VCU

Moose

Moose

Well-known member
VCU AD Ed McLaughlin on Wednesday released a five-year strategic plan that he "hopes will make the Rams a major player in Division I in all sports but football," according to Tim Pearrell of the RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH. McLaughlin believes that the plan will "help the Rams continue to build on the momentum and become 'an elite-level' program." The plan "includes eight themes: strengthening VCU’s Division I position; enriching the student-athlete experience; expecting academic success; providing championship quality facilities; growing athletics revenues; sustaining fiscal responsibility; embracing equity and diversity; and constructing an optimal Division I infrastructure." However, "adding football is not part of the plan." New facilities, upgrades and money "will be required." McLaughlin's "first priority remains getting a privately funded basketball practice facility built." He said that the school "has some gifts that need to be finalized" and hopes to have the $14-16M needed for the facility "by the end of the summer." Other priorities "include possible expansion" of the basketball program's Siegel Center. McLaughlin said that expansion "depends on what a study says can be done 'without losing the environment.'" He added that the athletics department had a "small surplus this year and he expects the budget to be balanced in the future." VCU had a $981,848 deficit in '11-12 (RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH, 7/18).
 
I know some disagree on this but I would have much rather have had VCU than Creighton. Just makes more sense geographically. Plus they would have been a perfect regional rival for Georgetown.
 
I know some disagree on this but I would have much rather have had VCU than Creighton. Just makes more sense geographically. Plus they would have been a perfect regional rival for Georgetown.
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I dont disagree but I dont really know enough about the whole process. I may be wrong but VCU would be the only public school of the bunch. Not sure if that is an important factor though (I'm really clueless about this kind of stuff). St Louis would of been a team I would like but I think 10 is the perfect number for now
 
I definitely want VCU over Dayton. And yes, I know Dayton has huge attendance and travels well. I even root for Dayton most times I catch them on TV, but something still strikes me as blah.
 
I definitely want VCU over Dayton. And yes, I know Dayton has huge attendance and travels well. I even root for Dayton most times I catch them on TV, but something still strikes me as blah.
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It will likely be VCU vs Richmond and Dayton vs St. Louis. Both have positives and negatives. We will have to see the commitment to the program and fan base. VCU IMO is starting to take the lead over Richmond for me, simply because they just publicly spurned football. I think that was an important move for them and makes them a much more attractive candidate. VCU has built a nice basketball pedigree. Having a team in Virgina in ACC country would be grest, especially if Shaka Smart sticks around for a while. Dayton vs St. Louis I'm really unsure about. St. Louis has a better market, but Dayton has a great fan base and would be a big rival for Xavier. Tough call.
 
For me it's always been more about who has a better chance of playing and winning in March, than who travels well. I think VCU the last few years ranks right up there. Also, I don't see the benefits of adding more teams from Ohio or one from Missouri. Lets keep the East in The Big East
 
For me it's always been more about who has a better chance of playing and winning in March, than who travels well. I think VCU the last few years ranks right up there.
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What has always been is changing though. VCU could just be Shaka Smart... Or maybe they are more. Gotta look at programs that have draw for fans, recruits and sustainability. Having a huge fan base that supports the team, watches games and travels is a huge factor and will be for our conference moving forward.
 
For me it's always been more about who has a better chance of playing and winning in March, than who travels well. I think VCU the last few years ranks right up there.
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What has always been is changing though. VCU could just be Shaka Smart... Or maybe they are more. Gotta look at programs that have draw for fans, recruits and sustainability. Having a huge fan base that supports the team, watches games and travels is a huge factor and will be for our conference moving forward.
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Excellent point. I think that given their size & recent success, that if VCU were to be thrust into a conference with the media coverage the Big East has, they would probably draw and travel just as well as a Dayton or St. Louis.
 
If you want to add Dayton also then go to 14 and add George Mason also.
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I think we will probably end at 12. Just a guess. Don't need to be overweight.
 
If you want to add Dayton also then go to 14 and add George Mason also.
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I think we will probably end at 12. Just a guess. Don't need to be overweight.
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12 is probably the number. I chose VCU because they have the best program of all the candidate schools and I chose St. Louis because they have the biggest market. Dayton has the best fan base so it's tough.
 
