Fire Elgin!

[BirdmanBB]

I think it's time for everyone to take a deep breathe and relax. I so wanted to see St Marys in Omaha, but I understand why ESPN would want to match them up with Murray State. Wichita State has a tough game with apparently little to gain, but with the Murray State-St Marys game selected, Davidson was about as good as they could ask for.

In the end Creighton and Wichita State got two of the best games and they both just need to win them.

Probably close, but would a game @ ORU @Iona or @ Cleveland St. been any better?

[valleychamp]

Bracketbuster games have helped UNI immensely over the years. Has given us some great home and homes, and given us great matchups with ODU, George Mason, Siena, and Bucknell. The Bucknell game that we got several years ago flat-out got UNI into the tournament that year.

[Ace Dad]

Doug Elgin resigns April 23rd.

MVC hires a new Commussioner 1 June.

What is your mandate as fans to the new Commissioner?

What is your timeline?

How do you measure your mandate?

What resources will he need?

The easy part is firing the boss. The hard part
is making sure the new guy has the skill-set to accomplish
your goals.

These are great questions Ace Dad. You are clearly a solutions oriented person. I would hire Dan Beebe formerly of the Ohio Valley and Big XII. He did a great job of the OVC and gets a lot of negative attention for the Big XII but that thing was a powder keg and he was just in an unfortunate spot. He would also offer a lot of realignment expertise which is crucial in the modern world of college sports. I think he'd come and he's not the type that would just sit in the corner with his head bowed like Elgin is.

All I am trying to do is to get folks to understand that there are advantages and disadvantages to every decision made about a leader. Folks who typically holler "fire someon" have never done so and do not understand the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th order ramifications. Nor do they typically know who they want or what they want.

Let us take Dan Beebe, and I am not criticizing your choice, just giving the "devil's advocate" view. I live in the greater Kansas City area and follow the Big 12, too. I work with KU and Missouri fans. They wanted Beebe fired as the Big 12 Commissioner because in their eyes, he did not do enough to strengthen the Big 12 via TV contracts nor did he prevent the defections from the Big 12 to the other conferences. Now, in my mind, there was not much he could do because Texas runs the Big 12. In other words, the fans want to fire a man who really does not pull the strings. That said, I respect your choice and he may be a good Commissioner for the MVC. But, we already have a Commissioner and I am still waiting for some of the other posters to explain why they want another one.

Also, putting Doug Elgin's email on this thread does not make sense to me. You need the email of the 10 college Presidents because they are the influencers.

The ones of you who want to fire Doug Elgin will now be known as "Occupy MVC" and you will be about as influential as the Occupy Movement nationwide

[MoValley John]

If these games weren't Bracketbuster pairings, but games negotiated by the AD's and coaches, most people would be bragging them up as resume builders. Unfortunately, we expect so much from the BB pairings that a good game isn't good enough,we want the perfect game. Anything less and it's a screwjob.

[Ace Dad]

If these games weren't Bracketbuster pairings, but games negotiated by the AD's and coaches, most people would be bragging them up as resume builders. Unfortunately, we expect so much from the BB pairings that a good game isn't good enough,we want the perfect game. Anything less and it's a screwjob.

Yes!

[MoValley John]

Oh, and anyone that thinks Beebee would help this league is nuts. Yes, Texas runs the Big 12, but only because Beebee allowed it to happen.

[musiccitybulldog]

One way to look at the Bracketbuster from a positive marketing sense would be that it draws serious to casual basketball fans due to the ESPN advertising and focus. Many of this type of fan may not have watched a UNI or Creighton game even if it were on ESPN or ESPNU, but... with the extra "Bracketbuster" focus, the participating teams could draw the needed extra attention.

Winning and taking part in games that are exciting, creating national attention during the "Bracketbuster" for the anticipated additional national fans is important as well. Media coverage creates fan recognition, the more focus on the participating teams, the more recognition. I think that is what we all want.

I understand the previous posts concern, but like non-Bracketbuster participation to obtain an NCAA at large you have to win games. It's that simple. There is no easy way around getting into the tournament or method of instantly changing national perception, but I do believe the Bracketbuster helps give participating teams on TV an extra week end of recognition and special focus.

I really enjoy watching all the teams in the Bracketbuster, hopefully others outside and inside the participating conferences do as well.

[NeutralObserver]

The top 2 or 3 Valley teams have most always been used as targets by the BracketBuster. When they win they really win nothing and when they lose, especially at home, they are usually a ticket to The Dance for the team that beat them. The matchups for the other 8-10 really make no difference even if they were matched with "The Little Sisters of the Poor" as they won't dance anyway. They all get another game with the same team the next year or the year after & that is the problem. Every team in the conference can & usually will take an rpi hit for playing that return game down the road. This was Elgin's baby to start and he should now be smart enough to get out of it and move in another direction. Creighton & Wichita are both the sacrificial lambs for the Valley this season.

[Haha]

Coach Lusk said on his radio show tonight that he liked the BB. He also said the term mid major didn't bother him because you just have to accept what you are. Kind of a weird comment to make. The fans and coaches just see this event differently it seems. Or coach lusk just hasn't coached at this level long enough to realize these games usually hurt more than help.

That attitude sucks, reminds me of Turg and "this level".

Does Lusk feel the MVC closer to MWC, A-10, CUSA in terms of competition or does he feel closer to the OVC, Summit, Southland?

Two reasons I hate BB.

1.) They play in late feb, outside of 1 to 2 games max there is nothing to gain. Why would you purposely seek out an additional game in late feb that is almost always a lose/lose. Especially when you could more than likely schedule a home/home with the exact same team on your own. It's not like it's bringing mediocre BCS schools to your house (the real turds that need to be eliminated).

2.) Whether the other teams are better than you it still isn't a good idea to be associating your league with the OVC, Big South, Southland, Summit, etc on national television. Perception is a strong strong thing in this country. Again use some brain power, determine who is going to be OK and schedule home/homes. It's amazing how loses in Nov/Dec are forgotten but Feb is focused on hard.

Before anybody slays me about the last comment and says now you are acting like the big 6. Ask yourself this...do you believe the MVC to be piers of those leagues I mentioned? Well I don't I believe them to be somewhere with the WCC/CUSA/A10/MWC/CAA. Some years ahead of a few and some years behind a few but somewhere between 6th and 12th. After that I believe there is another big drop off in leagues (not individual teams specifically on a given year).

[MSUBear42]

Agree with others, my biggest problem with the Bracket Buster event is that it takes away a weekend of late-season MVC conference games and when you take out an entire weekend it causes that trainwreck schedule that makes us all play 3 games in only 6 days.