BU schedule

[TheAsianSensation]

I would put forth the following edict:

The following conferences are approved:
The Big 6
A-10
CUSA
MWC
WAC
Sun Belt
Horizon
MAC (they're usually much better than the dreck we saw last year)
CAA
Plus anyone else who was top 75 RPI or better in the previous year (or some other benchmark number)
I'd say WCC, but travel cost is also a factor

Everyone else? No. You're not allowed to schedule more than 1 games against everyone else (exempt tournaments exempted).

Of course, for all we know, this could result in us scheduling another 6 Horizon non-con games


The really sad thing is we're complaining about the BCS teams being snobs, and the only way we can fight back is to be snobs ourselves. Survival of the fittest.

[TheAsianSensation]

And my above suggestion would improve our RPI even further. Remember, we didn't get MSU in at RPI 21 that one year, but we DID get 4 teams in, all pretty high in the RPI. We need an army of teams invading the RPI Top 50 - they can't ignore us ALL. The last couple of years, we couldn't get multiple teams way up there.

[BuAlum03]

I agree that the system is slanted against mid-majors. But the fact is that the MVC hasn't done much impressive the past couple years. We've had our chances at multiple marquee wins and didn't finish. We'll have chances again this year. It all comes down to Just Win, Baby.

[Out of Balance]

This theory sounds great on paper, but there are flaws:

Good mid major teams are tougher to find. There's simply not as many as people think, and getting schedules to line u pis also harder than you think. Just think back to last year and to everyone who put SIU on the non-con, thinking they were getting a resume builder game.

Their out there my friend, and we need to be able to schedule 2 good ones a year If we cannot do that then our climb up will never happen, as BU will never, never get there playing the underrated and unknowns

[patrick_o'brian]

Hello again all! Just figured I'd chirp in on this one. We as mid-majors just have to win! We can't lose these close games to the UIC's and Loyola's of the world. We have to beat everyone we play. We cannot afford to just hang with Butler, or split the series with ISU. It's just that simple. We all know that these big time schools do not wanna come into Carver and deal with US! We can get pretty rowdy when the games get big. I really do not think that we are FORCED to schedule these D2 programs. I think that there are plenty of Div 1 teams that would play us, we just have got to spend time to try and find them. Scheduling in any business does not get the time that it needs. The coaches are so busy trying to recruit and get the best talent that they sometimes do not go the extra mile to work on the schedule. This is just my opinion! As far as what any of the so called "pundits" say I could care less. That's just me. I love the Braves and my philosophy is that if we just win ball games everything will works itself out.

[georgethedog]

Let's just win...

I don't much care who BU plays as some year's the schedule is easier than others. That's just the way it is. What I do care about is winning every game, period. How many games has BU had in the last several years that seemed before the season to look like a pushover or at the least just a "mediocre" game and we LOST! THAT is what I want to stop whether it is at home or the road. I'm sick of going to a home game right after we just got beat on the road by a bad team. WIN, period Coach Les. And to be quite honest, that really has not happened for quite a long time. Even the Sweet 16 year BU lost some games and probably did not deserve a bid based on some of the bad games they played that year.

Finally, let's finish somewhere other than 4-6 in the league. I am sick of that too. That is a pattern that is inexcusable considering Coach Les sold himself during his interviews that he would bring BU back to national prominence. The only BU he has helped get back to national prominence is Butler U. by losing to them and adding to their winning record. Finishing 4-6 in the MVC for several years in a row is not even significant prominence in the league, let alone nationally. BU NEEDS TO START WINNING GAMES no matter who they play.

(And please don't anyone put out the 20 win season stats... I just ate lunch. We all know that most of those 20 win seasons would not have happened if it were not for the bogus post-season tourneys we have found ourselves in the last couple years and the fact that most of those games were at home.)

