Catholic 7 Meeting?

[mu03eng]

May be a silly suggestion, but could it be feasible for a new, basketball-centric conference to align itself with a single apparel brand, the obvious one being Jordan? It would seem to make sense from a marketing and recruiting standpoint: big basketball paired with the biggest/best basketball-only apparel outlet. Maybe Nike is interested in Jordan increasing its footprint in the college game (a footprint that seems to lag far behind that of the pro game, albeit for obvious reasons). It already has ties with Georgetown and Marquette.

This very well may not conform to NCAA regulations. I'd be interested in knowing if it would.

Why would the Jordan brand want to align with an entire conference?  I could see Nike sponsoring the conference but the point of the Jordan brand is that it is the elite of the elite and as such is intentionally small.

[RyanConroy]

Why would the Jordan brand want to align with an entire conference?  I could see Nike sponsoring the conference but the point of the Jordan brand is that it is the elite of the elite and as such is intentionally small.

That's where some dreaming comes in. Jordan backs the conference, and if we can't secure Big East naming rights, part of the conference name includes "Jordan." Jordan and the schools market it as the premier place for basketball in the collegiate landscape ('ONLY the best basketball'). Top recruits love it, join teams in the Jordan conference, and it becomes a perennial powerhouse.

This would seem to involve Jordan cutting out schools like UNC, though. Definitely unlikely. I thought it was an interesting hypothetical.

[Goose]

Not overly excited about this news. We are at crossroads and have to look very closely at this decision. I am afraid this conference could be mid major real quickly. If this happens we need to improve NC schedule big time and not waste anytime doing so. Too much at risk for us to follow others, we need to find a way to lead the pack.

[brewcity77]

Whether a 12, 14, or 16 team conference, I'd bet on a 18-game conference schedule. That leaves 13 games (including the exempt tournament) to play with. 4 games will go to the exempt tourney. But to boost the schedule, you probably need 3 regular quality opponents. Along with UW, I think home-and-homes with Louisville and Notre Dame should be a given. That leaves 6 games every year. UW-M and UW-GB aren't needed but would keep some happy. Of the remaining 4 games, at least 2-3 should be buy games to guarantee victories. That leaves 1-2 for events like the Carrier Classic or a conference challenge series.

Even still, that'd be a very tough schedule. Likely 6 HM opponents every year. But it would make for some good BC non-con games, especially if we managed to alternate the conference challenge so we had 2 high majors at home every year.

[Aughnanure]

UMass heading back to FCS?

@GazzetteUMass
There is a motion that will be presented by the fac senate today to call on admin to consider reversing decision to move football to FBS.


They would be a nice part of this league - but this is a nonbinding vote from the faculty

[🏀]

Even still, that'd be a very tough schedule. Likely 6 HM opponents every year. But it would make for some good BC non-con games, especially if we managed to alternate the conference challenge so we had 2 high majors at home every year.

I am somewhat excited about getting HM OOC opponets back to the Bradley Center on a regular basis. Wasn't needed when we joined the BE.

[Benny B]

Not overly excited about this news. We are at crossroads and have to look very closely at this decision. I am afraid this conference could be mid major real quickly. If this happens we need to improve NC schedule big time and not waste anytime doing so. Too much at risk for us to follow others, we need to find a way to lead the pack.

So what.  I'll take the extra millions and you can call me whatever names you want.  Calling Marquette a mid-major in the new Big East would be like an former jock chanting "nerd, nerd, nerd" in front of Bill Gates at their 40-year HS reunion.

"Mid-major" doesn't mean anything.  Just ask future Big East rivals Butler, VCU and Xavier.

[brewcity77]

UMass heading back to FCS?

@GazzetteUMass
There is a motion that will be presented by the fac senate today to call on admin to consider reversing decision to move football to FBS.


They would be a nice part of this league - but this is a nonbinding vote from the faculty

More important, the Boston market, another top-10.

