A10 Scores and Comments

[Taj79]

But the conference offices are in Norfolk?

[brianstl]

Schools like games in NYC to have a chance to work alumni for donations.  

[MusicCityBilliken]

4 minutes ago, Taj79 said:

But the conference offices are in Norfolk?

Thank God they smart enough not to hold the championship in the Tidewater region.

I kind like the prestige of playing on selection Sunday, playing in a NBA occupant arena, and having the championship on network TV.

[billikenbill]

This discussion has convinced me that Fordham should stay in the A-10, even if it’s the wrong level for them. Unfortunately, that excludes the possibility of adding Loyola because the 13 other league members are generally happy where they are. Sure, some would like an invite to the Beast but that’s not happening any time soon.

[HoosierPal]

10 minutes ago, billikenbill said:

This discussion has convinced me that Fordham should stay in the A-10, even if it’s the wrong level for them. Unfortunately, that excludes the possibility of adding Loyola because the 13 other league members are generally happy where they are. Sure, some would like an invite to the Beast but that’s not happening any time soon.

There is no discussion on the Fordham Mens BB team.  They have been historically bad.  While we all consider Rose Hill a HS gym, I believe there are some SLU players and coaches that actually don't mind playing there.

Fordham is competitive in several other A10 sports, particularly Women's Softball.  With the A10 Men's hoop tourney in NYC, I don't see any way Fordham is kicked out of the league.  They could elect to vacate, but I doubt if that happens too soon.

[billiken_roy]

1 hour ago, wgstl said:

I just cant see the A10 excluding the NYC market

annual discussion.   imo, they A-10 needs to enact minimum standards to be in the A-10.  i.e. we dont kick anyone out, let them kick theirselves out.  

for examples. must participate in so many sports both men and women, must have some level of facilities, must have a certain minimum overall sports budget, on revenue sports must have x amount of gross revenues.   must maintain a certain average of performance based on ncaa net, or some other accepted gauge.  throw in some academic minimums.   

but it could be set up that a program either improves or leaves if they cant keep up athletic and academic standards.  

[wgstl]

17 minutes ago, billiken_roy said:

annual discussion.   imo, they A-10 needs to enact minimum standards to be in the A-10.  i.e. we dont kick anyone out, let them kick theirselves out.  

for examples. must participate in so many sports both men and women, must have some level of facilities, must have a certain minimum overall sports budget, on revenue sports must have x amount of gross revenues.   must maintain a certain average of performance based on ncaa net, or some other accepted gauge.  throw in some academic minimums.   

but it could be set up that a program either improves or leaves if they cant keep up athletic and academic standards.  

I agree and fwiw I’d like to kick out Fordham. But like I said earlier, A10 needs and wants a NYC team. If Fordham was in any other city theyyyy goneee

[Brighton]

Every conference needs a bottom feeder. 

[willie]

17 minutes ago, Brighton said:

Every conference needs a bottom feeder. 

I agree. 

[slu72]

2 hours ago, Littlebill said:

This is interesting though - someone on A10Talk posted an article about possible additions. It seems that whatever region of the conference you're from, you want a team from that region. The article mentioned Siena and College of Charleston (yuck). The VCU and Richmond people want to expand south, Bona, Rhody, etc want someone from up there, and all we'd like is to move the conference westward. I do believe we would be out-voted on any choices, though.

CofC ain't bad, and I'd get to see the Bills play. Still, I'd like to see some westward movement. 

[HoosierPal]

Jimerson's two week streak of A10 Rookie of the Week is over, but why not start a new streak this week.

Jordan Goodwin and Jimmy Bell made "Honor Roll" in the Player of the Week article.

https://atlantic10.com/news/2019/12/16/mens-basketball-weathers-deas-share-a-10-player-of-the-week-honors-lee-earns-rookie-nod.aspx

[cgeldmacher]

On the Fordham discussion, one argument for keeping them in the conference is that going there to watch the Billiken's play at Rose Hill makes for an amazing road trip.  I have a group that is on our 8th season of going to see the Billikens play a road game.  We're going to St. Joe's this year.

