Should the A-10 Add Wichita and UNI?

[NJRedman]

We aren't buying UNI under any circumstances. Add up their merit and compare it to the BE checklist and they flunk every category that I can think of.

What are you talking about? No one said we were or wanted to add UNI. But if im UNI or any other mid-major I would want to raise my profile and play in the best mid-major conference and the A-10 with those two are that conference. Who knows, in 10 years when our contract is up and those two have been in the A-10 for 8 years things could look very different. I would like all of our options in the same conference so we can get a better understanding of who is as good as who. Hard to tell when comparing schools in different conferences. I'm not advocating for expanding now, but when our contract is starting to wind down you better bet we as a conference will at the very least LOOK at the possibility of inviting new members. It's also good for those in the MVC to be in a deeper and historically stronger conference.

[TBC Alum]

Coming from the Valley and watching what they have become, I wonder how long Gregggg Marshall and Ben Jacobson remain with their respective programs. Cripes, UNI was lost 3 games all year and is a 5 seed? The Tards lose 4 and they are a 7? The league is a boat anchor and they have to know this.

So I see 2 options, the two programs jump ship or the 2 coaches leave. Personally, I'm betting on the coaches leaving. Marshall peaked last year and had opportunities to go but didn't. I suspect more offers will come and, to me, he will be more likely to consider them.

Jacobson is a stand-up guy that does things well and the right way. (I think he would be a good get for DePaul, but I digress.) He's had success keeping things together with duct tape (see HDMD's comments earlier.) A person can only do things like that for so long.

If the coaches leave, the programs are in big trouble. I see UNI sinking into the bottom part of a sad league. Wichita has had success finding up and coming coaches (Turgeon was there for example before Marshall.) However, the current state of the MVC makes attracting talent that much tougher.

[XtoDC]

If the A-10 came calling I think both of those schools would be idiots to turn it down, and my guess is they would say yes before the question was finished. Some of you posters don't think those schools want more exposure and access for recruiting the east coast? Money might be a short term problem, but the people making the final call like the school presidents will be making decisions based on how it will affect the school in the long term. Long term the Atlantic 10 is clearly the best option. And UNI would say no to the A-10 because it is waiting on a MAC deal that may never materialize? Temple and UMass said 'NO' to the MAC every single year for a reason, that would be a terrible decision.

The Atlantic 10 should absolutely make those calls to Wichita and UNI. Someone earlier in the thread said that would get them to 16 teams and I'll take his word for it. The A-10 operated at 16 teams for several years, so they are pretty familiar with it. It would also make them a clear step above the AAC and they could occasionally fight for being the 6th or possibly 5th best basketball conference in a given year if everything breaks right and other conferences are down.

[pki1998]

I say no. I don't see the A-10 Expanding in the Midwest. I believe Big East expansion will come in the next five years, when that happens I have to assume that either St Louis, or Dayton will be the team picked in the Midwest, if we got to 14 teams it could even be both of them. I don't see UNI and Wichita wanting to play in a conference where the next closes team for them is in Pittsburgh, PA. The MVC should really hope that we add Dayton, and not St Louis. That might be enough for St Louis to leave the A-10 and join the MVC.

If the A-10 adds schools I think it will happen along the eastern seaboard. Siena, would likely be the best schools. Opens up a new Market within their geographic footprint. draws reasonably well, and had some success about 5-10 years ago. Probably would help fill a few seats in Barclays for their tournament. Maybe they could afford to take the chance on developing a program like Loyola MD, Northeastern, Boston U, or Canisus for a presence in a new major market. But when you look at that list of schools you can see why they have no incentive to add anyone. In the Midwest ( Outside of crossing the Mississippi and getting in to Kansas and Iowa). What are the Candidates? Detroit Mercy? Loyola Chicago? One of the low level state schools in Ohio, Indiana or Wisconsin? They have a decent conference right now, better to stand pat, and deal with expansion down the road.

