Report: Loyola-Chicago to join MVC

[wsu789]

The loss of CU and addition of Loyola means that not only WSU, but every conference team, must schedule two betterOOC teams, just to maintain RPI.

[SubGod22]

The only problem I see with the Gonzaga comparison is that Saint Mary's is better than any #2 team in the Valley, and the Valley is tougher through the middle ranks than the WCC.

Which is, as always, the frustrating part of the Valley: Not bad enough to just let us dominate it, not good enough to actually benefit us >=)

The point is though that wasn't always the case. Gonzaga built itself with little to no support. SMC got stronger because of Gonzaga. Bradley is more than capable of filling that role or being better. And others are stronger than the rest.

[SubGod22]

The loss of CU and addition of Loyola means that not only WSU, but every conference team, must schedule two betterOOC teams, just to maintain RPI.

Luckily, the scheduling mandate helps. Teams can't just replace thosr games with RPI killers

[wsu789]

My understanding is that there is no longer a league imposed scheduling mandate? I recall it being cancelled several years ago and I thought Elgin said that when interviewed on kgso last week. But I've been wrong before.

Can any of the shockernet math or statistical whizzes calculate what the MVC's conference rating would have been last year if we replaced Creighton's rpi with Loyola's? In that hypothetical league, what sort of rpi would a first place team that did not win the conference tournament need to ensure an at large berth? Would wsu have received an at large had we played three games with Loyola rather than CU?

While this is apples and oranges to some degree, it may be a look at our future.

[EB 22]

I'm at the point where I'm just going to see how this all unfolds and hope for the best. Nothing really us fans can do. I have this life motto of "It always works out in the end". I really hope it stays true.

[SubGod22]

My understanding is that there is no longer a league imposed scheduling mandate? I recall it being cancelled several years ago and I thought Elgin said that when interviewed on kgso last week. But I've been wrong before.

Can any of the shockernet math or statistical whizzes calculate what the MVC's conference rating would have been last year if we replaced Creighton's rpi with Loyola's? In that hypothetical league, what sort of rpi would a first place team that did not win the conference tournament need to ensure an at large berth? Would wsu have received an at large had we played three games with Loyola rather than CU?

While this is apples and oranges to some degree, it may be a look at our future.

It was announced within the last year that the scheduling mandate was returning and teams had I believe two years to finish previously scheduled contracts and beef up their schedules some. I don't know if that goes into full effect this coming season or the next though. Unless something has changed in that regard over the past month or two, the scheduling mandate will be back.

[ShockRef]

Voice your complaints, but...

There is very little WSU can do about this.


Does inviting Loyola add anything to the league?

Nope.

Does it reduce the leagues overall status and negatively affect WSU?

No doubt about it.

But without a football program, WSU has very limited options.


Everybody knows D-1 football is the bell cow when it comes to program status and financial generation.

It became more so with the passing and impact of Title IX. (If so inclined, checkout the OSU athletic budget and impact of football to finance non-revenue generating sports).


There are positives to not having a football program.

Everybody knows WSU hoops is 'THE SHOW' in town and just try getting a ticket to next years games. Good luck with that!


But when it comes to wanting to get off the sinking ship that is The Valley, unfortunately WSU is chained to the boat anchor and not going anywhere.


That is all.

[RomeoCrennel's Belly]

I'm trying to remain positive about Loyola joining. I think their recent investment in athletics shows they're a pretty good choice out of the potential schools joining that was made public. They have a nice little arena and it's better than some other podunk town like Brookings, SD or something joining.

[DoubleJayAlum]

The point is though that wasn't always the case. Gonzaga built itself with little to no support. SMC got stronger because of Gonzaga. Bradley is more than capable of filling that role or being better. And others are stronger than the rest.

Good point, but it probably should be added that BYU is also in the WCC now and is a usual NCAA participant (or at least a bubble team).

[SubGod22]

Good point, but it probably should be added that BYU is also in the WCC now and is a usual NCAA participant (or at least a bubble team).

I get that. But I think Bradley is heading in the right direction and could be SMC like. I think UNI could normally be around the bubble as long as Jake is there. ISUb with Lansing could be in that area as well. Time will tell about ISUr and their direction. SIU may or may not be able to build back up under Hinson.

But on a positive note, outside of Loyola, all the remaining MVC schools have shown an ability to be semi competitive and have decent RPI numbers that are better than most of the rest of the WCC. I'd take our bottom 6 (excluding Loyola) over the WCC bottom 6 or 7.

