All of the AAC fan boys may disagree, but the Big East is a better basketball league from top to bottom and the metrics prove it.

http://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-mens...story.html

No more ECU and Tulane in basketball? YESSSSS!!!!!!

Post this on the realignment board and watch the AAAAAAacc fan boys do mental gymnastics to try and show otherwise

"Excluding UConn, the AAC has never had a team reach the Elite 8 and has had only two reach the Sweet 16."

So this means he added Wichita State's accomplishments and statistics while members of the MVC to the AAC (since Wichita State has never reached the Sweet 16 as members of the American). Interestingly, he also appears to include (or just omit) UConn's stats while still as members of the AAC. Thus, the gap is even wider than the author presents (as updated below):

NCAA Tournament Bids (including UConn-Big East and WSU-AAC)
BE: 34
AAC:17

Sweet 16 Teams
BE: 6
AAC: 2

National Championship Teams
BE: 3
AAC: 0

Everybody knows this. the only ones who disputed it before were some uconn and cincinnati fans who had to twist themselves into knots to keep themselves sane. uc fans in particular don't want to confront the reality that little old xavier swept the rug out from under them and as a result will do whatever mental gymnastics necessary

One of the key characteristics of a “fanboy” is the person who has to occasionally (or, for the hard-core homer, frequently) belittle and/or dismiss a team or conference so as to make himself feel better about his team or conference. That behavior often stems from insecurity.

I know this first-hand because I was once a fanboy (and an idiot). But then came a key incident — a defining moment, if you will, in how I viewed my support of the various universities/athletics programs that I follow and want to do well. I was pushing 50 at the time of the incident, and I felt ashamed and embarrassed for myself. Since then, I have taken a different approach.

Years ago, I often defended DePaul and Marquette when they were in The Great Midwest and, later, C-USA, to critics of those two programs. Likewise, I did so for Xavier and Butler before they joined the Big East. Fans would snidely put down those programs back in the day, chuckling at the “fanboys” of those programs just like some on this board do now.

I found the urge to label as fanboy by a fanboy (or just a general jerk) unseemly then — and I do now.

Now this is not to suggest that I feel those posting in this thread (or in other threads I've read) are insecure fanboys. But at my age and stage in life — and given my background and the colleges I support — I think you folks could understand if I might see it that way.

Bill, this is a message board for Big East fans. We're gonna behave like fans

(07-18-2019 09:09 PM)scoscox Wrote:  Bill, this is a message board for Big East fans. We're gonna behave like fans

That's a good point. I guess I'm a bit old-school and don't revel in the smack talk. When you're pushing 60 and like schools in multiple conferences ... well, maybe you're not well-suited for a message board.

But I do enjoy the insider info and the occasional banter (Quo and Attackcoog can get after it in an impressive manner).

There is good stuff to be found here.

The Big East is a better basketball brand top to bottom than the AAC. People who don't see that don't want to see it.

(07-19-2019 07:33 AM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  The Big East is a better basketball brand top to bottom than the AAC. People who don't see that don't want to see it.

Miss playing UC, BC. Rooting for you guys to dominate in football and maintain strength in basketball to get a ticket out.

(07-19-2019 09:34 AM)GoldenWarrior11 Wrote:  

(07-19-2019 07:33 AM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  The Big East is a better basketball brand top to bottom than the AAC. People who don't see that don't want to see it.

Miss playing UC, BC. Rooting for you guys to dominate in football and maintain strength in basketball to get a ticket out.

GW11.

I take note of your “to get a ticket out” comment.

Unless your team(s) is a member of a P5 league, there is no “getting a ticket out.”

I’ve been posting on the board only very recently, but my theme with my posts to date is clear … the athletic programs in the Big East, AAC, MWC, A-10 and on down … are not “in the big boys club.” Those leagues will never get more than four to five teams in the NCAA. And they typically will land, at best, three to four. In contrast, the true “we have a ticket out” leagues will typically place at least four and sometimes up to six or seven teams in the NCAA tourney. So the chances of any of the non-Power 5 conferences getting a team to the Final Four are modest — at best.

