Conference Idea

[cgeldmacher]

I just came up with what I think is a radical idea to deal with our conference problems.  I doubt it will happen, but wanted to throw it out there.  I'm sure that folks will come up with several reasons this won't work.  If you think it won't, go ahead and tell me why.  I won't be offended.  Here goes.

The A-10 Conference and the American Athletic Conference reach an agreement to merge.  However, they maintain the two separate conferences so that they keep two automatic bids and previous NCAA Tournament credits.  Next season the top teams in the A-10 and the top teams in the AAC will be placed in once conference.  The bottom teams are placed in the other.  This ensure that the top teams get better games to give them the best chance of going to the tournament.  It also gives the bottom teams better competition at their level and a chance to win an automatic bid.

At the end of each season there would be a relegation process where the bottom three teams in the top level conference get dropped down.  In turn the top three teams in the lower conference get moved up to play the better teams.  As many of you know, this is similar to what happens in European soccer leagues.  This set up creates pressure for schools to stay invested in their basketball programs and remain competitive.

Tournament credits would be split only amongst the teams that were in your conference the year they were earned.  So, even if your team get relegated, you still earn that money if you played with the teams that earned it in that particular year.

A conference set up like this would give that top conference a talent level at or near the Big East.  I have to think this would be a 4 to 7 bid league every year.  It also solves the Fordham problem for the A-10 and similar situation(s) in the current AAC.

For non-basketball programs, everything could remain the same, or maybe SLU could end up with some better regional matchups in those sports as well.  How the non-revenue sports would be dealt with would just have to be worked out.

Thoughts?

[almaman]

3 minutes ago, cgeldmacher said:

I just came up with what I think is a radical idea to deal with our conference problems.  I doubt it will happen, but wanted to throw it out there.  I'm sure that folks will come up with several reasons this won't work.  If you think it won't, go ahead and tell me why.  I won't be offended.  Here goes.

The A-10 Conference and the American Athletic Conference reach an agreement to merge.  However, they maintain the two separate conferences so that they keep two automatic bids and previous NCAA Tournament credits.  Next season the top teams in the A-10 and the top teams in the AAC will be placed in once conference.  The bottom teams are placed in the other.  This ensure that the top teams get better games to give them the best chance of going to the tournament.  It also gives the bottom teams better competition at their level and a chance to win an automatic bid.

At the end of each season there would be a relegation process where the bottom three teams in the top level conference get dropped down.  In turn the top three teams in the lower conference get moved up to play the better teams.  As many of you know, this is similar to what happens in European soccer leagues.  This set up creates pressure for schools to stay invested in their basketball programs and remain competitive.

Tournament credits would be split only amongst the teams that were in your conference they year they were earned.  So, even if your team get relegated, you still earn that money if you played with the teams that earned it in that particular year.

A conference set up like this would give that top conference a talent level at or near the Big East.  I have to think this would be a 4 to 7 bid league every year.  It also solves the Fordham problem for the A-10 and similar situation(s) in the current AAC.

For non-basketball programs, everything could remain the same, or maybe SLU could end up with some better regional matchups in those sports as well.  How the non-revenue sports would be dealt with would just have to be worked out.

Thoughts?

Rad man

[cheeseman]

Yes and let trade Matt Carpenter for Mike Trout we can even throw in a pitcher from single A to sweeten the pot.  I would make that trade wouldn't you.  It will take a vote of both conferences to make something like that to happen and it isn't going to happen.

[slufanskip]

Just now, cheeseman said:

Yes and let trade Matt Carpenter for Mike Trout we can even throw in a pitcher from single A to sweeten the pot.  I would make that trade wouldn't you.

No chance the Cards make that trade. Did you see the way Carp worked the count the other day. He saw 9 pitches before grounding out to 2nd. Uninformed fans just don’t see the value he brings

[cgeldmacher]

8 minutes ago, cheeseman said:

Yes and let trade Matt Carpenter for Mike Trout we can even throw in a pitcher from single A to sweeten the pot.  I would make that trade wouldn't you.  It will take a vote of both conferences to make something like that to happen and it isn't going to happen.

I said I don't think it would happen, just that I like the idea.  That being said, I do think that the top teams in both conferences would like it.  Some of the bottom teams might like it as well, as it give them a shot at a AQ they wouldn't normally have.  Teams like Fordham, Duquesne, GW might vote for it because it would put their teams in a more competitive spot and give them a chance to move up if they ever get their ships in order.  There's an argument that it would make it easier for the bottom teams to get their program healthy since they aren't getting killed all the time.

