Knee jerk reactions on your team

[Lavinwood]

I don't get what the big issue is with Xavier…I remember they played as well as any major conference team not too long ago. Didn't they make something like 12 or 15 straight NCAA appearances? And they didn't just make the tourney, they always seemed to go far. Welcome addition to the Big East IMO.

I'm not sure what the "big issue is with Xavier" either.

Just a little bit of history and perspective. Many of us are heavily outnumbered at work and in our neighborhoods by UC fans. For years we had to defend the A-10 and listen to how tough the Big East was and how crappy the A-10 was. As a result, many of us, myself included, rooted against the Big East. Old habits die hard for some, but most normal Xavier fans are thrilled to death about being in the Big East a are now cheering loudly and enthusiastically for our Big East brethren.

Also, although I enjoy Dumpster Fire's posts, I don't consider the A-10 to be a crappy league, particularly at the top.

I'm glad that before Cincy left that my Johnnies beat them 2/3 of their last meetings…both times when they were ranked 15 and 23 ish and we were unranked. We gave them fits and it was fun. We also stole Obekpa from them

[GumbyDamnit!]

We need to come together as a conference and not think of ourselves as the C7 or the new3 but as the Big East 10.

The more I read this board I'm not even sure the divide is C7 and new 3 so much as the five original schools, the CUSA transfers, and the new three schools.

I actually don't agree with this at all as it relates to Marq. As a LONG time BE and Nova fan I can only give you my perspective. Maybe Westbrook36 can weigh in as well... I got into a little trouble a few months back by saying that I considered MU more of a BE team than teams like SHU and Prov. My point was that they contributed more to the brand than the others have for quite some time. Did it take a couple years for me, in order for MU to "earn their stripes?". Absolutely. Like some of the XU fans have said when you spend a lot of years rooting for certain schools, and against others outside your conference, you can't just switch alliances over night. But Marq has been making the tourney consistently and making their runs and I really admire their program as a peer. They have been a big part of why Fox came calling with bags of $--along with Nova, Gtwn, and SJU (because of NYC)--as each brought the most value to this new league from the oBE. DePaul has not done anything of note. For the past decade they have been on the lowest rung of BE schools, along with Rutgers, which was the embarrassment of the league in every way.

Fast forward to the 3 new schools... I am guessing it will take a little bit of time--home and homes and a year of rooting for each OOC and in the tourney--and some individual success, for me to start placing them near the top of the pecking order in my mind. But each of you guys are making it easy. I love GM's game and the enthusiasm in Omaha. I've always seen a lot of similarities in XU and Nova's program; always thought that the 2 would make great natural rivals. And Butler has been to more FF's recently than any of us.

So that's my $0.02. Couldn't be happier to have you new guys here, but I really hope each of you turn out to be more Marq and less DePaul.

[XU85]

I don't get what the big issue is with Xavier…I remember they played as well as any major conference team not too long ago. Didn't they make something like 12 or 15 straight NCAA appearances? And they didn't just make the tourney, they always seemed to go far. Welcome addition to the Big East IMO.

I'm not sure what the "big issue is with Xavier" either.

Just a little bit of history and perspective. Many of us are heavily outnumbered at work and in our neighborhoods by UC fans. For years we had to defend the A-10 and listen to how tough the Big East was and how crappy the A-10 was. As a result, many of us, myself included, rooted against the Big East. Old habits die hard for some, but most normal Xavier fans are thrilled to death about being in the Big East a are now cheering loudly and enthusiastically for our Big East brethren.

Also, although I enjoy Dumpster Fire's posts, I don't consider the A-10 to be a crappy league, particularly at the top.

I'm glad that before Cincy left that my Johnnies beat them 2/3 of their last meetings…both times when they were ranked 15 and 23 ish and we were unranked. We gave them fits and it was fun. We also stole Obekpa from them

Indeed! Great work.

Imagine the irony if the annual X/UC game moves back to on campus sites and UC and fans have to watch their team play at Xavier with the Big East emblem on the floor...

[HoosierPal]

Well the Dawgs just might be a little better than I had predicted. My pre-season guess was the first loss being at BSU. We've won three games we could have easily lost, but sometimes the breaks go your way.

[Bulldog_Muskie]

Well the Dawgs just might be a little better than I had predicted. My pre-season guess was the first loss being at BSU. We've won three games we could have easily lost, but sometimes the breaks go your way.

They actually surprised me quite a bit. If they put in the effort to improve their free throws they could be pretty good(i.e bubble team). All of their games wouldn't have been nearly as close if they hit those.

[JohnT]

I'd be interested in everyone rethinking this. I think PC can go .500 in the BigEast without Dunn, but anything more would be beyond my wildest dreams.

[stever20]

I'd be interested in everyone rethinking this. I think PC can go .500 in the BigEast without Dunn, but anything more would be beyond my wildest dreams.

to me that sounds about right....

Any clue on the Austin suspension? And, if he doesn't play at all this year- was he good enough that he could declare himself eligible for the NBA draft, and never play a minute at PC?

[dmac80]

I'd be interested in everyone rethinking this. I think PC can go .500 in the BigEast without Dunn, but anything more would be beyond my wildest dreams.

to me that sounds about right....

Any clue on the Austin suspension? And, if he doesn't play at all this year- was he good enough that he could declare himself eligible for the NBA draft, and never play a minute at PC?

The latest on the 2 freshman is that there was some 'undisclosed on campus incident' that is still working its way through some sort of judiciary process. This is from Kevin McNamara of the Providence Journal. Whether that is a school only process, public courts, etc I don't know. (I assume if it was a court system thing we'd have heard about the details, and since that has not happened it must be in house only, but I'm not familiar with that sort of stuff). Word is there is "a chance" they don't play for the entire rest of the season. Or they could get the issue resolved and be given 'time served'. We have to wait. It sucks.

PC with Dunn and the 2 frosh, based on what we've seen from them with Dunn when he's able to play so far would be really really good. Without him they simply don't have the bodies. I think they could have given Kentucky a very real threat with those 3 in uniform last weekend. Really really frustrating.

[stever20]

totally agree. I think even if they just had Dunn on Sunday, it's a lot different. Cotton(for maybe the first time that i'd seen this year) just wore out 2nd half. Dunn would have helped that a lot.