We need to be in the Whatever conference talk

[Avid Flyer]

So who in the hell is closing threads just because they don't like the topic. Thought this site was open to opinions and discussions. With all the crap you allow on here Chris why close this one.

So go ahead close this one two we'll just open a red 4th or whatever.

[Avid Flyer]

BTW SLUFLYER if you don't like a thread then don't go there, let those who have an opinion express it. Either join it with the appropriate thread, move to off topic but to silence Priders is bush league especially with all the crap that's put on UDPRIDE daily.

Is this msg board for all flyer fans or just a few.

BTW this topic is being discussed on flyerhoops and not being deleted or closed.

[OSU Flyer]

Maybe we should change the Big East thread to all things conference discussion and keep it all under one roof

[Avid Flyer]

If we're thinking of forming a new conference a national one as I suggested couple years ago made up of West coast, Midwest and east coast teams.

Gonzaga
San Diego
St Mary's

Smu
Byu
Chicago loyola
SLU
Memphis

Dayton
VCU
GW
Duq

Just throwing names out there.

Bball schools play everyone, Olympic sports play teams in b their region to cut down on expenses for travel etc. Winners of each region play for conference title.

Bball playoff like it is now.

Just a thought.

	Duquesne DUQUESNE Duquesne University is a private, coeducational university, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania located on 48 secluded acres, on a bluff above downtown. Founded in 1878 as a Catholic college by the Order of the Holy Spirit. It is the only Spiritan institution of higher education in the world. Duquesne offers 10 schools of study and 100 degree programs to 6,000 undergraduates and 3,800 graduate students. Fellow members of the A10 Conference. Nickname is the Dukes.

	Saint Louis SAINT LOUIS Saint Louis University is a Jesuit, Catholic university ranked among the top research institutions in the nation. The University fosters the intellectual and character development of more than 12,700 students. Founded in 1818, it is the oldest university west of the Mississippi and the second oldest Jesuit university in the United States. Located in St. Louis, MO, and just five minutes from the Gateway Arch, SLU offers 85 undergraduate programs and over 50 graduate study tracks. Over 99% of the SLU faculty hold the highest degree in their respective fields. Fellow member of the A10 Conference. Nickname is the Billikens, but also commonly known as "Sloo", the phonetic pronunciation of the school's initials. Athletic claims to fame include multiple national titles in men's soccer and men's basketball star Larry Hughes.

[ud2]

Is there any way that the A10 could raid CUSA and add Western Kentucky? The WKU football team would have to remain in CUSA.

The Hilltoppers are an attractive program IMO, they have had somewhat regular NCAAT and NIT appearances, and they are in the A10's geographic footprint.

Their arena seats 7,326, but it used to seat 13,508, I was surprised at that large capacity.

And Kobe Bryant's dad played there, lol.

And they are in the NIT Final 4 this year.

Plus, Ray Harper used to be the head man there, what more reason do you need?!?!

[Avid Flyer]

I'd welcome the hilltopers in heartbeat. Just need to drain the A10 and replace with quality teams.

I know UD was at the bottom when they joined but the U committed to the progrsm. Too many presently in the A10 not commited.

[Viperstick]

Don't know who decided to close the original GM thread, but agree with Avid about not closing threads. This is a separate thought line from the Big East thread.

That said, the idea of a GM2 makes me want to curl up in the fetal position due to our B-grade horror movie performance over two seasons in the original iteration. I do like the idea of at the very least exploring a conference comprised of the best basketball schools not currently aligned with the P5 and Big East (note, the Big East is not a P5 conference).

While not a spear at Avid by any stretch, could anyone imagine the idea of suggesting a partnership with Loyola two weeks ago? The poster would have been unceremoniously hectored off this board. Shows the power of a single deep run in the tourney...