[Compton]

I don't understand the "everything remains the same" approach to other sports. What becomes of all of the A10 school's football programs? The AAC wants nothing to do with them, but I don't see UMass, Dayton, Richmond, etc... joining a new conference (which is a football conference) that completely ignores their football programs.

[HoosierPal]

Join the Horizon League

[slu72]

Creative, but a not going to happen. Too unwieldly/ The best conference idea for us is to weed out the annual bottom feeders from the A10. Most notably, LaSalle and Fordham. Tough to say LaSalle when they beat the supposed best Bills team in our history, but LaSalle is having $$$ problems and that will only make their program shrink in the future. Besides we don't need two teams in Philly. One cheesesteak trip a year is plenty. Add Loyola-Chi and Belmont. Both represent major TV markets and it aids in expenses for both UD and SLU for the non revenue sports. It's such a simple solution to a simple problem is probably why we'll never see it come to fruition. Some may say Loyola might go right back to nothingness if Porter leaves, but they ain't moving out of Chicago are they? Also, I think the school probably likes the $$$ the program is contributing with their success in the Dance. Should Porter depart, I'm sure they'll try for a decent coach, read not scrimp on the salary. Belmont is slowly becoming a mini Zaga, and Nashville is growing like a weed. Get 'em while they're hot. 

[Bay Area Billiken]

This is a good idea and a good start, worthy of thought, has some merit.  Of course, I doubt it would ever happen.  First, it would need to pass muster, not run afoul, of some NCAA Bylaw, to keep the 2 automatic bids.  Without researching the matter, but being aware on the periphery of some NCAA rules, team mobility between conferences might be an issue.

The A10 has a core group of East Coast schools, longtime members:  Duquesne, George Washington, UMass, Rhode Island, St. Bonaventure, St. Joseph's.  My take is they would be resistant to this change.  They would not want to be potentially separated from each other and relegated into the lower league with East Carolina, Tulane, etc.  A couple of trips to Florida (UCF, USF-FL) might be a nice consolation prize.  

A key reason the Catholic 7 broke off from the old Big East and formed the New Big East was not wanting to be associated with football based, sub-par basketball schools.

We wouldn't want to see SLU relegated into the lower division.  So we would need to keep the SLU program in the good times status, not in a reversion to other less optimal eras.

[Bay Area Billiken]

9 minutes ago, HoosierPal said:

Join the Horizon League

No.  Assuming you are being serious, we've been there (Midwestern City Conference, name changed to Midwestern Collegiate Conference), and the Horizon is far below where it was when SLU was a member.  The Horizon League was ranked 23rd of the 31 D-1 conferences, per the NET, in '20-'21.

 

[Bay Area Billiken]

Really SLU has no better and available place to go than the A10.

I agree with recruiting Loyola Chicago and Belmont into the A10.  But it takes two to tango.  And in this case, SLU would still have to convince the East Coast members who are likely adverse to flying more teams to the Central Time Zone on planes, and the Southern 4.

The A10 does have a Catholic and Jesuit core that might be supportive of adding Loyola Chicago (Jesuit):

Jesuit (3):  SLU, St. Joseph's, Fordham (and No, Fordham is not going to be kicked out of the A10;  if Fordham goes, it will be Fordham's decision).

Catholic (7):  SLU, St. Joseph's, Fordham, St. Bonaventure, Duquesne, LaSalle, Dayton.

Perhaps the Southern 4 +1 (Richmond, VCU, George Mason, Davidson + George Washington) can be convinced to add Belmont.

Based upon what we just saw, with the A10 moving its Tournament to Richmond, VA and its Championship Game to Dayton, with SLU's bid to host the Tourney not surprisingly rejected, SLU needs to build coalitions, can't go at this alone.  SLU is on an A10 island, 3 miles West of the Mississippi, the only Central Time Zone A10 member, with 2 whole states and 5 drive hours separating it from the next nearest A10 member, Dayton.

[BLIKNS]

Maybe try convincing Wichita State, you are the odd duck as the only basketball only school in the AAC.

 

[Compton]

Maybe easier would be for just SLU to join the AAC as its 12th school and counterbalance to basketball-only Wichita St. 

The AAC expands its media footprint, adds a meaningful and competitive regional rival and gets to keep all of its precious football money. 