If you want to add Dayton also then go to 14 and add George Mason also.
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I think we will probably end at 12. Just a guess. Don't need to be overweight.
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12 is probably the number. I chose VCU because they have the best program of all the candidate schools and I chose St. Louis because they have the biggest market. Dayton has the best fan base so it's tough.
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It doesn't have to be that tough. Could easily grab VCU and Dayton. It's not a requirement we take St. Louis.
 
For basketball reasons if we were expanding, we would have to take VCU and St. Louis if it's a basketball decision. Dayton just does not have the name brand and they really have barely ever been in the spotlight unlike VCU or STL. I don't care if Dayton gets 100,000 fans at every game...it's the quality of the program on the court we need to focus on. My only qualm with VCU is that their academics are not strong. It's not difficult to get into and it's public as others have said. Do we really want to sell our academic souls? Basketball wise VCU would be great though. I think people are worrying too much that the current conference is too weak. Remember, Providence and SJU should be back...both programs are now getting the players they haven't been able to recruit for a long time. We will be fine.
 
For basketball reasons if we were expanding, we would have to take VCU and St. Louis if it's a basketball decision. Dayton just does not have the name brand and they really have barely ever been in the spotlight unlike VCU or STL. I don't care if Dayton gets 100,000 fans at every game...it's the quality of the program on the court we need to focus on. My only qualm with VCU is that their academics are not strong. It's not difficult to get into and it's public as others have said. Do we really want to sell our academic souls? Basketball wise VCU would be great though. I think people are worrying too much that the current conference is too weak. Remember, Providence and SJU should be back...both programs are now getting the players they haven't been able to recruit for a long time. We will be fine.
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What's wrong with public universities? You don't have to be a rocket scientist to get into the University of Kentucky and I am sure the Big East would not turn them away.
 
For basketball reasons if we were expanding, we would have to take VCU and St. Louis if it's a basketball decision. Dayton just does not have the name brand and they really have barely ever been in the spotlight unlike VCU or STL. I don't care if Dayton gets 100,000 fans at every game...it's the quality of the program on the court we need to focus on. My only qualm with VCU is that their academics are not strong. It's not difficult to get into and it's public as others have said. Do we really want to sell our academic souls? Basketball wise VCU would be great though. I think people are worrying too much that the current conference is too weak. Remember, Providence and SJU should be back...both programs are now getting the players they haven't been able to recruit for a long time. We will be fine.
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What's wrong with public universities? You don't have to be a rocket scientist to get into the University of Kentucky and I am sure the Big East would not turn them away.
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Public schools are fine. Hey, look at Michigan and UNC...they are essentially Ivy League level but still public. I never said just because it's public it means it's non-selective. Public schools just don't fit our mold as the Big East. They have a 70% acceptance rate. In other words, have a pulse and don't sleep through HS. We are already not considered very selective at SJU and ours is around 45% I believe. Big difference.
 
Lets be real VCU will at some point want to play big time football. Private school just don't have the money and they know that.
 
I know it's wishful thinking but I really hope we stay at 10. The bigger we get the more potential there is for the league to get watered down. Right now I think we have 5 to 6 teams that have a legitimate shot of making the Tournament, and that may very well be par for the course in years to come given our current programs. Think about that, playing in a league where half of your teams are going to the Dance, that's a pretty good ratio. We expand to 12 or 14, I don't think we are looking at 7 or 8 bids like the old Big East, no matter who we add. That my friends is when we become a new Atlantic 10. I admit, I'm probably worrying about it too much but didn't this constant expanding already backfire on the old Big East?
 
Lets be real VCU will at some point want to play big time football. Private school just don't have the money and they know that.
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What history do they have with football? I'm asking because I don't know.
The AD made statements specifically excluding football. That's telling. You are not going to see 'new' football schools. The schools that can hack it are there. I know Gman won't want to hear this but I fear for teams like Charlotte, Umass, etc who are trying to join the football party now.
 
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