Welcome Loyola

[Sir Sci]

I fully agree with almost all of that ... however, Loyola isn't suddenly rich. They already had this money, and they've never chosen to commit the funds to their basketball program before. We're assuming a sudden reversal in their spending. What coaches have they chosen to pay seven figures to? What coach have they stolen away? Their current coach failed at Illinois State.

Again, potential is awesome, but potential needs a commitment to being realized, and Loyola has not had that commitment. I'll believe they have that commitment when I see it.

I'm sure they told the Valley that they're committed now, and they're going to spend the money ... but what guarantees do we have? Do we kick them out if they don't start spending money? The Marlins told everyone they were going to spend money, too ... and they did for one whole year

Endowments are great and all, but they absolutely do not imply a commitment to spending money on athletics, in any way. Actions show a commitment.

I would have preferred we dealt with "potential" by requiring schools to show a commitment to spending, establishing benchmarks for the next three years to meet before being brought in. RPI improvement, SOS improvement, attendance improvement, increasing spending, etc. Show us instead of tell us. Instead we took the opposite approach.

This is false, they haven't "always been rich." In fact, they were something like $30 million in the hole in their operating budget and had to take from their endowment substantially to keep their school open (which I'm told is a very bad thing ). This was in the early 2000s.

The current president actually saved them from a financial crisis, turning them back around into the black and has spearheaded renovations and new buildings both in academics and in athletics.

I am not all too happy about picking up a school that really isn't proficient in many sports and doesn't even offer baseball, but your critique of Loyola is simply inaccurate.

[Haha]

What is the current TV deal for the MVC?

I'm too lazy to read thru the below link but I think it's something like 40 plus games on ESPN networks. All I know is that between Cox 22 Kansas, ESPN networks, and Fox I had the ability to watch almost all shocker games last year on t.v. or ESPN 3.

http://www.mvc-sports.com/mbasketball/n ... with-espn/

[valleychamp]

Really? I could have sworn I gave a list of five schools that I would have been more than happy to have join. Denver, ORU, Belmont, Valpo, Murray State.

Most people would have been happy with one of those five.

Laughable. Every single one of those schools has major warts, whether it be financially, competitively, geographically, etc., and if any of them were selected the same people would be bitching about it.

[Sir Sci]

Really? I could have sworn I gave a list of five schools that I would have been more than happy to have join. Denver, ORU, Belmont, Valpo, Murray State.

Most people would have been happy with one of those five.

Laughable. Every single one of those schools has major warts, whether it be financially, competitively, geographically, etc., and if any of them were selected the same people would be bitching about it.

This right here. Sure, I would have been happy with Valpo, Belmont, and Murray State, but each has their flaws.

Denver would be cool for the Western expansion, but their premier sports are Hockey and Skiing, and is an emerging power in Lacrosse. The Valley offers how many of those three sports, exactly? And their basketball is and always has been really insignificant. Sure, they compete in the WAC, but they have never been to a single NCAA Tournament (and they are historically 1-2 in their three appearances in the NIT). Denver would make absolutely zero sense to add to the MVC.

ORU would be a terrible choice. I really don't feel like I need to justify my feelings about that, but I guess I will. I enjoy the little series that the Bears have with them and their fans are really good people, but they play second fiddle in their city just like Loyola, but in Tulsa instead of Chicago. Their basketball team may have a decent RPI and better attendance than the other school options, but they got third in the Southland losing games along the way to the likes of McNeese St and Central Arkansas.

[Haha]

Laughable.

I don't know if it's laughable, all including Loyola have "warts". I'm fine with the addition of Loyola but would have probably been fine with any addition. When it was first looking like CU was going to leave I was liking certain schools over others, then not wanting another school to be added, etc. About a month ago I came to the the conclusion that the Valley was going to take an immediate hit regardless so I stopped caring. I agree Loyola has lots of potential and may very well be up and running very quick. All the potential candidates had positives and negatives.

Like I said to Loyola fans at the start of this thread. Welcome and congrats.

***Below is a rant I suppose or just thoughts, not meant as a complaint rather a pathetic stab at where some of the disappointment may be coming from***

I would like to point one thing out, I'm sure if Wichita was part of the Chicago Solar system like so many schools in the Valley are it would be swallowed a little bit easier by many. Wichita is not however, in fact Wichita really doesn't have much in common with anyone else in the Valley, location wise, only public without football, not part of the Upper Midwest. Missouri State kind of but even that match up is full of differences. Unfortunately Wichita State without football and without ability to transport it's campus to one of the coasts has no conference with schools that are similar institutionally/athletically. So I think most shocker fans are looking at this thru one perspective and thats how good is the schools basketball right now, not saying thats right, just saying that might be the thought process.

[Sir Sci]

Laughable.

I don't know if it's laughable, all including Loyola have "warts". I'm fine with the addition of Loyola but would have probably been fine with any addition. When it was first looking like CU was going to leave I was liking certain schools over others, then not wanting another school to be added, etc. About a month ago I came to the the conclusion that the Valley was going to take an immediate hit regardless so I stopped caring. I agree Loyola has lots of potential and may very well be up and running very quick. All the potential candidates had positives and negatives.

Like I said to Loyola fans at the start of this thread. Welcome and congrats.

