URI Membership in the A-10

[bressler3south]

And you people think I'm fucked up......

[rambone 78]

URI isn't going anywhere.

It would be like running up the white flag in everything athletic related.

Fan support for our programs is low due to the lack of success of most of our sports programs, men's hoop and football leading the way of course.

How big, really, is our fan base when it comes to those who are passionate about their sport?

We have the 100 or so on this board. How many more? I would guess not a lot.

Football? Crickets.

This administration is trying to change the culture of losing, that has been ingrained in the psyche of almost every Rhody fan for many years.

It's a lot easier said than done. We have plenty of evidence to support the case, that's for sure.

Frustration levels are approaching the breaking point, from what I can see, concerning men's BB, and would be in football if anybody really cared. And that's a big part of the problem.....

Not enough people care if we win or lose. Simple as that.

People will come to see a winner. At URI, that usually involves some travel, since this school resides in the middle of bumfucked Egypt.

People will not come to see a loser. And right now, like it or not, that's where we're at.....

[hrstrat57]

Personally I feel the A-10 has been on the rise as a whole for the past few years. They are getting more attention and getting 3 or 4 spots in the NCAA tournament each year. They continue to beat good teams this year...who knows...at some point the conference may get 5 teams to the dance. Rhode Island is already "almost" as far east geographically as a school can get, so no mater what changes occur within the conference you're most likely not going to find too many teams joining the conference who are going to be closer in proximity geographically. UCONN, Temple, PC, Boston College, etc...I doubt are going to leave their big conferences any time soon due to the revenue from TV deals. I think Rhody is right where it needs to be. It's not a big fish in a small pond that doesn't play in a conference with tough opposition and it's not a small fish in a big pond in which they might be a bottom dweller in the conference year after year. They are in a conference that affords them the opportunity to be competitive year in and year out. If you have a 14 team conference that has the opportunity to send 3 or 4 teams to the tournament each year that's 21 - 29% of the teams in the conference can make the tournament percentage-wise. As the A10 continues to beat good teams in out of conference play, like this year, there may come a time in a few years that the A10 starts to gain 4 or 5 bids on a consistent basis...especially if some of those teams like Dayton, VCU, Davidson, Rhody, etc...start to win games in the NCAA tournament. This would mean 1/3 (29-35%) of the teams in the conference will have a shot to go to the big dance each year. In my opinion, that's a damn good percentage.
The A10 seems to be improving as a whole just as Rhody seems to be improving as a team. I think the future for Rhody and the A10 is pretty bright. I don't think the conference would even blink if UMass left. I honestly don't think it would hurt the conference much. If anything I think it would hurt UMass more. Their football program went D-1 and has floundered ever since. If their basketball program left the A10 for a bigger conference I'm pretty sure the same exact thing would happen...they would flounder in the conference and be a little fish in a big pond and become a consistent bottom dweller in the conference. The grass isn't always greener.
This is just my opinion.

Dude!

Word, no further comments or necessary.

[RF1]

Do posters here feel that the URI administration and athletic department adequately fund and support the athletic programs at a level conducive to success in the A-10?

Do you feel URI is strongly committed to success in athletics and have confidence that its leaders will strive for it in the coming years?

[section(105)]

In the order asked; yes and yes. I think what is less that adequate is the financial support of the Smith Hill disfunctional deciders......

[exeter57]

PC grad and basketball season ticket holder, URI football season ticket holder and proud father of a URI graduate here. I follow this board and , as you would guess, the PC basketball board also. However, I am not a "hater" and have seen URI play on a number of occasions in addition to each year's PC game. Further, I believe that it is very bad taste to come on to another team's board and post negative comments about their program or team. Something akin to driving past a rival high school and shouting obscenities as you drive quickly away.

