RPIs -New HL member candidates

[crusadermoe]

If top 3 are ones we are guessing, they have a good set of RPI ranks.

#23 Belmont (very surprising)
#104 Evansville
#113  Oakland  (that VU loss is looking more ok)  Still hurts to give up that late lead on the road.

Wonder if the HL announcement will come in late March, tourney time, or be postponed because of the new batch of changes.   If Wichita St. and/or Creighton leave the MVC, that seems a game changer.

[crusaderjoe]

Wonder if the HL announcement will come in late March, tourney time, or be postponed because of the new batch of changes.   If Wichita St. and/or Creighton leave the MVC, that seems a game changer.

I was wondering the same thing about the timing of the release of three expansion schools.  With conference volatility and the fact that the C-7 are going to make more mid-major dominoes fall in the future, I'm starting to think that even if the HL releases in March who will be joining it's really not going to make much of a difference stability-wise until the entire conference landscape settles anyway.  Hell, Butler was in the A-10 for one year (assuming they move to the BE which seems likely).  Who is to say that any of the three expansion HL schools will stay longer than one year given all of the movement?  Or, we could add three, and then a current HL school could leave.  All of this volatility is kind of taking the excitement away from any release of information, IMO.  It's almost kind of like "so what" at this point.

[valporun]

At this point, I would say to just add one school with baseball to help keep that auto-bid, then once all the dust settles on the new Big East Conference, the HL could look for two more teams, if they so choose. Right now, we just need the one school with baseball, after that, we can wait on any more teams coming in.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Right now, we just need the one school with baseball

Do we need that right now?  I thought someone said there was a 3-year grace period...

[valporun]

There is a three-year grace period, but why sit on it for two more years? We just need that safety for baseball's sake right now. Any basketball need can wait until the rest of the dust settles on what every other conference is doing.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

why sit on it for two more years?

To make the best possible decision when the most dust has settled.

If you had three years at 0% interest before your rate ballooned, wouldn't you want to make the most of the time on your current loan to find the better one elsewhere?  Why settle and start paying interest before you have to?

We're in a good neighborhood now, but there will be space opening in others; plus, you might not like your new neighbors.

[valporun]

We're going to agree to disagree here, but protect the autobid in baseball. Oakland would be the fit there, even if their basketball RPI isn't dreamy. They don't hurt travel budget or travel time. If we wait for the best RPI team, we could be waiting even longer than the next two years.

[ValpoHoops]

We're going to agree to disagree here, but protect the autobid in baseball. Oakland would be the fit there, even if their basketball RPI isn't dreamy. They don't hurt travel budget or travel time. If we wait for the best RPI team, we could be waiting even longer than the next two years.

So, you're willing to take a school that may be BAD for some/most sports (notably, men's basketball, given that it would be considered our "flagship" without football) to preserve an autobid...that we don't lose for two more years??? Patience is key...we will get a good, quality school (or three) to replace Butler...but jumping into it just to protect something we don't need to necessarily protect for two years would be a big mistake...do we really need a team that's like Providence to the Big East (formerly...currently???) just to secure something we don't lose for two years?

[valporun]

For the sake of an auto-bid, YES! Oakland might be bad in so many sports, but what sports are we traditionally great at in the HL, or any HL team for that matter?

[crusaderjoe]

We're going to agree to disagree here, but protect the autobid in baseball. Oakland would be the fit there, even if their basketball RPI isn't dreamy. They don't hurt travel budget or travel time. If we wait for the best RPI team, we could be waiting even longer than the next two years.

Why not instead request CSU, GB or UDM to start up baseball in the future?

[valpotx]

UDM dropped baseball in the early 2000s, and CSU did just last year.  I don't think baseball is in their plans currently due to budget/Title 9.  I don't see GB starting baseball, as who wants to play baseball in that cold?  The best bet would be in talking Loyola into starting baseball, as they do have a large endowment. 

[ValpoHoops]

For the sake of an auto-bid, YES! Oakland might be bad in so many sports, but what sports are we traditionally great at in the HL, or any HL team for that matter?

