Very in-depth article by the OWH about how Creighton eventually got invited to the Big East. Since this is the conference realignment page, I figured it applied here. Great stuff.

http://www.omaha.com/article/20130630/NE...e-big-time

Good stuff.. Thanks for posting

Jackson

Interesting read. I would like to know the "story" of what happened witht he other schools involved, both those invited and not

(06-30-2013 09:20 AM)gosports1 Wrote:  Interesting read. I would like to know the "story" of what happened witht he other schools involved, both those invited and not

Exactly. In case I missed it, the article did a good job of explaining why Creighton was a Big East candidate, but did not really explain why it was chosen ahead of schools like St. Louis.

(06-30-2013 01:25 PM)goofus Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 09:20 AM)gosports1 Wrote:  Interesting read. I would like to know the "story" of what happened witht he other schools involved, both those invited and not

Exactly. In case I missed it, the article did a good job of explaining why Creighton was a Big East candidate, but did not really explain why it was chosen ahead of schools like St. Louis.

Are you serious? In a basketball-centered conference, you pick the better basketball program. That's Creighton by a long country mile.

This obsession with markets has got to come to an end. It's inventory, not sets.

Good stuff--Creighton seems unambiguously excited about where they wound up, which is not completely common in realignment madness. Also no silliness about how the BE is a mid-major since it lacks football.

(06-30-2013 02:05 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 01:25 PM)goofus Wrote:  In case I missed it, the article did a good job of explaining why Creighton was a Big East candidate, but did not really explain why it was chosen ahead of schools like St. Louis.

Are you serious? In a basketball-centered conference, you pick the better basketball program. That's Creighton by a long country mile.

This obsession with markets has got to come to an end. It's inventory, not sets.

Eh? Other than a couple first round exits in the mid-2000s by Creighton vs. non-appearances by Saint Louis, nothing in recent history sets these two programs apart. Neither team has ever made it past their second game in the tournament. I'd give the edge to Creighton based on total tournament appearances, but again it's mostly first round exits and/or ancient history. With Saint Louis coming off a season in which it got the highest seed that either program has received in the modern era, considering them over Creighton is certainly not an "are you serious" proposition. It's not like suggesting the Big East should add Depaul instead of Memphis.

(06-30-2013 02:05 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 01:25 PM)goofus Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 09:20 AM)gosports1 Wrote:  Interesting read. I would like to know the "story" of what happened witht he other schools involved, both those invited and not

Exactly. In case I missed it, the article did a good job of explaining why Creighton was a Big East candidate, but did not really explain why it was chosen ahead of schools like St. Louis.

Are you serious? In a basketball-centered conference, you pick the better basketball program. That's Creighton by a long country mile.

This obsession with markets has got to come to an end. It's inventory, not sets.

Well Saint Louis had just won both the regular season and tournament championships in the A-10 which is a much better conference than the MVC last year.

Great article. That paper does a great job wrt realignment. Their article on NU's big ten decision is outstanding.

(06-30-2013 03:01 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 02:05 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 01:25 PM)goofus Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 09:20 AM)gosports1 Wrote:  Interesting read. I would like to know the "story" of what happened witht he other schools involved, both those invited and not

Exactly. In case I missed it, the article did a good job of explaining why Creighton was a Big East candidate, but did not really explain why it was chosen ahead of schools like St. Louis.

Are you serious? In a basketball-centered conference, you pick the better basketball program. That's Creighton by a long country mile.

This obsession with markets has got to come to an end. It's inventory, not sets.

Well Saint Louis had just won both the regular season and tournament championships in the A-10 which is a much better conference than the MVC last year.

St. Joe's got plenty of those distinctions, and you don't see them in this discussion...

They got it right, so no worries.

They messed up some facts. They said USF was one of the replacements for WVU, Pitt, and Cuse leaving...obviously forgetting or not doing their homework as USF had been a member since 2005.

