Non-Con is Over. Pick your 1-12.

[bleach]

I can remember MSU (Mo State) winning the AMCU every year and having a huge following. We joined the Valley and were always among the contenders and had the biggest following similar to SIU, BU, and ILsu. Their crowds seemed more dependent on the season success, but the Bears always brought the faithful. Years of not getting the ring kept whittling away at the faithful. The Valley just makes it real hard to stay the big dog. I suspect Murray will find this out too over time. This league just makes the playing field so level you can't dominate for years running. I can remember Mo State playing CU in the finals the first year at the Keil Auditorium and the Bears probably outnumbered the CU fans 10 to 1. Next year, Bears beat Tulsa in the finals and there might not have been 50 Tulsa fans. SIU and Il St had real nice crowds until losing in the semis.

What seemed at that time like a never-ending throng of faithful Bear crowds has become an annual struggle to get a large following. The Valley does that. Evansville could probably tell a similar story.

[Racer09]

I can remember MSU (Mo State) winning the AMCU every year and having a huge following. We joined the Valley and were always among the contenders and had the biggest following similar to SIU, BU, and ILsu. Their crowds seemed more dependent on the season success, but the Bears always brought the faithful. Years of not getting the ring kept whittling away at the faithful. The Valley just makes it real hard to stay the big dog. I suspect Murray will find this out too over time. This league just makes the playing field so level you can't dominate for years running. I can remember Mo State playing CU in the finals the first year at the Keil Auditorium and the Bears probably outnumbered the CU fans 10 to 1. Next year, Bears beat Tulsa in the finals and there might not have been 50 Tulsa fans. SIU and Il St had real nice crowds until losing in the finals.

What seemed at that time like a never-ending throng of faithful Bear crowds has become an annual struggle to get a large following. The Valley does that. Evansville could probably tell a similar story.

I don’t doubt this is a valley trend. I will say its nice to be in a conference with big followings relative to the OVC. The benefits out-weigh any downsides. I’ll remain optimistic for now.

[MissouriValleyUnite]

I can remember MSU (Mo State) winning the AMCU every year and having a huge following. We joined the Valley and were always among the contenders and had the biggest following similar to SIU, BU, and ILsu. Their crowds seemed more dependent on the season success, but the Bears always brought the faithful. Years of not getting the ring kept whittling away at the faithful. The Valley just makes it real hard to stay the big dog. I suspect Murray will find this out too over time. This league just makes the playing field so level you can't dominate for years running. I can remember Mo State playing CU in the finals the first year at the Keil Auditorium and the Bears probably outnumbered the CU fans 10 to 1. Next year, Bears beat Tulsa in the finals and there might not have been 50 Tulsa fans. SIU and Il St had real nice crowds until losing in the finals.

What seemed at that time like a never-ending throng of faithful Bear crowds has become an annual struggle to get a large following. The Valley does that. Evansville could probably tell a similar story.

Surprised Tulsa was only bringing 50 fans back then. They were a perennial contender.

[bleach]

I can remember MSU (Mo State) winning the AMCU every year and having a huge following. We joined the Valley and were always among the contenders and had the biggest following similar to SIU, BU, and ILsu. Their crowds seemed more dependent on the season success, but the Bears always brought the faithful. Years of not getting the ring kept whittling away at the faithful. The Valley just makes it real hard to stay the big dog. I suspect Murray will find this out too over time. This league just makes the playing field so level you can't dominate for years running. I can remember Mo State playing CU in the finals the first year at the Keil Auditorium and the Bears probably outnumbered the CU fans 10 to 1. Next year, Bears beat Tulsa in the finals and there might not have been 50 Tulsa fans. SIU and Il St had real nice crowds until losing in the finals.

What seemed at that time like a never-ending throng of faithful Bear crowds has become an annual struggle to get a large following. The Valley does that. Evansville could probably tell a similar story.

Surprised Tulsa was only bringing 50 fans back then. They were a perennial contender.

Them, Wichita, Creighton, never had a following or even a band. It was all SIU, Il St, Bu, and Mo St. On good years In St would represent pretty good but never large.

[Dawgbit]

Racers are a solid 8th right now.

Murray State has NEVER finished 8th or worse since these things have been kept up with.

The Racers finished 7th in the OVC in 1979. Many of you weren't born yet.

Murray has NEVER been in the MVC either. Pass the popcorn please. PS- congrats on beating a bottom feeder MVC team without having to go to OT.

[racernation]

Dawgbit... the tone of my post should be translated as this:

In my opinion, Racers are 8th right now. And that is uncharted territory because it never happened in the OVC.

And yes, clearly there is a step up in the competition. That's why Murray moved from the OVC.

[valleydays]

Yeah, I'd say as up-and-down as this Murray State team has been, it would probably be top 3 in the OVC right now. Better to be 8th in the MVC than 3rd in the OVC. (Though last time I looked, Murray was tied for 2nd in the MVC.)