Questions For Dayton Fans

[UD Flyer Fanatic]

It probably wouldn't be the worst idea for Dayton to try to upgrade their football and join the AAC. Dayton is in fertile football recruiting area. I question if UC would be in favor of that though

Will never happen due to the MBB focus, and the start up costs of football, building a stadium etc. UD though has an interesting football legacy, despite being a non-scholarship sport. The first NFL game was played in Dayton at Triangle Park (still around today) on October 3, 1920 between the Dayton Triangles and the Columbus Panhandles (Dayton won 14-0), both Jon Gruden and Chuck Noll are alumni, and the NFL draft's first ever Mr. Irrelevant was a UD Flyer football player in 1976 (17th round).

[scoscox]

Will never happen due to the MBB focus, and the start up costs of football, building a stadium etc. UD though has an interesting football legacy, despite being a non-scholarship sport. The first NFL game was played in Dayton at Triangle Park (still around today) on October 3, 1920 between the Dayton Triangles and the Columbus Panhandles (Dayton won 14-0), both Jon Gruden and Chuck Noll are alumni, and the NFL draft's first ever Mr. Irrelevant was a UD Flyer football player in 1976 (17th round).

Couldn't you just upgrade welcome stadium?

[UD Flyer Fanatic]

Will never happen due to the MBB focus, and the start up costs of football, building a stadium etc. UD though has an interesting football legacy, despite being a non-scholarship sport. The first NFL game was played in Dayton at Triangle Park (still around today) on October 3, 1920 between the Dayton Triangles and the Columbus Panhandles (Dayton won 14-0), both Jon Gruden and Chuck Noll are alumni, and the NFL draft's first ever Mr. Irrelevant was a UD Flyer football player in 1976 (17th round).

Couldn't you just upgrade welcome stadium?

No, it’s owned by the city of Dayton, and we’d be better starting with a new foundation in my opinion. But that’s not the issue. Building a nationally prominent football program would be expensive and fraught with obstacles. There is no university interest- zero.

[Gopher+RamFan]

With that accomplished, VCU blows away UD on every key metric, especially with respect to market area and size of Fanbase. Gopher Hass to be ecstatic at this point, having learned of the UConn news.

I am. I've long believed (and others have posted about it here as well) that VCU's best path to the Big East was to have UConn break the public barrier. Because VCU has the best combination of fanbase, basketball performance, institutional buy-in and geography (major eastern city) in a different market etc... of all of the potential adds (outside of Gonzaga, who have apparently been denied by the BE due to distance). The Big East can wait on VCU since I don't think we'd take an AAC invite so we'll be in the A10 for a while. VCU needs to force the issue by hitting the second weekend once or twice before Fox works to negotiate a new media contract.

If the Big East wants a program, VCU is it. 5 coaches in the last 15 years, each one of whom has brought their team to the NCAAs - that's an institution/program dedicated to basketball success.

[GoldenWarrior11]

The AAC can take any non-football program it wants (VCU/Dayton/SLU/etc.); the Big East can always offer and take them in later.

[Django]

With that accomplished, VCU blows away UD on every key metric, especially with respect to market area and size of Fanbase. Gopher Hass to be ecstatic at this point, having learned of the UConn news.

I am. I've long believed (and others have posted about it here as well) that VCU's best path to the Big East was to have UConn break the public barrier. Because VCU has the best combination of fanbase, basketball performance, institutional buy-in and geography (major eastern city) in a different market etc... of all of the potential adds (outside of Gonzaga, who have apparently been denied by the BE due to distance). The Big East can wait on VCU since I don't think we'd take an AAC invite so we'll be in the A10 for a while. VCU needs to force the issue by hitting the second weekend once or twice before Fox works to negotiate a new media contract.

If the Big East wants a program, VCU is it. 5 coaches in the last 15 years, each one of whom has brought their team to the NCAAs - that's an institution/program dedicated to basketball success.

