I'm sure we'll all be back at each other's throats next year, but regardless, WSU's run is great for the conference as a whole.
I hope it sparks a renewed interest in the conference and drives some more good coaches to come to the Valley teams. If we can get some good coaches in, and the Valley teams can start paying them well, the conference could really come out of this very well.
We need three teams to build solid NCAA resumes every year ... we don't need every team to be great, but we need at least three respectable teams every year. Just takes two programs to hit a run of success and pay their coaches well enough to stick around to keep the momentum going. This coming season would be a hell of a time for one or two more Valley teams to stand up and make a run.
I hope Marshall's attitude rubs off on this conference, too, frankly. I know it rubs people here the wrong way when they play us, but he refuses to see a ceiling on this conference. We need other coaches that think the same way, refuse to be disrespected, and are willing to fight to get the support of the city, the media, the administrators, and the donors.