How the heck are we not invited to this...?

[SaveOD238]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/8274359/nike-schools-commit-16-team-mega-event-honor-phil-knight

Two 8-team tournaments in portland in 2017.  Only nike schools were invited, but MU didn't make the cut.  Since NCAA rules dont allow more than one team per conference to play in a tournament, only two Big East teams got invited.  Georgetown and UConn got the nod ahead of us.

[mutpm]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/8274359/nike-schools-commit-16-team-mega-event-honor-phil-knight

Two 8-team tournaments in portland in 2017.  Only nike schools were invited, but MU didn't make the cut.  Since NCAA rules dont allow more than one team per conference to play in a tournament, only two Big East teams got invited.  Georgetown and UConn got the nod ahead of us.

That's exactly why MU is not part of this.  Those 2 schools have way more national appeal than MU. 

[4everwarriors]

By that time, LW may have us at the SLU level.

[🏀]

By that time, LW may have us at the SLU level.

LW actually turned down the invite. Way too much exposure, and he's gotta keep Buzz in check.

[muwarrior69]

I guess UCLA should gripe too!

[avid1010]

uconn obviously remains committed to the BEAST through 2017

[77ncaachamps]

I guess UCLA should gripe too!

Especially as an Adidas team!

[Tugg Speedman]

uconn obviously remains committed to the BEAST through 2017

I was thinking even more basic ... The BE will still be around in 2017!

[SaveOD238]

On second glance, the article says that there might be ANOTHER 8 teams joining this ruckus in a third tourney... we gotta be the third BEast representative right?

[4everwarriors]

With his connections, Crean surely woulda gotten us in it.

[muwarrior69]

Especially as an Adidas team!

My bad! Then Syracuse should complain.

[Benny B]

Meh... I'd rather be someplace warm for a pre-con tournament. Besides, if Phil dies at 79, the "dead guy" tournament doesn't exactly roll off the tongue.

[chapman]

2017 is a long ways off.  Heck, we could just go back to Maui then and likely be in a strong tournament field and more watchable on TV since I'll assume Nike is going to create an eyesore of a court for these tournaments.

[brewcity77]

Meh... I'd rather be someplace warm for a pre-con tournament. Besides, if Phil dies at 79, the "dead guy" tournament doesn't exactly roll off the tongue.

No, but the Knight Memorial rolls pretty well. If they expand another 8 teams, or UConn has bailed by this time, I'd definitely want Marquette to be included, if for no other reason than in the first year, it looks like a veritable who's who of basketball programs...and Portland.

[StillAWarrior]

Two thoughts:

1) I wonder if whether or not a team is included in these tournaments tells us anything about the length of the team's current contract with Nike.

2) These tournaments are five years out -- I would be surprised if the slate of teams does not change between now and then.

[The Equalizer]

Besides, if Phil dies at 79, the "dead guy" tournament doesn't exactly roll off the tongue.

I don't know about that.  The "dead guy's run" in Milwaukee draws a pretty big crowd each year.

[Benny B]

I don't know about that.  The "dead guy's run" in Milwaukee draws a pretty big crowd each year.

Phil would be freshly dead; Al's beyond worm food at this point.  Sociologically, humans are much more capable in dealing with the latter, it's the former that really screws us up.

[The Equalizer]

Phil would be freshly dead; Al's beyond worm food at this point.  Sociologically, humans are much more capable in dealing with the latter, it's the former that really screws us up.

So do you think it was a mistake to name our basketball facility after Al so soon after his death?   

[Spotcheck Billy]

they renamed Al's run briefly after his passing didn't they? IIRC it wasn't that long ago that it reverted back to Briggs & Al's Run

[Benny B]

So do you think it was a mistake to name our basketball facility after Al so soon after his death?   

No.

[Lennys Tap]

So do you think it was a mistake to name our basketball facility after Al so soon after his death?  

Great question! Maybe you should start a poll.

[4everwarriors]

And start an email campaign to Fr. P and Larry.