Monday, October 10, 2011

CAA going after 49ers, other A-10 schools?

As conference relignment uncertainty continues on the FBS level, the New York Times is reporting the Charlotte 49ers are one of three schools the Colonial Athletic Association might be trying to pry from the Atlantic 10. The CAA, according to the story, is also interested in Boston University of the America East.

The CAA would hope to add Charlotte, Richmond and George Washington from the Atlantic 10, according to the story.

There are a lot of moving parts to this:

This would obviously be a basketball move. The Atlantic 10 doesn't sponsor football; Richmond is already a football-only member of the CAA.  Charlotte, which starts football in 2013, has already told the CAA it would like to join, but as a football-playing member only -- an offer 49ers athletics director Judy Rose says the CAA declined.

The question, though, could become: Would joining the CAA in basketball (and other sports) become more attractive to Charlotte if Richmond and George Washington were to also go?

And, here's where it gets crazy again, the NYT story also says the Atlantic 10 could ask current CAA members Virginia Commonwealth and George Mason to join.

65 comments:

moss2k said...

Best hope for CAA is to load up with football schools that have FBS aspirations and make a jump in the future.

Job F said...

This blog post is 14 minutes old and no troll posts yet? You guys are getting rusty.

I don't see us jumping to CAA all sports even if Richmond and GW go too. Especially not going to happen if VCU and GMU go to the A10...those are the two most recognizable basketball programs the CAA has to offer.

Our best move is to stay independent for now as our first two football seasons are already scheduled. Don't jump into anything without letting this current seismic shift play out a little longer. The grass may not always be greener but to commit to CAA long term would be a bit hasty at this point.

49RFBN said...

It's all academic until something happens to collapse the Big East and force a football/basketball split in that conference. Till then Xavier, Dayton and Temple are A10 members and thus, so are we.

Anonymous said...

Are we better off than we were 25 years ago?

49RFBN said...

Anonymous said...
Are we better off than we were 25 years ago?

YES! We were playing Wisselball in the Sun Belt back in 1986. Good Lawd!

Anonymous said...

I wish the niners would get out of the atlantic 10.We don't have a true rival,unless you consider richmond because they are closest to charlotte.Man i miss cincy with bob huggins and louisville with pitino.We made a big mistake and judy rose panicked when we went to the atlantic-10.I'd go back to the sun belt conference in a minute.

Anonymous said...

Job F...maybe no trolling, because no one really cares? 6 comments in 2 hours kind of tells the story...

Alex said...

"I'd go back to the sun belt conference in a minute."

Yep, playing North Texas and Troy and Florida Atlantic would REALLY get butts in the seats.

I think A-10 basketball is a better option than the Colonial because of Xavier, Dayton, and Richmond, but it's not all about basketball anymore. The CAA would be a step up in baseball and probably a lateral move in most other sports. We should at least consider it.

Anonymous said...

why is the observer even wasting space for this blog? they should utilize david's excellent writing ability on something that matters. high school volleyball maybe? well, anything else really.

49RFBN said...

Anon 12:46

Seems you and Anon 1:03 have the honor to be the first trolls of the topic. Congrats and welcome. Your pointless blathering always brightens up the Goldmine.

Anonymous said...

Awesome tattoo, Job. Great idea!

LOL

Anonymous said...

49erfbn...interesting, you make up 30% of all posts here. Got alot of free time, I take it. I went to UNCC long before you and actually played a sport there. Did you?

Just because I state a fact, does not make me a troll, but clearly you are one of those message board dork wannabes who sucks up to the AD to feel important. Flame on loser.

Anonymous said...

Hey metro - I am important! Im keeping the 49er spirit! I am a modern day Bonnie Cone MFer!!!!

GO NINERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Fordham & Charlotte to CAA for full scholarship FCS football.

VCU & GMU to A10 for an upgrade in basketball.

Anonymous said...

