CAA TODAY: CAA vs.THE WORLD

[jstclmet]

The Colonial Athletic Association will try to become the first league to get two teams to an NCAA Division I Football Championship game with Villanova and Delaware attempting to reach the FCS title game in matchups with Eastern Washington and Georgia Southern

After selection Sunday, I struggled with writer’s block in coming up with a theme for that weekend.

I reached out to my son for a recommendation, and he responded with “Us (Villanova) vs. The World”.

Changing “Us” to “CAA” made it more inclusive of the entire conference.

While I liked the theme, it didn’t quite fit that weekend. However, now that we’ve reached the semifinals, and we have a CAA team on each side of the bracket, the entire CAA family can get behind Villanova and Delaware and cheer for an All-CAA National Championship final.

http://www.collegesportingnews.com/content.php?378-CAA-vs-The-World

[Blue Hen 53]

ALL CAA FINAL!!!

[Wildcat80]

Just so that means I can still root against nova!

[HenZoneNation]

Not much of a battle thus far...who knows though...

[mtbigdog]

What if question. If Nova and Delaware lose, how will CAA fans explain it? Go EWU and GS !!!

[TypicalTribe]

What if question. If Nova and Delaware lose, how will CAA fans explain it? Go EWU and GS !!!

I think we'd demand an investigation and that the final be cancelled.

[mtbigdog]

Good answer.Somebody warn the final four! The refs really suck this playoff season.

[SpidersSportsEditor]

Better question: if both CAA teams win, how will other conference fans explain it? Can East Coast bias win football games?

[AppChicago]

Welp. So far in the semis, World 1.

[GannonFan]

Welp. So far in the semis, World 1.

Ain't over yet - kid didn't go out of bounds. But we're keeping our fingers close - they gotta make this kick.

[AppChicago]

Ain't over yet - kid didn't go out of bounds. But we're keeping our fingers close - they gotta make this kick.

Ok. How bout now?

[Wildcat80]

uhhh...is nova really a big East team???

[eaglesrback]

Mighty CAA.

[GannonFan]

Ok. How bout now?

Yup - there is a God and nova is done, baby!!!! Whoo Hoo!!!!!

[number1debater]

Better question: if both CAA teams win, how will other conference fans explain it? Can East Coast bias win football games?

Apparently it doesn't.

[Wildcat80]

Yup - there is a God and nova is done, baby!!!! Whoo Hoo!!!!!

AMEN!!!

[The Cats]

What if question. If Nova and Delaware lose, how will CAA fans explain it? Go EWU and GS !!!

Well, Nova did their part by losing. Now it's up to GSU to make the finals a "CAA free" zone.

[Rekdiver]

After seeing the effort and focus of Nova last week iin person, I was so dissapointed with this effort. i don't want to hear any excuses either. I think Delaware is in for a butt whipping. This could be the least watched final in history.......

[mtbigdog]

Better question: if both CAA teams win, how will other conference fans explain it? Can East Coast bias win football games?

One CAA team down,one to go.Go GS. Big Sky Fluffy got lucky tonight, huh?xviolinx

[appst97]

Better question: if both CAA teams win, how will other conference fans explain it? Can East Coast bias win football games?



No Worries!

[mtbigdog]

Oh yeah here we go.Georgia Southern is going to kick some serious butt today. But the East coast biased coalition will probably try to put a favorable spin on another CAA loss!:D

[GtFllsGriz]

Dang, did the Big Fluffy screw up the CAA's entitlement championship rematch??? That is so disrepectful. We all know that Montana is the only team from the Big Fluffy that deserves to be on the same field as the CAA. Sorry, I couldn't help myself after reading some CAA posters comments.

[cowboy91]

Weird how people are mysteriously "ill" after Villanova loses. But at least they got to celebrate the Battle of the Blue trophy win.

[caribbeanhen]

I think Delaware is in for a butt whipping. This could be the least watched final in history.......
xlolx

I guess the world revolves around Boone, NC

[ThompsonThe]

Don't have any idea why you say that, but yeah, the world revolves around Boone, N. C. Thanks for noticing.
Go on up and do some snow boarding, I hear that Appalachian Ski Mountain , Beach Mountain and all the other ski slopes are in pretty good shape.

[caribbeanhen]

Go on up and do some snow boarding, I hear that Appalachian Ski Mountain , Beach Mountain and all the other ski slopes are in pretty good shape.

No thank you Sir, all those things require to many layers of clothing

[cowboy91]

Weird how quiet the resident Villanova fan is. I guess there were some more air conditioners to be moved.

