attendance for Valpo games...

[vu72]

I like the idea of the mvc.  It would be longer bus trips though (not much, but longer)

I would assume MBB would fly to the longer ones, but most of the other sports probably wouldn't be so lucky. Could you imagine going from Valparaiso, Indiana to Wichita, Kansas by BUS?!?!? oofta!

I just don't see us going anywhere in the next few years.  Other teams have more of a claim to the MVC than us, mainly NDSU or SDSU.  Larger schools that already dominate that football conference, and show that they are committed to successful D-1 sports

As a member of the UNI Panther message board as well, I've seen a few discussions like this already. We'd be a good fit in the conference from a competition standpoint, but some UNI fans like the Dakota schools due to proximity and the football connection. I'm one of the few people this year that has even mentioned Valpo on that board in general, let alone adding us...

I just don't see us going anywhere in the next few years.  Other teams have more of a claim to the MVC than us, mainly NDSU or SDSU.  Larger schools that already dominate that football conference, and show that they are committed to successful D-1 sports

Two completely different conferences.  The Valley already has Evansville (no football), Drake (PFL), Creighton (no football) Wichita State (no football) and Bradley (no football).  That's half of the conference as it sits now.  The Missouri Valley Football Conference  is way different and includes the Dakota schools as well as YSU.

If Creighton left, we would be a very good replacement. And oh yeah, the correct spelling id UFF DA not OFFTA!!  (Take it from a former Minnesotan!!)

[vu72]

OK, how about this: The Valley adds the Dakotas and  The Horizon then takes the non-football, non-scholarship football schools, namely Bradley, Evansville, Drake and Creighton (if they were available) or Wichita State if they weren't willing to step up and play scholarship football.  A nice combo deal!!  Now I wonder how the Valley folks would feel about this trade--oh yeah, they would also add YSU because of their strong football team!!  Sign us up!!!!!!!

[KL31NY]

If Creighton left, we would be a very good replacement.

I would agree that we would be a good fit, but for now, I think we're better off in the HL. When it comes to that scenario, I want to provide some extra perspective on CU since I've been working within the MVC this year...

Creighton leaving the MVC would be a bigger blow for that league as a whole than Butler leaving the HL... not even close. Sure, Creighton hasn't been to any national title games recently like Butler, but they still have a top team in a very good basketball conference (the MVC gets its title game on CBS, "Arch Madness" branding, good parity with Wichita St, Indiana St). The McDermotts have made a really name for this school these last couple years. In addition to its men's basketball, Creighton women's basketball is the best team in the league. They're in 2nd right now, but they're very good and built much like GB in our WBB league. Plus, Creighton has an amazing men's soccer program that goes deep in the national tourney, a volleyball team built to top the table and make the NCAAs for the next few seasons, a decent softball team, and baseball plays at TD Ameritrade Park, home of the College World Series.

In a simple scenario where we fill in for Creighton and the rest of the MVC remains the same, we not replace CU as the top dog. Wichita State is consistently with Creighton for tops in most of the big league sports. If we were to move in, that would be a fun new rivalry though. At this point, I'm content to keep our position in the HL. The geography works well, we're getting a nice foothold in some of our sports. Once we get a nice 10th school to fill our league (hopefully w/ baseball to keep the auto bid), our overall stock could grow greatly over the next few years

[crusadermoe]

I think VU72's theory is actually pretty good.      I'm guessing that Bradley, Drake, and Evansville aren't salivating at the chance to play Youngstown St., but an east-west alignment of Bradley and Evansville makes good sense.
Football probably still drives everything, so the Dakotas might be a fit with the Valley in all sports since they are already lined up with them in football.
   

[valpotx]

I'm not saying that we aren't a fit for the MVC, just that we won't be first in line.  I think that we would compete very well in all sports in the MVC.

