Welcome Loyola

[Valleyball]

Anyway when I read your post about a team in Tulsa I thought you were talking about the Golden Hurricane. That is why I said you were unrealistic. Now that I see you meant ORU I take that back. But they would be below Denver, Belmont, Murray State, and Valpo to me. I could live with Denver or ORU or both though if you want a closer school.

[rlh04d]

Some people think that their programs are better than they are.

Some people are happy with their program being a part of the Illinois Valley Conference paying to broadcast their games on public access television in Chicago, but it's okay because travel costs are really low and at least the alumni in Chicago can go to games a few times a year.

[DoubleJayAlum]

Well, we know some things are true with this addition:

The MVC doesn't want to operate without a Jesuit school.
The MVC wants a private school.
The MVC doesn't want any more schools in the middle of nowhere.
The MVC doesn't want any more broke ass schools.

The fact that Loyola enters as a more financially stable institution than about 8 of the other schools from day one speaks volumes. The fact that they accomplished that on a Horizon League budget is even more impressive.

I guess the league said that if they couldn't have Creighton, they would settle for a school coached by a Creighton alum.

[rlh04d]

UIC, Loyola and Valpo would be great for the Illinois schools. Many of Bradley, SIU, and ISUr alums live in Chicago. With UIC and Loyola right in the city and Valpo an hour from downtown Chicago, the many alums of those three schools from Chicago have a chance to see their team play three times right in their backyard.

Gee, five teams in Illinois would be great for the Illinois schools? You don't say.

Right, but to put it even more in perspective. Evansville, IN is about 45-50 mins. from Illinois towns just across the Indiana-Illinois border like Emma, IL; Mt. Carmel, IL; and Grayville, IL. Indiana State in Terre Haute, IN is about 25-30 mins. from towns just across the Illinois-Indiana border like Marshall, IL and Paris, IL. So if the league were to add Valpo, UIC, and Loyola, that would make eight schools out of 12 that are in Illinois or under an hour from the Illinois-Indiana border. That's great for us, but sorry that it would not be so great for Wichita, Northern Iowa, Drake, or Missouri State.

It absolutely is great for you.

You know, in the sense that it's easy to travel to games. You guys can take quick road trips to go see your teams play, and it'll be cost-efficient for your programs.

And in the same way that's nice for high schools playing each other, that will be nice for you.

If you would like your program to actually matter on a national scale, however, this is bad for literally everyone in the conference.

While other conferences seek to become more national in scope, the Valley seeks to become more regional in scope with every move. Every move is based on contracting rather than expanding. And you can smile about how easy it'll be to drive to games now, but in ten years when you're wondering how things got to be the way they are ... just remember how "great" it is for you. Your budget will continue to contract, teams will continue to leave, RPIs will drop, NCAA shares will vanish, whatever TV contract the Valley had will be gone ... but you can drive to the games.

[rlh04d]

Aside from Creighton and Wichita State, none of the other MVC schools have been that impressive either."

Well, he's right. I'd include UNI.

[rlh04d]

Anyway when I read your post about a team in Tulsa I thought you were talking about the Golden Hurricane. That is why I said you were unrealistic. Now that I see you meant ORU I take that back. But they would be below Denver, Belmont, Murray State, and Valpo to me. I could live with Denver or ORU or both though if you want a closer school.

I agree with your list. I'd have ORU has #5 of the teams I'd want to bring in.

I think we've clearly established that the Valley isn't concerned with Wichita State or Missouri State, however. This conference is interested in reducing travel costs in a three-state pattern between Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa. We're the two odd-ducks out in geographic terms for a conference dedicated to contracting geographically.

[CaseyGarrisonforPrez]

Another dude on their board says that: "We will make you both proud and confounded that you put us in the MVC."

I am definitely feeling confounded. And I love the ringing endorsement.

[IllinoisState]

Some people think that their programs are better than they are.

Some people are happy with their program being a part of the Illinois Valley Conference paying to broadcast their games on public access television in Chicago, but it's okay because travel costs are really low and at least the alumni in Chicago can go to games a few times a year.

Keep Patting yourself on the back. You are very degrading to pretty much any idea that isn't yours. You and others are very rude and condescending to other posters just stating an opinion.

[shoxrox]

5 winning seasons in the last 28 years.


Bravo Valley.

[ilstu2013]

It absolutely is great for you.

You know, in the sense that it's easy to travel to games. You guys can take quick road trips to go see your teams play, and it'll be cost-efficient for your programs.

And in the same way that's nice for high schools playing each other, that will be nice for you.

If you would like your program to actually matter on a national scale, however, this is bad for literally everyone in the conference.

While other conferences seek to become more national in scope, the Valley seeks to become more regional in scope with every move. Every move is based on contracting rather than expanding. And you can smile about how easy it'll be to drive to games now, but in ten years when you're wondering how things got to be the way they are ... just remember how "great" it is for you. Your budget will continue to contract, teams will continue to leave, RPIs will drop, NCAA shares will vanish, whatever TV contract the Valley had will be gone ... but you can drive to the games.

You know who else it is great for? Fred VanVleet and his family and friends! As a Shocker fan, you should be supportive of Fred VanVleet in this circumstance. As a Rockford, Illinois native, another game in his home state would allow his family and friends to attend one more game than they otherwise would be able to. It doesn't seem like this is going to happen to me because I tend to think we will stick with 10 and just add Loyola, but if the league expands to 12 and includes Valpo and UIC as well, that would be three more games total that a star player of yours for three more years to come would have a strong fan base at.