I have to say the trip to Fordam was my favorite of all the trips.  We stayed in Manhattan and took the subway to the game.  Fordham is in the Bronx.  The nearest station is about a half a mile from campus and you go through a colorful part of town, but it didn't feel dangerous at all.  We took advantage of "group" ticket pricing and got tickets in the front row under the basket for $5.00 a piece.  We got there early and saw the erection of the concession stands, which were card tables with coolers behind them.  Rose Hill is a great place for an opposing fan to watch the game.  The Fordham fans that show up know that they aren't good and they were great to us.  When ended up talking to fans around us the entire game.  Afterwards, several of their fans invited us to a bar that's underneath the gym.

I plan on redoing that trip someday.  Obviously, Fordham needs to be in the conference for that to happen.

[Matty Light]

I really don't see any opportunity for A-10 expansion.  Football and geography pose significant hurdles.  Valparaiso is in a football only conference, but does NW Indiana care about Valpo basketball over say, Notre Dame or Purdue or Indiana?  It is another tiny private school like LaSalle or St. Bonaventure.  Does the A-10 need to add another of those teams?  The only realistic options would be Marshall, Middle Tennessee, or maybe Old Dominion but again, do we need more Virginia teams than 3+ currently (GW is kinda Virginia)?  And Charlotte was already in our conference, so I don't know what their incentive would be for coming back.  They did crawl back to CUSA, though.  Also, CUSA teams that left the conference would probably not get to stay for football (maybe, maybe not).  That pretty much leaves Middle Tenn.  I guess Murfreesboro is closer than anybody we currently play in-conference.

I know, Loyola is much more desirable.  It could work, but Loyola would have to commit to a larger athletics budget and establish more sports teams.  If they did that, I would call them the winner for expansion possibilities.

[brianstl]

33 minutes ago, Matty Light said:

I really don't see any opportunity for A-10 expansion.  Football and geography pose significant hurdles.  Valparaiso is in a football only conference, but does NW Indiana care about Valpo basketball over say, Notre Dame or Purdue or Indiana?  It is another tiny private school like LaSalle or St. Bonaventure.  Does the A-10 need to add another of those teams?  The only realistic options would be Marshall, Middle Tennessee, or maybe Old Dominion but again, do we need more Virginia teams than 3+ currently (GW is kinda Virginia)?  And Charlotte was already in our conference, so I don't know what their incentive would be for coming back.  They did crawl back to CUSA, though.  Also, CUSA teams that left the conference would probably not get to stay for football (maybe, maybe not).  That pretty much leaves Middle Tenn.  I guess Murfreesboro is closer than anybody we currently play in-conference.

I know, Loyola is much more desirable.  It could work, but Loyola would have to commit to a larger athletics budget and establish more sports teams.  If they did that, I would call them the winner for expansion possibilities.

Loyola and Belmont should be the only programs the A10 considers.  

Middle Tennessee isn’t scraping it’s football program to join the A10 and nobody in the A10 is dying to add the Murfreesboro market to the A10.

 

 

[Taj79]

geldemacher ---- I'm at the Joeys every year.  Let me know where you at .....  if you have a Nova sticker on the car, leave your car at home.

The alumni event there stuck us in horrible seats ..... upper end zone corner nearest the Bills bench.  I watched Yarbough and Jolley yuck it up the whole game in a blowout.  Seats this year behind the bench.  Always go over at half to see Earl and Rammer.  Good part of town unlike La Salle and Temple.  St. Joe's fans have been very decent to date.  Including old days at Atlantic City.  Knowledgeable, usually downright nasty to old Phil who's now gone.  But like all Philly fans, an acquired taste.

Small gym with 3400 and mostly packed.  Tough street parking but doable.

[moytoy12]

6 hours ago, Brighton said:

Every conference needs a bottom feeder. 

True, but the same one year after year after year...

[Clocktoweraccords2004]

8 hours ago, wgstl said:

I just cant see the A10 excluding the NYC market

That’s like saying DePaul has a Chicago market 

[Clocktoweraccords2004]

4 hours ago, HoosierPal said:

Jimerson's two week streak of A10 Rookie of the Week is over, but why not start a new streak this week.