[OSU Flyer]

Originally Posted by ud2 Is there any way that the A10 could raid CUSA and add Western Kentucky? The WKU football team would have to remain in CUSA. The Hilltoppers are an attractive program IMO, they have had somewhat regular NCAAT and NIT appearances, and they are in the A10's geographic footprint. Their arena seats 7,326, but it used to seat 13,508, I was surprised at that large capacity. And Kobe Bryant's dad played there, lol. And they are in the NIT Final 4 this year. Plus, Ray Harper used to be the head man there, what more reason do you need?!?!

They've got the inside the track on the #3 overall player in the class of 2019

https://247sports.com/Player/Charles-Bassey-92754

[TXFlyerFan]

I've also posted about a super mid conference with a WC, EC, and MidWest divisions. Play your own division H/A with rotating one or two games against the other two divisions. Ought to be plenty of options out there that could join. Logistics could be difficult but if expenses can be controlled for other sports, seems like it could work.

[Chris R]

Originally Posted by Avid Flyer So who in the hell is closing threads just because they don't like the topic. Thought this site was open to opinions and discussions. With all the crap you allow on here Chris why close this one. So go ahead close this one two we'll just open a red 4th or whatever.

I did not close it. I have no idea who closed it. But we don't need 10 conference affiliation threads either. I will do some housekeeping so it's in one thread.

[SLUFLYER]

Originally Posted by Avid Flyer BTW SLUFLYER if you don't like a thread then don't go there, let those who have an opinion express it. Either join it with the appropriate thread, move to off topic but to silence Priders is bush league especially with all the crap that's put on UDPRIDE daily. Is this msg board for all flyer fans or just a few. BTW this topic is being discussed on flyerhoops and not being deleted or closed.

It's an open board and I expressed my opinion on the initial thread. The enzo comment was very much a joke, considering I hadn't seen such in years. This won't be the first or last time Avid misses a joke or sarcasm (remember the Grant USA Coaching thread)

Having shared that, yes, it seems plausible that topic should be in the BE thread or the BE thread get renamed. And the idea of restarting a Great Midwest at this juncture in conference dynamics is pretty far fetched - even if the far fetched idea is tossed out over on flyerhoops.

I don't have the admin rights to close a thread, nor would I do such if I did. Not sure I would even know how to either.

Avid, you should chill out a little bit. Go back to the St. Mary's Institute Run in the Tournament thread for some self healing power and spirit.

	Enzo ENZO The act of posting information, starting a new topic, or responding to a thread when the information has already been posted countless times. In homage to automotive forums where wrecked Ferrari Enzo conversations are started without using the search button to ensure the topic has not already been covered ad infinitum.

[UD_Earl]

Question: if we leave the A-10, do we forfeit the Money not yet paid from the Tournament runs?

To form a new conference, you would probably have to only have basketball schools. I do not believe that schools like UConn, UC, Houston, Memphis, and SMU would be attracted to a no-football conference.

Therefore you have Dayton, Loyola, Drake, St. Louis, Detroit and not much else. Maybe other A-10 schools like Duquense. Feels more like the MCC than the GMW.

I believe that the AAC would be the most high profile option. In talking to someone at UD, Dayton would consider the AAC if they were convinced that UConn was there to stay. UD is well aware that the A-10 is diluted as compared to when we joined. It is just hard to know which way to go. The BE is a no-brainer, but the BE has not asked. Things could get messy in the AAC with more conference reallignment. No great options...

[SLUFLYER]

Originally Posted by UD_Earl I believe that the AAC would be the most high profile option. In talking to someone at UD, Dayton would consider the AAC if they were convinced that UConn was there to stay. UD is well aware that the A-10 is diluted as compared to when we joined. It is just hard to know which way to go. The BE is a no-brainer, but the BE has not asked. Things could get messy in the AAC with more conference reallignment. No great options...

For the record, you can find this exact verbiage and detail in the BE thread, in several different posts.

[UD_Earl]

Originally Posted by SLUFLYER For the record, you can find this exact verbiage and detail in the BE thread, in several different posts.

It is funny how people actually worry about this stuff...