[TheAsianSensation]

Just out of curiousity, who would you guys classify as the type of mid major we should schedule? Throwing out the Big 6 teams, Gonzaga, and Memphis for obvious reasons, I really truly wonder how many teams fit perfectly into the strategy. In order to really realistically carry out the strategy, we need a large pool of teams to choose from - it's not like every single elite mid major will perfectly fit into our schedule, and vice versa.

[tornado]

I'd say - the upper crust of A-10, CUSA, MWC, and some from Colonial..

[Braves4Life]

I'd say - the upper crust of A-10, CUSA, MWC, and some from Colonial..

And don't forget (on a selective basis) the upper crust from Horizon, MAAC, OVC, Mid-American, and Patriot.

[georgethedog]

I'd say - the upper crust of A-10, CUSA, MWC, and some from Colonial..

I wouldn't mind seeing almost any team from those confereces if we can get them, but the upper crust would be better. I would like to see UW-Green Bay from the Horizon. They are usually good and they play a decent schedule in a good league.

[shaunguth]

Here are all "mid-majors" (excluding Gonzaga and Memphis) with an RPI of 125 or better last season......

Atlantic 10
Xavier
Dayton
Temple
Rhode Island
Duquesne
St. Joseph's
La Salle
St. Louis

Conference USA
UAB
Tulsa
UTEP
Houston

WAC
Utah St.
Nevada
Boise St.
New Mexico St.

Horizon
Butler
Cleveland St.
Wisc.-Green Bay
Wright St.

MAAC
Siena
Niagara
Fairfield
Rider

Colonial
VCU
George Mason
Northeastern
Old Dominion
Hofstra

West Coast
St. Mary's
Portland

America East
Binghamton
Vermont

Sun Belt
Western Kentucky
AR-Little Rock

Southland
Stephen F. Austin

Southern
Davidson
Charleston

Mid-American
Miami (OH)
Buffalo
Akron

Patriot
American

Big Sky
Weber St.
Portland St.

Summit
North Dakota St.
Oakland

Atlantic Sun
East Tennessee St.
Belmont

Northeast
Robert Morris
Mount St. Mary's

Ivy
Cornell

[Braves4Life]

There's your list! Good job shaun!

[georgethedog]

Great job. Those would all be worthy opponents! Thanks!

[TheAsianSensation]

Let's say, on average then, there's about 40 teams in that range that should be targeted (a couple had less, a couple had more, so let's average them all up).

On average, a small but nonzero percent of good mid majors have bad years. Think SIU last year. So let's say 5 or 6 of those 40 desirable mid majors turn out not to be desirable. That leaves, say, 34

Another subset won't play you simply because of travel cost/inconvenience from a budgetary standpoint. Let's assume there's a dozen or so west coast teams or southern teams or whatever that simply won't travel. Down to 22 ideal opponents.

Now, those 22 have to be willing to schedule us as well. It's not unreasonable to think half of them wouldn't consider us just for logistical reasons (e.g., different scheduling strategy). Even more may simply have schedule conflicts such that open dates don't match up. And then there may be the Butler who wants to back out of a deal for one of various reasons.


All of a sudden, there's not many teams left to make the plan work, is there?

[georgethedog]

Let's say, on average then, there's about 40 teams in that range that should be targeted (a couple had less, a couple had more, so let's average them all up).

On average, a small but nonzero percent of good mid majors have bad years. Think SIU last year. So let's say 5 or 6 of those 40 desirable mid majors turn out not to be desirable. That leaves, say, 34

Another subset won't play you simply because of travel cost/inconvenience from a budgetary standpoint. Let's assume there's a dozen or so west coast teams or southern teams or whatever that simply won't travel. Down to 22 ideal opponents.

Now, those 22 have to be willing to schedule us as well. It's not unreasonable to think half of them wouldn't consider us just for logistical reasons (e.g., different scheduling strategy). Even more may simply have schedule conflicts such that open dates don't match up. And then there may be the Butler who wants to back out of a deal for one of various reasons.


All of a sudden, there's not many teams left to make the plan work, is there?

What did you say? There was something orange colored on you post that distracted me...