Considering the ACC was chirping that they were the "best conference evah"...I'd have to say the ACC. But the Big East is a close 2nd.

On the Flip side, the A-10 and American had really good showings that were somewhat unexpected.

If the Big East is not careful, a new perception may quickly emerge that the Big East and A-10 are about the same in quality.

The Big East may need to make an offer to St. Louis and Dayton before the perception is gone that the Big East is still the better conference.

The BE will become the A10. The ACC will stay one of the best. Though I think ACC had it worse this year.

ACC...solely due to expectations.

Nothing is more symbolic than Marquette, a historically good basketball school, losing their coach to Virginia Tech, a historically bad basketball school.

The only reasonable explanation, unless there was some secret scandal brewing, is that the ACC- is perceived to be the stronger conference in the long run.

This is not a good sign for where the big east is headed.

(03-29-2014 08:39 AM)goofus Wrote:  Nothing is more symbolic than Marquette, a historically good basketball school, losing their coach to Virginia Tech, a historically bad basketball school.

The only reasonable explanation, unless there was some secret scandal brewing, is that the ACC- is perceived to be the stronger conference in the long run.

This is not a good sign for where the big east is headed.

Chris Mack at Xavier has also been rumored for the Wake Forest gig...

what do the actual facts (stats,numbers) say? The last that i saw had the BE ranked 3rd or 4th in the country

(03-29-2014 06:53 AM)goofus Wrote:  If the Big East is not careful, a new perception may quickly emerge that the Big East and A-10 are about the same in quality.

Once they lost/parted ways with the best of the old Big East - Louisville, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Notre Dame... they became basically the same level as the A-10.

(03-29-2014 08:43 AM)gosports1 Wrote:  what do the actual facts (stats,numbers) say? The last that i saw had the BE ranked 3rd or 4th in the country

Your missing the point.

Is this about seasons or the tournament? The ACC had a pretty good season I thought, not so good tournament though.

(03-29-2014 08:40 AM)Maize Wrote:  

(03-29-2014 08:39 AM)goofus Wrote:  Nothing is more symbolic than Marquette, a historically good basketball school, losing their coach to Virginia Tech, a historically bad basketball school.

The only reasonable explanation, unless there was some secret scandal brewing, is that the ACC- is perceived to be the stronger conference in the long run.

This is not a good sign for where the big east is headed.

Chris Mack at Xavier has also been rumored for the Wake Forest gig...

He's not going to Wake.

(03-29-2014 08:39 AM)goofus Wrote:  Nothing is more symbolic than Marquette, a historically good basketball school, losing their coach to Virginia Tech, a historically bad basketball school.

The only reasonable explanation, unless there was some secret scandal brewing, is that the ACC- is perceived to be the stronger conference in the long run.

This is not a good sign for where the big east is headed.

Buzz moving had to do with differences he had with Marquette's admin. Marquette hoops is a top ten money maker in nation. The next MU coach will be making over $3 million per year. But Va Tech got a great coach with Buzz... get ready for three piece suits, a lot of sweating, and laminated play charts. He had been looking at the Texas job for a couple of years, but former Friar head coach Rick Barnes had a great year.

(03-29-2014 08:43 AM)gosports1 Wrote:  what do the actual facts (stats,numbers) say? The last that i saw had the BE ranked 3rd or 4th in the country

40% of the Big East made the NCAA's in what is being called a down year.
The Big East had 2 top ten teams in what is being called a down year.
The 7th place team in the BE beat Michigan State and VCU, and K-State by 28, in a "down year".
And like you wrote, the Big East's RPI was 3rd or 4th in what is being called a down year.

(03-29-2014 09:29 AM)He1nousOne Wrote:  Is this about seasons or the tournament? The ACC had a pretty good season I thought, not so good tournament though.

the problem is the tournament is what most folks remember, not the regular season. That's what hurts both the Big East and the ACC this year. Heck, you could actually throw in the Big 12 as well quite frankly. Meanwhile Big Ten and SEC- 2 conferences that folks thought had a poor season- have 5/8 of the elite 8 teams and could easily have all 4 final 4 teams.

The Big East didn't have a terrible year on the court - they had some big successes, the problem is no one saw it buried on FS1... Then their tournament had some great moments, but attendance lagged and it had non-existent television ratings.

