Lunardi Redefines the Mid Major Label

[SubGod22]

That wasn't a problem at all on my crap work computer

[wsushox1]

At least on my screen I have to scroll to the right a ways to see the entire post.

Sorry, wsushox1. I may not be that "techy", but I have gotten very use to my wide (24") flat screen. :D

Yea I am on a 13 inch Macbook 8)

[XManCometh]

The MVC is still a "Mid-Major" according to this article.

[ShockTalk]

The MVC is still a "Mid-Major" according to this article.

Yes it is. I think that at least the first page of the article, explains why that is and that I have no arguement with it.

Some here don't like the idea that the MWC, Atl-10, and, (some include), C-USA are now considered by the media as a notch above the Valley and in a group of their own. I don't like it either, but I don't blame the media for saying it.

It wasn't long ago, the tier group behind the Big-6 included those 3 conferences and the Valley, with a few other conferences occasionally rising to that level. The distinction was there, it just wasn't advertised by the media as being there. The Big-6 will continue to be the Big-6, (short of what almost happened to the Big XII this year), and recruits, fans in general, and the media will always look at them as the elite conferences, like it or not. It is easier for them to get the top recruits, hire away the top coaches, and still have money to burn. Take Coach Turgeon for example. He indicated that he had pretty much topped out on the level of athlete he could bring in to WSU (which may have been true for him). Now that he's at aTm, that level of athlete appears to have changed.

For the rest of the conferences, particularly the ones who want to get ahead and stay at the top of that pecking order, it's a year in , year out effort. They just cannot relax in their efforts to be a better conference. A conference shouldn't ride the coat tails of a Memphis, Gonzaga, or Butler and this article makes that distinction. Memphis wants in a BCS conference and Butler may ripe for some sort of change. If that one school leaves or falls back in the pack, the conference can drop hard. I believe the Valley needs to make some hard decisions. Make certain demands from all their schools, top to bottom. If they cannot do it, find schools who can and want to be part of that level of a conference. In the Valley's case, make the strongest non-FBS football conference they can. This is where the WAC is failing. They want to compete with the big boys in football, but their too far down the pecking order to start with, so when the have a couple of strong football schools, they're pick-off by bigger non-BCS conferences.

Media plays a much bigger role today, whether it's ESPN or just the internet. It really doesn't matter if you like it or not, or if it's right or wrong. The same goes for the $ sign. You adjust to the climate, go forward, or risk getting passed by.

[ABC]

The MVC is a mid-major league.

WSU and CU and some others, are not the same.

The resources WSU has and faciliites rival those in any major conference.

[Rosewood]

Can you resize your link?

Not a clue. :noidea: I just copied/paste what the link was. I'm lucky I can do that. You know us "old fart" crowd.

ST, you might find this useful... :D

Since seniors are texting and tweeting (and tooting) more and more there appears to be a need for a STC (Senior Texting Code). If you qualify for Senior Discounts this is the code for you.

ATD ~ At The Doctor's
BFF ~ Best Friend Farted
BTW ~ Bring The Wheelchair
BYOT ~ Bring Your Own Teeth
CBM ~ Covered By Medicare
CUATSC ~ See You At The Senior Center
DWI ~ Driving While Incontinent
FWB ~ Friend With Beta Blockers
FWIW ~ Forgot Where I Was
FYI ~ Found Your Insulin
GGPBL ~ Gotta Go, Pacemaker Battery Low!
GHA ~ Got Heartburn Again
HGBM ~ Had Good Bowel Movement
IMHO ~ Is My Hearing-Aid On?
LMDO ~ Laughing My Dentures Out
LOL ~ Living On Lipitor
LWO ~ Lawrence Welk's On
OMMR ~ On My Massage Recliner
OMSG ~ Oh My! Sorry, Gas!
ROFL-CGU ~ Rolling On The Floor Laughing-Can't Get Up
SGGP ~ Sorry, Gotta Go Poop
TTYL ~ Talk To You Louder
WAITT ~ Who Am I Talking To?
WTFA ~ Wet The Furniture Again
WTP ~ Where's The Prunes?
WWNO ~ Walker Wheels Need Oil
GGLKI ~ Gotta Go, Laxative Kicking In
NCDCWPH ~ Never confuse denture cream with preparation H

FWD FWD RE FWD FWD >>>>>>>>>

[Aargh]

With the Valley showing every indication that a fall from "elite mid-major" to "run-of-the-mill mid-major" is just fine and dandy, it's time for WSU to start working on forming a conference that better fits the goals of the WSU athletic department.

Forget the Valley doing anything. Elgin is perfectly happy with the current status of the Valley. That status is dropping about every day as one after another school finds their money-draining football program (or it's inability to raise money from alumni) is dragging their athletic department into financial irrelevance.

It's time for Sexton to get on the phone with CU, BU, and start exploring possibilities with some schools like Butler who will find their leagues with the same problems the MVC has.

If a basketball conference could be formed from schools that were dedicated to a quality product on the court, I can see some potential there to avoid the slide into mediocrity that seems to be the trend of the Valley right now.

[Ta town]

Only 2 options if you are talking new or different league

Form an 8 team league (I say this because good luck even finding 8) that don't play football and have the resources to put in major money to compete in basketball.

Or start football

Either one doesn't seem likely to happen.

I'll try the 8 team league I guess...

Wichita State, Creighton, Bradley, Butler....well that's all I see within reasonable distance. Maybe Cleveland St but that would really spread the footprint and despite being good they are lucky to get 4000 to a game and I don't think have the resources.

SLU, X, and Dayton wouldn't leave east coast connections.

[hamshock]

People on here seem to be fascinated by SLU. They aren't that good and haven't been for awhile. They were a good rivalry a long time ago but we don't play them anymore and other than hiring Rick Majerus I'm not sure what they do to support basketball. Do they put money in to their facilities? How do they draw? Does anyone in St. Louis care about SLU? I don't know the answers to these but I don't see the fascination with SLU other than geography and a long-ago rivalry.

[WstateU]

People on here seem to be fascinated by SLU. They aren't that good and haven't been for awhile. They were a good rivalry a long time ago but we don't play them anymore and other than hiring Rick Majerus I'm not sure what they do to support basketball. Do they put money in to their facilities? How do they draw? Does anyone in St. Louis care about SLU? I don't know the answers to these but I don't see the fascination with SLU other than geography and a long-ago rivalry.

"Do they put money into their facilities?"

I would say yes!

[AndShock]

People on here seem to be fascinated by SLU. They aren't that good and haven't been for awhile. They were a good rivalry a long time ago but we don't play them anymore and other than hiring Rick Majerus I'm not sure what they do to support basketball. Do they put money in to their facilities? How do they draw? Does anyone in St. Louis care about SLU? I don't know the answers to these but I don't see the fascination with SLU other than geography and a long-ago rivalry.

They averaged 7,149 fans in a 10,600 capacity arena. It's certainly not the best, but it's better than most MVC teams.

[Snapshot9]

It's time for Sexton to get on the phone with CU, BU, and start exploring possibilities with some schools like Butler who will find their leagues with the same problems the MVC has.

Good luck with that!!!

[hamshock]

Just asking about SLU. My point is they haven't been a team of note for a long time.

[ShockTalk]

Just asking about SLU. My point is they haven't been a team of note for a long time.

I think the point is - Who would you rather have in the conference, St Louis or Evansville, In St, Drake? Yes, Drake had that one great year, but St Louis has been on the plus side of the ledger 7 out of the last 8 years with 20 wins 4 years ago and 23 wins last year.