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Ohio Basketball Topic
Topic: Catholic 7 to keep Big East name
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cbus cat fan
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Posted: 3/1/2013 6:16 PM
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For those of you who think it is hilarious to try to better the conference by adding quality teams, go right ahead and relax in you nice rocking chair and enjoy talking with other MAC alumni about nice and quaint our conference is and how we haven't done anything to better the conference in forever. I for one when opportunity knocks would rather at least see who is there, rather than ignoring those at the door and dismissing them as a bunch of "meddling kids."

Again, what other opportunities do Cincy, Temple and UConn have? Believe me going Independent is not an option. There is only one school (Notre Dame) who can successfully do this. I seem to recall Nothern Illinois begged us to let them back in after the fiasco that was their Independent status.
D.A.
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Posted: 3/1/2013 9:50 PM
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OU_Country wrote:expand_more
I have said it before and I will say it again: if ever there was a chance for the MAC to expand and bring in quality teams, now is the time. Why not extend an invite to Cincy, UConn, Temple. They can turn us down and some may even laugh at us, but what else are they going to do? They have all placed a heavy financial investment into football and even though they are more known for basketball, they can't turn back now. In addition now that the Big East name is gone what other alternative do they have? The A-10 is a basketball conference and so will the new Big East. Even the schools the Big East may invite Xavier, Butler, Creighton, St Louis and Dayton are basketball schools.

If we do nothing we give the impression, we are happy to go along and get along, but if we extend an invite we at least show we are taking our conference seriously. Otherwise, we will give the impression that we are a nice old historic conferenence happy as a lark just to be 1-A in football and content to have our automatic bid in basketball. We can do better!


I find this intriguing.  Along with this, can we seriously remove the crap at the bottom of the conference?  Is that a feasible option?  Adding UC, UConn, Temple, and then subtracting EMU (and who else?) makes the MAC strong.  A 16 team basketball conference is interesting as well.


If I'm John Steinbrecher and the Board of the MAC:
  • The conference has never been stronger at the top nationally with a BCS bowl and a Sweet 16 appearance.
  • UMass is on a death watch with one more year on their two year agreement, and no way for a re-up without another team coming in
  • As noted above, they can only say no, so:
All Sports, Big MAC East
  • OHIO
  • Beefalo
  • Kron
  • Kant
  • UMass
  • Temps
  • UConn
  • The Turd

All Sports, Big MAC West
  • Fiami
  • Tooleedoo
  • BUGS
  • CMU
  • WMU
  • Balls Tate
  • NIU
  • Cincy
What's the worst that can happen to just propose it?  Wouldn't cost you anything.

ts1227
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Posted: 3/1/2013 10:13 PM
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bigtillyoopsupsideurhead wrote:expand_more
A depleted A-10 would still have UMass, Saint Louis, VCU, Richmond, and St. Bonnie's. It would still be a notable step up.


Competition is better no doubt, but without football would it be worth it to move and take on the extra travel expenses that we would come with the move?


I'm not saying I want this to happen (in fact I don't at all), just a hypothetical, but every other MAC football-only school has basically been able to call their own shots and the MAC front office just obliges. Go A-10 for other stuff and MAC football?

Any plan that involves not ever having to deal with the MAC West in basketball is a winner though. It's like having 6 D2 schools on the schedule yearly anymore.
BobcatCrew
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Posted: 3/1/2013 10:41 PM
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Everyone knows Eastern needs to go.... Especially Western and Central who can't be the 60's normal anymore.... if the MAC wants to be BCS, get get rid of them
JSF
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Posted: 3/1/2013 11:44 PM
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I'll personally light Peden on fire if that's required to move up to a better basketball conference.
The Optimist
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Posted: 3/1/2013 11:52 PM
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This plan is not as shiny as some mentioned, but I believe it is incredibly possible.

1.  Drop EMU
2.  Add Delaware and Illinois State
3.  Require UMass to come on full-time
4.  Move BG to the West

East
Akron
Buffalo
Delaware
Kent
Miami
Ohio
UMass

West
Ball State
BG
CMU
Illinois State
NIU
Toledo
WMU

Requirements:
This plan goes no where if Delaware and Illinois State don't want this to happen.  I believe that those two schools help the conference enough in hoops that we could convince UMass to give it a go.  If Delaware and Illinois State come but UMass still doesn't want to come, add JMU or another MVC school.

There are a lot of ways you could make this conference even better if other schools were interested.  I bring this up as a bare minimum idea that is completely reasonable, IMO.
wadszip
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Posted: 3/2/2013 3:48 AM
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OU_Country wrote:expand_more
What about the prospect of the MAC taking on 4 new basketball only schools (or 3 plus UMass full time?)  That's something I'd consider an upgrade. Bring in 3 schools such as VCU, GW, Richmond, Duquesne.  Go to 16 for hoops.  Even better, bring in five new schools and unload EMU.  Let them play in the Summit.


I've been a lurker on this site, but haven't posted until now. But I love this idea. The MAC simply won't be able to make a big-time football move, but it can add some quality basketball-only schools, and keep the current football setup in tact (which has become a better product than I can ever remember).

Adding UMASS (full-time) along with VCU, GW and Richmond (basketball, minor sports-only), keeps the football the same, but upgrades the basketball league 10-fold. Plus, UMass could get on board in hoops if it is now in a league with other basketball-oriented schools ... VCU, GW and Richmond (of the old Colonial) and Ohio and Akron out of the MAC.

I'm also in favor of dropping EMU. The school needs to drop down a level in football and try to get in the Summit for basketball. If EMU is dropped, bring in James Madison in all sports.

From a basketball perspective, a league at the top of:
1. UMass
2. VCU
3. GW
4. Richmond
5. Ohio
6. Akron
7. Kent

Is arguably as strong as the old A-10 (before the VCU and Butler additions) from a UMass perspective, and stronger than the old Colonial before VCU, GW and Richmond bolted for the new A-10 (and they would all stay together).

Football-wise nothing changes, and the league actually becomes more stable, because some of the more attractive football schools in the MAC (who also still care about basketball) ... Ohio for its recent success and fan base, and Akron and Kent for getting into the Cleveland market ... would be more likely to stick with the current MAC football set-up, if basketball is going to also be rewarded.

This is the type of expansion the MAC needs to start looking at.

P.S., and this is just spitballing an idea out there, if this type of expansion happens for basketball, you could go with a pod system:

Northeast/Western Reserve
1. UMass
2. Buffalo
3. Akron
4. Kent 

Ohio
1. Ohio
2. Miami
3. Toledo
4. Bowling Green

Virginia/DC
1. VCU
2. GW
3. Richmond
4. James Madison

Midwest
1. Western Michigan
2. Central Michigan
3. Ball State
4. Northern Illinois

Play your pod members home-and-home, then play one game against the other three pods. It would create an 18-game league schedule, but so what. It would beat seeing (me being an Akron fan), the Zips blow out Arkansas-Pine Bluff or Texas Southern in an non-league game.
Last Edited: 3/2/2013 4:19:00 AM by wadszip
Showing Messages: 26 - 32 of 32
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