2010-11 SCHEDULE IS OUT

[1972Shocker]

With perhaps only a few exceptions BCS schools are never, ever going to deliberately do anything they think may benefit the stronger mid-major programs unless they are forced to, and I don't see that ever happening either.

Our best shot seems to be to take advantage of the tournaments like Maui as much as possible and for the stronger mid-major programs to work more cooperatively in their scheduling.

As someone mentioned in an earlier post two home-and-homes with staggered home vs away starts only costs you 1 cupcake each year. I would gladly give up that one home game with no change in season ticket price. The Shocks save they cupcake buyout fee. They lose the walkup ticket sales which is not much and the ancillary income of concessions and game sponsorships. They do incur more travel costs and maybe that is the issue. Financially I'm guessing a wash.

I don't really understand why there is not more cooperation among the non-BCS programs in scheduling each other.

[notquiteBWing]

I don't really understand why there is not more cooperation among the non-BCS programs in scheduling each other.

my theory concerning why many top non-BCS schools don't play one another more often:

And someone had mentioned this earlier, but these schools don't want to risk losing to us. At the end of the year, when we may both be on the bubble, the selection committee will notice that bubble team X lost to the bubble team Shockers.
they could lose a bid just like that.
(other variables apply though)
i think they'd rather play a NAME team and lose there. that NAME team could have a top RPI in the end, or if all else fails, they lost to a NAME team.

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

We say "They" like we aren't included in that non-bcs group.

We are. Trust me!

[shockall]

Here is my take on the scheduling situation and also an idea to help overcome those difficulties.

1. Most schools have scheduling problems, no matter which conference they are in.
2. They all are prone to the same dilema of watching their backside in order to reach the NCAA tournament.
3. Team strengths & weaknesses vary by year, and all schools use a "crystal ball" when making out their schedules for the next year.

Solution:
A. The NCAA names two weekends when regional non-con games are played.
B. All USA D-1 teams are placed in non-con regions comprising of x-number of teams from local states. Keeping it to a three of four state region would help reduce travel costs.
C. Each team places two of their college name tags in a hat. Games are drawn by twos meaning they will play each other during the designated non-con weekends. The first of the two names pulled out of the hat is the home team. If the name drawn is in that team's conference meaning they will meet during the conference schedule, another name is pulled from the hat until a non-con matchup is acquired.

One of the many advantages to this method is that all schools would have an almost equal chance to play a BCS or a patsy team, which would even out the odds for not playing only cupcakes. Use this method twice during the season, and you will see a more even distribution of teams being played by everyone.

[KC Shox]

It's quite simple really. Elevate to the level of Gonzaga then we can schedule some great games.

[The Mad Hatter]

It's quite simple really. Elevate to the level of Gonzaga then we can schedule some great games.

It is true. You may not like the significance that winning the UCONN game holds, but if you want to put your program in a position to have national prestige and leverage to schedule better teams, these are simply the games you have to win (regardless of RPI implications for the current season).

Would it be nice to have more leeway? Sure. But with the system the way it is, we have to earn that leeway by consistently winning those few games against quality teams that we can get on the schedule.

[RoyalShock]

It's quite simple really. Elevate to the level of Gonzaga then we can schedule some great games.

How to become a millionaire:

First, get yourself a million dollars . . .

[purelife]

I am not sure why some of the shocker fans complain about the schedule. The AD and Coach cannot make these teams play the shocks. I am sure that our people are doing all they can. Perhaps we should ask the question as to why the shocker staff would not try get the best schedule. In my opinion there is no incentive for the shockers to deliberately schedlue a weak non-conference schedule. This is not about what the fans deserve, its about who is willing to play the shockers in Wichita. Apparently not many.

The simple truth is that BCS teams do not want to play the shockers in Wichita or on nuetral courts. Why? They know they can get beat. I realize that there are a lot of other factors impacting this scheduling problem, but make no mistake the biggest concern for these schools is that they know they can get beat. They know it and we do too.
Peace and good will to all shocker fans.

[Steeleshocker]

I think the timing of this year worked out poorly, although it is still a big step forward from last year. But I want to look at the schedule in a new light.

Consider, we normally would have had Utah St. on our home schedule this year, but those return games are now delayed a year to balance the home/away thing. So with that in mind, I think next year sets us up to improve our home schedule in a drastic way.

First, consider that we will have Utah St. and our MWC opponent at home next year for the early non-con. Likely in Koch. Then we throw in 3 cupcakes. Probably from the same batch as this years, but if any of them continue to improve (i.e. Texas Southern), perhaps we can keep them coming here before the BCS-ers try to buy them for more money. So that puts us at 5 games. Add in the road games for UMKC, Tulsa, and BB. That puts us at 8 games.

Considering several of this year's best name games are on the road (SDSU and LSU), and next years schedule reverses this trend, we are now more flexibile in trying creative scheduling. Perhaps we can get a larger BCS school into Wichita via IBA. We can start looking at home-and-home situations with other similar schools in the area (ORU, Houston, etc.) Additionally, we can get into creative scheduling (2-1, home-away-neutral, etc) with the freedom of offering to go on the road initially. In most of the requests for games, schools like Miss. St. are looking for teams willing to play at their place first. With several of our important games on the road this year, Marshall really needed more home games. Next year, we can probably hold out longer and get the desperate schools to schedule the home-home series (i.e. Providence a few years back).

The schedule this year is a step in the right direction, but I think the coup really lies in next year's schedule when we already have several of our best games slated for the home arena. That gives us a good leveraging point for being able to start new series on the road.

[ShockerFever]

pretty disapointed to spend so much money for season tickets and have to sit thru that non conference schedule. plus not to mention tulsa will probably be at IBA and i will have to pay even more money for it.