I never understood the move to the A10 anyway. The notion that we are going to be some national presence in basketball is ridiculous. Outside of the Lee Rose era, we have always been a tournament disappointment. I'd rather have a season full of good local rivals to enjoy, instead of playing a bunch of schools scattered from here to the Mississippi.

The REAL Real Tim Collie said...

I'm sure Judy will put us in the best position to succeed. I've heard good things about her connections in the business. I look forward to the improved baseball in the CAA.

I hope Major can turn it around this season. I bet he can, lots of good talent this year. It was smart to drop Shamari Spears, I don't like punks one bit. Having a good basketball program will help us in conference talks whenever the shift occurs at our level.

Anonymous said...

Makes no sense while Xavier and Temple are in the A10. With them in the conference, the A10 is no worse than the early CUSA years. If they leave soon, then we'll probably end up in the CAA.

Anonymous said...

DON'T FORGET GEORGIA ST. AS A FUTURE RIVAL. IF YOU HAVE THE CITIES OF ATLANTA, CHARLOTTE, AND RICHMOND IN A CONFERENCE THAT GIVES YOU A FOOTPRINT IN THE LARGEST CITIES IN THREE SOUTHERN STATES. THAT COULD BE VERY ADVANTAGIOUS IN THE FUTURE.

Anonymous said...

I just hope the Southern Conference reconsiders and let's NC-Charlotte in. It's the best FCS football conference in the country and despite your recent loses in bball to Davidson and App State, you guys are usually pretty competitive with SC schools bball-wise. And at least most of the local fans would be halfway familiar with the schools you play. Fingers crossed...

49RFBN said...

Anon 1:24

You stated a fact somewhere?

Anonymous said...

ROTFLMAO

MGM said...

A lot of the comments on here are going really low. People please grow up and act like adults (both sides).


Go Niners!

Anonymous said...

Judy Rose had no hesitation firing Lutz, 49ers best hoops coach with strong ties to the community, because the program failed to make the NCAA tourn. his last 2-3 years. Having to recruit to the A10 instead of Conf USA didnt help matters but Rose still let him go.

With Rose's expectations being for Charlottes coaches/programs to compete on a national stage, she has to get Charlotte out of the A10 (who??) and to a conference with a higher profile and nationally recognized schools and athletic programs. Certainly, the A10 much less the Colonial would not meet the criteria she established for Lutz and Charlottes sports programs

49RFBN said...

Anon 2:22

Linebacker in high school.

You?

Anonymous said...

Greg Johnson says...why is moving to the CAA or SoCon for that matter such a step down for you guys? I mean, you lost to Garner Webb, Coastal Carolina and got blown out by George Mason and Davidson. You lost your last 8 games in a row and didn't even make your own conference tourney. How do you have the right to look down on any conference. Heck, I looked at your message board and there wasn't anymore than 10 members online. I went to South Carolina and the one board I'm (of many) had 913 paying members on just an hour ago. I just don't get you guys. But I do wish the best for Charlotte. I think you just need to lower your expectations a bit and be real. Peace out.

Anonymous said...

49erfbn. I said in college, goofball. I played soccer...fb, goalie for Bob Warming. Do you plau at Charlotte as well? Give me your email address or phone number and I'll bew glad to provide you with proof. I'm not some dork wannabe who dings every naysayer.

Anonymous said...

The move to the A10 made no sense. Back in 2005, we should have joined a conference with FCS football.

I think everyone would have preferred joining the CAA in the 1st place. The basketball might be worse and there's still a lot of Yankee teams there, but it has a football league which the a10 NEVER had.

49RFBN said...

Anon 2:36

I'm not putting that info on the internet in this format. If you'd like to come discuss it on NinerNation.net where private messages are an option then feel free. I don't get you, because if you are a former 49er athlete you should have a bit more pride in yourself and the program you played for. The program is bigger than 1 Athletic Director and your issues with her. I hope you find your way home one day. There's a lot to be proud about going on at UNC Charlotte.

49RFBN said...

Anon 2:37

1) We had no plans to add football then. Blame whoever you want. Woodward, Judy, lots of folks desever blame for that. Had we had plans for football we wouldn't have joined CAA or A10, we would have stayed in CUSA.