[SLUFLYER]

Originally Posted by UD_Earl It is funny how people actually worry about this stuff...

It's even funnier how people miss it, ignore it or are just completely oblivious to it.....

[UD_Earl]

Some people have more time on their hands than others...

[longtimefan]

I hope the person who closed the thread is not the same person who posts 50 nonsensical posts per day on the Off Topic board. Talk about something (someone) that needs to be shut down. I hate to go over to that board anymore.

[SLUFLYER]

Originally Posted by UD_Earl Some people have more time on their hands than others...

This is true...

[Bucketnight]

Originally Posted by Chris R I did not close it. I have no idea who closed it. But we don't need 10 conference affiliation threads either. I will do some housekeeping so it's in one thread.

One thread for all conferences or GM?

I was just about to start a UD to the ACC thread!

[ud2]

I did not realize that Western Kentucky almost made the NCAAT this year too...they were the 3rd team out on the dance card.

http://www.unf.edu/~jcoleman/dance.htm


Ray Harper's legacy is still paying dividends!

[OSU Flyer]

Originally Posted by ud2 I did not realize that Western Kentucky almost made the NCAAT this year too...they were the 3rd team out on the dance card. http://www.unf.edu/~jcoleman/dance.htm Ray Harper's legacy is still paying dividends!

Stansbury turned over his entire roster except for 1 player. Beat Purdue earlier in the year

[hawkoooo]

I would love to go after some programs that play football, but the A10 has shown very little interest in this.

I'd add WKU, UAB, ODU, Ohio, MTSU and Marshall in a heartbeat. I think it would be an easy decision for them as well, even if they had to go independent in football (which really isn't a big deal when there are several others like BYU, Army, NMSU, UMASS).

	Massachusetts MASSACHUSETTS UMass Amherst, the flagship campus of the University of Massachusetts system, sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, 90 miles from Boston and 175 miles from New York City. The campus provides a rich cultural environment in a rural setting close to major urban centers. UMass enrolls over 20,000 undergraduates and 5,000 post-grad students. Fellow members of the A10 Conference. Nickname is the Minutemen. Women's teams known as the Minutewomen. Sports achievements include NCAA Final Four appearances in men's basketball and women's soccer.

[Avid Flyer]

SLUFLYER I totally understand jokes and sarcasm the problem is there are little ways to indicate a joke or sarcasm as I use smileys etc. If you don't distinguish between the two then for all tense and purposes all your posts are either serious or scarcastic. Don't get it both ways, if we follow your logic then we all owe swampy Meadows a huge apology for all his scarcastic posts.

Huge difference if you want to be seen as funny sarcastic or serious, it only takes a second to add a smiley to eliminate all doubt.

So following you logic again how do you know if I was serious or scarcastic after all I can claim the latter like some on here do after the fact.

[Avid Flyer]

Originally Posted by SLUFLYER It's even funnier how people miss it, ignore it or are just completely oblivious to it.....

Threads get buried if not getting posts and end up buried on a different page. Not everyone has as much time as you to visit older pages. If a topic is relavant then it should be pinned at the top for everyone to see. See how simple that is.

[oldfan]

We need a separate thread for posts related to needing to be in a power five conference as opposed to needing to be in any conference. Going to a non power five conference is just a step sideways and gets UD nowhere. So discussions such as forming a new mid-major conference or moving to another mid-major conference because it is perceived to be better at this time should have its own thread. And the need to be in a power five conference and the big east should have its own thread.

Somebody with a lot of time to waste could edit this thread and move the relevant posts to the separate threads. I am not volunteering even though by writing this post you are presuming I am the man with a lot of time to waste.

[ud2]

http://www.kob.com/sports/gonzaga-bu...tball/4841330/:

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Talk of Gonzaga's move to the Mountain West Conference is picking up steam. The university in Spokane, Washington has hired the same firm that brokered Wichita State's move to the American Athletic Conference.