And I know some will say UMass isn't big in Boston. But so what? Rutgers isn't big in NYC and the B1G is convinced they'll make tens of millions annually because of the Rutgers/NYC connection. It still gives us one more major market when ESPN and the other networks are considering how much to bid for our league rights. Certainly better than media market #65.

[Goose]

Benny B
You can be a mid major guy all you want. We cannot afford to be a mid major, either financially or for recruiting. You can put your head in the sand all you want. Many on here do not think we are elite program now and we have been in elite conference and success in NCAA. I would hate to be the guy rolling dice on this one.

In addition, we might have extra millions left over when we have a mid major coach getting $600k a year.

[🏀]

More important, the Boston market, another top-10.

I'm not putting Boston Market in my Top 10.

[MuMark]

Seems to me we went to the final 4 and paid our coach millions when we were in a mid major conference 10 years ago.

This new conference would certainly be much better then the old CUSA.

[Aughnanure]

By the way, the Dayton board is just dripping with animosity against the BE7 and the idea that we could steal the top of the A10. They are convincing themselves that the A10 could pry a wedge b/t MU/Depaul and the rest of the Big East and could add us.

http://www.udpride.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18751&page=19

[TJ]

Agreed.  What gets interesting is if the football teams jump first.  If that's the case we get some extra money and don't have to disband.  Here is to hoping SEC and Big 12 poach from the ACC soon forcing UCONN and Cincy to jump now.

Don't we still have to disband to prevent the influx of Boise St, SDST, Memphis, SMU, ECU, Tulane?

[TJ]

Not overly excited about this news. We are at crossroads and have to look very closely at this decision. I am afraid this conference could be mid major real quickly. If this happens we need to improve NC schedule big time and not waste anytime doing so. Too much at risk for us to follow others, we need to find a way to lead the pack.

You have to compare it to the future Big East, not the Big East you remember.  The old Big East is gone.  The new one is destined for mid-major status anyway.  That big Tulane-Temple game coming up isn't making waves on the national scene for some reason.

[Benny B]

Benny B
You can be a mid major guy all you want. We cannot afford to be a mid major, either financially or for recruiting. You can put your head in the sand all you want. Many on here do not think we are elite program now and we have been in elite conference and success in NCAA. I would hate to be the guy rolling dice on this one.

In addition, we might have extra millions left over when we have a mid major coach getting $600k a year.

So you'd take $1M/yr to stay in the current version of the Big East with SMU and Eastern Carolina rather than $2M/yr to be in the "mid-major" version?

[chapman]

By the way, the Dayton board is just dripping with animosity against the BE7 and the idea that we could steal the top of the A10. They are convincing themselves that the A10 could pry a wedge b/t MU/Depaul and the rest of the Big East and could add us.

http://www.udpride.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18751&page=19

They're afraid they may not get an invite, that's all.  Especially if the C7 only want one Ohio team, they know it would obviously be X.

[RyanConroy]

Larry Williams on MU BBall hour with Homer now.

Just openly expressed his displeasure with not being consulted during the decision to add Tulane.

Also discussed the "mirror games" possibility, did not seem to believe in its viability, said he needed convincing.

Has said "everything is on the table" for Marquette going forward when asked about a basketball-only conference.

Responding to a "what do you what Marquette fans to know?" question, he did cite the possibility of the "Gonzaga model" of being a powerhouse in a small pond.

[Goose]

Benny B

I would evaluate everything before making decision. A million a year more in wrong conference turns into a big financial loss long term. All I am saying is that they need to weigh all options and not just settle for easiest path.

[Silkk the Shaka]

Larry Williams on MU BBall hour with Homer now.

Just openly expressed his displeasure with not being consulted during the decision to add Tulane.

Also discussed the "mirror games" possibility, did not seem to believe in its viability, said he needed convincing.

Has said "everything is on the table" for Marquette going forward when asked about a basketball-only conference.

