It's hard to take Sagarin's rankings of I-AA programs too seriously because there is so little interlock between I-A teams and I-AA.

For example Harvard is rated 37th.

They award zero scholarships.
Seven of their wins came over other non-scholarship Ivy schools.
One came over 3-8 Holy Cross who limits athletic scholarships to the amount of financial aid players qualify for.

I just doubt that Harvard is better than the Minnesota team that routed Toledo and beat Alabama.

Likewise I doubt Harvard is better than Bowling Green who routed Temple and Memphis.

And certainly not 18 spots better than a Pitt team that won at Notre Dame, and tied for the Big East title.

galojay Wrote:

Stephen37130 Wrote:

TrumanWKU Wrote:Oh and I just love how you guys talk about our "past" success.  WKU future is as bright as its past.

Exactly HOW MANY wins does Western have in the NCAA tournaments (M&W) in the past ten years? Yeah, I consider that "past" success. Don't get me wrong, I think any SBC team would KILL to have those past successes, I think MT's future is brighter in basketball, especially women's with the recent hire of Rick Insell. I guess time will tell.

MT's is brighter??????

Granted your women's program has done well. But you hired a long-time High School coach that has no lick of recruiting experience or college coaching experience. You win an NCAA game, have back-to-back NCAA appearances and that is the best you could get? Talk about a bad hire.


Your men's basketball program is brighter?? Whatever. Give me some bit of evidence to prove that.

#1. You didn't answer my question in my post.

#2. As for Insell, Like KAjun said, Insell is not just ANY high school coach, he is THE high school coach. Yeah, it was an "unusual" hire. But when you have the chance to hire the best in the country, you take that leap. Insell was highly recommended by several nationally respected college coaches lincluding Pat Summitt.

#.3 It has taken MT YEARS to recover from the NCAA investigations. But the corner is in sight. Of course, that is my humble opinion. But what "evidence" is there to prove WKU has the brighter future?

Stephen37130 Wrote:

galojay Wrote:

Stephen37130 Wrote:

TrumanWKU Wrote:Oh and I just love how you guys talk about our "past" success.  WKU future is as bright as its past.

Exactly HOW MANY wins does Western have in the NCAA tournaments (M&W) in the past ten years? Yeah, I consider that "past" success. Don't get me wrong, I think any SBC team would KILL to have those past successes, I think MT's future is brighter in basketball, especially women's with the recent hire of Rick Insell. I guess time will tell.

MT's is brighter??????

Granted your women's program has done well. But you hired a long-time High School coach that has no lick of recruiting experience or college coaching experience. You win an NCAA game, have back-to-back NCAA appearances and that is the best you could get? Talk about a bad hire.


Your men's basketball program is brighter?? Whatever. Give me some bit of evidence to prove that.

#1. You didn't answer my question in my post.

#2. As for Insell, Like KAjun said, Insell is not just ANY high school coach, he is THE high school coach. Yeah, it was an "unusual" hire. But when you have the chance to hire the best in the country, you take that leap. Insell was highly recommended by several nationally respected college coaches lincluding Pat Summitt.

#.3 It has taken MT YEARS to recover from the NCAA investigations. But the corner is in sight. Of course, that is my humble opinion. But what "evidence" is there to prove WKU has the brighter future?

Just ask Notre Dame about hiring "legendary high school coaches"!

galo_jay Wrote:

badgerwolf Wrote:Agree; playing 1 or 2 1-As each year is not the same as playing a full 1-A slate each year.  Many of the SBC teams had success at the 1-AA level, but struggled when they moved up to the 1-A level.  You guys might be another Boise, but that is not likely.

Good luck in football this year; I hope you guys go undefeated as long as you do not play any SBC schools . . . LOL!

Go SBC Football!!!!

Topper's play FIU. We beat them pretty good last year.

WKU did beat FIU 35-14 last season. However, the score was tied at 14 at halftime and was 21-14 well into the fourth quarter, scoring their last two touchdowns with less than 5 minutes remaining......

