odhgibo Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 The current surmising is that X and Butler will join and that Creighton might be invited. Dayton and St. Louis are projected to join the following year. (Talk about a meat grinder schedule!) I found myself daydreaming about January nights watching Marquette, Georgetown, Butler, etc., at the JAR (or, hopefully, its replacement). I hope those of you who are football fans forgive me, but I caught myself wishing that the Zips had canned the football program after the Ianello debacle so that maybe it could be Akron rather than Creighton under consideration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UAZipster0305 Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 The current surmising is that X and Butler will join and that Creighton might be invited. Dayton and St. Louis are projected to join the following year. (Talk about a meat grinder schedule!) I found myself daydreaming about January nights watching Marquette, Georgetown, Butler, etc., at the JAR (or, hopefully, its replacement). I hope those of you who are football fans forgive me, but I caught myself wishing that the Zips had canned the football program after the Ianello debacle so that maybe it could be Akron rather than Creighton under consideration. If iCoach happened during the Rubber Bowl era, then me too. However, ditching the football program will not happen because of the Big Dialer and the fieldhouse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoZips Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 Better to think about the "leftovers". What are the teams left over from the old Big East that will NOT be part of the new Big East? They need conference affiliation. Some will join existing conferences. Some are looking to start a new conference. Quiet talk is that Akron is talking to this group of teams. Stay tuned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Z Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 Quiet talk is that Akron is talking to this group of teams. Stay tuned.I'm still staying tuned from when Mack Rhoades told me he was thinking bigger than the Mac. Too much tuning for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skip-zip Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 Better to think about the "leftovers". What are the teams left over from the old Big East that will NOT be part of the new Big East? They need conference affiliation. Some will join existing conferences. Some are looking to start a new conference. Quiet talk is that Akron is talking to this group of teams. Stay tuned. That talk really hasn't been all that "quiet", but I know what you are referring to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy5 Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 I'm still staying tuned from when Mack Rhoades told me he was thinking bigger than the Mac. Too much tuning for me. He is going to the Big East next year, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-Roo Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 That talk really hasn't been all that "quiet", but I know what you are referring to. Details please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyzip84 Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 Better to think about the "leftovers". What are the teams left over from the old Big East that will NOT be part of the new Big East? They need conference affiliation. I assume you mean Memphis, UCF, Temple, UConn, ECU, Houston, Cincinnati, USF, SMU, Tulane and Navy (2014). Supposedly, they want a 12th school for 2014 and Tulsa is reportedly the leading candidate. First (perhaps this is only semantics), I don't think they really need conference affiliation. They just need a new conference name. Second, since I'm not privy to either quiet or loud discussion along these lines may I assume the speculation is Akron could possibly get in as the 12th member of the un-named conference ahead of Tulsa? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zips Win! Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 Good Luck getting the Zips faithful travelling to those schools!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akronzips71 Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 Good Luck getting the Zips faithful travelling to those schools!! I would make it to Temple, UConn and possibly Navy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akzipper Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 Good Luck getting the Zips faithful travelling to those schools!! I only worry about home attendance, and YES those teams will bring in a lot more than directional Michigan schools and the rest of the MAC. Make the move now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odhgibo Posted March 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 I assume you mean Memphis, UCF, Temple, UConn, ECU, Houston, Cincinnati, USF, SMU, Tulane and Navy (2014). Supposedly, they want a 12th school for 2014 and Tulsa is reportedly the leading candidate. That conference lineup includes some good sized media markets -- Philly, Cincy, Tampa, Orlando, Houston, Dallas, Hartford, New Orleans, DC and Memphis. (ECU is the media out-lier, but they have a large enrollment w/ some football tradition.) There aren't many natural rivals among the members, but that can change over time. Akron doesn't really bring the Cleveland metro media market, so it probably is not as desirable as Tulsa. Is there any way they could bump it to 16 teams split into two divisions? Seems to me that the natural areas to look would be cities like San Antonio, Atlanta, Charlotte, KC, St. Louis, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Detroit and New York. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spin Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 I only worry about home attendance, and YES those teams will bring in a lot more than directional Michigan schools and the rest of the MAC. Make the move now! +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Kangaroo Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 If the Zips can have a Top 25 team in the MAC, and basically run roughshod over 94% ot the league to the MAC Championship every year, why go somewhere else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zipgrad01 Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 If the Zips can have a Top 25 team in the MAC, and basically run roughshod over 94% ot the league to the MAC Championship every year, why go somewhere else? Because I would rather watch ECU, Navy, Cincy, UConn, USF, UCF, etc... at the rubber bowl every Saturday than Eastern Michigan, Bowling Green & Buffalo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopper Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 If the Zips can have a Top 25 team in the MAC, and basically run roughshod over 94% ot the league to the MAC Championship every year, why go somewhere else? That's what Gonzaga does to the WCC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akzipper Posted March 3, 2013 Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 If the Zips can have a Top 25 team in the MAC, and basically run roughshod over 94% ot the league to the MAC Championship every year, why go somewhere else? Because we'll be stuck wishing for an at-large like this year. We need to play better teams in conference and not have to worry as much about winning in the MAC tourney. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zestycoyote Posted March 3, 2013 Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 Because we'll be stuck wishing for an at-large like this year. We need to play better teams in conference and not have to worry as much about winning in the MAC tourney. Right. Reghi said that every team will have a chance for a NCAA Tournament seed through the MAC tourney. Like usual. Why is that a good thing for Akron? If we weren't playing garbage teams like NIU, EMU, etc. we would still be considered for an at large spot. Here's my ripping on the football team statement: If our football team could play at a .500 level, we could get into a much better conference. We're way up there in terms of facilities and secondary sport talent. If we even had an 'up-and-coming' football program, we might have a chance to get out of the garbage heap that is the MAC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odhgibo Posted March 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 If we even had an 'up-and-coming' football program, we might have a chance to get out of the garbage heap that is the MAC. I remember how pleased I was when the Zips were able to join the MAC after time in the OVC and a cup of coffee in the Mid-Continent Conference (after, if I recall, an announcement that they would be joining the NEC). The MAC now is not the same conference as it was in the 1980s and '90s, however, at least in basketball. I have some stats that are almost fully compiled on this, which I hope will spur some discussion. More later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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