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Post by mrose on Feb 26, 2013 21:15:09 GMT -5
This is worse than Dial-up back in the day.
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Post by mrose on Feb 26, 2013 21:05:15 GMT -5
Video on ustream is also buffering...
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Post by mrose on Feb 26, 2013 20:09:28 GMT -5
Charge for the damn thing and put out a good product. Nobody cares about a crappy free product.
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Post by mrose on Feb 25, 2013 20:33:20 GMT -5
There’s no fear, but disappointment might be around the corner.
There are a lot of dominos to fall once schools start jumping conferences. Let’s take a look at a couple of teams in play:
Creighton (MVC): One of the rumored to possibly bolt for the C7 +. CU’s president is on Marquette’s board and as rumor has it MU is fighting hard to have Creighton as one of the new teams. Who would the MVC backfill with? Both NDSU and SDSU have been mentioned as possible candidates. If so that leaves the MVC with 11 teams and would more than likely add a 12th team assuming Evansville remains. The next logical target would be a Horizon school (UIC, Mil., Valpo, UDM) or possible Murray State (a rumored HL target, but FCS school that would fit in nicely with MVC football). Possible downside: HL loses 1 school and doesn’t get either Murray State or UE.
Tulsa wouldn’t go as they play FBS football while the MVC plays FCS football. Tulsa is also rumored to be the possible 12th team (along with UMass) in the Big East lite conference. Possibly the MVC adds Oral Roberts from Tulsa, but not Tulsa.
St. Louis: Depending on the rumor de jour they are either in or out of the new conference. There seems to be some animosity between them and the MVC, they think of themselves as an east coast school, recruit heavily on the east coast (for general student population), and have relatively large alumni populations in east coast cities. If the C 7+ were to only add 3 new teams (UD, X, BU…According to the latest from Seth Davis) St. Louis would be out farther on an island than they are now. SLU would still be in a good conference with VCU, GWU, Richmond, St. Joe’s etc., but would need at least another Midwest school to keep them happy, plus the A-10 would need to backfill some of the 5 schools leaving after this year. More than likely SLU would want a private institution if it had its druthers. Adding one more would give the conference 12 teams. Valpo has been mentioned for that. I could also see UDM lobbying for that spot too. If Valpo bolts its possible any itch Evansville had for the HL would go away as those schools are similar in mission and the effect of two rivals in the same conference would be lost. Additionally, even an A-10 sans Butler, UD, X, Temple, Charlotte, may still have a better TV deal with CBSsports and NBCsports than what the HL can cobble together.
I didn’t mention current HL members leaving for the CAA, but potential new members. Robert Morris works geographically just as well for the CAA as it does the Horizon. I was also thinking Belmont. Not sure it makes sense for them, but Sagarin (one of the many quantitative models used) has the CAA 16/17 while the OVC is 21 currently. Additionally, CAA football has historically been rated higher than NEC football (where RMU currently resides)
Here’s where the disappointment comes into play if the HL doesn’t already have 3 more teams signed, sealed, delivered, but just not announced.
Lose two current schools to MVC and A-10 leaving the league with 7 members of which only 3 have baseball (If UIC and Valpo leave). If all 3 of the new members don’t have baseball then there’s no AQ for the HL. The last I checked RMU doesn’t have baseball and we just spent how much for new turf?
Everybody knows programs ebb and flow, but in my opinion I don’t think it would be a good trade, in the long-term, to potentially lose the likes of UIC, Valpo, UDM and replace them with the likes of Oakland, Robert Morris, and Morehead State
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Post by mrose on Feb 24, 2013 1:01:26 GMT -5
Who said "wing it?" When you give up 17 points in less than 6 minutes and can't make a field goal in 8 minutes the coach better change things up rather than staying with the tried and true. A big part of the art of coaching is adapting.
