National Conference Realignments

[usc4valpo]

too funny.

Regarding Notre Dame hoops, the late 70's and 80's were interesting times.   I liked Digger Phelps as his tantics reminded me of the great Bobby Heenan.  Oh, the joys of Danny Ainge....

[bbtds]

When I first glanced at the name I thought he was referring to Monte Towe.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monte_Towe

Monte went to Oak Hill High School in Converse, IN. He played with Tim Stoddard of East Chicago and David Thompson on the North Carolina State 1974 National Championship team. Towe is now an assistant coach at Middle Tennessee State. He was head coach from 2000 to 2006 at New Orleans and had two different stints as an assistant coach at his alma mater, North Carolina State. He has also coached in the Global Basketball Association, the CBA, two junior colleges and at N.C. Asheville. Monte has been a member of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in New Castle since 2002.

[usc4valpo]

very well done there.

so now, go to youtube and compare Digger's antics compared to the Brain when dissing the referees inside the squared circle. Separated at birth, perhaps?

[LaPorteAveApostle]

I liked Digger Phelps as his tantics reminded me of the great Bobby Heenan

ummmm.....

uh....

er...



...won't go there.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Barry Collier can't bring himself to utter the phrase "Horizon League":

We also are expanding our footprint. We're still in New York, Philly and Washington, like we were in the Atlantic 10, and we're also back in Chicago and Milwaukee, places we were out of during our stint in the A-10.

http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/basketball/college/signs-of-change-popping-up-around-butler/article_70c993ad-4bfe-5462-8a52-0fbd6d93c8c7.html

[valpopal]

Oral Roberts returning to the Summit League:
http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/12/05/oral-roberts-headed-back-to-the-summit-league-in-2014/

[a3uge]

Oral Roberts returning to the Summit League:
http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/12/05/oral-roberts-headed-back-to-the-summit-league-in-2014/

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[vu72]

Talk about eating crow!  Wow!  The Summit League??  Wow!!  That's all that comes to mind...

[LaPorteAveApostle]

obligatory

JOHNNY RIVERS- "POOR SIDE OF TOWN"

[zvillehaze]

Talk about eating crow!  Wow!  The Summit League??  Wow!!  That's all that comes to mind...

I never understood their move to the Southland because it was a step down for almost every sport except baseball.  I assume the initial move was to reduce travel, but as the northern-most team in that conference, they still have significant travel to the New Orleans area and various parts of Texas.

I haven't done the math, but with the Summit losing Oakland and adding Denver/Kansas City, it becomes a bit more palatable for ORU in terms of travel.  IMO, it's the right move for them to make.

I've made this comment before, but I'll repeat it here.  I had a kid play in the Summit, so I'm familiar with far-flung leagues.  Only basketball and volleyball (in most leagues) play home and home.  Most other sports play once, so that means you travel to only half the teams in the league.  Others (like track/cross country/track) play regionally, then travel to compete in conference championships.

In terms of basketball, the Summit is teetering between the "mid-major" and "low-major" level.  Adding ORU is a help.  IUPUI moving to a new arena next year is a help.  They'll n

[historyman]

Southland

Abilene Christian, Abilene, TX
Central Arkansas, Conway, AR
Houston Baptist, Houston, TX
Incarnate Word, San Antonio, TX
Lamar, Beaumont, TX
McNeese State, Lake Charles, LA
New Orleans, New Orleans, LA
Nicholls State, Thibodaux, LA
Northwestern State, Natchitoches, LA (not to be confused with Nacogdoches, TX)
Oral Roberts, Tulsa, OK
Sam Houston State, Huntsville, TX
Southeastern Louisiana, Hammond, LA
Stephen F. Austin, Nacogdoches, TX (not to be confused with.....)
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, TX