The question is, why do you feel we have to move so fast? If we can get an "average" school now, we could get one two years from now. We have plenty of time...swing for the fence now, get someone to fill the gap later.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

So, you're willing to take a school that may be BAD for some/most sports (notably, men's basketball, given that it would be considered our "flagship" without football) to preserve an autobid...that we don't lose for two more years?

Not long enough for Post Hall, but if I start a VUFZ Forum "Sentence Hall of Fame" I will induct this first.

[motowntitan]

Wonder if the HL announcement will come in late March, tourney time, or be postponed because of the new batch of changes.   If Wichita St. and/or Creighton leave the MVC, that seems a game changer.

I was wondering the same thing about the timing of the release of three expansion schools.  With conference volatility and the fact that the C-7 are going to make more mid-major dominoes fall in the future, I'm starting to think that even if the HL releases in March who will be joining it's really not going to make much of a difference stability-wise until the entire conference landscape settles anyway.  Hell, Butler was in the A-10 for one year (assuming they move to the BE which seems likely).  Who is to say that any of the three expansion HL schools will stay longer than one year given all of the movement?  Or, we could add three, and then a current HL school could leave.  All of this volatility is kind of taking the excitement away from any release of information, IMO.  It's almost kind of like "so what" at this point.

I think Moe & Joe have hit the nail on the head.

I get that the HL wanted to announce all new schools at once.  However, now it appears as though they are being reactive instead of proactive.  With Butler and X now leaving, what if the A-10 now wants a presence in Nashville?  We could lose  Belont (for example) before they even joined us.  The longer the HL waits, the more it appears- Hey if you haven't been invited yet- come join us!

[ValpoHoops]

So, you're willing to take a school that may be BAD for some/most sports (notably, men's basketball, given that it would be considered our "flagship" without football) to preserve an autobid...that we don't lose for two more years?

Not long enough for Post Hall, but if I start a VUFZ Forum "Sentence Hall of Fame" I will induct this first.

Yes, this will DQ me for "self-promotion", but I didn't see a "length rule" in your Hall of Fame post... 

[vu72]

I'm beginning to think it really won't matter who we add.  Sure I'd love to have Belmont (this year) or Murray State (last year), if you get the picture.

I just looked at the A-10 and Horizon as ranked by Sagarin.  There was a notable departure from the Horizon, of an unnamed school as well as the addition to the A-10 of VCU and aforementioned unnamed school.  On paper bad for Horizon and very good for the A-10.

The results are interesting to me.  The A-10 is ranked 7th this year and was ranked 7th at the end of last year.  The Horizon was ranked 12th at the end of last year and the same now.  Going back to the 07-08 year, the A-10 was ranked---you guessed it--7th.  Going back to the 06-07 year, before we joined the Horizon, the Horizon was ranked, yep, 12th.

In 08-09 the unmentioned school finished the year ranked 43.  Now they are 46. This despite playing presumably a better schedule.  Obviously conference ranks can and do change, like the Summit, which was ranked 17th when we left and now is 23rd.

Just an observation that if all schools don't work on improving then it pretty much balances out like Milwaukee being way down this year but were much better last.

[historyman]

There was a notable departure from the Horizon, of an unnamed school as well as the addition to the A-10 of VCU and aforementioned unnamed school.

And which unnamed school would that be?

Oh, okay, it must be Dayton. They were a notable departure from the Horizon League and an addition to the A-10.  And Lord knows Wright State is obsessed with them.   

[crusadermoe]

Given all the scrambling, it does seem prudent to add Oakland only or just stand pat for another year.   

Valpo has a strong pre-conference schedule next year without 2 more conf. games.   But it still would  be great to take away two more games from the horrific RPI deadweight of IUPUI, FW, and No. Illinois and Chicago St. type games. 

Kampe and their baseball coach would cartwheel the whole 250 miles to the Valpo game if they get a bid.  Bye bye Dakota trips for them.

[bbtds]

And no matter the past history, the Detroit/Oakland rivalry would be great for the city of Detroit and Detroit's Fox Sports station.