Big East
Duquesne (from A-10)
Georgetown
Providence
Saint Bonaventure (from A-10)
Saint John's
Seton Hall
Villanova

Pioneer League
Butler
Creighton
Dayton
De Paul
Evansville
Marquette
Saint Louis
Valparaiso

uhhhh. no. that'd be like a east/midwest split- and that isn't happening.

I do think you could build two nice 10-12 team leagues that are more regionalized.

Big Central : Depaul, Marquette, St Louis, Butler, Xaiver, Dayton, Creighton, Wichita State, Oakland, Cleve st

Big East: Georgetown, Nova, ST John's, Shall, Prov, UMass, VCU, Temple?, Davidson, Buffalo?

Much more likely is the big east would just expand to 14-16 with e/w divisions.

Just don't see that happening. For the Central teams- what is the benefit there at all? There is none. Even for the Eastern schools(who would be better off)- there's no benefit at all. Travel is not a huge concern quite frankly.

(01-06-2014 11:08 AM)bluesox Wrote:  I do think you could build two nice 10-12 team leagues that are more regionalized.

Big Central : Depaul, Marquette, St Louis, Butler, Xaiver, Dayton, Creighton, Wichita State, Oakland, Cleve st

Big East: Georgetown, Nova, ST John's, Shall, Prov, UMass, VCU, Temple?, Davidson, Buffalo?

Much more likely is the big east would just expand to 14-16 with e/w divisions.

Who wants to be regionalized? Midwest schools love playing on the east coast and their huge numbers of potential students and alumni. Plus, you know its easier (and much, much shorter) to go from Milwaukee to NY or Philly vs. Wichita? Finally, the budgets don't add up. Cleveland State spends about 1/8 as Marquette on hoops. BE is a really good conference and the schools fit together nicely. Travel hasn't been an issue. The conference has already won a national title (thank you, PC). TV contract is great. Basketball recruiting has been great. MU and Georgetown have struggled this year, but both should bounce back. VU is playing well, as is Creighton. Schools appear to be happy so far.

This post is a joke, but sadly all this board can muster these days. At least kudos to Stever for trying.

(01-06-2014 12:12 PM)MU88 Wrote:  

(01-06-2014 11:08 AM)bluesox Wrote:  I do think you could build two nice 10-12 team leagues that are more regionalized.

Big Central : Depaul, Marquette, St Louis, Butler, Xaiver, Dayton, Creighton, Wichita State, Oakland, Cleve st

Big East: Georgetown, Nova, ST John's, Shall, Prov, UMass, VCU, Temple?, Davidson, Buffalo?

Much more likely is the big east would just expand to 14-16 with e/w divisions.

Who wants to be regionalized? Midwest schools love playing on the east coast and their huge numbers of potential students and alumni. Plus, you know its easier (and much, much shorter) to go from Milwaukee to NY or Philly vs. Wichita? Finally, the budgets don't add up. Cleveland State spends about 1/8 as Marquette on hoops. BE is a really good conference and the schools fit together nicely. Travel hasn't been an issue. The conference has already won a national title (thank you, PC). TV contract is great. Basketball recruiting has been great. MU and Georgetown have struggled this year, but both should bounce back. VU is playing well, as is Creighton. Schools appear to be happy so far.

yeah totally agree. Group we have is great- and if we need/want to we can get 2 more great schools and we've got 12 schools- but w/o all the dead weight he was wanting. Duquesne, St Bonnie's, Evansville, Valpo, Cleveland St? No thank you.

(01-06-2014 06:19 PM)monroedoctrine Wrote:  This post is a joke, but sadly all this board can muster these days. At least kudos to Stever for trying.

yeah. The other board that all the other people go to now just is a complete joke. Rather than debating you- they just say we ignore you. How stupid. what the heck is a message board supposed to be? A place to debate. You may not like what others have to say. That's fine. But to just say I ignore you. Are we in junior high? Give me a break.

(01-06-2014 11:08 AM)bluesox Wrote:  I do think you could build two nice 10-12 team leagues that are more regionalized.

Big Central : Depaul, Marquette, St Louis, Butler, Xaiver, Dayton, Creighton, Wichita State, Oakland, Cleve st

Big East: Georgetown, Nova, ST John's, Shall, Prov, UMass, VCU, Temple?, Davidson, Buffalo?

Much more likely is the big east would just expand to 14-16 with e/w divisions.

Marquette, SLU, Butler, Xavier and Dayton were all in the MCC together in the early 90s with Loyola, Evansville and Detroit. I have no doubt that MU, BU and XU prefer to be in a conference with the BE east coast teams, DePaul and Creighton as compared to the MCC or the proposed Big Central.

Expansion won't happen unless a school that meets whatever criteria the Presidents set becomes a "must get" school. Some argue VCU is a must get. I don't know if it fits the Presidents' criteria. SLU meets the criteria but hasn't made itself a "must get" school. BE needs a few years to work out the kinks before expanding.

I agree with SLU. If they had been better positioned for this year, I think they are in right now. I still think if they had Majerus they are in this year.