(06-30-2013 05:01 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 03:01 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 02:05 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 01:25 PM)goofus Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 09:20 AM)gosports1 Wrote:  Interesting read. I would like to know the "story" of what happened witht he other schools involved, both those invited and not

Exactly. In case I missed it, the article did a good job of explaining why Creighton was a Big East candidate, but did not really explain why it was chosen ahead of schools like St. Louis.

Are you serious? In a basketball-centered conference, you pick the better basketball program. That's Creighton by a long country mile.

This obsession with markets has got to come to an end. It's inventory, not sets.

Well Saint Louis had just won both the regular season and tournament championships in the A-10 which is a much better conference than the MVC last year.

St. Joe's got plenty of those distinctions, and you don't see them in this discussion...

They got it right, so no worries.

If St. Joe's was in Baltimore, Detroit or Boston instead of Philly they definitely would have been in the discussion.

(06-30-2013 05:33 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 05:01 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 03:01 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 02:05 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 01:25 PM)goofus Wrote:  Exactly. In case I missed it, the article did a good job of explaining why Creighton was a Big East candidate, but did not really explain why it was chosen ahead of schools like St. Louis.

Are you serious? In a basketball-centered conference, you pick the better basketball program. That's Creighton by a long country mile.

This obsession with markets has got to come to an end. It's inventory, not sets.

Well Saint Louis had just won both the regular season and tournament championships in the A-10 which is a much better conference than the MVC last year.

St. Joe's got plenty of those distinctions, and you don't see them in this discussion...

They got it right, so no worries.

If St. Joe's was in Baltimore, Detroit or Boston instead of Philly they definitely would have been in the discussion.

You take the best programs available regardless of the zip code, regardless of the institution type. That's what Big East school presidents and AD's told alumni why they were doing what they were doing...focusing on basketball. So...go make the best basketball league possible, paying no mind to a map or who funds the school.

Again, I think they chose very well so far. But, if there's more expansion to be had, the next best programs are public or geographically redundant...or Gonzaga.

(07-01-2013 08:03 AM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 05:33 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 05:01 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 03:01 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 02:05 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  Are you serious? In a basketball-centered conference, you pick the better basketball program. That's Creighton by a long country mile.

This obsession with markets has got to come to an end. It's inventory, not sets.

Well Saint Louis had just won both the regular season and tournament championships in the A-10 which is a much better conference than the MVC last year.

St. Joe's got plenty of those distinctions, and you don't see them in this discussion...

They got it right, so no worries.

If St. Joe's was in Baltimore, Detroit or Boston instead of Philly they definitely would have been in the discussion.

You take the best programs available regardless of the zip code, regardless of the institution type. That's what Big East school presidents and AD's told alumni why they were doing what they were doing...focusing on basketball. So...go make the best basketball league possible, paying no mind to a map or who funds the school.

Again, I think they chose very well so far. But, if there's more expansion to be had, the next best programs are public or geographically redundant...or Gonzaga.

Not true, Saint Louis and Richmond.

(07-01-2013 09:06 AM)NJRedMan Wrote:  Not true, Saint Louis and Richmond.

Saying it doesn't make it so.

Hey, it's no big deal who they take...but people are going to see through this "we're a basketball league" veneer and see the decrepit core of faux/wanna-be Catholic Ivies that have a history of speaking out of both sides of their mouths.

They'll never be an A10, and I'm glad for that...but I just wish they wouldn't pick off the A10 in a way where great programs are left behind because of old grudges and little man syndromes.

I guess the basketball first approach is really the only explanation how Butler got invited. Those recent back-to-back NCAA championship games has to be what got Butler in.

If you look at each school's profile in that article comparing Big East schools, Butler has nothing else in common with the other Big East schools. If Butler ever slides to mediocre basketball, they will start to look like a bad fit. Creighton's main problem is geography, otherwise they fit the Big East profile perfectly.

(07-01-2013 09:39 AM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(07-01-2013 09:06 AM)NJRedMan Wrote:  Not true, Saint Louis and Richmond.

Saying it doesn't make it so.

Hey, it's no big deal who they take...but people are going to see through this "we're a basketball league" veneer and see the decrepit core of faux/wanna-be Catholic Ivies that have a history of speaking out of both sides of their mouths.