Hopefully this gives you the dots. Ignore the blue lines
https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Abilene+Christian+University,+Abilene,+TX&daddr=University+of+Central+Arkansas,+Donaghey+Avenue,+Conway,+AR+to:Houston+Baptist+University,+Fondren+Road,+Houston,+TX+to:UNIVERSITY+OF+INCARNATE+WORD,+Broadway+Street,+San+Antonio,+TX+to:Lamar+University,+South+M+L+King+Junior+Parkway,+Beaumont,+TX+to:McNeese+State+University,+Ryan+Street,+Lake+Charles,+LA+to:The+University+of+New+Orleans,+Lakeshore+Drive,+New+Orleans,+LA+to:Nicholls+State+University,+East+1st+Street,+Thibodaux,+LA+to:Northwestern+State+University+of+Louisiana,+Central+Avenue,+Natchitoches,+LA+to:Oral+Roberts+University,+South+Lewis+Avenue,+Tulsa,+OK+to:Sam+Houston+State+University,+Sam+Houston+State+University,+1020+21st+St,+Huntsville,+TX+77340+to:Southeastern+Louisiana+University,+Western+Avenue,+Hammond,+LA+to:Stephen+F.+Austin+State+University,+Stephen+F.+Austin+State+University,+1936+North+St,+Nacogdoches,+TX+75962+to:Texas+A%26M+University-Corpus+Christi,+Ocean+Drive,+Corpus+Christi,+TX&hl=en&ll=31.896214,-94.899902&spn=11.628392,20.280762&sll=32.750323,-94.899902&sspn=11.51996,20.280762&geocode=FSl47wEd25MO-iFruQi8snRqOymJ-WjazpFWhjFruQi8snRqOw%3BFcJKFwIdOEB9-iGyWM0Cz_fbXCnN5Gj3dILShzGyWM0Cz_fbXA%3BFSEZxQEdRJFO-iES-lmM5GisvymjWM9RZ8JAhjES-lmM5Gisvw%3BFX6gwQEdaIYh-iFQjO7EYpg83SmZJshRnPVchjFQjO7EYpg83Q%3BFYdnygEd_Yxk-iHvizifcMz21CnD4Eh1eco-hjHvizifcMz21A%3BFYeEzAEdxZtx-iF5CcfGB5R8ISmzwtnM8IY7hjF5CcfGB5R8IQ%3BFVc7ygEdOL6h-iHtOuJLzL8j4imN4pmCL6kghjHtOuJLzL8j4g%3BFaqgxgEdnXuW-iGlG72i_9JvIylrDl8diT0hhjGlG72i_9JvIw%3BFeWB5AEdQntz-iEJkLcTXKL1LimreIjsYH0whjEJkLcTXKL1Lg%3BFR8NJgIdjtNH-iHG-CCVxjTTtil3B14PuJO2hzHG-CCVxjTTtg%3BFV-b1AEdHgJO-ilNlLyzlwhHhjHULI89JKmvLw%3BFbKT0QEd3YKb-iFgVsOCAvBlDSkd5gRbmCInhjFgVsOCAvBlDQ%3BFTaF4gEdys9b-ikdj-bj4os3hjHvPWy8UwCSYA%3BFV_cpgEdpfIy-iHLwO8STiyMXSlT-LJrOfZohjHLwO8STiyMXQ&oq=Texas+A%26M+Corpus+&mra=ls&t=m&z=6


Summit

Denver, Denver, CO
IPFW, Fort Wayne, IN
IUPUI, Indianapolis, IN
Nebraska-Omaha, Omaha, NE
North Dakota State, Fargo, ND
South Dakota, Vermillion, SD
South Dakota State, Brookings, SD
Western Illinois, Macomb, IL

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Iupui+-+Indiana+University+Purdue+University+Indianapolis,+University+Boulevard,+Indianapolis,+IN&daddr=IPFW,+Fort+Wayne,+IN+to:Western+Illinois+University,+University+Circle,+Macomb,+IL+to:University+Of+Denver,+South+University+Boulevard,+Denver,+CO+to:University+of+Nebraska+Omaha,+Dodge+Street,+Omaha,+NE+to:North+Dakota+State+University,+North+Dakota+State+University,+1301+12th+Ave+N,+Fargo,+ND+58102+to:The+University+of+South+Dakota,+East+Clark+Street,+Vermillion,+SD+to:South+Dakota+State+University+Innovation+Campus,+Research+Park+Way,+Brookings,+SD&hl=en&sll=42.871073,-95.058951&sspn=10.04594,20.280762&geocode=FTLqXgIdbg_d-iHfgNiFFQX3nCmLAB9GNVdriDHfgNiFFQX3nA%3BFex2cwIdR2Ht-iFHP5rSXOu4ZCmJOZqXyvwViDFHP5rSXOu4ZA%3BFfhoaQIdY06Y-iENi1X669G8Aymtv21XB_rghzENi1X669G8Aw%3BFclqXQIdmGi--SHZJw_HIaeYcSlhp96cFX5shzHZJw_HIaeYcQ%3BFdqRdQIdaxRH-iFPeFdYpaa-TSn7mvjAu42ThzFPeFdYpaa-TQ%3BFWKFywIdS_Q6-imNkPc4XsnIUjHi6IunmF9fFQ%3BFZfZjAIdhQk5-iGsaQzoc5WMfCkrjmlhiU-OhzGsaQzoc5WMfA%3BFXdNpAIdNII7-iFoytE12Jfj3Snp1Ny6jaKJhzFoytE12Jfj3Q&oq=South+Dakota+State&mra=ls&t=m&z=6


UMKC is currently in the WAC
Southern Utah is currently in the Big Sky
Centenary is currently Div. III
Oakland is currently in the Horizon


