Can we agree on Xavier, Butler, and Creighton

[gmoser1210]

I think it's safe to write off football, women's lacrosse, and women's crew.

Football, women's lacrosse and women's crew are safe to write off but field hockey and men's swimming are sacrosanct? Why, because SLU has those sports but doesn't have the others?

Football, women's lacrosse and women's crew are safe to write off because there aren't enough schools being considered who offer those sports. Even if Creighton, Dayton, Richmond, St. Louis, and VCU were all added (which I am not advocating for), there still wouldn't be enough teams in those sports for the conference to field them. On the other hand, field hockey and men's swimming are at least viable options depending on which of those five schools are added.

As for schools adding lacrosse, it's a very expensive sport to add. It's not just the equipment and travel costs, but it requires a lot of scholarships. Plus, there are title IX issues to consider. Butler had a lacrosse program that was ranked in the top ten at one point, but ultimately it was cut because it was too expensive. Perhaps they could bring it back if the department pulls in enough money in the new conference.

[ArmyVet]

I was looking back at some of the original posts on this board and had a grand time seeing the speculation that was rampant during the C7 break and re-forming of the Big East.

To answer the question asked in the thread, the Big East definitely got it right with the three schools added. The Big East has been great and the future looks even brighter.

[Jet915]

I was looking back at some of the original posts on this board and had a grand time seeing the speculation that was rampant during the C7 break and re-forming of the Big East.

To answer the question asked in the thread, the Big East definitely got it right with the three schools added. The Big East has been great and the future looks even brighter.

Couldn't be happier being part of a great league .

[GoldenWarrior11]

All three programs were home run selections. They have especially helped maintain the league as a top basketball conference as teams like Marquette, St. Johns and Georgetown have undergone rebuilds. They have become our league's backbone - always strong and consistent, with potential to have top-3 finishes. Could not be happier to share a conference with them.

[thebigeXpress]

e3d

All three programs were home run selections. They have especially helped maintain the league as a top basketball conference as teams like Marquette, St. Johns and Georgetown have undergone rebuilds. They have become our league's backbone - always strong and consistent, with potential to have top-3 finishes. Could not be happier to share a conference with them.

Well thank you. When it was announced Butler, Creighton and Xavier were going to join the Big East I was ecstatic. Ten teams playing for a common goal. I read somewhere a couple of years back Jay Wright summoned an informal meeting with the coaches of the teams from the Big East during a Final Four. His point was clear and concise and the narrative was we had to stick together. It's definitely hard to dislike a guy like that. We are on the cusp of something great. We are living it.

[gtmoBlue]

Wait 1...

The Big East took Creighton over VCU, Dayton, and SLU? They spread the conference thin with a gross outlier? Say it ain't so. Lil Creighton with no population, mediocre MVC record, cheap donors, and low fanbase support? Oh woe, woe is me.

The BEast is Doomed, oh woe!

[billyjack]

This was fun to read through. And it included a Cheese Johnson reference.

[_lh]

I've been an XU fan since the MCC days and even back then, many X fans dreamed of playing in the Big East. When we were lucky enough to get invited to the A10 in the mid 90's, fans were thrilled with the possibilities of playing in a conference with Temple and UMASS as both programs had larger than life coaches and teams that made deep NCAA runs along with having great national reputations. Gone were the days where we had to win the conference championship to earn an NCAA bid. Our last year in the MCC, XU swept the MCC during the regular season and was 23-5 on selection Sunday but we lost on a miracle shot in the conference tournament. Everyone was nervous that we would be left out. XU happened to be one of the last names shown that day, which didn't make it easy. XU aspired to be like UMASS and Temple.

Coaching changes and greedy football programs changed the A10 over XU's time there and we went from asking if we could compete with these A10 teams, to often times dominating the conference. The A10 was very good to XU and XU was a huge addition to the A10. Regular NCAA trips and some deep runs over the time helped XU raise its profile and I don't think XU would have been able to do that in the MCC/Horizon, although Butler did just that.

I am hoping history repeats itself to some extent now that XU is in the Big East. XU now aspires to be Villanova and playing in the BE has been hugely beneficial for XU. I also think XU's addition has been beneficial to the BE. XU fans loves this conference and finally the sky is the limit for XU and other BE programs

[stever20]

It's funny- you look at the adds the Big East made both with the X,Butler, and Creighton adds, but even with the big adds they had made with the old Big East- SMU, Houston, UCF- all 3 have with the improved competition/exposure improved quite a bit. Temple has had a bit of an injury bug but looks to go to the tourney again this year. Really only Memphis from the adds the C7 had a part in hasn't lived up to expectations.

[Savannah Jay]

It's funny- you look at the adds the Big East made both with the X,Butler, and Creighton adds, but even with the big adds they had made with the old Big East- SMU, Houston, UCF- all 3 have with the improved competition/exposure improved quite a bit. Temple has had a bit of an injury bug but looks to go to the tourney again this year. Really only Memphis from the adds the C7 had a part in hasn't lived up to expectations.

Holy shit...you even managed to make this about your conference. When were SMU, Houston, and UCF part of the Big East?

In addition, you obviously aren't very old. Houston and SMU had their best athletic years when they were part of the Southwest Conference and I am pretty sure they are longing for those days. Imagine a conference now with Texas, Texas A&M, TCU, Texas Tech, Baylor, and Arkansas (who began the beginning of the end when they bolted to the SEC in 1991). Houston hasn't won a game in the NCAA's since their old Southwest conference days, nor have they had a Heisman winner or really national football prominence since the Southwest conference days. Ditto for SMU (no NCAA tournament wins, no Heisman's, no national football relevance) since the Southwest Conference days.