CBS: MVC looking at Missouri-Kansas City

[SDSUFan]

You guys are killing me with all the bi-polar discussion on this board.

With Creighton gone, you are at best, the 10th best conference, not being hateful just honest. That means you are deserving of the 10th best TV contract, but are there 10 decent TV contracts to go around? You are willing to take any crap school/team that comes from a metro market regardless of whether they will ever be able to field a decent team. The schools you are mentioning aren't like Wichita or Creighton that was the main player in their city, all of those teams are at best afterthoughts and it isn't going to get you a great TV deal. A great TV deal comes from putting a good product on the floor on a consistent basis.

I know you are dreaming of an A-10/MVC merger, but if you were an A-10 member would you want the additional travel costs just to add Wichita State? Sorry guys, but beyond the Shockers there are just as good options on the East Coast for them to pilfer for their conference and it will be a lot closer. Embrace your stability, add a Valpo, Belmont or ORU and work at making all your member institutions strong. If everyone can't step up you are going to find it tough getting a decent merger/ or TV contract....your only as strong as your weakest link.

[m-v-c]

I think it has to be a back up plan of back up plans. UMKC is not what we need. The only plus side to them is the Kansas City market. There is literally 20 teams i can think of before them. I would rather have Youngstown St. or another horizon bottom feader.

That being said in all honesty i think its time to look in the mirror with our conference. I think including myself we tend to overvalue ourselves. The more the clock ticks on this I realize that we are not that big time because we would already have a replacement. Why is UMKC being mentioned? Probably because alot of teams have said no. Maybe I am being negative but i truly beielve a football/basketball split is upon us. Just like what happened with Catholic 7. Its sad to say, but I would be surprised if in the next 5 years the Valley is even close to what we have now.

The Valley is what it is. It's a top 10 basketball conference (at this second), but it is extremely constrained by geography. There just really aren't many good teams out there that are willing to join the conference who are near our geographic footprint. And the conference isn't willing to expand beyond current geographic limitations -- nothing says that better than even considering UMKC.

And no. Realistically, what I see happening in the next few years is that the Valley will fall significantly. The Creighton departure was the first step, and likely drops the MVC out of the top 10 conferences nationally. Wichita State will leave. Both teams will be replaced by safe, decent teams that are close enough to not stress resources.

I don't know that I'd say it's going to be a football/basketball split, though. I'm not sure if Evansville, Bradley, or Drake will have any better options. I suppose fans of those three would know what options they might have if they're looking at a Valley that's a top 15 conference rather than top 10.

You guys do tend to overvalue yourselves. The facts are, however, the Missouri Valley is a perennial top ten league. Some recent years, it's been higher than that. The only reason the Valley is not considered a BCS conference and does not have a huge cable TV contract or have any of the the Big 4 networks knocking down its doors is because of the driving force of college sports...FOOTBALL!

Having said that, the Valley will be fine, eventhough as you've stated the MVC is constrained geographically. Where is Wichita State going without big time football? Some here have advocated going to the Mountain West. Those schools are out of the geographic footprint of the Valley. Could it be that the reason the MVC doesn't already have a replacement is that Elgin and his contingent are trying to make the best possible decision for the Conference going forward for the long haul? You don't want to move too hastily with say, a Valpo, and wind up with fool's gold. Or invite a Kansas City with promises never being fulfilled. You cannot compare the quickness with which the A-10 replaced its departing institutions with the perceived lackadaisical approach Doug Elgin is taking. The deadline is June 30 for a replacement or replacements. Mr. Elgin with do a fine job, he'll bring in the right team(s) and the Valley will be stronger for it. You guys seem to give him absolutely NO CREDIT AT ALL for the MVC being a top ten league.

You guys just need to chill.

Elgin has done far better with this league than he gets credit for. (Who presided over the league when it sent 4 teams to the NCAAs? When it sent a team to the Final 4?) It's not easy in these times to keep a conference together, and he's done it so far...if the MVC falls apart, it'll be proof that absolutely no conference is safe.

Having worked in small college athletics at a conference level (where even they are dealing with conference-hopping), it's all about getting a group of schools to stay solid together, recognize its strengths and not be influenced by everything happening around it. The league doesn't need to put itself at risk by overplaying the realignment game, it's a group that is stronger as a whole than it would be if it split up. The MVC is doing its diligence (and is actually doing it, not just saying that to buy time) and they'll make a good choice, not just a choice to win a press conference.

[shoxrox]

It's amazing how bitter the Illinois State fans still are on this site.

We're still laughing all the way to Atlanta.

[rlh04d]

In comparison, the top schools in the Valley are spending around $4 million a year for men's basketball, $15-20 million for athletics in general, have average attendances over 10,000, and pay their coaches greater than $1 million a year. The low spenders in the conference are spending in the range I described.