2) With no plans for football we joined the best basketball league available, the A10. CAA still doesn't offer the annual payout and level of regular season competition that the A10 does.

3) Up until 2005 the entity currently known as CAA Football was known as A10 Football.

therealtimcolliemetromkninersucks said...

yes yes yes. winner. UNCC, UR, GW in CAA makes total sense. Get it done.

Anonymous said...

uncc needs to drop the arrogance and adopt uncw's attitude if they ever want us to accept them here. A unc-c- vs unc-w interstate rivalry game would be the hottest selling game of the year for both schools

Alex said...

"I think everyone would have preferred joining the CAA in the 1st place. The basketball might be worse and there's still a lot of Yankee teams there, but it has a football league which the a10 NEVER had."

Dude... seriously?! CAA football was the Atlantic 10 until 2006.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_10_Conference#A-10_football

Anonymous said...

Watch out CAA, the ACC, would cannot built a decent football league, will be going after your teams!

Peter said...

unc Charlotte should be in the Big East. The conference is would be great for basketball; football would come along quicker if we were in a nationally known conference.

Mike T said...

Yep. Joined best non BCS basketball league in the country. Horrible move... Lutz didn't make tournament for 5 years, not "2-3".... Don't let facts get in way. Louisville and Cincy left CUSA to better position their football program. Staying in CUSA wouldn't have delivered those rivalries any longer. Marquette and DePaul were added at the request of Notre Dame to keep them happy and not abandon league for ACC. Catholic Midwest schools. Simple.

Anonymous said...

All the UNCC fans say that they need to be in a conference with more national known teams. Tell me this, why would any of those conferences want to add a school that isn't nationally known? The sad fact is, that other than golf, UNCC hasn't been relevant in any sport in a long time. To most Big East fans, adding UNCC would be one in the same as adding Stoneybrook, Towson or USC Upstate. I'm sure if the Big East were to add somebody other than ECU from the Carolinas, they'd want to add App State, since they are a known quantity nationally. Take a step back and compare App State to UNCC. UNCC might have a better soccer team and baseball team, but App State is better at basketball and football. Academically it is a push, and App probably has a more passionate fanbase.

Anonymous said...

Why do UNCC fans automatically assume they are going to be a good program, especially is quick order. If it was that easy, why isn't Virginia any good? A big state school in the south that has been ranked #1 in the country in the past. Then add in the fact that it's the top public school in the country, only has to compete with Virginia Tech for in-state players, and Virginia as a state has stronger football players than North Carolina does. Even closer to home, if it was so easy to be good at football, why is NC State so bad? UNCC has to face the fact that not only will they be recruiting against established public schools like UNC, NC State and ECU, they also have Wake Forest and Duke to compete against for the kids who get overlooked by the big schools, and the fact they are in a state where most of the top kids like to leave to play for big time SEC programs.

As nice a city as Charlotte is for adults, it doesn't offer much for college kids, especially in the north side of town.

Anonymous said...

Honest Question for half the people posting here. Why the hate for the Niners?

You live in Charlotte or the metro area but yet you seem to hate everything related to UNC Charlotte. It really makes no sense. What is good for the Niners is good for this city.

I just don't get it. Even if you aren't a Niner fan and even if you don't care about us why the hate? Why can you not just ignore us?

The school does well and it brings attention to the city, put the Niners in a big conference that is more publicity for the city. UNC Charlotte provides a quality education at an affordable price and provides the metro area with people ready to enter the workforce.

So what gives?

NWA

Anonymous said...

11:48
Back atcha! Why are individuals uneducated or if they are employed, only employed by a fast food establishment? Again, we wait for a response. You and the rest of the "scholars" of UNCC refuse to answer the question. It's because it is unreasonable and unwarranted, and even you know that.

