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Post by WinthropEagleFan on Nov 4, 2005 7:15:02 GMT -5
Not to say they won't be a fine and dandy division I program at some point, but I'm not sure what they bring to the table that the Big South would want...especially since any expansion move that the league tries to make is likely going to involve a football playing school.
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Post by ATrain on Nov 4, 2005 7:42:39 GMT -5
Football has to be priority when expanding, I do not think that the four full-conference football schools (LU, CCU, VMI, CSU) are going to allow in a school without football unless we find one with football. Should this happen, I don't see any way the Big South can convince CCU to stay, and LU, if it plays smart, could go along with CCU to the SoCon to ease the public/private debate in that league...granted, I'd rather see us in the CAA, but we all know they have no interest in us right now (and I can't blame them either).
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Post by SCAR on Nov 4, 2005 8:30:15 GMT -5
Actually Longwood used to be a big rival of Liberty back in the Division II days. In fact I don't think Liberty has ever won a game on their court. They were a tough bunch. Jerome Kersey of NBA fame attended that school in the early 80's...As far as football is concerned the Big South could still add another school for football only if they wish so Longwood not having football is not necessarily a deal breaker. Gardner-Webb is a football only Big South School and Tx Corpus Christi is a Big South School in other sports (not sure if they still are). Many schools in the past and present have played in different conferences depending on the sport. Look at the Atlantic 10 in football and the CAA in basketball. A lot of the same schools. VT used to have A-10 affiliations in hoops even after they went to the Big East in football the first couple of seasons. Longwood has a shot at getting in.
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Post by Sly Fox on Nov 4, 2005 9:15:35 GMT -5
Yeah, I'm surprised PAmedic doesn't remember Longwood. Back in our Mason-Dixon Conference days they were oneof our primary rivals along with Randy-Mac (the school just north of Richmond ... not the womans college). Kersey was their great claim to fame much the way Ben Wallace is over there in Richmond.
As for them joining the Big South, they have not hidden their intentions for joining our league. Their basketball coach has lobbied anybody who would listen to try and keep them being mentioned with us.
But let's be honest, what does Longwood bring to the table? They don't bring the league into a new major media market. Farmville is a joke. Then you top that with terrible results on the court and in the field. Granted, they are on par with some of our current league members. But unless someone plays football, they better be blowing us away before we allow them in.
Now there has been some talk of G-W becoming a full-sport member. I would have much less issue with that.
And Scar, A&M-CC would dominate the Big South in nearly every sport if they were fulltime members (yeah, Winthrop guys ... the Islanders would be right with you as hoops & baseball favorites). They only were Big South members in softball in order to take advantage of our auto bid which they won every year after their screwy league schedule of playing everybody in a couple of days in one road trip. A&M-CC just was giving full membership in the Southland after promising to move forward with adding football.
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Post by PAmedic on Nov 4, 2005 9:38:31 GMT -5
Yeah, I'm surprised PAmedic doesn't remember Longwood. Back in our Mason-Dixon Conference days they were oneof our primary rivals along with Randy-Mac (the school just north of Richmond ... not the womans college). I have large, unexplained gaps in memory from those days. For that matter, from 1985-1995. I think I'm suppressing something- maybe I should try therapy.
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Post by PAmedic on Nov 4, 2005 9:40:26 GMT -5
So basically, we're not giving Longwood any credibility whatsoever? We're not being snobs are we? I hate it when people kick us around like that.
Maybe I'm just overly impressed w/ numbers, but we have schools in this friggin league w/ 1200 students for cryin out loud- at least they have a ready fan base and are hungry.
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Post by ATrain on Nov 4, 2005 12:15:26 GMT -5
I actually wouldn't mind seeing Longwood join, just as long as its evident that a football school is going to be added...I live closer to Longwood than Liberty actually, and once they upgrade their facilities they'll have more seating capacity than those "high school gyms" at UNCA and CSU (and CCU's current facility-but we know that Kimbel Arena isn't going to be where they play much longer).
PAMedic...I think those unexplained gaps in memory can be attributed to some of your, umm, activities during your days here...jk LOL
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Post by PAmedic on Nov 8, 2005 10:11:46 GMT -5
I do have an affinity for Bob Marley.
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