The AAC is a VERY good conference.

[MattMang23]

It doesn't seem like you want to believe at all...I want to add schools like WSU and VCU to the basketball side but everyone's scared *less of being a hybrid.

Gee, I wonder why.

 

[MattMang23]

No.

Ok don't. But don't ever call Rutgers quality. I didn't even know they had a basketball team until about 2004. And I'm not kidding.

 

[UofMemphis]

The hybrid BE conference probably was the single greatest reason for the disintegration of the BE conference. The two groups had needs that were too dissimilar.

Which is why you take one...one vote can't achieve anything alone.

 

[UofMemphis]

Ok don't. But don't ever call Rutgers quality. I didn't even know they had a basketball team until about 2004. And I'm not kidding.

when your other option is looking down to find programs like Rice and FAU...Rutgers and Temple don't seem so bad.

Just sayin'

 

[ctchamps]

Which is why you take one...one vote can't achieve anything alone.

Not true.

Situation with the former BE would have been resolved with the conference dividing between bb on lies and bb/football schools but that required a majority vote. Since the bb on lies and the bb/football schools were equal in number the decision ended up being in the hands of the one university which was different from all the others. ND which was in the conference in everything but football sided with the bb on lies. So one can achieve something alone.

 

[MattMang23]

when your other option is looking down to find programs like Rice and FAU...Rutgers and Temple don't seem so bad.

Just sayin'

Temple, for basketball, not bad. Rutgers for basketball? Consistently finished next to DePaul in standings year in and year out. (For the CUSA fans in the audience, that would be either 15th or 16th in a 16 team league) I'd rather have Providence on the schedule.

 

[MattMang23]

Which is why you take one...one vote can't achieve anything alone.

Says the guy whose team never played in a hybrid league...

Where were you all those years? We could have really used you running the Big East.

Trust us, you don't wanna go there.

 

[John]

Nothing better than last Thurs having UConn-Temple on ESPN2 playing in front of 3k (max) and flip over to ESpN with UNC-Duke. Wow.

This league blows. Thx Warde!

Does Temple always draw poorly like that? I was a litte surpised to see so few people there on TV.

 

[Marat]

Does Temple always draw poorly like that? I was a litte surpised to see so few people there on TV.

Official attendance was about 6K.
http://www.owlsports.com/boxscore.aspx?path=mbball&id=4623

It looks like Houston has the worst attendance in the conference, though.

 

[NickyNewark]

No.

I like you're spunk kid....don't let anyone bully ya.

 

[kobe]

It doesn't seem like you want to believe at all...I want to add schools like WSU and VCU to the basketball side but everyone's scared *less of being a hybrid.

Why are Memphis fans obsessed with adding more schools to the conference? You realize the TV contract is already set so we'll just be adding more mouths to feed. I don't care if you think they'll make the NCAA tournament every year, those NCAA credits are not guaranteed...

Wichita State is better off joining the A-10, they don't have to worry about the other school's football priorities and they are currently on pace to get 5 or 6 bids...plus Davidson is coming in next year. That would be a better fit.

 

[HuskyHawk]

you have to realize that there is a large contingent on this board that are simply downers. Nothing you say will convince them otherwise.

The league isn't that bad. Yes, the bottom is weak, but that includes Houston and Temple, both of which have history. Temple is simply rebuilding. Getting 5 into the tourney will make a statement. Getting 3 or 4 into the 16 would be awesome.

Marty, that's all true, but I think it is easy to see the differences in perspective from UConn and Memphis. Memphis is in a much better league, which is a good league. For UConn, we lost a league that in recent years was not just good, but amazingly so, in an unprecedented way. It was number 1 with no other league even close. So yes, there is a clear drop off from that level of play, especially the lack of depth.

