Ackerman/Big East Today

[billiken_roy]

Yes. May should be relieved of his duties on Day 2 of the new president. Not making the initial 10 was a colossal blunder. If we don't get in at all..... bah.

please describe what may could have done to make the cut instead of what biondi could have done? i will hang up and listen.

p.s. chris may is my favorite billiken athletic director since i have been involved with saint louis university. he imo has done more to better our athletic department than any AD

[Pistol]

please describe what may could have done to make the cut instead of what biondi could have done? i will hang up and listen.

p.s. chris may is my favorite billiken athletic director since i have been involved with saint louis university. he imo has done more to better our athletic department than any AD

Are you suggesting that we had no chance of being included from the very beginning, and that there was nothing May or Biondi could have done?

[Quality Is Job 1]

I don't buy it, either, but our opinions matter less than those of the new commissioner and current members. Now, do their opinions matter more than those of the TV giants? Probably not. But I don't know how long it will take for them to get what they want.

But what about the schools who were saying they would eventually go to 12? Which position is the smokescreen?

I know one of the sets of numbers that was released had 500M for 10 teams and 600M for 12, which created no different payout for either scenario.

The individual payout isn't what I'm talking about. A bigger total payout adds to the perception that the conference is on par with the ACC, Big 10, SEC, and Pac-12. They want to be considered in that echelon.

[billiken_roy]

Are you suggesting that we had no chance of being included from the very beginning, and that there was nothing May or Biondi could have done?

no i am suggesting that biondi was the man that could have and should have gotten us included in the deal. i believe may did everything within his power to be involved but this was a decision that was made above the AD "pay grades".

[JettFlight5]

But what about the schools who were saying they would eventually go to 12? Which position is the smokescreen?

The individual payout isn't what I'm talking about. A bigger total payout adds to the perception that the conference is on par with the ACC, Big 10, SEC, and Pac-12. They want to be considered in that echelon.

We've got plenty of time to find out.

[West Pine Jim]

no i am suggesting that biondi was the man that could have and should have gotten us included in the deal. i believe may did everything within his power to be involved but this was a decision that was made above the AD "pay grades".

+1

[Pistol]

no i am suggesting that biondi was the man that could have and should have gotten us included in the deal. i believe may did everything within his power to be involved but this was a decision that was made above the AD "pay grades".

Even so, could he not have made a stronger case to his boss as to how crucial inclusion in this new conference would be? If we don't get in, this failure would have occurred on May's watch. How can anyone make the case for him as our best AD if he couldn't accomplish arguably the most important thing in SLU's athletic history?

[JettFlight5]

We can rehash the Biondi argument forever.

In the end, just win whatever league we're in.

[slu72]

The time for us to have made our move was after Romar left. We diddled around w/ UB, saved some budget $, and had 4-5 years of complete mediocrity. Hand it to Creighton and Butler, especially BU, they gave the support needed and knocked us right out of the seat that seemed ours if the papal league ever came to pass. For example, whenever Papal league talk started 3-4 years ago, how often were in the mix and Butler was never even an afterthought?

Our best bet now is to stick in the A-10 because they still have better known BB schools than the MVC. Dominate it, along w/ VCU because Shaka Khan's not going anywhere. And since WSU has dropped FB, extend them and Belmont or Valpo an invite to smooth out the travel for UD and SLU. I'd like to see us cut loose the bottom feeders, but it's not going to happen. And besides if Fordham ever gets off their dead arse and decides to get in the game, they could be a power.

This appears to suck on so many levels it makes you want to kick the dog and get all Jimbo Binge Trashed. But the final chapter's not been written, and it's now up to SLU to move forward and make a friggin' name for ourselves in College hoops.

[JettFlight5]

The time for us to have made our move was after Romar left. We diddled around w/ UB, saved some budget $, and had 4-5 years of complete mediocrity. Hand it to Creighton and Butler, especially BU, they gave the support needed and knocked us right out of the seat that seemed ours if the papal league ever came to pass. For example, whenever Papal league talk started 3-4 years ago, how often were in the mix and Butler was never even an afterthought?

