So it is amazing that some schools put academics first, and being sold a degree last?
Sounds right to me.

(03-22-2013 10:16 AM)HP-TBDPITL Wrote:  I have said the Davidson should be approached by the A-10 with slots coming open and Charlotte leaving. But it appears that because Davidson plays FCS football in the Southern Conference, they don't want to leave and have to park their football somewhere else. They were offered by the CAA when VCU left and declined...College of Charleston did accept.

If Richmond and VCU remain in the A-10 I think Davidson could be a good member fit there, but I think they like the bus rides in the Southern Conference.

There is some chatter about Davidson being invited to the A-10, but its not a perfect match. Here are the issues.

1) Davidson is quite small, even by A-10 standards.
2) Davidson is outside of our footprint (although not by much). But after the A-10 geographic mismatch with UNCC, taking another Charlotte area team might be a bit problematic.
3) I'm not sure they even want to join the A-10. They seem to be more focused on the south.

Its possible that Davidson will get a bid, but I see them getting in before George Mason.

The A-10 will take a hit, but I see the order for us as follows

1) George Mason
2) A Boston team (Northeastern/BU)
3) A NY team (Hofstra/Siena)
4) Davidson
5) Drexel

I see no need to go beyond 12 teams. That means that there are only 2 slots available. Unless we kick Fordham out (which we should - but that would just increase the liklihood that Hofstra would take that 3rd slot to maintain a NYC presence).

(03-23-2013 11:03 AM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(03-22-2013 10:16 AM)HP-TBDPITL Wrote:  I have said the Davidson should be approached by the A-10 with slots coming open and Charlotte leaving. But it appears that because Davidson plays FCS football in the Southern Conference, they don't want to leave and have to park their football somewhere else. They were offered by the CAA when VCU left and declined...College of Charleston did accept.

If Richmond and VCU remain in the A-10 I think Davidson could be a good member fit there, but I think they like the bus rides in the Southern Conference.

There is some chatter about Davidson being invited to the A-10, but its not a perfect match. Here are the issues.

1) Davidson is quite small, even by A-10 standards.
2) Davidson is outside of our footprint (although not by much). But after the A-10 geographic mismatch with UNCC, taking another Charlotte area team might be a bit problematic.
3) I'm not sure they even want to join the A-10. They seem to be more focused on the south.

Its possible that Davidson will get a bid, but I see them getting in before George Mason.

The A-10 will take a hit, but I see the order for us as follows

1) George Mason
2) A Boston team (Northeastern/BU)
3) A NY team (Hofstra/Siena)
4) Davidson
5) Drexel

I see no need to go beyond 12 teams. That means that there are only 2 slots available. Unless we kick Fordham out (which we should - but that would just increase the liklihood that Hofstra would take that 3rd slot to maintain a NYC presence).

Davidson has it pretty well made as to getting a bid each year where they are, but an offer to go to a true basketball conference could get their attention.
They have a long interesting bb history.

(03-23-2013 11:52 AM)GoApps70 Wrote:  

(03-23-2013 11:03 AM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(03-22-2013 10:16 AM)HP-TBDPITL Wrote:  I have said the Davidson should be approached by the A-10 with slots coming open and Charlotte leaving. But it appears that because Davidson plays FCS football in the Southern Conference, they don't want to leave and have to park their football somewhere else. They were offered by the CAA when VCU left and declined...College of Charleston did accept.

If Richmond and VCU remain in the A-10 I think Davidson could be a good member fit there, but I think they like the bus rides in the Southern Conference.

There is some chatter about Davidson being invited to the A-10, but its not a perfect match. Here are the issues.

1) Davidson is quite small, even by A-10 standards.
2) Davidson is outside of our footprint (although not by much). But after the A-10 geographic mismatch with UNCC, taking another Charlotte area team might be a bit problematic.
3) I'm not sure they even want to join the A-10. They seem to be more focused on the south.

Its possible that Davidson will get a bid, but I see them getting in before George Mason.

The A-10 will take a hit, but I see the order for us as follows

1) George Mason
2) A Boston team (Northeastern/BU)
3) A NY team (Hofstra/Siena)
4) Davidson
5) Drexel

I see no need to go beyond 12 teams. That means that there are only 2 slots available. Unless we kick Fordham out (which we should - but that would just increase the liklihood that Hofstra would take that 3rd slot to maintain a NYC presence).

Davidson has it pretty well made as to getting a bid each year where they are, but an offer to go to a true basketball conference could get their attention.
They have a long interesting bb history.

So did UNCC before they joined the A-10. They struggled. They finished below Fordham twice. They finished in the bottom two twice. They had the second worst composite record in the league until last year since they joined. They went 0 for George Washington on the road.

It's not fair to blame Davidson for UNCC's decrepitude, but there is a theory that UNCC struggled simply because Southern based schools don't fit in the A-10.

I think its up to Davidson to make their case and show some interest in joining the A-10. There are plenty of better fitting schools that are lining up to join the A-10.

No shade on Davidson. They have a great program. But if they want in, they're going to have to work it a bit.

