Arch Madness 2022 - Final Thoughts

[NuncEstBibendum]

My final thought this year is that I'll be cheering on Murray State and South Dakota State in the NCAAT, along with UNI (and maybe MSU and Drake) in the NIT. I don't really care how Loyola does. If they make us some money then fine, but if they lose their first game it won't bother me at all. As far as I'm concerned they're an A10 team now.

This should be a message to everyone about how much supposed MVC fans actually care about the conference as a whole. What this says is clear. I care about my own personal grudges more than I care about the league.

[MissouriValleyUnite]

My final thought this year is that I'll be cheering on Murray State and South Dakota State in the NCAAT, along with UNI (and maybe MSU and Drake) in the NIT. I don't really care how Loyola does. If they make us some money then fine, but if they lose their first game it won't bother me at all. As far as I'm concerned they're an A10 team now.

This should be a message to everyone about how much supposed MVC fans actually care about the conference as a whole. What this says is clear. I care about my own personal grudges more than I care about the league.

Jesus Christ, it’s one poster. People could cherrypick one Loyola fan deriding the MVC and paint it as the Loyola fan base, but that would be disingenuous as most Loyola fans like the MVC.

[NuncEstBibendum]

My final thought this year is that I'll be cheering on Murray State and South Dakota State in the NCAAT, along with UNI (and maybe MSU and Drake) in the NIT. I don't really care how Loyola does. If they make us some money then fine, but if they lose their first game it won't bother me at all. As far as I'm concerned they're an A10 team now.

This should be a message to everyone about how much supposed MVC fans actually care about the conference as a whole. What this says is clear. I care about my own personal grudges more than I care about the league.

Jesus Christ, it’s one poster. People could cherrypick one Loyola fan deriding the MVC and paint it as the Loyola fan base, but that would be disingenuous as most Loyola fans like the MVC.

This has nothing to do with, nor in any way refutes my point.

[MissouriValleyUnite]

You are taking one person and extrapolating to MVC fans.

[SalukiWorld]

My final thought this year is that I'll be cheering on Murray State and South Dakota State in the NCAAT, along with UNI (and maybe MSU and Drake) in the NIT. I don't really care how Loyola does. If they make us some money then fine, but if they lose their first game it won't bother me at all. As far as I'm concerned they're an A10 team now.

This should be a message to everyone about how much supposed MVC fans actually care about the conference as a whole. What this says is clear. I care about my own personal grudges more than I care about the league.

Loyola doesn't benefit the Valley going forward outside of giving us a paycheck. Won't be rooting for them to just enhance their brand heading into the A-10. Murray State doing well would be much better for the Valley going forward.

[BUFanatic]

I really don’t care either way. If Loyola wins and makes us money, great. Couldn’t care less if they lose. I will also be rooting for Murray St. and hopefully Belmont. I’m not going to root against Loyola, but I’m not pulling for them.

Seeing as Loyola was a flash bang in the conference, I can’t really blame some of them for not understanding why some are taking this hard. Wichita was a member for almost 70 years when they left and Creighton (which I didn’t take as hard but it hurt) was a member for two stints of 20 years and nearly 40 it’s second time around. Tulsa (which I wasn’t really around for) was 60 years.

Valpo aside (no offense guys), current conference stints are:

The Drake (last remaining original member of the second oldest conference in the country. Wear that badge proud Bulldogs): 115 years. Minus the football incident.

Bradley: 74 years. Minus the football incident.

SIU: 47 years

ISUBlue: 46 years

ISURed: 41 years

MoSt: 32 years

UNI: 31 years

Evansville: 28 years

Regardless of success, the flash in the pans like New Mexico State don’t get passed down in the annals of Valley history. It was a fun ride with the Blers. I loved pulling for Sister Jean and the Final Four team, because we embrace our member schools. (Although I’ve never been able to root for ISU during the tourney, fortunately haven’t had that dilemma very many times in my lifetime lol) As a BU fan, I loved the rivalry and I hope we continue it down the line. The Conference Tournament is over, no Valley team has a chance to beat them in conference anymore. The hate is largely gone, but there’s no support anymore, just meh.

If some Rambler fans think that the Big 12 was singing Happy Trails to Nebraska, and will to Texas and Oklahoma (which, by the way, as a Valley member you do know that we were the original Big 8 before the Big 8 right? Of course you did.) you’re sorely mistaken. Now imagine Cincy replaces OU and in 10 years leaves for the SEC or B1G, yeah that would go over well; and that’s what just happened to the Valley. The Valley Runs Deep. Those that have previously been in or are currently in the conference for an extended period of time get that. LUC was here long enough to make a scratch, a memorable scratch, but a scratch nonetheless.

[Blers42]

I really don’t care either way. If Loyola wins and makes us money, great. Couldn’t care less if they lose. I will also be rooting for Murray St. and hopefully Belmont. I’m not going to root against Loyola, but I’m not pulling for them.

Seeing as Loyola was a flash bang in the conference, I can’t really blame some of them for not understanding why some are taking this hard. Wichita was a member for almost 70 years when they left and Creighton (which I didn’t take as hard but it hurt) was a member for two stints of 20 years and nearly 40 it’s second time around. Tulsa (which I wasn’t really around for) was 60 years.