That doesn't mean I'm happy to be where we are right now, but if Gonzaga could build a solid national reputation in a league that wasn't as strong as the MVC, then we can do the same. And with time, have a few schools rise to the challenge of competing with and getting at-large bids to make this conference a 2-3 bid league on any given year. As long as we take care of our business, we'll be fine no matter what the rest of the conference does and we can get good seeds. We just need to keep winning. Win the CBE this coming year. Take care of Tennessee at IBA. Take care of Tulsa. Get a couple more solid/tough games on the schedule and win some of them. We don't have to be perfect as long as we challenge ourselves.

[ShockTalk]

But why did multi-bid matter to him? Because he did not want to have to win the conference tournament every year to be in the NCAAs. So long as WSU can still continue to get at-large bids, even in a weak conference, ala Gonzaga, whether or not the other members of the conference are getting at-large bids regularly makes no impact on why Marshall wanted to come to WSU.

Exactly, Hatter -- Pogo and the other worrrywarts (including the not-so-astute KWCH pundits) are being silly with their fear du jour about Marshall leaving.

As long as Marshall is at WSU -- and I personally expect it to be quite a while -- the MVC is no more a "one-bid league" than the WCC is with Gonzaga. It may become one bid for the other teams (although maybe not even that; there are certainly Valley teams that are at least capable of playing the role of a midwestern St. Mary's), but unless 3G has an unexpected stumble, we can plan on seeing WSU as a tournament regular whether they win in St. Louis or not. And that's all that really matters: Marshall no longer has to win his conference tournament to get his team into the NCAA field the way he did at Winthrop.

Question: Why would he ever make the statement at all? If you have a strong enough team, as you say (and I agree), you'll make the Dance anyway. Hatter's statement was true the day Marshall got here.

I'll give a few possiblities. Gonzaga has made 15 straight NCAA appearances. We are no Gonzaga, yet, as far as those outside of Shocker famdom are concerned (including the committee). They won the regular season or WCC tourney every year until 2012, winning both 10 times. Only one time during the first 9 of those years did they not win their tournament and rely on their regular season conference championship and OCC schedule to get them in (the 5th year).

Media is much different today. The Valley has taken a hit with CU leaving and, in my opinion, another hit with the addition of Loyola. If the conference looks like is is falling, it can hurt recruiting for all its members. Maybe not so much WSU, but if the member schools get worse, some of that fallout will affect WSU, particularly, if the feeling is that we have no way out. Your conference becomes a drag on your RPI. A bad slip here and there and who knows. We're not immune to those slips. They happened this year in conference. The margin of error becomes smaller and/or it might just be bad luck.

This is not being a worrywart, its being real. Things can happen. Not getting a certain recruits here and there can add up. Many will now put the Valley behind the WCC and out of the top 10. Is that a comforting thought to you?

[60Shock]

I'm just an old fart wasting away drinking Margaritas on a beach in Florida, who can't sing, and don't know ****.

But, based on this university's nearly half century of standing pat, why would we even expect it's present leaders to consider pursuing any other course of action?

The old, 'Don't rock the boat, don't mess with success' conservative philosophy is deeply embedded in bedrock. And this is not totally a bad thing. But there are times one has to look at the future possiblilites and the present limitations, and if appropriate take your chances and move on.

Is there any evidence or information, anywhere, that Bardo or Sexton, have initiated any action whatsoever, concerning realignment or are they just sitting back on their haunches hoping some conference will miraculously beg us to join them?

The apparent lack of information from our leaders on this subject is deafening, but then again, perhaps they do not consider it a major factor.

I was very impressed upon my hearing Bardo speak at the Final Four Rally. He definitely appears to be a real mover.

Is there any hope that we could move Wichita a little further East or West? Or did I just drink one two many Margaritas? Or was it that skimpily clad beauty that just sauntered slowly by.

[ShockerPrez]

Anyone know pressure has been brought to bear on our athletic department?

Seems odd that we have heard squat, even if nothing more than to release a statement that we are happy to welcome loyola, blah, blah.

[SHOCKvalue]

So we're replacing one set of of entitled trust fund narcissists with another of like kind or perhaps even worse, minus the respectable athletic department, and plus a locale in the most corrupt of US cities?

Awesome!

[wichshock65]

http://www.kwch.com/news/kwch-jab-for-what-its-worthtax-day-20130415,0,3355032.column

Posted by Bruce Haertl today. He sounds less than excited about the addition of #3 as well.