If Elgin Goes Raiding - School Profiles

[TheAsianSensation]

Any school with FBS football is a no-go, because they have to protect against independence there. Without getting bogged down in the numbers, it's financial suicide in the new playoff system not to be affiliated with something.

I've probably forgotten more lists of candidates than most have ever created but my short-term gut feel is that a private non-footy will be added to replace Creighton to keep everyone happy with the 5-5 football/nonfootball split we have now.

If Creighton goes, they might want to help stabilize the western front. I'm estimating Elgin's first call goes to Oral Bob. But if Wichita somehow finds another home too, then we ignore Oral Bob and head for Loyola/Milwaukee/Wright St/Valpo/Murray St in some combination, with an outside chance at UALR.

Elgin probably can't stop Creighton from going but would a Denver/Oral Bob proposal stop them? I could see Elgin trying it.

The one thing I feel more comfortable about is him ignoring the football schools. Needless to say, if CU/EU/WSU leave, and Elgin's response is to propose NDSU, SDSU, and Youngstown as replacements, we GTFO ASAP.

[Rusty 54]

If it goes this way, I like Murray State and Oral Roberts because of their success. Both expand the Valley footprint too, though that doesn't matter too much for us as compared to the Big 10/ACC.

Loyola and UIC are programs that should always be beneath us. It drives me crazy that we have losses to them in recent years. If they had great fan support and a history of success, maybe. But they don't.

I would take Butler or Dayton in a heartbeat. But I would be completely shocked if that happened.

[Braves4Life]

Loyala is more like BU than even I care to admit. They have a rich basketball history yet have amounted to very little over the past 25 years.

[thefish7]

Loyala is more like BU than even I care to admit. They have a rich basketball history yet have amounted to very little over the past 25 years.

I don't agree... Revenues and budgets extremely different, as are things like fan support. I have strong suspicion that if you were to track RPI or Sagarin ratings over time you'd also find that Bradley is much stronger. NCAA success? Bradley may be only marginally better than Loyola over 25 years, but by any other measure I think there's a big difference.

[LittleBrave]

Loyola and UIC are programs that should always be beneath us. It drives me crazy that we have losses to them in recent years. If they had great fan support and a history of success, maybe. But they don't.

Very true. As a Chicagoan thought, it would mean 2 games I would be sure to attend every season!

[LittleBrave]

Loyala is more like BU than even I care to admit. They have a rich basketball history yet have amounted to very little over the past 25 years.

If you take into account the expectation of both teams' fans, I think you're right.
Most Loyola fans probably expect 1 appearance every 20 years, while BU fans probably expect around 5.

My hope is to get back to the NIT in 2014-'15, and then get to dance by 2016-'17.

[stevebu91]

Wow, I'm not happy with even the choices discussed for the potential MVC.... Oral Roberts, UWM, Loyola, UIC, Murray State....

I'd bail with Drake and attach to a yet to be developed private school conference. 25-30 years with minimal MVC overall conference success composed of schools that really don't match each other in profile is just not for me.

The east coast privates are going to play into our future, just a guess...

[shaunguth]

If it goes this way, I like Murray State and Oral Roberts because of their success.

I would be quite pleased with a Creighton/Evansville for Murray State/Oral Roberts "trade".

[peoriakid]

Maybe we could start a new conference made up of all the mid-majors who have somewhat recently upset Kansas in the NCAA. It would look something like this.

Bradley
VCU
Bucknell
Nothern Iowa
Rhode Island
UTEP

[SFP]

Wow, I'm not happy with even the choices discussed for the potential MVC.... Oral Roberts, UWM, Loyola, UIC, Murray State....

I'd bail with Drake and attach to a yet to be developed private school conference. 25-30 years with minimal MVC overall conference success composed of schools that really don't match each other in profile is just not for me.

The east coast privates are going to play into our future, just a guess...

Steve I feel the same. I'm also at a lost of the negativity being thrown towards BU's capability, especially the post on they rather go to a lesser conference because they believe BU cannot compete at a higher level.

Guys BU has great facilities and is a Class A academic institution. I believe Geno will get this program running to a level that we have not seen since the Vercase era. Sometimes there are smart people making decisions on programs and conference affiliation based on potential and I believe the potential is there. There are certain aspects of our program that are hard to measure where others with any inkling will understand. In my mind it was not that long ago that Butler was an average program.

[thefish7]

Maybe we could start a new conference made up of all the mid-majors who have somewhat recently upset Kansas in the NCAA. It would look something like this.

Bradley
VCU
Bucknell
Nothern Iowa
Rhode Island
UTEP

Lol, the The Bloody Kansas League.

[Bravesfan]

Loyala is more like BU than even I care to admit. They have a rich basketball history yet have amounted to very little over the past 25 years.

That's nonsense. BU has had 2 NCAA trips, including one Sweet Sixteen appearance, and 6 NIT appearances. That's 2 and 6 more postseason trips than Loyola has had in that time span. Not even an EIEIO tournament trip for Loyola in that time either.

[Bravesfan]

Maybe we could start a new conference made up of all the mid-majors who have somewhat recently upset Kansas in the NCAA. It would look something like this.

Bradley
VCU
Bucknell
Nothern Iowa
Rhode Island
UTEP

Very good! We could bring back that "Buckley" t-shirts too.

[Bravesfan]

Steve I feel the same. I'm also at a lost of the negativity being thrown towards BU's capability, especially the post on they rather go to a lesser conference because they believe BU cannot compete at a higher level.

Guys BU has great facilities and is a Class A academic institution. I believe Geno will get this program running to a level that we have not seen since the Vercase era. Sometimes there are smart people making decisions on programs and conference affiliation based on potential and I believe the potential is there. There are certain aspects of our program that are hard to measure where others with any inkling will understand. In my mind it was not that long ago that Butler was an average program.

Just to clarify, myself and others who feel this way are being realistic of what will happen. Of course we need to aim high, but I'm just not confident that we would be invited to this type of conference, even if were playing at a higher level right now. Heck, I'm not even sure this is a done deal for Creighton and/or Butler yet. I'm just content right now to sit back and watch how this all plays out.

I was also trying to explain that even if we get into one of these upper level conferences, there is certainly no guarantee that we would perform at a consistently high level. Just ask DePaul fans about this. I'm sure the money they have gotten out of their affiliation with the Big East has been great. But at what cost to their program? Their program is virtually nonexistent right now, though I do feel Oliver Purnell may be able to at least get them to respectibility. But right now when a team only draws about 3 or 4000 people into a 17,000 seat venue (some of that may have to do with the distance from their campus) and loses home games to the likes of Gardner-Webb, can anyone associated with this program say with a straight face that the money has been worth it? I would guess probably not. That's why staying in a somewhat weaker conference for the time being might not be the worst decision in the world.