FB: USA South Athletic Conference

[narch]

The Associated Press ran a story today which was carried by the Greensboro News and Record about a serious proposal to turn NC Wesleyan into the 17th NC state supported school to be renamed UNC-Rocky Mount.  It's interesting to note that this northeastern part of the state is underdeveloped economically and there is a slight void in the UNC system in the area with nothing from Raleigh (NCSU) to Elizabeth City (ECSU) and Greenville (ECU).  NCSU and ECU already teach classes on the campus and 1300 students are in continuing education while 900 are traditional age students living on the 200 acre campus.   NCWC has admittedly had some financial troubles in their 50 year history, so maybe this is a way to get and stay in the black.  To cover both sides, there is some opposition (including from UNC System President Bowles and some Methodists), but it does seem to have some serious support, especially in the Rocky Mount business community and, one would guess, within the college itself.

it's ridiculous that the taxpayers in nc have to foot the $50,000 bill on this "study" - how can rocky mount and eastern nc be underserved when there are two large state supported universities within 45 minutes to an hour and 2 community colleges within 30 minutes?

[Ralph Turner]

I think that the Rocky Mount business community is driving this one.  The NCWC Board has probably had every businessperson in town as a member and these people understand the situation of the school and its finances.  It appears that the school is valued at $80M and has an endowment of $8M.

Those business people can see feeding at the state trough with a public school infusing the local economy.

The teachers want it because the UNC pay grades are probably 20-40% or who knows how much more above what they are getting now.  Thye are for it.

Bowles doesn't want to drain his funds on fixed assets.  He sees that he has maximzied his investment in the Rocky Mount area with the Gateway Technology Center.

The United Methodist Church probably doesn't want to lose the school that they have put 50 years of work into.  NCWC has not even begun to harvest the large bequests and institutional gifts of their first generation of students/ philanthropists!

Some local politician wants to see a UNC-Rocky Mount with the "State Senator Jubilation T Cornpone Events Center" as its newest building!

[hasanova]

I think that the Rocky Mount business community is driving this one.  The NCWC Board has probably had every businessperson in town as a member and these people understand the situation of the school and its finances.  It appears that the school is valued at $80M and has an endowment of $8M.

Those business people can see feeding at the state trough with a public school infusing the local economy.

The teachers want it because the UNC pay grades are probably 20-40% or who knows how much more above what they are getting now.  Thye are for it.

Bowles doesn't want to drain his funds on fixed assets.  He sees that he has maximzied his investment in the Rocky Mount area with the Gateway Technology Center.

The United Methodist Church probably doesn't want to lose the school that they have put 50 years of work into.  NCWC has not even begun to harvest the large bequests and institutional gifts of their first generation of students/ philanthropists!

Some local politician wants to see a UNC-Rocky Mount with the "State Senator Jubilation T Cornpone Events Center" as its newest building!

In a word: agree.  I also see I am not the only poster old enough to remember Li'l Abner.  Perhaps we need a UNC-Cornpatch or, as I'm sure some wags will be quick to add, we already have several!  lol

[rocket]

Todd Parsons coming back for another season is huge at AU.  The MC v. AU game should be another good one.  I think MC will have another great season with so many solid returners, and Narch is right about the best "group" of wr's in the conference.  Don't worry about the qb situation because I am confident that any one of the returners is very capable of running the show.  Should be another great year for the USA South!

[Uncle Jessie]

If NCW becomes UNC- Rocky Mount would they become div 1 in sports or stay div 3? anyone know?

[hasanova]

If NCW becomes UNC- Rocky Mount would they become div 1 in sports or stay div 3? anyone know?

Well, this is far from a "done deal," so I think it's too early to say.  I will say, however, that all other NC supported schools with sports programs are DII or higher.

[narch]

NCWC has not even begun to harvest the large bequests and institutional gifts of their first generation of students/ philanthropists!

i say this all the time about mc, which was founded around the same time as ncwc and will celebrate 50 years since its charter this year (and, as an aside, has an endowment, operating budget and enrollment roughly twice the size of that which ncwc has), except i say it a little more bluntly...

not only are most of mc's graduates still alive (hence very few large bequests), most are still working

the earliest mc graduates are from 1964 (and i think there were just a handful of graduates in that first class)...the average adult will work somewhere around 40 to 45 years

ncwc is in a very similar position - it seems if the institution were able to hold on for the next few years, they would start seeing some fruits of the past 50 years of labor, and the state taxpayers wouldn't have to foot the bill on this study

[narch]

mc quarterback situation - no inside scoop yet, but i'm betting on one of them winning the job

[HeardEnough]

Anyone know if Shenandoah and Gettysburg are scrimmaging again this year? If so, where and when?

[D3Newbie]

NARCH - ELEVEN Qb candidates at MC ? ! ? ! ?  Do they all get reps every day?  I can't even imagine . . . . but I bet the receivers will be in shape!

Any news on Greensboro's QB situation?

And - does anyone know if the Pride will be scrimmaging anybody else before the season opener against Mars Hill?

Thanks!

                                   
ROLL PRIDE!!

[narch]

NARCH - ELEVEN Qb candidates at MC ? ! ? ! ?  Do they all get reps every day?  I can't even imagine . . . . but I bet the receivers will be in shape!

keep in mind, the monarchs usually play a jv schedule, as well - eleven guys at a position of need is not that unusual in d3 football, either

one of them is gonna win that position, and he's going to be given the keys to a pretty nice car - those wideouts and rb's are as good as any in the league and the ol is very solid (and they'll be coached up as well as any ol in the league) - he'll just have to manage to keep that car between the white lines

[AdmiralPapi]

I think we had 9 QB's in camp my frosh year at MC...Coach Sy likes to bring 'em in and sort them out.  Some may end up staying QB's and some will move on to other positions.

[PrideSportBBallGuy]

Pride Report

Camp is going well haha.

D3Newbie- From what I hear all the QB's are doing well.

I heard a rumor the other day, that AU was doing 3 a day practices.  Getting ready for that opener I guess.

[abnrgr]

Papi
They can throw you in. Narch would grease up your shoulder pad areas with graphite. THE ONLY THING THAT STUCK TO YOU WAS BLACK HELMETS

Anyway God, Country, Fast Boats WITH LOTS OF GUNS ON THE BOW......

[Ryan Tipps]

USAC folk --
I wanted to see how many people would be interested in a pick-em contest this season if I agreed to organize it.

I'd plan on using spreads for each game, although setting them would be new ground for me. Basically, I'd set them where picking the outcome of the game makes me want to throw my hands up in confusion.    Something like that would be lots more fun than straight picks, I'd think.

Let me know who would want to play. Fans outside the USA South are invited to play as well. I'd like to get at least 10 people willing to play every week through the season to make it all worthwhile.

Post here if you're interested, and I'll eventually set up a USAC thread on the Pick-em Board (it's a child board under the General Football category; you have to be logged in to see it). I'll also post the guidelines there.

There won't be any prizes, just bragging rights! The conference's first game is only nine days away!