Responding to a "what do you what Marquette fans to know?" question, he did cite the possibility of the "Gonzaga model" of being a powerhouse in a small pond.

My least favorite of all the options.

[honkytonk]

Responding to a "what do you what Marquette fans to know?" question, he did cite the possibility of the "Gonzaga model" of being a powerhouse in a small pond.

I just dont like the thought of that. Gonzaga has coaching stability and they win their auto-bid just about every single year. It seems like they have to swim upstream all the time. Luckily, they can swim faster than the current.

Will the old BE schools be interested in OOC games with us? I dont think so. Outside of ND, I dont see any ACC team being interested in a 1:1 with us. We never played any of those football schools with any regularity prior to joining the conference. Then again, maybe a new league has a strong enough SOS and RPI that it wont matter. There could be some ugly years though.

And btw, how the hell did Tulane get into the BE? Sounds like the football schools werent that interested and neither were the bball schools. I did find the comment about how Tulane would hurt the rpi of some of the bball schools quite funny. I hope Providence, DePaul and SHU didnt say that. Prov and SHU have been rpi drains much longer than when we joined the conference.

[JD]

Responding to a "what do you what Marquette fans to know?" question, he did cite the possibility of the "Gonzaga model" of being a powerhouse in a small pond.

This is the last thing i would want...

A lot of A-10 school forums keep bringing up the option to add Marquette and Depaul.  Is that what LW is referring too?

[brewcity77]

The Gonzaga model isn't what I want, not because they haven't been successful, but because it's a very hard model to ape. Few has proven to be a Spokane lifer (so far) and has recruited to a system. They are consistently ranked, but they built their reputation off their three straight Sweet 16s from 11 years ago. Since then, they've reached the second weekend of the tournament twice. They compete, but they aren't a true contender.

I'm not saying it will be easy regardless. But a true non-football power conference could have legitimate title aspirations. Not as often as the BCS conferences, but with schools like Georgetown, Villanova, Marquette, and St. John's (untapped but with Lavin's recruiting could get there) you have schools that can consider the Sweet 16 a starting point and the Final Four a realistic goal. All it takes is for one of them to win two games on that final weekend. Certainly a tough task, but far more surmountable in my opinion for any of those four (and most of the proposed schools) than it is for Gonzaga, who never in their history have even reached the final weekend.

[MuMark]

Not only that but we play in a 19k seat arena......you aren't going to pack the place with the big fish small pond model.

[brewcity77]

Not only that but we play in a 19k seat arena......you aren't going to pack the place with the big fish small pond model.

Not only that, but it's risky. Gonzaga has gone to the NCAAs on the auto-bid all but 4 years during their current 14-bid streak. In those 4 years, they were 7-seeds or worse each year. All it takes is one questionable year and an upset in the conference tourney and you're missing the dance. And even if you play a tough non-con schedule, it's a long time from the December non-con battles until you play real teams again in March. Just not my cup of tea.

And as you say...Milwaukee already doesn't fill the BC when they come across town, what chance is there that Youngstown State, Valpo, or Cleveland State would be selling tickets? Season Ticket sales would drop like a rock.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Larry Williams on MU BBall hour with Homer now.

Just openly expressed his displeasure with not being consulted during the decision to add Tulane.

Also discussed the "mirror games" possibility, did not seem to believe in its viability, said he needed convincing.

Has said "everything is on the table" for Marquette going forward when asked about a basketball-only conference.

Responding to a "what do you what Marquette fans to know?" question, he did cite the possibility of the "Gonzaga model" of being a powerhouse in a small pond.

Thanks for sharing this.

The Gonzaga model can also be called the Boise State model, the Memphis model, the UNLV model, even the Butler model (to some extent...at least when they were in the Horizon during some years).  It has been successful for schools in the past and present to accomplish some significant things (Championship games, Final fours, BCS bowl berths, etc).  I agree it's not ideal, I'd rather play in a power conference that will attract fans and get people buzzing.  It is also not a death sentence, either.