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7 minutes ago, The Valley Sucks said:

You trolling? SLU would never go to the Valley. 

Agree seeing as many years ago SLU was in the Valley. I remember when Bradley was their big rival. Don't know that the A-10 is the right league now. Wonder what others think may be a decent fit?

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Moving the MVC tournament to Nashville would increase the travel distance for every team in the league except Evansville (-20 miles in difference).  Sorry, I can't see that happening.

Historically, there might be some positives looking back in time.  We have played Bradley, Drake, Missouri State, Carbondale, Illinois State, Indiana State and Evansville quire regularly in the past.  But those rivalries all pretty much died in the 70s and 80s.  In the current lineup, the only school similar to us now is Loyola.... and where are they going?

There are no real fits outside the A10 except the Big East and that ship has sailed.  I expect a lot of upheaval in the A10 next year.  The transfer portal will play a key role because Davidson, the Bonnies (if they lose some seniors), Richmond (who will lose all seniors),  and VCU will lose some serious players.  Saint Louis and Dayton coudl remain intact.  We lose only DeAndre Jones as it stands now.  If Perkins returns, look out.  Dayton loses no one.  Geedubya is making decent progress.  Mason is riding the Kim English high and has a four star recruit already enrolled.  Going to interesting when all the dust clears.

 

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40 minutes ago, Schasz said:

Agree seeing as many years ago SLU was in the Valley. I remember when Bradley was their big rival. Don't know that the A-10 is the right league now. Wonder what others think may be a decent fit?

There is a reason all the good teams leave the Valley. Everyone needs to quit thinking about the Valley its never going to happen, its a step back. There are no viable good options except the Big East which unfortunately looks like it is a long ways down the road. Would you leave the A10 for the Mountain West and be the only basketball school? Mountain West would never want that anyways. 

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3 minutes ago, Taj79 said:

Moving the MVC tournament to Nashville would increase the travel distance for every team in the league except Evansville (-20 miles in difference).  Sorry, I can't see that happening.

Historically, there might be some positives looking back in time.  We have played Bradley, Drake, Missouri State, Carbondale, Illinois State, Indiana State and Evansville quire regularly in the past.  But those rivalries all pretty much died in the 70s and 80s.  In the current lineup, the only school similar to us now is Loyola.... and where are they going?

There are no real fits outside the A10 except the Big East and that ship has sailed.  I expect a lot of upheaval in the A10 next year.  The transfer portal will play a key role because Davidson, the Bonnies (if they lose some seniors), Richmond (who will lose all seniors),  and VCU will lose some serious players.  Saint Louis and Dayton coudl remain intact.  We lose only DeAndre Jones as it stands now.  If Perkins returns, look out.  Dayton loses no one.  Geedubya is making decent progress.  Mason is riding the Kim English high and has a four star recruit already enrolled.  Going to interesting when all the dust clears.

 

I agree on at least one thing, it will be fun to play against Loyola next year. It would be a fun home and travel game. It will also help people remember what a conference can be like, with games a reasonable distance away. If Loyola’s program falls apart in the next couple of years, it will be a bummer.

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48 minutes ago, Schasz said:

Agree seeing as many years ago SLU was in the Valley. I remember when Bradley was their big rival. Don't know that the A-10 is the right league now. Wonder what others think may be a decent fit?

That’s kind of the problem right now. There isn’t a fantastic fit for SLU from a geographic and competitive standpoint. Have kind of held the belief that all the realignment in college sports right now makes this the perfect time for a new conference to pop up, but doubt that happens either. The A-10 is home for now, with all the pros and cons. 

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1 hour ago, Schasz said:

Agree seeing as many years ago SLU was in the Valley. I remember when Bradley was their big rival. Don't know that the A-10 is the right league now. Wonder what others think may be a decent fit?

every conference so many of the mbm's expect us to switch to are pie in the sky dreams.   isnt going to happen until we have a track record of success.   ie winning the A10 conference, going to the sweet 16 on multiple occasions.   until then please tell me why a bigger and better conference wants us?   i dont see the attraction now  

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I don't think there is any chance the tournament goes to Nashville.  I could see a St. Louis, Chicago and Indianapolis rotation if they decide to not play it every year in St. Louis.  The MVC should really consider switching the venue to Chaifetz. If the decide to rotate cities it should book Hinkle and Wintrust.  Enterprise Center sized venues are just too big without the fan bases from Creighton and Wichita St.

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47 minutes ago, Cowboy II said:

-I guess it had been a few weeks since we had someone ask where we should be as far as conference, gosh this never gets old

SLU has not had a real conference home since the old Conference USA, and in some ways since the Great Midwest Conference, which merged de facto with the Metro to form Conference USA.  The A10 is not the answer for SLU, but there are no better and available options.  The A10 is actually regressing in terms of number of NCAA Tournament bids, which this year is at risk of joining the dreaded Juan Bid grouping.  If the A10 only gets one bid, that will be clear regression.  One of the key reasons SLU joined the A10 is because it was a multi-bid league.

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5 minutes ago, Bay Area Billiken said:

SLU has not had a real conference home since the old Conference USA, and in some ways since the Great Midwest Conference, which merged de facto with the Metro to form Conference USA.  The A10 is not the answer for SLU, but there are no better and available options.  The A10 is actually regressing in terms of number of NCAA Tournament bids, which this year is at risk of joining the dreaded Juan Bid grouping.  If the A10 only gets one bid, that will be clear regression.  One of the key reasons SLU joined the A10 is because it was a multi-bid league.

It is also one of the reasons Loyola Chicago just left the Missouri Valley to join the A-10.  The left natural geographic rivalries to become geographic outliers just like SLU.  Why?  Because they know that the A-10 is a better situation than the MVC.

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32 minutes ago, cgeldmacher said:

It is also one of the reasons Loyola Chicago just left the Missouri Valley to join the A-10.  The left natural geographic rivalries to become geographic outliers just like SLU.  Why?  Because they know that the A-10 is a better situation than the MVC.

Agreed, very true.  The MVC is not the answer for SLU and hasn't been since SLU left the Valley in 1974.

I am hoping we will see improvement in the A10 from SLU's perspective with the addition of Loyola Chicago.  Loyola, SLU and Dayton should be a stronger West of the Appalachians alliance.  Hopefully, there is more strength in numbers.

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Got to also remember the A-10 took majors hits losing Charlotte to go back to C-USA , start up football.

Butler,Temple , and Xavier.

League survived that.

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On 2/22/2022 at 6:37 PM, CenHudDude said:

Charlotte wasn’t a terrible loss, but Butler, Temple, and Xavier hurt.

Charlotte was a power in the CUSA and a consistent upper half conference finisher.  When they emphasized football, just like Temple their program fell into disarray.

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4 minutes ago, cheeseman said:

Exactly who will be left in the OVC for the vaunted Lindenwood  Lions to play.  Lindenwood only got in because the OVC is taking anybody.

The OVC will be Eastern Illinois, Morehead St, SEMO, SIUE, Tennessee tech, Tennessee St, Tenn-Mart, UALR, Lindenwood, Southern Indiana

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So from an A-10 standpoint,  we need Loyola to win?  Think they are the only potential at large candidate if they don't win ... Plus going to be joining us soon

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