The AAAAAAAC and Advanced Marketing (or Self-Kidding)

[MullinMayhem]

Stever, the AAC is a slightly better Conference USA. The Big East is still among the elite basketball conferences in America. The AAC is not even with WSU which is not invincible when they play real teams.

[stever20]

Stever, the AAC is a slightly better Conference USA. The Big East is still among the elite basketball conferences in America. The AAC is not even with WSU which is not invincible when they play real teams.

a better Conference USA than when Conference USA was at their peak.

And would say that the AAC has done pretty well vs the real teams- they've just stubbed their toes way too often vs not so great teams. While they've had a few stubs this year- no where near as much. And they've finally won the close games- they're 14-5 so far in games decided by 10 points or less. That's not been happening in the recent past for the AAC.

[MUBoxer]

Stever, the AAC is a slightly better Conference USA. The Big East is still among the elite basketball conferences in America. The AAC is not even with WSU which is not invincible when they play real teams.

a better Conference USA than when Conference USA was at their peak.

And would say that the AAC has done pretty well vs the real teams- they've just stubbed their toes way too often vs not so great teams. While they've had a few stubs this year- no where near as much. And they've finally won the close games- they're 14-5 so far in games decided by 10 points or less. That's not been happening in the recent past for the AAC.

I disagree. There is not a team in today CUSA that could touch the Huggins Cinci teams, 2005 Louisville team, 2003 Marquette. Add on the occasional Charlotte, Depaul or Memphis squad and it was definitely better than the AAC.

[ConnersvilleBulldog]

Stever, the AAC is a slightly better Conference USA. The Big East is still among the elite basketball conferences in America. The AAC is not even with WSU which is not invincible when they play real teams.

a better Conference USA than when Conference USA was at their peak.

And would say that the AAC has done pretty well vs the real teams- they've just stubbed their toes way too often vs not so great teams. While they've had a few stubs this year- no where near as much. And they've finally won the close games- they're 14-5 so far in games decided by 10 points or less. That's not been happening in the recent past for the AAC.

Just some context on that 14-5 (it's actually 15-5) record in close games. Is boasting close wins over these juggernauts really supposed to sway us?

Wins:
UMBC
Long Island
Fordham
Stony Brook
Mercer
Gardner Webb
Clemson
Cal
Liberty
Wake
Cleveland St
Florida Atlantic
Stetson
Arkansas Little Rock
Western Michigan

Losses:
Drexel
Radford
Morgan St
Lamar
Iowa St

[X-man]

Stever, the AAC is a slightly better Conference USA. The Big East is still among the elite basketball conferences in America. The AAC is not even with WSU which is not invincible when they play real teams.

a better Conference USA than when Conference USA was at their peak.

And would say that the AAC has done pretty well vs the real teams- they've just stubbed their toes way too often vs not so great teams. While they've had a few stubs this year- no where near as much. And they've finally won the close games- they're 14-5 so far in games decided by 10 points or less. That's not been happening in the recent past for the AAC.

Ah, the new metric of quality. Inquiring minds eagerly await stever20's next metric once this one, like all the others out of his twisted logic and vacuous reasoning, has been rightly trashed.

[X-man]

Stever, the AAC is a slightly better Conference USA. The Big East is still among the elite basketball conferences in America. The AAC is not even with WSU which is not invincible when they play real teams.

a better Conference USA than when Conference USA was at their peak.

And would say that the AAC has done pretty well vs the real teams- they've just stubbed their toes way too often vs not so great teams. While they've had a few stubs this year- no where near as much. And they've finally won the close games- they're 14-5 so far in games decided by 10 points or less. That's not been happening in the recent past for the AAC.

Just some context on that 14-5 (it's actually 15-5) record in close games. Is boasting close wins over these juggernauts really supposed to sway us?

Wins:
UMBC
Long Island
Fordham
Stony Brook
Mercer
Gardner Webb
Clemson
Cal
Liberty
Wake
Cleveland St
Florida Atlantic
Stetson
Arkansas Little Rock
Western Michigan

Losses:
Drexel
Radford
Morgan St
Lamar
Iowa St

You omitted another close "quality" win by Cincinnati last night over that basketball powerhouse, Buffalo.

[stever20]

Stever, the AAC is a slightly better Conference USA. The Big East is still among the elite basketball conferences in America. The AAC is not even with WSU which is not invincible when they play real teams.

a better Conference USA than when Conference USA was at their peak.

And would say that the AAC has done pretty well vs the real teams- they've just stubbed their toes way too often vs not so great teams. While they've had a few stubs this year- no where near as much. And they've finally won the close games- they're 14-5 so far in games decided by 10 points or less. That's not been happening in the recent past for the AAC.

I disagree. There is not a team in today CUSA that could touch the Huggins Cinci teams, 2005 Louisville team, 2003 Marquette. Add on the occasional Charlotte, Depaul or Memphis squad and it was definitely better than the AAC.

Wichita and Cincy could easily make the final 4 like Louisville and Marquette did. One thing with the CUSA group- they never really had a year where everything put together. This year looks like it may be that case for the AAC. It'll be fun to watch.

[Hall2012]

Now I realize I'm defending Stever here a bit, so don't crucify me - but I think many of you guys are missing his point. Stever isn't trying to say the AAC is performing as well as (or anywhere close to) the Big East. He's just saying the AAC needs to walk before it can run - and despite lacking any impressive wins so far, it's doing much better than in the past by not piling up quite as many bad losses. In the AAC's current state, just winning games, regardless of who they're against, is going to help more than getting pasted by Big East and F5 teams. Once they get the embarrassing losses down to a decent level, then they can start sprinkling in some tough opponents. Right now, it wouldn't make any sense.

[stever20]

Now I realize I'm defending Stever here a bit, so don't crucify me - but I think many of you guys are missing his point. Stever isn't trying to say the AAC is performing as well as (or anywhere close to) the Big East. He's just saying the AAC needs to walk before it can run - and despite lacking any impressive wins so far, it's doing much better than in the past by not piling up quite as many bad losses. In the AAC's current state, just winning games, regardless of who they're against, is going to help more than getting pasted by Big East and F5 teams. Once they get the embarrassing losses down to a decent level, then they can start sprinkling in some tough opponents. Right now, it wouldn't make any sense.

Exactly. It's no where near as many bad losses. It's winning the close games consistantly. Things they were not doing before. And remember even before the improvement- they were #7 in RPI last year close over the A10. It won't be remotely close this year.

Oh, and the conference is actually over .500 vs P5+BE teams so far. 4-3. With the 3 losses by Memphis, Tulsa, and USF(so hardly the top teams). Get Marquette today and then Notre Dame or LSU tomorrow for Wichita. And then 3 more on Thursday(all by top 7 teams in their conference).

[Xudash]

Now I realize I'm defending Stever here a bit, so don't crucify me - but I think many of you guys are missing his point. Stever isn't trying to say the AAC is performing as well as (or anywhere close to) the Big East. He's just saying the AAC needs to walk before it can run - and despite lacking any impressive wins so far, it's doing much better than in the past by not piling up quite as many bad losses. In the AAC's current state, just winning games, regardless of who they're against, is going to help more than getting pasted by Big East and F5 teams. Once they get the embarrassing losses down to a decent level, then they can start sprinkling in some tough opponents. Right now, it wouldn't make any sense.

Please consider yourself crucified.

So, in other words, the fragile, brand-phobic AAC is taking baby steps to improve its otherwise weak position.