Report: Loyola-Chicago to join MVC

[tropicalshox]

http://www.kansas.com/2013/04/19/276...-missouri.html

It was the used car salesmanship that did it. " I've just noticed something else. Mrs. Lopez, do you realized that your hair matches the color of these tires?"

May take and expansion on this is (1) we would have voted for at least two other schools (ORU and Denver) but they had no other support and were not finalist. (2) No other options for WSU are now available or worked out but we continue to work on it. (3) Other Valley schools only want schools that are bus rides to them. (4) We are interested in the Valley upgrading schools in the near future if those schools fail to get into another conference. They are probably the likes of St. Louis and Dayton. (5) We would be more likely to stay in the Valley if #4 happens.

[AndShock]

http://www.kansas.com/2013/04/19/276...-missouri.html

It was the used car salesmanship that did it. " I've just noticed something else. Mrs. Lopez, do you realized that your hair matches the color of these tires?"

That article does not give me confidence in the direction we're going conference wise.

[SubGod22]

That article does not give me confidence in the direction we're going conference wise.

It shouldn't

[wu_shizzle]

http://www.kansas.com/2013/04/19/276...-missouri.html

It was the used car salesmanship that did it. " I've just noticed something else. Mrs. Lopez, do you realized that your hair matches the color of these tires?"

I'm trying to wrap my head around this:

Loyola’s addition doesn’t change Bardo’s satisfaction with WSU’s membership in the MVC. He does not see a better option among current conferences, although he realizes the situation could change quickly.

“We’ll just keep watching and see where we are,” he said. “We think the Valley is a good home and we think Loyola will do what they say they will do. We will always keep our eyes open for what is right for this school.”

as opposed to this:

While the membership is likely set at 10 for the next year, Bardo said expansion may be considered again.

“There were schools that fit our footprint, but think they’re going to go into other settings,” he said. “They weren’t necessarily willing to talk with us, because they think that there are greater dollar values in other places.

So basically we're saying publicly that the Valley is great for us, but when we talk to other schools in the area, they think they have better options.

I hope we're looking for the exit while we play nice in public.

[wu_shizzle]

And after reading this, it's obvious the poor sisters hate driving their little short bus all the way out to Wichita, KS.

[pogo]

Had an interesting encounter with HVBCCL this morning at a local do nut shop. I was wearing my usual WSU sweatshirt and he smiled and we talked a little bit. We had played a round of golf a couple of years ago. I asked him what he thought of Loyola joining the league and he thought it was GREAT. He felt that Loyola could in a very short time be at the top of the Valley. He felt like this because he believes volleyball players tend to be more academic and private schools (right or wrong) are attractive to those types. With the recruiting base available and the fact that the Valley is considered a good volleyball conference should only enhance their ability to recruit locally. I asked him if that may open up more opportunities for WSU and he said he hoped so. We talked about some other things also and he felt that the Valley would expand to 12 members in the near future. From his perspective Loyola was a great addition to the Valley.

[rrshock]

And after reading this, it's obvious the poor sisters hate driving their little short bus all the way out to Wichita, KS.

We've known that for a long time. Their unwillingness to try to appease WSU speaks very loudly.

[SubGod22]

Forget the trying to appease us. It's their preference of travel over strength that is glaring. I don't care if the addition(s) are North, South, East or West. I've always said lets just add strength no matter where they're located. I've also said Loyola/UIC would be a fine add only if we were going to 12. If we do go to 12, it better be with adds that strengthen the conference now AND in the future. Loyola is strictly a long term potential add. Not good when you're replacing the 2nd best team in the conference.

[MadaboutWu]

May take and expansion on this is (1) we would have voted for at least two other schools (ORU and Denver) but they had no other support and were not finalist. (2) No other options for WSU are now available or worked out but we continue to work on it. (3) Other Valley schools only want schools that are bus rides to them. (4) We are interested in the Valley upgrading schools in the near future if those schools fail to get into another conference. They are probably the likes of St. Louis and Dayton. (5) We would be more likely to stay in the Valley if #4 happens.

Excellent gloss at reading between the lines. Absolutely agree on #2. I thought he telegraphed that we would like to get out while conceding we are stuck for the time being. Hopefully the time being just means the 2013-14 season.

[IlliniShocker]

When the reports of Loyola to the MVC were coming out last week, I went ahead and posted the news over on the Illinois Loyalty board. I was hoping to get some relatively neutral responses, particularly from those in the Chicago area. I thought I'd share a couple of them here, so take them for what they're worth. It's just an outside voice, nothing more, nothing less.

At first, I thought it was a head scratcher. Just like Rutgers and NYC, I'm sure the potential for the Chicago market played a major part in the decision. As for UIC, I think Loyola has more potential than UIC, mostly because the country is littered with urban private schools having successful basketball programs and no football. Plus, UIC will always be in UIUC's shadow, and Loyola has a much richer history than UIC. Maybe the upgrade in conference affiliation will boost their recruiting.

Went to Loyola and played a sport there for two years, then transferred. The student support there for athletics is pretty horrid to say the least. New coach/new arena/new facilities, and still no body goes to the games outside of Butler or if there is a big non-conference opponent that visits early in the year like Kansas State a couple years back. They needed to do something different, I guess changing conferences is a way of starting over. They did win a national championship, a lot of big time basketball schools can't even say that. Not sure why the fan base is so bad, hope this move works out for them.

Loyola is a bottom feeder in a low major conference. Don't get the MVC motivation for adding them now. They could get Loyola any time they want, might as well wait until they scrape their program off the floor before making that move.

Nobody in Chicago is going to watch MVC BB just because of Loyola.

I can seemingly be an eternal optimist at times, but the bolded statement is the unfortunate truth as it stands right now. I haven't read all 11 pages of the thread yet, so sorry if that aspect of this move has already been discussed to death.

[CBB_Fan]

Interesting fact: Loyola averaged 2,277 fans this season.

Why is it interesting? Last season our women averaged 2,296.

[rrshock]

Interesting fact: Loyola averaged 2,277 fans this season.

Why is it interesting? Last season our women averaged 2,296.

That says more than anything else. No one wants to go to their games. Do the students have to buy tickets? They should be handing them out for free to get butts in the seats.

[Rlh04d]

That says more than anything else. No one wants to go to their games. Do the students have to buy tickets? They should be handing them out for free to get butts in the seats.

Yep. If nothing else, the hit in revenue would be made up for by a better home court advantage. That would mean more wins, and thus more people likely to pay in the future.

[Rlh04d]

I'm trying to wrap my head around this:



as opposed to this:



So basically we're saying publicly that the Valley is great for us, but when we talk to other schools in the area, they think they have better options.

I hope we're looking for the exit while we play nice in public.

I took it as "We don't want to be here but we don't have any other offers yet so of course we want to be here."

[shockkansas]

Basketball tickets are already "free" to students, and they give out all kinds of free shirts and stuff. I wonder if the fact that over 60% of their enrollment is female has any impact on attendance.