The Bulldogs would like to have a decision made within the next two weeks. According to numerous reports, Gonzaga head coach Mark Few will make the final decision. If Gonzaga says yes to join the conference, the Mountain West presidents will them vote on the move.

[OSU Flyer]

Originally Posted by ud2 http://www.kob.com/sports/gonzaga-bu...tball/4841330/: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Talk of Gonzaga's move to the Mountain West Conference is picking up steam. The university in Spokane, Washington has hired the same firm that brokered Wichita State's move to the American Athletic Conference. The Bulldogs would like to have a decision made within the next two weeks. According to numerous reports, Gonzaga head coach Mark Few will make the final decision. If Gonzaga says yes to join the conference, the Mountain West presidents will them vote on the move.

The WCC is trying to counter offer and frankly the A10 should look at some of these reforms.

The West Coast Conference is altering its basketball schedules in hopes of getting better treatment in seeding and at-large bids for the NCAA tournament. The WCC Presidents' Council announced Monday that the 10-team league will go to a 16-game schedule next season instead of an 18-game double round-robin. Also starting in 2019-20, all WCC schools will be required to play a multi-team event each season, play more home games than road games and play no more than two non-Division I opponents. The league also must approve all "guarantee" games, when an opponent pays a WCC school to play on the road.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-bas...more-ncaa-bids

[redbengal]

I'd like to see the 2nd tier of conferences like the MW, A10, and AAC go to less conference games and more games against each other. Since the big boys seem to be increasing the number of their own conference games we're really only going to get a shot at them in Maui, the Bahamas, or at the Tesla Dark Side of the Moon 2K30 Classic. The next best thing is to reward consistently top-performing programs in these conferences with chances to pick up some Tier 2 (or even the occasional Tier 1) wins. I wouldn't mind Wichita St at home in Year 1 and BYU on the road, followed by Gonzaga at home and a trip down to UC in Year 2.

[springborofan]

When it was announced that the B1G would go to 20 conference games, I recall (jokingly) saying the A10 should go to 14 conference games. Maybe there is some truth to that if the "coalition of the willing" conferences strike some sort of deal to play each other more. Would it make sense to play UC and SDSU instead of Duquesne and LaSalle twice? Absolutely!

I would game it so that the 4th place team in the A10 plays the top team in the MWC at home, 3rd plays 2nd, etc. so the top 2 or 3 teams in each conference get a chance to win a strong away game and strong home game.

	Duquesne DUQUESNE Duquesne University is a private, coeducational university, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania located on 48 secluded acres, on a bluff above downtown. Founded in 1878 as a Catholic college by the Order of the Holy Spirit. It is the only Spiritan institution of higher education in the world. Duquesne offers 10 schools of study and 100 degree programs to 6,000 undergraduates and 3,800 graduate students. Fellow members of the A10 Conference. Nickname is the Dukes.

	LaSalle LA SALLE In 1863, La Salle University was established through the legacy of St. John Baptist de La Salle and the Christian Brothers teaching order, which De La Salle founded 300 years ago. Located in Philadelphia, La Salle is an educational community shaped by traditional Catholic and Lasallian values. La Salle's main campus is an ideal place for students to pursue an education. The 130-acre park-like setting includes 54 buildings and is located approximately six miles from Center City Philadelphia. The University can accommodate 2,114 resident students in its 12 residence halls, two apartment complexes, and 75 townhouses. Fellow members of the A10 Conference. Nickname is the Explorers. Notable athletes include Tom Gola and Lionel Simmons.

