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stever20 wrote:

LMS wrote:I laugh knowing that Wichita State just signed up to join this mess. If Cincinnati or UConn ever get out, the shockers are chained to this dreg of a conference and will sink with it to the abyss.

you do understand that the AAC is a massive upgrade from the MVC. I mean- the MVC's top team this year is #100 and a 15 seed. Even if one of those 2 teams left, it's still a massive upgrade. The AAC will get 3-4 teams in almost certainly this season. MVC got 1 last year.

It is today, but is it in 5 years should further realignment occur and the AAC loses it's "best" schools like Cincy and UCONN? At that point, the Shox are the only non-football school in a bad football league. I suppose someone could argue that's exactly what they are already, but you won't believe that argument so I won't proceed with it in order to avoid 1000 more posts from you on the topic.

Omaha1 wrote:

stever20 wrote:

LMS wrote:I laugh knowing that Wichita State just signed up to join this mess. If Cincinnati or UConn ever get out, the shockers are chained to this dreg of a conference and will sink with it to the abyss.

you do understand that the AAC is a massive upgrade from the MVC. I mean- the MVC's top team this year is #100 and a 15 seed. Even if one of those 2 teams left, it's still a massive upgrade. The AAC will get 3-4 teams in almost certainly this season. MVC got 1 last year.

It is today, but is it in 5 years should further realignment occur and the AAC loses it's "best" schools like Cincy and UCONN? At that point, the Shox are the only non-football school in a bad football league. I suppose someone could argue that's exactly what they are already, but you won't believe that argument so I won't proceed with it in order to avoid 1000 more posts from you on the topic.

3 things-
1- first off schools like Cincy and UConn have been said to be going for ages. Further realignment is this pie in the sky thing that everyone says should have happened by now- but guess what, it hasn't.
2- even if those 2 left- you still have a league with Memphis and Temple. And that's light years better than what the MVC was last year. I don't think you appreciate how putrid the MVC was last year. And I mean in the madness countdown this year- the top team in MVC is #100. By comparison- in the countdown, the AAC has 8 teams in there better than a single MVC school.
3- what does it being a football league have to do with basketball at all whatsoever? They're judged in basketball on what they do and doesn't have a thing to do with football. It can be a bad football league but a pretty darn good basketball league. The 2 are not mutually exclusive.

Was listening to Mad Dog Sports Radio, a national XM station so it has a very far reach. Anyway, Chris "Mad Dog" Russo (used to be on Mike and the Mad Dog) was fielding calls related to the NCAA investigation the other day. One caller was from CT but was not a UConn fan. He said "no one here cares anymore because UConn sucks now". Chris jumped in and said something to the tune of "Yeah, well they are in a terrible league...they aren't in the Big East anymore. They're now playing teams like Tulane, who would watch that? UConn isn't playing Georgetown, St. John's, or Providence anymore and they will never be the same in the AAC". I loved hearing that during my morning commute! Just figured you guys would get a kick out of that.

Oh and Stever, the AAC has yet to prove anything. They have more in common with the MAAC than us to this point. Let UConn rot, it's a fun trainwreck to watch.

The AAC is currently projected to get three teams in.

UC, WSU, and... who?

When has the MAAC gotten more than 2 teams in the tourney? The AAC in the 4 years has gotten in 4 teams in 2 of the 4 years and in the 2 years with only 2 teams- both of those teams wore white in rd 1 of the tourney. And that's before Wichita comes aboard....

The 3rd team is SMU. And they had one of the 1st 4 left out as well- so closer to 4 than they are 2.

scoscox wrote:UC, WSU, and... who?

SMU, I think

SMU is still benefiting from the Larry Brown era that recently ended. Same as UConn a couple years after Calhoun left. Just like UConn became mediocre to bad after Calhoun's fingerprints disappeared, SMU will become the same after Brown's are gone.