BD made changes on defense by going to the zone trap and it worked, but it takes lots of energy and is probably the most effective when Young is up top. There were several instances where the backside rotation by the basket was missed, but overall it was a good tactic and good choice. The issue today, as is the case all too often, is putting the ball through the hoop. With Reggie and Cole out and Young on the bench with foul trouble (just under the 19 minute mark) there weren't enough scorers on the floor who can create their own shot. Bramanti is a good defender and capable point guard, when there are other scorers on the floor, but when it's Joe and 4 others on the floor who can't throw the ball into the Pacific while on Santa Monica pier, or create their own shot, there needs to be an adjustment. Opposing teams have enough film on Joe right now to know to back off of him as he isn't a scoring threat. So, that leaves 4 against 5. Remember, nobody from WSU was defending at the time either...
BD did sort of "wing it" by putting Young back in the game for significant minutes before the half with 2 fouls. Typically he lets players sit after picking up the 2nd foul before half. That was a big risk and possibly riskier than putting Drummond in for a couple of minutes. Young is notorious for picking up ticky tack fouls and there were a few plays where he could have been called for his third or fourth foul. Then what...wait until 10 minutes have gone by until the first basket is made by JT all 'cause the coach doesn't want "wing it?"
All that said, there's a bigger picture to all of this. Nobody is disputing only the coaches know how Drummond practices or if he grasps and understands the offense and defensive schemes. What we do know is a lot of finite resources of time and energy were used to recruit the kid. If he's not going to play could those assets been better applied towards a kid who would contribute more this season? If a benefit of doubt needs to be extended to the coaching staff for Bobo not catching on as quickly as they expected shouldn't they have seen this before the season? If so why put him in mop up roles and not redshirt him?
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Post by mrose on Feb 23, 2013 19:34:52 GMT -5
I was hoping to see Bo Bo play. Not 25 or 30 minutes, but at least 3 or 4 minutes and if he warranted more after that stint then play him more. I thought putting him in after Evansville's 17-3 start could accomplish two tasks. 1) Send a message to the guys sleep walking. 2) The opportunity to prove he's learning to play D. Like I mentioned earlier, at that point nobody was playing D and he couldn't have done any worse.
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Post by mrose on Feb 23, 2013 17:01:30 GMT -5
Their defense couldn't be any worse than the guys on the floor that allowed 17 points in the first few minutes of the game.
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Post by mrose on Feb 22, 2013 19:11:22 GMT -5
EKU is darn good this year, but they're not the best OVC team...That honor belongs to Belmont. The Bruins have a top 30 RPI, are in 1st place in the OVC East, and have won both contests against Eastern Kentucky.
That said, I agree, the Horizon can make a statement this weekend. Interestingly, Katz thinks UDM will become a bubble team if they beat Wichita State. Even if they do, I'm not sure how much of a bump they'll get if the rest of the Horizon does well and wins their games, but if the Horizon does well and UDM wins at WSU and Temple next week they would certainly have to be looked at. If the Titans stole an at-large bid from an A-10 team that would make me happy.
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Post by mrose on Feb 20, 2013 15:52:10 GMT -5
Perhaps all 3 new members will be private.
If, and it's a big "if," but if Creighton goes with the C7+ and Evansville joins the Horizon that leaves the MVC with 8 members. Illinois State is on record they want to have a FBS football program and it's widely believed Northern Iowa wants the same. The logical place for those two schools is the MAC, though C-USA and the Sun Belt may make a play. Would the loss of CU and UE from the MVC precipitate ISU and UNI going balls in FBS football and joining the MAC?
If so, that leaves Bradley and Drake as the only private schools left in a 6 member MVC. Geographically Bradley makes sense. Drake not so much, but Des Moines is closer to Valpo the Wisconsin and Illinois schools than Nashville.
I'm speculating, but wouldn't UDM rather travel all the way to Des Moines for non-revenue sports than go up the road 30 minutes? I'm not sure how many votes it takes (2/3?), but UDM could probably get 5 other schools (WI, IL, Valpo--private) to go along and vote for Bradley & Drake over Oakland and Belmont.