MikeyNiner said...

anon 7:33,

UNC Charlotte ranks higher than App State and East Carolina in average rate of pay and employment upon graduation. Among public Universities in NC, UNC Charlotte is ranked 3rd behind UNC-CH and NCSU. Thats not bad for a school thats only 60 years old.

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2011/10/07/slideshow-top-nc-colleges.html

Anonymous said...

Yes! CAA rules! Move over UNCCH! We are better than you and your Wal-Mart fans!

LOL

Anonymous said...

UNC49ers wold be better off to just go independent in all sports for the time being.

JUST FIRE THAT WORTHLESS BASKETBALL CO CALLED COACH

Anonymous said...

All the hate on here for UNCC is a sign that the school has been and is a success. Seldom do people hate on losers. They hate on those they fear and/or are jealous of.

Like all other schools we have our problems. We have some personal that are limiting us. Good personal, its just the school has out grown their vision & leadersship. That will be address in due time.

So to all the "haters" you are wise indeed to, FEAR THE GOLD MINER'S PICK!

Anonymous said...

@7:33.
For the record, I don't recall anyone claiming all non-UNC Charlotte grads are stupid. However, I am of the opinion that anyone who takes smack talk seriously is short of brain power. Does that answer your question?

Anonymous said...

10:33
You are wrong. Why are you lying to yourself and everyone else?

And no, in regards to 7:33 or the numerous previous attempts made my others to have their questions answered, you nor the rest of the UNCC rejects have not answered their question(s) regarding your unfound claims of being uneducated if you do not attent UNCC.

Surprise.

Anonymous said...

Dude let it die. Its smack talk. Maybe if you would grow a pair you would realize that men like to brag about what theyve got and enjoy taking pride in there belief that it is better than the rest. Where did you get your degree?

Brandon said...

Why do you guys even bother with these haters?

These same haters are the ones three years ago that said football would never happen at Charlotte, that no one would support it, that alumni vanish and don't return, and students would overwhelmingly vote against fee hikes in support of adding football.

Seriously, if you were a coworker with a person like this, would you ever give this person an ounce of credibility? Would you divert your attention elsewhere when the come up to you?

So why even bother with them? Let them waste their time the way they seem fit and you carry on supporting a team they said would never happen.

Anonymous said...

uncc is not bcs level and will never reach that level. if some of you actually believe otherwise, you are definitely sippin' on some strong cool-ade.

Anonymous said...

David,

Thanks for the update. Can't wait for football season to start. For the trolls, learn how to spell attend before you rip UNCC. The future is bright for us. Go Niners!

Niner Grad 1985 and a gainfully employed, thanks for your concern.

Anonymous said...

UNC 49ERS at char. just need to avoid at all costs the disastrous criminal activity going on in bigtime college football today used as an NFL farm league ruining the entire NCAA with all these cheats. Dont even mention the local pro situation.

Nip it in the bud. Walkons only would be the ultimate solution but refuse all potential recruits who are academically ineligible. Theres many qualified athletes overlooked by crook university administrators too often.

Anonymous said...

Anon 10:09 - both our soccer teams have made NCAA tournaments, as has our baseball team. Our track team dominates the A-10 similarly to the way Florida State dominated ACC football when they first joined. We have about 30 A-10 championships since we joined. That's why our AD objects to us leaving the A-10.

But that's exactly why we need to leave the A-10. The A-10 is a collosal joke. Our baseball team could go 55-1, with the 1 loss being in the A-10 final, and we wouldn't make the NCAA tournament. In most other sports besides men's hoops, the A-10 holds about as much sway and respect as the Big Sky or Big West. Temple and Xavier give the A-10 some street cred in men's hoops, but that's it. The CAA is a major upgrade in every single sport except men's hoops. And even in men's hoops, when's the last time an A-10 team made the Final Four? At least GMU and VCU have made Final Four appearances in the past decade.

Let's get into the CAA in all sports and get it over with.

Anonymous said...

10:09.....did you REALLY just try to slip in the claim that Ap State is better in basketball than Charlotte.......surely that was a typo and yes I know Ap beat Charlotte the last time they played, but historically its not even close. Charlotte in a landslide over Ap in basketball. Get a clue!

