Did The Bleacher Report Just Call MU (the the Big East) mid-majors?

[#UnleashSean]

No it is not. Public perception is what determines if you are a major conference. MU and The Big East are no where on the sport scene until basketball starts.

That's really surprising for a basketball only conference.

[GGGG]

How is football irrelevant to this conversation?  Bowl Championship Series Automatic Bids are what gave power conferences the label power conferences.  Conference realignment was based around football.  The reason the new big east came together is a mutual lack of football.  If not football, what would make a power conference?

Mid-major is a phrase to mean a middle of the road conference in NCAA basketball.  Tell me how football plays in that equation?  The BE was rated higher than a couple P5 conferences this year.  It also was last year.

Finally, mid-major conferences do not put 6 teams in the NCAA tournament.

[GGGG]

No it is not. Public perception is what determines if you are a major conference.

That is false.  Mid-majors don't do what the BE has done in terms of RPI or NCAA tournament births in recent years.  Mid-majors don't get a basketball only television contract like the BE did.

Don't define your life by what ESPN says it is.

[GGGG]

I'm not denying a hierarchy in the power conferences.  What I would argue is that were a non-power conference school offered a spot in any power conference, they would jump, no questions asked, barring outlandish travel scenarios (i.e. gonzaga to the acc)

But if Power 5 schools would also jump to other Power 5 schools, that would mean your criteria is pretty lame.

[#UnleashSean]

Yes it was.

A conference with Marquette, Depaul, Memphis, Cincinnati, Louisville, and South Florida is not a mid major

[KipsBayEagle]

Mid-major is a phrase to mean a middle of the road conference in NCAA basketball.  Tell me how football plays in that equation?  The BE was rated higher than a couple P5 conferences this year.  It also was last year.

Finally, mid-major conferences do not put 6 teams in the NCAA tournament.

In that case the Atlantic 10 is a power conference as well, because they put 6 teams in the dance in 2014.

[KipsBayEagle]

A conference with Marquette, Depaul, Memphis, Cincinnati, Louisville, and South Florida is not a mid major

I think the rest of the sports world would disagree with this assertion.

[GGGG]

In that case the Atlantic 10 is a power conference as well, because they put 6 teams in the dance in 2014.

They didn't match the RPI though.  But that is why these labels are ridiculous.  Using football and "if they will leave" to determine the strength of a basketball conference makes no sense.

[#UnleashSean]

They didn't match the RPI though.  But that is why these labels are ridiculous.  Using football and "if they will leave" to determine the strength of a basketball conference makes no sense.

I put him on ignore, he's making even dumber statements then ners did with dwil.

[KipsBayEagle]

They didn't match the RPI though.  But that is why these labels are ridiculous.  Using football and "if they will leave" to determine the strength of a basketball conference makes no sense.

Than what metric are we using?

[GGGG]

Than what metric are we using?

Basketball performance.  Conference RPI.  NCAA tournament births.  NCAA tournament progression.

[KipsBayEagle]

Basketball performance.  Conference RPI.  NCAA tournament births.  NCAA tournament progression.

This all proves we are a strong/not strong basketball conference, not a power conference.

[GGGG]

This all proves we are a strong/not strong basketball conference, not a power conference.

WTF does that even mean?  "Mid-major," is a basketball conference related adjective.  

[KipsBayEagle]

WTF does that even mean?  "Mid-major," is a basketball conference related adjective.  

Fine, we're not a mid-major, and we are not a power conference.  We are some hybrid between the two.

[Tugg Speedman]

"Mid-major" is meant to be a insult.  That is why the phrase brings up so many emotions.

Besides their no such official designation as mid-major. 

So it means whatever you want it to mean and how much you want to insult someone.

[bradley center bat]

Cusa at the time Marquette was in it was not a mid major.

correct!
Plus, the Power 5 is a football saying.

[Tugg Speedman]

correct!
Plus, the Power 5 is a football saying.

+1

Power 5 has nothing to do with basketball, or any other sport.  It is purely a football term., and only a football term.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Yes it was.

No it wasn't.  Hell, it was ranked ahead of the Big Ten some of those years and sent 6 teams to the dance.

[Tugg Speedman]

Nebraska was in the big 12 before joining the big ten.

Penn State and Rutgers were in the Big East when they were a power conference before joining the big 10.

What is your point?

Those seven schools (NU, NW, Iowa, PSU,  Minn, ILL, Rutgers)  no better than the Horizon league, and probably worse.  That's half the B1G.  Why aren't they mid-major?  (a term that is only meant to insultandnothing else)

[MU82]

Bleacher Report is the Savannah State of sports journalism.

And I probably should turn right around and apologize to Savannah State.

[GoldenWarrior11]

The Big East may not be a power conference, but it is an elite basketball conference - unlike any other non-football league in the NCAA.  It is home to several NCAA Champions (Marquette included), numerous prestigious basketball programs, all in major media markets on the east coast and midwest.  It is, without question, the best non-football conference in the country and, statistically speaking, is one of the top basketball conferences in the country.

Just because ESPN tried to literally destroy the former incarnation of the Big East does not mean the conference is a mid-major.  Yes, the top sports network in the world does not carry the league.  No, it has not had any negative effect on recruiting or exposure.  The conference had 6 bids last year, has one of the top prospects in the country (Ellenson) coming in, and just nabbed one of the top assistant coaches/recruiters in the country at St. Johns (Slice).

Marquette's, the Big East's and all the schools in the conference have extremely bright futures.  I'm looking forward to enjoying the ride.  

[#UnleashSean]

"Mid-major" is meant to be a insult.  That is why the phrase brings up so many emotions.

Besides their no such official designation as mid-major.  

So it means whatever you want it to mean and how much you want to insult someone.

There is actually.

http://www.collegeinsider.com/mens-mid-major-top-25.php

okay not "super offical" But they do have coaches and such voting on it.

[bilsu]

Those seven schools (NU, NW, Iowa, PSU,  Minn, ILL, Rutgers)  no better than the Horizon league, and probably worse.  That's half the B1G.  Why aren't they mid-major?  (a term that is only meant to insultandnothing else)

You can have mid-major schools in a major conference. You, also can have a major basketball school in a mid-major conference. Gonzaga would be an example of that.

[Tugg Speedman]

There is actually.

http://www.collegeinsider.com/mens-mid-major-top-25.php

okay not "super offical" But they do have coaches and such voting on it.

Nice find! 

No big east schools on the list (no Nova, which would be #1 or #2).  It is settled for the rest of time.  The Big East is not a mid-major conference.

The mods can no lock this thread.

[frozena pizza]

It is a bit of a backhanded slap, but it doesn't say that either MU or the Big East is a mid-major.  It just says most top prospects go to one of the five major conferences.  There is a power 5 (albeit more relevant for football purposes) and the Big East is not part of it.  Of the players in ESPN's top 20 recruits for 2015, only Ellenson and Brunson (Nova) are going to a school not in a power 5 conference, although it's not like any other single conference is really dominating the list either.  If there's any disrespect to complain about it should be that they rank Ellenson only 11th best.