Jordan Goodwin and Jimmy Bell made "Honor Roll" in the Player of the Week article.

https://atlantic10.com/news/2019/12/16/mens-basketball-weathers-deas-share-a-10-player-of-the-week-honors-lee-earns-rookie-nod.aspx

Bell was a major surprise against Auburn. Hopefully he keeps it up 

[dennis_w]

1 hour ago, Clocktoweraccords2004 said:

Bell was a major surprise against Auburn. Hopefully he keeps it up 

No surprise to me, THE LOCOMOTIVE will only get better

[Compton]

Even if the A10 likes having a team in New York (even as a media/attendance non-draw, definitely outside the top 20, maybe top 25) there need to be standards, like Roy said. Simply because a team is in New York doesn't mean it belongs in the A10. Fordham is about average among the other City schools - in the last 5-1/2 years its records are Manhattan College (3-3), LIU-Brooklyn (2-1), St. Johns (1-2), St. Francis-Brooklyn (2-0), Columbia University (1-0), Wagner University (0-0). Simply being in NYC doesn't mean any of these schools, including Fordham, belong in the A10. 

Trips to NYC and the Rose Hill Gym are fun, but part of the problem is that tickets are $5, the stands have a handful of families in them, the concessions are on a couple of folding tables, and the arena dates from before the Great Depression and is smaller than many high school gyms. Fordham recently completed an $8 million update of the Rose Hill Gym (far below the recent updates/investments of other schools in the conference) , which included adding the first SEATS to the gym. On one hand it's all charming, on the other it's pathetic.

[Matty Light]

If we are considering that New York is invested in how Fordham does, I'd rather have another team from the area--Farleigh Dickinson.  At least they make the First Four once in a while. 

Plus it is cheaper to stay in Hackensack.

[Taj79]

A10 facilities run the gamut from top notch to truly pathetic.  Which is usually the case but looking at the A10, how many are truly pathetic?

Good to great:  UD Arena, Chaifetz, Mason

Good:  Rhode Island, Umass, VCU, Richmond,

High Pathetic:  St. Joe's,  Davidson

Low Pathetic:  Duquesne, GeeDubya, Bonaventure

Horrid:  Fordham, La Salle

So that's 5 of 14 teams with substandard facilities and really 7 of 14 if you throw in Hagan and Belk Arenas.  I don't know abou to the rleagues but this would seem to be a reall yhigh pe4centage of crap place sot play in a league that fancie sitself just below the Power 5.  And I think those bottom five would be best serve din a league elsewhere.

 

[slu72]

I'll find out about Davidson as I have tix for the 22nd. Didn't Duquense just do a makeover? Let's wait and see. 

[wgstl]

21 minutes ago, Taj79 said:

A10 facilities run the gamut from top notch to truly pathetic.  Which is usually the case but looking at the A10, how many are truly pathetic?

Good to great:  UD Arena, Chaifetz, Mason

Good:  Rhode Island, Umass, VCU, Richmond,

High Pathetic:  St. Joe's,  Davidson

Low Pathetic:  Duquesne, GeeDubya, Bonaventure

Horrid:  Fordham, La Salle

So that's 5 of 14 teams with substandard facilities and really 7 of 14 if you throw in Hagan and Belk Arenas.  I don't know abou to the rleagues but this would seem to be a reall yhigh pe4centage of crap place sot play in a league that fancie sitself just below the Power 5.  And I think those bottom five would be best serve din a league elsewhere.

 

eaglebank is nice?  looks real crappy on tv

[HoosierPal]

35 minutes ago, Taj79 said:

A10 facilities run the gamut from top notch to truly pathetic.  Which is usually the case but looking at the A10, how many are truly pathetic?

Good to great:  UD Arena, Chaifetz, Mason

Good:  Rhode Island, Umass, VCU, Richmond,

High Pathetic:  St. Joe's,  Davidson

Low Pathetic:  Duquesne, GeeDubya, Bonaventure

Horrid:  Fordham, La Salle

So that's 5 of 14 teams with substandard facilities and really 7 of 14 if you throw in Hagan and Belk Arenas.  I don't know abou to the rleagues but this would seem to be a reall yhigh pe4centage of crap place sot play in a league that fancie sitself just below the Power 5.  And I think those bottom five would be best serve din a league elsewhere.

 

Duquesne is in the midst of a $45 million renovation of Palumbo Center.  It will be top line when finished for the 2020-21 season.  They are renaming it after the first black player drafted into the NBA, Chuck Cooper, who played at Duquesne.