[OSU Flyer]

The A10 is the only conference in this star system that would saddle a probable NCAA team with Fordham and Duquesne H/H in conference

	Fordham FORDHAM Fordham University is an independent Jesuit university established in 1841 as St. John's College on old Rose Hill Manor in the village of Fordham, then part of Westchester County in the Bronx, NY. The name Fordham is derived from the Anglo-Saxon words "ford" and "ham," meaning a wading place or ford by a settlement. Rose Hill is the name given to the site in 1787 by Robert Watts, a wealthy New York merchant, in honor of his family's ancestral home of the same name in Scotland. The College was originally staffed by diocesan clergy. The name was officially changed to Fordham University in 1907. Fordham's 10 schools enroll 14,448 students. There are 7,652 undergraduates, of whom 3,842 live in University-managed housing either on-campus or in the local community. Fellow members of the A10 Conference. Nickname is the Rams. Athletic claim to fame is consistent mediocrity in nearly all sports and few A10 title winning programs.

	Duquesne DUQUESNE Duquesne University is a private, coeducational university, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania located on 48 secluded acres, on a bluff above downtown. Founded in 1878 as a Catholic college by the Order of the Holy Spirit. It is the only Spiritan institution of higher education in the world. Duquesne offers 10 schools of study and 100 degree programs to 6,000 undergraduates and 3,800 graduate students. Fellow members of the A10 Conference. Nickname is the Dukes.

[Sitdowndigger]

Originally Posted by redbengal I'd like to see the 2nd tier of conferences like the MW, A10, and AAC go to less conference games and more games against each other. Since the big boys seem to be increasing the number of their own conference games we're really only going to get a shot at them in Maui, the Bahamas, or at the Tesla Dark Side of the Moon 2K30 Classic. The next best thing is to reward consistently top-performing programs in these conferences with chances to pick up some Tier 2 (or even the occasional Tier 1) wins. I wouldn't mind Wichita St at home in Year 1 and BYU on the road, followed by Gonzaga at home and a trip down to UC in Year 2.

Posted via Mobile Device

[Sitdowndigger]

What does second tier mid-major mean? They have a football stadium? (uncomfortable stare at reporter with power of pause)
-Archie Miller post game interview

same big east conference would’ve been “second tier” 3/4 years ago. We had 6 bids to their 3.
Posted via Mobile Device

[T-Bone 84]

Originally Posted by oldfan We need a separate thread for posts related to needing to be in a power five conference as opposed to needing to be in any conference. Going to a non power five conference is just a step sideways and gets UD nowhere...

There is no way, in what’s left of my lifetime, UD is going to be admitted to a P5 conference. Those conferences are:
-Big Ten
-Big Twelve
-Atlantic Coast
-Southeast
-Pac 12

That’s for 1 reason, and 1 reason only: bowl-eligible football. The lowest average 2017 football attendance of these conferences (all schools within the conference) was over 45,000 per game. It takes us 2 years to get that many people to show-up for football, even with our program being one of the better ones in D-I Non-Scholarship. And the lowest of the schools within the lowest of the conferences still average at least 20,000/game most seasons. At the peak of football’s popularity at UD, we barely averaged half of that.

No, unless the entire landscape of college football changes radically, UD will never be admitted to any conference with a footprint similar to today’s P5. Conferences like the current Big East and American are the best we can hope for or expect.
Posted via Mobile Device

[N2663R]

This thread and all UD conference affiliation threads need to be retired until we win back to back A10 Conference AND Tournament Championships.

[CE80]

Originally Posted by N2663R This thread and all UD conference affiliation threads need to be retired until we win back to back A10 Conference AND Tournament Championships.

Keep the regular season championship. That just means you get the #1 seed in the A10 tourney. I want to see an A10 Tourney Championship. I have gone to the last 6 A10 tourneys. Only once have I watched the Flyers play on Sunday and that was a loss.

[FlyingArrow]

The A10 was pretty horrible this year. They've historically been a pretty close to the #7 conference behind the top 6, sometimes even beating out one of the Big 6 in their down years. After the Big East/AAC split, A10 was still typically #7 or #8. This year, the MVC and MW both beat A10 - which is fine. A10 is on their level. But the MAC also beat the A10 in RPI, and that shouldn't happen anymore.

