What's Up With Gonzaga?

[NJRedman]

As the days pass here, I'm becoming even more certain that we should add Gonzaga as soon as possible. I was on the fence until their run to the National Final this season.

To me, it isn't about staying ahead of the A-10, etc. It's about getting better and locking ourselves into the Top 2 conferences, and jumping to #1. Go from 7 bids in 2017, to adding the national finalist the following year.

The Zags are committed to their basketball program. The Big East has always been about building up programs. DePaul is the exception, but it's because the AD is an idiot. Gonzaga can play 2 or 3 games each year in Seattle (too bad the Kingdome wasn't still standing, site of the Hoyas' title game win), continue to hold their spot as the king of the Pacific Northwest.

The national final got huge ratings. Gonzaga is a great story and a household name. I'd love to have them in the Big East. 11 teams, round robin maintained.

Seattle is on the other side of the state from Spokane. It's like Villanova playing 2 or 3 games in Pittsburgh but if Pittsburgh was even farther west like almost Cincinnati.

[Bill Marsh]

As the days pass here, I'm becoming even more certain that we should add Gonzaga as soon as possible. I was on the fence until their run to the National Final this season.

To me, it isn't about staying ahead of the A-10, etc. It's about getting better and locking ourselves into the Top 2 conferences, and jumping to #1. Go from 7 bids in 2017, to adding the national finalist the following year.

The Zags are committed to their basketball program. The Big East has always been about building up programs. DePaul is the exception, but it's because the AD is an idiot. Gonzaga can play 2 or 3 games each year in Seattle (too bad the Kingdome wasn't still standing, site of the Hoyas' title game win), continue to hold their spot as the king of the Pacific Northwest.

The national final got huge ratings. Gonzaga is a great story and a household name. I'd love to have them in the Big East. 11 teams, round robin maintained.

Seattle is on the other side of the state from Spokane. It's like Villanova playing 2 or 3 games in Pittsburgh but if Pittsburgh was even farther west like almost Cincinnati.

Maybe it's more like Syracuse playing 2-3 games in NYC, something which they seem to find a way to do every year. Syracuse has a ton of alumni in The Big Apple just as Gonzaga has a ton of alums in Seattle. Villanova alums in Pittsburgh? Not so much.

Air miles between Spokane & Seattle = 220.
Air miles between Philly and Cincy = 506

[NJRedman]

As the days pass here, I'm becoming even more certain that we should add Gonzaga as soon as possible. I was on the fence until their run to the National Final this season.

To me, it isn't about staying ahead of the A-10, etc. It's about getting better and locking ourselves into the Top 2 conferences, and jumping to #1. Go from 7 bids in 2017, to adding the national finalist the following year.

The Zags are committed to their basketball program. The Big East has always been about building up programs. DePaul is the exception, but it's because the AD is an idiot. Gonzaga can play 2 or 3 games each year in Seattle (too bad the Kingdome wasn't still standing, site of the Hoyas' title game win), continue to hold their spot as the king of the Pacific Northwest.

The national final got huge ratings. Gonzaga is a great story and a household name. I'd love to have them in the Big East. 11 teams, round robin maintained.

Seattle is on the other side of the state from Spokane. It's like Villanova playing 2 or 3 games in Pittsburgh but if Pittsburgh was even farther west like almost Cincinnati.

Maybe it's more like Syracuse playing 2-3 games in NYC, something which they seem to find a way to do every year. Syracuse has a ton of alumni in The Big Apple just as Gonzaga has a ton of alums in Seattle. Villanova alums in Pittsburgh? Not so much.

Air miles between Spokane & Seattle = 220.
Air miles between Philly and Cincy = 506

Cuse doesn't play conference games in MSG, they play OOC games there sometimes.

Sorry so my first instinct was right. It's like Villanova playing in Pittsburgh. Yeah, thats totally normal for conferences to do during the season.

[Bill Marsh]

Seattle is on the other side of the state from Spokane. It's like Villanova playing 2 or 3 games in Pittsburgh but if Pittsburgh was even farther west like almost Cincinnati.

Maybe it's more like Syracuse playing 2-3 games in NYC, something which they seem to find a way to do every year. Syracuse has a ton of alumni in The Big Apple just as Gonzaga has a ton of alums in Seattle. Villanova alums in Pittsburgh? Not so much.

Air miles between Spokane & Seattle = 220.
Air miles between Philly and Cincy = 506

Cuse doesn't play conference games in MSG, they play OOC games there sometimes.

Sorry so my first instinct was right. It's like Villanova playing in Pittsburgh. Yeah, thats totally normal for conferences to do during the season.

Nope. It's nothing like that. Villanova doesn't have a big alumni base in Pittsburgh.

For years, UConn annually played some home conference games 65 miles away in New Haven. Years ago I attended a BC Big East home game against Georgetown in Springfield, Mass, 90 miles away from home. Missouri has played home games in St Louis and Indiana in Indianapolis. This isn't exactly a new concept.

You're making a big deal over this Seattle thing. And like it matters if they're conference games or not? It's just an idea for a way to promote Gonzaga and the conference. It's not a central point. But keep hammering away at a minor detail if you want.

