CAA Rumors, Rumors, and More Rumors

At this point, I really wish VCU and Mason would get on with it and leave the CAA. That’s not really true. I’d actually prefer that they stick around and the league continued to prosper. But at this point it really feels like their joint departure to the A10 is inevitable. And if that’s the case, then I’d rather they do it soon so the rest of us can put the distractions behind us and do what needs to be done. But my opinions and desires carry no weight, so this sh*t-show drags on. And in case you missed it, on Friday Lenn Robbins of the NY Post tweeted that VCU and Mason were headed to the A10, along with Butler, on May 1. After sending CAA fans into minor hysterics, the news was quickly followed up with entirely predictable denials by the parties involved. Entirely predictable and essentially worthless denials.

Anyone who was shocked by Friday’s turn of events probably hasn’t been following things too closely. Most CAA fans I know, believe VCU and Mason are as good as gone. The only really surprising element to Friday’s rumor, was the nugget that they’d be leaving May 1. The NCAA tournament money will be distributed by the CAA to all members on July 1, so the assumption has always been that the Rams and Patriots would stick around until the check cleared. And why wouldn’t they? They clearly did much more to earn the money for the CAA than a lot of programs. They might as well collect it. Basically, there are no real new details, just more rumors and speculation. Just a bunch of consistent and entirely logical rumors and speculation. We’re talking about 2 CAA schools with powerful basketball programs moving to a multi-bid hoops league. Potentially leaving a league that at times seems to be more focused on football, a program neither VCU or GMU have. There is a reason these rumors won’t die.

Just to make things even more interesting, news broke earlier today that VCU’s AD, Norwood Teague, was rumored to be the top candidate for the same job at Minnesota. Jeff Goodman, CBSsports.com Senior Basketball Writer, is saying that it’s “just a formality” and a “done deal” at this point. Wow. That is a wrinkle I did not see coming. I can’t imagine that the loss of Teague would make VCU and less attractive to the A10. It probably would help VCU to have some consistency in the athletic department during a time like this however.

Again though, if VCU and Mason are both going, then I wish they get on it with and leave now. Like immediately. This waiting around isn’t helping anyone. And for the love of God, somebody assure me that JMU and AD Jeff Bourne already have a solid contingency plan in place. And I mean solid, not “sit tight and hope some other conference comes calling.” They’ve got to act in the best interest of JMU, but it would be a shame if they weren’t at least reaching out to some other like minded CAA schools (i.e. one’s with big aspirations for football, particularly ODU) and attempting to collaborate on a plan. The loss of VCU and Mason would definitely hurt CAA hoops, but pulling in schools like Davidson or College of Charleston could soften the blow. JMU just can’t afford to let the CAA football core fall apart. At least they can’t afford to let it happen before they are prepared to jump ship. So in the meantime, Bourne and the other football ADs need to get creative. That might mean forming alliances and doing whatever they can to find a FBS home. Or maybe it means getting aggressive and poaching other mid-major and FCS conferences while they can. (Actually my latest idea is that CAA Football just starts recruiting non-BCS FBS teams to jump to FCS. It might be the subject for a post of it’s own, but in my mind it’s not the worst proposition in the world. The FBS schools would trade awful bowls, half-empty stadiums, and losing money for the chance to develop real rivalries and compete in the playoffs.) In any case, Bourne has said FBS football is on the short-term horizon for JMU. Let’s hope it’s a jump made for the upside, not out of desperation to flee a crumbling CAA.