Here's the Summit map with ORU
https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Iupui+-+Indiana+University+Purdue+University+Indianapolis,+University+Boulevard,+Indianapolis,+IN&daddr=IPFW,+Fort+Wayne,+IN+to:Western+Illinois+University,+University+Circle,+Macomb,+IL+to:University+Of+Denver,+South+University+Boulevard,+Denver,+CO+to:University+of+Nebraska+Omaha,+Dodge+Street,+Omaha,+NE+to:North+Dakota+State+University,+North+Dakota+State+University,+1301+12th+Ave+N,+Fargo,+ND+58102+to:The+University+of+South+Dakota,+East+Clark+Street,+Vermillion,+SD+to:South+Dakota+State+University+Innovation+Campus,+Research+Park+Way,+Brookings,+SD+to:Oral+Roberts+University,+South+Lewis+Avenue,+Tulsa,+OK&hl=en&sll=42.871073,-95.058951&sspn=10.04594,20.280762&geocode=FTLqXgIdbg_d-iHfgNiFFQX3nCmLAB9GNVdriDHfgNiFFQX3nA%3BFex2cwIdR2Ht-iFHP5rSXOu4ZCmJOZqXyvwViDFHP5rSXOu4ZA%3BFfhoaQIdY06Y-iENi1X669G8Aymtv21XB_rghzENi1X669G8Aw%3BFclqXQIdmGi--SHZJw_HIaeYcSlhp96cFX5shzHZJw_HIaeYcQ%3BFdqRdQIdaxRH-iFPeFdYpaa-TSn7mvjAu42ThzFPeFdYpaa-TQ%3BFWKFywIdS_Q6-imNkPc4XsnIUjHi6IunmF9fFQ%3BFZfZjAIdhQk5-iGsaQzoc5WMfCkrjmlhiU-OhzGsaQzoc5WMfA%3BFXdNpAIdNII7-iFoytE12Jfj3Snp1Ny6jaKJhzFoytE12Jfj3Q%3BFR8NJgIdjtNH-iHG-CCVxjTTtil3B14PuJO2hzHG-CCVxjTTtg&oq=Oral+Roberts&mra=ls&t=m&z=5

It isn't all that bad to do Fargo with Brookings and Vermillion with Omaha. Denver-Tulsa-Macomb?

[StlVUFan]

I always thought the real reason they left was because of baseball, which is what makes this move so confusing to me.

[a3uge]

The traveling seems worse. I mean they have to travel to Fargo. If I were an ORU student athlete, I'd much rather have my longest trip be to New Orleans. The baseball team is going to be really angry.

I feel like they weren't happy with the addition of New Orleans, Incarnate Word, and Abilene Christian and that the conference doesn't seem to care about basketball as much as they do football.... I mean their conference champion last year plays in this gem: http://image1.stadiumjourney.com/images/stadiums/600_Warming_Up_Inside_Prather_Coliseum.jpg

Still, I don't really get it.

[historyman]

The traveling seems worse. I mean they have to travel to Fargo. If I were an ORU student athlete, I'd much rather have my longest trip be to New Orleans. The baseball team is going to be really angry. I feel like they weren't happy with the addition of New Orleans, Incarnate Word, and Abilene Christian and that the conference doesn't seem to care about basketball as much as they do football.... I mean their conference champion last year plays in this gem: http://image1.stadiumjourney.com/images/stadiums/600_Warming_Up_Inside_Prather_Coliseum.jpg Still, I don't really get it.

Maybe ORU felt that they could dominate the Southland in all the other sports except baseball and that simply hasn't happened. With baseball being competitive and not winning as many conference championships as they wanted ORU has decided to go back to a conference where they have a better chance of winning more conference championships. Sometimes hanging a bunch a banners is what turns recruits heads. Dominating in baseball and going to the NCAA baseball tournament every year wasn't all bad.

[valporun]

The city of Tulsa must have lost their shirts when they didn't have the Mid-Con/Summit Basketball Championships to help their economy in late February/early March? Kind of a dumb move on their part, but all of this conference jumping leaves me confused as to who went where and why they moved in the first place. Of all the Mid-Con/Summit moves, the only ones that made any sense were Valpo and Oakland to the HL, SUU to the Big Sky, Centenary to D-III and Chicago St. OUT to Independent. The CSU move to the WAC is real dumb, when they have zip for athletic budget all around.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Of all the Mid-Con/Summit moves, the only ones that made any sense were Valpo and Oakland to the HL, SUU to the Big Sky, Centenary to D-III and Chicago St. OUT to Independent. The CSU move to the WAC is real dumb, when they have zip for athletic budget all around.

dItto.  well done.

