Welcome to season two of the SoConversation, featuring The Citadel beat writer Jeff Hartsell of the Charleston Post and Courier, Elon beat writer Adam Smith of the Burlington Times-News and UTC beat writer John Frierson of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
We’ve all written about conference realignment and what’s happening with some SoCon schools. What’s your take on what teams are doing, are considering doing and does any of this make much sense to you?
JEFF: It all makes about as much sense as Boise State in the Big East.
My take on College of Charleston is that there are powers-that-be who want to move to the Colonial Athletic Association, and are trying convince board members and others that it is the right thing to do. The Cougars want to know if anyone else is going with them – Davidson? Elon? Anyone?
The long view is that the CAA would be about positioning College of Charleston in Northeastern markets (not just for athletics) and luring top out-of-state students (and their higher tuitions). And it may well turn out to be a great move for Cougar hoops. But in the short term, I would not like to make out those travel budgets, and I would not like it for Cougars baseball coach Monte Lee.