Our best bet now is to stick in the A-10 because they still have better known BB schools than the MVC. Dominate it, along w/ VCU because Shaka Khan's not going anywhere. And since WSU has dropped FB, extend them and Belmont or Valpo an invite to smooth out the travel for UD and SLU. I'd like to see us cut loose the bottom feeders, but it's not going to happen. And besides if Fordham ever gets off their dead arse and decides to get in the game, they could be a power.

This appears to suck on so many levels it makes you want to kick the dog and get all Jimbo Binge Trashed. But the final chapter's not been written, and it's now up to SLU to move forward and make a friggin' name for ourselves in College hoops.

Your last sentence is interesting...can that happen in the A-10?

[JMM28]

please describe what may could have done to make the cut instead of what biondi could have done? i will hang up and listen.

p.s. chris may is my favorite billiken athletic director since i have been involved with saint louis university. he imo has done more to better our athletic department than any AD

Glad to know that your favorite AD is also the one who may be linked to the biggest screw up in AD history at SLU.

While I agree Biondi shoulders a lot of the blame, Chris May also deserves a lot of blame. it goes with the territory of being the Director of Athletics. He is the guy that should have been laying the groundwork long ago. He either did not do that, or did not do a good enough job at that. This was a surprise to nobody. Majerus was saying this when he first arrived at SLU.

The Presidents job is to close the deal and keep up relations with other school presidents. It sounds like Biondi does a terrible job of that, but he is a thing of the past. He will also carry a nice asterisk next to his legacy here with sports fans.

It sounds like to me that we would have been better off in the MVC after all...

[JMM28]

Your last sentence is interesting...can that happen in the A-10?

I think the difference between the A10 and Big East is this.

In the A10 we will be a program that will not compete for a high enough level recruit to be a national title contender. Our ceiling is Butler/Wichita/VCU type fluke Final 4 runs from a 5-9 seed.

In the BIg East we can compete for players that could elevate our status to a perennial contender similar to Georgetown or Marquette. These types of teams are not surprise entrants into the Final 4, nor are they just happy to make the tournament.

[kshoe]

Your last sentence is interesting...can that happen in the A-10?

I'm sure a lot of eulogies were written in the early 90s when Xavier was left out of the Great Midwest. Similar for when Memphis was left in CUSA. How did those turn out?

[JettFlight5]

I'm sure a lot of eulogies were written in the early 90s when Xavier was left out of the Great Midwest. Similar for when Memphis was left in CUSA. How did those turn out?

The whole story is yet to be written, so who knows?

[jbizzle09]

I'm sure a lot of eulogies were written in the early 90s when Xavier was left out of the Great Midwest. Similar for when Memphis was left in CUSA. How did those turn out?

And Gonzaga was never able to make a name for themselves in the WCC. Same with Butler in the Horizon.

[Quality Is Job 1]

I'm sure a lot of eulogies were written in the early 90s when Xavier was left out of the Great Midwest. Similar for when Memphis was left in CUSA. How did those turn out?

It seems to me that, in the Big East, SLU would be a plausible landing spot for Jayson Tatum and players of his ilk, but in the A-10 or any other place SLU might go, it would be more of a fluke or charity-like (i.e., Larry Hughes) decision.

[Cowboy]

-for those dumping on Chris May I have to disagree

-imo a lot of light was shed on this process in the article from the Omaha paper describing how their prez schmoozed CU's way in the NBE, prez, not ad

-I don't see what May could have done differently and especially him advising FrB, very unlikely

[ACE]

The time for us to have made our move was after Romar left. We diddled around w/ UB, saved some budget $, and had 4-5 years of complete mediocrity. Hand it to Creighton and Butler, especially BU, they gave the support needed and knocked us right out of the seat that seemed ours if the papal league ever came to pass. For example, whenever Papal league talk started 3-4 years ago, how often were in the mix and Butler was never even an afterthought?

Our best bet now is to stick in the A-10 because they still have better known BB schools than the MVC. Dominate it, along w/ VCU because Shaka Khan's not going anywhere. And since WSU has dropped FB, extend them and Belmont or Valpo an invite to smooth out the travel for UD and SLU. I'd like to see us cut loose the bottom feeders, but it's not going to happen. And besides if Fordham ever gets off their dead arse and decides to get in the game, they could be a power.

This appears to suck on so many levels it makes you want to kick the dog and get all Jimbo Binge Trashed. But the final chapter's not been written, and it's now up to SLU to move forward and make a friggin' name for ourselves in College hoops.