They'll never be an A10, and I'm glad for that...but I just wish they wouldn't pick off the A10 in a way where great programs are left behind because of old grudges and little man syndromes.

You haven't been following this have you? If you have you would know that SLU is most definitely in the mix if they expand past 10. Do some research before you start talking about issues you clearly have no knowledge of.

I'm sure my fellow Big East posters would all agree that SLU and Richmond are squarely in the mix and that Wichita St. is a long shot at best. St. Joe's is stuck because no way Nova would let them in, and also that there are better options aka SLU, Dayton and VCU.

(07-01-2013 09:47 AM)goofus Wrote:  I guess the basketball first approach is really the only explanation how Butler got invited. Those recent back-to-back NCAA championship games has to be what got Butler in.

If you look at each school's profile in that article comparing Big East schools, Butler has nothing else in common with the other Big East schools. If Butler ever slides to mediocre basketball, they will start to look like a bad fit. Creighton's main problem is geography, otherwise they fit the Big East profile perfectly.

Not really. Buter fits perfectly into the foot print of the league, has a great BBall history (Hinkle!), is in a urban area, BBall first school, private school.

(07-01-2013 09:58 AM)NJRedMan Wrote:  

(07-01-2013 09:39 AM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(07-01-2013 09:06 AM)NJRedMan Wrote:  Not true, Saint Louis and Richmond.

Saying it doesn't make it so.

Hey, it's no big deal who they take...but people are going to see through this "we're a basketball league" veneer and see the decrepit core of faux/wanna-be Catholic Ivies that have a history of speaking out of both sides of their mouths.

They'll never be an A10, and I'm glad for that...but I just wish they wouldn't pick off the A10 in a way where great programs are left behind because of old grudges and little man syndromes.

You haven't been following this have you? If you have you would know that SLU is most definitely in the mix if they expand past 10. Do some research before you start talking about issues you clearly have no knowledge of.

I'm sure my fellow Big East posters would all agree that SLU and Richmond are squarely in the mix and that Wichita St. is a long shot at best. St. Joe's is stuck because no way Nova would let them in, and also that there are better options aka SLU, Dayton and VCU.

LOL, yeah, the same sources who had St. Louis and Dayton well ahead of Creighton, who they took anyway? No, clearly I'm clueless.

Again, it's cool. They got it right. Here's hoping they keep getting it so, and not reveal it's the same old routine.

(07-01-2013 10:16 AM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(07-01-2013 09:58 AM)NJRedMan Wrote:  

(07-01-2013 09:39 AM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(07-01-2013 09:06 AM)NJRedMan Wrote:  Not true, Saint Louis and Richmond.

Saying it doesn't make it so.

Hey, it's no big deal who they take...but people are going to see through this "we're a basketball league" veneer and see the decrepit core of faux/wanna-be Catholic Ivies that have a history of speaking out of both sides of their mouths.

They'll never be an A10, and I'm glad for that...but I just wish they wouldn't pick off the A10 in a way where great programs are left behind because of old grudges and little man syndromes.

You haven't been following this have you? If you have you would know that SLU is most definitely in the mix if they expand past 10. Do some research before you start talking about issues you clearly have no knowledge of.

I'm sure my fellow Big East posters would all agree that SLU and Richmond are squarely in the mix and that Wichita St. is a long shot at best. St. Joe's is stuck because no way Nova would let them in, and also that there are better options aka SLU, Dayton and VCU.

LOL, yeah, the same sources who had St. Louis and Dayton well ahead of Creighton, who they took anyway? No, clearly I'm clueless.

Again, it's cool. They got it right. Here's hoping they keep getting it so, and not reveal it's the same old routine.

At no time did any source say SLU was ahead of Creighton. Lawrence Biondi saw to that. I saw some that had mentioned SLU, Dayton, and Creighton as a second group of invites, but no more. The "candidates" for Big East spots are already in the Big East for now.

Can you tell how much I hate Father Biondi's leadership (or lack thereof)?