Big East Name May Hold Us Back

S

sirvoo

Well-known member
2023 $upporter
I know these types of conversations don't pick up steam till spring/summer when bball and football are not going on but it's downplayed if not outright ignored by a lot of people that the state of our conference is not ideal. For starters:

We have already seen the result of Brad Stevens leaving Butler. They are abysmal. Who's to say Creighton won't suffer the same fate when the coach's son leaves? Xavier doesn't exactly make me feel all that better despite their good start.

The 7 catholic schools are a decent foundation. I think seton hall will emerge, while Nova and Gtown are traditional schools with a good track record providing consistency at the very least.

With that said, there is absolutely no reason to feel good about where our conference is right now. If there's any proof of that it's all the people on here who were pulling for fellow BE schools to do well in OOC games. That never was the case when we had a loaded league. We could root for some random crummy upstate team to upset that crook Boeheim and not have to worry about our league's profile taking a hit.

The only immediate solution I see is to pony up some cash and pull St Louis, VCU and Wichita State out of their conferences for next season. These teams are a combined 55-6 this season.

Quite frankly I think the name "Big East" is holding us back. This conference was and always will be college basketball for me and a lot of people. I wasn't around during its inception but I'm sure this league was revolutionary which is why it eventually became so great. As regional conferences dissipate, major adjustments should be made. If we have teams in Nebraska and Wisconsin already why not make our league a "National Basketball Conference" and reel in the likes of Gonzaga and St. Mary's too?
 
FoxSports1 will in large part decide whether and where the Big East Conference expands.
 
The Big east needs to thought of as a major player in another sport besides basketball. Soccer and Lacrosse seem like the obvious choices. I don't think all of the conference schools play these sports, so the league should step in an give an 'assist'.
 
I know these types of conversations don't pick up steam till spring/summer when bball and football are not going on but it's downplayed if not outright ignored by a lot of people that the state of our conference is not ideal. For starters:

We have already seen the result of Brad Stevens leaving Butler. They are abysmal. Who's to say Creighton won't suffer the same fate when the coach's son leaves? Xavier doesn't exactly make me feel all that better despite their good start.

The 7 catholic schools are a decent foundation. I think seton hall will emerge, while Nova and Gtown are traditional schools with a good track record providing consistency at the very least.

With that said, there is absolutely no reason to feel good about where our conference is right now. If there's any proof of that it's all the people on here who were pulling for fellow BE schools to do well in OOC games. That never was the case when we had a loaded league. We could root for some random crummy upstate team to upset that crook Boeheim and not have to worry about our league's profile taking a hit.

The only immediate solution I see is to pony up some cash and pull St Louis, VCU and Wichita State out of their conferences for next season. These teams are a combined 55-6 this season.

Quite frankly I think the name "Big East" is holding us back. This conference was and always will be college basketball for me and a lot of people. I wasn't around during its inception but I'm sure this league was revolutionary which is why it eventually became so great. As regional conferences dissipate, major adjustments should be made. If we have teams in Nebraska and Wisconsin already why not make our league a "National Basketball Conference" and reel in the likes of Gonzaga and St. Mary's too?
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You obviously toked one too many before penning this masterpiece! You are two years late and about $5 million short in your editorial. St. Mary's ?? Now there is a name that will compensate for the loss of Syracuse, Pitt, Notre Dame, Uconn, Louisville and Cincinnati!! Heck, why not merge the West Coast Conference with the Big East Conference and call it the Big East Meets West Conference and have a chain of Chinese restaurants sponsor the tourney in Portland?
 
I know these types of conversations don't pick up steam till spring/summer when bball and football are not going on but it's downplayed if not outright ignored by a lot of people that the state of our conference is not ideal. For starters:

We have already seen the result of Brad Stevens leaving Butler. They are abysmal. Who's to say Creighton won't suffer the same fate when the coach's son leaves? Xavier doesn't exactly make me feel all that better despite their good start.

The 7 catholic schools are a decent foundation. I think seton hall will emerge, while Nova and Gtown are traditional schools with a good track record providing consistency at the very least.

With that said, there is absolutely no reason to feel good about where our conference is right now. If there's any proof of that it's all the people on here who were pulling for fellow BE schools to do well in OOC games. That never was the case when we had a loaded league. We could root for some random crummy upstate team to upset that crook Boeheim and not have to worry about our league's profile taking a hit.

The only immediate solution I see is to pony up some cash and pull St Louis, VCU and Wichita State out of their conferences for next season. These teams are a combined 55-6 this season.

Quite frankly I think the name "Big East" is holding us back. This conference was and always will be college basketball for me and a lot of people. I wasn't around during its inception but I'm sure this league was revolutionary which is why it eventually became so great. As regional conferences dissipate, major adjustments should be made. If we have teams in Nebraska and Wisconsin already why not make our league a "National Basketball Conference" and reel in the likes of Gonzaga and St. Mary's too?
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Xavier doesn't make you feel better? Not withstanding a down year for them last year, you do realize that they are a consistent NCAA team.

