Friday, July 6, 2012

SoCon Didn't Issue "Deadline"

On Tuesday, the SoCon released a statement saying it did not give a deadline to some of it's member school that are being courted by the CAA.

“Additionally, despite numerous published reports citing a July 4th deadline, the conference office has not issued any ultimatums to its member schools regarding conference affiliation.”
A Burlington Times-News article sums it up this way ...

While there certainly never was any sort of established deadline, the Southern Conference had hoped its member schools in play with the Colonial Athletic Association would reach their decisions by Wednesday.
I personally just love how the writer of this entry on the blog App State Nation (great site by the way) put it ...

How did the rumor get started? Well basically, the Burlington Times reported it citing unnamed sources. The Charleston Post & Courier cited the Burlington Times. The Virginia Gazette cited the Charleston Post & Courier. Then the Winston-Salem Journal cited the Virginia Gazette.

Where do I think this whole "deadline" idea got started? Message boards. I read a ton of message boards and have a ton of very quiet sources who let me know about stuff well in advance. However, I try to wait until an actual news group or journalist published something. I always try to link to the source and quote it as much as possible as well. That way you can go read the story for yourself. If I've misrepresented what was written, you guys can leave a comment telling me as much. In this case it seems like a tweet got changed by a message board and picked up by another paper and then ... BOOM ... it was on. I still love Twitter, though.

As for an actual SoCon-CAA timeline, it seems UNCW Chancellor Gary Miller (who is chairman of CAA's Council of Presidents) expects another 6 months before things begin to really take shape.

"Christmas is a realistic goal," he said of a time frame for announcing new members.

"It's a difficult question to answer, because the schools we want to talk to have time constraints, they're in conferences already, they have exit strategies. We would like to see some things happen quickly – and definitely by next year."
Apparently, this saga will go on for quite a while.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I believe that all this gossip about SoCon schools leaving for the CAA is pure speculation (could be wrong). Everything that I have heard and seen so far came from the Burlington Times; the Charleston Post & Corrier; and the CAA Zone Blog. None of these reports have been linked to reliable sources. It's starting to sound more and more like a desperation cry for help with all these CAA expansion rumors out there and no SoCon schools taken the bait thus far. Sounds like any SoCon school (maybe even UNCG) that was or is engaging in talks with the CAA is doing so with extreme caution. You have to ask yourself this if you are a School President or an AD considering a move of such. Will George Mason stay in the CAA after the next Conference Realignment shake up? Will the CAA NBC deal still be guaranteed with this new face lift? Would this new brand for your school out weigh the increased travel expenses and loosing current rilvaries? Men's and Women's basketball just took a major dip in the CAA so I'm not sold on this league providing more opportunities and being a better fit. This is my strong opinion folks but I believe the SoCon is going to survive this round of conference realignment by the skin of chiney..chin..chin!!

Dash said...

Great points. I think that's why no one has jumped ... yet. I still fully expect C of C to go in the end.

Also, no SoCon team is spending at the CAA level. It may be a product of getting big NCAA Tourny cuts to help spend more money.

Davidson is the linch pin. I think the SoCon is hurting if they go, fine if they stay.

Anonymous said...

I concure with you about Charleston moving on and even though they will be missed they are very replaceable. Their people (bloggers) seem to think that moving to the CAA is a promotion (not a lateral move) and it might be but I just don't see it. I would say more but perhaps I shouldn't because for all I know we (UNCG) might be having discussions with the CAA also. You never know (a gut feeling) and just because UNCG has not been mentioned as a CAA candidate on a CAA Zone Board or by a non credible newspaper doesn't mean that nothing is going on behind closed doors. At the end of the day, were gonna be favorites to compete in men's basketball for the long haul no matter where home is. By the way, didn't Greensboro swept Charleston this past season with an up and coming squad?

Dash said...

I have said repeatedly that I want UNCG in a conference where it can compete every year for championships in every single sport. I don't care if that's the SoCon, Big South or CAA. I still wish G had bolted to the CAA 10 or so yrs ago when they invited us.

As far as being invited now, it's all about who would make Davidson happy. For that reason, I doubt it's G.

Anonymous said...

I totally feel you but I really don't feel that Davidson is looking at this possible move like Charleston is. The SoCon automatic bid has always went thru Davidson and not Charleston. College of Charleston appears to be ready for a change of scenery more than anything else. Davidson will be a much harder sell because most of time they are the favorites to win the SoCon automatic bid. And as far as competing in all sports, I don't see Charleston or any other SoCon school competing any better than what Greensboro would do in the CAA.

Anonymous said...

Former coach at UNCG Fran McCaffery signs substantial contract with Iowa for 1.3 million a year- I never liked the guy- I thought he was always looking out for himself- It looks like he landed on his feet

Dash said...

Agree about Fran, He also got G put on APR probation with his constant taking of questionable players.

He did get us to the dance, though.