At the time, I thought the two Butler trips to the Final Four were great feel-good stories, but now I look in back on it in a completely negative way. Does Butler get in the Big East without those Final Four trips? Not a chance in hell. Do they get in with just one trip to the Final Four? Who knows, but possibly not. The two Final Fours completely changed the perception of that program. Too bad getting into the Big East wasn't based on the three head to head meetings this past season.

[billiken_roy]

Even so, could he not have made a stronger case to his boss as to how crucial inclusion in this new conference would be? If we don't get in, this failure would have occurred on May's watch. How can anyone make the case for him as our best AD if he couldn't accomplish arguably the most important thing in SLU's athletic history?

go ask debbie yow what happens when you "make a stronger case to biondi about anything".

if Athletic Directors made the decisions, you are right. but again, this was a president level decision league wide. AD's were nothing more than water carrier's.

[kshoe]

Personally, I don't buy the notion that 10 is the ideal number for a conference with a focus on basketball if it aspires to be considered on par with the basketball of the football-focused power conferences. With the talk of secession from the NCAA, you want to make sure your footprint in the landscape is considerable.

Also, if the money from TV and marketing will be greater with the right 12 teams than with 10 teams, I think the landscape dictates that it would behoove them to go to 12. I also don't buy the notion that a double-round-robin conference schedule is crucial to determining the quality of the championship.

Thicks, I agree completely, and not just because I want the league to go to 12. Reason's the Big East should be (and are) interested in 12 includes:

- If the rumored $500mm for 10 or $600mm for 12 t.v. is true they will be no worse off and maybe better off by expanding once fixed costs of running a league are factored in. Throw in the potential to give the 2 new teams less money (at least to start) and now they'd definitely get paid more.

- The Big East seems desperate to fill Madison Square Garden and there is real concern they won't sell enough tickets and MSG will find a way to bring the ACC in and send them to Barclays or somewhere else. 2 more teams can only help ticket sales.

- The bigger you are, the harder you are to ignore. Part of the reason nobody talked about the MWC last year was it was such a small conference.

- Travel actually gets easier with 12 teams and dual games against regional teams.

- Not that this really matters, but not all teams play each non-revenue sport. 12 teams helps fill out the schedules and make sure each sport has enough teams to actually form a league.

[drkelsey55]

as i said a few weeks ago. the bus has left the station. to continue to pine for the big east is fruitless and we should concentrate on being the crown jewel of the A-10 going forward.

+1

[cgeldmacher]

This is my irrational, before I calm down reaction, but . . . There won't be a team that I will be cheering harder against than Creighton. I hope they decline to DePaul like standards and make the new BE folks sincerely regret their decision. I've said this before, but I think that Creighton's success is smoke and mirrors. They win a lot of game in the MVC, while at the same time they don't even win the league most years, and walk away with a reputation like they are a Gonzaga, Xavier, or Bulter.

[RiseAndGrind]

New Year's Eve Big East Basketball Marathon. I hate not seeing SLU included:

NYE marathon, FS 1. RT @LennyVangilder: St. John's/Xavier, Seton Hall/Providence, DePaul/Georgetown, Villanova/Butler, Marquette/Creighton.

[JettFlight5]

New Year's Eve Big East Basketball Marathon. I ###### hate not seeing SLU included:

NYE marathon, FS 1. RT @LennyVangilder: St. John's/Xavier, Seton Hall/Providence, DePaul/Georgetown, Villanova/Butler, Marquette/Creighton.

As if we could feel worse about things...

Last year, SLU was drilling New Mexico on NYE.

[RUBillsFan]

New Year's Eve Big East Basketball Marathon. I ###### hate not seeing SLU included:

NYE marathon, FS 1. RT @LennyVangilder: St. John's/Xavier, Seton Hall/Providence, DePaul/Georgetown, Villanova/Butler, Marquette/Creighton.

I take solace in the fact that I don't care much (and I don't think national audiences will either) about any of those match-ups. Marquette/Creighton is the only good one. The rest are either 2 mediocre teams or 1 good team against a bad team. There are no historical rivalry type games.

Is Fox Sports 1 going to be included in basic cable packages like ESPN or will it require a sports package?