Add Dayton and VCU

[EMT]

Providence fans would take exception to the addition of UConn being a no brainer the same way that X fans take exception to Dayton. The 2 schools are only an hour apart and historically PC and URI have both recruited stars from CT.

I doubt that Butler fans would welcome ND either.

Providence would have no problem with UConn. If they had a problem with UConn, Dave Gavitt wouldn't have invited them in the 1st place.

That's like saying X wouldn't have a problem with Dayton because they were in the A10 together. It was a different world back in 1979 where travel was largely by bus which took longer than plane flights do today. Using the 1979 model, it would be just as valid to say that Gavitt would have had a problem with adding schools from the Midwest since he didn't invite any.

Bill Marsh,

You are definitely passionate about this forum and college basketball and add a lot of great discussion points. I think the reason that some people have a problem with you is that you portray yourself as an expert in just about every thread that you post in.

You just don't know what you're talking about if you think that PC fans would take an exception to the addition of UConn. It would obviously have to be on terms favorable to the BE. PC is all about what's best for the conference. A stronger conference is better for PC. UConn makes the conference stronger. PC has been trying to set up a long term home & home series with UConn since they left the BE. Over the years, UConn took PC's title as the basketball capital of New England. PC continues to try to take it back. They can never take it back if the teams don't play. Until the reorganization of the BE, more PC fans considered UConn to be our biggest rival, even over URI.

[FenwayFriar]

Providence would have no problem with UConn. If they had a problem with UConn, Dave Gavitt wouldn't have invited them in the 1st place.

That's like saying X wouldn't have a problem with Dayton because they were in the A10 together. It was a different world back in 1979 where travel was largely by bus which took longer than plane flights do today. Using the 1979 model, it would be just as valid to say that Gavitt would have had a problem with adding schools from the Midwest since he didn't invite any.

Bill Marsh,

You are definitely passionate about this forum and college basketball and add a lot of great discussion points. I think the reason that some people have a problem with you is that you portray yourself as an expert in just about every thread that you post in.

You just don't know what you're talking about if you think that PC fans would take an exception to the addition of UConn. It would obviously have to be on terms favorable to the BE. PC is all about what's best for the conference. A stronger conference is better for PC. UConn makes the conference stronger. PC has been trying to set up a long term home & home series with UConn since they left the BE. Over the years, UConn took PC's title as the basketball capital of New England. PC continues to try to take it back. They can never take it back if the teams don't play. Until the reorganization of the BE, more PC fans considered UConn to be our biggest rival, even over URI.

EMT, you don't know what you're talking about if you think PC fans wouldn't take an exception with the addition of UConn. Have you ever been on ScoutFriars? It's a pretty clear 60/40 split of not wanting them to join/wanting them to join. Don't know how you think you can speak for an entire fan base?

[billyjack]

Couple-few things:

- I think the quotes above have gotten scrambled... I'm not sure which person wrote what paragraphs.
- Bill Marsh is easily among my favorite posters.
- At what point did Bill Marsh gain the title of "Holy Land of Hoops Resident Know-It-All"...??? I thought I owned that title! Or maybe stever. In any case, Bill is going to have to take it from me by force.
.

[Bill Marsh]

Providence would have no problem with UConn. If they had a problem with UConn, Dave Gavitt wouldn't have invited them in the 1st place.

That's like saying X wouldn't have a problem with Dayton because they were in the A10 together. It was a different world back in 1979 where travel was largely by bus which took longer than plane flights do today. Using the 1979 model, it would be just as valid to say that Gavitt would have had a problem with adding schools from the Midwest since he didn't invite any.

Bill Marsh,

You are definitely passionate about this forum and college basketball and add a lot of great discussion points. I think the reason that some people have a problem with you is that you portray yourself as an expert in just about every thread that you post in.

You just don't know what you're talking about if you think that PC fans would take an exception to the addition of UConn. It would obviously have to be on terms favorable to the BE. PC is all about what's best for the conference. A stronger conference is better for PC. UConn makes the conference stronger. PC has been trying to set up a long term home & home series with UConn since they left the BE. Over the years, UConn took PC's title as the basketball capital of New England. PC continues to try to take it back. They can never take it back if the teams don't play. Until the reorganization of the BE, more PC fans considered UConn to be our biggest rival, even over URI.

