When The Music's Over

[Lennys Tap]

This is the most positive, united and even giddy that I've ever seen the board on any subject not related to winning a basketball game. Justifiable kudos to Fr Pilarz and LW for leading us out of our bondage. "Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty we're free at last" from the yoke the Big East became due to D1 football.

But while we're all running down Wisconsin Ave to the lake in celebration it might be wise to remember a few things:

1. Even if MU gets everything it wants in a new conference (and it won't - ND is not coming), it's still a big step down from the Big East we joined in 2005.
2. This will inevitably make recruiting more difficult (thank God and Buzz for a large, loaded and signed incoming class - this will help sustain our brand/image during the transition period).
3. Keeping Buzz probably became more difficult and even more important. Stepping down in class AND losing a young coaching star would be a one-two major punch to the gut. We'll still be loaded for a few years due to where he has the program and what's coming in, but long term sustainability will be a problem.

So, well done Scott and Larry with phase 1 - unfortunate but inevitable and I love that you guys seem to be among the leaders of the movement. Take your time, get it right. Most importantly, keep Buzz. With him, this is a minor speed bump. Without him, it's a gamechanger.

[Niv Berkowitz]

I'm going to take a more optimistic approach to this.

IF the school can secure a semi-decent TV contract which gives all the schools some money to fund decent facilities/programs, I think the conference could flourish.

As long as the high-profile coaches don't immediately bolt - Buzz, Wright, Thompson, Stevens, Lavin - the conference will have some quality and a "buzz" about it. That brings excitement. On top of that, any player that goes to these schools just KNOWS they will be the big-man-on-campus. I don't care who you are...to an 18 yr old kid, that could mean something. So, you combine the TV contract, continued national exposure, quality coaches and facilities, and many (hopefully) NCAA bids, and you got a quality conference.

There may be some drop-off out of the gate, but I think the conference could really be a mecca for the right 3-5-star recruits. Sure, there are some 1-and-done players that may want to go to programs affiliated w/BCS conferences, but that was going on already.

Look at who MU has coming in next year. And those kids all signed on the dotted line knowing that the Big East was on the way down anyway. From that standpoint...if the stuff I mention above happens, I can see us remaining a viable "brand" from a hoops standpoint.

And don't forget....footbally may be king now, but w/the growing concern over health issues....hoops could be a good spot to be in over the next 10-20 years (like Williams said).

[Goose]

Lenny

You hit right on the head. Phase 1 is going well but the next steps are most important for long term. We need to take our time and make this the best conference possible, not just something better than we are leaving. MU has the most to lose of C7 because we have a very high profile coach. JT is never leaving Georgetown and other schools do not match our status in NCAA. IMO MU has the most to gain and the most to lose. Hope they take their time and continue to lead.

[tower912]

MU:   Consistent tourney team, BtB S 16's
G'town: Probably the biggest and best tradition of the bunch:.
Nova:   Downward arc right now
SJU:   One good season in the last several.   Lavin needs to raise it up
DePaul:   Ugh
Providence:   Ugh, but with some glimmers of hope with the new coach
SHU:   Rice is an interesting coach.    
Xavier:    On a par with MU.
VCU:   Where there is Shaka, there is excitement.   If the new conference takes VCU and he leaves, what is the long term outlook for that program?
Butler:   See VCU, change name to Brad.
Dayton:   Been on the cusp for a decade, unable to make the leap to a tourney team, passionate fanbase, lousy market.
SLU:   Only good under Spoonhour and Majerus, may they RIP
Creighton:   What happens when their stud senior graduates?

This is a good, not old-BEast-great conference.   It has stability and can tell football to take a hike.    It is the best deal for MU.  

[Goose]

Tower

I disagree Xavier is on par with us. Nice program but think we are higher up the food chain.

[brewcity77]

tower, I like most of your list...a few thoughts...

DePaul: At least they're starting to put money into the program.
VCU: Before Shaka, Anthony Davis was doing well. I think they are financially committed.
Dayton: For all those reasons (except the fanbase) I'm very lukewarm on them.
SLU: The money is there, will the success be without Rick?
Creighton: Excellent question, though they are investing.
Gonzaga: The lack of high-profile names is why we need them. When someone says "Gonzaga", you immediately think college basketball. That's what we need.

[tower912]

If Gonzaga was on this side of the rockies, I would advocate moving heaven and earth to get them.    Cross country flights through the rockies in January, February, and March is a very strong deterrent to me. 

[CTWarrior]

DePaul:   Ugh
SHU:   Rice is an interesting coach.    

There is no reason for DePaul to be this bad.  You have to figure they will turn it around at some point.  Maybe being in a conference where they don't go 3-15 or something every year will be the impetus they need.

Also, Rice IS an interesting coach, but he coaches at Rutgers.  SHU is dead weight right now, but they are in an area that churns out talented basketball players, so hopefully Willard can resurrect them.

[Groin_pull]

If Gonzaga was on this side of the rockies, I would advocate moving heaven and earth to get them.    Cross country flights through the rockies in January, February, and March is a very strong deterrent to me. 

Unfortunately, you're probably right. Travel will been an issue. Too bad. If this were a perfect world, I'd love to see Gonzaga and U San Francisco added to the mix.

[tower912]

Also, Rice IS an interesting coach, but he coaches at Rutgers.  SHU is dead weight right now, but they are in an area that churns out talented basketball players, so hopefully Willard can resurrect them.

You are correct and 'd'oh!' on my part.   So hard to keep track right now and I flipped him in my head. 

[brewcity77]

Unfortunately, you're probably right. Travel will been an issue. Too bad. If this were a perfect world, I'd love to see Gonzaga and U San Francisco added to the mix.

