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Post by Indy Raider on Nov 30, 2018 19:40:32 GMT -5
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Post by raiderrunt on Dec 16, 2018 17:38:36 GMT -5
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Post by mrose on Dec 17, 2018 21:34:13 GMT -5
I get tired of reading articles how hard it is to schedule at the mid-major level. It's bull shit. Look at this year's mid-major conferences, according to Sagarin. Conferences ranked between #11 and #22 play 185 games vs non D I competition. 185 games. Conferences #11 - #22 encompass 123 programs. On average each of those mid-majors play 1.5 games vs non D I competition. Here's the breakdown of non D I games scheduled vs D I games by conference. MAC: 22 games. 2nd most vs D I conferences/non D I. #1 ooc is HL @ 26. Non D I #2 HL: 16 games. 2nd most vs D I conferences/non D I. #1 ooc is MAC @ 26 Non D I #2 MVC: 14 games. More than any D I conference. IVY: 14 games. Tied for most vs D I conference. C-USA: 28 games. Next closest is 10 games vs D I conference (3)....18 game gap. Sun Belt: 21 games. More than any D I conference. WAC: 18 games. More than any D I conference. CAA: 12 games. 2nd most. Patriot: 4 games. 11th most. Big West: 17 games. 3rd most. Summit: 18 games. More than any D I conference. It's complete crap to complain how hard it is to schedule against decent competition when 90% of true mid-major conferences have as many or more games scheduled vs non D I programs vs. a D I conference. Cut thru the b.s. 1) Coaches *think* improving their record by beating weak programs keeps their job safe. 2) Coaches are afraid to take risks and potentially lose to their peers and expose their program for failure to keep pace with other mid-majors. 3) There's a fallacy floating around it's financially better to pay a non D-I program $5k, tarnish the image of the program, and play in front of 900 people in a cavernous 12K seat arena than to enter into a home-and-home with another mid-major and play next year in front of 4-5K paid fans, but potentially lose. 4) It's a lie to say academic schedules don't line up with the programs they want to play...like we're to believe NAIA, NCAA D II and NCAA D III universities don't have academic standards, calendars, finals, etc. but they can fit us into our schedules and go on the road. SHM. Here it is in a nutshell, IMHO, mid-major coaches only want to schedule consistent top-100 programs (which aren't mid-majors) and know if they lose that would be expected, but a win would be a feather in their cap. In other words, no downside risk. 100% upside. But if they schedule a mid-major that was a Quad 2 last year, but has the misfortune to be a Q 4 this year coaches don't want to risk losing that game. In other words, they don't have confidence in their own team. |
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Post by Sixth Man on Dec 30, 2018 17:20:39 GMT -5
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Post by raiderrunt on Dec 30, 2018 17:42:24 GMT -5
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Post by mrose on Dec 31, 2018 11:38:23 GMT -5
I think it helps explain and puts into perspective a lot of the frustration WSU fans have had over the years. We're easily the crown jewel of the league and have only 1 trip to the NCAA in the past 10 + years. With all the resources and support the program has received, especially compared to other HL programs, it has underperformed. And that's putting it mildly. Also, I'm not sure I buy the part that Ohio players good enough would rather go to a MAC school. I guess the presumption and gist of the article is those "good enough" players view the Horizon LeCrone a sub-par conference vis-à-vis the MAC. Whose fault is that? Is it collectively the HL members for having weak programs or is it because Wright State does a poor job in selling the program to in-state "good enough" kids? |
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Post by mrose on Jan 4, 2019 10:25:15 GMT -5
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Post by hhgreen on Jan 4, 2019 12:39:00 GMT -5
Shows what they think of the Horizon League.
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Post by pathfinder on Jan 4, 2019 19:28:54 GMT -5
Shows what they think of the Horizon League. Shows what they think of Detroit's 6-9 overall record. If NKU had beaten Oakland and were tied for first, they'd probably be listed as a #15 seed. |
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Post by mre on Jan 7, 2019 15:00:35 GMT -5
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Post by mrose on Jan 9, 2019 12:01:03 GMT -5
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Post by Sixth Man on Jan 15, 2019 21:52:11 GMT -5
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Post by mrose on Jan 16, 2019 10:02:48 GMT -5
Any word on where this stands? What cities placed bids? Bids were due by Nov. 30. It appears to me Indy is out of contention as they're hosting the B1G women and men in consecutive weekends and Chicago's WinTrust is hosting the Big East Women's the weekend the HL would typically play. To go a step further it appears the Horizon LeCrone is one of just one of a few conferences without a tournament home for next year. The IVY is playing at Yale this year after a 2 year stint at the Palestra and it's strongly considered it will be moved back to Philly. Either way the IVY knows it will be at a member venue. All Power conferences and practically all mid-majors have locked down and announced their tournament sites for a couple of years out (beyond this year). That leaves the Horizon LeCrone in the same boat as the MEAC, SWAC, ect., etc., without a home for next year's tournament. |
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Post by wsuraider09 on Jan 16, 2019 11:12:12 GMT -5
Assuming that Chicago and Indy are both out, the only real options left are Detroit, Columbus, and Cleveland, and I've got a real hard time seeing Cleveland mustering the resources together and clearing the Q out for a tournament like this. Columbus doesn't have a Horizon team obviously, but they have the resources, capacity, and the arena space to make it happen, just not sure that the city really cares much about our league.
I've long thought the "neutral site" thing was a farce and stand by that sentiment. If the league really wanted to push this, why haven't they used all their connections in Indy to put it together? Is the league not interested in Indy or Indy not interested in the league? This "bid process" seems like a last ditch effort to see what someone might offer us since we (the league) can't make it on our own.
The games are better attended and have tremendously better atmospheres with the campus site setup. It puts more value in the regular season and I think it makes for a more exciting regular season. Just my two cents.
It will be interested to see what comes of this if Indy and Chicago really are out...there's not many other options out there.
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Post by mrose on Jan 16, 2019 11:26:22 GMT -5
I don't believe Cleveland was ever an option and I doubt they made a bid. The MAC has been there for years (at the Q) and is signed thru the 2023 season.
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