East Region Fan Poll

[gordonmann]

The MAC only will have one non-conference game next year because Misericordia begins play. Most MAC members will use that one non-conference slot on a predetermined NJAC opponent. For example, Del Val plays Rowan for two years. I don't think Stevenson or Misericordia are participating in the MAC-NJAC challenge, so they theoretically have an opening.  But the conference is basically booked completely through 2013.

[Ralph Turner]

Brilliant post, Frank.

The challenge that faces the E8 in finding games in October and November after the departure of Salisbury and Frostburg State needs to be addressed now.

The NEFC and the ECFC are the conferences that are most likely to fill the void.

I wonder if the UAA and the old SCAC (with Trinity, Austin and Southwestern) will move to an affiliation agreement to solve their scheduling problems.  Pool b will be interesting in those years, even if there is only one Pool B berth in the tourney.

[Bombers798891]

Brilliant post, Frank.

The challenge that faces the E8 in finding games in October and November after the departure of Salisbury and Frostburg State needs to be addressed now.

The NEFC and the ECFC are the conferences that are most likely to fill the void.

I wonder if the UAA and the old SCAC (with Trinity, Austin and Southwestern) will move to an affiliation agreement to solve their scheduling problems.  Pool b will be interesting in those years, even if there is only one Pool B berth in the tourney.

Buffalo State joining will alleviate some of the issues as well.

[Frank Rossi]

Brilliant post, Frank.

The challenge that faces the E8 in finding games in October and November after the departure of Salisbury and Frostburg State needs to be addressed now.

The NEFC and the ECFC are the conferences that are most likely to fill the void.

I wonder if the UAA and the old SCAC (with Trinity, Austin and Southwestern) will move to an affiliation agreement to solve their scheduling problems.  Pool b will be interesting in those years, even if there is only one Pool B berth in the tourney.

Buffalo State joining will alleviate some of the issues as well.

Buffalo State is nullified by the loss of Springfield.  It's accounted for in those numbers.

[Bombers798891]

Brilliant post, Frank.

The challenge that faces the E8 in finding games in October and November after the departure of Salisbury and Frostburg State needs to be addressed now.

The NEFC and the ECFC are the conferences that are most likely to fill the void.

I wonder if the UAA and the old SCAC (with Trinity, Austin and Southwestern) will move to an affiliation agreement to solve their scheduling problems.  Pool b will be interesting in those years, even if there is only one Pool B berth in the tourney.

Buffalo State joining will alleviate some of the issues as well.

Buffalo State is nullified by the loss of Springfield.  It's accounted for in those numbers.

Right, right. Good call

[Jonny Utah]

I'm assuming it won't be forever, but do we know for a fact that Salisbury and Frostburg St are leaving the conference after next year?

[Frank Rossi]

I'm assuming it won't be forever, but do we know for a fact that Salisbury and Frostburg St are leaving the conference after next year?

It was a two-year agreement.  Prevailing thought is that Wesley, Salisbury and Frostburg will form a new conference with some of the more nearby stragglers after everything shakes out in some of the more recent conference realignments.  There's no real desire that I've heard for the agreement to be continued -- although, weirder things have happened.

[Jonny Utah]

I'm assuming it won't be forever, but do we know for a fact that Salisbury and Frostburg St are leaving the conference after next year?

It was a two-year agreement.  Prevailing thought is that Wesley, Salisbury and Frostburg will form a new conference with some of the more nearby stragglers after everything shakes out in some of the more recent conference realignments.  There's no real desire that I've heard for the agreement to be continued -- although, weirder things have happened.

It seems that those teams have had trouble finding a way to get a conference with those nearby stragglers.

[Pat Coleman]

There aren't a lot of stragglers. Frank keeps emphasizing that it's only for two years but there's no reason the relationship won't continue. Who are those stragglers, Frank?

[Jonny Utah]

Brilliant post, Frank.

The challenge that faces the E8 in finding games in October and November after the departure of Salisbury and Frostburg State needs to be addressed now.

The NEFC and the ECFC are the conferences that are most likely to fill the void.

I wonder if the UAA and the old SCAC (with Trinity, Austin and Southwestern) will move to an affiliation agreement to solve their scheduling problems.  Pool b will be interesting in those years, even if there is only one Pool B berth in the tourney.

Schools like Ithaca, Alfred, Buff St. and SJF are as close to PA and maybe Ohio to many ECFC and NEFC schools.  They don't need to fill their schedules with those teams necessarily.

[Ralph Turner]

Brilliant post, Frank.

The challenge that faces the E8 in finding games in October and November after the departure of Salisbury and Frostburg State needs to be addressed now.

The NEFC and the ECFC are the conferences that are most likely to fill the void.

I wonder if the UAA and the old SCAC (with Trinity, Austin and Southwestern) will move to an affiliation agreement to solve their scheduling problems.  Pool b will be interesting in those years, even if there is only one Pool B berth in the tourney.

Schools like Ithaca, Alfred, Buff St. and SJF are as close to PA and maybe Ohio to many ECFC and NEFC schools.  They don't need to fill their schedules with those teams necessarily.

The OAC plays a full 9-game conference schedule in the last 9 weeks of the season.  Can you find a pair of OAC teams that want to move their late October match to week #1 or #2 to accommodate a pair of E8's?

The Pres AC has an 8-game schedule so there are 9 late-season open dates (minus Thomas More's Bridge Bowl with MSJ) correction, 8 late-season open dates after the opening weekends.  How does that work to fill the 12 new open dates that you have with the FSU SSU departure?

Gordon Mann covered the MAC is up to 10 teams and plays the NJAC for one of its games.

