OT: Conference Realignment

[Patriot8]

I love this conversation. Big fan of Belmont.

I also come back to some Horizon League teams. I just don't know if they have a comparable budget.

 

[FreeGunston12]

Not sure why so many on here seem to want another La Salle or Fordham (really? Drexel or Iona?) in this conference. If we are adding teams, it should be to get better as a conference. Belmont or Wichita St would be fine additions.

 

[GSII]

Beware.....Mason better start climbing those standings....or we might become the new LaSally's.

 

[bravesfan]

Obviously its not as close as Mason-GW, but its a relatively short drive compared to having to fly to Kansas (Wichita St) or NYC (Iona)

Davidson is private with a $1.2 billion endowment; that flight to NYC is nothing for them. 2 hours non-stop out of Charlotte.

 

[Five Two]

Davidson is private with a $1.2 billion endowment; that flight to NYC is nothing for them. 2 hours non-stop out of Charlotte.

Yes, they are well endowed....
But they don't act like it all the time. Belk Arena, where they play basketball, has volleyball lines on the court. Thats something I would expect from LaSalle (who should go back to the MAAC) and Fordham (who should go back to the Patriot League), not from a program who has been to the NCAAs 10 times and the NIT 8 times since 1994.

 

[sleeperpick]

Yes, they are well endowed....
But they don't act like it all the time. Belk Arena, where they play basketball, has volleyball lines on the court. Thats something I would expect from LaSalle (who should go back to the MAAC) and Fordham (who should go back to the Patriot League), not from a program who has been to the NCAAs 10 times and the NIT 8 times since 1994.

Davidson also spends the third least on basketball for a10 schools. They were dead last in 19-20. Mason was 8th last year

 

[bravesfan]

Yes, they are well endowed....
But they don't act like it all the time. Belk Arena, where they play basketball, has volleyball lines on the court. Thats something I would expect from LaSalle (who should go back to the MAAC) and Fordham (who should go back to the Patriot League), not from a program who has been to the NCAAs 10 times and the NIT 8 times since 1994.

Fair enough; can't argue there.

 

[mkaufman1]

Davidson also spends the third least on basketball for a10 schools. They were dead last in 19-20. Mason was 8th last year

I mean dare we say the program all starts with the coach and it’s not about lazy rivers or shiny objects?

Hi @gmujim92

 

[jessej]

Davidson also spends the third least on basketball for a10 schools. They were dead last in 19-20. Mason was 8th last year

Wonder if they lead the league in lowest cost per win?

 

[GMUgemini]

Wonder if they lead the league in lowest cost per win?

Them or Bona.

 

[gmubrian]

I mean dare we say the program all starts with the coach and it’s not about lazy rivers or shiny objects?

Hi @gmujim92

Yes, but I would suggest that Davidson is an outlier. They are able to overcome their overall lower spending by having a super coach. What are the odds they will be able to attract another coach of that caliber if they are not willing to spend on the coach and what coaches think matters (like facilities, etc.)?

A good coach can overcome some lack of resources. A lot of resources won't help a whole lot with a really bad coach. In the end, though, it should be easier to attract a good coach with a demonstrated dedication to spending/investment (whichever way you view it) in the program.

NIL will now be part of that equation as well.

 

[mkaufman1]

Yes, but I would suggest that Davidson is an outlier. They are able to overcome their overall lower spending by having a super coach. What are the odds they will be able to attract another coach of that caliber if they are not willing to spend on the coach and what coaches think matters (like facilities, etc.)?

A good coach can overcome some lack of resources. A lot of resources won't help a whole lot with a really bad coach. In the end, though, it should be easier to attract a good coach with a demonstrated dedication to spending/investment (whichever way you view it) in the program.

NIL will now be part of that equation as well.

Yeah and thats very fair. Everything works hand in hand.

 

[GMUgemini]

Yes, but I would suggest that Davidson is an outlier. They are able to overcome their overall lower spending by having a super coach. What are the odds they will be able to attract another coach of that caliber if they are not willing to spend on the coach and what coaches think matters (like facilities, etc.)?

A good coach can overcome some lack of resources. A lot of resources won't help a whole lot with a really bad coach. In the end, though, it should be easier to attract a good coach with a demonstrated dedication to spending/investment (whichever way you view it) in the program.

NIL will now be part of that equation as well.

Bob McKillops son, who is on staff at Davidson, is going to take over when he retires.

I also think it helps when a future hall of famer goes through your program. They can milk the Curry cow for decades.

 

[KAOriginal]

Drexel can’t be a serious suggestion. Not a chance they are coming.

