kevinfootes Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 It's been said before by a few of us, but one of the key ingredients to success for SLU is conference stability. No matter who is coaching the fans need to care about who SLU is playing. At some point SLU has to quit the merry-go-round approach and settle in someplace. SLU has no true rivals, and having rivalries is critical for attendance. Otherwise, fans will show up when you're good and not really care when you aren't as good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUBillsFan Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 I think Dayton could become a rival b/c we are near the same level as them and have played them in the past bfore we joined the A-10. Xavier has the same Jesuit school thing we had going with Marquette. But neather seems like a rival yet. You are right stability is a big thing b/c rivalries take time to grow. With that said I think we should schedule some non-conference games against old C-USA foes like Cincy, Louisville, or Marquette if possible b/c they would probably bring in more fans than playing a team like Ole Miss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inthelou Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 Part of the problem with the A-10 IMO is that it is really the A-14. Way too many teams for a school like SLU. That in and of itself does not help rivalries develop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtside Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 Really the problem is not winning enough games. SLU wasn't considered for the Big East because at the time, they weren't winning enough basketball games. And, the only other way to get an invite is on potential, like DePaul in a large market(8million)...Now DePaul is really improving and has some top level recruits coming in next few years. SLU should win some games, dominate their league and then doors open and people notice. Also, rivalries are built with competitive play. It doesn't have to be with geography. Cincy and Louiville built rivalries with other teams because they won games, period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUBillsFan Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 Yeah the A-10 does have wayy to many teams. Does anyone think there is any chance of cutting some of the lower level teams (like the Bonnies so we don't have to worry about them anymore). If they cut the worst 4 teams they'd be back to actual A-10 (not 14), would improve the conference RPI, and help teams develop better rivalries. I say right now cut the Bonnies, Duquesne, Rhode Island, and La Salle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inthelou Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 And it would be a step in the right direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinfootes Posted January 7, 2007 Author Share Posted January 7, 2007 You also have to play the same teams every year for a rivalry to exist. If you keep changing conferences you have a new batch of teams every few years. With stability you can keep people interested even during a down year. Everybody loves a winner, but at SLU that love doesn't seem to carry much if the team wins under 20 games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RF1 Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 >Yeah the A-10 does have wayy to many teams. Does anyone >think there is any chance of cutting some of the lower level >teams (like the Bonnies so we don't have to worry about them >anymore). If they cut the worst 4 teams they'd be back to >actual A-10 (not 14), would improve the conference RPI, and >help teams develop better rivalries. I say right now cut >the Bonnies, Duquesne, Rhode Island, and La Salle. Given what has transpired this last week, I don't think SLU fans should be advocating expulsion of any teams from the league. As a Rhode Island fan, I am further offended that you include URI in your expulsion candidiates. It seems strange to me that fans of a program that has only been in the league for one year would be advocating getting rid of URI given the fact that the Rams have had more basketball success than the Billikins in the last decade or two. URI joined the A-10 in the early 80's and has gone to five NCAA and six NIT tournaments since becoming a member of the conference. URI has been in the postseason on average almost every other year since joining the league. Rhody has gone to an NCAA Sweet-16 in 1988 and an Elite-8 in 1998. Its NCAA record in this span is 6-5 with some wins over programs such as a #1 seeded Kansas, Syracuse, Missouri, and Purdue. Its NIT record is 6-6 with wins over the likes of Boston College, Vanderbilt, and Seton Hall. I was not aware that SLU has a better postseason resume in the last 20 years. Rhode Island has had an NBA lottery pick and several other players drafted. There are currently two former Rams starting in the NBA (Mobley-Clippers and Odom-Lakers). Rhode Island cannot be accused of not investing in its program as it has recently upgraded its facilities. The 54 million dollar Ryan Center which opened four years ago is currently the newest arena in the A-10 (until SLU opens its building). The arena has all the ammenities as it has luxury suites, video scoreboards, souvenir shop, and all chairback seating. URI may not currently be experiencing one of its better periods of basketball. Rhode Island however has had just one losing season in the last four years (two 20 wins seasons) and in that same time went to the NIT twice. With this in mind, do you still feel URI is not worthy of inclusion in your A-10 given what Rhode Island has done as a member to this point? If so, what exactly are your criteria? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 I'm with the Rhodie fan as far as RI is concerned. With that said 14 is too large and the consistent bottom dwellers do not help the conference. Regardless of the last 2 games. SLU is not a program that brings the A10 down ... Official Billikens.com sponsor of H Waldman Official Sponser of the Stemmler and Ahearn could and would have helped club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quality Is Job 1 Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 I agree that Saint Louis fans are in no position to speculate on teams to dump from the conference, since their school isn't fully vested in the conference yet. And even though the conference is probably too big, I'm not in favor of simply forcing schools out. But, even if we were to speculate on teams to "dump," Rhode Island most certainly would not be one of the teams dropped. Perhaps people here are thinking of Richmond and saying "Rhode Island" because they both start with "R." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milwaukee Billiken Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 >>fans will show up when you're good and not really care when you aren't as good.<< That is always the case. In every sport, fans show up to watch good, competitive teams that are winning. Attendence declines as the performance on the field/court declines. This has nothing to do with rivalries. I'm not saying that rivalries aren't important, but winning is the most important thing for increasing attendance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUBillsFan Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 I'm sorry I posted this eventhough it was mostly-joking (as you can see by the not worrying about the Bonnies comment). It was before the horrid loss to the Dukes. Obviously SLU isn't in any position to say who should stay or who should go. I was just speculation on ways to raise the overall conference RPI. I am not a fan of Rhode Island and I was not aware of their basketball history. I just looked at the teams with the lowest RPIs in the conference. Again, I am sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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