Gonzaga Next?

J

JohnnyFever

Active member
Someone on Boneyard UConn forum says he spoke with some Big East coaches and apparently the thought is that Gonzaga needs to get into a better conference now to have better SOS and better competition to prepare for NCAA tourneys. If Few leaves and they are still in the WCC, they may not be able to attract as good a coach or keep their brand as high. Essentially, they feel their window is closing with Few getting older and want to make it to the Big East before he retires to keep the program elite. Otherwise, Few retires and they may not get a good coach and they go back to being a real mid major known as a program that had 1 great coach then sucked.

Who knows...
 
Huge burden w/ cross country travel and expenses for all sports and teams.

Gonzaga is good but not worth that. If we want 12 and want an east/west division, I'd stay midwest and add St. Louis Bilikens.
 
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Nope.
When Few leaves we’ll be left with a so-so program in a ratings wasteland and have to travel across the country to play.
 
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UConn was the only program worth expanding to at this point. Only other might be Memphis but they aren’t going anywhere I don’t think. Pass...
 
[quote="Mike Zaun" post=352858]Someone on Boneyard UConn forum says he spoke with some Big East coaches and apparently the thought is that Gonzaga needs to get into a better conference now to have better SOS and better competition to prepare for NCAA tourneys. If Few leaves and they are still in the WCC, they may not be able to attract as good a coach or keep their brand as high. Essentially, they feel their window is closing with Few getting older and want to make it to the Big East before he retires to keep the program elite. Otherwise, Few retires and they may not get a good coach and they go back to being a real mid major known as a program that had 1 great coach then sucked.

Who knows...[/quote]


This is precisely why they shouldn't be taken
 
With UConn now on board and the 20 games double round robin in place, we don't need a 12th member.

Gonzaga would have been fine as the 11th member (all the other options besides UConn sucked), but now there is no reason to add them. They are a long-term risk and 10-15 years from now could be a horrible addition.
 
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[quote="Mike Zaun" post=352858]Someone on Boneyard UConn forum says he spoke with some Big East coaches and apparently the thought is that Gonzaga needs to get into a better conference now to have better SOS and better competition to prepare for NCAA tourneys. If Few leaves and they are still in the WCC, they may not be able to attract as good a coach or keep their brand as high. Essentially, they feel their window is closing with Few getting older and want to make it to the Big East before he retires to keep the program elite. Otherwise, Few retires and they may not get a good coach and they go back to being a real mid major known as a program that had 1 great coach then sucked.

Who knows...[/quote]
Mike Few is 56 ... three years younger than Mike Anderson. Sure, he's "getting older," but unless there's something I'm not aware of, I would expect him to be there for at least another 10 years. Also, if and when he leaves -- and they're still an outstanding program at that time -- there's no reason to think they won't be able to sign a good replacement. Few's age and down-the-road possibilities of the program declining to a mid-major level (something that could be said of most teams in the BE) are not the problem with adding Gonzaga; transcontinental travel is.
 
[quote="redken" post=352881][quote="Mike Zaun" post=352858]Someone on Boneyard UConn forum says he spoke with some Big East coaches and apparently the thought is that Gonzaga needs to get into a better conference now to have better SOS and better competition to prepare for NCAA tourneys. If Few leaves and they are still in the WCC, they may not be able to attract as good a coach or keep their brand as high. Essentially, they feel their window is closing with Few getting older and want to make it to the Big East before he retires to keep the program elite. Otherwise, Few retires and they may not get a good coach and they go back to being a real mid major known as a program that had 1 great coach then sucked.

Who knows...[/quote]
Mike Few is 56 ... three years younger than Mike Anderson. Sure, he's "getting older," but unless there's something I'm not aware of, I would expect him to be there for at least another 10 years. Also, if and when he leaves -- and they're still an outstanding program at that time -- there's no reason to think they won't be able to sign a good replacement. Few's age and down-the-road possibilities of the program declining to a mid-major level (something that could be said of most teams in the BE) are not the problem with adding Gonzaga; transcontinental travel is.[/quote]

That (long and costly travel for teams and fans) is one of the complains UCONN had after they joined the AAC. No natural rivals was another. Also relatively few alums and donors in most of the places and let's face it that's a major reason for college athletics.
 
If Gonzaga joined, we'd only be traveling there once every two years -- the Eastern division would only play the Western teams once a year.
 
[quote="L J S A" post=352902]If Gonzaga joined, we'd only be traveling there once every two years -- the Eastern division would only play the Western teams once a year.[/quote]

It's not about the hoops team, they could handle and afford it. It's about the softball team and the fencing team and any other sport Gonzaga fields a team in the BE in. If they only moved the hoops team to the BE that wouldn't be a problem.
 