EMT, thanks for the feedback. It's hard for any of us to know how we come across on a message board since it's not the same as a real life conversation. So I take your suggestion as much needed and constructive input. Not my intent to come across as a self-appointed expert, which would just make me a pompous ass - not a status to which I aspire. I will tone it down so that I am less "expert". As I see it, mine is simply one opinion. Not better or worse than anyone else's. But live and learn.

As for PC fans' attitudes toward a return of UConn to the Big East, I actually agree with that portion of the fan base. I have no problem with UConn coming back although I doubt that they ever will. My point was that PC fans would have every right to object - and many do - in just the same way that X fans object to Dayton. If as you say, PC would welcome UConn back, would welcome the challenge of battling them for regional supremacy, why wouldn't we hold X fans to that same standard in their attitude toward Dayton? And OTOH, if X fans want to reserve the right to veto Dayton, why do we see so many posters enthused about recruiting UConn without regard to the impact of their membership on PC? It just seems like a double standard to me. Just my 2 cents.

[_lh]

As for PC fans' attitudes toward a return of UConn to the Big East, I actually agree with that portion of the fan base. I have no problem with UConn coming back although I doubt that they ever will. My point was that PC fans would have every right to object - and many do - in just the same way that X fans object to Dayton. If as you say, PC would welcome UConn back, would welcome the challenge of battling them for regional supremacy, why wouldn't we hold X fans to that same standard in their attitude toward Dayton? And OTOH, if X fans want to reserve the right to veto Dayton, why do we see so many posters enthused about recruiting UConn without regard to the impact of their membership on PC? It just seems like a double standard to me. Just my 2 cents.

No double standard. I think what you are missing or simply ignoring is UCONN is a far better addition on so many levels than UD. UCONN is a national brand with multiple recent national titles in both men's and women's basketball. They are a borderline blue blood. UD is not in the same area code.

Pipe dream or not, adding UCONN, ND or Kansas is a wow factor. Adding UD or any A10 or Valley team is a meh factor. I have no problem if Providence wants to veto UCONN. The BE is great with the 10 we have.

[Xudash]

EMT, thanks for the feedback. It's hard for any of us to know how we come across on a message board since it's not the same as a real life conversation. So I take your suggestion as much needed and constructive input. Not my intent to come across as a self-appointed expert, which would just make me a pompous ass - not a status to which I aspire. I will tone it down so that I am less "expert". As I see it, mine is simply one opinion. Not better or worse than anyone else's. But live and learn.

As for PC fans' attitudes toward a return of UConn to the Big East, I actually agree with that portion of the fan base. I have no problem with UConn coming back although I doubt that they ever will. My point was that PC fans would have every right to object - and many do - in just the same way that X fans object to Dayton. If as you say, PC would welcome UConn back, would welcome the challenge of battling them for regional supremacy, why wouldn't we hold X fans to that same standard in their attitude toward Dayton? And OTOH, if X fans want to reserve the right to veto Dayton, why do we see so many posters enthused about recruiting UConn without regard to the impact of their membership on PC? It just seems like a double standard to me. Just my 2 cents.

This is a fair point. I also think it's pretty clear that conference mates will support conference mates in all this. Frankly, I have been on record here as liking the idea of UCONN back to the BE because of that program's resume. However, for what its worth, I would be the first to support Providence if it took the position that it didn't want UCONN back in the BE for its reasons.

Where I think you fall down in all this is mentioning Dayton and UCONN in a kind of a same breath, as though they're comparable or interchangeable. They're not. They aren't even close, and that is obvious to about everyone. The other fallacy that seems to be bubbling up around here when it comes to thoughts and recommendations on expansion has to do with comparing past situations to present ones, thinking that one era has the same dynamics and considerations as another. The Big East when it was formed versus conferences now? UCONN back then versus UCONN, as one example, now?