So, my thought on the A-10 issue is that it is an excellent league with significant potential to place multiple teams each year in the NCAA's. More specifically, it is an great match for URI both now and in the future. Clearly URI is a program and team on the move and should regularly compete for the upper stratus of the A-10 each year. It is true that this year has been discouraging for fans ( not to mention the coach and team), but the reality is that your team could have at least several more wins with just better foul shooting. I know that is a very big "but" but it is the truth. Hopefully things even out over the course of the year.

I am less sanguine over the status of the football program but remain hopeful. Great seats, great New England fall weather, several great opposing players ( I have seen Maques Colston, Victor Cruz, Joe Flacco, all play against URI), and an entertaining level of play. Always hopeful that this is the year we turn it around.

Good luck with the remainder of the season, try not to kill each other on the board. Several of your most "interesting" posters are either going do die of a stroke, be murdered by another poster, or will be a murderer. Fun to follow but we all have to keep in mind that we, posters on these various boards, are a very small minority of the fans who go to games. We take losses much to hard and victories much to ungraciously.

If I come here again, I will try to stay out of harms way ( to you hear that Rod) and not bring up my affiliation with the school to the north.

[Blue Man]

Came back to the board. Saw this thread. Remembered why I hadn't read the board all week.

God this season sucks.

[ramster]

most ridiculous thread ever. Top 5, 6 or 7 conference in the country is the A10.

And yet with that in mind and a new arena which opened in 2002, it has not helped URI get to the NCAA Tournament since 1999. If Rhody consistently isn't getting to the tournament , does the quality of the league matter much? It's like having great benefits at work but never taking advantage of them.

It is not the A10's fault that URI leadership hired and stuck way too long with Jim Baron or Cathy Inglesse. That is URI's fault.

The question was asked what league would be better than the A10 for URI? It's one thing to raise the question about the League and complain but what are your top 3 alternatives for URI in order?

In my opinion the A10 is easily the best option for URI. I just don't see any realistic opportunities to improve our choice of Leagues at this time.

NEC?
Patriot League?
CAA?
MEAC?

[jmck]

Hahahaha. You think the Conference is preventing URI from getting to the NCAAT? WOW.[/quote]

That and the refs

[Ramblinrose]

What benefit is URI providing the A-10?

[PlayMikeMotenMore]

Why can a small school such as nearby Providence College do so well in athletics? They just announced a 37.5 million dollar facility yesterday and have been upgrading all their on campus athletics facilities in the last few years. They currently have the 14th ranked men's hoop program which is very likely headed to its 3rd straight NCAA. Its hockey team is ranked #1 and is the reigning national champion. It's men's soccer team has been nationally ranked and made multiple NCAA tournaments in recent years making it to the semifinals in one year. How is it that PC does so well in so many sports while URI struggles for excellence in all?

You know why... league membership. That's why PC is able to compete when similar small colleges could not. The Big East membership, and all its transition for decades, has served PC very well even when it was hard to break into the top half. The revenue from membership is key. Their Private status and "relationship" with local government is key to spending only what they need on what they want to spend it.

This whole thread is pointless. You envy St. Bonaventure because they've been to the NCAA tournament twice since URI's last appearance? You'd really trade places with that program. And if Duquesne makes a miracle run to the NCAA, that means the Dukes are in a better place than URI?

URI is not a basketball factory. This ain't Duke, Kentucky, Kansas folks. Look at URI's history...it has ups and downs. Just like GW had some moments of greatness, just like UMASS, just like St. Joe's, just like Butler, and just like PC...just like many mid-major programs (Bradley, Ohio, Tulsa, etc.) Sometimes the "highs" aren't as high as we'd like them to be but sometimes they are. And that goes for the lows...there have been some lows for sure (Claude, Brendan Malone era, Tyson's freshman year, Jerry Duh).

This is life at URI. You're not used to it? You don't have to like it but it is reality and it's based on history.

[bressler3south]

most ridiculous thread ever. Top 5, 6 or 7 conference in the country is the A10.