MullinMayhem wrote:SMU is still benefiting from the Larry Brown era that recently ended. Same as UConn a couple years after Calhoun left. Just like UConn became mediocre to bad after Calhoun's fingerprints disappeared, SMU will become the same after Brown's are gone.

And other programs are on the rise. Houston, UCF to name just 2. Temple will be much improved this year. The AAC should get 3 in easily, and if things broke right could easily get 5. I mean just looking at SMU shows one reason why. They don't see Temple, UConn, Tulsa, or Memphis but once. So while they see Wichita, UCF, and Cincy 2x- they avoid playing some good teams 2x. Means their conference record could be a lot stronger than you would think. That helps getting in the tourney.

And wouldn't count out UConn yet. They had a ton of injuries last year. They're healthy this year- so lets see where they are now. Could easily get in the tourney.

What is funny is if the AAC does break off and seperate themselves from the A10- and closer to the p5+BE- I think for the big East that's a good thing. Much fewer other teams with a real shot at at large spots. I mean look at the projection this year. A10 has 2 teams in(with 1 being the 35th of 36 at larges). WCC has 2 teams in. Those 2 conferences are the only outside conferences from the top 7. MWC has teams at #50(Nevada automatic) and then #56 San Diego St. But then nothing until like #80. I think the closer the AAC gets to the top 6 conferences, the more the perception of a split makes it that much tougher for those other conferences like the A10, MWC, etc.

stever20 wrote:

MullinMayhem wrote:SMU is still benefiting from the Larry Brown era that recently ended. Same as UConn a couple years after Calhoun left. Just like UConn became mediocre to bad after Calhoun's fingerprints disappeared, SMU will become the same after Brown's are gone.

And other programs are on the rise. Houston, UCF to name just 2. Temple will be much improved this year. The AAC should get 3 in easily, and if things broke right could easily get 5. I mean just looking at SMU shows one reason why. They don't see Temple, UConn, Tulsa, or Memphis but once. So while they see Wichita, UCF, and Cincy 2x- they avoid playing some good teams 2x. Means their conference record could be a lot stronger than you would think. That helps getting in the tourney.

And wouldn't count out UConn yet. They had a ton of injuries last year. They're healthy this year- so lets see where they are now. Could easily get in the tourney.

What is funny is if the AAC does break off and seperate themselves from the A10- and closer to the p5+BE- I think for the big East that's a good thing. Much fewer other teams with a real shot at at large spots. I mean look at the projection this year. A10 has 2 teams in(with 1 being the 35th of 36 at larges). WCC has 2 teams in. Those 2 conferences are the only outside conferences from the top 7. MWC has teams at #50(Nevada automatic) and then #56 San Diego St. But then nothing until like #80. I think the closer the AAC gets to the top 6 conferences, the more the perception of a split makes it that much tougher for those other conferences like the A10, MWC, etc.

Stever, not only does the AAC suck, even if they got 4 teams in the tourney this year they simply don't move the needle. St. John's in a terrible year playing a terrible G'Town team at MSG still drew a huge crowd. UCF vs. Houston while both teams are awful would be empty...you could hear a pin drop. It's not just how many teams you get in the tourney, it's the prestige and the namesake. People know Big East. People know G'Town, Nova, St. John's, etc. No one cares about UCF or Houston or especially Tulane or Tulsa (even if they are solid). The Big East has schools in basketball hotbeds along the Eastern seaboard for the most part. The AAC is a football conference first and basketball second. There's another difference. We clearly put hoops first and have the tradition. You seem totally sold on UConn, a team that has completely fallen off and has Ollie on the hotseat especially if they miss the tourney again. Can they make it this year? Sure, but the odds are against them. It's not just injuries, look at their past 3 seasons. They have to tamper with borderline top 150 recruits now to land them. Under Calhoun they landed pretty much whatever they wanted. That is very telling. Once again their football is pathetic, but they are all-in. Will go down as one of the dumbest decisions in NCAA history.