Tulsa IBA game is included in the season ticket package. But I pretty much agree with your point. CKA games in the non-con are absolutely horrendous. I don't think the continual price hike for season tickets has been justified.

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If it's so bad then I will GLADLY take tickets to any games that you have to complain about going to. If it is going to be "absolutely horrendous" for you then please give the tickets on to someone who would love nothing more than to be there.

Thats for both of you. I promise you I can get those tickets to people, like me, who would not complain one bit about the opponent. People who would love to go on to watch the shox live. So if it really is so bad you can go ahead and pm me, and I will take the tickets off your hands.

With this schedule, how about I just give you my NIT tickets instead?

Seriously, if you don't think the home non-con schedule is a problem, then you might be a problem. Of course I'm gonna be there to watch our team, support them, etc., but this type of scheduling is not supporting our NCAA-caliber team IMO. If you support this type of scheduling, then you are supporting our efforts into the NIT. I'm with Sub. I'll gladly trade an Alcorn State and Texas Southern at home for a couple of road one-and-doners against quality opponents. No problem at all.

[shocker3]

It's quite simple really. Elevate to the level of Gonzaga then we can schedule some great games.

There is a lot of truth in that statement. Build a reputation and they will come.

Look at our baseball program. We always play some national powers every year.

I remember during that first baseball season in 1978 we played both KU and Kstate and beat them. They didn't play us again in baseball for several years. It wasn't until we built up our national reputation that they started playing us regularly.

Once you build a reputation they are not afraid to lose to you any more.

[RHshoxfan]

pretty disapointed to spend so much money for season tickets and have to sit thru that non conference schedule. plus not to mention tulsa will probably be at IBA and i will have to pay even more money for it.

Tulsa IBA game is included in the season ticket package. But I pretty much agree with your point. CKA games in the non-con are absolutely horrendous. I don't think the continual price hike for season tickets has been justified.

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If it's so bad then I will GLADLY take tickets to any games that you have to complain about going to. If it is going to be "absolutely horrendous" for you then please give the tickets on to someone who would love nothing more than to be there.

Thats for both of you. I promise you I can get those tickets to people, like me, who would not complain one bit about the opponent. People who would love to go on to watch the shox live. So if it really is so bad you can go ahead and pm me, and I will take the tickets off your hands.

That's easy to say when they're free to you. It's also easy to sit on the fence and ask for handouts from people who have a beef with the quality of schedule given the prices we pay for season tickets. If it's not a handout you seek, then there are still tickets available. Either way, I wouldn't get down on the people who are a little critical of the schedule considering we're the ones paying the big bucks.

And, we go into this deal sight unseen hoping for the best. Most don't mind paying the money, we just want to see quality opponents. Non-season ticket holders can pick and choose what they want to pay to see.

:yes:

I'm not getting down on you, just saying that if you want to complain so much then give your tickets to someone who can't afford to buy season tickets. You know going in to the season your going to have some cupcakes, not many teams don't. I just see people complaining about having to go cheer on the shox play some shitty team, when if its gonna be SOOO bad for you...give them to someone who would love to be there. Your acting like its a chore to go watch them. You also know that when you buy the tickets the shox won't be playing the Dukes and North Carolina's every game.

[RHshoxfan]

If it's so bad then I will GLADLY take tickets to any games that you have to complain about going to. If it is going to be "absolutely horrendous" for you then please give the tickets on to someone who would love nothing more than to be there.

Are you planning on paying for them? Face value is the price. If so how many tickets do you want for the games?

You can also pony up for a % of my SASO for those games as well. Until that point, your silence is appreciated.

Your silence is appreciated. Quit bitching and moaning cause were not playin Duke and North Carolina every game. Don't buy season tickets if your gonna complain about half the games. Every team has cup cakes buddy. It's obviously a lot harder to schedule than you think, there will be your Alabama A&M's every year. If you don't like it then quit buying season tickets.

[xazshox]

Scheduling

Shocker3, you got it right! WSU needs to build more notoriety in order to get top teams to come to Wichita. If they know they are likely to lose here, at least it will be a prestige loss along with a fairly good gate. Gregg Marshall will likely talk about this at some point during his radio shows, and I'm sure he'll talk along those lines! This all gets down to one reason why I was so disappointed when WSU basketball lost its edge back in the mid-80's. It takes a long time to build a rep - particularly at the mid-major level!

[SB Shock]

I'm not getting down on you, just saying that if you want to complain so much then give your tickets to someone who can't afford to buy season tickets.

There is the root of the issue - you are looking for a free handout. And then the gall to complain about people who actually pony up the money for 2-6 tickets and the SASO contribution.

You know going in to the season your going to have some cupcakes, not many teams don't.

The problem is all the teams coming to Koch are CRAP.

I just see people complaining about having to go cheer on the shox play some #### team, when if its gonna be SOOO bad for you...give them to someone who would love to be there.

Sure it easy to go watch crap team play if the tickets free. Everybody like free crap.

Your acting like its a chore to go watch them. You also know that when you buy the tickets the shox won't be playing the Dukes and North Carolina's every game.

There is also lot more wrong with this schedule than the quality of competition.

1. 16 home games instead of 18. We didn't have to pay less money.

2. Last year 11 of 18 games were on Frid/Sat/Sun - this year only 6. This is big impact on Shocker families

3. More games on Wednesday night - again another impact on Shocker families that attend church.

So my advice, get your self in position to buy shocker tickets and then you have the right to complain about the complain of other Shocker ticket holders. Otherwise you have no foot to stand on. Of course you can tell me how many tickets you want to buy from me for the Newman game.