Belmont to Missouri Valley

[BEARZ77]

It's jealousy. I'd trade places with MSU in a heartbeat (as long as I get to bring Jake). They've done a fantastic job of planning out a road map and sticking to it to get where they want as an institution.

Thanks; I'm a Valley lifer, long before I even knew about or attended Missouri State. I grew up 50 miles outside ST Louis and was 70 miles from Columbia MO. I was fan of both MU and SLU growing up in the 60's and watched tons of SLU and Valley basketball in it's heyday and ever since. I was ecstatic when MSU joined the MVC and hope we find a way to remain so. But it is what it is; I'm not a big fan of the logistics of college football below the P-5 simply because it's a big money drain for 98% of the Universities playing it. But we clearly are committed to it and it may serve a purpose in providing future opportunities , so I just like the fact we seem to have the means, the resources, and now a plan . Even if it doesn't happen, at least we kicked the tire.

[BEARZ77]

.

Tie for the MVFC Championship 1 time in the last 30 years and they're ready for the AAC. Lol[/quote]

The Bears won a basketball title once in those thirty years too.[/quote]

So petty, that's disappointing; one could play that game by noting that since we joined the Valley we're the only team to make the final week nationally in two major sports having played in a WBB FF and a College Baseball WS. I could also note that since we joined the Valley only us, Illinois State and previously WSU has ever won an All Sports Trophy. But that ain't what this is about, so don't make it that way.

[BCPanther]

It's jealousy. I'd trade places with MSU in a heartbeat (as long as I get to bring Jake). They've done a fantastic job of planning out a road map and sticking to it to get where they want as an institution.

Thanks; I'm a Valley lifer, long before I even knew about or attended Missouri State. I grew up 50 miles outside ST Louis and was 70 miles from Columbia MO. I was fan of both MU and SLU growing up in the 60's and watched tons of SLU and Valley basketball in it's heyday and ever since. I was ecstatic when MSU joined the MVC and hope we find a way to remain so. But it is what it is; I'm not a big fan of the logistics of college football below the P-5 simply because it's a big money drain for 98% of the Universities playing it. But we clearly are committed to it and it may serve a purpose in providing future opportunities , so I just like the fact we seem to have the means, the resources, and now a plan . Even if it doesn't happen, at least we kicked the tire.

I was probably too young to realize what a huge deal it was to get into the Valley when our two schools did and the fact that Eldon Miller isn't the patron saint of UNI Athletics for getting that done is a real shame. UNI would still be wallowing in the Summit with the Dakotas who we left 40 years ago without that man.

I get that money is a thing and naming rights go to who comes up with the biggest check but the fact that we don't play in Eldon Miller Arena really bums me out.

You have to kick the tires. UNI did it 10 years ago with the Mountain West and the MAC but just didn't have the leadership to make it happen. I would have been lukewarm on the MAC but the Mountain West would have been a slam dunk for us much the way I think a reconfigured, aggressive Sun Belt can be for MSU.

[BuBrave2006]

I could also note that since we joined the Valley only us, Illinois State and previously WSU has ever won an All Sports Trophy. But that ain't what this is about, so don't make it that way.

I mean, in his defense...it's not about that. It's definitely about football and basketball, where all the money is and where MSU has won that amount of championships in that time period.

[BEARZ77]

I could also note that since we joined the Valley only us, Illinois State and previously WSU has ever won an All Sports Trophy. But that ain't what this is about, so don't make it that way.

I mean, in his defense...it's not about that. It's definitely about football and basketball, where all the money is and where MSU has won that amount of championships in that time period.

Doesn't matter; do you think East Carolina is in the AAC because of their championships. You either fit a league profile or you don't. If on the court was the main thing, Murray St would have been here 5-6 years ago.

[BearsCountry]

It's jealousy. I'd trade places with MSU in a heartbeat (as long as I get to bring Jake). They've done a fantastic job of planning out a road map and sticking to it to get where they want as an institution.

