(10-25-2023 12:22 PM)Garden_KC Wrote:  

(10-25-2023 12:15 PM)PeteTheChop Wrote:  Wow!

Gotta think SLU and Dayton are offering Val Ackerman a BOGO deal or a similar discount in exchange for Big East invites.

Sadly, it seems like there would be little to no hope of the A-10 keeping it's unofficial (if declining) "mid-major plus" designation minus those three programs:

Davidson
Duquesne
Fordham
George Mason
GW
La Salle
Loyola (IL)
UMass (gone to the MAC with UDel?)
URI
Richmond
St. Bonaventure
St. Joe's

The Big East might be looking at getting BC, Syracuse, Pittsburgh back from the ACC in the even they implode.

Loyola would probably see if they could return to the MVC. No sense in being there without SLU/Dayton.

Loyola probably should go back there regardless.

(10-25-2023 02:07 PM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(10-25-2023 02:02 PM)b2b Wrote:  ....and what is "hitman hoops media"? Is this a credible realignment source?

Apparently a Memphis fan and founder of Tiger Blueprint website. Maybe a Memphis fan can tell us how well connected they are.

https://tigerblueprint.com/

Hitmen Hoops is associated with Bluff City Media, which is a legit site started up maybe a year ago. It was started by a big Memphis donor who did it to give all the profits to Memphis NIL. I personally know the founder.

BCM is absolutely 1000% legit. That doesn't ensure that the Hitmen Hoops dude is right about this, but BCM has broken a lot of Memphis news in the recent past. They are sourced to the max inside the Memphis program.

(10-25-2023 02:16 PM)BeatWestern! Wrote:  

(10-25-2023 02:02 PM)b2b Wrote:  ....and what is "hitman hoops media"? Is this a credible realignment source?

Initially I was hesitant to post this, but I did some research and saw that it was getting quite a bit of play on some of the prominent message boards, including Ram Nation.

Hitmen Hoops Media, along with Bluff City Media, are sites dedicated to the coverage of University of Memphis basketball, which leads me to believe their "sources" are within the Memphis athletics program.

It's certainly not unsurprising the AAC would be in talks with VCU about potentially joining the conference for Olympic sports, like Wichita State.

Yes, I would much prefer such news is coming from Jon Rothstein or Jeff Borzello.

Correct.

(10-26-2023 05:57 AM)TripleA Wrote:  

(10-25-2023 02:16 PM)BeatWestern! Wrote:  

(10-25-2023 02:02 PM)b2b Wrote:  ....and what is "hitman hoops media"? Is this a credible realignment source?

Initially I was hesitant to post this, but I did some research and saw that it was getting quite a bit of play on some of the prominent message boards, including Ram Nation.

Hitmen Hoops Media, along with Bluff City Media, are sites dedicated to the coverage of University of Memphis basketball, which leads me to believe their "sources" are within the Memphis athletics program.

It's certainly not unsurprising the AAC would be in talks with VCU about potentially joining the conference for Olympic sports, like Wichita State.

Yes, I would much prefer such news is coming from Jon Rothstein or Jeff Borzello.

Correct.

TripleA, thanks for confirming. I do believe there's a very good chance VCU could be moving to the AAC.

(10-26-2023 05:54 AM)TripleA Wrote:  Hitmen Hoops is associated with Bluff City Media, which is a legit site started up maybe a year ago. It was started by a big Memphis donor who did it to give all the profits to Memphis NIL. I personally know the founder.

BCM is absolutely 1000% legit. That doesn't ensure that the Hitmen Hoops dude is right about this, but BCM has broken a lot of Memphis news in the recent past. They are sourced to the max inside the Memphis program.

AD's, Presidents talk (well, except maybe in the Pac-12 Pac-2).

Aresco has probably mentioned to the leadership at Memphis that adding VCU could be in the the works.

