Good News for MVC!

[RoyalShock]

I was one day off the timeline, with visits having started yesterday, not today.

Dave Reynolds @DaveReynolds2

Sources have told me that Valley officials visited Murray State Monday, are at Valparaiso today and have visits set for Milwaukee and Omaha.

[RoyalShock]

Those soulless bastards quit trying many years ago

I think they've been trying. Maybe not as hard as they could. However it's difficult to invest in athletics when the AD is being told to make cuts because their state governments are cutting back on higher ed. Some MVC schools (Drake, UE, InSU) will rarely look like they are trying. They have to rely on getting lucky. (See, Adam Emmenecker, Balentine/Mock, Jake Odum). MSU made what many thought was a good hire, but now don't have the funds make a change. SIU was similar with Lowery. Dire straits meant Hinson was the best they could do.

[Cdizzle]

Handing out extensions to the likes of Simmons and Hinson is not trying. Not being able to get out of a contract due to financial constraints is one thing. Getting crappy results and then signing on for more is another entirely.

[Aargh]

They should just quit trying.

I shortened this comment to eliminate the parts that are unlikely to have any effect on the future of the MVC.

[RoyalShock]

Handing out extensions to the likes of Simmons and Hinson is not trying. Not being able to get out of a contract due to financial constraints is one thing. Getting crappy results and then signing on for more is another entirely.

I get what you're saying, but without an extension a coach is a lame duck on the recruiting trail. Lowery drove SIU so far into the abyss at the worst possible time it was going to take a decade to recover. It sucks, but I believe they have little choice until their financial situation improves.

Evansville is Evansville. They aren't one of the programs with potential to carry the league. I don't expect them to be able to try very hard. Only hope they get lucky every so often.

Of those that are left, ISU and UNI (despite their down year), are trying as evidenced by their decent non-conf schedules. Loyola is doing fine.

[ShockerPrez]

If they were concerned with the size of their cut, then they may as well stay at 9 and just take 2 more buy games in the OOC for the $$.

The way Div 1 is going, the conferences getting multiple bids will continue to go down. These additions will not change that.

[wufan]

Belmont (not going to happen), Murray St, and Valpo is the best the league can hope for. UNI and ISUr have decent programs. MSU and BU can both be better.

I think the real thing that is hurting conferences like the Valley is that big FBS programs are willing to throw a million plus at any coach that hints at success. It really limits their ability to build a program.

[Stickboy46]

I saw something on twitter that MVC officials are visiting Murray State today, Valpo tomorrow, followed by UN-Omaha and UW-Milwaukee.

They are using this opportunity for free trips and to be wined and dined to feel important before settling on UMKC

[Cdizzle]

They are using this opportunity for free trips and to be wined and dined to feel important before settling on UMKC

Free trips? Wined and dined? I don't think Valley brass are up for that sort of thing. I doubt schools that employ this method will get anywhere. Now, if you can offer a short bus ride followed by orange slices and juice pouches for everyone, you are talking their language.

[Stickboy46]

If they were concerned with the size of their cut, then they may as well stay at 9 and just take 2 more buy games in the OOC for the $$.

The way Div 1 is going, the conferences getting multiple bids will continue to go down. These additions will not change that.

This ... none of the teams they are discussing are at-large quality programs. They are teams that consistently made the dance by winning their conference tourney.

Belmont has never won a game in the NCAA in 7 appearances
Valpo has won two games (in 98) in the NCAA in 9 appearances
Omaha has never been the D1 NCAA
Milwaukee is 3-4 in NCAA's (last win in 2006)

Murray state is the only addition with a decent history at 5 round of 32 visits (only 2 since 1990) out of 15 visits.

So moral of all of this, None of these additions are going to drive the MVC to get 2nd bids, or even a 2nd/3rd game in the NCAA more often than not.

[Stickboy46]

Free trips? Wined and dined? I don't think Valley brass are up for that sort of thing. I doubt schools that employ this method will get anywhere. Now, if you can offer a short bus ride followed by orange slices and juice pouches for everyone, you are talking their language.

Whoa whoa whoa. I'm not talking about what they do for the schools themselves. This is all about the administration getting free stuff out of potential members. All under the table of course.

[Cdizzle]

Whoa whoa whoa. I'm not talking about what they do for the schools themselves. This is all about the administration getting free stuff out of potential members. All under the table of course.

You mean to tell me the tee ball organization I was a part of as a child was skimming coin from the participation trophy fund to pay for kobe and Dom?

I demand a new, bigger, trophy.

[Stickboy46]

You mean to tell me the tee ball organization I was a part of as a child was skimming coin from the participation trophy fund to pay for kobe and Dom?

I demand a new, bigger, trophy.

If Kobe and Dom are the organization coordinators mistress names, then yes.

[1972Shocker]

This ... none of the teams they are discussing are at-large quality programs. They are teams that consistently made the dance by winning their conference tourney.

Belmont has never won a game in the NCAA in 7 appearances
Valpo has won two games (in 98) in the NCAA in 9 appearances
Omaha has never been the D1 NCAA
Milwaukee is 3-4 in NCAA's (last win in 2006)

Murray state is the only addition with a decent history at 5 round of 32 visits (only 2 since 1990) out of 15 visits.

So moral of all of this, None of these additions are going to drive the MVC to get 2nd bids, or even a 2nd/3rd game in the NCAA more often than not.

Agreed none of this teams plus UMKC would have been an at-large team last year. Only Belmont had a a top 100 RPI at 58. Omaha (142), UMKC (181), Murray State (231) and Milwaukee (260) do fit in pretty well with the Valley's current profile.

Adding any of these teams doesn't change the basic issue for the Valley. They need to get better.

Perhaps adding numbers to your league increases the chance you will have more than 1 NCAA worthy team but look at what happened in 2016-17. Looks like that in most years it will work mostly to maybe increase chances of getting a team or two into the NIT if they don't get better as a league.

[Cdizzle]

If Kobe and Dom are the organization coordinators mistress names, then yes.

Yes, and as I understand it, they were purchased from MSU for a fair price to prop up their athletic department.

See, we're still on topic.