Denver as a Big East member?

[Jet915]

The one travel positive for Denver is that there are direct flights to Spokane from Denver while are there aren't to any other Big East city so they would be a decent travel bridge to Gonzaga.

[BillEsq]

Denver is a great school that fits the mold of the Big East almost perfectly. Their academics are right in line with the other schools in the conference, and Denver is an enticing market. There are two damning issues that work against Denver at this point. First, it is extremely important for the first few years that this conference be seen as strong and consistently competing among the top 5 basketball conferences. That is our bread and butter, our revenue generator, in truth our reason for existing. In this area Denver is especially weak, though considering their NIT performance and 21-10 record last year it could be argued they are beginning to approach some of the other candidates. The second problem is distance. Denver is not particularly close to Creighton. Despite being in neighbor states they may as be a state and a half away, given their locations in Nebraska and Colorado. It is also not close by any measurement to Gonzaga, which is two states away. Even if it were a decent bridge, would the East Coast schools want to travel that far? I seriously doubt it.

I like Denver and its a private school, and I want to say nice things about it but it has 0 ncaa and one NIT period. Denver with this one NIT barely beat a MAC team at home. Denver has only 3 seasons with RPI's under 150 it also has never played a SOS lower than 134. Last year was the best season in history and it included 0 wins over top 50 teams and only 2 wins over top 100 teams. To put that into perspective compare it to Duquesne who played the 90 SOS and actually won again against the top 50.

To argue that Denver is approaching the SLU's Daytons Richmond's, VCU's of the world is too much. These schools have multiple NCAA appearances since 2000. And i know Slu and Dayton have from the early 90's averaged a top 100 RPI against of top 100 SOS. I know that its awesome when the small schools do well. I cheer for them and want them to win. I think its great that there are conferences for these small schools that allow them to have a shot for a Cinderella run. But to argue that a school who has never even stumbled out of a low tier conference one time is beginning to approach teams who regularly compete in multi bid conferences is inane. I honestly believe that SLU, Dayton and Richmond on their most dismal of down years would be able to compete for a title in Denver's conferences.

As far as travel... you are right no way the BE decides to pay to travel 2x a year to an RPI anchor. If they wan't markets that badly as i said before they will add Detroit or Duquesne first. Heck Sienna is a far better argument than Denver.

[marquette]

I like Denver and its a private school, and I want to say nice things about it but it has 0 ncaa and one NIT period. Denver with this one NIT barely beat a MAC team at home. Denver has only 3 seasons with RPI's under 150 it also has never played a SOS lower than 134. Last year was the best season in history and it included 0 wins over top 50 teams and only 2 wins over top 100 teams. To put that into perspective compare it to Duquesne who played the 90 SOS and actually won again against the top 50.

To argue that Denver is approaching the SLU's Daytons Richmond's, VCU's of the world is too much. These schools have multiple NCAA appearances since 2000. And i know Slu and Dayton have from the early 90's averaged a top 100 RPI against of top 100 SOS. I know that its awesome when the small schools do well. I cheer for them and want them to win. I think its great that there are conferences for these small schools that allow them to have a shot for a Cinderella run. But to argue that a school who has never even stumbled out of a low tier conference one time is beginning to approach teams who regularly compete in multi bid conferences is inane. I honestly believe that SLU, Dayton and Richmond on their most dismal of down years would be able to compete for a title in Denver's conferences.

As far as travel... you are right no way the BE decides to pay to travel 2x a year to an RPI anchor. If they wan't markets that badly as i said before they will add Detroit or Duquesne first. Heck Sienna is a far better argument than Denver.

You try to be nice and people jump down your throat. Obviously SLU and VCU were not the schools I was talking about. I don't want to insult anyone, but Dayton and Richmond are both in a down cycle. Denver appears to be building their program. Maybe I could have worded that different before. Denver still isn't anywhere near the historical accomplishments of the other schools, but they have come a long way for only being DI for 15 years.

[FriarJ]

The Big East is never ever going to invite a school that does not have a significant history of basketball success and support. Anything else is just silly to discuss.

This is a Basketball conference. Fox bought it because it's a basketball conference. It will always be a basketball conference, no matter how successful Non rev sports may be.

[ljay]

The Big East is never ever going to invite a school that does not have a significant history of basketball success and support. Anything else is just silly to discuss.

This is a Basketball conference. Fox bought it because it's a basketball conference. It will always be a basketball conference, no matter how successful Non rev sports may be.

This.

Lock the thread please.

[marquette]

it is extremely important for the first few years that this conference be seen as strong and consistently competing among the top 5 basketball conferences. That is our bread and butter, our revenue generator, in truth our reason for existing.

The Big East is never ever going to invite a school that does not have a significant history of basketball success and support. Anything else is just silly to discuss.

This is a Basketball conference. Fox bought it because it's a basketball conference. It will always be a basketball conference, no matter how successful Non rev sports may be.

Pretty much sums it up.

[BillEsq]

it is extremely important for the first few years that this conference be seen as strong and consistently competing among the top 5 basketball conferences. That is our bread and butter, our revenue generator, in truth our reason for existing.

The Big East is never ever going to invite a school that does not have a significant history of basketball success and support. Anything else is just silly to discuss.

This is a Basketball conference. Fox bought it because it's a basketball conference. It will always be a basketball conference, no matter how successful Non rev sports may be.

Pretty much sums it up.

Concur

I defend and support non-revs second to none however you must have at minimum above average basketball program to apply. One NIT appearance coming out of low level basketball conferences would never work. I hope Denver's future in the Summit is successful as a BE expansion team they are way of the map.

[MUSeashells&Balloons]

I only have to say that they have taken the similar efforts to the ones Butler did around 2006 when it was a team that didn't regularly make the NCAA tournament at that point in time to a team that hired the right coach built facilities and advanced to become the promoted and moved itself up in conferences. I honestly believe Denver is on this track. I don't think we would have added Butler 4 years ago and I similarly don't believe Denver is a solid add yet. But an add that will be solid in 5 years.

Sorry Denver is to me like what Bellarmine is to Billesq. Its not the primary reason why I am here but it is a school I care about and honestly I am content with it just being added as our anchor lacrosse program, but of course being only human I would like more.

[HawaiiMongoose]

Thank you all for your comments. I posted a link to this thread from the WAC board.

If anyone is interested, the discussion on the WAC board is here, beginning with the post by siouxfan on page 3:

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=451&f=2368&t=11531216

[MixingBowlSpider]

and honestly I am contempt with it just being added

<cough> <cough>

<in a whisper>Pssst. Contempt or content? You need to "persevere" in your spelling or "preserve" your meaning.</in a whisper>