Thanks; I'm a Valley lifer, long before I even knew about or attended Missouri State. I grew up 50 miles outside ST Louis and was 70 miles from Columbia MO. I was fan of both MU and SLU growing up in the 60's and watched tons of SLU and Valley basketball in it's heyday and ever since. I was ecstatic when MSU joined the MVC and hope we find a way to remain so. But it is what it is; I'm not a big fan of the logistics of college football below the P-5 simply because it's a big money drain for 98% of the Universities playing it. But we clearly are committed to it and it may serve a purpose in providing future opportunities , so I just like the fact we seem to have the means, the resources, and now a plan . Even if it doesn't happen, at least we kicked the tire.

I was probably too young to realize what a huge deal it was to get into the Valley when our two schools did and the fact that Eldon Miller isn't the patron saint of UNI Athletics for getting that done is a real shame. UNI would still be wallowing in the Summit with the Dakotas who we left 40 years ago without that man.

I get that money is a thing and naming rights go to who comes up with the biggest check but the fact that we don't play in Eldon Miller Arena really bums me out.

You have to kick the tires. UNI did it 10 years ago with the Mountain West and the MAC but just didn't have the leadership to make it happen. I would have been lukewarm on the MAC but the Mountain West would have been a slam dunk for us much the way I think a reconfigured, aggressive Sun Belt can be for MSU.

I've went back and read the newspapers articles from that time. Bradley was the biggest whiner in the room about adding both. So nothing has changed in 30 plus years.

[SalukiWorld]

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Tie for the MVFC Championship 1 time in the last 30 years and they're ready for the AAC. Lol[/quote]

The Bears won a basketball title once in those thirty years too.[/quote]
To be fair, the AAC will be a dumpster fire for football once UCF, Houston, and Cincy leave. Missouri State can compete for the Godaddy.com Bowl in Shreveport, LA for years to come.

[squirrel]

Someone actually has to want Missouri State first.

If you want to be petty , then go for it. This has nothing to do with MSU thinking it's too good for the MVC, but everything to do with being prepared for opportunities to advance the University as a whole using sports as a mechanism. While on the court results get attention, the reality is things like enrollment, facilities, and progressive administrations are probably more important to having opportunity to make a move and we check all those boxes pretty well. Again I think most MSU fans love the Valley for basketball , but the league has really changed as far as membership toward the east, towards private schools with many of the remaining state universities struggling. We're growing and will continue to; we have feeder systems established with Ozarks Technical College, Missouri State WP, and Jeff Co, among others, are in a great geographical location for kids from KC/STL etc. Like I said our prez is more a business man than an academic type and he is pretty aggressive in advancing our brand. It is what it is, and it may not be anything; but we'd be fools not to put ourselves in position to take advantage of what's happening in conference realignment if an opportunity presents itself.

I don't disagree. It was a flipping joke, complete with emoji to help those out that might not pick that up. That last part there was also a joke.

Every one of the league's members should be positioning themselves for bigger and better things.

[usmcsaluki]

Belmont and Murray would be stellar and long overdue additions to the Valley! Hoping the rumors are true here.

[squirrel]

I've went back and read the newspapers articles from that time. Bradley was the biggest whiner in the room about adding both. So nothing has changed in 30 plus years.

Only in the context that the league's members zeroed in on MSU (then SW Missouri St) early, instead of making a play for Marquette, Dayton, DePaul, and SLU in the late 1980's - when those schools were publicly floating the need and desire for a conference home - and the MVC membership wasn't interested.

The same "whiners" also voted in favor of Southwest Missouri State:

"Bradley wasn't strongly pursuing Southwest Missouri State," [Bradley AD Ron] Ferguson said. "Several schools felt strong that they should be added. A few were lukewarm. In the end, all of us felt it was in the best interest if we voted for them.

"I think they will do very well. This will add another fine basketball program to our conference.