[crusaderjoe]

The city of Tulsa must have lost their shirts when they didn't have the Mid-Con/Summit Basketball Championships to help their economy in late February/early March? Kind of a dumb move on their part, but all of this conference jumping leaves me confused as to who went where and why they moved in the first place. Of all the Mid-Con/Summit moves, the only ones that made any sense were Valpo and Oakland to the HL, SUU to the Big Sky, Centenary to D-III and Chicago St. OUT to Independent. The CSU move to the WAC is real dumb, when they have zip for athletic budget all around.

Two words:  "Automatic" and "Bid."

In this context, Chicago State's move was no more as dumb than having a school located in NWI play conference games in Utah, Louisiana, Alabama and Connecticut.

[IndyValpo]

Of all the Mid-Con/Summit moves, the only ones that made any sense were Valpo and Oakland to the HL, SUU to the Big Sky, Centenary to D-III and Chicago St. OUT to Independent. The CSU move to the WAC is real dumb, when they have zip for athletic budget all around.

Have you even followed the Mid-Con? Almost every move ever made was the correct one. Do you even realize that all the HL teams except Detroit were in the Mid-Con. How about Missouri State and Northern Iowa to the MVC, Buffalo, Akron and Northern Ill to the MAC. To me only Chicago State allowing itself to be in essence booted and UMKC are head scratchers. I even think ORU's move made sense.

Actually CSU to the WAC was smart as they had to be in a conference.

Finally, kudos to the Summit for bringing back ORU. A great move for them.

[bbtds]

Of all the Mid-Con/Summit moves, the only ones that made any sense were Valpo and Oakland to the HL, SUU to the Big Sky, Centenary to D-III and Chicago St. OUT to Independent. The CSU move to the WAC is real dumb, when they have zip for athletic budget all around.

Have you even followed the Mid-Con? Almost every move ever made was the correct one. Do you even realize that all the HL teams except Detroit were in the Mid-Con. How about Missouri State and Northern Iowa to the MVC, Buffalo, Akron and Northern Ill to the MAC. To me only Chicago State allowing itself to be in essence booted and UMKC are head scratchers. I even think ORU's move made sense.

Actually CSU to the WAC was smart as they had to be in a conference.

Finally, kudos to the Summit for bringing back ORU. A great move for them.

Will you be e-mailing the ORU student/athletes when they are traveling to Fargo instead of New Orleans in January?

[IndyValpo]

Will you be e-mailing the ORU student/athletes when they are traveling to Fargo instead of New Orleans in January?

To clarify, it is a good move by the Summit. ORU's decision to reenter would probably fall into the head scratcher category.

[valpotx]

The Southland has gotten even more watered down with their recent additions.  Having 14 teams of minimal value outside of football/baseball, probably led to this decision.  That, and having a LITTLE bit closer geography vs. what the Summit used to have, has made it a little more palatable. 

[oklahomamick]

Currently the Southland conference ranks higher than the summit in basketball rpi ranking.

I know Mike Carter (ORU AD) did not feel comfortable sending kids to the great northwest on buses in Nov-March.  Okies freak out about snow and ice.  We got 3 inches and the local high schools cancelled Friday and Monday classes.  ORU administration and fans didn't like the conference tournament was moved to Sioux Falls. 

[bbtds]

Currently the Southland conference ranks higher than the summit in basketball rpi ranking.

I know Mike Carter (ORU AD) did not feel comfortable sending kids to the great northwest on buses in Nov-March.  Okies freak out about snow and ice.  We got 3 inches and the local high schools cancelled Friday and Monday classes.  ORU administration and fans didn't like the conference tournament was moved to Sioux Falls. 

Was that in the days when Richard Roberts was president? Did RR make the decision to leave the Summit and then get booted as president of ORU? Maybe the new administration felt the Summit wasn't quite as bad as extravagant RR made it out to be. There comes a time when God doesn't deliver all the miracles just because you personally want them.

[valpotx]

Currently the Southland conference ranks higher than the summit in basketball rpi ranking.

I know Mike Carter (ORU AD) did not feel comfortable sending kids to the great northwest on buses in Nov-March.  Okies freak out about snow and ice.  We got 3 inches and the local high schools cancelled Friday and Monday classes.  ORU administration and fans didn't like the conference tournament was moved to Sioux Falls. 

It doesn't matter what it is currently ranked.  The Southland is a crap basketball conference traditionally, so it will even out eventually.  They occassionally get one decent team that can compete, but the conference on the whole is terrible in basketball...

[oklahomamick]

agreed, the southland has always been worse of a bball conference.  The original move from Summit to the Southland was Mike Carter's and only needed the approval from the RR the president.  RR could care less and had no idea what was going on. 

The question is, does the university have to pay exit fees on any of their moves?  They were 80 million dollars in debt (ultimately that costs RR his job).  The Greens, (owner of Hobby Lobby) bailed the university out.  Since then the new president had a goal to increase students enrollment.  He was responsible for building a really cool student union.  But that president has since stepped down. 

Does anyone know if their are exit fees ORU will have to pay?