American Athletic Conference

[Kung Wu]

At least we can reuse some of our BJ jokes with only minor tweaks.

[shocker22]

I see our success in the tournament helping us to get an invite to another league. I hope we move.

[SB Shock]

I see our success in the tournament helping us to get an invite to another league.

Please share where that might be?

[shocker22]

Please share where that might be?

I could speculate about many conferences but I think we will get interest. Look at what happened just after vcu and butler made their runs. The exposure will be a benefit.

[Rlh04d]

I could speculate about many conferences but I think we will get interest. Look at what happened just after vcu and butler made their runs. The exposure will be a benefit.

VCU made the Final Four. Butler had two championship games.

And VCU isn't in much of a better situation than us with the current A-10.

A Sweet 16 isn't enough for what you're talking about. Elite 8 wouldn't be either.

[1972Shocker]

I could speculate about many conferences but I think we will get interest. Look at what happened just after vcu and butler made their runs. The exposure will be a benefit.

There is not much to speculate about as there are only about two possibilities. One is the A-10 which at this point doesn't necessarily look like enough of a move up to justify that move and the other would be as a non-football playing member of the MWC to balance away who is a football only member. However, I am not sure at all that we would be at the top of the MWC list to fill that slot, if they fill it at all.

If we are stuck in the Valley for now the most important thing is not who we replace Creighton with. We know whoever we can attract will be a step down from Creighton. The more important thing then will be for the rest of the league to bring a higher level of performance to the table in men's basketball. Especially SIU, MSU, BU, ILS, INS and UNI. Not sure much can be expected out of Drake and Evansville on a consistent basis.

[SB Shock]

I could speculate about many conferences but I think we will get interest. Look at what happened just after vcu and butler made their runs. The exposure will be a benefit.

But from who? Here let me help.

Big 10? - no
Big East (either old or new) - no
Mountain West - no, this conference is about football
ACC - no
Big 12 - this would be great, and it would be geographical fit - but no
Pac 12 - no
Atlantic 10 - just don't see it happening
SEC - no
West Coast - probably not
Conf USA - no
Horizon - they might have an interest
WAC - no
MAAC - they would be interested
Sun Belt - that fit to bad geographically and they might have an interest
Ohio Valley - maybe the MVC could trade WSU for Belmont
Mid American - I think they play football, so no
Patriot - WSU and Bucknell fans could reminisce about beating KU, but not a good fit
Summit - ND and SD would love for us to leave for their conference - so they could try and join the MVC
Northeast - not a good fit
Big West - well, Mean Gene would like this for baseball, but probably to far west
American East - no
Colonial - no
Ivy - NIAR is good, but I don't think Yale and Harvard would respect WSU
Southland - possible they might be looking to expand
Atlantic Sun - Could get alot of trips to florida, but don't think they are looking
Southern - to far east, and they don't really look like they will be expanding
Big Sky - we could probably rule in this conference with a bunch of 300 rpi teams (until we became one)
MEAC - no
Big South - no
SWAC - they don't seem to be adding
Great West - Yes, they would be interested in adding a flag ship to their conference.

So which conference do you think?

[SubGod22]

I don't know if I'd say the MWC is all about football. They care, but they're a much stronger basketball conference than football. It may or may not happen, but I have issues with that. Yes, they have some schools that prioritize football. I get that. And that may outnumber basketball as far as priority, but basketball doesn't suffer because of it. They definitely want to keep themselves at or near the top of basketball. Hell, outside of Boise, they get a lot more run for basketball.

[SHOCKvalue]

But from who? Here let me help.

Big 10? - no
Big East (either old or new) - no
Mountain West - no, this conference is about football
ACC - no
Big 12 - this would be great, and it would be geographical fit - but no
Pac 12 - no
Atlantic 10 - just don't see it happening
SEC - no
West Coast - probably not
Conf USA - no
Horizon - they might have an interest
WAC - no
MAAC - they would be interested
Sun Belt - that fit to bad geographically and they might have an interest
Ohio Valley - maybe the MVC could trade WSU for Belmont
Mid American - I think they play football, so no
Patriot - WSU and Bucknell fans could reminisce about beating KU, but not a good fit
Summit - ND and SD would love for us to leave for their conference - so they could try and join the MVC
Northeast - not a good fit
Big West - well, Mean Gene would like this for baseball, but probably to far west
American East - no
Colonial - no
Ivy - NIAR is good, but I don't think Yale and Harvard would respect WSU
Southland - possible they might be looking to expand
Atlantic Sun - Could get alot of trips to florida, but don't think they are looking
Southern - to far east, and they don't really look like they will be expanding
Big Sky - we could probably rule in this conference with a bunch of 300 rpi teams (until we became one)
MEAC - no
Big South - no
SWAC - they don't seem to be adding
Great West - Yes, they would be interested in adding a flag ship to their conference.

So which conference do you think?

There are more efficient ways to be be a smart ass than spending 30 minutes typing up the above post.