Stephen37130 Wrote:#1. You didn't answer my question in my post.

#2. As for Insell, Like KAjun said, Insell is not just ANY high school coach, he is THE high school coach. Yeah, it was an "unusual" hire. But when you have the chance to hire the best in the country, you take that leap. Insell was highly recommended by several nationally respected college coaches lincluding Pat Summitt.

#.3 It has taken MT YEARS to recover from the NCAA investigations. But the corner is in sight. Of course, that is my humble opinion. But what "evidence" is there to prove WKU has the brighter future?

When was the last time your Men's team played post season ball?

Toppers (or anyone in the SBC) has not won an NCAA game in the last 10 years, but WKU has been to the NCAA and NIT more often than MTSU. WKU went to the NIT last year and won the opening game, which is the first POST SEASON win for the SBC since the Topper's in 1995.

As for your women's coach, I Just don't understand why you'd take what I consider a "risky" hire such as a high school coach when, with your recent success, you could have gotten a really strong assistant or a coach with previous DI experience. Their is a lot more to being a college head coach than just X/O coaching. Your fella has no experience beyond that. I would just make me nervous as a fan. I hope it works out.

This is why:



Pickel Committs To Play Basketball at MT

Bradley Central senior guard Jackie Pickel has verbally committed to play basketball for Middle Tennessee State University. Pickel will play for long time Shelbyville Coach Rick Insell.

Jackie has played for Coach Insell three years on AAU and this is her fourth for Shelbyville Sports Shop. They won the National Championship last year. She had offers from several Division I Schools, including ACC Clemson and Maryland and locally UTC, Tennessee Tech, Appy State, and Austin Peay. She was being heavily recruited and pursued by many teams including SEC schools Alabama and Auburn. Jackie had a dream to go to Clemson, and almost committed to Jim Davis, but when he resigned she was back to square one with her decision making. But Jackie's mind was pretty well set the day Coach Insell was hired as the head coach at Middle Tennessee. She is his first recruit there, and she loves the atmosphere.


MTSU made it to the top 32 last year and he is confident with a good 2006 recruiting class that he will get to the NCAA Sweet 16 Jackie's freshman year and then keep getting better. MTSU has already scheduled Maryland, Texas, and other major NCAA Division I Teams for the upcoming seasons. Pickel said, "Coach Insell will be at the top, because he will back away from nobody." "He will not be satisfied with a conference championship or an appearance in the NCAA. He wants to WIN it. I like that kind of thinking and coaching. He will most definitely push me to be the best ball player, student and person that I can be."

“I wanted to go to a school where I knew I could contribute and make a difference, plus it is close to home,

galojoy,
You are correct that MT men have not been dancing in a looooong time. As I pointed out, the NCAA mess and subsequent coaching blunders set our program back a decade. But Blue Raider fans are an optimistic bunch and most of us are confident that we've turned the corner and will be dancing in the next three years. I have no more proof of this sentiment than all of the Western fans who are confident the Toppers will be the ones dancing in March.

By your own admission, last year's NIT opening round win was the first in a decade. So I hardly think Western has a lot of reason to toot any horns.

As for Insell, you make valid points---points KAjun, ATO and I made upon hearing the news that Massaro went WAY OUT of the box in his thinking for this hire. I was on the record wanting Nikki Caldwell from UT who is recognized nationally as one of the top assistants. But maybe Massaro wanted the only man in TN who can surpass the Topper fans in cockiness. He looked at his short list of candidates and realized that Insell knows more about the Xs and Os of basketball, has proven he can coach that information and has the drive to lead the Lady Raiders to the Sweet 16 and beyond. Insell is sharp enough to recognize he needs help on the NCAA rules side of the ball and hired an assistant who spent time working for the NCAA in compliance.

"What about recruiting?" you ask. Well, as anyone who has been around Middle Tennessee will tell you, Insell has beaten every other HS coach in the area when it comes to recruiting the best talent.

Nice PhotoShopping KAjun. That's a gorgeous picture of Murphy Center at sunset.