You can characterize the Big East as a “power conference” in any manner — and, in some respects, it is (as I have noted in previous posts). But any athletic program that is not a member of the true P5 … faces many challenges.

Cincy, on paper, has every bit a chance as any Big East team (notwithstanding the stellar Villanova program of the last few years) of cracking the Elite Eight.

This is not about “getting a ticket out.” Rather, it’s about making the best of the ticket you have in your hand.

The Big East and AAC are doing a solid job with the hand they have been dealt.

Bill, you’re aware that the big east has sent 7 teams in a year, 6 teams in a year twice and five teams in a year to the ncaa tournament?

We’ll probably send at least 6 teams this year. Truly ignorant post

and you are aware that the Big East has twice sent 4 teams to the tourney, with both times a team in Dayton as one of the last 2 teams in the tourney- so real close to only 3 teams in the tourney(and both times team lost in Dayton so only 3 teams in the round of 64).

The money that the P5 is making is starting to really dwarf the other conferences.... I mean the Big East is getting 3-4 million distros. Sounds great. Big Ten teams are getting over 50 million dollars. You say that money can only go so much? I say look at the SEC and the coaches they've brought in for basketball. Look at Nebraska brining in the top guy in the coaching circuit this offseason. That money gap is like it or not a major threat to everyone not in the P5. Big East coaches are going to continue to get looked at over and over again for getting poached by the P5 conferences. I think Seton Hall got really lucky this offseason that Powell was coming back, as if he wasn't, I think very good shot Willard would have left.

(07-19-2019 08:39 PM)scoscox Wrote:  Bill, you’re aware that the big east has sent 7 teams in a year, 6 teams in a year twice and five teams in a year to the ncaa tournament?

We’ll probably send at least 6 teams this year. Truly ignorant post

I'm well aware, scoscox, because, sadly, one of the two Big East teams/universities I follow has failed to be part of those last six NCAA tourneys.

I was writing in a general sense and, as such, exaggerated the significance. My bad as I should have been more clear. I stand corrected and acknowledge some ignorance in the post. But the general theme remains. Stever's post after mine highlights that a bit better.

I would like to see the Big East this year land a Final Four team that has not had a strong tourney run in some time (perhaps not a likely scenario). That would be helpful to the league.

(07-20-2019 02:24 AM)stever20 Wrote:  and you are aware that the Big East has twice sent 4 teams to the tourney, with both times a team in Dayton as one of the last 2 teams in the tourney- so real close to only 3 teams in the tourney(and both times team lost in Dayton so only 3 teams in the round of 64).

The money that the P5 is making is starting to really dwarf the other conferences.... I mean the Big East is getting 3-4 million distros. Sounds great. Big Ten teams are getting over 50 million dollars. You say that money can only go so much? I say look at the SEC and the coaches they've brought in for basketball. Look at Nebraska brining in the top guy in the coaching circuit this offseason. That money gap is like it or not a major threat to everyone not in the P5. Big East coaches are going to continue to get looked at over and over again for getting poached by the P5 conferences. I think Seton Hall got really lucky this offseason that Powell was coming back, as if he wasn't, I think very good shot Willard would have left.

What a total straw man of an argument. Stever how rattled are you about the aac officially becoming c-USA 2.0?

(07-20-2019 07:21 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(07-19-2019 08:39 PM)scoscox Wrote:  Bill, you’re aware that the big east has sent 7 teams in a year, 6 teams in a year twice and five teams in a year to the ncaa tournament?

We’ll probably send at least 6 teams this year. Truly ignorant post

I'm well aware, scoscox, because, sadly, one of the two Big East teams/universities I follow has failed to be part of those last six NCAA tourneys.