I am curious about the specifics of the deal. How much does Uconn pay the Big East to get in? How much does Uconn pay the Big East if they choose to leave? The biggest benefit to the existing Big East members is that it limits the opportunity for the ACC or Big10 to admit Uconn and thereby encroach on this lucrative market. I am also uncomfortable with the resource advantage a State University has over private institutions. Unless there is some huge buy in (start the discussion at $50 million), I am opposed to letting Uconn in.
 
[quote="mjmaherjr" post=352904]Cant see this happening from an expense standpoint[/quote]

Does lopping off 1,100 miles from the trip to New York make it more feasible? Wichita State would give Creighton an old rival back.
 
Gonzaga is such a fantastic program but that distance has always seemed a bit too much of a reach for me. I like staying at 11 teams after the UConn addition because I love the double round robin schedule and want to keep it but if we were to add a 12th team, someone like VCU would be very interesting to me. Winning program that's won with different coaches now and identifies as a "basketball school" There wouldn't be any worry about where their football program would go because it's already tucked away in the Mid-Atlantic. Just feels like a great fit to me.
 
[quote="Adam" post=352878]With UConn now on board and the 20 games double round robin in place, we don't need a 12th member.

Gonzaga would have been fine as the 11th member (all the other options besides UConn sucked), but now there is no reason to add them. They are a long-term risk and 10-15 years from now could be a horrible addition.[/quote]

Totally disagree.

12 teams give two divisions. You play home and home in your division and the 6 other teams once. That's 16 games.

Leaves you 11 or 12 non conference matchups instead of just 7 or 8. That's a much better option because you have more control of strength of schedule that way.
 
[quote="mjmaherjr" post=352904]Cant see this happening from an expense standpoint[/quote]

Who's expense?

We'd play there every other season. They already get on a plane to just about every away game.

Is the difference between a 2.5 hour flight to s.California and a 3-3.5 hour flight to the Chicago area really going to break the bank for them?
 
From what I hear, Gonzaga doesn't see it as crazy as some consider it to be potentially. They want in badly. The pressure is on them to settle in a nice home before it's too late. I believe they will be able to hire another good coach too even after Few. Maybe they join as basketball only. You still get 10+ yrs of Few as someone else said.
 
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[quote="SJUFAN2" post=352934][quote="Adam" post=352878]With UConn now on board and the 20 games double round robin in place, we don't need a 12th member.

Gonzaga would have been fine as the 11th member (all the other options besides UConn sucked), but now there is no reason to add them. They are a long-term risk and 10-15 years from now could be a horrible addition.[/quote]

Totally disagree.

12 teams give two divisions. You play home and home in your division and the 6 other teams once. That's 16 games.

Leaves you 11 or 12 non conference matchups instead of just 7 or 8. That's a much better option because you have more control of strength of schedule that way.[/quote]

A typical non-conference schedule is already 12-13 games. Also, many conferences are moving towards a 20 game conference schedule, not going down like your idea suggests. I think 11 is the perfect number, even if it may make the conference tournament bracket a little messed up.
 
[quote="SJU14" post=352957][quote="SJUFAN2" post=352934][quote="Adam" post=352878]With UConn now on board and the 20 games double round robin in place, we don't need a 12th member.

Gonzaga would have been fine as the 11th member (all the other options besides UConn sucked), but now there is no reason to add them. They are a long-term risk and 10-15 years from now could be a horrible addition.[/quote]

Totally disagree.

12 teams give two divisions. You play home and home in your division and the 6 other teams once. That's 16 games.

Leaves you 11 or 12 non conference matchups instead of just 7 or 8. That's a much better option because you have more control of strength of schedule that way.[/quote]

A typical non-conference schedule is already 12-13 games. Also, many conferences are moving towards a 20 game conference schedule, not going down like your idea suggests. I think 11 is the perfect number, even if it may make the conference tournament bracket a little messed up.[/quote]

I know B10 went to 20. Have other conferences?
 
[quote="Moose" post=352958][quote="SJU14" post=352957][quote="SJUFAN2" post=352934][quote="Adam" post=352878]With UConn now on board and the 20 games double round robin in place, we don't need a 12th member.

Gonzaga would have been fine as the 11th member (all the other options besides UConn sucked), but now there is no reason to add them. They are a long-term risk and 10-15 years from now could be a horrible addition.[/quote]

Totally disagree.

12 teams give two divisions. You play home and home in your division and the 6 other teams once. That's 16 games.

Leaves you 11 or 12 non conference matchups instead of just 7 or 8. That's a much better option because you have more control of strength of schedule that way.[/quote]

A typical non-conference schedule is already 12-13 games. Also, many conferences are moving towards a 20 game conference schedule, not going down like your idea suggests. I think 11 is the perfect number, even if it may make the conference tournament bracket a little messed up.[/quote]

I know B10 went to 20. Have other conferences?[/quote]

ACC goes to 20 this year.
 
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