kwyjibo Posted September 5, 2003 Share Posted September 5, 2003 Below is an excerpt from a Providence Journal article on future Bigger East and its impact on the A-10. Several things to note: First, Charlotte is on their list of possible teams for a basketball Big East. Second, A-10 will go after Charlotte if Bigger East raids C-USA for four teams. Part of that deal will be getting rid of the dead wood from the A-10 (don't worry Sign Guy they are keeping GW) which would make that conference more appealing than the post-traumatic C-USA. This is interesting and mostly bad for SLU. I was initially buoyed by the notion that SLU, Charlotte, DePaul, and Marquette were together and while they haven't split yet the press speculation makes things worse for SLU. I did think the Bigger East scenario is still too awkward to work (too much sharing in the revenue sharing) but haven't run the numbers. They must expect (or have they have already been promised?) a huge TV deal for basketball as well as expect to keep the $17 million of BCS money. That $17 million is what this is all about. SLU is largely a victim of geography because everything about their program would make them at least mentioned in future Bigger East or A-10 moves. ------------------------------- KEVIN MCNAMARA Providence Journal, Sept 3rd, 2003 Changes in the A-10? Several Atlantic 10 schools are casting wishful eyes at the Big East and hoping for an invitation to join that conference. But if those invites don't come, there's a chance the A-10 may see some changes, anyway. The Big East is in the process of deciding which way to reconfigure its schools, and the one sure thing is two new football schools will be added by fall 2005. Louisville and Cincinnati are the heavy favorites for those two slots, giving the conference eight football schools. Those schools are reportedly now seeing the benefit of maintaining a relationship with basketball-only schools such as Providence and St. John's, although that issue has not been finalized. If everyone decides to stick together, the eight football schools, five basketball schools and Notre Dame would give the conference 14 members. The basketball schools then would lobby to add two more nonfootball members, and the pool of candidates includes Xavier, Dayton, Marquette, DePaul and Charlotte. If Xavier and Dayton are bypassed, the A-10 may look to grab other schools (such as Charlotte) and pair down its membership (St. Bonaventure, Duquesne, Fordham?). An Atlantic 10 featuring a smaller, stronger lineup of Rhode Island, Temple, Saint Joseph's, Charlotte, Xavier, Dayton, UMass, Richmond and George Washington may be the way to go to compete in what will be a much more competitive college basketball world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basketbill Posted September 5, 2003 Share Posted September 5, 2003 If geography is bad for SLU in eaither a bigger east, or new A-10, how is Marquette or Chicago any better?? The frustrating thing in all of this though is that SLU does appear the odd man out in this scenarios....... Any ability that SLU has to keep a good Coach like Soderberg, depends on having a competitive conference. Biondi Woolard get to work......!!@!!!!!#%@$@^#!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted September 5, 2003 Share Posted September 5, 2003 you guys thinking coach soderberg will leave under the duress of a temporary lesser conference situation are not being fair to him. he is not that kind of a man imo. he is in this for the long haul. anyone that truly believes that has never met or listened to him speak about slu. imo, this is the perfect situation for his beliefs, wants, goals, family, etc. and that wont change with slu being in any conference imo. now if slu said he had to take a big paycut, now that is a different story. that would be encroaching on his ability to take care of his family in the manner they are now acustomed to and i wouldnt blame him a bit then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nebraska_Bob Posted September 5, 2003 Share Posted September 5, 2003 Every year, here in Omaha, everyone is just waiting for Dana Altman to jump to that next level and he hasn't yet. So maybe Brad will be like him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjray Posted September 5, 2003 Share Posted September 5, 2003 I concur with Roy, Brad is in this thing for the long haul. A 16 team Big East football -- basketball 2 headed monster cannot last long. The Bills and Coach Brad will have to hang out somewhere until this monster breaks apart. Also, I would not be surprised if the 16-team monster died before it was even born. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basketbill Posted September 5, 2003 Share Posted September 5, 2003 I like and respect Brad. I think he is a great coach, but if he is to be sadled with SLU going to a lower level conference, he will surely think of SLU in a different light than he does today...... For instance Marquette......lateral move today, but if Marquette gets into a Bigger east. and slu joins a lesser conference......than if a Marquette Job came open I think he would jump at it. I do not think that is dissing Brad, in fact I think he would be samrt to do so. Now I agree if SLU stay in a big conference somehow, or even a lesser conference for a year or two and then into a bigger and better conference, I agree he is here for a long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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