Army
Charlotte
East Carolina
FAU
Memphis
Navy
North Texas
Rice
Temple
Tulane
Tulsa
UAB
USF
UTSA
VCU (no football)
Wichita State (no football)

The only flight risks — either for the Big XII or a zombie ACC — would likely be Memphis, USF and Tulane (and perhaps Rice if it decided to go the SMU route)

(10-26-2023 05:54 AM)TripleA Wrote:  

(10-25-2023 02:07 PM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(10-25-2023 02:02 PM)b2b Wrote:  ....and what is "hitman hoops media"? Is this a credible realignment source?

Apparently a Memphis fan and founder of Tiger Blueprint website. Maybe a Memphis fan can tell us how well connected they are.

https://tigerblueprint.com/

Hitmen Hoops is associated with Bluff City Media, which is a legit site started up maybe a year ago. It was started by a big Memphis donor who did it to give all the profits to Memphis NIL. I personally know the founder.

BCM is absolutely 1000% legit. That doesn't ensure that the Hitmen Hoops dude is right about this, but BCM has broken a lot of Memphis news in the recent past. They are sourced to the max inside the Memphis program.

Thanks for that info. Having top level Memphis sources probably would give you some knowledge about what the AAC is attempting to do regarding basketball. I'm not confidence this is going to happen, but that makes me feel slightly more encouraged that this isn't just some Dude of WV type post.

(10-25-2023 03:58 PM)Scoochpooch1 Wrote:  

(10-25-2023 12:39 PM)Garden_KC Wrote:  Can the MAC finally pick apart this A10 carcass?

UMass
URI
Fordham
Delaware

Pick off the three NE members of the A10 with UMass.

Fordham enjoys being good at football but I'd guess they'd just join the Patriot League full time instead.

Bucket list item: watch a Fordham game at Yankee Stadium. The Polo Grounds was their true home, but that is now an apartment complex from my understanding.

Last night got an update from a trusted source at VCU over at an A10 board:

Quote:Last night I checked around and confirmed that there is absolutely NO substance to the "VCU to the AAC" rumors. Zero traction there.

This might change up, but I'll choose to believe him on this one for the time being.

(10-25-2023 02:19 PM)solohawks Wrote:  The ram nation response is interesting too. The only other logical conference they would be in discussions with is the Big East

I agree with your assessment - it’s by far the most logical, but in this wacky world just watch it be Yormark building his basketball conference by balancing Gonzaga with an Eastern TZ school that is an institutional fit for the the Big 12.

(10-26-2023 07:32 AM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  

(10-26-2023 05:54 AM)TripleA Wrote:  

(10-25-2023 02:07 PM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(10-25-2023 02:02 PM)b2b Wrote:  ....and what is "hitman hoops media"? Is this a credible realignment source?

Apparently a Memphis fan and founder of Tiger Blueprint website. Maybe a Memphis fan can tell us how well connected they are.

https://tigerblueprint.com/

Hitmen Hoops is associated with Bluff City Media, which is a legit site started up maybe a year ago. It was started by a big Memphis donor who did it to give all the profits to Memphis NIL. I personally know the founder.

BCM is absolutely 1000% legit. That doesn't ensure that the Hitmen Hoops dude is right about this, but BCM has broken a lot of Memphis news in the recent past. They are sourced to the max inside the Memphis program.

Thanks for that info. Having top level Memphis sources probably would give you some knowledge about what the AAC is attempting to do regarding basketball. I'm not confidence this is going to happen, but that makes me feel slightly more encouraged that this isn't just some Dude of WV type post.

The source is legitimate, but the subject matter reminds me of the “blind men and an elephant” parable. BCM only receives information accurate from the Memphis side and it may or may not be accurate of the true situation.

Again, until a reputable national source reports this ... I'm not buying it.

(10-26-2023 11:40 AM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  

(10-26-2023 07:32 AM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  

(10-26-2023 05:54 AM)TripleA Wrote:  

(10-25-2023 02:07 PM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(10-25-2023 02:02 PM)b2b Wrote:  ....and what is "hitman hoops media"? Is this a credible realignment source?

Apparently a Memphis fan and founder of Tiger Blueprint website. Maybe a Memphis fan can tell us how well connected they are.

https://tigerblueprint.com/

Hitmen Hoops is associated with Bluff City Media, which is a legit site started up maybe a year ago. It was started by a big Memphis donor who did it to give all the profits to Memphis NIL. I personally know the founder.