The tiers should look like this:

Tier 1: Big 12, Big Ten, ACC, Big East, SEC, PAC 12
Tier 2: AAC, A10, MWC, MVC
Tier 3: MAC, WCC, Colonial, CUSA
Tier 4: Everything else

A10 shouldn't ever finish with an RPI lower than 10, and should be 7 or higher most of the time.

[BRob2Perryman3]

Agreed 97% I would put the bIG eAST by itself in a tier #2. Then move everyone else down a tier,

If the East and Midwest would cull the high mid-major Conferences they'd get a super conference on par with the b.e. I know there are semantics and reasons why and reasons not...

Dayton
St. Louis
VCU
URI
Wich.St
UConn
UC
Houston

fill in any 2,4,6 or 8 more teams. They could really get cute with 3 divisions for Olympic sports and make it span the country, it could work with travel partnerships. Charter flights fixes travel related issues for Men's basketball. If you don't want to do charter flights then you aren't committed enough to join. That adds Gonzaga,St. Mary's,SDSU,New Mexico,Nevad,Colorado State etc. to the picture.


I know.

	Rhode Island RHODE ISLAND The University of Rhode Island was chartered as the state's agricultural school in 1888. The school became the Rhode Island College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts in 1892. Located in southern Rhode Island, URI is a quintessential New England campus - rural in feeling yet close to the city of Providence, the state's capital. Linked to the city, the beaches, and nearly every corner of the state by both rail and public transit, the campus is easily accessible from Boston and New York URI currently offers 100 majors in seven degree-granting colleges. There are more than 12,000 students on the Kingston campus, about 3,000 in Providence, and a complement of about 700 faculty. Fellow members of the A10 Conference. Nickname is the Rams.

[Phi Psi Flyer '09]

Originally Posted by BRob2Perryman3 Agreed 97% I would put the bIG eAST by itself in a tier #2. Then move everyone else down a tier, If the East and Midwest would cull the high mid-major Conferences they'd get a super conference on par with the b.e. I know there are semantics and reasons why and reasons not... Dayton St. Louis VCU URI Wich.St UConn UC Houston fill in any 2,4,6 or 8 more teams. They could really get cute with 3 divisions for Olympic sports and make it span the country, it could work with travel partnerships. Charter flights fixes travel related issues for Men's basketball. If you don't want to do charter flights then you aren't committed enough to join. That adds Gonzaga,St. Mary's,SDSU,New Mexico,Nevad,Colorado State etc. to the picture. I know.

That just looks like a list of UD and SLU plus a whole bunch of public commuter schools that are degree factories. As many have said time and time again...we need to figure out how to win the in A10 before anything happens.

	Rhode Island RHODE ISLAND The University of Rhode Island was chartered as the state's agricultural school in 1888. The school became the Rhode Island College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts in 1892. Located in southern Rhode Island, URI is a quintessential New England campus - rural in feeling yet close to the city of Providence, the state's capital. Linked to the city, the beaches, and nearly every corner of the state by both rail and public transit, the campus is easily accessible from Boston and New York URI currently offers 100 majors in seven degree-granting colleges. There are more than 12,000 students on the Kingston campus, about 3,000 in Providence, and a complement of about 700 faculty. Fellow members of the A10 Conference. Nickname is the Rams.

	Saint Louis SAINT LOUIS Saint Louis University is a Jesuit, Catholic university ranked among the top research institutions in the nation. The University fosters the intellectual and character development of more than 12,700 students. Founded in 1818, it is the oldest university west of the Mississippi and the second oldest Jesuit university in the United States. Located in St. Louis, MO, and just five minutes from the Gateway Arch, SLU offers 85 undergraduate programs and over 50 graduate study tracks. Over 99% of the SLU faculty hold the highest degree in their respective fields. Fellow member of the A10 Conference. Nickname is the Billikens, but also commonly known as "Sloo", the phonetic pronunciation of the school's initials. Athletic claims to fame include multiple national titles in men's soccer and men's basketball star Larry Hughes.