(03-23-2013 03:52 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(03-23-2013 11:52 AM)GoApps70 Wrote:  

(03-23-2013 11:03 AM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(03-22-2013 10:16 AM)HP-TBDPITL Wrote:  I have said the Davidson should be approached by the A-10 with slots coming open and Charlotte leaving. But it appears that because Davidson plays FCS football in the Southern Conference, they don't want to leave and have to park their football somewhere else. They were offered by the CAA when VCU left and declined...College of Charleston did accept.

If Richmond and VCU remain in the A-10 I think Davidson could be a good member fit there, but I think they like the bus rides in the Southern Conference.

There is some chatter about Davidson being invited to the A-10, but its not a perfect match. Here are the issues.

1) Davidson is quite small, even by A-10 standards.
2) Davidson is outside of our footprint (although not by much). But after the A-10 geographic mismatch with UNCC, taking another Charlotte area team might be a bit problematic.
3) I'm not sure they even want to join the A-10. They seem to be more focused on the south.

Its possible that Davidson will get a bid, but I see them getting in before George Mason.

The A-10 will take a hit, but I see the order for us as follows

1) George Mason
2) A Boston team (Northeastern/BU)
3) A NY team (Hofstra/Siena)
4) Davidson
5) Drexel

I see no need to go beyond 12 teams. That means that there are only 2 slots available. Unless we kick Fordham out (which we should - but that would just increase the liklihood that Hofstra would take that 3rd slot to maintain a NYC presence).

Davidson has it pretty well made as to getting a bid each year where they are, but an offer to go to a true basketball conference could get their attention.
They have a long interesting bb history.

So did UNCC before they joined the A-10. They struggled. They finished below Fordham twice. They finished in the bottom two twice. They had the second worst composite record in the league until last year since they joined. They went 0 for George Washington on the road.

It's not fair to blame Davidson for UNCC's decrepitude, but there is a theory that UNCC struggled simply because Southern based schools don't fit in the A-10.

I think its up to Davidson to make their case and show some interest in joining the A-10. There are plenty of better fitting schools that are lining up to join the A-10.

No shade on Davidson. They have a great program. But if they want in, they're going to have to work it a bit.

Yet during that whole time in the A10 Charlotte continued to beat Davidson. That should tell you something.

But yes, joining a northern league isn't the best for a southern school. No one in NC knows much about the A10 so local recruits don't really want to play in that league. Davidson has it made where it is as they can lose a couple of OOC games early and then pile drive through their conference to get an NCAA bid. Not sure they would want to leave that set up.

Here are my thoughts on A10 expansion....if SLU and Dayton are planning to be in the while and the A10 has already picked up a low hanging fruit in George Mason then maybe it does make sense to head back into the Midwest and pick up Detroit.

Every school the A10 has added in the last 20 years plays in a major urban media market. There is not one example of a small market school like Davidson earning a spot in the A10.

It would make more sense for Davidson to make a pitch to the CAA and try to pull 2 other of its SoCon buddies into the Colonial as the academics generally are better in the Colonial and ASU/G.Southern are leaving likely for the Sun Belt.

Davidson should be in the CAA and continue their rivalry with CoC. A10 doesnt need to go that far down south.

(03-25-2013 09:02 AM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  Here are my thoughts on A10 expansion....if SLU and Dayton are planning to be in the while and the A10 has already picked up a low hanging fruit in George Mason then maybe it does make sense to head back into the Midwest and pick up Detroit.

Every school the A10 has added in the last 20 years plays in a major urban media market. There is not one example of a small market school like Davidson earning a spot in the A10.

It would make more sense for Davidson to make a pitch to the CAA and try to pull 2 other of its SoCon buddies into the Colonial as the academics generally are better in the Colonial and ASU/G.Southern are leaving likely for the Sun Belt.

I am operating under the assumption that Dayton and SLU are gone. I would be very surprised if they stayed. I'd like for them to stick around, but I'm not seeing it. Especially with Xavier gone.

But, if it turns out that SLU and Dayton are staying, then A-10 has 13 teams and really doesn't need to expand.

I think we will lose the Western 2 and take 1 more in the new, more compact footprint (and there are any number of good - but not great - choices out there).

(03-25-2013 09:25 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(03-25-2013 09:02 AM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  Here are my thoughts on A10 expansion....if SLU and Dayton are planning to be in the while and the A10 has already picked up a low hanging fruit in George Mason then maybe it does make sense to head back into the Midwest and pick up Detroit.

Every school the A10 has added in the last 20 years plays in a major urban media market. There is not one example of a small market school like Davidson earning a spot in the A10.

It would make more sense for Davidson to make a pitch to the CAA and try to pull 2 other of its SoCon buddies into the Colonial as the academics generally are better in the Colonial and ASU/G.Southern are leaving likely for the Sun Belt.

I am operating under the assumption that Dayton and SLU are gone. I would be very surprised if they stayed. I'd like for them to stick around, but I'm not seeing it. Especially with Xavier gone.

But, if it turns out that SLU and Dayton are staying, then A-10 has 13 teams and really doesn't need to expand.

I think we will lose the Western 2 and take 1 more in the new, more compact footprint (and there are any number of good - but not great - choices out there).

The main thing the A10 looks for in expansion candidates is programs that have made a Final Four before or deep runs in the tourney.

Davidson at least fits that category. They've made the NCAA tournament 12 times with 3 elite 8's. That is very strong for a mid major. Siena while on the rise has only made the tournament 6 times.