BCM is absolutely 1000% legit. That doesn't ensure that the Hitmen Hoops dude is right about this, but BCM has broken a lot of Memphis news in the recent past. They are sourced to the max inside the Memphis program.

Thanks for that info. Having top level Memphis sources probably would give you some knowledge about what the AAC is attempting to do regarding basketball. I'm not confidence this is going to happen, but that makes me feel slightly more encouraged that this isn't just some Dude of WV type post.

The source is legitimate, but the subject matter reminds me of the “blind men and an elephant” parable. BCM only receives information accurate from the Memphis side and it may or may not be accurate of the true situation.

The thread certainly

(10-26-2023 06:48 AM)PeteTheChop Wrote:  The only flight risks — either for the Big XII or a zombie ACC — would likely be Memphis, USF and Tulane (and perhaps Rice if it decided to go the SMU route)

I don’t follow “the SMU route” to a “zombie ACC”.

If said ACC still has academic heavyweights like Stanford, Cal, Wake Forest, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, and Boston College, and Tulane is in-bound with SMU still there, Rice has to look at the option. At this point, I don’t think new members will be asked to buy into the conference in the way SMU joined the current ACC.

(10-26-2023 05:54 AM)TripleA Wrote:  

(10-25-2023 02:07 PM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(10-25-2023 02:02 PM)b2b Wrote:  ....and what is "hitman hoops media"? Is this a credible realignment source?

Apparently a Memphis fan and founder of Tiger Blueprint website. Maybe a Memphis fan can tell us how well connected they are.

https://tigerblueprint.com/

Hitmen Hoops is associated with Bluff City Media, which is a legit site started up maybe a year ago. It was started by a big Memphis donor who did it to give all the profits to Memphis NIL. I personally know the founder.

BCM is absolutely 1000% legit. That doesn't ensure that the Hitmen Hoops dude is right about this, but BCM has broken a lot of Memphis news in the recent past. They are sourced to the max inside the Memphis program.

I'm sure they were saying Memphis was Big 12 bound, right?

(10-26-2023 05:54 AM)TripleA Wrote:  

(10-25-2023 02:07 PM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(10-25-2023 02:02 PM)b2b Wrote:  ....and what is "hitman hoops media"? Is this a credible realignment source?

Apparently a Memphis fan and founder of Tiger Blueprint website. Maybe a Memphis fan can tell us how well connected they are.

https://tigerblueprint.com/

Hitmen Hoops is associated with Bluff City Media, which is a legit site started up maybe a year ago. It was started by a big Memphis donor who did it to give all the profits to Memphis NIL. I personally know the founder.

BCM is absolutely 1000% legit. That doesn't ensure that the Hitmen Hoops dude is right about this, but BCM has broken a lot of Memphis news in the recent past. They are sourced to the max inside the Memphis program.

If AAA says they are good, then that's all the endorsement I need. With that in mind, I don't see any reason for our admin to lie about it, nor the AAC making **** up behind closed doors. Between this and VCU's unprompted denial, I'm convinced the two sides have at least talked numbers.

(10-26-2023 01:37 PM)Lord2FLI Wrote:  

(10-26-2023 05:54 AM)TripleA Wrote:  

(10-25-2023 02:07 PM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(10-25-2023 02:02 PM)b2b Wrote:  ....and what is "hitman hoops media"? Is this a credible realignment source?

Apparently a Memphis fan and founder of Tiger Blueprint website. Maybe a Memphis fan can tell us how well connected they are.

https://tigerblueprint.com/

Hitmen Hoops is associated with Bluff City Media, which is a legit site started up maybe a year ago. It was started by a big Memphis donor who did it to give all the profits to Memphis NIL. I personally know the founder.

BCM is absolutely 1000% legit. That doesn't ensure that the Hitmen Hoops dude is right about this, but BCM has broken a lot of Memphis news in the recent past. They are sourced to the max inside the Memphis program.

