With a 98 year old nun divinely willing a school with a 33-year drought to the Final Four in one of the most improbable runs in American sports history, how does this impact collegiate athletics? Will we start to see other Jesuit institutions investing in the team Chaplain role? Will schools utilize nuns and Chaplains in recruiting as opposed to shoe companies and bag men?

Does this give an advantage to Catholic schools during the next round of realignment?

I don't remember how many programs need to break away to form a conference and keep their automatic bid but I thought certain programs from the A10 should look into breaking away and forming a conference with like members from other conferences in the mold of the current Big East (since I don't think the BE is expanding at this time).

Try this for size: Loyola-IL, St. Louis, Dayton, Duquesne, Fordham, Richmond, Siena, St. Joseph, George Washington, Holy Cross

Covers markets in Chicago, St. Louis, Dayton-Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and New York

The run by the Ramblers should be giving encouragement to similar programs who are currently struggling. Holy Cross is a program that I think with the right ingredients mixed in can break out of their doldrums. Fordham is another programs that I see due for a big run.

(03-25-2018 12:49 AM)Transic_nyc Wrote:  I don't remember how many programs need to break away to form a conference and keep their automatic bid but I thought certain programs from the A10 should look into breaking away and forming a conference with like members from other conferences in the mold of the current Big East (since I don't think the BE is expanding at this time).

Try this for size: Loyola-IL, St. Louis, Dayton, Duquesne, Fordham, Richmond, Siena, St. Joseph, George Washington, Holy Cross

Covers markets in Chicago, St. Louis, Dayton-Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and New York

The run by the Ramblers should be giving encouragement to similar programs who are currently struggling. Holy Cross is a program that I think with the right ingredients mixed in can break out of their doldrums. Fordham is another programs that I see due for a big run.

So a Catholic/Private League would need to utilize the continuity rule (7 schools for X years) to break off the A10:
1 Dayton (1995)
2 Fordham (1995)
3 George Washington (1976)
4 St Bonaventure (1979)
5 Saint Joseph’s (1982)
6 Richmond (2001)
7 Saint Louis (2005)
Cut Duquesne and LaSalle loose. Davidson and publics optional.

Give Holy Cross a liferaft for the Boston market after they blew off the Big East. Keep Fordham solely for NY flier. Add Davidson and Loyola-Chicago for a 10 team mini-Big East of privates (almost all Catholics):
1 Boston (Holy Cross)
2 New York (Fordham)
3 Philadelphia (Saint Joseph’s)
4 Washington (George Washington)
5 Richmond (Richmond)
6 Charlotte (Davidson)
7 Cincinnati (Dayton)
8 Chicago (Loyola-Chicago)
9 St Louis (Saint Louis)
10 Saint Bonaventure

Or if you wanted to keep it purely for hoops strength and open the seal for publics. Replace HC and Fordham with VCU, URI, and UMass. Add Belmont. This would still pass the continuity rule AFAIK.

NORTHEAST (4): UMass, URI, SBU, SJU
MID ATLANTIC (4): GWU, VCU, UR, Davidson
MIDWEST (4): Dayton, Loyola-Chicago, Saint Louis, Belmont

(03-25-2018 02:13 AM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  NORTHEAST (4): UMass, URI, SBU, SJU
MID ATLANTIC (4): GWU, VCU, UR, Davidson
MIDWEST (4): Dayton, Loyola-Chicago, Saint Louis, Belmont

I actually like this lineup. I think it's a good idea to have 3 regions in A10, I think it's a good idea to tighten up the conference membership, and I think it's a good idea to give Dayton and Saint Louis some regional rivals.

Is it worth it to drop Fordham, La Salle, and Duquesne to add Loyola? Fordham and La Salle easily have the worst ROIs of any of the 1995 expansion teams. Dropping them is a no brainer. However there is some pushback about losing them among some A10 fans. To that point, I know some say that Dambrot has the Dukes on the right path, but that remains to be seen. One could make the argument that one NIT appearance in 20+ years, one NIT win in 38 years, an NCAA drought of 40+ years, and an NCAA win drought of 50 years is more than enough to kick out a founding member. Especially one who has already left the conference (left for Horizon in 1992-93). So, possibly. Loyola's commitment to build a practice facility and their run this year will go a long way.

Is it worth it to drop George Mason to add Belmont? I don't think so. I'm not seeing the case to be made there.

(03-24-2018 11:31 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  With a 98 year old nun divinely willing a school with a 33-year drought to the Final Four in one of the most improbable runs in American sports history, how does this impact collegiate athletics? Will we start to see other Jesuit institutions investing in the team Chaplain role? Will schools utilize nuns and Chaplains in recruiting as opposed to shoe companies and bag men?

