Big East 2.0 = MCC 2.0

[warriorfred]

Let me be clear, the Big East 2.0 is the best possible option for Marquette, but it unfortunately will not be as good as the old Big East.  If my memorry is correct, when Marquette joined the Midwestern Collegiate Conference, the teams were:

Marquette
DePaul
Xavier
Butler
St. Louis
---
Detroit
Evansville
Loyola (Chicago)

The Big East 2.0 will have:

Marquette
DePaul
Georgetown
Villanova
Providence
Seton Hall
Georgetown
St. Johns
Xavier (possibly)
Butler (possibly)
St. Louis (possibly)
Creighton (possibly)
Dayton (possibly)

While the Big East 2.0 is an improvement from the MCC, I am not sure it is a huge leap forward.  It is definitely the best of a bad situation.

[Warriors10]

Same names, completely different programs...

[nathanziarek]

...if the old MCC was still a thing, that'd be a pretty strong conference. Not sure how you can see it any differently.

We are not replacing Syracuse, Notre Dame, Louisville and Connecticut. But, we are bringing in known brands with young coaches that'll be around a lot longer than Boheim and Pitino. Who knows where Louisville and Cuse will be in a few years, after those two guys leave?

I'm thrilled with the direction this had taken, and more excited to get to play Butler and Xavier than I am sad at losing Syracuse. (Louisville is a different story—we've been with them so long, that's a harder breakup).

[JakeBarnes]

Same names, completely different programs...

Yep.  A lot has changed for all of those programs, including the facilities and bottom line.  I like this modern day group a lot more.

[GGGG]

While the Big East 2.0 is an improvement from the MCC, I am not sure it is a huge leap forward.  

You may want to re-evaluate your analysis.  

First, DePaul was never in the MCC.  They stayed independent until joining the Great Midwest.

Second, what school in the old MCC is even close to Georgetown?  Villanova?  Even St. Johns?  Those are iconic programs that have been to multiple final fours in my lifetime.  Even DePaul, Seton Hall and Providence have been to one.  Not a single MCC school, save Butler, has been to a Final Four in my lifetime.

Third, Xavier and Butler are *much* improved programs since their MCC days.

It really isn't that close of a comparison.

[TJ]

It's annoying to read people continue to whine that they can't still have something that no longer exists.  The "old Big East" no longer exists; it's never going to exist again; Marquette didn't cause it to stop existing; Marquette did work to put themselves in the best possible position they could in a world that actually exists instead of wallowing in misery because they can't have what they used to anymore.

QUIT COMPARING OUR CONFERENCE TO A PAST THAT IS GONE AND NOT COMING BACK.

[Groin_pull]

It's annoying to read people continue to whine that they can't still have something that no longer exists.  The "old Big East" no longer exists; it's never going to exist again; Marquette didn't cause it to stop existing; Marquette did work to put themselves in the best possible position they could in a world that actually exists instead of wallowing in misery because they can't have what they used to anymore.

QUIT COMPARING OUR CONFERENCE TO A PAST THAT IS GONE AND NOT COMING BACK.

I agree. Move on already. Considering what could have happened, I'm thrilled that MU is now in a hoops-only conference that keeps the Big East name...retains MSG for its tournament...and has a nice TV contract with Fox Sports that will pay each team roughly $3-4 million per year (compared to $1.5 million from ESPN).

Frankly, this is more than I expected.

[slack00]

While the Big East 2.0 is an improvement from the MCC, I am not sure it is a huge leap forward.  It is definitely the best of a bad situation.

You don't think trading Evansville, Detroit, and Loyola out for Georgetown, Villanova, St Johns, Seton Hall, Providence, Creighton, and Dayton is a huge leap forward?

You're out trading three teams that struggle to sniff the NCAA tournament with a couple national brands and a few other teams that have much better programs than the former three.

Put another way...
Evansville (KenPom 84), Detroit (KenPom 77), and Loyola (KenPom 168) for
Georgetown (KenPom 17), Villanova (KenPom 47), StJohns (KenPom 103), Seton Hall (KenPom 107), Providence (KenPom 59), Creighton (KenPom 22), and Dayton (KenPom 68)

Use whatever ranking system from any recent year.  The results will be about the same.  This is a big upgrade.

[warriorfred]

I know, I know - "Live in the now."

But everyone has to admit that the old Big East was the best basketball conference we may ever see in our lifetimes.

The Big East 2.0 is the best of a difficult situation, and I am happy about the result.

[connie]

I know, I know - "Live in the now."

But everyone has to admit that the old Big East was the best basketball conference we may ever see in our lifetimes.

The Big East 2.0 is the best of a difficult situation, and I am happy about the result.

I know you are waxing nostalgic, but get over it.

[TJ]

I know, I know - "Live in the now."

But everyone has to admit that the old Big East was the best basketball conference we may ever see in our lifetimes.

The Big East 2.0 is the best of a difficult situation, and I am happy about the result.

It was great.  You can remember how great it was all you want.  Just stop comparing it to the new conference and whining about it.  I appreciate where you're at, but it does no good.

[warriorfred]

I appreciate everyone's advice.  Consider me excited about the Big East 2.0.

Is it too early to dislike Xavier?

[macman320]

So will the selection committee see our conference as a major (Big East name) or mid-major (no football) next year? I ask becasue they usually make mid-majors play each other early or give them tougher seeds to avoid George Mason runs. Granted, I would love to play a mid-major early, but I am curious what the national view of this hybrid conference will be.

[warriorfred]

Interesting question about the new conference.  The easy answer is somewhere between the ACC and the A10.

If the A10 gets 2-3 bids, the Big East 2.0 should receive 3-4 bids.  I don't think the top 2 conference teams will have seeding issues, but 4th team could have issues.

[macman320]

So would this year's Creighton team move up from the 8/9 to a 7 if conference had started already?
Luckily I think MU and Georgetown have been solidified as majors regardless of conference.

[buckchuckler]

Interesting question about the new conference.  The easy answer is somewhere between the ACC and the A10.

If the A10 gets 2-3 bids, the Big East 2.0 should receive 3-4 bids.  I don't think the top 2 conference teams will have seeding issues, but 4th team could have issues.

I would sure say 3-4 bids would be on the low end of the spectrum on a yearly basis.  Teams like Georgetown, Marquette, Villanova, Butler and Xavier really seem to make the tourney most seasons.  It may be a little tougher for Butler and X, but I would expect these teams to continue to make it fairly regularly, as for the years they don't it isn't unreasonable to think that teams like St. John's, SLU, Providence, etc would be able to make it every few years as well.  I guess, I'm saying, I think on average 4-5 teams would be making it.  So I'm raising you 1 team.  A league that gets 5/12 most seasons is pretty darn good. 

[MarquetteDano]

Interesting question about the new conference.  The easy answer is somewhere between the ACC and the A10.

If the A10 gets 2-3 bids, the Big East 2.0 should receive 3-4 bids.  I don't think the top 2 conference teams will have seeding issues, but 4th team could have issues.

The selection committee time and time again have stated they do not determine the number of bids per league.  There may be some bias but come on.  If it were bids per league how do you explain the PAC-10/12 and SEC only receiving 2 bids in the recent past while other, supposedly, mid-major conferences getting 3-4 in the same season?

The biggest issue for this new league will be strength of schedule in that we will have weaker conference SOS.

If the "new Big East" was playing this year they would have received at least five bids (Marquette, Georgetown, Nova, Butler, & Creighton... assuming the 10th team is Creighton).  That will be more than the SEC will get this year.