Conference Realignment Thread v. 2016

[kayako]

Can we all just agree that there are really only 4 realistic candidates? UCONN, UD, SLU, VCU? And only one of those would be added for reasons other than their basketball pedigree.

Ideally UD or SLU only when paired with UCONN. That'd set us up nicely with 6 teams on the coast and 6 teams in midwest. Without UCONN, the whole idea becomes meh at best.

[Letsgonova]

If we're talking about adding Dayton and St Louis, "meh" is an aspirational goal.

None of this is happening. Fox doesn't want it. The schools don't want it. The league doesn't need it. Stop.

[DudeAnon]

I think this season is going to be a perfect example of why JP is wrong on expansion.

Currently we have 4 teams playing for seeding and 4 trying to play their way in. The double-double ensures that 80% of all conference games will have 2 teams playing with NCAA implications. Ultimately, 6 is probably a max amount of bids. Because of this, those 4 teams fighting to get in are going to fight like hell and against good teams. Love it.

[Bill Marsh]

If we're talking about adding Dayton and St Louis, "meh" is an aspirational goal.

None of this is happening. Fox doesn't want it. The schools don't want it. The league doesn't need it. Stop.

What do you think Fox does want? Do you think they want expansion to bring in more eyeballs? If so, do you think they want big schools like VCU or UMass? Do they want the BE to push past the travel barrier for Gonzaga or BYU?

[gtmoBlue]

I think Fox wants a Partridge to fall out of the football Pear tree...in other words, Fox would prefer some chaos and a couple of so-called football five schools to get leftover by realignment.

I think they (Fox) were hoping for B-12 expansion...but since that didn't happen, they would probably like to see a bit of raiding. Change is good and Fox is possibly betting on more movement/raids. None of the middies move Fox's needle, but should another f5 raid occur (raid on the ACC or B-12) or OU & UT bolt the B-12 and the rest implode, Fox would probably recommend a couple of leftover candidates they favor for addition.

You did take note that only ESPN paid the B-12 to remain at 10 - Fox did not pay them a dime.

[Hall2012]

A lot of people are bashing St. Louis for the product they have on a floor today and it's true - they're terrible right now, but a small look ahead could give a better indication of what they may bring. Travis Ford has already been doing WORK on the recruiting trail, well on this way to bringing in Big East quality recruiting classes each of the next 2 years. For 2017, he has a pair of 4-star commits including F Hasahn French and G ESPN #56 Jordan Goodwin. He's follows that up in 2018 by already having a commitment from 5-star F ESPN #9 Cart'Are Gordon.

So he used both of his free 2017 scholarships and he still needs to recruit some depth for 2018, but that is a very solid core for him to build a team around.

I'm not saying we should add St. Louis (though I think they're a better candidate than most), just that I don't think the quality of this year's team is a very strong argument against them.

[whiteandblue77]

thats encouraging, other than dreaming of Notre Dame or Uconn wanting to join, i would love for the Billikens to get to the FF in the next 4 years so we grab them up on the next round of negotiations and be done! Ive given up on Dayton or St Joes ever breaking through their respective Big East border walls. BTW folks, DONT read gitmos posts while drinking in a bar during happy hour, might cause you to pick up a nervous twitch, cheers

[Gopher+RamFan]

A lot of people are bashing St. Louis for the product they have on a floor today and it's true - they're terrible right now, but a small look ahead could give a better indication of what they may bring. Travis Ford has already been doing WORK on the recruiting trail, well on this way to bringing in Big East quality recruiting classes each of the next 2 years. For 2017, he has a pair of 4-star commits including F Hasahn French and G ESPN #56 Jordan Goodwin. He's follows that up in 2018 by already having a commitment from 5-star F ESPN #9 Cart'Are Gordon.

So he used both of his free 2017 scholarships and he still needs to recruit some depth for 2018, but that is a very solid core for him to build a team around.

I'm not saying we should add St. Louis (though I think they're a better candidate than most), just that I don't think the quality of this year's team is a very strong argument against them.

Ford has always been a great recruiter. The knock against him was that he was a poor in game coach, the eventual reason for his firing at OSU. He will bring in enough good players that talent alone will be the reason they win A10 games. But this recruiting was to be expected, and he doesn't seem the type to turn down a decent P5 coaching offer if it ever presents itself. At least there's some excitement towards the future at SLU.

[Edrick]

A lot of people are bashing St. Louis for the product they have on a floor today and it's true - they're terrible right now, but a small look ahead could give a better indication of what they may bring. Travis Ford has already been doing WORK on the recruiting trail, well on this way to bringing in Big East quality recruiting classes each of the next 2 years. For 2017, he has a pair of 4-star commits including F Hasahn French and G ESPN #56 Jordan Goodwin. He's follows that up in 2018 by already having a commitment from 5-star F ESPN #9 Cart'Are Gordon.

So he used both of his free 2017 scholarships and he still needs to recruit some depth for 2018, but that is a very solid core for him to build a team around.

I'm not saying we should add St. Louis (though I think they're a better candidate than most), just that I don't think the quality of this year's team is a very strong argument against them.

Look it up. SLU has been mostly terrible except for short oasises of 'alright' for generations.

SLU is NOT a good program. They just aren't. They've won freaking 5 NCAA Tournament games since 1952. Stop with the nonsense, Saint Louis sucks. Christ GW and St Joes are better options.

Expansion only occurs if UConn drops football. Expansion isn't happening - probably ever (or at least as long that it may as well be for the conversation)

[gtmoBlue]

Not that I favor the Billikens, but they would boost up the middle tier for the foreseeable 4-6 years (and the old notion of a "travel partner"). Add a upper tier team if you can find one and call it a day at 12. SLU would add 2 W's to the upper and mid tier teams resumes. 2 more W's gets the 6th and maybe 7th team dancin'. Anyone for Siena, St Bonnie's, Holy Cross, Manhattan/Fordham?


Question? What ever became of the notion to schedule 3-4 BE vs Zags games a year, rather than attempting to have them join the conference? No followup? No interest?