I was writing in a general sense and, as such, exaggerated the significance. My bad as I should have been more clear. I stand corrected and acknowledge some ignorance in the post. But the general theme remains. Stever's post after mine highlights that a bit better.

I would like to see the Big East this year land a Final Four team that has not had a strong tourney run in some time (perhaps not a likely scenario). That would be helpful to the league.

The league is fine and quite healthy. I’m not that worried. The bare minimum we have gotten in is 4 teams in a ten team league. That’s quite good. The big ten just got 4 teams in out of a 14 team league a few years ago and the pac12 can only dream of getting 4 teams in at the max. Big east is fine concern trolling from Stever notwithstanding

(07-20-2019 10:40 AM)scoscox Wrote:  

(07-20-2019 07:21 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(07-19-2019 08:39 PM)scoscox Wrote:  Bill, you’re aware that the big east has sent 7 teams in a year, 6 teams in a year twice and five teams in a year to the ncaa tournament?

We’ll probably send at least 6 teams this year. Truly ignorant post

I'm well aware, scoscox, because, sadly, one of the two Big East teams/universities I follow has failed to be part of those last six NCAA tourneys.

I was writing in a general sense and, as such, exaggerated the significance. My bad as I should have been more clear. I stand corrected and acknowledge some ignorance in the post. But the general theme remains. Stever's post after mine highlights that a bit better.

I would like to see the Big East this year land a Final Four team that has not had a strong tourney run in some time (perhaps not a likely scenario). That would be helpful to the league.

The league is fine and quite healthy. I’m not that worried. The bare minimum we have gotten in is 4 teams in a ten team league. That’s quite good. The big ten just got 4 teams in out of a 14 team league a few years ago and the pac12 can only dream of getting 4 teams in at the max. Big east is fine concern trolling from Stever notwithstanding

Agree overall. Very healthy, indeed. I'm not a "pro-conference man" in the true sense so it's not as big a deal to me if the conferences that are homes to the teams I support do exceedingly well. But I do recognize the importance of that. I would like to see the BE add Dayton or Saint Louis to go to 12 as I subscribe to the "strength in numbers" theory.

Well I’m glad the big east presidents don’t see it that way

(07-19-2019 08:39 PM)scoscox Wrote:  Bill, you’re aware that the big east has sent 7 teams in a year, 6 teams in a year twice and five teams in a year to the ncaa tournament?

We’ll probably send at least 6 teams this year. Truly ignorant post

Back when it was the real big east, we sent 11 teams once. 11

I’m aware. 11/16 teams is 69%. 7/10 teams is 70%. Old big east was weak BC1

(07-20-2019 10:36 AM)scoscox Wrote:  

(07-20-2019 02:24 AM)stever20 Wrote:  and you are aware that the Big East has twice sent 4 teams to the tourney, with both times a team in Dayton as one of the last 2 teams in the tourney- so real close to only 3 teams in the tourney(and both times team lost in Dayton so only 3 teams in the round of 64).

The money that the P5 is making is starting to really dwarf the other conferences.... I mean the Big East is getting 3-4 million distros. Sounds great. Big Ten teams are getting over 50 million dollars. You say that money can only go so much? I say look at the SEC and the coaches they've brought in for basketball. Look at Nebraska brining in the top guy in the coaching circuit this offseason. That money gap is like it or not a major threat to everyone not in the P5. Big East coaches are going to continue to get looked at over and over again for getting poached by the P5 conferences. I think Seton Hall got really lucky this offseason that Powell was coming back, as if he wasn't, I think very good shot Willard would have left.

What a total straw man of an argument. Stever how rattled are you about the aac officially becoming c-USA 2.0?

Yeah like CUSA in the early 00's which got teams in the final 4 and also got 1 seeds in the NCAA tourney.

So how has Butler and Xavier done retaining good coaches since joining the Big East? Yeah. And a lot of that was MONEY. Butler and Xavier just can not and will never compete with P5 schools money wise. Sorry, but that's just the cold hard facts.