The possible candidates for a Capital AC football bid (for Wesley, Frostburg and Salisbury) have dissipated with the departure of Stevenson to the MAC.  A remore possiblility, Shenandoah has evened the ODAC at 8 football playing teams.  Getting CNU to move from the USA South to the Capital AC without the risk of the Football AQ is now gone.

The dilemma for the E8 is that they can contend for a guaranteed Pool A bid with the help of Salisbury and Frostburg, or they can fight for that same bid in Pool B, which only gets one bid for the first 16 Pool B teams.

I tend to agree with Pat. That two year E8 contract with FSU and Salisbury can just as easily renewed with a self-renewing 2-year clause.

[gordonmann]

Stevenson was one of the schools that seemed like a good fit for a new Mid-Atlantic conference along with Wesley, Salisbury and Frostburg State. That's less likely now that the Mustangs are in the MAC for all sports.

[Jonny Utah]

Brilliant post, Frank.

The challenge that faces the E8 in finding games in October and November after the departure of Salisbury and Frostburg State needs to be addressed now.

The NEFC and the ECFC are the conferences that are most likely to fill the void.

I wonder if the UAA and the old SCAC (with Trinity, Austin and Southwestern) will move to an affiliation agreement to solve their scheduling problems.  Pool b will be interesting in those years, even if there is only one Pool B berth in the tourney.

Schools like Ithaca, Alfred, Buff St. and SJF are as close to PA and maybe Ohio to many ECFC and NEFC schools.  They don't need to fill their schedules with those teams necessarily.

The OAC plays a full 9-game conference schedule in the last 9 weeks of the season.  Can you find a pair of OAC teams that want to move their late October match to week #1 or #2 to accommodate a pair of E8's?

The Pres AC has an 8-game schedule so there are 9 late-season open dates (minus Thomas More's Bridge Bowl with MSJ) correction, 8 late-season open dates after the opening weekends.  How does that work to fill the 12 new open dates that you have with the FSU SSU departure?

Gordon Mann covered the MAC is up to 10 teams and plays the NJAC for one of its games.

The possible candidates for a Capital AC football bid (for Wesley, Frostburg and Salisbury) have dissipated with the departure of Stevenson to the MAC.  A remore possiblility, Shenandoah has evened the ODAC at 8 football playing teams.  Getting CNU to move from the USA South to the Capital AC without the risk of the Football AQ is now gone.

The dilemma for the E8 is that they can contend for a guaranteed Pool A bid with the help of Salisbury and Frostburg, or they can fight for that same bid in Pool B, which only gets one bid for the first 16 Pool B teams.

I tend to agree with Pat. That two year E8 contract with FSU and Salisbury can just as easily renewed with a self-renewing 2-year clause.

Ralph, I'm just saying those places are as far away as the NEFC teams would be.  You still have the NJ and NY teams that would need games.  There are also many d2 schools around.  Plus Ithaca never seemed to have a problem filling their schedules.  You just can't be too picky.

[Ralph Turner]

Brilliant post, Frank.

The challenge that faces the E8 in finding games in October and November after the departure of Salisbury and Frostburg State needs to be addressed now.

The NEFC and the ECFC are the conferences that are most likely to fill the void.

I wonder if the UAA and the old SCAC (with Trinity, Austin and Southwestern) will move to an affiliation agreement to solve their scheduling problems.  Pool b will be interesting in those years, even if there is only one Pool B berth in the tourney.

Schools like Ithaca, Alfred, Buff St. and SJF are as close to PA and maybe Ohio to many ECFC and NEFC schools.  They don't need to fill their schedules with those teams necessarily.

The OAC plays a full 9-game conference schedule in the last 9 weeks of the season.  Can you find a pair of OAC teams that want to move their late October match to week #1 or #2 to accommodate a pair of E8's?

The Pres AC has an 8-game schedule so there are 9 late-season open dates (minus Thomas More's Bridge Bowl with MSJ) correction, 8 late-season open dates after the opening weekends.  How does that work to fill the 12 new open dates that you have with the FSU SSU departure?

Gordon Mann covered the MAC is up to 10 teams and plays the NJAC for one of its games.

The possible candidates for a Capital AC football bid (for Wesley, Frostburg and Salisbury) have dissipated with the departure of Stevenson to the MAC.  A remore possiblility, Shenandoah has evened the ODAC at 8 football playing teams.  Getting CNU to move from the USA South to the Capital AC without the risk of the Football AQ is now gone.

The dilemma for the E8 is that they can contend for a guaranteed Pool A bid with the help of Salisbury and Frostburg, or they can fight for that same bid in Pool B, which only gets one bid for the first 16 Pool B teams.

I tend to agree with Pat. That two year E8 contract with FSU and Salisbury can just as easily renewed with a self-renewing 2-year clause.

Ralph, I'm just saying those places are as far away as the NEFC teams would be.  You still have the NJ and NY teams that would need games.  There are also many d2 schools around.  Plus Ithaca never seemed to have a problem filling their schedules.  You just can't be too picky.

Thanks for the reply, Jonny.

I just pointed out that there will be almost no D3 schools with open dates in October and November as there were a decade ago.  Everyone has aligned with a conference.

The 9-team NJAC (with the departure of Buff State) will give one open date per week beginning about week #4-10.  Cortland State already has its open date filled.  You will need some co-operation from several pairs of schools to move their conference games to Week #1, 2 and 3 to provide a playing date for the E8 schools.

Maybe the Liberty League can fill some of the October/November dates.

[Frank Rossi]

The Liberty League will be booked solid in October and November with the addition of Springfield.  You might MAYBE get a couple of sparse OOC games in there, but that's it.