[bbtds]

If the Dakotas leave, thats it for the summit.  I only want the MVC because it would be closer to myself.  I don't want a water down A-10 with more travel.  Hopefully we can make the HL stronger.  We need higher RPI ranking teams and fans that attend the games.  Detroit is a fun team to watch with nba talent and they never get close to selling out. 

I feel this is all unnecessary discussion until we find out who is/are the school or schools that the Horizon League is adding which will be soon. It's probably about 2 to 3 weeks away.

[vu72]

I'm not saying that we aren't a fit for the MVC, just that we won't be first in line.  I think that we would compete very well in all sports in the MVC.

OK, now you have me wondering, is there any relationship between the football and non-football conferences?  I doubt it.  The Dakotas (NDSU and SDSU) aren't going to leave the football conference because of the revenue.  As a result they would be joining for the other sports and geographically they don't fit anywhere near as well as Valpo.  From a basketball standpoint we would add a much better profile than the Dakotas and are now ranked 77th in the Sagarins vesus their 94 and 98.  Baseball, Volleyball and softball wise we would compete very well.

[bbtds]

OK, now you have me wondering, is there any relationship between the football and non-football conferences?

The only real relationship is that they are run out the same St Louis office that says Missouri Valley Conference on it. Until rather recently the football conference was known as the Gateway Conference (in reference to St Louis) while it has always been run by the same people who run the Missouri Valley in the same offices.

From wikipedia: (it's a long convoluted explanation which also involes the Mid-Con/Summit)

The Missouri Valley Football Conference has a convoluted history that involves three other conferences:

Missouri Valley Conference (MVC): A long-established conference, in existence since 1907, that sponsored football until 1985. In its last years as a football conference, it was a hybrid league that included teams in NCAA Divisions I-A (today's FBS) and I-AA (now FCS).

Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference (Gateway): A women's sports conference founded in 1982 by MVC member schools.[1][2]

Association of Mid-Continent Universities (AMCU): An all-sports conference, also founded in 1982, that sponsored football at the I-AA level through the 1984 season. The AMCU had absorbed the Mid-Continent Athletic Association, a football-only league founded in 1978. (After dropping football, the AMCU later became the Mid-Continent Conference, and is now The Summit League.)

In 1985, the MVC stopped sponsoring football. At that time, the two remaining I-AA members from the MVC (Illinois State and Southern Illinois) joined Eastern Illinois, Northern Iowa, Southwest Missouri State, and Western Illinois from the AMCU and together became a football conference under the Gateway's auspices.[3] Indiana State, which had left MVC football after the 1981 season to become a Division I-AA independent while remaining a full MVC member, would join the next year.[4]

In 1992, when the Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference merged with the MVC,[1] the football conference kept the Gateway charter, with a minor name change to Gateway Football Conference. After Eastern Illinois joined the Ohio Valley Conference for football in 1995, Youngstown State joined in 1997 and was followed by Western Kentucky University (WKU) in 2001. Southwest Missouri State changed its name to Missouri State in 2005. The Gateway changed its name to the Missouri Valley Football Conference in 2008.

On November 2, 2006, WKU's Board of Regents approved a proposal by the school's president to upgrade the Hilltoppers football program to the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS; formerly Division I-A). WKU left the GFC after the 2006 season, went through the two-year "reclassification" period mandated by the NCAA for schools moving from the FCS to the FBS, and became a football member of its all-sports conference, the Sun Belt Conference, in 2009.[5]

Due to WKU's move, the Gateway was left with 7 members for the 2007 season. However, Great West Football Conference members North Dakota State and South Dakota State were asked to submit information about themselves and to attend the conference presidents' meeting.[6] On March 7, 2007, the conference announced that both schools would join the conference beginning with the 2008 season.[7]

On June 6, 2008, the Gateway Football Conference changed its name to the Missouri Valley Football Conference, effective immediately. This change aligns the conference with the Missouri Valley Conference, a conference in which five of the nine Missouri Valley Football schools participate. The conferences will share the "Missouri Valley" name but will remain separate administratively.[8]

On November 4, 2010, the University of South Dakota was invited as the 10th member. This renewed an in-state rivalry with fellow MVFC member South Dakota State.