***Below is a rant I suppose or just thoughts, not meant as a complaint rather a pathetic stab at where some of the disappointment may be coming from***

I would like to point one thing out, I'm sure if Wichita was part of the Chicago Solar system like so many schools in the Valley are it would be swallowed a little bit easier by many. Wichita is not however, in fact Wichita really doesn't have much in common with anyone else in the Valley, location wise, only public without football, not part of the Upper Midwest. Missouri State kind of but even that match up is full of differences. Unfortunately Wichita State without football and without ability to transport it's campus to one of the coasts has no conference with schools that are similar institutionally/athletically. So I think most shocker fans are looking at this thru one perspective and thats how good is the schools basketball right now, not saying thats right, just saying that might be the thought process.

I can understand why WSU fans would be upset about adding a team that isn't close to them and isn't a similar institution. However, the other options that exist aren't really good matches with WSU except for ORU (which is private, but whatever). Denver's basketball program is insignificant, it fits outside of the Valley's geographic footprint, and they are private. Belmont and Valpo would have been decent options, but it's not like they are close to Wichita either and they are also private. UIC is public and doesn't offer football, but their basketball program isn't any better than Loyola's and has less history and tradition too. Murray State would have been an excellent option as well, but they also are not geographically close to WSU and do offer football.

I understand not thinking Loyola is the ideal candidate, because they aren't, but I do not understand being upset about Loyola but then being happy about a hypothetical Denver. I am also much happier with Loyola instead of ORU or UIC.

[Haha]

I can understand why WSU fans would be upset about adding a team that isn't close to them and isn't a similar institution. However, the other options that exist aren't really good matches with WSU except for ORU (which is private, but whatever).

I think what I meant by all that was WSU fan isn't looking at it from any other perspective than basketball success. I realize that wasn't out there and am just taking a stab at what may be fueling some of the disgust. I think WSU fans can grasp the potential Loyola possesses but outside of that there isn't any other positives for WSU fans to embrace about Loyola.

-It's not a short road trip like it is for many of the schools
-WSU fan doesn't give a rip about Loyola being private
-WSU fan in general doesn't care about Chicago in any way shape or form
-WSU fan probably wanted a baseball team

So point being, whoever the pick was it was going to be ripped. However I think some WSU fans are struggling with this pick because there are few "side" or "extra" positives for WSU fan specifically. Where as I bet SIU/ISUr/Bradley/UNI/Drake and even Evansville/ISUb fans can all find little side dishes to Loyola. Whether it be they live in Chicago, Chicago is a short drive, wanted another private, etc. Thats all great and am glad the other schools have other reasons I'm just telling you that it's hard for WSU fan to look at anything about this in a positive light.

With all that said I believe out of the 4 schools rumored to be visited they by far have the greatest potential and understand fully why they were selected.

[MVCfans]

Official Loyola press conference will be held at 11am Friday in Chicago.

[rlh04d]

I fully agree with almost all of that ... however, Loyola isn't suddenly rich. They already had this money, and they've never chosen to commit the funds to their basketball program before. We're assuming a sudden reversal in their spending. What coaches have they chosen to pay seven figures to? What coach have they stolen away? Their current coach failed at Illinois State.

Again, potential is awesome, but potential needs a commitment to being realized, and Loyola has not had that commitment. I'll believe they have that commitment when I see it.

I'm sure they told the Valley that they're committed now, and they're going to spend the money ... but what guarantees do we have? Do we kick them out if they don't start spending money? The Marlins told everyone they were going to spend money, too ... and they did for one whole year

Endowments are great and all, but they absolutely do not imply a commitment to spending money on athletics, in any way. Actions show a commitment.

I would have preferred we dealt with "potential" by requiring schools to show a commitment to spending, establishing benchmarks for the next three years to meet before being brought in. RPI improvement, SOS improvement, attendance improvement, increasing spending, etc. Show us instead of tell us. Instead we took the opposite approach.

This is false, they haven't "always been rich." In fact, they were something like $30 million in the hole in their operating budget and had to take from their endowment substantially to keep their school open (which I'm told is a very bad thing ). This was in the early 2000s.

The current president actually saved them from a financial crisis, turning them back around into the black and has spearheaded renovations and new buildings both in academics and in athletics.

I am not all too happy about picking up a school that really isn't proficient in many sports and doesn't even offer baseball, but your critique of Loyola is simply inaccurate.

What I was referring to had to do with endowment size. That's why I quoted a comment that laid out the endowment size of all of the schools in the conference. Did Loyola's endowment size change recently?

[rlh04d]

Really? I could have sworn I gave a list of five schools that I would have been more than happy to have join. Denver, ORU, Belmont, Valpo, Murray State.

Most people would have been happy with one of those five.

Laughable. Every single one of those schools has major warts, whether it be financially, competitively, geographically, etc., and if any of them were selected the same people would be bitching about it.

There is no team that we could have added that would have been universally loved.

However, you're comparing "not universally loved" to "almost universally loathed" as if they're equivalent. They're not and you know it. There is a vast difference between being "mostly happy" with an addition and "disgusted." I would be "mostly happy" with those schools.

Your attempt to characterize the potential of people complaining about Denver's geography with the actuality of people complaining about literally everything regarding Loyola is ... laughable.