Only WSU meets those numbers as far as current MVC teams go. Creighton also meeting it, and leaving, shows that the top teams are an aberration and are too big for the conference. Shouldn't be evaluating prospective teams on Creighton/WSU numbers, because we won't get anyone.

Wichita State has had a losing season as recently as 2007-2008. They aren't as superior as you are making them out to be.

Good point! See, I made a comment about WSU's fiscal spending on basketball and athletics in general, average attendance, and coach salary ... and then you responded with on-court performance! Because of course pointing out financial figures and fan support CLEARLY is saying that we're phenomenally better on the court.

I didn't say ANYTHING about WSU's quality of play. I didn't say we're the greatest program in Valley history. I didn't say we're never going to have a losing season again. I said that the numbers he gave for fan support and financial figures only applied to WSU and Creighton.

Please actually read before commenting. It helps, I assure you.

[IllinoisState]

It's amazing how bitter the Illinois State fans still are on this site.

We're still laughing all the way to Atlanta.

It's cute that you are so full of yourself.

Wichita State has had a losing season as recently as 2007-2008. They aren't as superior as you are making them out to be.

Good point! See, I made a comment about WSU's fiscal spending on basketball and athletics in general, average attendance, and coach salary ... and then you responded with on-court performance! Because of course pointing out financial figures and fan support CLEARLY is saying that we're phenomenally better on the court.

I didn't say ANYTHING about WSU's quality of play. I didn't say we're the greatest program in Valley history. I didn't say we're never going to have a losing season again. I said that the numbers he gave for fan support and financial figures only applied to WSU and Creighton.

Please actually read before commenting. It helps, I assure you.[/quote]

Oh, hey, this coming from the person who acts as if Wichita State is Duke and after you attacked me and were proven wrong because you didn't take time to read things carefully, just like now. Maybe it would be best for yourself if you held your tongue.

[rlh04d]

I know you are dreaming of an A-10/MVC merger, but if you were an A-10 member would you want the additional travel costs just to add Wichita State? Sorry guys, but beyond the Shockers there are just as good options on the East Coast for them to pilfer for their conference and it will be a lot closer.

Wichita State is about 400 miles from Saint Louis. They're hardly far outside of the geographic footprint of the A-10. And WSU is a significantly better program than Saint Louis.

And no, there are not better options than WSU for the A-10 on the east coast. There is no East Coast program in a conference lower than the A-10 in the same ballpark.

[shoxrox]

It's amazing how bitter the Illinois State fans still are on this site.

We're still laughing all the way to Atlanta.

It's cute that you are so full of yourself.

I think it's cuter that all 19 of your posts have had some kind of WSU-obsessed vendetta wedged in them. You can't stand it. I don't blame ya either.

You still have ignored the question I asked you a week ago that you stated WSU isn't the best program in the Valley. When I asked you to elaborate and explain who you thought the best was, you swept it under the rug. I think that answers that question.

Things are looking up in Normal!

[shoxrox]

By Valley standards, WSU is the Duke of the Valley and your butthurtness about it is making you look like the Clemson of the Valley, in terms of both bitterness and athletic suckitude.

[rlh04d]

Oh, hey, this coming from the person who acts as if Wichita State is Duke and after you attacked me and were proven wrong because you didn't take time to read things carefully, just like now. Maybe it would be best for yourself if you held your tongue.

I've never acted like WSU is Duke. I've absolutely acted like WSU is a significantly better program than IllState, though. And is absolutely too big for this conference. Those are perfectly accurate statements. We're not Duke, but we sure as s*** aren't Illinois State, either. We don't have to be Duke to look down on you ... fans of pretty much every team in this conference are fully within their rights to look down on your program.

Yep, I should definitely hold my tongue. You can't read, and you have no defense for blatantly mis-characterizing my statement so you could get a shot in at WSU, but I certainly should hold my tongue.

[IllinoisState]

Oh, hey, this coming from the person who acts as if Wichita State is Duke and after you attacked me and were proven wrong because you didn't take time to read things carefully, just like now. Maybe it would be best for yourself if you held your tongue.

I've never acted like WSU is Duke. I've absolutely acted like WSU is a significantly better program than IllState, though. And is absolutely too big for this conference. Those are perfectly accurate statements. We're not Duke, but we sure as s*** aren't Illinois State, either. We don't have to be Duke to look down on you ... fans of pretty much every team in this conference are fully within their rights to look down on your program.

Yep, I should definitely hold my tongue. You can't read, and you have no defense for blatantly mis-characterizing my statement so you could get a shot in at WSU, but I certainly should hold my tongue.

You are delusional to think that you are as good as you are and clearly don't know what you, or anyone else, has said.