VUGrad1314 wrote:I just don't get the appeal of UALR. They've been very mediocre recently outside of one year in a basketball conference inferior to the MVC. I would target UTA or even possibly SFA before them and I think a strong case could be made for NKU over adding just a single Dakota school. It really is a shame that Milwaukee's athletic department is such a disaster because they would otherwise get a lot more play in these scenarios and the Lake Michigan option would look a lot better.
Since you mentioned football I have to ask: Would the stability of the MVC be threatened by the Summit League starting football? I know they're separate administratively but several MVFC members are also Summit League members. If those schools defect, would the MVC members in the MVFC look for a new conference which might take their basketball teams too. Does this force MOST to the Sun Belt\MAC and UNI and ISUr to the MAC?
I've covered this at length, and it's why I want the MVC to take football on.
The MVFC would be fine - short term. The threat of Summit League is football is very slim for reasons I've laid out dozens of times and can link if you'd like me too. They are buried at this point.
However, let's pretend the Summit school pulled out - yes, the MVC/MVFC would be okay for now, especially with the addition of Murray State. You need 6 teams to maintain an auto bid, the MVFC would have UNI, ISUR, ISUB, SIU, MSU, and YSU. Adding MUSU would give the league 7. For a number of reasons I don't see WIU following Summit League football. I think they end up in the Horizon or OVC. If they are Horizon that keeps them in the MVFC and gives the league 8 members.
This is why I want the MVC to sponsor football. Not to become a football school - but to create stability. Schools like SLU/Dayton/etc.. aren't happening. They would oppose to a conference with football. The MVFC is adding UND in 2020. That gives the MVFC 11 teams. Murray State would give the league 12, and the league may be headed for a divorce. Adding Murray State and SFA would force the Summit League's hand. The balance of voting sways very heavy to the MVC block. They will either deal with it, or break off. However, with Murray State and SFA the MVC/MVFC would be safe from any rash moves that schools like Illinois State, Missouri State and UNI (who seems more level headed than others at this point) from doing something.
Bradley
Drake
Evansville
Illinois State - FB
Indiana State - FB
Loyola
Missouri State - FB
Murray State - FB
Northern Iowa - FB
Southern Illinois - FB
Stephen F Austin - FB
Valparaiso
The concern is how SFA recovered post Brad Underwood. Last year wasn't great. However, they seem to have some pretty solid recruits coming.
That will never be allowed because it causes "too much" of a swing to football and public schools. I think we'll end up stuck with ORU if we must keep the private/public FB/nonFB spit. I'd take UT-A over ORU though. Their new arena looks quite nice (holds about 7k), and is unique but not stupid with it's design. The big draw back for them is geography - but if we insist on staying in our current footprint we don't have many options (as we've discussed), and lack of any familiarity/rivals with MVC members.
No further need to discuss ORU, NKU, Grand Canyon or NMSU at this time.
