Forum › Forum › Lehigh Sports › Lehigh Men’s Basketball › Curious as to opinions on the following
This topic contains 10 replies, has 9 voices, and was last updated by ngineer 9 years, 6 months ago.
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August 12, 2015 at 5:50 pm #20923
Not that this would ever happen, but how would folks feel about the following moves:
Lehigh Basketball to Atlantic 10, moving with Bucknell to give that league 16 basketball teams.
And, with that move, Lehigh Football to Colonial Athletic Conference, again with Bucknell, to give that league 14 football teams. Presumably, all sports would go to Colonial other than basketball. Not sure about wrestling.
Leave Lafayette game on football schedule every year as a non-conference game.
Thoughts?
August 12, 2015 at 8:09 pm #20926In my opinion, impossible. At least under the current NCAA climate/setup. If for some reason the NCAA Div. 1 setup changed radically.
Lehigh, Bucknell, Lafayette, and since the 80’s Colgate, are basically joined at the hip. For a multitude of reason too long to list, those four aren’t doing anything unless all four go along. The only thing that could change that is if two or more of the four dropped to Div. 3.
August 12, 2015 at 8:14 pm #20927in general Lehigh has little in common with A10 or CAA teams, not peer institutions
August 12, 2015 at 8:19 pm #20928You are absolutely…it will never happen and I may be in a small minority when I say, I’m glad.
I like stability and neither the A-10 nor the Colonial Athletic Conference is a model of consistency. I’m also not really a subscriber to the theory that a rising tide raises all ships, although nautically it is probably true :-).
Rather, I like seeing the profile of the Patriot League continue to rise instead.
Introducing Boston U and Loyola to the mix has already raised standards. We are not a juggernaut in the PL by any stretch of the imagination, with the possible exception of softball. However, we are really competitive in almost sports. That’s a very good scenario. There is always a good opportunity to compete in NCAA tournaments.
Joining either of those conferences will likely relegate us to mediocrity and possibly even doormat status much like Fordham in the A-10.
Very good conversation piece but personally, I’m opposed. I’m sure there will be a counter view in 3…2…1August 12, 2015 at 8:19 pm #20929As it stands now,Pards,BU and LU are inseparable. Gate to a lesser degree. Dont see one moving without the others.
August 12, 2015 at 8:42 pm #20932The A-10 I believe is one of the conferences that has pledged to offer full cost of attendance across all sports, just one of a multitude of reasons as to why a move to that conference would not be desirable. Athletics costs would skyrocket.
Never mind that such a move to disassociate Lehigh and Lafayette athletics in all sports (not just football) is also a very bad idea.
August 14, 2015 at 1:56 am #20968Never happen. The PL model is now well established and well respected as a unique conference that still respects academics. Institutionally, the core schools of the PL would not do this..and there is no inclination to spend the kind of money necessary to compete on an everyday basis at that level.
August 15, 2015 at 3:01 am #20975Been out of town on business for a few days, but was eager to get back and comment on this one. As much as I’d love to play A10 teams regularly in hoops, I wouldn’t want to see us leave the PL. Right or wrong, I really like what I believe the PL to represent; highly regarded academic schools that do things the “right way”, but strive to field competitive teams too.
I like seeing PL teams go to the NCAA tourney in any sport, or the FCS playoffs, and surprise people.
My dream: to see PL teams get at-large bids in my lifetime. Of course, the NCAA hoops tourney is the Holy Grail for me – but the same would apply to the FCS playoffs, NCAA baseball, volleyball, soccer, lax – whatever.
I’m totally with TMH re: the recent expansion. I like the additions of Loyola and BU, despite the wailing and gnashing of teeth on the ‘pard board. I truly don’t get their position over there. I think they’re both very good academic schools, and only lend more credibility to the athletics. People know those names. Say “BU” anywhere, in my experience, and people know what you’re referring to.
I’d like to see a couple of all-sport additions. Ideals for me would be William and Mary, and JMU. If the academies joined for all sports, I’d be thrilled. But I don’t think that’s likely unless/until FCA forces their hands to abandon FBS football.August 15, 2015 at 10:21 am #20976Great topic for this time of year. I think the discussion points out our agreement that the Patriot league is almost perfect for the current members. And that its prominence both academically and on the field of play continues to advance. Football doesn’t belong on this board, but that’s the only portion of the league structure that needs help. And that’s a seemingly never ending search for the next ACCEPTABLE member.
August 15, 2015 at 6:13 pm #20986No chance at all imo.
August 18, 2015 at 1:00 am #21037Wm & Mary was an original charter member until the alums revolted due to non-scholarship rule. Whether they would now want to come back this far down the road, and give up their redshirt rule is doubtful. JMU is a not at all a possibility. Their academic footprint is too out of sync with the PL per the Council of Presidents. Richmond and Villanova are better candidates due to size, footprint and geography.
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