Catholic 7 12th member

[Eldon]

In the 'who else do we add' question, the internet consensus seems to be that it's Xavier, Butler, Dayton, Creighton.  That leaves one spot open.  It seems to be between VCU and SLU according to

http://frankthetank.wordpress.com/2013/01/10/new-years-conference-realignment-faq-big-ten-mountain-west-big-east-and-catholic-7/

and

http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/09/report-catholic-7-fox-meeting-today-like-vcu-as-a-member/

[brewcity77]

VCU. I have more faith in their ability to keep a quality coach in charge and I like that they are a public school, which helps distance us from being the "Catholic league".

[Aughnanure]

SLU. Better academics, better arena, better geographical fit, better institutional fit, better market, better endowment.

VCU is a better UWM with ONE tourney run (literally 1 2nd weekend appearance) and a few appearances from winning in a crappy conference.

[RubyWiscy]

SLU because they give me a new city for roadtrips from Milwaukee.

[Norm]

Would rather be voting on Dayton v St Louis with VCU already in (or Gonzaga).

[bilsu]

I voted for VCU after a tough debate with myself. VCU won, becasue they are 90 miles from where my brother lives.

[JakeBarnes]

I do have one concern about the c7 league.  The B10 got Talib Kweli to do their theme song.  I think for legitimacy reasons, we need to get Freeway (the rapper) or Birdman to do a theme song for the conference.

[setyoursightsnorth]

Or 2 Chainz.

[LloydMooresLegs]

3 best friends from MU live in St. Louis.  ROAD TRIPS.  SLU. 

[chapman]

Both and no Dayton.  I'll take VCU for the selfish road trip reason.

[Avenue Commons]

Question: If Shaka Smart was not at VCU, would you feel the same way? If they didn't incredibly make a Final 4, would you feel the same way?

What VCU did was great, but I feel their possibility of long term success is not inspiring.

What if this was all a few years ago and using the same logic we added George Mason? Wouldn't look too great now.

[🏀]

Both and no Dayton.  I'll take VCU for the selfish road trip reason.

Full PTM support here.

[dwaderoy2004]

Question: If Shaka Smart was not at VCU, would you feel the same way? If they didn't incredibly make a Final 4, would you feel the same way?

What VCU did was great, but I feel their possibility of long term success is not inspiring.

What if this was all a few years ago and using the same logic we added George Mason? Wouldn't look too great now.

You mean if Jeff Capel were still there?  Or Anthony Grant?  VCU has been good for a decade.

[chapman]

Question: If Shaka Smart was not at VCU, would you feel the same way? If they didn't incredibly make a Final 4, would you feel the same way?

What VCU did was great, but I feel their possibility of long term success is not inspiring.

What if this was all a few years ago and using the same logic we added George Mason? Wouldn't look too great now.

They have five NCAA tournament appearances under three coaches since 2004 and will go again this year.  Sure we could take away their coach and take away their recent success to evaluate them.  But to be fair we'd have to do the same for Dayton...except they have no recent success, having won one NCAA game since 1990.

[🏀]

VCU and Butler will dominate the A10 in their first seasons, both should come to the new conference in lieu of a generational middling team from Dumbeff, Ohio.

[jsglow]

Notwithstanding the vote, I suspect that the Jesuit presidents will support SLU's inclusion.

[dwaderoy2004]

In case we soon forget, in the ten years prior to joining the big east, MU only went to 4 NCAA tourneys, with one appearance in the final four and one year in the round of 32.  VCU has been better than that run in their last ten.

[Avenue Commons]

You mean if Jeff Capel were still there?  Or Anthony Grant?  VCU has been good for a decade.

Right. It's a mid major with one peak year over a decade of relative success. As you point out its a stepping stone job. I don't mean to diminish what they've done because it is impressive, but its not enough for me to pick them over a fellow Jesuit school.

I'll take SLU and the St Louis market.

[LA]

You mean if Jeff Capel were still there?  Or Anthony Grant?  VCU has been good for a decade.

Exactly! People here like to forget that VCU has be very consistent for a long time.

Please tell me what SLU has done in hoops that makes anyone believe they will be better than VCU. SLU is definitely a regional brand, outside of the Midwest many don't know the school. VCU isn't much better but Shaka and the final four definitely help.

[🏀]

In case we soon forget, in the ten years prior to joining the big east, MU only went to 4 NCAA tourneys, with one appearance in the final four and one year in the round of 32.  VCU has been better than that run in their last ten.

Dayton has not.

[dwaderoy2004]

I don't necessarily want Dayton, but I'd take them over SLU in a heartbeat.  VCU over both.

[🏀]

I don't necessarily want Dayton, but I'd take them over SLU in a heartbeat.  VCU over both.

Despite my unreasonable hate for Dayton. I feel like SLU and Dayton are quite the toss-up. Dayton will always be .500 or better and will give us fans to hate, while I think SLU can possibly grow into something special. Can SLU do it?

[MUMonster03]

It also depends on whether the new conference is more worried about academics or not. A big part of finally breaking away was Tulane who has great academics but would have killed the RPI numbers.

[Avenue Commons]

Perhaps I'm being unfair to VCU.

But there was a point in the 90s Valparaiso had a series of NCAA runs out of their conference. Would you want Valpo? What about George Mason now?

It's great they have had some recent success, but I NEVER HEARD of VCU until a few years ago. And I'm a well read, educated, well travelled etc etc person. I think that's why I'm biased against VCU and I admit that might not be fair.

[🏀]

Perhaps I'm being unfair to VCU.

But there was a point in the 90s Valparaiso had a series of NCAA runs out of their conference. Would you want Valpo? What about George Mason now?

It's great they have had some recent success, but I NEVER HEARD of VCU until a few years ago. And I'm a well read, educated, well travelled etc etc person. I think that's why I'm biased against VCU and I admit that might not be fair.

I think the only thing that gives VCU some credit is sustained success over multiple coaching changes, I believe that's the first step to climbing out of the mid-major status. The second step is to pay a successful coach enough to stay. Not sure on the third step, but the fourth step is profit.