2012 - 23 wins and trip to NCAA
2011 - 24 wins and trip to NCAA
2010 - 26 wins and trip to NCAA (Sweet 16)
2009 - 27 wins and trip to NCAA (Sweet 16)
2008 - 30 wins and trip to NCAA (Elite Eight)
2007 - 25 wins and trip to NCAA
2006 - 21 wins and trip to NCAA

I wish we had those problems. As for the name, there is a reason the AAC wanted to keep it, that's b/c it does mean something. I've said it before & I will say it again, we are going to be a league that sends 4 or maybe 5 teams on any given year. that's almost half of our teams, not bad percentages. This year barring a complete meltdown, Creighton, Villanova, Xavier & Providence all control their own destiny. If someone other than those 4 gets hot and wins the Big East Tournament it will be 5 teams. Big East now, Big East forever.
 
I'd be skeptical of Wichita State as they have had recent success, within the last 5 years but, not much since the late 70's, early 80's. And, I may be wrong but, I seem to think of them as a borderline outlaw program.. Always on the NCAA radar screen?

VCU and St Louis might be viable additions, at some point.. But, is VCU more than just Shaka? I think they are, just as much as Butler is more than just Brad Stevens..They have lost several OT games that could as easily gone their way..Much like our Providence and Depaul games. Creighton and us are the only teams to blow them out.

Butler really has been a pedigree program for a long time, no reason to think that won't continue. The state of Indiana produces a lot of quality college level players and Butler can recruit with anyone..And, it's a quality school Academically.
 
This requires simple math; will adding Wichita, VCU, and St Louis make the league more $$ than it costs to split the league's revenue among 3 more teams? If not, then it doesn't make sense to add them.

A small conference that plays everyone twice is the way to go. No team in conference should be on the west coast. Nebraska is bad enough.
Do you expect the women's tennis team to travel to Spokane, WA on a Wednesday?

The conference just needs to be decent. For years the BE was the greatest BBall conference in history and how much did it help us? Meanwhile teams like Xavier, Gonzaga, Temple, Butler, Creighton etc were in terrible conferences, but they still won. I want to see SJU win, if the rest of the BE is considered "good" that's great, but it's not my priority.
 
A rose by any other name...

Insofar as anteing up cash to attract the schools mentioned, that is not happening considering the TV exposure of the Big East.
 
I think the conference is doing fine. It has had the 3rd or 4th highest RPI most of the season and has been very competitive. What I think is important the first few years will be its record in the NCAA.
 
I just think we need to look to expand. Since it appears we are restricted to non D-1 football schools, there are only a few viable options. 10 teams isn't enough. People who think 5 bids are coming from this league annually are dreaming. This is a 3=4 bid league if things stay this way. That doesn't bode well for us.
 
I just think we need to look to expand. Since it appears we are restricted to non D-1 football schools, there are only a few viable options. 10 teams isn't enough. People who think 5 bids are coming from this league annually are dreaming. This is a 3=4 bid league if things stay this way. That doesn't bode well for us.
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You can still get 5 bids. I think this year teams weren't sure what to expect in conference and took various routes to their non conference schedule.

I use to think bigger was better. I think 12 is a good middle ground. But I don't see expansion this summer. It will take time. I'd pay a lot of attention to market size, graduates, and attendance because I'm a little worried about the fairweather fandom quite a few schools in the conference are experiencing.
 
I just think we need to look to expand. Since it appears we are restricted to non D-1 football schools, there are only a few viable options. 10 teams isn't enough. People who think 5 bids are coming from this league annually are dreaming. This is a 3=4 bid league if things stay this way. That doesn't bode well for us.
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Look at the big 12. 10 teams and they have a chance to get 6 or 7 bids this year. Not saying we'll get to that level but I think this conference is very good but it just so happens that a few teams are having a down year so far.
 
12 teams is a good number, especially if the two add-ons are quality programs. It doesn't seem like a huge difference but I feel like we are a wounded animal with a 10-team league.
 
Fox Sports 1 will play a huge role in this.

If the Creighton/Villanova game had been on ESPN, it would've been talked about for days.

Also, we need to get a Big East team to at the very least Sweet 16.

If we don't, I'm sure Ackerman will think harder about expanding.
 
12 teams is a good number, especially if the two add-ons are quality programs. It doesn't seem like a huge difference but I feel like we are a wounded animal with a 10-team league.
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Its just because its a down year. If team's played to expectations you would have 5 firm and 6 and 7 borderline it seemed.

Depends on the 12. Don't want to add just to add. I want to find my post last year and update it a bit about targets.

Also a great sign that most fans who aren't diehards don't know but Big East having the 2nd most Top 100 recruits behind the ACC is great news for conference health.
 
Fox Sports 1 will play a huge role in this.

If the Creighton/Villanova game had been on ESPN, it would've been talked about for days.

Also, we need to get a Big East team to at the very least Sweet 16.

If we don't, I'm sure Ackerman will think harder about expanding.
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A lot hinges on if those possible teams start making Butler and VCU esque runs. That will push the envelope.
 
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