DBU valley addition for baseball only?

[GoShockers89]

That is not saying much. Do we really need to add another possible Bradley to the conference (that is what DBU has been prior to the last 2 years - hardly elevates the MVC).

2009 RPI- DBU 38, Bradley 260
2008 RPI- DBU 45, Bradley 195
2007 RPI- DBU 113, Bradley 127
2006 RPI- DBU 81, Bradley 186
2005 RPI- DBU 80, Bradley 129
2004 RPI- DBU 54, Bradley 195

Comparing them to Bradley is quite a stretch...they are a good program. Not a juggernaut, not a dynasty that will topple us from the dominant spot in the league, not a team that will make the tournament every single year. But a good program, yes.

The MVC has no business attracting anything better than DBU. What are you hoping to lure in with the promise of road trips to Terre Haute, Carbondale, etc. when there is still snow on the ground? Who is going to want to join a conference with only two teams who invest a significant amount in the sport?

Punting the Panthers and picking up DBU = scheduling win.

[SB Shock]

Some of us are starting to act like the BCS fans we hate.. :roll:

Were not talking about whether they should be scheduled, were talking about whether they should be added to the conference. I have no problem playing them year to year.

But the MVC has a track record of adding team to the conference who addition is more an upgrade for that team than for the conference. Not saying that what will happen with DBU, but it is not unreasonable to have some concern.

Now DBU is ranked 40th in the collegiate baseball so that is a positive for them. It will be interesting to follow them and see how they do.

[SB Shock]

That is not saying much. Do we really need to add another possible Bradley to the conference (that is what DBU has been prior to the last 2 years - hardly elevates the MVC).

2009 RPI- DBU 38, Bradley 260
2008 RPI- DBU 45, Bradley 195
2007 RPI- DBU 113, Bradley 127
2006 RPI- DBU 81, Bradley 186
2005 RPI- DBU 80, Bradley 129
2004 RPI- DBU 54, Bradley 195

Comparing them to Bradley is quite a stretch...they are a good program. Not a juggernaut, not a dynasty that will topple us from the dominant spot in the league, not a team that will make the tournament every single year. But a good program, yes.

Somebody said they would be at least a middle of road MVC team - middle of the road MVC team is usually an RPI in the low 100's - DBU RPI in the low 100's happened in 2007 and the nearest MVC team at that time was Bradley.

Punting the Panthers and picking up DBU = scheduling win.

You don't have to add them to the conference to put them on the schedule.

But then again, I'm probably being to hard on DBU. The fact is DBU was better than WSU last year as WSU was the middle of the pack MVC team. Remains to be seen if WSU will rebound or not from their 4th place finish in the MVC and had a RPI of 93.

[Ta town]

I hear a lot of people on this board griping about being in the Valley. If we start adding schools with names like Dallas Baptist, you are not going to get the chance that you want to move to a 'better" conference and when Dallas Baptist falls off then our league is diluted further.

1)Dallas Baptist will always be better than half of the POS baseball league the valley already is.

Always? Always?

That is not saying much. Do we really need to add another possible Bradley to the conference (that is what DBU has been prior to the last 2 years - hardly elevates the MVC).

3)Unless Wichita State starts up Division 1 football they will never move to a better conference.

Never is a long time. Conventional wisdom says your probably right but who really knows.

4)You underestimate the respect Dallas Baptist has in college baseball.

Maybe your overestimating the "respect". The so-called "respect" didn't earn them an at-large bid last year even with a RPI of 38.

My concern would be if DBU will actually be able to sustain their success the last 2 years? We see in the MVC a team that pops up on the radar for a couple years and then falls back to the abyss. No doubt that the MVC really needs a couple consistent competitors to step up to the stage - is DBU that team?

Wow, the institution bias is amazing. Name another program in the midwest that doesn't have football and can be added as a baseball only memember that will be an RPI boost for the league?

DBU is not simply having a good year or two. Look at thier history, or just look at thier name I guess.

Until WSU gets D1 football they aren't going anywhere. Yes I'm usuing absolutes here.

[Ta town]

Patriot games — WSU baseball coach Gene Stephenson is prepared with a list of reasons why he wants Dallas Baptist, an independent, to join the Valley as a baseball-only member.

The Patriots win. They play in talent-rich Texas. Dallas is a good destination, especially for WSU. The RPI benefit to the Valley could be significant.

"The upsides are many," he said.

The Shockers don't recruit many players from Texas. Getting the connection in Dallas might open a door or two.

"Any time you play in another media situation, it helps," he said. "It would be a good thing to play there."

The MVC is in the preliminary stage of looking at Dallas Baptist, which is NCAA Division II in other sports. The Patriots earned an at-large bid to an NCAA regional in 2008 and went 38-17 in 2009. They will play at WSU in a weekend series in May.



Read more: http://www.kansas.com/sports/shocker...#ixzz0eCDVvMsB

[SB Shock]

Patriot games — WSU baseball coach Gene Stephenson is prepared with a list of reasons why he wants Dallas Baptist, an independent, to join the Valley as a baseball-only member.

The Patriots win. They play in talent-rich Texas. Dallas is a good destination, especially for WSU. The RPI benefit to the Valley could be significant.

"The upsides are many," he said.

The Shockers don't recruit many players from Texas. Getting the connection in Dallas might open a door or two.

"Any time you play in another media situation, it helps," he said. "It would be a good thing to play there."

The MVC is in the preliminary stage of looking at Dallas Baptist, which is NCAA Division II in other sports. The Patriots earned an at-large bid to an NCAA regional in 2008 and went 38-17 in 2009. They will play at WSU in a weekend series in May.



