Add XU, Butler and Creighton and stop for now?

[Hoya]

Add Xavier, Butler and Creighton. The more I think of it I would probably just stop there. If we want to go to 12 later, we will always have plenty of choices, but let's see how things go with 10 before we expand too far and regret adding someone.

[pki1998]

I like this idea. It gives you time to evaluate if SLU is really going to be great on a consistant bases, and gives the possibility of a better east coast option to develop. I would love for the C7 Big East to go up to Boston U, and Northeastern, and tell them they have 5 years to improve their programs. Having a big school in the Boston area would be very good for the new league. But right now their basketball is so bad that you can't even consider adding them.

[BillEsq]

Add Xavier, Butler and Creighton. The more I think of it I would probably just stop there. If we want to go to 12 later, we will always have plenty of choices, but let's see how things go with 10 before we expand too far and regret adding someone.

Also plenty of time to give up hundreds of thousands of dollars of year. I mean if realignment has shown us nothing else, money is not a factor .

[BillEsq]

I like this idea. It gives you time to evaluate if SLU is really going to be great on a consistent bases, and gives the possibility of a better east coast option to develop. I would love for the C7 Big East to go up to Boston U, and Northeastern, and tell them they have 5 years to improve their programs. Having a big school in the Boston area would be very good for the new league. But right now their basketball is so bad that you can't even consider adding them.

Since 1990 SLU has played similar RPI strength to what will be in the new C7. They have only 5 loosing seasons while also having 7 twenty plus winning seasons and a record clearly over .500. They have consistently played a high SOS in fact of all the potential incoming teams only Dayton and Xavier come close to playing as tough as a SOS over 20 years. SLU, even if it reverts to its "old ways" will be expected to finish in the top half of the conference. In that 20 year period playing teams such as Marquette, DePaul (when they were good) Louisville, Memphis, Cincinnati, Xavier, Temple, Dayton, Richmond and just recently newcomers Butler and VCU. I will also point out that SLU has never been a member of a true mid-major conference and has never considered itself a mid-major nor been considered a mid-major as far as basketball is concerned. Because of this SLU's stats are not as gaudy as other teams who played in minor conferences and generated wins over low-midmajor talent. So if your concern is SLU's consistent ability to compete you will have no fear, they already have done this over a long period of time with now 5 different coaches going back to 1990. If great means a NCAA bid of 5 or better every year outside of the Duke's, Kansas, UK, and NC's of the world no school meets your criteria, I would also suggest that even these schools would have trouble meeting that criteria.


Yes I know i'm obviously a SLU backer but to be fair i'm not arguing what we will be like at our best i am arguing that we would make the cut at our worst. I also think that if we haven't shown that we deserve to be in now we don't deserve to be in at all (see duquesne) Personally, as i have said I think FOX and market size will have us in even if we were around .500 last year and this year with no tourney chance. So I do not know what you consider "great" but Slu is more that ready to compete, and don't be surprised if as soon as we get in we spend our time in the top half of your conference with your "elite" teams... its just what we do.

[realchiliwarrior]

This also serves as a window to put DuhPaul on the clock. Give them two seasons to show an indication that they have a pulse and if they swing and miss flush them.

[pki1998]

Since 1990 SLU has played similar RPI strength to what will be in the new C7. They have only 5 loosing seasons while also having 7 twenty plus winning seasons and a record clearly over .500. They have consistently played a high SOS in fact of all the potential incoming teams only Dayton and Xavier come close to playing as tough as a SOS over 20 years. SLU, even if it reverts to its "old ways" will be expected to finish in the top half of the conference. In that 20 year period playing teams such as Marquette, DePaul (when they were good) Louisville, Memphis, Cincinnati, Xavier, Temple, Dayton, Richmond and just recently newcomers Butler and VCU. I will also point out that SLU has never been a member of a true mid-major conference and has never considered itself a mid-major nor been considered a mid-major as far as basketball is concerned. Because of this SLU's stats are not as gaudy as other teams who played in minor conferences and generated wins over low-midmajor talent. So if your concern is SLU's consistent ability to compete you will have no fear, they already have done this over a long period of time with now 5 different coaches going back to 1990. If great means a NCAA bid of 5 or better every year outside of the Duke's, Kansas, UK, and NC's of the world no school meets your criteria, I would also suggest that even these schools would have trouble meeting that criteria.


