The Butler Did It...

[Dave in Green]

Gonzaga didn't wait for the West Coast Conference to grow, either. Aside from St. Mary's, which is OK but still not strong enough to get an NCAA bid without winning the conference championship, the rest of the teams in that conference are nothing special. The WCC rates only slightly above the Horizon in the Pomeroy ratings based on average ratings of all teams in each conference.Pomeroy Conference Ratings

[MDZip]

That being said, UA is just too big of a school to compete in a low end conference. We need an upgrade. Being in a conference that gets only one bid is an albatross around our neck. It is so hard to recruit when you don't get the exposure.

I don't know how you are defining too big, but Akron is just about the same size as most other MAC schools. Enrollment figures might be a little dated but it still gives you a rough idea.University of Akron 25,942 Bowling Green State University 22,882University at Buffalo 28,054 Can't State University 34,415 Miami University 20,126 Ohio University 20,437Ball State University 20,113Central Michigan University 26,788 Eastern Michigan University 22,974 Northern Illinois University 25,313 University of Toledo 19,706 Western Michigan University 24,818

[akronzips71]

Back when I attended UA we were a Div II independent. Our big games were against such giants as Buffalo State and Philadelphia Textile and Kentucky Wesleyan.So being in the MAC is, in a sense, a slice of heaven. Win the tourney and get a bid to the big dance. WOW.That being said, UA is just too big of a school to compete in a low end conference. We need an upgrade. Being in a conference that gets only one bid is an albatross around our neck. It is so hard to recruit when you don't get the exposure.

Wow, that brought back some memories. Don't forget Gannon, we had some really good games with them.

YIKESHow could I forget Gannon?I seem to recall they were BIG (the players that is).

[akronzips71]

That being said, UA is just too big of a school to compete in a low end conference. We need an upgrade. Being in a conference that gets only one bid is an albatross around our neck. It is so hard to recruit when you don't get the exposure.

I don't know how you are defining too big, but Akron is just about the same size as most other MAC schools. Enrollment figures might be a little dated but it still gives you a rough idea.University of Akron 25,942 Bowling Green State University 22,882University at Buffalo 28,054 Can't State University 34,415 Miami University 20,126 Ohio University 20,437Ball State University 20,113Central Michigan University 26,788 Eastern Michigan University 22,974 Northern Illinois University 25,313 University of Toledo 19,706 Western Michigan University 24,818

A University with an enrollment of 26,000 can play in ANY league. How many living alumni are there going all the way back to 1870? (Yes, I know, not too many 1870 grads are still around).The difference between us and Penn State (for example) is that they have GREAT football programs and thus the alumni come out in huge numbers and they fill that stadium.Now it becomes a question of which came first the chicken or the egg - build a great program and the fans will come out, but you need the fans to come out to build a great program.

[GP1]

If you strive to "compete with the best of the MAC" .. you'll be really close to competing with the worst of the MAC.

I'm using this line at some point of my life before the end of March.

It was the line of the month.

[GP1]

The MAC is having a decent year while the Horizon is completely in the dumper.Wow, what a neat deal, reward Butler for failing in their conference tournament. Smell a rat? Itsan ancient ACC trick. Make sure the marginal team wins the conference tournament so the ACCgets maximum teams in. The Horizon has been just as guilty. Its called cheating.

I can only hope you were drunk when you wrote this. 10:11 AM is really never too early. Believe me, I've been there.Exactly what is the ACC league procedure for making sure their best teams lose the conference championship? Make sure there are not black helicopters around your home when you respond.I don't know if Butler would win the MAC tournament since anything can happen in a one and done situation, but they would be the best team in the league.

[Zips Win!]

I see the only way out is to improve the MAC.

Did Butler sit around and wait for the rest of the Horizon to get better?Did Boise State football sit around and wait for the rest of the non-BCS football programs to get better?We need to improve ourselves. What Eastern Michigan or Ball State choose to do should have no bearing on the Zips. Like Butler's done to the rest of the Horizon, we can make the MAC our bitch if we make the investment to do so. If we don't, we won't.

Agreed.Some of it may be the schedule, but I think a big part of this is finding away to improve the JAR from a player / coach facility perspective. It's the worst facility (maybe behind rifle?) on campus and behind much of the conference and the nation.UA has managed to catapult it's FB facilities squarely into the top 20 or so in the nation, bar none. The cost to do so for the hoops teams is a fraction of that. We've got to find a way to get that done. Note: I'm NOT talking about a new arena, or better fan amenities at the JAR. They're important, but way down on the priority list over better team lockerroom, film room & team rooms. For both the men and women. In essence, upgrade the JAR to be as good a team / practice facility as the Stile Fieldhouse is for FB.Go Zips!

Agree. LBJ gets all the love on this board for some free shoes.When I see the large donation to updrade the lockerroom and team rooms/lounges, then I will buy in. Otherwise, he's just KD's boy!