While we can expect Houston and Temple to be better, we lose Louiville, and I think Cinci is playing far above their historic level. They are often a top 40-50 team, rarely top 25, and very, very rarely top 10. There is no chance that this league approaches what the Big East was, but that doesn't mean it stinks. I hope UofMemphis and others can at least appreciate why we see it as a significant downgrade.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Why are Memphis fans obsessed with adding more schools to the conference? You realize the TV contract is already set so we'll just be adding more mouths to feed. I don't care if you think they'll make the NCAA tournament every year, those NCAA credits are not guaranteed...

Wichita State is better off joining the A-10, they don't have to worry about the other school's football priorities and they are currently on pace to get 5 or 6 bids...plus Davidson is coming in next year. That would be a better fit.

Or they can stay in the MVC. It doesn't seem to be hurtng them any. WSU has no money for travel in a league like the A10, let alone the AAC. On top of that, their best sport historically is actually baseball, where the A10 would be a step down. Next best would be non-football in CUSA.

 

[UofMemphis]

Says the guy whose team never played in a hybrid league...

Where were you all those years? We could have really used you running the Big East.

Trust us, you don't wanna go there.

the Metro and CUSA were both hybrids...

CUSA 1.0 had: Louisville, Cincy, Memphis, Marquette (non-football), St. Louis (non-football), Charlotte (non-football)

 

[UofMemphis]

Or they can stay in the MVC. It doesn't seem to be hurtng them any. WSU has no money for travel in a league like the A10, let alone the AAC. On top of that, their best sport historically is actually baseball, where the A10 would be a step down. Next best would be non-football in CUSA.

the combination of WSU and Navy football would make for a great addition to the AAC IMHO.

I don't see how 1 non-football member could out vote 11 all-sports members...and they wouldn't even be allowed to vote on football matters.

 

[UofMemphis]

Why are Memphis fans obsessed with adding more schools to the conference? You realize the TV contract is already set so we'll just be adding more mouths to feed. I don't care if you think they'll make the NCAA tournament every year, those NCAA credits are not guaranteed...

Wichita State is better off joining the A-10, they don't have to worry about the other school's football priorities and they are currently on pace to get 5 or 6 bids...plus Davidson is coming in next year. That would be a better fit.

It's not just me, or just Memphis fans...just look how many WSU threads there are on the AAC board.

 

[MattMang23]

the Metro and CUSA were both hybrids...

CUSA 1.0 had: Louisville, Cincy, Memphis, Marquette (non-football), St. Louis (non-football), Charlotte (non-football)

Fine, I shall rephrase...

"Says the guy whose team has never played in a hybrid conference since television contracts meant something."

 

[Marty Jackson]

Marty, that's all true, but I think it is easy to see the differences in perspective from UConn and Memphis. Memphis is in a much better league, which is a good league. For UConn, we lost a league that in recent years was not just good, but amazingly so, in an unprecedented way. It was number 1 with no other league even close. So yes, there is a clear drop off from that level of play, especially the lack of depth.

While we can expect Houston and Temple to be better, we lose Louiville, and I think Cinci is playing far above their historic level. They are often a top 40-50 team, rarely top 25, and very, very rarely top 10. There is no chance that this league approaches what the Big East was, but that doesn't mean it stinks. I hope UofMemphis and others can at least appreciate why we see it as a significant downgrade.

We're saying the same thing... Nobody is suggesting that the AAC is the Big East.
But there is clearly a contingent on this board that will respond to anything positive about this league with a 'debbie downer' response. There are very few Uconn fans that would take the AAC over the ACC, Big, or even Big 12. you could probably say that about any program in the AAC.

But at least for this year and likely next (and the next after that), Uconn is in the AAC. the better our conference does, the better that is for Uconn. Getting a fb ranked in the Top 10, keeps this league in the picture. Getting a team in the final four gets this team noticed. Do I want that team to be Uconn? Hell yes. but if not, then I would rather a team from the AAC get that spot.

It's just surprising how many Uconn fans seem to root against this conference.

 

[UofMemphis]

see tonight for more evidence...Houston tomorrow has me worried.

 

[metsfan2323]

Every conference road game has been a win (or loss) we had to fight for, even UCF made a run when they put their big guy in. No easy games on the road.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

The hybrid BE conference probably was the single greatest reason for the disintegration of the BE conference. The two groups had needs that were too dissimilar.

