More conference realignment talk

[TallTitan34]

What does Gonzaga look like when Few retires?

[Galway Eagle]

I have no idea what any of this means.

The only thing that makes sense is that Dayton fans shop at Walmart...

[wadesworld]

What does Gonzaga look like when Few retires?

Exactly.

[Uncle Rico]

What does Gonzaga look like when Few retires?

What does Villanova look like when Wright retires?

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

What does Villanova look like when Wright retires?

Still in Philadelphia and not Spokane.

[Shooter McGavin]

What does Villanova look like when Wright retires?

Yep.  This can be said about many small to medium sized private schools.   Look at the nose dive we took. What you build with national championship runs or any type of prolonged success becomes part of the DNA of a school.  They may not ever be as good without Few but they will find a way to be Big East level acceptable and with the right hire maybe more.

[Skip Intro]

What does Gonzaga look like when Few retires?

I think that no matter what they say, Gonzaga likes where they're at - dominating the WCC year in and year out has brought them plenty of notoriety.  I also think that the geographic aspect would be more brutal on them than a lot of folks here are thinking.  Constantly traveling back and forth between Pacific and (mostly) Eastern time zones wouldn't be sustainable over the course of a season. 

And can someone please explain to me why Dayton would be such a bad choice?  I understand that they don't have quite the history of some BE schools, but they've been pretty darn good in recent years, have a really good fan base, and fit just about every metric of the other BE schools.  I don't get it - it feels like some here are just (unrealistically) holding out for a school like Kansas or Notre Dame, and that's just not happening. 

[Galway Eagle]

I think that no matter what they say, Gonzaga likes where they're at - dominating the WCC year in and year out has brought them plenty of notoriety.  I also think that the geographic aspect would be more brutal on them than a lot of folks here are thinking.  Constantly traveling back and forth between Pacific and (mostly) Eastern time zones wouldn't be sustainable over the course of a season. 

And can someone please explain to me why Dayton would be such a bad choice?  I understand that they don't have quite the history of some BE schools, but they've been pretty darn good in recent years, have a really good fan base, and fit just about every metric of the other BE schools.  I don't get it - it feels like some here are just (unrealistically) holding out for a school like Kansas or Notre Dame, and that's just not happening.

Counter point... it's Dayton

[JWags85]

What does Gonzaga look like when Few retires?

Fitzgerald made an NCAA tourney and 2 NITs in the span of 3 years in the mid 90s.  Dan Monson made an E8.  Then Few took over and escalated the program further.

And Few isn't 60 yet.  So figure minimum 5-10 years of Few level success, plus potential exposure and money, not to mention the new NLI environment where Gonzaga has become a brand name and got top 5 recruits/lottery picks in multiple years. 

Its not like Few retires and suddenly Gonzaga becomes Canisius.  They just had an assistant become the head coach at Arizona.  They will have myriad options internally and externally.

[Plaque Lives Matter!]

Fitzgerald made an NCAA tourney and 2 NITs in the span of 3 years in the mid 90s.  Dan Monson made an E8.  Then Few took over and escalated the program further.

And Few isn't 60 yet.  So figure minimum 5-10 years of Few level success, plus potential exposure and money, not to mention the new NLI environment where Gonzaga has become a brand name and got top 5 recruits/lottery picks in multiple years. 

Its not like Few retires and suddenly Gonzaga becomes Canisius.  They just had an assistant become the head coach at Arizona.  They will have myriad options internally and externally.

Plenty of NBA alums when that time comes too

[roadwarrior3]

I agree, Dayton seems like a slam dunk. Been to a few games down at UD Arena and being honest, it's a much rowdier environment and better college basketball atmosphere than what Marquette offers. They have good facilities, passionate fan base and strong recent success so I think it makes sense. Would add fun rivalries to the conference with X and even with Marquette.

Marquette and Dayton were closer rivals back in the Great Midwest days and the only real explanation I have for why a portion of our fan base is so passionate about not adding them comes from some vantage point of: We were rivals, now Marquette is in the better conference, so we're a better program and are better than Dayton aka we won the rivalry. Dayton joining the BE obviously screws up that narrative

[Newsdreams]

I have no idea what any of this means.

You're overthinking 

[Uncle Rico]

I agree, Dayton seems like a slam dunk. Been to a few games down at UD Arena and being honest, it's a much rowdier environment and better college basketball atmosphere than what Marquette offers. They have good facilities, passionate fan base and strong recent success so I think it makes sense. Would add fun rivalries to the conference with X and even with Marquette.

