Doug Elgin

[pinstripers]

He just stated on Sports Daily that the current Shocker team is the best Valley team that he has seen in 25 years.

[I_Vector_Wu]

And he would be 100.00% correct in his assessment.

[ABC]

25 years = 1989. I think we could go back to the 1981-83 WSU teams.

Other teams to compare are the mid-90s Tulsa teams and the mid-1980s Bradley teams. Thoughts?

[pogo]

I remember some of those Tulsa teams with Pressey and the likes. They were really good. For the eras they played in WSU, Bradley and Tulsa were really really good. SIU had a good run with some of those teams as well.

[molly jabali]

Wow....81-83, PLUS Tulsa......golden time of great play.....25 years I totally agree with...go back 10 more years, it might be enough to be AS GOOD....

[Shox21]

25 years = 1989. I think we could go back to the 1981-83 WSU teams.

Other teams to compare are the mid-90s Tulsa teams and the mid-1980s Bradley teams. Thoughts?

Elgin has only been commissioner since 1988, so his statement that this is the best Valley team he has "seen" in 25 years is correct.

[asiseeit]

IF they reach the F4 I will agree. Until then I'll go with last years team.

[ciaomichael]

I remember some of those Tulsa teams with Pressey and the likes. They were really good. For the eras they played in WSU, Bradley and Tulsa were really really good. SIU had a good run with some of those teams as well.

Yeah, Tulsa and Bradley were our rivals, but Tulsa was our arch-rival. They really did give you 40 minutes of hell. Always classic seeing Nolan Richardson gradually disrobe during the course of a game. When Paul Pressey and co. put on that press, there was usually trouble - seemed like his long arms stretched from sideline to sideline.

[Play Angry]

The last MVC team to be ranked this high was WSU on December 29, 1981 (#2). That team finished unranked after dropping a few holiday tournament games and a disappointing 12-4 showing in the MVC.

Tulsa's best teams peaked at #6 in 1981-82 and #9 in 1983-84.

Bradley peaked at #9 in 1985-86 and #11 in 1987-88.



If this team keeps on trucking, it is not far off from comparisons to the Larry Bird Sycamores. I know, I know, one game at a time and all, but such is a luxury of being a fan and not a player or coach.

[DUShock]

What about a strategy to make the Valley competitive, any word on this front?

[ICTShockerFan]

What about a strategy to make the Valley competitive, any word on this front?

No, he's convinced the schools we currently have in the league will step up. Wishful thinking. He also said there is not a bad arena in the league. Maybe not the buildings themselves, but you might as well be at a high school game the majority of the Valley games I've seen on TV (not including everyone's Superbowl WSU game). He also actually thinks Loyola is going to contribute to this league. They are the new Evansville. Great add Doug, this league will be the horizon soon enough.

[pinstripers]

I thought he said "within ten years" when discussing Loyola.

[ICTShockerFan]

I thought he said "within ten years" when discussing Loyola.

I think he did. They might be Evansville in 2005 ten years after they joined.

[lemuel777]

IF they reach the F4 I will agree. Until then I'll go with last years team.

So going deep in THE tournament is the only criteria used to define a team as the best in 25 years? I think this year's team has already shown they are better than last year's team by destroying several previous school records by being 19-0. To me, regardless how WSU does in the tournament, they are better. This year's team would not have let slip a 12 point lead with 8 minutes to go against Louisville.

[SPEShockAlum]

Elgin has only been commissioner since 1988...

Therein lies the problem....