Conference Shake Up 2.0

[1972Shocker]

I don't think the choas is over by any many means. Now or in the foreseeable future.

[SubGod22]

UNI Football Weighing Move to FBS - This makes it UNI and ISU that have both expressed some interest in moving up. MSU fans have talked about it some but I've never seen anything from those that matter on the issue.

[DUShock]

I fear Wichita State has slowly drifted the way of the dodo bird...

[SubGod22]

I really hope Bardo will look into the issue sooner than later. I understand a few other priorities on his list, but without football, we're stuck where we are and I don't see the Valley getting better. The Valley won't make a bold move like bringing in New Mexico State. There are too many poor schools that would vote against an addition like that. I don't know how many votes would be needed, but even if it's just a majority, you have to hope that three of Evansville, Indiana State, Northern Iowa, Drake, Bradley, Illinois State and Southern Illinois would go for it and see that it would be a good thing. I don't have a lot of faith in that.

[Rocky Mountain Shock]

I don't see the likes of Xavier, VCU, or Butler going the way of the dodo bird, but that means we need to get REALLY good at basketball--like Elite 8/Final Four good--on a consistent basis in order to be attractive to the A10, since that is apparently our only hope to improve our conference situation without football. We have the coach, the facilities, and the fan support to do it. I realize this wouldn't be any guarantee that the A10 would be interested in us, but at this point is probably our only hope.

[ShockTalk]

I don't see the likes of Xavier, VCU, or Butler going the way of the dodo bird, but that means we need to get REALLY good at basketball--like Elite 8/Final Four good--on a consistent basis in order to be attractive to the A10, since that is apparently our only hope to improve our conference situation without football. We have the coach, the facilities, and the fan support to do it. I realize this wouldn't be any guarantee that the A10 would be interested in us, but at this point is probably our only hope.

Probably, the only way the A-10 would be interested in a successful WSU is if they decided to have East/West divisions, dropped some of their dead weight, and add several "western" schools (WSU, CU, + 1 or 2 more).

[SubGod22]

I don't see the likes of Xavier, VCU, or Butler going the way of the dodo bird, but that means we need to get REALLY good at basketball--like Elite 8/Final Four good--on a consistent basis in order to be attractive to the A10, since that is apparently our only hope to improve our conference situation without football. We have the coach, the facilities, and the fan support to do it. I realize this wouldn't be any guarantee that the A10 would be interested in us, but at this point is probably our only hope.

Those schools benefit from location as well. Something that is definitely against us and even Creighton.

[DoubleJayAlum]

As some of you guys know, I've been pushing for a move to the A10 for a long time. About a year ago, I even suggested that WSU and CU approach the league together.

Ultimately, here is what I expect (hope ?) to happen to the A10 -- UMass, like Temple and another team just did, jumps out of the league in order to support its football program. I also expect Fordham to move to a league that is more in line with the money it wants to spend on athletics (like the Patriot League).

With Temple gone, the western schools now control all the power (Xavier, Butler, Dayton, SLU, etc). I would expect the league to want to appease those schools to keep them from leaving. Appeasement will happen in this case by selecting midwestern schools, as opposed to eastern schools, dedicated to basketball and without football (other than perhaps the nonscholarship variety). Creighton and WSU would seemingly be pretty appealing due to competitiveness, budget and market. On top of that, the A10 could send a mortal blow to the one mid major conference still on its level, the MVC, by grabbing both of us. Make no mistake about it, weakening the other mid majors is part of their decision making process, hence the nabbing of Butler and VCU, striking at the heart of the CAA and decimating the Horizon.

Of course I have no timetable in mind here and the whole idea goes to sh!$ if the Big East blows up. I am not is concerned about the Big East breaking up as I once was as there is just too much money to be lost in TV revenue and NCAA tourney credits for that league to go anywhere.

[ABC]

As some of you guys know, I've been pushing for a move to the A10 for a long time. About a year ago, I even suggested that WSU and CU approach the league together.

Ultimately, here is what I expect (hope ?) to happen to the A10 -- UMass, like Temple and another team just did, jumps out of the league in order to support its football program. I also expect Fordham to move to a league that is more in line with the money it wants to spend on athletics (like the Patriot League).