[CE80]

Originally Posted by BRob2Perryman3 Agreed 97% I would put the bIG eAST by itself in a tier #2. Then move everyone else down a tier, If the East and Midwest would cull the high mid-major Conferences they'd get a super conference on par with the b.e. I know there are semantics and reasons why and reasons not... Dayton St. Louis VCU URI Wich.St UConn UC Houston fill in any 2,4,6 or 8 more teams. They could really get cute with 3 divisions for Olympic sports and make it span the country, it could work with travel partnerships. Charter flights fixes travel related issues for Men's basketball. If you don't want to do charter flights then you aren't committed enough to join. That adds Gonzaga,St. Mary's,SDSU,New Mexico,Nevad,Colorado State etc. to the picture. I know.

Actually, I think you hit on the problem but offer a solution. Other sports, (call them Olympic or whatever) the non men's bball sports make true conference realignment more difficult.

	Rhode Island RHODE ISLAND The University of Rhode Island was chartered as the state's agricultural school in 1888. The school became the Rhode Island College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts in 1892. Located in southern Rhode Island, URI is a quintessential New England campus - rural in feeling yet close to the city of Providence, the state's capital. Linked to the city, the beaches, and nearly every corner of the state by both rail and public transit, the campus is easily accessible from Boston and New York URI currently offers 100 majors in seven degree-granting colleges. There are more than 12,000 students on the Kingston campus, about 3,000 in Providence, and a complement of about 700 faculty. Fellow members of the A10 Conference. Nickname is the Rams.

[SLUFLYER]

Originally Posted by BRob2Perryman3 Agreed 97% I would put the bIG eAST by itself in a tier #2. Then move everyone else down a tier, If the East and Midwest would cull the high mid-major Conferences they'd get a super conference on par with the b.e. I know there are semantics and reasons why and reasons not... Dayton St. Louis VCU URI Wich.St UConn UC Houston fill in any 2,4,6 or 8 more teams. They could really get cute with 3 divisions for Olympic sports and make it span the country, it could work with travel partnerships. Charter flights fixes travel related issues for Men's basketball. If you don't want to do charter flights then you aren't committed enough to join. That adds Gonzaga,St. Mary's,SDSU,New Mexico,Nevad,Colorado State etc. to the picture. I know.

What would be your reason for having the BE as Tier 2 by itself? Is it because they don't play major football at those schools? If so, why does that matter? Or what is the purpose of the tiers?

The BE is every bit as legit as far as quality and success as every one of those P5 conferences and is typically better than most of the other P5, averaging somewhere between 2 and 4 on Conference RPI rank. They get a boatload of teams in the tournament, typically 5 plus and they get really high seeds. Heck, they had 2 number 1 seeds this year.

	Rhode Island RHODE ISLAND The University of Rhode Island was chartered as the state's agricultural school in 1888. The school became the Rhode Island College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts in 1892. Located in southern Rhode Island, URI is a quintessential New England campus - rural in feeling yet close to the city of Providence, the state's capital. Linked to the city, the beaches, and nearly every corner of the state by both rail and public transit, the campus is easily accessible from Boston and New York URI currently offers 100 majors in seven degree-granting colleges. There are more than 12,000 students on the Kingston campus, about 3,000 in Providence, and a complement of about 700 faculty. Fellow members of the A10 Conference. Nickname is the Rams.

[BRob2Perryman3]

Because i wont fuel the fire that the bIG eAST plays on the level of the Power5. I don't let the facts get in the way of my opinion. Thats my reason. The MEAC is actually better then the bIG eAST.

I bet my opinion changes WHEN we get invited

[jack72]

I would rate the BE as the third best behind the Big12 and the ACC.

[ud2]

Gonzaga is not joining the Mountain West.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-bas...mike-roth-says

[OSU Flyer]

Originally Posted by ud2 Gonzaga is not joining the Mountain West. http://www.espn.com/mens-college-bas...mike-roth-says

They got a pretty sweet deal to stay in the WCC