[valpotx]

Yes, bbtds is correct in what he cites.  The Gateway changed to the MVFC to better show that they are essentially run by the same people.  On another note, the commissioner for the MVFC is the same as the commissioner for the PFL.

[vu72]

Shared name but not shared revenue.

[talksalot]

Keep in mind that even though we are the home team, it is "technically" a neutral site game hosted by the Horizon League. Tickets are set up in a certain way...and the students are placed near their team benches...hence why Deteot hs their students in the student section last year.

No Kidding!  You should see the script and the instructions I get for the home games.   such as "all voice inflections must be equal"  "all player introductions must be neutral"  "absolutely no favoritism is tolerated"    As Mark Lazerus wrote a few years ago... "it's got to be killing me"   You Bet!  But the HL staff are right there beside me or within earshot every minute of every game.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Your reward for winning the league:  home court advantage!

EXCEPT NOT REALLY HOME COURT ADVANTAGE

NEUTRAL COURT ADVANTAGE!!!!1!

[valpotx]

I wonder if the other leagues that have their #1 seed host, have the same restrictions?

[a3uge]

I wonder if the other leagues that have their #1 seed host, have the same restrictions?

Your reward for winning the league:  home court advantage!

EXCEPT NOT REALLY HOME COURT ADVANTAGE

NEUTRAL COURT ADVANTAGE!!!!1!

Wouldn't the Horizon League be better suited to give the home team an absolute advantage? Last year Detroit won and ended with a 15 seed. Valpo with a 13-14 seed could have been better represented the Horizon League. If Valpo drops the next two games and Detroit or whatever hosts, the Horizon League would be better suited to give an absolute advantage to Detroit rather than Valpo who could end in a 14-15 seed.

And I still believe Valpo could do something about the stands situation. Hell put the same makeshift bleachers on both sides, the current student section seats fold down. You shouldn't be able to GIVE A FLIPPING ADVANTAGE TO THE AWAY TEAM when hosting the tournament.

[justducky]

No Kidding!  You should see the script and the instructions I get for the home games.   such as "all voice inflections must be equal"  "all player introductions must be neutral"  "absolutely no favoritism is tolerated"    As Mark Lazerus wrote a few years ago... "it's got to be killing me"   You Bet!  But the HL staff are right there beside me or within earshot every minute of every game.

Yes and if you can't perform as scripted then we will have to find somebody that can. We would have to start with somebody that has no Horizon League connection and is bored  almost to tears  by even the HL's best. Hey! What is Z-ville doing the 9th and the 12th?

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Hey! What is Z-ville doing the 9th and the 12th?

*dying laughing

[zvillehaze]

Hey! What is Z-ville doing the 9th and the 12th?

*dying laughing

I'm flattered.  Can't make the 9th (Butler-X game and alumni event), but I'm definitely free on the 12th!  I think I could be impartial, although I must admit to being a huge fan of Jeff Simmons and Mo Smith when they were playing for Coach Rochlitz.   

[talksalot]

The Rule is... I have to be the SAME... so if I pump up a Valpo play... I have to pump up the opposition's play as well.   So I tried that last year... Ray McCalleum for THREE!!!  (Crickets chirping)....  Ryan Broekhoff for THREE!!  Eruption... and looks from the HL folks....   On the other hand, it would be easier to announce someone else's tournament, where I don't have an opinion on the winner.

[agibson]

Wouldn't the Horizon League be better suited to give the home team an absolute advantage? Last year Detroit won and ended with a 15 seed. Valpo with a 13-14 seed could have been better represented the Horizon League. If Valpo drops the next two games and Detroit or whatever hosts, the Horizon League would be better suited to give an absolute advantage to Detroit rather than Valpo who could end in a 14-15 seed.