Gonzaga yes, but when in the past 30 years has San Francisco mattered? What they did in the 1950s is nice, but we may as well extend an invite to Jacksonville, La Salle, or UTEP.

[CTWarrior]

    You are correct and 'd'oh!' on my part.   So hard to keep track right now and I flipped him in my head. 

No problem.  It's hard not to confuse those two NJ Big East bottom feeders.  Like DePaul, they're a pair of schools you would think should be good even if they get the 2nd level guys from NY/NJ.

[Benny B]

This is the most positive, united and even giddy that I've ever seen the board on any subject not related to winning a basketball game. Justifiable kudos to Fr Pilarz and LW for leading us out of our bondage. "Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty we're free at last" from the yoke the Big East became due to D1 football.

So, well done Scott and Larry with phase 1 - unfortunate but inevitable and I love that you guys seem to be among the leaders of the movement. Take your time, get it right. Most importantly, keep Buzz. With him, this is a minor speed bump. Without him, it's a gamechanger.

I like this version of the post better.  If the meat is rotten, it's better to have two pieces of bread for lunch than a sandwich.

[Marqus Howard]

Creighton:   What happens when their stud senior graduates?

Definitely a good question, but McDermott is a junior, not a senior. He'll still probably be gone by the time the league is formed though.

[Groin_pull]

Gonzaga yes, but when in the past 30 years has San Francisco mattered? What they did in the 1950s is nice, but we may as well extend an invite to Jacksonville, La Salle, or UTEP.

I'm looking for a travel partner for Gonzaga. USF has no football...has a rich hoops heritage...is located in a large, attractive market...has solid academics...and is Catholic.

Plus, they play about 10 minutes from my apartment. 

[GGGG]

What is this obsession with a travel partner?  What exactly does a travel partner do for Gonzaga?

[brewcity77]

What is this obsession with a travel partner?  What exactly does a travel partner do for Gonzaga?

I learned today that all of Gonzaga's basketball road games are taken on a private, school-owned jet. This is for the men's and women's teams. If they are added as a basketball-only member, travel won't be nearly the issue for them many are suggesting. So the question is can everyone else get to Spokane for basketball? And if Gonzaga can splurge for a jet, can't the rest of us do the same?

[GGGG]

I learned today that all of Gonzaga's basketball road games are taken on a private, school-owned jet. This is for the men's and women's teams. If they are added as a basketball-only member, travel won't be nearly the issue for them many are suggesting. So the question is can everyone else get to Spokane for basketball? And if Gonzaga can splurge for a jet, can't the rest of us do the same?

Yeah...exactly.  I mean, how could a school based in Spokane be a travel partner for a school based in San Francisco....900 miles away?  I mean, are the Dons going to fly up to Spokane to pick up the Zags on the way to the BET???

[Golden Avalanche]

Tower

I disagree Xavier is on par with us. Nice program but think we are higher up the food chain.

X has had much more success in March during the past decade which, for some, is a large barometer of place in the food chain.

[GGGG]

Over the last decade.

Final Fours: MU-1; X-0
Elite 8s: MU-1; X-2
Sweet 16s: MU-3; X-5

While it they have been more successful on some measures, I am not sure it is enough to put them on par with MU on the "food chain."  I mean, historically MU has three final fours and a national championship - and Xavier has never reached that level. 

[Goose]

If MU and X are on par with each other in big picture then conference we land in means little. I hold a 45 year history in higher regard than most I guess.

[4everwarriors]

Forget about San Francisco. If Tulane's RPI sucked sewer water, then USF is the drain unless Russell still has some eligibility remaining.

[StillAWarrior]

Forget about San Francisco. If Tulane's RPI sucked sewer water, then USF is the drain unless Russell still has some eligibility remaining.

Exactly.

We're leaving the Big East because they're watering down the basketball product.  So, let's set up a new conference with USF, Pepperdine, Loyola Marymount, Portland and San Diego.  If we want to include a bunch of mediocre, mid-major programs in our new conference, I'm sure we can find some much closer to home.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

This is the most positive, united and even giddy that I've ever seen the board on any subject not related to winning a basketball game. Justifiable kudos to Fr Pilarz and LW for leading us out of our bondage. "Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty we're free at last" from the yoke the Big East became due to D1 football.

But while we're all running down Wisconsin Ave to the lake in celebration it might be wise to remember a few things:

1. Even if MU gets everything it wants in a new conference (and it won't - ND is not coming), it's still a big step down from the Big East we joined in 2005.

This is a great point, and something I had to explain to a Badger friend of mine (he's a good dude).

The C7 situation might not be ideal (2005-2009 was ideal), but it's better than CUSA, and it's better than where the Big East is headed in 2014.

[Coleman]

MU:   Consistent tourney team, BtB S 16's
G'town: Probably the biggest and best tradition of the bunch:.
Nova:   Downward arc right now
SJU:   One good season in the last several.   Lavin needs to raise it up
DePaul:   Ugh
Providence:   Ugh, but with some glimmers of hope with the new coach
SHU:   Rice is an interesting coach.    
Xavier:    On a par with MU.
VCU:   Where there is Shaka, there is excitement.   If the new conference takes VCU and he leaves, what is the long term outlook for that program?
Butler:   See VCU, change name to Brad.
Dayton:   Been on the cusp for a decade, unable to make the leap to a tourney team, passionate fanbase, lousy market.
SLU:   Only good under Spoonhour and Majerus, may they RIP
Creighton:   What happens when their stud senior graduates?

This is a good, not old-BEast-great conference.   It has stability and can tell football to take a hike.    It is the best deal for MU.  

Can we add St. Josephs to this list? Why is no one talking about them? I think they are a better option than SLU