And yet with that in mind and a new arena which opened in 2002, it has not helped URI get to the NCAA Tournament since 1999. If Rhody consistently isn't getting to the tournament , does the quality of the league matter much? It's like having great benefits at work but never taking advantage of them.

It is not the A10's fault that URI leadership hired and stuck way too long with Jim Baron or Cathy Inglesse. That is URI's fault.

The question was asked what league would be better than the A10 for URI? It's one thing to raise the question about the League and complain but what are your top 3 alternatives for URI in order?

In my opinion the A10 is easily the best option for URI. I just don't see any realistic opportunities to improve our choice of Leagues at this time.

NEC?
Patriot League?
CAA?
MEAC?

Championship Game Dreamland: Any of the four loser conferences URI had to join just to ensure the elusive 2018 NCAA bid.....score, 77-76, URI down with 1 second left in regulation....reliable Johnny Jones at the line for a one-and-one opportunity to tie and then win the game....deep breath....misses it!!! Rams lose another nail-biter. Gee, Don, I just don't know.
Well, Steve, we've seen it time-and-time-again....maybe a move to Division III might help.

[BleedBlue87]

I vote to close this thread for eternity. Any seconds?!?! All in favor?

[section(105)]

Bressler; assuming we would host such a game in the RC.....there would be many many empty seats....no?

[section(105)]

All in favor.....even though I have contributed....we have a game to focus on...

[bressler3south]

Bressler; assuming we would host such a game in the RC.....there would be many many empty seats....no?

NO!
They could put up some hoops behind the Union parking lot and and no one would have to worry about empty seats! Just make sure the skyboxes at Bressler are filled!

[hrstrat57]

I vote to close this thread for eternity. Any seconds?!?! All in favor?

Stop responding to this troll thread and it dies...

Not difficult.

[STC]

There have been a lot of awful takes on this board. This take this by far the worst.

Shut this thread down and go root for Bryant. URI ain't going nowhere and they will succeed in the A10 (eventually...)

[ramster]

I'd still like to hear from RF1 what his preferences are to the A10. If the A10 is not the best fit for URI then what conference or Division level is?

[RF1]

I'd still like to hear from RF1 what his preferences are to the A10. If the A10 is not the best fit for URI then what conference or Division level is?

I am not advocating that URI leave the A-10 at this time. I however have my concerns about whether it will be the best fit for URI going forward. I listed my perspective and issues on the league above. The fact that URI has not danced for 16 going on 17 years has me frustrated. My main concerns are however more URI related. The A-10 can be a great place for URI. I am however worried that URI is not fully committed to excelling in the league. The lack of an NCAA men's basketball appearance and mediocre to poor performance in most sports across the board makes me question the URI commitment. Money is tight at URI and I worry if it can adequately fund the operating expenses and infrastructure improvements necessary for excellence at the A-10 level. It seems mediocrity is easily accepted at URI and excellence is not typically demanded. The will and funding for excellence is often not there. If URI is not willing to go all in for success in a high level league, then what is the point in being part of it? If URI wants to operate with an America East mentality on sports by not funding them at a high level and not investing in the necessary infrastructure for high level D1 sports, it might as well then become a member of the America East.

Many here have attacked the very notion of this thread getting upset it is even here. My feeling is that posters should instead be directing their anger toward URI's overall performance in this league (all sports) and demand better.

I do not want to see URI operate in the A-10 as it does with its football program in the CAA. Football's operating budget is not adequate and the school refuses to make the necessary facility investments. The poor on field performance is the result of this. The program limps by in perpetual state of suspension similar to the premise in the film Groundhog Day. It seems that most of the URI administration, Athletic Dept, students, alumni, and fans are just happy to field a team. Much more is needed from all to achieve success. Is the will for this there?

[rambone 78]

RF1, it's all about money, or lack of it. Really the bottom line in everything they do.

