Cryers really crying today

[paulxu]

You've made their inter school connection the only reason for including Creighton.
I disagree. It may have been part of the equation (it probably always is) but I've seen nothing to indicate it was the "only" reason.

Why go to 10 teams? Because the trend in major conferences is an 18 game conference schedule that works out fine with 10. Also it balanced the east and west divisional alignment if that would be any benefit in travel, etc.

We may think of Dayton as a different media market, but it's still in the same state; and I think that makes a difference.
St Louis and Creighton may have been a toss up, and perhaps the personal contacts made a difference.

But they weren't the "only" reason...absent further information to the contrary.

[xubrew]

Paul, Dayton has different local stations and different cable providers. Fox and ESPN definitely think of it as a different market. I don't know why people seem to want to insist that it's not. In every single market share rating that is put together by anyone, Dayton is its own market.

Creighton is not who Fox wanted. That much I'm fairly certain of. For starters, Fox already had them.


To spell it out plainly, Marquette pushed for Creighton, and that's why they got in. It's my understanding that Marquette was really the only school that made a strong push for anyone, and their reasons for doing it are obvious. Had Marquette not pushed for them, then they would not have gotten in. Had Creighton's president not been on Marquette's board of trustees, then Marquette would not have pushed for them. So, yes, I think that's pretty much the only reason. At the very least, it is the key reason they got in.

[XUFan09]

That might be Marquette's sole motivation, but the other members would have had to have other reasons to like the addition besides Marquette's desire. That's why I argue that the fact that Creighton was going to have a good year and would benefit from the conference boost played a part.

[xubrew]

When I look at Creighton, this is what I see...

They have a coach who was okay at Northern Iowa and Iowa State, but not great. They were very good the last two years, but that success relied on an all-American player that happened to be the coach's son. Under no other circumstance would Creighton, or McDermott, been able to land a player like that. Also, under no other circumstances, would a player like that have opted to stay in school and play without a scholarship. In the grand scheme of things, I think it is very safe to say that Creighton's success relied on circumstances that are not normal and likely will not happen again. It was not the result of a program that had built itself up to that point, and that has shown signs that they'll be able to remain nationally relevant.

Creighton had good teams before, but it was under Dana Altman, who isn't there anymore. McDermott is no Altman. Not even close. I'm thinking the next time Creighton is nationally relevant, much less consistently nationally relevant, it will be with a different coach.

As good as they were under Altman, I believe they still only had one out right first place finish, in the Missouri Valley, dating back to 2002. The last time Creighton made it past the round of 32, there weren't even 32 teams in the field, and the #2 team in the nation was left out of the NCAA Tournament because there were no at-large bids either. They are, by far, historically the least accomplished program in the conference. That even includes the programs that currently suck.

I know Creighton was good the last two years. But, if you stop and look at why they were good, you should see that it is the result of a very irregular circumstance that they had never had before, and will likely never have again. There are absolutely no signs whatsoever that they'll be able to maintain that.

Who should the league have added instead?? How about no one?? Nine is enough. It's actually ideal if you take into account that having two extra OOC games greatly collectively benefits a league that wins the percentage of OOC games that the Big East does. (This is the only fact that MHettel and I seem to agree on) But, if the league decided they wanted a tenth team (for whatever reason), why them?? I know that Marquette pushed hard for them. My impression (not knowledge, but just the impression) is that everyone else kind of just want along with it because they felt it was good diplomacy.

Ultimately, I don't care THAT much about it, but ultimately I don't think the league is any better with them than it would have been without them, and that we now have ten members because we took on an extra one that will ultimately end up taking way more than they bring.

Can anyone honestly say that Creighton would still be in the league if their president wasn't on Marquette's board of trustees?? If SLU's president was on the Georgetown BOT, then SLU would probably also be in right now.

[GoMuskies]

If Creighton is in the league basically solely because MU's pres is on the Creighton BOT, then we've got much larger issues in the league than the presence of Creighton. That would indicate extreme, extreme incompetence on behalf of the powers that be in the league.

[RealDeal]

Creighton got in because of their great fan support, if dayton had better fans they would be in. True story.

[waggy]

Dayton didn't get invited cause they suck at everything. How hard is that to understand? A thesis is not needed.

[xubrew]

If Creighton is in the league basically solely because MU's pres is on the Creighton BOT, then we've got much larger issues in the league than the presence of Creighton. That would indicate extreme, extreme incompetence on behalf of the powers that be in the league.

Something like that. The league is still in the process of putting itself together from an administrative standpoint. That should help increase the level of competence and stability. At least I think it will. Then again, maybe not.

Creighton got in because of their great fan support, if dayton had better fans they would be in. True story.

Dayton isn't in for the same reason Detroit isn't in. None of the original C7 really wanted them. I think the only reason they were brought up at all was because of Fox. Creighton is in because one of the C7 very much wanted them. True story. If UD's president were on the Providence or Saint John's BOT, I bet they'd be in, though.

[LA Muskie]

Of the three new Big East members only one was projected to finish in the Top 3 with an All American candidate. Can you name which program?

I'm sure politics had something to do with it, and a new conference is a long play, but having a new team like that to kick off an essentially new conference and network couldn't hurt. I very much doubt Fox put up a fight. And I haven't heard a word from any of my contacts at FS1 to indicate they were in any way opposed.

Also, they do consider Dayton to be a separate market. For those who disagree, please just accept that. It's verifiably (and verified) true.

[bobbiemcgee]

Creighton was a great choice. Top 10 in attendance every year. Made the dance 10 of the last 15 yrs. Huge hometown support for all sports. Great fans that travel. Dayton? Think they are right where they need to be in the A-10. They should win it every year now that the better teams have moved on. 6th again ain't gonna get it. Happens every yr. Can't even come close to winning the A-10 on a consistent basis. Recruiting? Apparently nobody is interested in playing for the the team that had a good march. Recruit after recruit reject their offers. Why? It's Dayton. Establish a winning tradition and check back in 10 yrs. And stop whining, do the work.