One or two teams is not a group.
Leagues like the AAC with an olio(I always wanted to use that word ). of schools . Need to be pragmatic to survive. The Big East Catholics were a specific dynamic of small privates with a long history together whose claim to fame was BB. They actually conceived that league as BB league with football as a necessary evil.
I don't think anyone in the AAC would have any delusions of why they are there.

 

[CTBasketball]

One thing I'm certain of. USF will have a scary frontcourt in the next 2-3 years.

 

[Payday]

Marty, that's all true, but I think it is easy to see the differences in perspective from UConn and Memphis. Memphis is in a much better league, which is a good league. For UConn, we lost a league that in recent years was not just good, but amazingly so, in an unprecedented way. It was number 1 with no other league even close. So yes, there is a clear drop off from that level of play, especially the lack of depth.

While we can expect Houston and Temple to be better, we lose Louiville, and I think Cinci is playing far above their historic level. They are often a top 40-50 team, rarely top 25, and very, very rarely top 10. There is no chance that this league approaches what the Big East was, but that doesn't mean it stinks. I hope UofMemphis and others can at least appreciate why we see it as a significant downgrade.

Marty, that's all true, but I think it is easy to see the differences in perspective from UConn and Memphis. Memphis is in a much better league, which is a good league. For UConn, we lost a league that in recent years was not just good, but amazingly so, in an unprecedented way. It was number 1 with no other league even close. So yes, there is a clear drop off from that level of play, especially the lack of depth.

While we can expect Houston and Temple to be better, we lose Louiville, and I think Cinci is playing far above their historic level. They are often a top 40-50 team, rarely top 25, and very, very rarely top 10. There is no chance that this league approaches what the Big East was, but that doesn't mean it stinks. I hope UofMemphis and others can at least appreciate why we see it as a significant downgrade.

Marty, that's all true, but I think it is easy to see the differences in perspective from UConn and Memphis. Memphis is in a much better league, which is a good league. For UConn, we lost a league that in recent years was not just good, but amazingly so, in an unprecedented way. It was number 1 with no other league even close. So yes, there is a clear drop off from that level of play, especially the lack of depth.

While we can expect Houston and Temple to be better, we lose Louiville, and I think Cinci is playing far above their historic level. They are often a top 40-50 team, rarely top 25, and very, very rarely top 10. There is no chance that this league approaches what the Big East was, but that doesn't mean it stinks. I hope UofMemphis and others can at least appreciate why we see it as a significant downgrade.

Looks like a little education is in order. Cincy owns two national titles, 6 final fours (5 in a row). From 1992-2004 they won 10 conference titles and 8 conf tourney titles in 12 years
During that span finishing Top 10 six times and Top 25 every year. Spending 16 weeks at #1 from 1996-2000. They were national title favorites in 2000 until unanimous NPOY Kenyon Martin broke his leg in the conference tourney.
They're #12 all time at 385 weeks ranked in the AP Top 25 (3.5 full seasons more than UConn historically) and #7 all time at 45 weeks ranked #1.
Most Cincy fans feel they would have run through the Big East like Louisville did if not for Huggins getting fired, losing the #1 rated recruiting class of OJ Mayo and Bill Walker, and thus entering the BE with one scholarship player and a team of JUCOs, walk ons, and football players.
It's taken this long to get back from that, but here they are, dominating the same conference they dominated nearly 10 years ago. They won't be going anywhere...except maybe to the B12.

 

[Payday]

Actually this season has been a bit of a surprise for Cincy fans as it was next a season we expected to have the better team.

 

[Payday]

Lastly, we all know what UL did the last two seasons, but how many in here know that prior to leaving CUSA, Cincy, Louisville and Marquette each made the Final Four, as did Memphis after we all left. It was a great conference, and although no conference will ever be as great as the BE was, in hoops, Cincy fans know that if we stay here (with UConn, Memphis, SMU now, and Temple) it can be even better than it was.