FB: Conference of New England

[DagarmanSpartan]

Gang,

On the UAA board, there was talk of the UAA adding teams, and the names that came up were MIT and Tufts.

Would any fans of the two schools here care to comment on that?

Would either school be willing to leave their New England rivals behind to join the UAA, a conference which consists of other urban private research universities?

Just wondered what you folks thought.

[Jonny Utah]

Gang,

On the UAA board, there was talk of the UAA adding teams, and the names that came up were MIT and Tufts.

Would any fans of the two schools here care to comment on that?

Would either school be willing to leave their New England rivals behind to join the UAA, a conference which consists of other urban private research universities?

Just wondered what you folks thought.

MIT is going to have no interest in leaving any of their conferences.  Athletics is truly secondary there, and they are going to see no need to join a conference with teams from across the country just because those schools have similar academic programs.  This would include the nescac, which like the Ivy league schools shows a serious interest in their athletic programs.

[dlippiel]

Don't see Tufts leaving the NESCAC at all.

[DagarmanSpartan]

Johnny Utah,

Academics also truly come first in the UAA.  In addition to being the ONLY intercollegiate sports conference in the country in which every school is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), we're also the only conference in the country other than the Ivy League in which every school is ranked in the US News Top 50.

In that regard, together with its status as an urban private research university, MIT would be a perfect fit.

The only problem, as I mentioned elsewhere, would be having to leave their regional rivals behind, but it can be done.  Case still plays many small Ohio/Pennsylvania liberal arts colleges, even though it left the NCAC years ago.

[AZDutchman]

Gang,

On the UAA board, there was talk of the UAA adding teams, and the names that came up were MIT and Tufts.

Would any fans of the two schools here care to comment on that?

Would either school be willing to leave their New England rivals behind to join the UAA, a conference which consists of other urban private research universities?

Just wondered what you folks thought.

MIT is going to have no interest in leaving any of their conferences.  Athletics is truly secondary there, and they are going to see no need to join a conference with teams from across the country just because those schools have similar academic programs.  This would include the nescac, which like the Ivy league schools shows a serious interest in their athletic programs.

I would have to agree with Jonny U. I'm new to this conference, but I couldn't possible see MIT changing.

[Jonny Utah]

Johnny Utah,

Academics also truly come first in the UAA.  In addition to being the ONLY intercollegiate sports conference in the country in which every school is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), we're also the only conference in the country other than the Ivy League in which every school is ranked in the US News Top 50.

In that regard, together with its status as an urban private research university, MIT would be a perfect fit.

The only problem, as I mentioned elsewhere, would be having to leave their regional rivals behind, but it can be done.  Case still plays many small Ohio/Pennsylvania liberal arts colleges, even though it left the NCAC years ago.

Well that was part of my point.  MIT doesn't care where its athletic conference partners rank in the US News top anything.  Why spend money flying a basketball team to St. Louis, MO when they can take a bus or van to every one of their games.

Where your football rival ranks in the top 50 academic schools doesn't really have anything to do with your school, academic programs or athletic programs.

[AZDutchman]

Johnny Utah,

Academics also truly come first in the UAA.  In addition to being the ONLY intercollegiate sports conference in the country in which every school is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), we're also the only conference in the country other than the Ivy League in which every school is ranked in the US News Top 50.

In that regard, together with its status as an urban private research university, MIT would be a perfect fit.

The only problem, as I mentioned elsewhere, would be having to leave their regional rivals behind, but it can be done.  Case still plays many small Ohio/Pennsylvania liberal arts colleges, even though it left the NCAC years ago.

Well that was part of my point.  MIT doesn't care where its athletic conference partners rank in the US News top anything.  Why spend money flying a basketball team to St. Louis, MO when they can take a bus or van to every one of their games.

Where your football rival ranks in the top 50 academic schools doesn't really have anything to do with your school, academic programs or athletic programs.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

[FOOTBALL1980]

This should be a competitive year in the NEFC!

[FOOTBALL1980]

M.I.T. is in the only conference it could be besides NESCAC....which is athletically too competitive for them.

[lewdogg11]

M.I.T. is in the only conference it could be besides NESCAC....which is athletically too competitive for them.

Based on what evidence?

[FOOTBALL1980]

Their athletic budget, emphasis on competitive athletics, student body....compare their SAT scores to the rest of New England DIII schools...even though Forbes ranked them 9th nationally recently. (Williams 1st, Amherst 4th)

[lewdogg11]

Their athletic budget, emphasis on competitive athletics, student body....compare their SAT scores to the rest of New England DIII schools...even though Forbes ranked them 9th nationally recently. (Williams 1st, Amherst 4th)

But there is ZERO evidence that MIT couldn't compete in the NESCAC.  Unless you are amazing at the 'eye test'. 

[FOOTBALL1980]

Historically they don't compete in the NEFC, what makes anyone think they could do well in a better league like the NESCAC?  By the way my eyes aren't bad

[lewdogg11]

Historically they don't compete in the NEFC, what makes anyone think they could do well in a better league like the NESCAC?  By the way my eyes aren't bad

There is ZERO evidence that the NESCAC is a better league. Pure theory and speculation...not science. I only deal in science.

[Frank Rossi]

This is one of those legal cases in which you can't prove or disprove the negative since the NESCAC retains their closed door policy.  You're barking at the wolves here, Lew.  Come back to the LL-side where we can actually compare teams based on head-to-head performances.  When the NESCAC finally decides to open up the floodgates (probably around the same time the FBS adopts a real championship system), we can revisit this discussion.