Valley Tournament needs to switch weekends

[andypt7]

Is it to the point that playing the Valley tournament during the first weekend of "Championship Week" is hurting the Valley? I'm sick of hearing about this team and that team helping themsevles by winning a quarterfinal (or even play-in game) in their conference tournament. So much basketball action occurs from the end of the Valley tourney to selection sunday that i can't help but think any momentum that a valley team might have built by winning a game or two in the tournament is wiped out by the time all these other games are played.

I know much of (all of?) it is based on TV and money, but if we want to be considered a big time conference, we can't have our conference tournament finished before other rest of the majors even start theirs. This set up leaves too many extra opportunities for the Illinois's and Syracuse's of the world to take away at large bids from the valley.

Just my opinion. Any thoughts?

[real fan]

No because iw would not be on CBS and it gives the postseason teams a chance to rest.

[georgethedog]

Re: Valley Tournament needs to switch weekends

Is it to the point that playing the Valley tournament during the first weekend of "Championship Week" is hurting the Valley? I'm sick of hearing about this team and that team helping themsevles by winning a quarterfinal (or even play-in game) in their conference tournament. So much basketball action occurs from the end of the Valley tourney to selection sunday that i can't help but think any momentum that a valley team might have built by winning a game or two in the tournament is wiped out by the time all these other games are played.

I know much of (all of?) it is based on TV and money, but if we want to be considered a big time conference, we can't have our conference tournament finished before other rest of the majors even start theirs. This set up leaves too many extra opportunities for the Illinois's and Syracuse's of the world to take away at large bids from the valley.

Just my opinion. Any thoughts?

There is no proof it has hurt the MVC. Last year we got 4 bids.

[MacabreMob]

Get lost in the BCS weekend... the BCS bias would flat out ignore us completely. No Thanks.

[BUBraves2006]

I can see both sides. I think we're "darned" if we do and "darned" if we don't.

Though we get to be on center stage the previous weekend, I do think we get forgotten a week later. You honestly think a buzzer beater against the #11 team of the country wouldn't still be in the minds of the selection committee, one day later (if the game was played today)?

MVC teams sitting and twiddling our thumbs for a week certainly will hurt us THIS year. Missouri State's stock has been dropping daily and I think there's a good chance the league will only get 2 bids. Why has it dropped? Because everyone else is still playing!

At the same time though, the MVC had its chance to win 4 bids this year by having our own weekend. Too bad Matt Shaw tipped a shot in and Missouri State choked again. If Bradley and Missouri State make the championship game, we get a guaranteed 3, if not 4.

I like when the tournament is and don't believe it should be changed ... but ... when the teams in the conference don't do what is necessary to get more bids, then we're stuck waiting for a week to be forgotten.

[MacabreMob]

Well, one thing... SIU would have been in the Top10 (most likely) if the MVC Tourney were this weekend. Then their ranking wouldn't reflect the loss in the Championship game until AFTER Selection Sunday.

[amckillip]

I do think a move to this weekend would 'validate' us somewhat, but I really like having it last weekend. It's setup so it's easy for fans to get there(fri-sun, as opposed to a thurs-sat, or mid week tourney), we are center stage, and we have all week to worry... I do think there are disadvantages, finishing earlier it seems people pencil us in, then other teams 'knock us out.' As opposed to just looking at resumes straight up (the announcers could use a comparative analysis class, then again that cold be the Industrial Engineer in me coming out). It also makes it so were viewed as a mid major rather than the 'in between' conference that we really are. Despite that I think that I like it last weekend better better to be the star of a small show, than the extra in another(except NIT vs. NCAA, throw that analogy out when were talking about that).

[andypt7]

I'm glad that some people see my point. I agree that putting it during the same weekend of the ACC, Big 10, Big East, ect would take some of the spotlight away considering that the MVC is the biggest conference that has it's tournament the previous weekend. It's nice to be "center stage," but we're still playing second fiddle to the other conference's regular season finale. The casual basketball fan probably will still tune in to Ohio. St-Michigan more than they would the Valley final.

I think when the current contract is up, the Valley should have a major push with CBS to bump the Conf. USA tournament final (played earlier today on CBS) in favor of the Valley final. I guess my frustration is that Mizz St. is probably going to get screwed again this year (although not as badly as they did last year). Last saturday, they were a "last 4 in" on Lunardi's bracketology. Today, without playing a game, they are listed as "next 4 out," not even "first 4 out." The committee is human, and the human memory can work in funny ways.