We all get it: You don't want anyone to talk about hypotheticals of bringing back football, or joining another conference. If you could be so gracious as to let us all in on what type of "looking forward" conversation has your blessing that would be fantastic.

Status quo thinking is what makes this town an armpit. It's also enemy number one with regards improving our University both athletically and academically. Some of what is bandied about is overly-optimistic, but with the changing landscape we are either going to be moving up or down. Where we are at right now is untenable moving forward. We can either proactively attempt to dictate the narrative of our future, or we can sit on our hands and be D2 in 15 years.

[capnkirk]

If WSU were to change conferences, I am concerned about travel time, game times and extra class time missed.

It didn't take long for West Virginia to find out that traveling many miles west across a time zone to play games during the week take a toll on your team. They have asked the big 12 for a solution....

Creighton is going to be traveling east which should put them a little better off than West Virginia, but they are still looking at increased travel times which will take a toll on them.

I am anticipating another large re-alignment surge within 10 years. This time it will be based a little more on geographical locations that make sense for travel and natural rivalries.

[MadaboutWu]

Shocker's second team as the tenth team for the MVC--then we merge the two for OOC play?

[SB Shock]

There are more efficient ways to be be a smart ass than spending 30 minutes typing up the above post.

Actually I'm a fast typer. Only took about 10.

absurdity requires absurdity. What kind of response is "I could speculate about many conferences but I think we will get interest." - but doesn't. Hey, you are on the message board and you are allowed to speculate. Problem is when you get into the details - they are not that pretty of who might really be interested.

We all get it: You don't want anyone to talk about hypotheticals of bringing back football, or joining another conference.

I don't care if there is discussion about joining a new conference - I'm not the thread police. I don't read the stuff I'm not interested in.

Conference realignment is of interest and I'm all for getting out of the MVC if there is better place for WSU especially with the way WSU is treated by the MVC. But lets show some common sense and show some critical thinking. Target conference(s) we think might have an interest that would be a step up for the university, and have a discussion on what WSU needs to do to get there. That is what it going to take to get there.

Subgod has identified the one conference (in the present landscape) that WSU might have a chance move to and that is the - MWC. But I keep trying to find anythking where offcial where MWC is looking for a basketball school, I don't find it (doesn't mean it not out there).

[shoxlax]

Why can't the MWC add two basketball only schools-us and the Zags? Then create two divisions.

I think we should come in a package deal.

Our AD did have a chance to discuss it with theirs last week in the middle of MWC country.

[SubGod22]

Why can't the MWC add two basketball only schools-us and the Zags? Then create two divisions.

I think we should come in a package deal.

Our AD did have a chance to discuss it with theirs last week in the middle of MWC country.

Because two teams doesn't solve the possible issue of Hawaii. Also, most feel that Gonzaga has no interest in joining the MWC.

I haven't seen anything official regarding adding a nonfootball member to the MWC. But the leadership has said that they're not real thrilled with a 20 game conference schedule which is what they're looking at next year as they plan on doing a round robin schedule and not doing divisions. Fans and some media have speculated that there may be interest at some point in adding a nonfootball member to get that number down to 16 by doing divisions. 10 on your side and one against each of the others. Much like the XII did when before all this movement started. We've been mentioned by fans and media as a potential target.

That's usually where this stuff begins. Speculation from media and fans. Doesn't mean it'll happen, but it's not just Shocker fans dreaming up scenarios. I've seen similar speculation about the old BE possibly adding nonfootball members. VCU is a favorite for that. WSU has been mentioned by some since we're so close to Tulsa and the Texsas schools if they choose to do that. I've seen less talk about that though than the MWC.

[SHOCKvalue]

Actually I'm a fast typer. Only took about 10.

absurdity requires absurdity. What kind of response is "I could speculate about many conferences but I think we will get interest." - but doesn't. Hey, you are on the message board and you are allowed to speculate. Problem is when you get into the details - they are not that pretty of who might really be interested.



I don't care if there is discussion about joining a new conference - I'm not the thread police. I don't read the stuff I'm not interested in.

Conference realignment is of interest and I'm all for getting out of the MVC if there is better place for WSU especially with the way WSU is treated by the MVC. But lets show some common sense and show some critical thinking. Target conference(s) we think might have an interest that would be a step up for the university, and have a discussion on what WSU needs to do to get there. That is what it going to take to get there.

Subgod has identified the one conference (in the present landscape) that WSU might have a chance move to and that is the - MWC. But I keep trying to find anythking where offcial where MWC is looking for a basketball school, I don't find it (doesn't mean it not out there).

Count me in the camp that says our current run, along with what we've been doing the past few years, coupled with the overall strength of our athletic department as a whole, might just open some doors for us. I think MWC and A10 are both outside, but not completely unrealistic, potentials. The MWC is obviously a step up from the Valley. The A10 looks to be stronger from a long-term perspective than the MVC.

People in MWC land are talking about us, albeit in low volumes. There's a 3 page thread going on right now on the Fresno State board. That's how deals start - with specualtion.