Good luck to VCU but other than X fans preferring you to Dayton, Rams will have limited support, and problems with Georgetown blocking them (just like Dayton with X and St. Joes with Villanova)... whereas St. Louis will have Marquette and Creighton pulling for them (if they create some separation in the Atlantic 10). I wish the A10 went back to 10 and be a 4-bid league with lots of success and surpass the AAC, PAC, etc. in the next few years, we need more basketball conferences in rather than these “Football money” joke conferences

[UD Flyer Fanatic]

[/quote]
Good luck to VCU but other than X fans preferring you to Dayton, Rams will have limited support, and problems with Georgetown blocking them (just like Dayton with X and St. Joes with Villanova)... whereas St. Louis will have Marquette and Creighton pulling for them (if they create some separation in the Atlantic 10). I wish the A10 went back to 10 and be a 4-bid league with lots of success and surpass the AAC, PAC, etc. in the next few years, we need more basketball conferences in rather than these “Football money” joke conferences[/quote]

Great post Django- I think you sum it up accurately. IMHO UCONN was a special case for publics. Having 2 large publics in a row added may test the comfort zone- but VCU is a worthy candidate and since they are not tied down to big FB so maybe... Institutionally SLU & UD are the best fit (not saying most deserving) for your conference. My pipe dream is to have UD, VCU and SLU and a few others start their own better version of the A-10 since it seems so difficult to kick out the bottom tier. I can see a BB dominant group of us that could give the BE some competition- and on the occasionally "up year" maybe even a peer conference for NCAAT bids. The dynamics would be interesting with OOC, etc. The biggest fear most of us UD fans have is VCU and SLU leaving us behind to rot in a crappy A-10.

[MUBoxer]

With that accomplished, VCU blows away UD on every key metric, especially with respect to market area and size of Fanbase. Gopher Hass to be ecstatic at this point, having learned of the UConn news.

I am. I've long believed (and others have posted about it here as well) that VCU's best path to the Big East was to have UConn break the public barrier. Because VCU has the best combination of fanbase, basketball performance, institutional buy-in and geography (major eastern city) in a different market etc... of all of the potential adds (outside of Gonzaga, who have apparently been denied by the BE due to distance). The Big East can wait on VCU since I don't think we'd take an AAC invite so we'll be in the A10 for a while. VCU needs to force the issue by hitting the second weekend once or twice before Fox works to negotiate a new media contract.

If the Big East wants a program, VCU is it. 5 coaches in the last 15 years, each one of whom has brought their team to the NCAAs - that's an institution/program dedicated to basketball success.

Good luck to VCU but other than X fans preferring you to Dayton, Rams will have limited support, and problems with Georgetown blocking them (just like Dayton with X and St. Joes with Villanova)... whereas St. Louis will have Marquette and Creighton pulling for them (if they create some separation in the Atlantic 10). I wish the A10 went back to 10 and be a 4-bid league with lots of success and surpass the AAC, PAC, etc. in the next few years, we need more basketball conferences in rather than these “Football money” joke conferences

I don't get the MU and CU pulling for SLU angle. Is it because we're both Jesuit and so are they? Then why aren't X and GT pulling for SLU? Is it because we're west and want another easily accessible team? Then why isn't Depaul pulling for SLU they're closer to them than MU?

[scoscox]

My pipe dream is to have UD, VCU and SLU and a few others start their own better version of the A-10 since it seems so difficult to kick out the bottom tier. I can see a BB dominant group of us that could give the BE some competition- and on the occasionally "up year" maybe even a peer conference for NCAAT bids. The dynamics would be interesting with OOC, etc.[/quote]

Who would be available to join this conference that would raise it to that level? I think that dream died when we left the A-10 with Temple and Butler.

[Gopher+RamFan]

Good luck to VCU but other than X fans preferring you to Dayton, Rams will have limited support, and problems with Georgetown blocking them (just like Dayton with X and St. Joes with Villanova)... whereas St. Louis will have Marquette and Creighton pulling for them (if they create some separation in the Atlantic 10). I wish the A10 went back to 10 and be a 4-bid league with lots of success and surpass the AAC, PAC, etc. in the next few years, we need more basketball conferences in rather than these “Football money” joke conferences

Georgetown supposedly blocked VCU due to recruiting in the 757 (VA Beach) area of Virginia where Allen Iverson is from. No concrete evidence of a block, but VCU recruits heavily out of that area. Richmond is 90 miles from DC, not sure why GU would block VCU anymore. I'd be curious to know why/if Georgetown would still block VCU, GU has been a big supporter of the University of Richmond so I'm wondering if they blocked VCU in hopes that UR would have raised their athletic profile enough to be invited to the BE in the next round.

I think the eastern schools may prefer another I-95 arena to head to, just like the original makeup of the Big East especially now that UConn will have a voice. VCU is the only possible add in the east - don't think St. Joes was ever an option.

The AAC can take any non-football program it wants (VCU/Dayton/SLU/etc.); the Big East can always offer and take them in later.

100% right. Only push for additions would come from Fox, no need for the BE to rush for another candidate. It's a long game, I've been here since 2013 hoping VCU is playing its cards right. Hopefully we can find an ally with UConn like they did in the AAC for WSU.