Non-football / non BCS conference news

[junglehusky]

Sources: Butler eyeing Atlantic 10

I was worried for a second. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught something on the ESPN bottom line about "Andy Katz... Butler... conference move" and I thought Marinatto had decided we weren't getting enough of the Indiana market with ND.

 

[Dann]

knowing how stupid marinate is, im sure butler is just starting a bunch of rumors so they can get a bball invite from his dumb ass. they probally already have a place picked out for steak and cake.

 

[tzznandrew]

Sources: Butler eyeing Atlantic 10

I was worried for a second. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught something on the ESPN bottom line about "Andy Katz... Butler... conference move" and I thought Marinatto had decided we weren't getting enough of the Indiana market with ND.

Good for Butler. If they can make it happen, it's clearly a step up, and if Stevens is really going to stay there for some time, A10 will at least give him better competition to pitch when recruiting. I hope it works out for them.

If we ever do get out of the BE, or if the BE splits, I'd like to see a conference like this:

GTown
Nova
PC
Seton Hall
St. John's
Marquette
DePaul
Xavier
Butler

And maybe some other team. I'd root for that conference more than I'd root for teams in whatever conference we ended up in.

 

[junglehusky]

What would be hilarious would be if "some other team" was Notre Dame.

 

[FromTheInside]

I think the BE basketball schools need to split off and take the cream of the A-10 + Butler and start their own league (it's probably result in more $$$ for the football schools anyway).

Georgetown
Marquette
Villanova
Notre Dame
DePaul
Seton Hall
St. John's
Providence

+

Xavier
Dayton
Butler

+ 3 or 5 of:

St. Bonaventure
Richmond
VCU
Old Dominion
St. Joseph's
UMass

That'd make for a pretty salty basketball conference, plus free of the BE to focus on what they need to focus on, which is growing their football brand, while strengthening basketball secondarily.

Either way, good for Butler. They've earned a step up conference-wise.

 

[Murph]

Personally, I think the A-10 is too big as is, so if a team or two leaves (Temple), they should not replace them. JMHO.

 

[Marty Jackson]

If the BE continues in the current state, they should eliminate the FB onlies (except Navy), and make them all sports. If that happens, Butler or Xavier would make a good BB only in the mid west to go along with Marquette and Depaul.

 

[businesslawyer]

I would expect the A-Ten might go beyond Butler when it replaces Temple, both because 16 may be a better number than 14 and to build depth in the case they are one day raised by the Big East catholics. They will not be looking at any scholarship football schools, even I-AA, for obvious reasons. Besides Butler, expect George Mason and VCU to get long looks, with schools with good sized arenas like Siena and Fairfield also being considered.

 

[tzznandrew]

I would expect the A-Ten might go beyond Butler when it replaces Temple, both because 16 may be a better number than 14 and to build depth in the case they are one day raised by the Big East catholics. They will not be looking at any scholarship football schools, even I-AA, for obvious reasons. Besides Butler, expect George Mason and VCU to get long looks, with schools with good sized arenas like Siena and Fairfield also being considered.

If the A-10 took GMU and VCU, the CAA is done.

I think Fairfield could be a decent addition.

Too bad Quinnipiac and Tom More haven't made a couple of tourney's yet.

I actually think that those three plus Xavier, St. Joe's, St. Louis, and Richmond is a pretty decent basketball only conference.

 

[MattMang23]

I heard that when QU built the new basketball arena, it was with an eye toward A10 membership.

 

[Dann]

Quinn thinks the a10 is possible but its goal is ivy

 

[MattMang23]

Well good luck to them with that.

 

[tzznandrew]

Quinn thinks the a10 is possible but its goal is ivy

Joke? There's no way they'd be in the Ivy...

 

[Waquoit]

Joke? There's no way they'd be in the Ivy...

It's a stretch goal.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

That's actually an awesome basketball league from a standpoint of decent regional cohesion and commonalities amongst league members.

I still think it would be slightly below an all sports Big East with UConn, Louisville, Cincy, Memphis and Temple as the anchors, but a pretty good and exciting league nonetheless.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Yes, where Stretch = Impossible. The closest Quinnipiac's getting to the Ivy League is an ECAC Hockey filler. If someone suggested the Patriot League, even that would be a big academic leap for Quinnipiac.