait until March or something. Might Kelly's retention be contingent on Georgetown's decision either to remain in the Patriot or seek membership elsewhere?

Georgetown works in its own way. In 2005, the departure of Bob Benson did not come until late December.

http://www.guhoyas.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/122005aaa.html

[emilimo701]

You can't do that though because the NCAA playoff rules say that half the field has to be automatic qualifiers. There aren't 16 conferences, let alone when you take out the SWAC and Ivy.

I thought it only has to be half AQs until all conferences are accounted for. no?

[ngineer]

If that is true, then it would seem to imply that the Patriot League is, in fact, introducing scholarships. While I would like Georgetown to stay in the league with scholarships, I believe that the PL was losing one team, regardless of the decision. Either Fordham was going if no schollies and if this is correct, GTown is going if there are schollies.

That would appear to be the case. I consider these rumors arising from people's expectations of schools' options depending on what occurs on December 13, when the PL presidents meet and send smoke up the chimney (or our a---s).xsmiley_wix

[DFW HOYA]

I don't buy it. Georgetown has never been an "our way or the highway" vote, while Fordham, well, has. Unless the PL mandates 60 scholarships, the Hoyas are still around for the forseeable future.

But ironically, Fordham has seemingly positioned the argument so that anything less than 60 triggers their exit, so whether that's a winning strategy or a colossal backfire waits to be seen.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Georgetown is in the Patriot for as long as it wishes to be, obviously. There are elements within the league that would prefer the Hoyas to do a little sprucing up around the Multi-Sport Playground, but I've never read or heard of Georgetown making demands or ultimata. I'm willing to bet that Fordham will buy into the "something less" option - unless, of course, they have somewhere else to go. And if URI doesn't have "CAA-quality facilities," I'm pretty sure Fordham doesn't, either.

My guess is that both Georgetown and Fordham remain in a scholarship-something Patriot League. Marist? Love to have ya if you can meet the academic index, but with their small endowment and other capital projects, I can't see them coming up with the dollars it would take to compete in the Patriot. Duquesne would be more likely.

[maristdb89]

Georgetown is in the Patriot for as long as it wishes to be, obviously. There are elements within the league that would prefer the Hoyas to do a little sprucing up around the Multi-Sport Playground, but I've never read or heard of Georgetown making demands or ultimata. I'm willing to bet that Fordham will buy into the "something less" option - unless, of course, they have somewhere else to go. And if URI doesn't have "CAA-quality facilities," I'm pretty sure Fordham doesn't, either.

My guess is that both Georgetown and Fordham remain in a scholarship-something Patriot League. Marist? Love to have ya if you can meet the academic index, but with their small endowment and other capital projects, I can't see them coming up with the dollars it would take to compete in the Patriot. Duquesne would be more likely.

Marist is a decent fit for full PL participation, except for FB. We're not there, improving, but not there. Life in the PFL is good, with a possible Auto Bid in the future, it is great.

[maristdb89]

Marist is not in the PFL because they're not "compatitively ready". They're in the PFL because they don't want to spend dough on scholarships/equivalencies.

That's the same reason why anyone would join the PFL - want to play football - want to play DI basketball - don't want to pay for football scholarships.

I'm pretty sure Georgetown could easily fit into that category if the PL goes to a scholarship model with a minimum.

Spot on - Danefan!!!