(01-07-2014 11:19 AM)stever20 Wrote:  I agree with SLU. If they had been better positioned for this year, I think they are in right now. I still think if they had Majerus they are in this year.

Assuming a 10 team league, who do you think they would be in ahead of?

(01-08-2014 10:31 AM)MUAvalanche Wrote:  

(01-07-2014 11:19 AM)stever20 Wrote:  I agree with SLU. If they had been better positioned for this year, I think they are in right now. I still think if they had Majerus they are in this year.

Assuming a 10 team league, who do you think they would be in ahead of?

I think Creighton. As good as they've been this year- if we take SLU instead of Creighton- it's a lot more compact league....

I think also- if Majerus is there- we probably have a 12 team league.

(01-08-2014 10:42 AM)stever20 Wrote:  

(01-08-2014 10:31 AM)MUAvalanche Wrote:  

(01-07-2014 11:19 AM)stever20 Wrote:  I agree with SLU. If they had been better positioned for this year, I think they are in right now. I still think if they had Majerus they are in this year.

Assuming a 10 team league, who do you think they would be in ahead of?

I think Creighton. As good as they've been this year- if we take SLU instead of Creighton- it's a lot more compact league....

I think also- if Majerus is there- we probably have a 12 team league.

I think if there was an established private school in the east that was a "must get" last year, we may have 12. But until that "must get" school emerges (private or public), I think the Presidents hold firm.

I think this years tourney will be very important. If we get 4 in but none make out of 1st weekend, while someone like a VCU makes sweet 16 or further- it's going to put a LOT of pressure on the Big East.

(01-08-2014 11:21 AM)stever20 Wrote:  I think this years tourney will be very important. If we get 4 in but none make out of 1st weekend, while someone like a VCU makes sweet 16 or further- it's going to put a LOT of pressure on the Big East.

Creighton was the favorite from the beginning. Would Rick have made a difference? Maybe. But, Fr. Biondi did not exactly win over the other schools last time around.

As it currently stands, VCU isn't getting in the conference. A strong run in the NCAAs will not change things for them. From what I heard, Georgetown is strongly opposed to VCU (and that is putting it mildly). GT has their reason and I think the other schools support GT.

10 is a perfect number and I think the conference is already realizing that. Adding two mid-majors does nothing to upgrade the conference. FoxSports1 is already selling off games. It doesn't need the inventory. Plus, i won't increase the size of the tv contract either. Why would Fox pays $10 million per year for 2 more mids, when it could land deals with the A-10, the MVC and the Horizon combined for less than $10 million per year?

10 is great for a number of things- just not at getting the most teams in the tourney. With 12 teams- you can get your 5th and 6th place teams routinely to have 11-12 wins. With 10- most often those teams have 8-10 tops. That difference is huge when you're trying to get an extra team or two in the tourney.

I think a big part of things will be actually the Big 12. If they go to 12, all the major conferences would be 12+ except for us. It woudl be a major factor

(01-08-2014 01:25 PM)stever20 Wrote:  10 is great for a number of things- just not at getting the most teams in the tourney. With 12 teams- you can get your 5th and 6th place teams routinely to have 11-12 wins. With 10- most often those teams have 8-10 tops. That difference is huge when you're trying to get an extra team or two in the tourney.

I think a big part of things will be actually the Big 12. If they go to 12, all the major conferences would be 12+ except for us. It woudl be a major factor

12 is fine if there is a difference maker out there who is worth getting. If a ND or a UConn (if it loses FB) wants to join as #11, it is worth going to 12 no matter who #12 is. I do not believe SLU, Dayton and VCU are in that category, and a Sweet 16, Elite 8 or Final 4 will not change that.

If VCU got a 2nd final 4 in 4 years- I think that changes the equation on them big time. 1 time you could say it's a fluke but 2 times and that is way different. VCU is on TV a LOT even now. They're recruiting at a high level top 20 class this year.

(01-09-2014 11:38 AM)stever20 Wrote:  If VCU got a 2nd final 4 in 4 years- I think that changes the equation on them big time. 1 time you could say it's a fluke but 2 times and that is way different. VCU is on TV a LOT even now. They're recruiting at a high level top 20 class this year.

We disagree. They are a very good program with a very good coach. Despite their success, I believe that institutional fit will outweigh success in the minds of the Presidents. I don't believe basketball success will have any bearing on VCU becoming a member.

(01-09-2014 01:47 PM)MUAvalanche Wrote:  

(01-09-2014 11:38 AM)stever20 Wrote:  If VCU got a 2nd final 4 in 4 years- I think that changes the equation on them big time. 1 time you could say it's a fluke but 2 times and that is way different. VCU is on TV a LOT even now. They're recruiting at a high level top 20 class this year.

We disagree. They are a very good program with a very good coach. Despite their success, I believe that institutional fit will outweigh success in the minds of the Presidents. I don't believe basketball success will have any bearing on VCU becoming a member.

At some point, the Big East might not have any choice. I think there is a point out there where basketball success will override institutional fit. I think Fox would strongly hint to that.