With Temple gone, the western schools now control all the power (Xavier, Butler, Dayton, SLU, etc). I would expect the league to want to appease those schools to keep them from leaving. Appeasement will happen in this case by selecting midwestern schools, as opposed to eastern schools, dedicated to basketball and without football (other than perhaps the nonscholarship variety). Creighton and WSU would seemingly be pretty appealing due to competitiveness, budget and market. On top of that, the A10 could send a mortal blow to the one mid major conference still on its level, the MVC, by grabbing both of us. Make no mistake about it, weakening the other mid majors is part of their decision making process, hence the nabbing of Butler and VCU, striking at the heart of the CAA and decimating the Horizon.

Of course I have no timetable in mind here and the whole idea goes to sh!$ if the Big East blows up. I am not is concerned about the Big East breaking up as I once was as there is just too much money to be lost in TV revenue and NCAA tourney credits for that league to go anywhere.

Please tell me that if this happens the name of the league will change. I smell a naming contest.

[tropicalshox]

I hope DJA has the predictive powers of Nortradamus.

[RoyalShock]

Evansville to the Horizon?

http://www.courierpressblogs.com/sports/ue/?p=217

We can hope! Then we get Elgin to go after Murray State, no matter what BU/CU/DU wants.

[SubGod22]

I would be THRILLED if Evansville left. We could improve the conference by adding a number of other schools. Schools that would be an improvement include: Murray State, Milwaukee, Denver, Oral Roberts, New Mexico State and Belmont (mentioned to Horizon). I doubt this happens, but we'd be better off as a conference without them.

[SubGod22]

The following was brought up on the CSN board. If the Valley did want to add NMSU and Denver, is Evansville the most likely to vote no? I'd say yes to that but I don't think they'd be alone. If they left, would there be enough support to rally a few that maybe don't have strong convictions either way?

I would hope that CU, Wichita and MSU would be in support of it. I don't know about the Illinois schools. I would guess BU and SIU would vote no. UNI and Drake? I'm not sure. Nor am I sure about Indiana State. I've heard they voted yes on DBU the first time, so maybe there's hope they'd favor it. There would need to be 5 votes in favor without Evansville. If we got both, Milwaukee or Murray State would make sense to go to 12.

Also, there's been some talk about a "reverse merger" with the WAC in that the MVC would get their FBS invite power and take in NMSU and Denver. Not sure how possible that would be but I've seen it mentioned a few times and not only for the MVC to use. The CAA was mentioned at one point. Anyway, that would give UNI and ISU an avenue to move up without leaving the conference. May make it easier for MSU as well and we'd add NMSU. Could also be more incentive for us to bring back football knowing there was a guaranteed invite and path to FBS after 2 years or so. The down side is that the Dakotas would probably get an invite for all sports because we'd need their football.

Also, this could create some issues with the nonfootball types like Creighton, Drake, Bradley and Denver. I'd hate to lose CU and BU but could see it happening if this sort of thing happened. Unless we got to 10 for football and had CU and BU for 11 and 12 for basketball.

West:
New Mexico State
Wichita (starts football)
*Denver
*Creighton
North Dakota State
South Dakota State

East:
Southern Illinois
Illinois State
Northern Iowa
Missouri State
Illinois State
Indiana State

Divisions would be for non-football sports. And this would be assuming that football essentially chased off Drake and Bradley. If not, then you're at 14 and would move one of UNI, Drake and Missouri State to the West.

I doubt any of that happens, but once I start thinking about football I can't stop. And maybe down the road something opens up to where we could be in the same conference as a Tulsa.

[SubGod22]

SunBelt not opposed to moving to 12. Schools on the list are Georgia Southern, Liberty, Appy State, Lamar and Sam Houston State. I would guess the first three are the ones that would most seriously be considered.

[GoShockers89]

Maryland and Rutgers are reportedly very close to being offered into the Big 10. There is also talk that this would trigger the ACC to replace Maryland with UConn.

***REALITY ENDS HERE; EVERYTHING BELOW IS GOSHOCKERS89 DREAMING***

This would leave the Big East looking to replace 2 teams. Logically, they'd look to rape the A-10 again and take perhaps UMass (newly FBS football) and some other non-football school (Xavier?).

This would leave the A-10 looking to replace a couple. Shockers and Bluejays finally tell Elgin to go suck a bag of d's and bolt to the A-10. Evansville drops to D2. Missouri State goes to the Big South. MVC implodes.

Life is excellent.