Which Schools should the HL invite....pick 3

[historyman]

Which is why Valpo should be packing the ARC, right?

Your comparing a town of 30,000, 50 miles from Chicago, with cities the size of 115,000 and 830,000. Both of the cities are oriented to be the center of their regions without much outside draws. Valpo does not compare to that. Valpo people go to Lake County, Chicago and South Bend to attend sporting events because they are oriented that way. Also I don't consider Valpo a sports town. Actually it's not that big of a deal for Valpo people to go to Milwaukee for a sporting event.

[sectionee]

Valpo and the other surrounding small town are more into the local high school sports. To me this is he biggest thing keeping he community away. Keep winning, get more students in the seats and the community attendance will grow. I thought this got better as last year wore on.

[blackpantheruwm]

Valpo and the other surrounding small town are more into the local high school sports. To me this is he biggest thing keeping he community away. Keep winning, get more students in the seats and the community attendance will grow. I thought this got better as last year wore on.

Then that high school sports community must be brought into the fold. Get them fired up about VU!

[milanmiracle]

Then that high school sports community must be brought into the fold. Get them fired up about VU!

Back when I was involved in high school sports, the Duneland schools are anti-Valpo, even if it's not the high school itself. I know most of the Duneland schools (at least in the sports I competed in or was involved with) activly rooted against Valpo even when they weren't in head to head competition in Valpo high school.

We we won! and Valpo lost!

I suspect that opinion still exists in general. Yes, that goes away over time, but as a sports community it takes time to overcome that feeling

[VULB#62]

Milan, I'm not quite following what you wrote.  Duneland high schools didn't like VU or didn't like Valpo HS? And if it was the university, why would that be? I'd be interested in more information on the anti-Valpo perspective you write about.  [Please pardon my naiveté, but (1) I'm not from around there and (2) I was there only for my 4 years and left -- a long, long time ago.]

[vu72]

I think what he is saying refers to the high school and is based in feeling Valpo superior status.

[wh]

bbtds - Don't you think your first obligation is to the Crusader brotherhood when you have interesting news to share?

[bbtds]

bbtds - Don't you think your first obligation is to the Crusader brotherhood when you have interesting news to share?

Exactly what are you refering to?

[wh]

bbtds - Don't you think your first obligation is to the Crusader brotherhood when you have interesting news to share?

Exactly what are you refering to?

CSU board, 8/18, bbtds:

As someone who has a contact high up in the Valpo administration I can't reveal exactly what deal has been made for 2013-2014. But I believe you will be extremely excited about which schools will be joining the Horizon League. The goal was to get 3 schools with at least 2 of them with baseball. The reason it won't be announced until the end of the basketball season, probably around HL tournament time, is to distance the announcement from Butler's leaving so the 2 events won't be as linked as it appears. But I think you will find that all 3 of the schools together make up for Butler leaving.

Great teaser - I was just surprised to see it on the CSU board and not ours...

[LaPorteAveApostle]

busted.  wow! nice work!

[dylanrocks]

Belmont, Murray State and Oakland?

Let's add these three and continue to explore further expansion.

[vu72]

Belmont, Murray State and Oakland?

Let's add these three and continue to explore further expansion.

I think if we could add these three then we all would be excited.  It adds Nashville to the mix and three very solid rpi teams.

[crusadermoe]

Those are logical suggestions.    We would not be on the OVC leaders' Christmas card list,....but C'est la vie.   

[talksalot]

Oakland is the easiest one to pick... but will UDM let them come in?  I'd like IPFW because it's an easy drive from Valpo... and we can really yell at them if they bring those darn noise makers with their band!  and my third choice is a toss up between Evansville or Indiana State ... I don't know if they'd be interested in moving from the Valley...but hey, I'm an ICC traditionalist!

[VULB#62]

Guys -- this is sounding like a rehash of the following that have already run their course earlier or in the case of Poll #2 seem to be a better posting location:

#  HL SuperConference => started June 21
#  Poll #2 - Predict 3 new additions => started August 18
#  .......and the beginning of this string => started way back in June.

We should either consolidate all this into one string or stop beating multiple dead horses.  We have already discussed the merits and possibilities of Murray State and Belmont very thoroughly on a number of levels along with others.  Posters need to first look back over previous discussions and they'll get a great understanding of the ground that has been previously covered.

Just my      .

[dylanrocks]

According to sources, IPFW and Evansville are among a group of teams -- North Dakota State, IUPUI -- in the hold for further expansion.

The Purple Aces will join the fray if the Missouri Valley begins fragmenting, starting with Creighton's departure for the powerful A-10.

As documented elsewhere, I'm elated with the league's apparent southward expansion.

This was the best way to stabilize the conference and fortify it against potential future raids.

[HorizonLeagueFan]

IPFW and IUPUI are not under consideration.  Period.  All 9 HL schools have told LeCrone that they will not be considered.

[crusaderjoe]

According to sources, IPFW and Evansville are among a group of teams -- North Dakota State, IUPUI -- in the hold for further expansion.

The Purple Aces will join the fray if the Missouri Valley begins fragmenting, starting with Creighton's departure for the powerful A-10.

As documented elsewhere, I'm elated with the league's apparent southward expansion.

This was the best way to stabilize the conference and fortify it against potential future raids.

Wow--interesting group.  To me, New Mexico State would have sounded more plausible than any of these schools since it might have nowhere to place its non-football sports once the WAC dies.  At least Idaho has the Big Sky as a fallback.  I guess this begs the question—will Idaho take NDSU's spot at the Big Sky table?  Is that what is causing the source speculation? 

If Creighton moves to the A-10, schools will probably be leaving other conferences to join the MVC, and not the other way around, IMO.   

What is fun about all of this expansion talk is that you might be 100% correct since everything is so speculative and anything I guess is possible--although it has been mentioned that the IU schools are not in consideration. This grouping just seems too odd to have any legs.

[valpotx]

I truly hope that we are not considering any of the Dakota schools.  That adds travel when it is not needed, and they would just be using the HL for a few year stop gap until they move their program to FBS (Mountain West or something)

[crusadermoe]

Yeah the Dakotas thing has to be a joke.      That goes back to the Mid-Con level of thinking.

[vuweathernerd]

Yeah the Dakotas thing has to be a joke.      That goes back to the Mid-Con level of thinking.

as much as i'd love to see that now, while i'm up here in the middle of nowhere, it is overall an absurd thought. moe, you and tx have hit it square on. travel would become ridiculous. especially with how difficult winter travel can be up here.

[IndyValpo]

The Patriot League has added another school, this time Loyola (Maryland) from the MAAC.  The MAAC now has 9 teams.  Could they try to add Robert Morris as #10?

[vuweathernerd]

The Patriot League has added another school, this time Loyola (Maryland) from the MAAC.  The MAAC now has 9 teams.  Could they try to add Robert Morris as #10?

better the patriot league than the horizon

[IndyValpo]

Murray State and Bemont update

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/andy_glockner/09/19/ohio-valley-belmont-murray-state/index.html?eref=sihp&sct=hp_wr_a5

[historyman]

There was a rumor I heard that Evansville and Murray State are looking to pair up in the same conference and that they are seriously weighing their options. Could their destination be the Horizon League? Who knows? Again this is only a rumor.