Read more: http://www.kansas.com/sports/shocker...#ixzz0eCDVvMsB

You know, Geno wanting DBU probably dooms them ultimately. Because the MVC seems to do the direct opposite of what Geno wants or knows is good for the MVC.

[Ashockalypse]

Well, no matter what, it is stupid to constantly broadcast how bad our league is, as if that must always be the case. But I forgot Ta Town can predict the future and knows that Dallas Baptist will always be in the top of the league. It hasn't been that long since we had multiple bids from our league but apparently Ta Town having such clairvoyance knows that will never happen again. Bring on Dallas Baptist...oh I get it....our Saviour.

[ShockerFever]

Some of us are starting to act like the BCS fans we hate.. :roll:

Were not talking about whether they should be scheduled, were talking about whether they should be added to the conference. I have no problem playing them year to year.

But the MVC has a track record of adding team to the conference who addition is more an upgrade for that team than for the conference. Not saying that what will happen with DBU, but it is not unreasonable to have some concern.

Now DBU is ranked 40th in the collegiate baseball so that is a positive for them. It will be interesting to follow them and see how they do.

I'm not talking about scheduling either. A lot of our fans like to talk about moving up to another conference and get pissed when those elite BCS fans knock us down because of our "brand". I think you can make correlation here, just the opposite. Quite sad, frankly.

DBU has proven over the last 10 years to be consistently better than the bottom 2/3's of the Valley, hands down.

[shockfan89_]

Well, no matter what, it is stupid to constantly broadcast how bad our league is, as if that must always be the case. But I forgot Ta Town can predict the future and knows that Dallas Baptist will always be in the top of the league. It hasn't been that long since we had multiple bids from our league but apparently Ta Town having such clairvoyance knows that will never happen again. Bring on Dallas Baptist...oh I get it....our Saviour.

The bottom half of the MVC is always bad. Just a fact. Ta Town is just saying even in a down year DBU would probably finish ahead of the bottom half so how could it be a bad thing for the league/WSU?

I think most that oppose this move are thinking about it from a basketball perspective instead of baseball only. For baseball this can't be viewed as anything but positive. DBU's RPI over the past 6 years averages 68.5. How many MVC teams have a better RPI over the past 6 years? If our basketball team had a six year RPI average or 68.5 we would be thumping our chests and saying we belong in a better conference.

[KC Shox]

Patriot games — WSU baseball coach Gene Stephenson is prepared with a list of reasons why he wants Dallas Baptist, an independent, to join the Valley as a baseball-only member.

The Patriots win. They play in talent-rich Texas. Dallas is a good destination, especially for WSU. The RPI benefit to the Valley could be significant.

"The upsides are many," he said.

The Shockers don't recruit many players from Texas. Getting the connection in Dallas might open a door or two.

"Any time you play in another media situation, it helps," he said. "It would be a good thing to play there."

The MVC is in the preliminary stage of looking at Dallas Baptist, which is NCAA Division II in other sports. The Patriots earned an at-large bid to an NCAA regional in 2008 and went 38-17 in 2009. They will play at WSU in a weekend series in May.



Read more: http://www.kansas.com/sports/shocker...#ixzz0eCDVvMsB

Does anyone know the reason why we do not recruit from Texas? I know we do pretty well already, but it just seems wrong not to. Is it strictly financial? I'm pretty darn sure our program could snag some great kids from that state if we tried.

[SB Shock]

I'm not talking about scheduling either. A lot of our fans like to talk about moving up to another conference and get pissed when those elite BCS fans knock us down because of our "brand". I think you can make correlation here, just the opposite. Quite sad, frankly.

Ok, I understand.

Anybody that really think WSU is going to another conference (unless there is some type of huge shakeup) is probably delusional on different levels.

[Ta town]

Well, no matter what, it is stupid to constantly broadcast how bad our league is, as if that must always be the case. But I forgot Ta Town can predict the future and knows that Dallas Baptist will always be in the top of the league. It hasn't been that long since we had multiple bids from our league but apparently Ta Town having such clairvoyance knows that will never happen again. Bring on Dallas Baptist...oh I get it....our Saviour.

Well I'll keep pointing out positives, still waiting for those negatives.

Again the one negative pointed out so far is travel distance from the northern realms of our league. That is a legit complait but I feel is outwieghed by the positive of getting into the north texas area. Plus the travel is only once every two years.

You want WSU having better odds at hosting regionals and supers then you have to strenghten league. Playing OOC games can only do so much. Much are early in the year and not weighed as heavy come seeding time.

Let me clarify what I mean by DBU will always be better than half our league. What I mean to say is I believe most years they will be battling at the top but doubt they ever have such a year where they are a bottom feeder.

[shockmonster]

The main reason that hasn't been mentioned yet, is their higher RPI will bring up all of the MVC's RPI thus giving WSU a higher bump. If WSU continues to schedule them w/o other MVC teams doing the same will not result in as much of an RPI bump. Playing in Texas, they'll always have a strong non-con. schedule.

[GoShockers89]

This also gives us a nice buffer to remain an 8+ team league just in case/if/when Evansville axes their program. Given the state of their university endowment, budget, athletic budget, and stance of the school president, that move should surprise zero people when it happens.

Indiana State and Southern Illinois will also face difficult choices when it comes to eliminating sports in the next several years. I believe the baseball tradition at both schools will keep it alive, however.

[WSUwatcher]

You know, Geno wanting DBU probably dooms them ultimately. Because the MVC seems to do the direct opposite of what Geno wants or knows is good for the MVC.

Actually, Paul Suellentrop reported that the Valley coaches unanimously favor adding the Baptists as a baseball-only member. If that doesn't convince some of our complainers (who apparently believe they know better than the guys who do this for a living), nothing will. When was the last time MVC baseball coaches unanimously agreed with Stephenson on anything?