Does this give an advantage to Catholic schools during the next round of realignment?

It would indeed be refreshing to see other Jesuit institutions investing in the team chaplain role!!!! IMO, Baylor needs look at this too, and maybe Furman & Samford also (all Southern Baptist institions). Corrupt shoe companies & “bag men” will always be around, but it’s nice to see a throwback to the way these institutions used to be, IMO.

(03-25-2018 02:13 AM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(03-25-2018 12:49 AM)Transic_nyc Wrote:  I don't remember how many programs need to break away to form a conference and keep their automatic bid but I thought certain programs from the A10 should look into breaking away and forming a conference with like members from other conferences in the mold of the current Big East (since I don't think the BE is expanding at this time).

Try this for size: Loyola-IL, St. Louis, Dayton, Duquesne, Fordham, Richmond, Siena, St. Joseph, George Washington, Holy Cross

Covers markets in Chicago, St. Louis, Dayton-Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and New York

The run by the Ramblers should be giving encouragement to similar programs who are currently struggling. Holy Cross is a program that I think with the right ingredients mixed in can break out of their doldrums. Fordham is another programs that I see due for a big run.

So a Catholic/Private League would need to utilize the continuity rule (7 schools for X years) to break off the A10:
1 Dayton (1995)
2 Fordham (1995)
3 George Washington (1976)
4 St Bonaventure (1979)
5 Saint Joseph’s (1982)
6 Richmond (2001)
7 Saint Louis (2005)
Cut Duquesne and LaSalle loose. Davidson and publics optional.

Give Holy Cross a liferaft for the Boston market after they blew off the Big East. Keep Fordham solely for NY flier. Add Davidson and Loyola-Chicago for a 10 team mini-Big East of privates (almost all Catholics):
1 Boston (Holy Cross)
2 New York (Fordham)
3 Philadelphia (Saint Joseph’s)
4 Washington (George Washington)
5 Richmond (Richmond)
6 Charlotte (Davidson)
7 Cincinnati (Dayton)
8 Chicago (Loyola-Chicago)
9 St Louis (Saint Louis)
10 Saint Bonaventure

Or if you wanted to keep it purely for hoops strength and open the seal for publics. Replace HC and Fordham with VCU, URI, and UMass. Add Belmont. This would still pass the continuity rule AFAIK.

NORTHEAST (4): UMass, URI, SBU, SJU
MID ATLANTIC (4): GWU, VCU, UR, Davidson
MIDWEST (4): Dayton, Loyola-Chicago, Saint Louis, Belmont

I wouldn't worry about hoops strength so much as having an identity that helps them distinguish from the other non-FB programs. Just like the NBE is proving that not only can small, private schools survive in the CFP era but even thrive, a new collection of schools in big markets dedicated to hoops could take advantage of the changing media landscape by offering something unique.

If done right, the programs that could leave the A10 can create a new niche for themselves and become a new competitor to the Big East for hoops supremacy by filling a space between the BE and the other non-FB conferences.

Quote:1 Boston (Holy Cross)
2 New York (Fordham)
3 Philadelphia (Saint Joseph’s)
4 Washington (George Washington)
5 Richmond (Richmond)
6 Charlotte (Davidson)
7 Cincinnati (Dayton)
8 Chicago (Loyola-Chicago)
9 St Louis (Saint Louis)
10 Saint Bonaventure

That's a good list.

At her age she has a 50% chance of kicking the bucket by Friday.

That would sour things.

(03-25-2018 02:59 AM)DawgNBama Wrote:  

(03-24-2018 11:31 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  With a 98 year old nun divinely willing a school with a 33-year drought to the Final Four in one of the most improbable runs in American sports history, how does this impact collegiate athletics? Will we start to see other Jesuit institutions investing in the team Chaplain role? Will schools utilize nuns and Chaplains in recruiting as opposed to shoe companies and bag men?

Does this give an advantage to Catholic schools during the next round of realignment?

It would indeed be refreshing to see other Jesuit institutions investing in the team chaplain role!!!! IMO, Baylor needs look at this too, and maybe Furman & Samford also (all Southern Baptist institions). Corrupt shoe companies & “bag men” will always be around, but it’s nice to see a throwback to the way these institutions used to be, IMO.

Why do you think a school couldn't have both a chaplain and "bag men" at the same time? If you are looking back to a time when basketball was less corrupt, you're going to have to look back to before you were born.

