ESPN: Butler chatting it up with Atlantic Ten

by **pafan** » March 12th, 2012, 7:35 am

Andy Katz reports that the A10 is asking Butler to join their league to replace a Temple team that anchored that conference for a chunk of the 90s and 00s. Butler is said to be interested.

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketba ... int-shot-3

Now, its time to play the Valley's favorite game: Where's Elgin on this?

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by **Haha** » March 12th, 2012, 8:07 am

pafan wrote:Now, its time to play the Valley's favorite game: Where's Elgin on this?

Where should he be on this?

They Valley doesn't offer large markets and it would offer lesser quality league. Also the Valley is at an even number and the A-10 is looking to replace.

I'm more interested in who replaces Butler in the Horizon. My guess would be Oakland maybe.

The Valley is NOT going to expand, just isn't. It's at a perfect number, which is 10 and any of the quality teams to add in the footprint want nothing to do with the small markets and fly over country. They all consider themselves the Harvard of missouri (Despite not even being the best in their city or 2nd best in their state) or Ohio or wherever they are. In reality they are just like about 100 other private universities. Regardless they desire east coast exposure and being associated with schools from Omaha, Wichita, Des Moines, Springfield, Peoria, etc is not something they want. From their viewpoint I can understand that. Although I could see were CU could eventually get into A-10 if UMass or UNCC eventually leave. They would be way west but they fit the school profile and if Butler is added they wouldn't be to extremely far from them and SLU.

by **TylerDurden** » March 12th, 2012, 8:12 am

He was way ahead of the curve. Butler nearly joined the league in the early 1990s, but there were a few schools that voted to add a different school.

The reality is that Butler has very limited resources and outdated venues and is probably better off where it is than in the A10.

by **Jet915** » March 12th, 2012, 8:25 am

IMO, Doug should inquire about adding Butler. They are a national brand, have alot of tradition. Sure, the A-10 has bigger markets but we should atleast see if they are interested. Adding Butler and another midwest school who has shown interest in the past (SLU) would be a coup for the valley. Sitting on your hands while other leagues try to improve themselves is not going to help the Valley.

by **BirdmanBB** » March 12th, 2012, 8:30 am

If we could get to 12 and add Butler and SLU I think that would put us on par with the A10, if not better (after losing Temple).

by **TylerDurden** » March 12th, 2012, 8:32 am

BirdmanBB wrote:If we could get to 12 and add Butler and SLU I think that would put us on par with the A10, if not better (after losing Temple).

SLU is not an option and hasn't been for a long time and for a variety of reasons.

by **Ricardo del Rio** » March 12th, 2012, 9:10 am

Jet915 wrote:IMO, Doug should inquire about adding Butler. They are a national brand, have alot of tradition. Sure, the A-10 has bigger markets but we should atleast see if they are interested. Adding Butler and another midwest school who has shown interest in the past (SLU) would be a coup for the valley. Sitting on your hands while other leagues try to improve themselves is not going to help the Valley.

I like this idea. It would be pretty cool.

by **SpiritedDrake** » March 12th, 2012, 9:11 am

Can someone explain to me why SLU is not an option for the Valley? I'm new to the Valley so I don't know what might've happened in the past with the school and the league but to me it makes perfect sense to add SLU into the Valley. Majerus even complains about being in the A-10.

by **Haha** » March 12th, 2012, 9:19 am

SpiritedDrake wrote:Can someone explain to me why SLU is not an option for the Valley? I'm new to the Valley so I don't know what might've happened in the past with the school and the league but to me it makes perfect sense to add SLU into the Valley. Majerus even complains about being in the A-10.

They do not want to be associated with the Valley schools and want an east coast presence. Not sure why that is so hard to grasp. SLU gets brought up all the time and it gets old. It's a good footprint match but thats it.

As far as Butler goes, why would they chose MVC over A-10? The A-10 is the better league, the teams are in larger markets (like they noted themselves) and have an east coast presence.

by **TylerDurden** » March 12th, 2012, 9:39 am

Haha wrote:
SpiritedDrake wrote:Can someone explain to me why SLU is not an option for the Valley? I'm new to the Valley so I don't know what might've happened in the past with the school and the league but to me it makes perfect sense to add SLU into the Valley. Majerus even complains about being in the A-10.

They do not want to be associated with the Valley schools and want an east coast presence. Not sure why that is so hard to grasp. SLU gets brought up all the time and it gets old. It's a good footprint match but thats it.

As far as Butler goes, why would they chose MVC over A-10? The A-10 is the better league, the teams are in larger markets (like they noted themselves) and have an east coast presence.

The MVC is a much better fit for Butler with athletics resources and academic profile than the A10 - forgetting geography. Butler is similar in school profile to Bradley, Evansville, Drake and Creighton.

While most of us think about athletics, university presidents think about academic stature and mission. It's one of several reasons that SLU is not an option. SLU's institutional goals and academic offerings are different than those in the MVC, but are similar to many A10 schools.

SLU isn't quite what it thinks it is from an academic standpoint, but that doesn't stop them from acting like they're significant in that realm and putting a huge price tag on a mediocre education.

All of that said, Butler was rebuked once by the MVC schools and although times are certainly different, I'm not sure they're interested in going down that road again. They would be a nice MBB addition, for sure.