If AAA says they are good, then that's all the endorsement I need. With that in mind, I don't see any reason for our admin to lie about it, nor the AAC making **** up behind closed doors. Between this and VCU's unprompted denial, I'm convinced the two sides have at least talked numbers.

When did VCU issue a denial?

VCU has eyes on the Big East. It was reported this summer based on the coach's contract...

https://richmond.com/sports/college/vcu-...54014.html

The Big East has said they are not interested in expanding, however, they are also up for their tv contract renewal, which is set to expire in 2025 (so two more seasons). The Fox contract gets every game on national tv so that is the kind of exposure they want. I would suggest that the Big East will re-up with Fox. The current deal pays $4.6 mill per program.

Its likely that Aresco has to wait for the Big East to secure their new deal.

The A-10 is currently out to bid because its deal expires after this season. ESPN has part of its deal (28 games) CBS has some (56), NBC Sports has some and the rest are on ESPN+.

Of some note, the A-10 is moving its headquarters from Newport News VA to Washington DC this year.

(10-26-2023 01:18 PM)ESE84 Wrote:  I don’t follow “the SMU route” to a “zombie ACC”.

If said ACC still has academic heavyweights like Stanford, Cal, Wake Forest, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, and Boston College, and Tulane is in-bound with SMU still there, Rice has to look at the option. At this point, I don’t think new members will be asked to buy into the conference in the way SMU joined the current ACC.

Good point.

I expect Cal and Stanford to be gone to the B1G by Fall 2026, so a zombie ACC — if it even exists — without the likes of FSU, Clemson, UNC and others from the "Magnificent 7" certainly wouldn't be in a position to demand a king's ransom from Rice.

On the other hand, would Rice take an reduced media rights share for an extended period of time in exchange for a place in the Big 12?

(10-26-2023 01:41 PM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(10-26-2023 01:37 PM)Lord2FLI Wrote:  

(10-26-2023 05:54 AM)TripleA Wrote:  

(10-25-2023 02:07 PM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(10-25-2023 02:02 PM)b2b Wrote:  ....and what is "hitman hoops media"? Is this a credible realignment source?

Apparently a Memphis fan and founder of Tiger Blueprint website. Maybe a Memphis fan can tell us how well connected they are.

https://tigerblueprint.com/

Hitmen Hoops is associated with Bluff City Media, which is a legit site started up maybe a year ago. It was started by a big Memphis donor who did it to give all the profits to Memphis NIL. I personally know the founder.

BCM is absolutely 1000% legit. That doesn't ensure that the Hitmen Hoops dude is right about this, but BCM has broken a lot of Memphis news in the recent past. They are sourced to the max inside the Memphis program.

If AAA says they are good, then that's all the endorsement I need. With that in mind, I don't see any reason for our admin to lie about it, nor the AAC making **** up behind closed doors. Between this and VCU's unprompted denial, I'm convinced the two sides have at least talked numbers.

When did VCU issue a denial?

Tweet from yesterday

(10-26-2023 01:59 PM)Lord2FLI Wrote:  

(10-26-2023 01:41 PM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(10-26-2023 01:37 PM)Lord2FLI Wrote:  

(10-26-2023 05:54 AM)TripleA Wrote:  

(10-25-2023 02:07 PM)mturn017 Wrote:  Apparently a Memphis fan and founder of Tiger Blueprint website. Maybe a Memphis fan can tell us how well connected they are.

https://tigerblueprint.com/

Hitmen Hoops is associated with Bluff City Media, which is a legit site started up maybe a year ago. It was started by a big Memphis donor who did it to give all the profits to Memphis NIL. I personally know the founder.

BCM is absolutely 1000% legit. That doesn't ensure that the Hitmen Hoops dude is right about this, but BCM has broken a lot of Memphis news in the recent past. They are sourced to the max inside the Memphis program.

If AAA says they are good, then that's all the endorsement I need. With that in mind, I don't see any reason for our admin to lie about it, nor the AAC making **** up behind closed doors. Between this and VCU's unprompted denial, I'm convinced the two sides have at least talked numbers.

When did VCU issue a denial?

Tweet from yesterday

That tweet was from the VCU Ram nation forum account. Not the university.