Should we have stayed in the Valley?

[ShockTalk]

I am for the move, but it pretty much eliminated the chance of making the NCAA every year to cement our rep as Gonzaga of the Midwest.

In the MVC a trough year gets you in. Not any more.

All other aspects are better.

We've had very good years, won the Valley regular season, lost in St Louis, and barely made it in. Since we lost more than we won in the Valley tourney, p

lease define a tough year in the MVC.

With three, four, and even five potential bids in the AAC, if we don't get in, we probably didn't deserve it, and definitely wouldn't be comparable to Gonzaga anyway.

[proshox]

We don’t go the tournament during Ron and Fred’s senior year if we were in the American or Big East. Our non-con was a disaster and getting through a real league unscathed would have been a stretch.

We got in because all we did was win and mechanics worked in our favor.

I value entertainment over being in every year so i prefer the American.

[shoxlax]

If you know who made those posts, you better change this poll so you can actually see if they vote that way (or not vote at all).

I don’t know..it’s been over the last five games I’ve seen the posts and a few comments were made on Twitter by purported Shocker fans so I want to see how they justify the position.....I guess I could dig them out if no one else wants to fess up.

[ShockAzs]

Can we lock this thread too?

[SHOCKvalue]

I am for the move, but it pretty much eliminated the chance of making the NCAA every year to cement our rep as Gonzaga of the Midwest.

In the MVC a trough year gets you in. Not any more.

All other aspects are better.

I must be reading your post in the wrong context, because I swear it sounds like you are saying it was easier to get into the tournament in the MVC versus the AAC, which is all kinds of crazy, and pretty much undercuts one of WSU’s official positions for the move’s rationale.

[proshox]

The American makes it possible to get a higher seed if performance is equal.

What that doesn’t include is the fact that there are teams in the American that can challenge or expose a team’s flaws. So if you come in with a marginal non-conference record - the odds of dominating the American our much worse; therefore, your chance to make-up ground gets reduced.

I know JHFP will strongly disagree with my premise based on Kenpom, but I feel flawed teams in bad conferences can “game” the ratings. An 18 game grind by a flawed team will lead to losing streaks.

WSU has lost three of five for the first time in how long? I would have thought this theory would be easier to digest with a little proof.

IMO, the combination of HCGM, WSU’s resources, and the MVC weakness made getting into the NCAA’s a virtual lock. I wouldn’t say the same thing now. Imagine if WSU had not stormed back in a few of the non-con games....

[shock]

It’s going to take a couple years, but I think we also see the crowd return to it’s reputed raucousness due to the more exciting games.

It’s going to take everyone time to adjust.

[ShockerFever]

Anyone who votes yes is a major p****.

[shoxlax]

Anyone who votes yes is a major p****.

But you, like I, sense there are people out there that really feel that way after a couple of recent losses, aren’t there? Not even trolls, either.

[N Crestway]

I've wondered about the move all along, but then again I'm a fairly weird old guy. Fond of the funky old Valley [ member 72 years], nevertheless the move to the AAC was a good one. After Creighton left, we probably needed to leave as well.
WSU is never going to dominate the AAC...we'll probably be middle-tier most years.

[wusphlash]

Gregg's overall winning percentage as a head coach is .726. With Chris Jans on the bench it's .710. With Greg Heiar on the bench it's .836. This year it's .772 against the toughest schedule in Gregg's career. Gregg and Chris's records suffered some because of their first few years at WSU. ACGH benefited from 6 NCAA reams. It was great to have Chris and Greg on the bench. However, for some to suggest that Gregg's coaching ability is completely tied to those two assistants does him and his current assistants a great disservice.

[shoxrox89]

This entire thread just screams out troll bait.

[ShockerFever]

But you, like I, sense there are people out there that really feel that way after a couple of recent losses, aren’t there? Not even trolls, either.

Oh for sure. And even furthering yours and my points, the pusses aren't even voting in this poll because... they're pusses.

[ShockerFever]

I've wondered about the move all along, but then again I'm a fairly weird old guy. Fond of the funky old Valley [ member 72 years], nevertheless the move to the AAC was a good one. After Creighton left, we probably needed to leave as well.
WSU is never going to dominate the AAC...we'll probably be middle-tier most years.

Middle-tier most years?

[WstateU]

Where’s Dofo?

[Aargh]

So, some posters here would rather be the best team in a mediocre conference instead of striving to be the best team when there are challenges to the Shox abilities and superiority? Dang! Might as well join the MEAC or the Sun Belt. No sense in striving for something better if there's a possibility of being a consistent winner by seeking out worse competition.

Sounds like bandwagon fans who only support the Shox because they're the local team - otherwise those "fans" would be KU fans. You know the type - fans that can only support an undefeated team. Their favored team losing is beneath the dignity and respect they deserve as t-shirt fans.

[Dave Stalwart]

I think a much better question is “should the Valley have stayed good?”

Asking if WSU should have left or not is the wrong question because WSU had no choice. The MVC made it completely impossible to stay.

The American will be a 2-4 bid league this year. Easily 2, likely 3 and potentially 4. The MVC is having a resurgent good year as far as league RPI goes and yet will still barely put a 13 or 14 seeded auto bid in the dance.

I have zero problem with fighting to stay in the upper half of a multi bid league and having 5-10 losses along the way. If we lost 3 conference games at this point in the MVC we’d probably be in the first four out by now.