Valpo aside (no offense guys), current conference stints are:

The Drake (last remaining original member of the second oldest conference in the country. Wear that badge proud Bulldogs): 115 years. Minus the football incident.

Bradley: 74 years. Minus the football incident.

SIU: 47 years

ISUBlue: 46 years

ISURed: 41 years

MoSt: 32 years

UNI: 31 years

Evansville: 28 years

Regardless of success, the flash in the pans like New Mexico State don’t get passed down in the annals of Valley history. It was a fun ride with the Blers. I loved pulling for Sister Jean and the Final Four team, because we embrace our member schools. (Although I’ve never been able to root for ISU during the tourney, fortunately haven’t had that dilemma very many times in my lifetime lol) As a BU fan, I loved the rivalry and I hope we continue it down the line. The Conference Tournament is over, no Valley team has a chance to beat them in conference anymore. The hate is largely gone, but there’s no support anymore, just meh.

If some Rambler fans think that the Big 12 was singing Happy Trails to Nebraska, and will to Texas and Oklahoma (which, by the way, as a Valley member you do know that we were the original Big 8 before the Big 8 right? Of course you did.) you’re sorely mistaken. Now imagine Cincy replaces OU and in 10 years leaves for the SEC or B1G, yeah that would go over well; and that’s what just happened to the Valley. The Valley Runs Deep. Those that have previously been in or are currently in the conference for an extended period of time get that. LUC was here long enough to make a scratch, a memorable scratch, but a scratch nonetheless.

All of this makes sense to me, not sure why someone would be bothered by Valley fans not rooting for Loyola when they left the conference. I do think that Loyola doing well in the tourney is good for all mid-majors. If they get a few good wins after being the four seed in arch madness it makes the MVC as a whole look stronger.

Although Loyola's time in the Valley may have been short to some, it's all I've ever known as a fan. The future seems bright for both Loyola and the MVC, so I can't see too many bothered by how things went down. It also helped that Loyola gave plenty of notice of their leave, not for the school itself but for the conference.

[GoSIU88]

Here's my view on Lie-Oyla (as they call themselves in Rogers Park):

I feel like a freshman girl during the first week of college doing the walk of shame back to my dorm after an evening of.....romance? I jumped head first thinking it was a long term relationship when it little more than a one night stand.

Initially, not very excited about adding the Jesuits after looking at their dismal record for the past 50 years and then touring the campus and gym, I bought into the whole idea when the Salukis played there and it was less than 90 minutes from my former home in McHenry County. The first game I ever attended there, there were two Jesuit students studying to become priests in a dance off called Jesuit Jam during half time. One Jesuit was about 150 lbs and was 6'5". The other one was about 5'2" and weighed about 250 lbs. It was so ridiculous it was embarrassing

Then they shocked the world by winning the Valley (who knew Porter Moser could actually coach....no one in Normal, for sure) and made a magical run to the Final Four. Sister Jean captivated the entire world of sports. The entire Valley bought it. Then two years later they made another magical run to the Sweet 16 by knocking off the high and mighty professional team from the University of Shampoo-Banana.

Now they're going to a conference that is a better "cultural" fit. Cultural fit? Will all those Harry Potter scarves be in Brooklyn or DC or whevever the A10 holds their conference tournament? Doubtful. I'd bet money, lots of Wheatshucker fans in Kansas would enjoy a trip to St Louis for a 3 day tournament. I'm not sure if anyone knows where the AAC tournament is held.

I wish no ill will on anyone, but when they're not as good, interest dwindles and you don't have the SIU, ISU and Bradley alumni base to buy tickets in your gym, the atmosphere will be as dreary as it was before.

[FakeLoyolaFan]

Its hard for us Loyola fans, none of whom existed prior to 2018 to accept that our basketball and conference friends now don't care for us. We have no history of our own going back for such a long time and no notable accomplishments beyond what the Valley propelled us too so it hurts to see that our older better brethren no longer care to see us succeed.

Just kidding everyone is going to be fine and we fully understand that we're sort of a big nothing to most of the long time fans. That's logical, it was less than 10 years. Its not like we're taking the auto-bid with us and we never helped by getting an at-large so there honestly just isn't a reason for anyone to be sad about this whole situation. I'd hope us leaving to go play with more basketball only catholic schools isnt viewed the same as Wichita bailing simply because of the history. Theres really no reason we shouldnt leave and theres really no reason why anyone should care that we did.

[BuBrave2006]

One could argue that the rooting against Loyola can be used as a deterrent for other schools leaving the Valley in the future. If Loyola fails in the A10, it can help show that the "grass isn't always greener" so to speak and maybe the next school thinks twice about leaving the conference. This line of thinking could be applied starting with the NCAA tournament this year because if Loyola makes another run, it could propel them into more immediate success next season. One could argue that is worth more than the paycheck from an extra game or two Loyola wins in the tournament coming back to the MVC.

I'm not specifically saying this is the way I look at it, but it's something I have thought about and could see why some people might have that frame of mind.