American Athletic Conference

[shoxlax]

This is a done deal folks IMHO.

Might as well get used to their websites:

http://www.loyolaramblers.com/index.html

http://ramblermania.yuku.com/forums/1/Rambler-Rants/Rambler-Rants#.UWmTO0rXq7x

Interesting they play men's soccer and volleyball but not baseball.

[Kung Wu]

I've been doing some thinking about this whole conference situation and have come up with a potential idea that would strengthen the Valley. Of course, I am in full agreement that the AAC or MWC are better deals but there is no guarantee that we will be getting an offer.

The idea is this: add 3 teams to the Valley, all with the potential top be a top 100 RPI on a regular basis. Then set the conference up in divisions like av English soccer league. The top 6 teams from the prior conference season play each other home and home and 3 home and 3 road against the lower half. This avoids having as many painful high RPI games. It adds the opportunity for a stronger schedule for the top half of the league, which improves the number of potential at large bids. The lower half teams still have something to play for to move into the top half for the next year. And you can still give out the auto bid to the conference tourney winner.

Discuss...

Edit: This would only be the case for men's basketball. All other sports would be divided by geography for travel costs.

In past years I have begged for this. Still a great concept and the first conference to run with it will love. Big-12 has two divisions with alternating schedules between divisions so it's not farfetched that it could be implemented with zero blowback from the NCAA.

Edit: oops I see @wufan: covered Big-12 already.

[proshox]

In past years I have begged for this. Still a great concept and the first conference to run with it will love. Big-12 has two divisions with alternating schedules between divisions so it's not farfetched that it could be implemented with zero blowback from the NCAA.

Edit: oops I see @wufan: covered Big-12 already.

I actually think that promotion/relegation is the perfect system for basketball once football becomes 4 sixteen team conferences. Divide basketball into three 100 team divisions. Computers could be used to rank each division 1-100. The bottom 10 drop down. Top ten from lower divisions move up.

[Rocky Mountain Shock]

This is a done deal folks IMHO.

Might as well get used to their websites:

http://www.loyolaramblers.com/index.html

http://ramblermania.yuku.com/forums/1/Rambler-Rants/Rambler-Rants#.UWmTO0rXq7x

Interesting they play men's soccer and volleyball but not baseball.

So I see they play their home games in a high school gym on steroids? It's a very, very nice high school gym on steroids, but it's still a...well, you get it. Better than UMKC but I'm a little disappointed if we chose them over some of the others.

Hello MWC and AAC? Bueller? Bueller?

[shoxlax]

It is a wealthy school with a great academic reputation....but so is Denver.

Oh well, flights are cheap to Chicago...should I start a roll call for next season?

[WuDrWu]

This is a done deal folks IMHO.

Might as well get used to their websites:

http://www.loyolaramblers.com/index.html

http://ramblermania.yuku.com/forums/1/Rambler-Rants/Rambler-Rants#.UWmTO0rXq7x

Interesting they play men's soccer and volleyball but not baseball.

Yep. Just formalities and semantics at this point. Welcome to the Valley, Loyola.

[wu_shizzle]

It just dawned on me that their MBB coach is Porter Moser.

Small world...

[Denver Shocker]

This is what Loyola brings to the table - this is a game between their cross-town rivals, too. My 2A high school brought more fan support.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9I1lJbtNVlE

[wsu789]

5-11 in the Horizon last year....wow...

[wsu789]

Average attendance of 2277...

[Shox21]

And this is what we want in the Valley? Wow! All I can say is we better have one hell of a non-conference schedule lined up or we are sunk as far as RPI goes.

[tropicalshox]

http://www.courierpressblogs.com/sports/ue/?p=4295

Announcement of Loyola-Chicago to MVC expected on Friday.

[KC Shox]

Well it took 7 of 9 schools to vote them in, I would like to see who voted yes.

[GoShockers89]

I'm guessing we played along with it. Probably don't want to look like obstructionists when we're begging elsewhere for an invite.

[pogo]

OK I'll go out on an island here and state that Loyola isn't the worst thing that could happen. I remember back in the day when the Shocks would play the Ramblers and those were some hotly contested games. I'm impressed with their willingness to upgrade their facilities and the money they have available. They are so far ahead of some of the other valley schools now that they may be a sleeping giant for the future. At least they have money available to spend whereas some of our members are dirt poor. As far as attendance they probably compare with several of the valley members now. If the valley is perceived to be a better conference then perhaps the teams they play will be perceived as better and that may help with building their attendance. Have to wait and see but I like this better than many of the other choices. Note, keep DU in mind for expansion also.