Butler and Xavier leaving A10...opportunity?

[odhgibo]

People are missing the point. A10 does not have football, so there is absolutely no reason to even consider it. Not to mention they will be left with only VCU, St.Louis and 11 mediocre teams.

Yeah, LaSalle looked very mediocre today.

VCU and SLU are miles better than any other MAC team. The East Coast schools vary from year-to-year, but they occasionally have very good teams.

When's the last time EMU or NIU ever had even a decent team? When Earl Boykins played?

Football is the albatross.

[ksu sucks]

People are missing the point. A10 does not have football, so there is absolutely no reason to even consider it. Not to mention they will be left with only VCU, St.Louis and 11 mediocre teams.

Rebuttal #1: UMASS

Rebuttal #2: 2-22 in 2 seasons

Rebuttal #3: Mediocre A10 teams > most MAC teams

[mrelegazna]

I like that there has not been a single talking point in this thread considering whether the A-10 wants to take us. I assume then that it's so obvious they would open the door to us it's not even worth talking about.

I also like the reasoning that the MAC would allow us to stay in the MAC for football only, because they let UMass do it.

"Guess what guys? We're leaving the MAC, BUT....our football team, our shitty, shitty football team, which has 0 conference wins in the last two years, well, we've deigned this, this so-called "league" acceptable for us, FOR NOW, and we've decided to stay. You're welcome!"

The reason they let UMass do it (and for the record, I don't think they should, any more than they allowed Temple to do it) is it opens up a new market for the MAC. There is NO benefit for the MAC to allow us to stay in football because our market is already right in the heart of MAC country, and plus we don't win or draw fans.

So, yeah, the MAC would absolutely kick out our football program if we joined another conference for all sports. That means we would either need to become a FBS independent (let's see how well that works for Idaho and New Mexico State now that their conference was pulled out from under them...I doubt it will go well), or, drop down to FCS.

I know a lot of guys are willing to throw our football team under the bus, but I'm not. If we want to talk about leaving the MAC, we are, at very, very, VERY least, 2-3 years away from being in a realistic position to do so. The iron is not, in fact, hot.

It would take dominance (not alternating between getting knocked out of the first round of the NCAA and getting knocked out of the first round of the NIT each year), but an NCAA tourney run that makes us everyone's darling. Then, our football program would need to improve enough at least enough to be called solid and flirt with winning records and bowl eligibility. Then maybe, MAYBE, Conference USA would come calling.

[odhgibo]

I like that there has not been a single talking point in this thread considering whether the A-10 wants to take us. I assume then that it's so obvious they would open the door to us it's not even worth talking about.

... If we want to talk about leaving the MAC, we are, at very, very, VERY least, 2-3 years away from being in a realistic position to do so. The iron is not, in fact, hot.

You are, of course, 100% correct. The talk here, including mine, is admittedly bereft of anything approaching any grounding in reality. Complete fantasyland.

With all of the talk of upsets and parity that went on this weekend, my perusal of the Sweet 16 leads me to think otherwise. Here's a listing of the teams split by conference where they'll be after realignment:

• Big 10 (4) - IU, OSU, UM, MSU
  
• ACC (4) - Miami, Duke, L'ville, 'Cuse
  
• Pac 12 (2) - Ariz., Ore.
  
• Big 12 (1) - KU
  
• SEC (1) - Fla.
  
• New Big East/Catholic 7 (1) - Marquette
  
• A10 (1) - LaSalle (yeah, AKZ, that LaSalle)
  
• The Valley (1) - Wichita St.
  
• Atlantic Sun (1) - FGCU
  

For all the talk of parity and the mid-majors catching up, 1/2 of the regional qualifiers come from 2 conferences, and 3/4 are from the 5 power conferences.

Going forward, I think the road for those outside of "on the edge" conferences, like the A10 and Missouri Valley, will be even more difficult. It will take a lightning-in-a-bottle run like FGCU after winning a conference tournament.

(Did anyone else get a twinge of what-the-MAC-might-have-been-itis watching Groce coach against Larranaga?)

[taxpayer]

Hate to say it but UA isn't going anywhere currently. Football is an anchor currently in athletic reputation and financially as well. Men's basketball surely turned a profit for the university but with sellouts still being the exception to the rule, how much cash did they profit the university? The leg of this stool is radio/TV money and I'm afraid that stream is pretty dry as well.

I think the plan should continue to be to resurrect football for the simple reason of the enormous capital investment that has been make here. Concurrently, keep raising the budget for mens basketball. It has the potential to be a cash cow in the future and the program is climbing the ladder to being a nationally know program. Right now, we are on the outside looking in as far as national discussions go but regionally we are in the cat birds seat and need to stay there. How?

Bigger budget for recruiting for the staff, pay increases to keep quality staff and entice some coaches outside the program to consider earning their chops here.

Upgrade the OCC schedule; obviously we would prefer to play better competition on neutral courts rather than adding to our challenge by playing Goliath in his own house but once a year just for name recognition would be worth the risk.

Get to as many preseason tournaments as the NCAA will allow.

Design an 8,000 seat fantastic facility and show off the design to prospective sponsors (cheaper today than in a couple of years as the program continues to climb. Show to big boosters and promise seat/box preference.

Continue to recruit players and just about guarantee MAC rings and typically at least two trips to the dance in your 4 yr stay. Realistically, KD will have some problems as 4 stars recruits coming to UA will have some baggage typically that cooled off the big boys. That means additional university academic support and committment.

Start the fundraising for a better facility.

Dominate the MAC - win, win, win. Attendance was up and it has to go higher. Season tickets should account for 40 - 50% of the JAR if sellouts are to be a consistent. Pressure other MAC schools to improve their athletic product or get out.

Do all of the above and there will be knocks on UA's door from the bigger conferences.

[Z.I.P.]

This just in: George Mason is the newest member of the Atlantic-10. And the only schools they will be able to compete with in basketball (immediately at least) are Duquesne and St Bonaventure. In my mind, the GMU move is over-exuberance left over from one final-four appearance. If Larranaga were still there, they MIGHT be more competitive, but it still looks like a bad decision, and a drop off for the overall A-10.

[zippyman23]

This just in: George Mason is the newest member of the Atlantic-10. And the only schools they will be able to compete with in basketball (immediately at least) are Duquesne and St Bonaventure. In my mind, the GMU move is over-exuberance left over from one final-four appearance. If Larranaga were still there, they MIGHT be more competitive, but it still looks like a bad decision, and a drop off for the overall A-10.

George Mason is a solid add. Two years ago they were an at-large team, so there is more to them than 1 final four. Even though they haven't been as good the past two years, they still managed to win 20+ games in each of those years.

[Zipmeister]

Seems like a golden opportunity to try to weasel our way into a better conference for Basketball? If we make a small run in the tourney do you think we could make a play to get in to the A10? Also, with a potential new arena on the rise, it seems like it would be a nice fit

Bless your heart.

[odhgibo]

Bless your heart.