(03-25-2018 08:05 AM)ken d Wrote:  

(03-25-2018 02:59 AM)DawgNBama Wrote:  

(03-24-2018 11:31 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  With a 98 year old nun divinely willing a school with a 33-year drought to the Final Four in one of the most improbable runs in American sports history, how does this impact collegiate athletics? Will we start to see other Jesuit institutions investing in the team Chaplain role? Will schools utilize nuns and Chaplains in recruiting as opposed to shoe companies and bag men?

Does this give an advantage to Catholic schools during the next round of realignment?

It would indeed be refreshing to see other Jesuit institutions investing in the team chaplain role!!!! IMO, Baylor needs look at this too, and maybe Furman & Samford also (all Southern Baptist institions). Corrupt shoe companies & “bag men” will always be around, but it’s nice to see a throwback to the way these institutions used to be, IMO.

Why do you think a school couldn't have both a chaplain and "bag men" at the same time? If you are looking back to a time when basketball was less corrupt, you're going to have to look back to before you were born.

https://www.espn.com/classic/s/basketbal...osion.html

(03-24-2018 11:31 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  With a 98 year old nun divinely willing a school with a 33-year drought to the Final Four in one of the most improbable runs in American sports history, how does this impact collegiate athletics? Will we start to see other Jesuit institutions investing in the team Chaplain role? Will schools utilize nuns and Chaplains in recruiting as opposed to shoe companies and bag men?

Does this give an advantage to Catholic schools during the next round of realignment?

Ummm

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Catholic Atlantic 10
Dayton
Detroit
Duquesne
Fordham
La Salle
Loyola
Saint Louis
Siena
Ste. Bonaventure
St. Joseph's

I don't think it has to be a completely Catholic league but Villanova is now showing people that it's possible to compete in basketball and don't need to latch on to football money to do so.

1. Loyola-IL
2. St. Louis
3. Dayton
4. Duquesne
5. Fordham
6. Richmond
7. Siena
8. St. Joseph's
9. George Washington
10. Holy Cross


or


1. Holy Cross
2. Fordham
3. Saint Joseph’s
4. George Washington
5. Richmond
6. Davidson
7. Dayton
8. Loyola-Chicago
9. St Louis
10. Saint Bonaventure


or

1. St. Louis
2. Loyola-Chicago
3. Dayton
4. Duquesne
5. St. Bonaventure
6. Holy Cross
7. Fordham
8. St. Joseph's
9. George Washington
10. Richmond

^ So basically kick out the publics from the A10 and invite Holy Cross and Loyola?

I don’t see Loyal Chicago going anywhere but their success and Nova winning again and Gonzaga doing well all prove that football isn’t necessary like a lot of people said it was 5-10 years ago. Maybe Uconn and big East is talked about more but that could be the only thing. It won’t be like the ripple effects of the 2011 NCAA final 4 with butler and VCU for example.

I don't think anyone in the A10 now would be kicked out. Instead, using the rule of having enough programs needed to break away and still have an automatic bid (someone in this thread said 7), it's possible for several private schools to form their own conference. If the Ivy League can sign a media deal with a major company then I don't see a reason why this new collection of schools breaking off from the A10 wouldn't get a decent deal that gives them a few more dollars and added exposure.

(04-04-2018 11:11 PM)Transic_nyc Wrote:  I don't think anyone in the A10 now would be kicked out. Instead, using the rule of having enough programs needed to break away and still have an automatic bid (someone in this thread said 7), it's possible for several private schools to form their own conference. If the Ivy League can sign a media deal with a major company then I don't see a reason why this new collection of schools breaking off from the A10 wouldn't get a decent deal that gives them a few more dollars and added exposure.

I just don't see that much internal strife with the A10. It's not like the Catholic 7 and Big East Football.

And the Ivy League signed with ESPN+, who knows if that's a big deal or not. My guess is that ESPN+ is just another alternative streaming platform, nothing fancy. I wouldn't be surprised if we see a lot of the high level FCS leagues go with ESPN+ (CAA, Big Sky, etc.) plus a good number of G5 games too.

(03-25-2018 12:49 AM)Transic_nyc Wrote:  I don't remember how many programs need to break away to form a conference and keep their automatic bid but I thought certain programs from the A10 should look into breaking away and forming a conference with like members from other conferences in the mold of the current Big East (since I don't think the BE is expanding at this time).

Try this for size: Loyola-IL, St. Louis, Dayton, Duquesne, Fordham, Richmond, Siena, St. Joseph, George Washington, Holy Cross

Covers markets in Chicago, St. Louis, Dayton-Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and New York

The run by the Ramblers should be giving encouragement to similar programs who are currently struggling. Holy Cross is a program that I think with the right ingredients mixed in can break out of their doldrums. Fordham is another programs that I see due for a big run.

IIRC, it's six schools together for five years.