[billiken_roy]

35 minutes ago, slu72 said:

Creative, but a not going to happen. Too unwieldly/ The best conference idea for us is to weed out the annual bottom feeders from the A10. Most notably, LaSalle and Fordham. Tough to say LaSalle when they beat the supposed best Bills team in our history, but LaSalle is having $$$ problems and that will only make their program shrink in the future. Besides we don't need two teams in Philly. One cheesesteak trip a year is plenty. Add Loyola-Chi and Belmont. Both represent major TV markets and it aids in expenses for both UD and SLU for the non revenue sports. It's such a simple solution to a simple problem is probably why we'll never see it come to fruition. Some may say Loyola might go right back to nothingness if Porter leaves, but they ain't moving out of Chicago are they? Also, I think the school probably likes the $$$ the program is contributing with their success in the Dance. Should Porter depart, I'm sure they'll try for a decent coach, read not scrimp on the salary. Belmont is slowly becoming a mini Zaga, and Nashville is growing like a weed. Get 'em while they're hot. 

exactly.   and if brenda had an ounce of creative ability and gumption she could force the issue by getting the conference to enact program standards.   either the bottom feeders up their game and make a substantial investment or they boot themselves out, likely with them running away gleefully so they can keep their money for other non athletic concerns.   the problem is she is worthless and is very unlikely to do a dam thing.   she needs to be fired.

[Bay Area Billiken]

Wichita State is a public school, and closer geographically and from the public school perspective, to member schools in the AAC.  Also the AAC has Navy in that slot in Football.

I don't think Wichita State is an A10 expansion candidate on either side, its side and most of the A10's side.

 

 

[dlarry]

It would be nice just no way it could be pulled off. 
Im not even sure how the NCAA would look at 2 conferences in 1.

I like the creativity.

[Bay Area Billiken]

To build a coalition to recruit Loyola Chicago, SLU might actually need Fordham as an ally with it.

[willie]

Stay in the A-10 until the Big East opens up, and it will at some point. 

[billikenfan05]

TaylorTwellmannwhatarewedoing.gif

[billiken_roy]

best way to get to the big east is build the gonzaga of he midwest.  right now i dont think saint louis university brings enough to excite the big east programs.   they think taking us is doing us a favor.   we need to be doing them a favor by agreeing to come to them.   and the only way that will happen if we have great year in and year out success.   think butler.   they were dominating their old conference.   wait a minute wasnt that our conference?   

[3star_recruit]

Coach Ford has lifted us from bottom 4 in the conference to top 4 in the conference despite Situation 2 and the 33 Day Pause.  The next step is top 2 in the conference and regular NCAA bids.  If you would have told me that was attainable after Crews, I would have laughed in your face.  

[Bay Area Billiken]

29 minutes ago, billiken_roy said:

best way to get to the big east is build the gonzaga of he midwest.  right now i dont think saint louis university brings enough to excite the big east programs.   they think taking us is doing us a favor.   we need to be doing them a favor by agreeing to come to them.   and the only way that will happen if we have great year in and year out success.   think butler.   they were dominating their old conference.   wait a minute wasnt that our conference?   

Butler was winning the Horizon well after SLU left it.

With SLU it always seems to be a matter of bad timing.  Butler was a middler at best, between a bottom feeder and a middler, when SLU was in the MCC.  Butler was absolutely no threat whatsoever.  When the C7 splits off from the Old Big East to form the New Big East, Butler has been to 2 NCAA National Championship Games.  Xavier was coming off a strong decade in the A10, Creighton coming off Top 2 status in the MVC.  SLU was 2 years removed from Situation 1, albeit a 4 Seed in San Jose, playing in its second straight NCAA.  

Gonzaga is a good model to emulate, but overall the A10 is a tougher league than the WCC, albeit not per the NET in '21.  Gonzaga did not have many challengers in the WCC when it was building its brand.  Often the only challenger was St. Mary's, and there was a gap between the Zags and Gaels.  Since BYU joined the WCC, Gonzaga has a new challenger, one with a rich basketball history and a lot of potential.  I actually do remember my early days in California when Gonzaga was no more than a WCC middler.  But those days changed.

[billiken_roy]

two consecutive final fours.   i am betting we get to two straight final fours, all kind of doors open up.

[johnbj14]

I’m very skeptical the Big East ever comes calling. The focus should be becoming the best program in the A10, and see where that takes us. SLU has struggled to put together sustained success, and that is the first step. Build a strong decade run, and then see what happens. 

[slufan13]

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