Marquette and Dayton were closer rivals back in the Great Midwest days and the only real explanation I have for why a portion of our fan base is so passionate about not adding them comes from some vantage point of: We were rivals, now Marquette is in the better conference, so we're a better program and are better than Dayton aka we won the rivalry. Dayton joining the BE obviously screws up that narrative

Dayton sucks

[Uncle Rico]

1. Outside UConn and Villanova, Gonzaga has been far more relevant nationally than any other current Big East member. 

2. If Creighton can compete in the Big East, Gonzaga can compete in the Big East, post-Few.

[MarquetteMike1977]

Heard today and this is contrary to most I have heard previously that Saint Louis maybe be joining the Big East. My understanding is Saint Louis has acquired many big donors recently but is there anything to this

No announcement yet but 3 hours ago.
SLU Men’s Basketball tweeted this. Could be just facilities but..... we will see.  Be sure to follow @SLU_Billikens for all of today's updates related to the major announcement regarding the future of Billiken Athletics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dIqMmk-bPY

[TallTitan34]

What does Villanova look like when Wright retires?

Geography.

[MarquetteMike1977]

No announcement yet but 3 hours ago.
SLU Men’s Basketball tweeted this. Could be just facilities but..... we will see.  Be sure to follow @SLU_Billikens for all of today's updates related to the major announcement regarding the future of Billiken Athletics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dIqMmk-bPY

https://twitter.com/slu_billikens/status/1450471986526830605?s=21

[Skip Intro]

Counter point... it's Dayton

And they've been to the Elite 8 more recently than MU. 

Heck, they almost won it all in 1967!  (Which, of course, sounds ridiculous - until you realize that many here still act like the Al days are recent history.)

Butler made their way into the Big East with less of an all-time resume (albeit with a genius head coach at the time), and we're not worse off for having them in the league to this day. 

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

No announcement yet but 3 hours ago.
SLU Men’s Basketball tweeted this. Could be just facilities but..... we will see.  Be sure to follow @SLU_Billikens for all of today's updates related to the major announcement regarding the future of Billiken Athletics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dIqMmk-bPY

It's a new athletic facility.  Man, it took a long time to get to the point.

[MarquetteMike1977]

No announcement yet but 3 hours ago.
SLU Men’s Basketball tweeted this. Could be just facilities but..... we will see.  Be sure to follow @SLU_Billikens for all of today's updates related to the major announcement regarding the future of Billiken Athletics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dIqMmk-bPY

Just announced Just major facilities but facilities that will help SLUs push to join the Big East.

[roadwarrior3]

And they've been to the Elite 8 more recently than MU. 

Heck, they almost won it all in 1967!  (Which, of course, sounds ridiculous - until you realize that many here still act like the Al days are recent history.)

Butler made their way into the Big East with less of an all-time resume (albeit with a genius head coach at the time), and we're not worse off for having them in the league to this day.

They also had a legit National Championship contender in 2020, would've been a 1 seed in the tournament if it weren't for Covid.

[Galway Eagle]

And they've been to the Elite 8 more recently than MU. 

Heck, they almost won it all in 1967!  (Which, of course, sounds ridiculous - until you realize that many here still act like the Al days are recent history.)

Butler made their way into the Big East with less of an all-time resume (albeit with a genius head coach at the time), and we're not worse off for having them in the league to this day.

Counter point... It's still Dayton. If I can avoid ever going to that crappy town again I will.

Loads of schools have been to an elite 8 since us, 56 to be exact.

A freshman at Dayton from 67 would be 72 now... 

Marquette since Al has almost as much basketball success as Dayton has all time. I'm not pro SLU or anyone but come on Daytons way overrated in terms of bball history

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Counter point... It's still Dayton. If I can avoid ever going to that crappy town again I will.

It's about time to link to this gem once again...

https://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=33574.msg408366#msg408366

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I agree, Dayton seems like a slam dunk. Been to a few games down at UD Arena and being honest, it's a much rowdier environment and better college basketball atmosphere than what Marquette offers. They have good facilities, passionate fan base and strong recent success so I think it makes sense. Would add fun rivalries to the conference with X and even with Marquette.

Marquette and Dayton were closer rivals back in the Great Midwest days and the only real explanation I have for why a portion of our fan base is so passionate about not adding them comes from some vantage point of: We were rivals, now Marquette is in the better conference, so we're a better program and are better than Dayton aka we won the rivalry. Dayton joining the BE obviously screws up that narrative

DU19 ?

[shoothoops]

Just announced Just major facilities but facilities that will help SLUs push to join the Big East.

It’s a $20 Million, 25k square foot facility for Athletics, that will go next to their basketball arena. Their $5 Million Soccer Building (behind the South goal) is expected to be completed in December 2021. Their $100 Million Basketball Arena (which includes other things) opened in 2008.