Anonymous said...

Whoever said the Southern Conference is the best FCS Football Conference is WRONG.

Whoever said App State has a better basketball program than Charlotte is STUPID. Not only does Charlotte have a FINAL 4 in their resume, but they went to post season all but a few years between 1989 and 2005.

Anonymous said...

I never said App State has a better basketball history than UNCC, I just said they are currently a better team. Do you know who else used to be good at basketball? Loyola Marymount and Indiana State. Those teams aren't good today either, and just because they had a couple good seasons 20+ years ago, doesn't somehow mean they are good today, or a better current team than countless others in their respective states.

Conferences don't want teams because they used to be good in a certain sport. UNCC has been awful in basketball the past 5 to 6 years, with little sign of it turning around.

Also, to your point about the SoCon not being the best football conference, up until Wofford beat App State, they had 3 of the top 6 teams. Currently, they have #1, #4 and #7. Sure, they might not have the best team every year, but once again, that goes back to logic. Having the #1 team in the country and little else, doesn't mean the conference is better than another that has a bunch of highly ranked teams. That being said, if UNCC fans equate being good today to results from 20-years ago, I guess this line of thinking is par for the course.

Anonymous said...

5:12.....check the record books and youll see the Niners have been good a LOTTTTTT more recent than that....Hell, the were in the top 25 as recently as february, 2010.

Anonymous said...

The 49ers of UNC need to be independent for several years in all sports and sooner or later the correct more localized regionalized conference will open its door even if its a brand new conference.

There is already talk that these larger super conferences are upset and want to reorganize into smaller leagues.

When you have football and not tied down and married to a league but independent you have a better shot at getting in one of these in the next few yrs.

The UNC name brings instant status.

Listen to the experts.

Anonymous said...

@7:19
You are very amusing. Not smart nor informed, but very amusing. Keep posting your drivel.

Anonymous said...

The A-10 has been good for on-field success in many sports. Not basketball. That is the sport that anchors us to the A-10. Anchor can be taken either way. The Colonial would be a better, bolder move because we are years away from the next football expansion and years away from anything other than FCS level football. There is nothing wrong with that, at all. This would be a great move for our fans and give us more sustainable and interesting rivalries.

The A-10's top tier teams are leaving soon any way. The Big East has become the Big Least and they'll jump ship as soon as they can.

I have enjoyed Charlotte 49ers sports for 30-plus years. I have not enjoyed A-10 basketball because the Arena is always less than 50% capacity. The city has not bought in and neither have our fans.

Anonymous said...

9:23, Halton Arena is not "always less than half full". In fact,I dont think it has ever been less than half full even last season for a regular season game(our worst in over 25 years)...... Quit exaggerating.

Anonymous said...

anon 9:23 is either a troll or is simply going to Women's basketball games and not Men's games. I'll admit there is not a huge level of support on the Women's side (which is sad considering the recent sustained success on the court) but to say it's always less than half full is complete BS.

Anonymous said...

the attendance at uncc men's bball games is embarrassing...works nicely with the embarrassing product on the court.

49RFBN said...

Anon 12:54

Charlotte 49ers Men's Basketball home attendance finishes in the top 25% of all Division I programs in percentage of arena capacity and overall attendance figure. Has done so since the mid 90's and last year was no exception to that. Look it up.

Anonymous said...

49RFBN......don't confuse these idiots with the facts.....

Anonymous said...

Saying the arena is always half empty may be an exaggeration, but he is right that the city has not bought in to A10 basketball. Also, published attendance figures are not the same as butts in the seats.
Charlotte is in a very tough situation in that joining the league that we logically fit into is looked on as a step backward by the athletic department. The CAA would have more pluses than minuses in my opinion, but Judy and gang haven't asked my opinion lately.

Anonymous said...

6:17.....and yet more people attend Niner games than do at several ACC teams home games in typical years. Top 25% in attendance every year for 20 years.