[handdownmandown]

Redman - two things : I think you are greatly underestimating the severity of the hand-to-mouth existence of the teams in the league - if they can't swing it NOW, they'll stay put. Plus, I stand behind my MAC comment; they see FBS membership as something that will drive revenue, not a modest league upgrade.

I used to read their board quite a bit when we were stuck in the Valley and I can't remember a mention of the A10 from their fans, and those were their Farokhmanesh Sweet 16 days, where their luster is similar.

The other thing is that even with hoops success, I see no way a public directional Iowa school that has joke facilities, milquetoast academics, no money, not much ambition, and sees itself as much a football school in the future as a hoops one, will ever even get a sniff from a board comprised of reps from the current 10 colleges. That's what threw me, since the A10 would undoubtedly be the end for them unless the AAC would substitute for their MAC desires.

[NJRedman]

Redman - two things : I think you are greatly underestimating the severity of the hand-to-mouth existence of the teams in the league - if they can't swing it NOW, they'll stay put. Plus, I stand behind my MAC comment; they see FBS membership as something that will drive revenue, not a modest league upgrade.

I used to read their board quite a bit when we were stuck in the Valley and I can't remember a mention of the A10 from their fans, and those were their Farokhmanesh Sweet 16 days, where their luster is similar.

The other thing is that even with hoops success, I see no way a public directional Iowa school that has joke facilities, milquetoast academics, no money, not much ambition, and sees itself as much a football school in the future as a hoops one, will ever even get a sniff from a board comprised of reps from the current 10 colleges. That's what threw me, since the A10 would undoubtedly be the end for them unless the AAC would substitute for their MAC desires.

A-10 in a much different situation now than then. Also, not saying it's in the works so don't know why fans would be talking about it.

Davidson is a VERY small school (1,800 students) in north carolina, UMass is a large state school (28K students), Fordham is a private school in NYC. The A-10 is a mix of every kind of school out there. From public to private secular and religious. No one is an outsider in that league.

[Bluejay]

Those two were are conference mates for a long time. Creighton fans know those schools and fanbases inside and out. Both our head coach and athletic director our alums of UNI.

WSU may have one of the most obnoxious, loud, fat, and insecure fanbases in the country, but it is very large and loyal. They travel very well. UNI's fanbase might be the whitest in America, is not very large at all and doesn't travel well at all. Most UNI fans care more about their FB program than they do about basketball (heck, there are some UNI fans that care more about wrestling than they do about basketball). Also, if forced to choose, most of the UNI fanbase, including many UNI students, actually care more about Univ. of Iowa sports than they do UNI. Although I hate them with an undying passion, WSU would be a solid add by any basketball only conference without academic standards. UNI, on the other hand would be a bad add.

That being said, I don't see that the A 10 would want either school at the present. With the departures of Xavier and Butler to the Big East, St Louis and to a lesser extent, Dayton, are really the only school lefts that aren't strictly in the east. Considering the status of many of the A 10 school's athletic budgets and the lack of a big money TV deal, I doubt there would be a lot of interest in adding many western schools and having to incur the expenses to send olympic sports that far west.

[TrueBlueJay]

Those two were are conference mates for a long time. Creighton fans know those schools and fanbases inside and out. Both our head coach and athletic director our alums of UNI.

I don't like to be "that" guy, but please just tell me you were kidding when you wrote this.

[jfan]

For those of you that don't speak Valley, Tards comes from Wichitard State (not PC) They are also called WCC for Wichita Community College. While I respect the abilities of the coach and the team, the fan base is exactly as has been described above, only worse. They would make any forum unreadable in short order. Probably not a consideration for choosing a team, but it would happen. UNI just doesn't seem to be a good long term fit. When they lose Jacobson, I'm not sure they have the money or the will to keep up. Wichita does and, except for their very strange message board fans, would be a good addition for BB. Their commitment to educational standards would be an issue to look at for the league. If we do expand, they should get a look ( can't believe I said that).

[ivet]

For those of you that don't speak Valley, Tards comes from Wichitard State (not PC) They are also called WCC for Wichita Community College.

Wichita Community College is pretty funny. What do they call you guys?