Since URI gets virtually nothing from the state, funding for athletic programs and the facilities involved, is almost entirely dependent on private sources.

As in money from alumni and friends of URI. URI is at a huge disadvantage compared to other state schools who get big $ from their state governments. UConn for one, even UMass and many more....

It's no use crying and complaining about why, it's a fact and it's not likely going to ever change.

Does URI sports have a big enough pool, so to speak, to draw on when it needs money? There is very little revenue stream, almost all is from men's BB.

Basically, the answer is no. Of course there are a few big donors, who pale in comparision to a lot of other schools' big donors unfortunately.

There simply aren't enough people supporting URI athletics when it comes to donations, big and small.

More money equals better everything. Want a new football stadium? Want an indoor track? Want stands for the baseball field?

It's got to come almost exclusively from outside sources. If it doesn't, it's not happening.

If URI is going to stay in the A10 long term, and have reasonable success, then the flow of money will have to increase as time goes on. The alternative would be disastrous.....

[ramster]

I'd still like to hear from RF1 what his preferences are to the A10. If the A10 is not the best fit for URI then what conference or Division level is?

I am not advocating that URI leave the A-10 at this time. I however have my concerns about whether it will be the best fit for URI going forward. I listed my perspective and issues on the league above. The fact that URI has not danced for 16 going on 17 years has me frustrated. My main concerns are however more URI related. The A-10 can be a great place for URI. I am however worried that URI is not fully committed to excelling in the league. The lack of an NCAA men's basketball appearance and mediocre to poor performance in most sports across the board makes me question the URI commitment. Money is tight at URI and I worry if it can adequately fund the operating expenses and infrastructure improvements necessary for excellence at the A-10 level. It seems mediocrity is easily accepted at URI and excellence is not typically demanded. The will and funding for excellence is often not there. If URI is not willing to go all in for success in a high level league, then what is the point in being part of it? If URI wants to operate with an America East mentality on sports by not funding them at a high level and not investing in the necessary infrastructure for high level D1 sports, it might as well then become a member of the America East.

Many here have attacked the very notion of this thread getting upset it is even here. My feeling is that posters should instead be directing their anger toward URI's overall performance in this league (all sports) and demand better.

I do not want to see URI operate in the A-10 as it does with its football program in the CAA. Football's operating budget is not adequate and the school refuses to make the necessary facility investments. The poor on field performance is the result of this. The program limps by in perpetual state of suspension similar to the premise in the film Groundhog Day. It seems that most of the URI administration, Athletic Dept, students, alumni, and fans are just happy to field a team. Much more is needed from all to achieve success. Is the will for this there?

Makes sense RF1. To me it's much less about the League and much more about URI.

And there is this.......
Several posters for years said that the issue with URI Women's basketball was deeper and an issue with the URI program itself. I argued that it was more the Coach giving Cathy Inglesse too much time going on 5 years and showing bad results and more importantly no improvement at all. I was often told that Inglesse was successful at other higher level programs basically saying it couldn't be her, it had to be something deeper in the program itself.
Finally, after 5 long years a Coaching change was made and immediately we have success, solid recruiting, motivated players, teamwork, enthusiasm, and a bright future. Just look at this as an example of how important the leadership of a program is.
Look at men's basketball - same thing. What a shame we had Jim Harrick, then the most beautiful, best basketball arena in New England and one of the best in the Northeast and we got Jerry D and Jim B. Shot ourselves in the foot. Underachieved because we hired and worse yet, KEPT an underachiever, excuse maker for much too long. We wasted the phenomenal Ryan Center advantage for 12 plus years.
Our current Head Basketball Coaches are proving what URI is capable of.
How many times did we hear, even on this board, why would any Top Players ever pick URI over all the other possible schools. Well, Dan Hurley, EC Mathews, Hassan Martin, Jared Terrell, Kuran Iverson, etc have certainly disproved that theory.

Head Coaches are very important - bottom line.