I’m interested in Iona although once Rick bolts I’d be concerned. The arena they have is not of A10 quality but they do focus on basketball quite a bit as a university.

Charleston would be a great fit, but I don’t know what they spend on basketball compared to something like an Iona. It could be a tough jump for them but I honestly don’t know.

As someone else posted....if we're not careful....we might wake up one day and be the Fordham, LaSalle loser triumverate of the A10.....

Until KE turns the corner.....the easy way to move up the A10 win column...is to put teams behind us in the standings. Not keep recruiting teams who can come in and already be ahead in terms of reputation, facilities, program funding, etc.

So Iona, College of Charleston, UNCW, Drexel, "whoever we can call up" regionally......etc makes that happen!

 

[TweederGMU]

As someone else posted....if we're not careful....we might wake up one day and be the Fordham, LaSalle loser triumverate of the A10.....

Until KE turns the corner.....the easy way to move up the A10 win column...is to put teams behind us in the standings. Not keep recruiting teams who can come in and already be ahead in terms of reputation, facilities, program funding, etc.

So Iona, College of Charleston, UNCW, Drexel, "whoever we can call up" regionally......etc makes that happen!

Spot on. Our time in the A10 has been less than stellar from a win standpoint, haven't been to a postseason tourney in what.... 11 years? We have aging facilities and middle of the pack when it comes to basketball funding and we are not killing it in the attendance category either.

We need to keep the LaSalle's, Fordhams, and some constant bottom dwellers we can beat up on while trying to rebuild our program.... and this takes time. And I'm sure other programs can say that about us as we have been a consistent bottom of the league team since joining the A-10. But we do have the resources and drive to go all in on our flagship sport and really put an emphasis on winning again.

Bringing in these lower tier teams can help get us back to prominence while they are happy to be in a better conference. Need to take advantage where we can against certain schools that may not have the luxury of certain viable resources around funding, facilities, etc.

 

[FreeGunston12]

Spot on. Our time in the A10 has been less than stellar from a win standpoint, haven't been to a postseason tourney in what.... 11 years? We have aging facilities and middle of the pack when it comes to basketball funding and we are not killing it in the attendance category either.

We need to keep the LaSalle's, Fordhams, and some constant bottom dwellers we can beat up on while trying to rebuild our program.... and this takes time. And I'm sure other programs can say that about us as we have been a consistent bottom of the league team since joining the A-10. But we do have the resources and drive to go all in on our flagship sport and really put an emphasis on winning again.

Bringing in these lower tier teams can help get us back to prominence while they are happy to be in a better conference. Need to take advantage where we can against certain schools that may not have the luxury of certain viable resources around funding, facilities, etc.

I'm guessing you guys are in the "we should go back to the CAA" camp.

 

[KAOriginal]

I'm guessing you guys are in the "we should go back to the CAA" camp.

Nope. Since the jury is still out on the Kim English hire, I will state there has been no REAL sense of properly investing and pushing basketball in the last decade. Yes we moved to the A10. But so what? We haven't gotten any more post seasons or any more street cred since the move to a better conference with better programs.

Hell we cant get past Fordham or a Friday the A10 tourney. Even with the KE hire, I inadvertently heard rumors from inside the AD the attitude was "this guys wants to change too much." Like WTF?

So until GMU consistently shows it wants to put a winning program on the floor.....the last thing I wants is getting "over recruited" in the league. We can stay in the A10, just maybe not cheer getting new programs that force us to be the William & Mary of the A-10 because of our administration.

 

[mkaufman1]

Gotta love the off-season.

 

[sleeperpick]

Gotta love the off-season.

Such a bad take by individuals that couldn’t possibly be under 50

 

[GMUgemini]

Spot on. Our time in the A10 has been less than stellar from a win standpoint, haven't been to a postseason tourney in what.... 11 years? We have aging facilities and middle of the pack when it comes to basketball funding and we are not killing it in the attendance category either.

We need to keep the LaSalle's, Fordhams, and some constant bottom dwellers we can beat up on while trying to rebuild our program.... and this takes time. And I'm sure other programs can say that about us as we have been a consistent bottom of the league team since joining the A-10. But we do have the resources and drive to go all in on our flagship sport and really put an emphasis on winning again.

Bringing in these lower tier teams can help get us back to prominence while they are happy to be in a better conference. Need to take advantage where we can against certain schools that may not have the luxury of certain viable resources around funding, facilities, etc.

Making the A-10 worse by bringing in bottom tier teams doesn't help us in the slightest. We finished 5th twice under DP and didn't sniff the postseason because of down years in the A-10 (we also never did ourselves any favors in the OOC).