[NJRedman]

Maybe it's more like Syracuse playing 2-3 games in NYC, something which they seem to find a way to do every year. Syracuse has a ton of alumni in The Big Apple just as Gonzaga has a ton of alums in Seattle. Villanova alums in Pittsburgh? Not so much.

Air miles between Spokane & Seattle = 220.
Air miles between Philly and Cincy = 506

Cuse doesn't play conference games in MSG, they play OOC games there sometimes.

Sorry so my first instinct was right. It's like Villanova playing in Pittsburgh. Yeah, thats totally normal for conferences to do during the season.

Nope. It's nothing like that. Villanova doesn't have a big alumni base in Pittsburgh.

For years, UConn annually played some home conference games 65 miles away in New Haven. Years ago I attended a BC Big East home game against Georgetown in Springfield, Mass, 90 miles away from home. Missouri has played home games in St Louis and Indiana in Indianapolis. This isn't exactly a new concept.

You're making a big deal over this Seattle thing. And like it matters if they're conference games or not? It's just an idea for a way to promote Gonzaga and the conference. It's not a central point. But keep hammering away at a minor detail if you want.

hahaha yup, 65 miles is the same as hundreds. Keep acting like we're all crazy for not seeing how obvious this move is. I don't think that dead horse has been beaten enough, give it a few more whacks Bill.

Back to your original question. Why do we need to add Gonzaga because the AAC is expanding it's BBall membership? They are trying to get ahead of the A-10. They wont be stealing a bid from us most years. WSU makes geographic sense for them since half their membership is close enough to the Shockers.

[Bill Marsh]

Maybe it's more like Syracuse playing 2-3 games in NYC, something which they seem to find a way to do every year. Syracuse has a ton of alumni in The Big Apple just as Gonzaga has a ton of alums in Seattle. Villanova alums in Pittsburgh? Not so much.

Air miles between Spokane & Seattle = 220.
Air miles between Philly and Cincy = 506

Cuse doesn't play conference games in MSG, they play OOC games there sometimes.

Sorry so my first instinct was right. It's like Villanova playing in Pittsburgh. Yeah, thats totally normal for conferences to do during the season.

Nope. It's nothing like that. Villanova doesn't have a big alumni base in Pittsburgh.

For years, UConn annually played some home conference games 65 miles away in New Haven. Years ago I attended a BC Big East home game against Georgetown in Springfield, Mass, 90 miles away from home. Missouri has played home games in St Louis and Indiana in Indianapolis. This isn't exactly a new concept.

You're making a big deal over this Seattle thing. And like it matters if they're conference games or not? It's just an idea for a way to promote Gonzaga and the conference. It's not a central point. But keep hammering away at a minor detail if you want.

hahaha yup, 65 miles is the same as hundreds. Keep acting like we're all crazy for not seeing how obvious this move is. I don't think that dead horse has been beaten enough, give it a few more whacks Bill.

I don't need to give it any more whacks. You're doing fine keeping this thread alive by yourself. And I don't think you're crazy nor do I think the move is obvious. I actually think you're doing a superb job of making the case against such an addition. I commend you for your arguments. Although I'm trying to make the case for the opposite POV, it doesn't mean I don't respect you or your position. I hope that the conference is doing as good a job as we are at examining the pros and the cons of such a move.

So 65 miles is okay but 220 is not? What's the magic number where we draw the line? Gonzag already has a history of hosing games there, so they seem to think it's okay for them as an off campus home away from home. And Syracuse can travel 250 miles to NYC but that's okay since it's not a conference game?

Back to your original question. Why do we need to add Gonzaga because the AAC is expanding it's BBall membership? They are trying to get ahead of the A-10. They wont be stealing a bid from us most years. WSU makes geographic sense for them since half their membership is close enough to the Shockers.

The AAC is not trying to get ahead of the A10. They're already ahead of them even with UConn and Memphis both having down years. I don't think it's bids they're trying to steal. It's eyeballs and TV ratings.

I actually think that Wichita makes absolutely no sense for them geographically. If you think that Spokane is small, check out Wichita's population. Recruiting territory? Laughable.

The biggest problem with Wichita's geography is that they don't solve the conference's main geography which is the isolation and spread of the East Coast schools in the AAC - especially UConn and Temple. For the same reasons, Tulsa with its small enrollment never made any sense. The Big 12's biggest problem is too many members in low population states - like Kansas and Oklahoma. Adding Wichita to the AAC would be like adding Houston to the Big 12. Sure, it's in the footprint, but it still leaves West Virginia isolated. VCU is the school that would be a much better basketball addition for the AAC would be a much better basketball addition.

The Big East doesn't "need" Gonzaga. I never said they did. I pointed out the possibility of GU being in conversations with the AAC and asked how anyone thought the Big East should respond if a Gonzaga move to the AAC seemed to be in the works. I favor being proactive in that situation and going after Gonzaga. But I think it's perfectly reasonable not to do so. I think the possibility presents a dilemma because an AAC with WSU, Gonzaga, and VCU added to its lineup creates a number of interesting matchups for them to market on TV regardless of how bad the bottom of the conference is. I hope the marketing geniuses at Fox can figure out how to beat the competition.