Yes I know i'm obviously a SLU backer but to be fair i'm not arguing what we will be like at our best i am arguing that we would make the cut at our worst. I also think that if we haven't shown that we deserve to be in now we don't deserve to be in at all (see duquesne) Personally, as i have said I think FOX and market size will have us in even if we were around .500 last year and this year with no tourney chance. So I do not know what you consider "great" but Slu is more that ready to compete, and don't be surprised if as soon as we get in we spend our time in the top half of your conference with your "elite" teams... its just what we do.

I like SLU, and honestly it would be a tough choice for me to choose between SLU and Creighton. I am a Xavier fan and I consider the A-10 to be a mid major conference. I will agree that CUSA before UC, Louiville, Depaul, and Marquette left for the Big East, and St Louis and Charlotte joined the A-10 was a great conference, and that SLU did well in that conference. The same can be said about the Great Midwest. I though SLU would come in and challenge Temple St Joe's and Xavier to be the class of the A-10 conference. SLU has been a good conference member no doubt, but since joining the A-10 they have finished 3rd (tied), 7th (tied), 9th (tied), 9th, 4th, 10th (tied), and second. After soundly betting a surprisingly good LaSalle team they can finish no worst than tied for first this year. I've love the new arena, and the emphasis the school has placed on the basketball team. But they muddled in the middle of the A-10 for a few years, and have really turned it around since the Majerus hire.

[pki1998]

This also serves as a window to put DuhPaul on the clock. Give them two seasons to show an indication that they have a pulse and if they swing and miss flush them.

Oliver Purnell is a good coach. He did a great job with bring back Dayton from the abysis. And did a good job with ODU, and Clemson. I think DePaul will get things turned around soon. I think I read something a while ago about them possibly building a new arena or using the united center. That would be a big upgrade for DePaul and have to help with recruiting. But lets be honest they C7 will not kick anyone out of the conference. If they would could they justify kicking out the Chicago school? TV markets mean something. Its one of the reasons why I wouldn't be completely shocked if a BU or a Northeastern was added just to get into the Boston market. Don't get me wrong I would give that less than 1% chance of happening right now, but I would see the reasoning. If you say there is no chance, explain Rutgers being added to the Big Ten

[BillikensWin]

It may happen, but it will be harder to leave out the A-10 champions this year!

[James]

I think 10 is a great number for now.

For all that SLU have going for them, something in my gut tells me they're going to be the 13th team looking from the outside when all is done. I think there's more appetite for Dayton and Richmond from the powers that be in the C7. I can't see St Johns, Georgetown, Nova, PC and Seton Hall going for 7 Midwest teams and I just feel that Dayton are a cert. I've no particular preference or agenda, as I say it's just a feeling I have.

[realchiliwarrior]

This also serves as a window to put DuhPaul on the clock. Give them two seasons to show an indication that they have a pulse and if they swing and miss flush them.

Oliver Purnell is a good coach. He did a great job with bring back Dayton from the abysis. And did a good job with ODU, and Clemson. I think DePaul will get things turned around soon. I think I read something a while ago about them possibly building a new arena or using the united center. That would be a big upgrade for DePaul and have to help with recruiting. But lets be honest they C7 will not kick anyone out of the conference. If they would could they justify kicking out the Chicago school? TV markets mean something. Its one of the reasons why I wouldn't be completely shocked if a BU or a Northeastern was added just to get into the Boston market. Don't get me wrong I would give that less than 1% chance of happening right now, but I would see the reasoning. If you say there is no chance, explain Rutgers being added to the Big Ten

Dangle the carrot of Big East membership in front of U of I-Chicago (UIC) and I predict they will resurrecte their program before DuhPaul. The reason is the ability to recruit in Chicago with Coach Howard Moore. Granted they are a state school and thus do not pass the private school test but they have no football and an on campus arena. Enrollment is similar to DuhPaul.