Jaxalum was rather brilliant in his recent flame throwing session. It was enjoyable reading, and, frankly, it was bluntly true.

Does the Big East need to expand right now for any reason? No, even taking television ratings in 2016 and 2017 into consideration. The conference's performance to-date since the reboot speaks for itself, and that is without Georgetown, St. Johns and DePaul being fully online yet. Besides, as has been noted, the media business model most likely is going to morph into something other than what it is today. Taking action now that may not address a material unknown isn't exactly a good idea.

Nonetheless, would the Big East expand preemptively and now were UCONN and ND at the front door of our offices in NYC, asking to join us? Yes, most likely; that would be chalked up as a strategic move that has nothing to do with current position or other present factors. But we all know that probably isn't happening.

Otherwise, if this is about REACTING to what's going on out there now in an attempt to address television viewership numbers via added content now, I can't help you or anyone who believes that adding Dayton right now is the right thing for accomplishing that.

The UD fans who post here are proud of their school and that's all good. But, as an aside, they seem to provide updates on UD without realizing that our schools are investing, too. As partial examples, look at what Providence, Nova, Georgetown and DePaul have going on or recently completed. Beyond the $25 million Cintas Center renovation going on now, Xavier University and TriHealth recently announced that they are teaming up to build a fitness and recreation center in the University Station footprint: "A 10-year affiliation between XU and the hospital system, which was revealed today, includes a commitment to build a national model of excellence for collegiate health and wellness. The fitness center will serve as the medical home for the initiative." They're still figuring out the scale and layout of this thing, but I understand that it will be a blowout when it's completed, and it's THE last key missing piece for that campus.

The point is that we remain very strong and solid at 10 and with the round robin producing net positive benefits for us. We actually may have to expand some day. We just don't HAVE to do that now, and we certainly don't HAVE to do it as a REACTION to what other programs are doing presently.

[stever20]

Couple-few things:

- I think the quotes above have gotten scrambled... I'm not sure which person wrote what paragraphs.
- Bill Marsh is easily among my favorite posters.
- At what point did Bill Marsh gain the title of "Holy Land of Hoops Resident Know-It-All"...??? I thought I owned that title! Or maybe stever. In any case, Bill is going to have to take it from me by force.
.

Amen about Marsh. Definitely one of my top 5 posters with all the moderators, Gumby, Westbrook, etc. Love talking hoops with everyone.

my thought on the topic. I don't think the Big East expands for another 4-5 years. But I think as this TV deal and also more importantly the MSG deal start to come into play, I think the league is absolutely going to be forced to expand to 12. 12 would get the league a whole extra session at MSG. Which is important in the scheme of things. I mean right now the ACC has I guess 3 more sessions than the Big East does. Big Ten has 2 more sessions. That's more revenue for MSG. It's also going to be a very different animal in the Football Conferences world, as if the big 12 goes, you have all 4 conferences with at least 12 and likely at least 14 teams. Means no round robins in those conferences which makes it easier to get 9 teams in like we saw this year with the ACC-and remember from the Big East in the 16 team days... So I think it's going to get increasingly more difficult to remain at 10 when all of the peers are at least at 14.

[EMT]

EMT, you don't know what you're talking about if you think PC fans wouldn't take an exception with the addition of UConn. Have you ever been on ScoutFriars? It's a pretty clear 60/40 split of not wanting them to join/wanting them to join. Don't know how you think you can speak for an entire fan base?

Haven't been to that site in years. Coren & Hartnett let that place get totally out of control. I apologize if I came across as speaking for the entire fan base.

[Dwon]

VCU is the Gonzaga of the east coast.On the other hand ,The big east went from the best basketball conference to not even a power 5 in a matter of a year.Latest word on the streets Dayton , VCU and WSU are moving to the AAC.The catholic 7.Ahhhh ,as I crack open my sprite and grab the popcorn.

[gosports1]

this PC fan doesn't really care about UConn. they are not coming back. I think there should be a PC-UConn series but if it doesn't happen I will still sleep at night