Then once the Big East had television viewers in the NCAA Tourney, the conference's members all got whipped and were out in the first weekend. So perception is the conference is much weaker than the season it actually had. The problem the Big East faces is that perception drives the narrative of the league in the sports media and now post their season to have one coach gone, another as a leading candidate for another, just furthers that sense that the Big East is no longer an elite conference.

They need a couple good hires and take control of their own narrative - yet I don't see anyone stepping up to do that yet.

Actually as of this moment Big East is 5th in RPI and ACC is 4th
http://www.teamrankings.com/ncb/rpi/

(03-29-2014 12:30 PM)billyjack Wrote:  

(03-29-2014 08:43 AM)gosports1 Wrote:  what do the actual facts (stats,numbers) say? The last that i saw had the BE ranked 3rd or 4th in the country

40% of the Big East made the NCAA's in what is being called a down year.
The Big East had 2 top ten teams in what is being called a down year.
The 7th place team in the BE beat Michigan State and VCU, and K-State by 28, in a "down year".
And like you wrote, the Big East's RPI was 3rd or 4th in what is being called a down year.

Besides their TERRiBLE relevance problem, being signed to FS1..


The NBE got saddled with the Big East name. Worse than that, they handed over the WARCHEST in exit fees and tourney credits to get it. smh... So, NOW, their conference will be looked at through the lens of SUCKING compared to what the OBE used to be, with the UCONNS and CUSES...


They should just stamp FUGAZI on their foreheads. (Don't worry New BE, you're in good company with the New WAC)





MEANWHILE, the AAC has an NIT Final Four team, a Sweet 16 team, and an Elite 8 team (so far). Not to mention, the AAC has a BCS Fiesta Bowl Champion, UCF, program that beat the Big 12 Champion. The new brand has gained a lot though ESPN exposure; but, I think the conference has gained as much by its separation from the stigma of the Big East name. God Bless em, the fact that the C7 is keeping that name alive is tantamount to falling on the grenade because the BIG LEAST jokes can continue beyond the scope of the emerging new brand.


It's like the stars aligned for the AAC this year. Remarkably so. And, the difference in contracts was negated by the extremely unfortunate decision the NBE made to pay that ridiculous sum to be called that.

I've gotta think MSG isn't happy.

The conference rankings in RPI are interesting.

There seems to be a power 8 in basketball. Top tier Power 8 In order
Big ten, big 12, Pac-12, ACC, Big East, A-10, SEC, American

2nd tier Mid-major in order
WCC, MWC, MVC, MAC, c-USA

But with the AAC losing Louisville next year, the American will probably drop to Mid-major status next year.

(03-29-2014 03:44 PM)goofus Wrote:  The conference rankings in RPI are interesting.

There seems to be a power 8 in basketball. Top tier Power 8 In order
Big ten, big 12, Pac-12, ACC, Big East, A-10, SEC, American

2nd tier Mid-major in order
WCC, MWC, MVC, MAC, c-USA

But with the AAC losing Louisville next year, the American will probably drop to Mid-major status next year.

That's doubtful. Any conference with UCONN, CINCINNATI, MEMPHIS, and TEMPLE, as a core will never be Mid Major. Remember, the AAC finished with 5 teams in the Top 25 without Temple having a good year. The Owls will be much improved next year with the transfers that sat out this year.

SMU (an NIT Final 4 team) should also give the AAC another NCAA tourney team next year. SMU has arguably the Top Recruit in the country signed for next year, and there is not a lot of attrition. Tulsa, led by Danny Manning, was also a tourney team this year that is going to be in the AAC.

There's also a lot more developing with the coaching situations at Houston and USF that will bolster the conference. And, UCF will be coming back from scholarship reductions soon. They have been playing with one hand tied behind their backs.

So, I wouldn't be so quick to write off the AAC. The last time people did that, the AAC finished the year with 5 teams in the Top 25.

(03-29-2014 03:44 PM)goofus Wrote:  The conference rankings in RPI are interesting.

There seems to be a power 8 in basketball. Top tier Power 8 In order
Big ten, big 12, Pac-12, ACC, Big East, A-10, SEC, American

2nd tier Mid-major in order
WCC, MWC, MVC, MAC, c-USA

But with the AAC losing Louisville next year, the American will probably drop to Mid-major status next year.

The MWC had the highest RPI last year and laid a turd in the tourney. This year is was the Big 12.

How exactly can you claim to be one of the best conferences in the country and not have a single team deep in the tourney?