[JohnStOnge]

Late coming in on this one but it's amazing that EWU beat Villanova without its most prominent offensive player. The "no championship games with two teams from same conference" streak continues.

But, you know, the rest of the conferences need to step up. The CAA IS the toughest league and that makes absolutely no sense. It really doesn't. It's like if you had yearly BBQ championshps and every year the champion was from Norway. You've got FCS conferences with footprints in places overflowing in football talent like Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, California and Texas and the toughest league involves teams from places like New Hampshire and Delaware? It's ridiculous.

[cowboy91]

I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that about 9 out of the 10 CAA teams literally beat the crap out of each other all year long and it makes them battle-tested by the time the playoffs start. It's almost like playing 7 or 8 brutal "playoff" games even before the playoffs start. That can work against some CAA teams though, because that kind of season will take it's toll.

It's like the AFC West vs. the AFC East. or the AL West vs the AL East. Is it the travel in the west? Is it the "east coast" toughness in the teams?

[JohnStOnge]

I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that about 9 out of the 10 CAA teams literally beat the crap out of each other all year long and it makes them battle-tested by the time the playoffs start. It's almost like playing 7 or 8 brutal "playoff" games even before the playoffs start. That can work against some CAA teams though, because that kind of season will take it's toll.

It's like the AFC West vs. the AFC East. or the AL West vs the AL East. Is it the travel in the west? Is it the "east coast" toughness in the teams?

Yeah but why are they tougher than leagues in better talent areas to begin with? In FBS, the SEC is generally recognized as the toughest league but it makes sense. The most productive states in terms of football talent are the Gulf and South Atlantic Coast States. Most of that is in SEC states. And even though Texas isn't in an SEC State it's right next door.

If FCS conference strength was based on where talent is availabe, there would be no conference tougher than the Southland. You'd expect the Southern and even maybe the MEAC to be tougher than the CAA. The SWAC too.

Year in and year out, the top five talent producing States have been California, Florida, Texas, Georgia, and Louisiana. Louisiana had a little bit of a dip after the 2005 Hurricane season but, still, Ohio is the State that moved into the top 5. The CAA footprint just isn't such that they should be the toughest league. Pennsylvania and Virginia are pretty good as far as talent production goes. But they're not at the same level as States like California, Texas, Florida, Louisiana, and Georgia. It shouldn't be happening.

[BlueHenSinfonian]

Yeah but why are they tougher than leagues in better talent areas to begin with? In FBS, the SEC is generally recognized as the toughest league but it makes sense. The most productive states in terms of football talent are the Gulf and South Atlantic Coast States. Most of that is in SEC states. And even though Texas isn't in an SEC State it's right next door.

If FCS conference strength was based on where talent is availabe, there would be no conference tougher than the Southland. You'd expect the Southern and even maybe the MEAC to be tougher than the CAA. The SWAC too.

Year in and year out, the top five talent producing States have been California, Florida, Texas, Georgia, and Louisiana. Louisiana had a little bit of a dip after the 2005 Hurricane season but, still, Ohio is the State that moved into the top 5. The CAA footprint just isn't such that they should be the toughest league. Pennsylvania and Virginia are pretty good as far as talent production goes. But they're not at the same level as States like California, Texas, Florida, Louisiana, and Georgia. It shouldn't be happening.

Take a look at the potential routes for players in Texas, Florida, Louisiana, etc.

Texas has 10 FBS teams and 6 FCS teams, Florida has 7 FBS teams and 3 FCS teams, Louisiana has 5 FBS and 6 FCS programs, in California it's 7 FBS and 4 FCS. Aside from Georgia, most of the southern states are ripe with talent, but also ripe with loads of schools competing for that talent.

In the CAA, you have New Hampshire with no FBS and only 2 FCS schools, Maine with no FBS and 1 FCS school, Delaware with no FBS and 2 FCS schools, Mass with 1 FBS and 3 FCS schools, etc. Pennsylvania and Virginia are the outliers, but most of the PA FCS teams are non scholarship or limited scholarship, so that gives 'Nova more power to recruit compared to the others, and in Virginia, who the hell knows what's going on, but W&M and Richmond consistently put together talented teams despite the heavy competition from recruits.

I think the point is still valid though that the states with the most A-list recruits are also the states with the most schools demanding those recruits, so no one ever gets all of the good ones. If you're a highly recruited kid coming out of a HS in TX, do you want to play for the Longhorns or SFA?

[mtbigdog]

After seeing the effort and focus of Nova last week iin person, I was so dissapointed with this effort. i don't want to hear any excuses either. I think Delaware is in for a butt whipping. This could be the least watched final in history.......


Wow this guy is good.Great crystal ball!xlolxxlolxxlolx