That's the way it might often work, yes.  With the SOS situation this year, Detroit will likely have the best RPI no matter what happens down the stretch and in the tournament.  So, one could argue that this year it's _not_ the #1 seed that would get the best NCAA seed...

[vu72]

Wouldn't the Horizon League be better suited to give the home team an absolute advantage? Last year Detroit won and ended with a 15 seed. Valpo with a 13-14 seed could have been better represented the Horizon League. If Valpo drops the next two games and Detroit or whatever hosts, the Horizon League would be better suited to give an absolute advantage to Detroit rather than Valpo who could end in a 14-15 seed.

That's the way it might often work, yes.  With the SOS situation this year, Detroit will likely have the best RPI no matter what happens down the stretch and in the tournament.  So, one could argue that this year it's _not_ the #1 seed that would get the best NCAA seed...

However, the committee looks at more than just rpi.  It looks at hiow many games were played on the road, key injuries, recent performance etc.  There are big conference teams with good rpi's that will not make the tourney because they didn't play any non-conference games away from home.  Having said that, I think Detroit has played a good non-conference schedule (better than us) and if they beat us twice at our place will end up with a better seed than what we might receive.

[valpotx]

I look forward to next year's home schedule.  If we don't get a lot of fans for most of these games, something is wrong.  We should have the below if all return the game:

Murray State
New Mexico
St. Louis
Loyola Marymount
Missouri State
Oakland

Obviously, it depends on what each team is losing from this year's group, but those are at least better name programs to hopefully entice the locals. 

[Valpo2010]

We should have the below if all return the game:

Murray State
New Mexico
St. Louis
Loyola Marymount
Missouri State
Oakland

It'll be a great home schedule next year...I've been pumped about it since they announced this years schedule.  Though I don't believe Missouri State will be returning next year.  Our game this year was a return game from a bracketbuster 2 years ago.  (The one where we wooped them in front of Dickie V) Also, I believe I heard the Oakland deal was up?  Or I could be completely wrong on that.  (Who knows, it might be a conference game against them  )

[agibson]

Obviously, it depends on what each team is losing from this year's group, but those are at least better name programs to hopefully entice the locals. 

It'll depend on what our young team is doing, also.  But, hopefully we're at least able to provide good, competitive games.

[vu72]

Obviously, it depends on what each team is losing from this year's group, but those are at least better name programs to hopefully entice the locals. 

It'll depend on what our young team is doing, also.  But, hopefully we're at least able to provide good, competitive games.

Well, we won'y be the oldest team in D1 as we are now, but we will be young and old.  On the "Old" front we will have Bobby, as a 5th year Senior, Jorda and LaVonte as Seniors, David Chadwick as a 4th year Junior, Vashil as a Junior and Keith Carter as a Sophomore.  Then you add in the six freshman.  So our starting lineup could very well include three seniors a junior and a sophomore.  What happens after that that is the experience question!!  Of course we still have one openning and possibly Bryce can add an experienced guy who could play right away.  We'll see

[Kyle321n]

Obviously, it depends on what each team is losing from this year's group, but those are at least better name programs to hopefully entice the locals. 

It'll depend on what our young team is doing, also.  But, hopefully we're at least able to provide good, competitive games.

Well, we won'y be the oldest team in D1 as we are now, but we will be young and old.  On the "Old" front we will have Bobby, as a 5th year Senior, Jorda and LaVonte as Seniors, David Chadwick as a 4th year Junior, Vashil as a Junior and Keith Carter as a Sophomore.  Then you add in the six freshman.  So our starting lineup could very well include three seniors a junior and a sophomore.  What happens after that that is the experience question!!  Of course we still have one openning and possibly Bryce can add an experienced guy who could play right away.  We'll see

Don't forget about Rossie who will be a Sophomore or Junior, will he get the redshirt or not?