2011 Bracketbuster Watch

[Bearvision]

One thing that would really help the Valley is to get back to the formula that made them good in the RPI to begin with, and that's better scheduling. You can't reasonably predict which obscure team will be a top-50 team next year or the year after, I get that, but you can reasonably project the perennial 300+ RPI teams, and those teams just kill you. ISUr needs to be coaxed to schedule better. MSU needs to never play a team like Central Arkansas again. Get back to better scheduling for the good of the conference.

As for the BB, I hate it because it screams small-time, but someone said it best; The BB is fine, if you're good. The good teams are the ones worried about busting the brackets anyway, so that's the good in it. The bad is the bottom teams get stuck with a second dog of a game the next year, and the feeling that the whole thing is for small time conferences. Until the Valley starts to think, act, schedule, play like a big time conference, they're going to struggle for respect and air time with the national media.

[BirdmanBB]

One thing that would really help the Valley is to get back to the formula that made them good in the RPI to begin with, and that's better scheduling. You can't reasonably predict which obscure team will be a top-50 team next year or the year after, I get that, but you can reasonably project the perennial 300+ RPI teams, and those teams just kill you. ISUr needs to be coaxed to schedule better. MSU needs to never play a team like Central Arkansas again. Get back to better scheduling for the good of the conference.

As for the BB, I hate it because it screams small-time, but someone said it best; The BB is fine, if you're good. The good teams are the ones worried about busting the brackets anyway, so that's the good in it. The bad is the bottom teams get stuck with a second dog of a game the next year, and the feeling that the whole thing is for small time conferences. Until the Valley starts to think, act, schedule, play like a big time conference, they're going to struggle for respect and air time with the national media.

The redbirds must be the only ones in the valley thinking big time. We are too big time to do 1 and done away games with BCS conference teams like the small guys do.

[Bearvision]

The redbirds must be the only ones in the valley thinking big time. We are too big time to do 1 and done away games with BCS conference teams like the small guys do.

Your team's schedule is embarassing, and you'd be the first ISUr fan I've come across to disagree.

[DUBulldog]

The redbirds must be the only ones in the valley thinking big time. We are too big time to do 1 and done away games with BCS conference teams like the small guys do.

Your team's schedule is embarassing, and you'd be the first ISUr fan I've come across to disagree.

I think somebody's sarcasm meter is broken.

[Bearvision]

The redbirds must be the only ones in the valley thinking big time. We are too big time to do 1 and done away games with BCS conference teams like the small guys do.

Your team's schedule is embarassing, and you'd be the first ISUr fan I've come across to disagree.

I think somebody's sarcasm meter is broken.

The eye roll made it seem like he wasn't being sarcastic.

[Snapshot9]

Wouldn't most of these actions suggested take a change in mindset for Elgin. He seems to be satisfied with the status quo of the league. If the head honcho doesn't want to change anything, then how is anything going to get changed in the MVC?

[BirdmanBB]

Wouldn't most of these actions suggested take a change in mindset for Elgin. He seems to be satisfied with the status quo of the league. If the head honcho doesn't want to change anything, then how is anything going to get changed in the MVC?

It's very interesting that you say this, because there is no doubt that the MVC is slowly losing money. You think one would take action and try to repeat the steps that got us so many teams in not too long ago. I know there has been a ton of coaching turnover, but even in a bad economy, the valley has a lot of room/opportunity to improve and grow, where BCS conferences are struggling to stay at the top making money and trying to create new ways to generate income just to break even. In other words, in a struggling economy, there is still room for us to grow and make money that we wouldn't otherwise have where BCS conferences have already hit their peak. So for the MVC, a struggling economy should be looked at more as an opportunity to generate more dollars for fans of basketball who cannot afford the BCS ticket anymore. We just need more teams to put a good product on the floor and that is where elgin/AD's comes in.

[TylerDurden]

Wouldn't most of these actions suggested take a change in mindset for Elgin. He seems to be satisfied with the status quo of the league. If the head honcho doesn't want to change anything, then how is anything going to get changed in the MVC?

It's very interesting that you say this, because there is no doubt that the MVC is slowly losing money. You think one would take action and try to repeat the steps that got us so many teams in not too long ago. I know there has been a ton of coaching turnover, but even in a bad economy, the valley has a lot of room/opportunity to improve and grow, where BCS conferences are struggling to stay at the top making money and trying to create new ways to generate income just to break even. In other words, in a struggling economy, there is still room for us to grow and make money that we wouldn't otherwise have where BCS conferences have already hit their peak. So for the MVC, a struggling economy should be looked at more as an opportunity to generate more dollars for fans of basketball who cannot afford the BCS ticket anymore. We just need more teams to put a good product on the floor and that is where elgin/AD's comes in.

BCS schools aren't struggling to find revenue. They're making more now than the ever have and it's marginalizing just about every league that isn't one of them. The money they're pulling in and will be pulling in, in some cases, just from television contracts is money that cannot be replicated outside of those leagues.

It's the leagues outside of the big six that are struggling.

The Valley loses money when it doesn't have enough teams in the NCAA Tournament - it's that simple.

Coaching and AD turnover has been huge in the MVC in the past 5 years and it's no surprise that has corresponded with a downturn in bids/scheduling.

The scheduling part is very tricky, however. Even with the turnover in coaches and ADs, the landscape has shifted and getting BCS games on your court (especially good ones) is becoming more difficult. You have to get lucky and get them in a tournament...and you have to be able to get into those tournaments - which some MVC schools cannot. (if I get some free time, a lot of free time, I'll see how many BCS schools played road games against non-BCS schools this season)

Honestly, I don't think the schools are willing to put everything on the line in scheduling - not that I completely blame them. All the coaches want wins and the ADs want home games.

When you factor those things in (and there certainly are other factors), it's really difficult to put together a schedule that can get you an at-large bid.

Plus, the teams haven't been as good.

I think blame is misplaced on Elgin. He's given a few schools their best games, but he can't schedule all of them. Some people clamor for the magical scheduling restrictions, but it wasn't magic, it was winning games - teams aren't winning games against the lessor schedules they have now. Plus, people have to be willing to follow those restrictions for them to be put in place and, going back to an earlier point, I don't think they are.

As for Bracket Buster - yes, it has changed and doesn't have some of the marquee teams anymore and needs to be seriously evaluated...BUT, I do believe it's been good if your team has been good and has largely been positive for MVC teams.