If all that plays out then the Horizon is left with another question. The word is the league only wants to add 3 schools, but what about the other WSU? Wichita State? No football, excellent basketball and baseball and no place to go. If the Shockers begged to be in the league would the Horizon say no, 12 is our limit? Then there would be 3 other institutions that would have to be looked at--Indiana State, Southern Illinois, and Missouri State. Schools with no place to go, but with FCS football. Possibly MSU upgrades football and goes the way of C-USA or Sunbelt, but no way Indiana State goes that route and SIU is in too much red ink to upgrade football for the time being.
All this is making my head spin.
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Post by mrose on Feb 19, 2013 23:11:45 GMT -5
Those are interesting points, Jazzfan, from Evansville's perspective.
From the Horizon's perspective, and particularly from Wright State's, why would we want:
1) A school that hasn't been very competitive in their current conference?
2) Another school that recruits the same states we recruit, especially another in Ohio?
3) Based on rumors all conferences are somewhat unstable. However, what has actually transpired over the past 20+ years the MVC is one of the most stable conferences.
Now, I would like to see Evansville in the Horizon, but I sure as heck hope they have better selling points to join our league other than, "we're not very good, don't have much money, and want to recruit where you recruit." If that's all they bring to the table then I'll have to revisit my desire to have them join the HL.
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Post by mrose on Feb 19, 2013 21:01:39 GMT -5
Not surprising, but the DDN preview fails to mention the game will be on TV. TWC Sports Channel. 311 or 1311.
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Post by mrose on Feb 18, 2013 12:08:41 GMT -5
This C7 + ? is interesting to watch and will, in my opinion, have more impact on the top mid-major conferences than any previous realignment--At least for the midwest and east coast top mid majors.
It might be a double-edged sword the Horizon hasn't yet announced new members. On one hand when all the shifting around has stopped the Horizon may be able to pick up some quality programs. For example, what if VCU isn't invited to the C7. Do they want to stay in a potentially picked-over A-10 that may only have 9 teams? Is there bad blood between the Rams and CAA? If so what do they do? Would the Horizon go after just one school that's not a geographic fit? Or, would other east coast institutions be needed for VCU to join if the Horizon were to go to 14 or more members? Would the current Horizon membership want that? Would GWU and St. Joe's give up the A-10 if they knew it would guarantee them a 10-ish RPI conference?
Will the A-10 try to pick-off some Horizon members like UDM, CSU, Wright State, a Chicago school? If the A-10 retains its TV contracts with NBCSports and CBSsports that pay (combined) each member ~$300-$400K/year is it worth to switch allegiance? Would more national TV exposure (granted not ESPN) be worth the added travel cost for non-revenue sports? What if the revamped membership of the A-10 had a conference RPI ranked around 8 or 9?
What if the A-10 picks off 3 Horizon members, but Wright State isn't one of them? Does the Horizon still go ahead with some of the rumored new members of Robert Morris, Morehead State, Evansville, Murray State, Oakland, and Belmont? What if a couple of the top teams from the aforementioned balk at the newly comprised league and don't join? Does Wright State want to be in that league? If Creighton and Evansville remain in the MVC does Wright State lobby for MVC membership?
It's going to be a really interesting couple of months and the top administrators, from many schools, are going to be busy behind the scenes.
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Post by mrose on Feb 7, 2013 20:11:43 GMT -5
Sure glad the HL doesn't charge. Of course if they did maybe they could have invested that money into better live game coverage.
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Post by mrose on Jan 23, 2013 20:20:29 GMT -5
If I had planned to watch a team that can't make FT's, run fast break's, or make layups I would have tuned into the UD/Fordham game.
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Post by mrose on Jan 23, 2013 12:59:02 GMT -5
Heck, wolf, I had to do that just to help me with the Leaders and Legends division.
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