Jerry Palm's opinion

[wusphlash]

We have to start scheduling tougher teams. Period.

And several of them.

And every year. It's not just about a better RPI. It's about getting better. It is seen time and time and time again, throughout sports, you get better by playing better competition.

If that means going on the road so be it.

After 23 years, you'd think someone would get the point.

What is it they say is the definition of futility? Something like doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result.

Next year we get Utah State and UNLV at home, Tulsa down there and we are going Puerto Rico where we will have another opportunity to pad our RPI. While the thought of cowing down to the BCS schools disturbs me, you are right, it may be inevitable. Or, maybe we start home and homes with our Colonial and A-10 brethern that face the same issues.

Also, all the other Valley teams need to start scheduling better. If we do our part and the rest schedule soft (Ill St. had one of the worst non-conference schedules in the nation) our gains will be lost once we get to the Valley schedule.

[ShockerFever]

That is a great schedule for next year. The only thing that'll ruin it is a load up of SWAC and Summit League schools that'll cancel it all out.

Doc is spot on with the futility comment. If I see one more SWAC team on the schedule next year, me and bad-things-will-happen are gonna get together for a little party.

[AndShock]

That is a great schedule for next year. The only thing that'll ruin it is a load up of SWAC and Summit League schools that'll cancel it all out.

Doc is spot on with the futility comment. If I see one more SWAC team on the schedule next year, me and bad-things-will-happen are gonna get together for a little party.

Believe it or not, Texas Southern is expected to help our RPI. Granted, they're the exception.

[shox1989]

That is a great schedule for next year. The only thing that'll ruin it is a load up of SWAC and Summit League schools that'll cancel it all out.

Doc is spot on with the futility comment. If I see one more SWAC team on the schedule next year, me and bad-things-will-happen are gonna get together for a little party.

Believe it or not, Texas Southern is expected to help our RPI. Granted, they're the exception.

The key to buying games is picking teams that are going to dominate their conference. If you can pick those patsies then they can actually help your rpi and certainly won't hurt it (because they get a lot of wins in their conference).

But that can be a very hard thing to do. And lots of times with scheduling you are just trying to find anybody who will play you at your place on the dates you have openings. It is not an easy thing to do.

[WSUwatcher]

Yep

"The key to buying games is picking teams that are going to dominate their conference..."

Exactly right, 1989. If you can predict which teams from low major leagues are going to put up good records (50% of the RPI, remember) and get them on your schedule, buy games can actually be a plus. Of course, as you noted, knowing who you'd like to schedule and actually getting them are two different things. But it's absolutely true that SWAC teams don't have to be RPI killers.

[GoShockers89]

You forgot to add Chicago State to next year's slate.

So, you can take whoever our best opponent is and cancel them out for RPI purposes. I would gladly give up a home game each season rather than schedule freaking Chicago State ever again. Have they ever had an RPI better than 300?

Here's to hoping that this year's improved performance from UMKC is the start of a trend. They have been a pleasant surprise, and I see so much more upside to continuing that series if they can continue to hover inside the top 200.

[1972Shocker]

What is it they say is the definition of futility? Something like doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result.

Welcome back Doc!

I think that is the definition of insanity.

Futility is trying everything you can and and still fail.

[Kung Wu]

I firmly believe scheduling "up" against tougher opponents isn't something you get to do over night (unless you have a lot of disposable money).

You have to earn it, just like an empty-closet team has to "rebuild". I say this because it takes two things to get good teams on your schedule:

1) media attention -- a BCS school won't risk losing to a "nobody" -- they need positive media exposure

2) a good RPI -- a BCS school isn't going to risk their RPI on a mid-major -- so you have to have a good RPI

Number 2 is not a catch-22. It just means you have to have some consistent years of winning, and then you get to start improving your schedule.

Last year was the first real successful year in terms of win count, satisfying #1. That plus UNI making it to the sweet 16 is starting to get us some media love this year, satisfying #2.

Next year is already a much better schedule, and _if_ we have a good year this year (still to be determined), then we will further satisfy both #1 and #2 which lets us schedule up even more for the year after that.

Simply put, you have to earn it, and complaining about it over and over won't get it done (although throwing money at it WILL help short circuit the process).

In reality playing two or three cupcakes won't diminish our good schedule next year (but it won't satisfy rabid fans' appetites either -- then again are they ever satiable?).

[ABC]

Next year's schedule, as of now, is okay.

But five potential top-100 games is not enough.

First, who knows if Tulsa will be top 100?

Who knows if the BCS teams in Puerto Rico will be top 100?

We need 2 or 3 more top 50/100 games in my opinion.

[_kai_]

As the saying goes, One does not simply walk into Mordor.

Same goes with this saying, One does not simply just schedule up.

You don't simply just go "Oh hey, lets schedule Duke." The BCS conference schools are perfectly fine playing each other and not ever playing anyone else. Its in their best interest to not. There is now upside to them playing weaker oppponents. They win, and everyone goes, "yep should have." They lose, and everyone laughs at them.

Being in the MVC will always create this situation for the Shocks, and thats the truth. Until we can move up in conference, we're screwed.

Edit: Unless we obviously lock up winning the Valley every year, which as we know, is a hard thing to do year in and year out, because the Valley will always have 2-3 teams that could easily win it each year.

[tropicalshox]

If we can't work out some kinda of deal with K-State, I doubt there will be another good team on the schedule. Any other team that would help would probably have to be a one and done for us on the road. WSU appears dead set against doing those. Perhaps a home and home with a quality mid major might happen but for some reason those seem to be difficult also.

[Kung Wu]

If we can't work out some kinda of deal with K-State, I doubt there will be another good team on the schedule. Any other team that would help would probably have to be a one and done for us on the road. WSU appears dead set against doing those. Perhaps a home and home with a quality mid major might happen but for some reason those seem to be difficult also.

What makes you thinking adding K-State on our schedule would be adding a "good" team? ;-)