BE7 fans - tell us who YOU want!

[Jays26]

don't think they fit and same goes for Wichita State...not even sure how they keep coming up in the conversations...

They keep coming up because their fans keep throwing the name out there with no chance of even being in the discussion.

[GumbyDamnit!]

Nova fan here... I think this is an out of the box league so I would think out of the box. Shoot for a 14-15 team league. There are two scenarios that I would sign up for:

Option #1 - Retain UCONN. If you can, do the same to Memphis and Temple. All are tremendous BB schools. Sell them on the merits of being a BB powerhouse and explain that it could be more lucrative than ending up in Conference USA for FB and BB. All of their FB programs bleed $. They can't realiztically compete at that level. Temple hasn't made money on football...ever. Drop it down to FBS instead. Unfortunately the lure of the FB money has turned great BB schools into a BCS wanna-bes.

Xavier and Butler first, no questions. Xavier replaces UC in Cinn. market. Not sure about :Creighton. In 2013 it gives the conference a boost. My worry is when you look at their BB tradition, it's rather anemic (1-4 in the toruney the last 10 years; 10-18 overall tourney record, no FF's). What happens when their all-American McDernmott and their BE transfer in Echinique leave? Do they become another so-so team, which is geographically furthest from everyone? I am encouraged by their apparent commitment to BB and their fan base, so I'd give them the nod. Flip a coin and add StL or Dayton (would favor St. L for the TV market). 2 divisions, 14 teams. In this scenario BB schools outnumber the FB schools so they continue to drive the bus.

Option # 2 - 3 divisions of 5.
East: Nova, GT, SHU, Johnnies, Prov. (old BE rivals)
MW: Marq, Depaul, Xav, Butler, Dayt/St.L
West: Creighton, Gonzaga, San Fran, St. Mary's, BYU?/Santa Clara?

In all sports you play each team in your division 2x and 6 rotating games from each the other 2 divisions (3 home and 3 away). It makes it cost effective for the schools to know that they make 1-2 trips across the country max. If you're the VU soccer team or baseball team you travel out west once a season and play both SF and Gonz on the same trip. What a tremendous experience for the athlestes that doesn't totally wreak havoc on a Ath Dept. budget. Tourney is played in MSG, United Center or SF on a rotating basis. Make it a true national league.

[thefish7]

Final Answer: Butler, Creighton, Xavier

Need to zoom that map out a bit to get Omaha on it.

[mike]

Butler, Creighton and Xavier

[nathanhm]

As a Georgetown fan I view the schools in tiers:

Tier A (alphabetical order) -- need at least 2
1. Butler
2. Gonzaga
3. Xavier

Tier B (alphabetical order) -- strong adds
1. Creighton
2. VCU

Tier C (alphabetical order) -- good not great
1. Dayton
2. Richmond
3. Saint Louis
4. St. Mary's
5. Wichita State

Tier X (alphabetical order) -- amazing but unlikely, need to committed to league
1. Cincinnati
2. Connecticut
3. Memphis
4. Notre Dame
5. Temple
6. UNLV

[Novacrawf]

Nova alum here; Butler and Xavier top the list for me. Would love Gonzaga, but the distance can't be overcome. Right now I'd have to say Creighton as number 3.

Can't see any of the other BE bball schools getting a sniff. There's too much riding on football for them. I wish the C7 had split a bit earlier, though; Notre Dame might have been pretty interested since they could lock in football independence without committing to 5 ACC games per year. Would have been kinder on travel budgets in all other sports, and bball would be in the upper echelon of the conference consistently. C'est la vie.

If we go to 12, no one plausible is overly exciting to me. Not that they're bad programs or schools. VCU just doesn't feel like it fits the same school profile (smaller, private, etc.). Dayton doesn't jump out. SLU is ok, but doesn't seem overly relevant in bball, other than beating the 'cats last year, even if the demographic fits.

Wonder if President Danko coming from Dean of Villanova's business school helps bring Butler along....

[Pretzel]

BE7 should be picking the best basketball programs if they plan on being a top basketball conference. Geography does have relevance with the Zags being to far for all sports.

NCAA Tournament History (last 10 years)
Xavier- total: 9, best: elite eight, record: 14-9
Butler- total: 6, best: runner up, record: 15-5
VCU- total: 5, best: final four, record: 7-5
Creighton- total 4, best: second round, record: 1-4
Dayton- total: 3, best: second round, record: 1-3
SLU- total: 1, best: second round, record: 1-1

[butlerguy03]

Wonder if President Danko coming from Dean of Villanova's business school helps bring Butler along....

I think so. Butler is an east coast type school.

BE7 should be picking the best basketball programs if they plan on being a top basketball conference. Geography does have relevance with the Zags being to far for all sports.

NCAA Tournament History (last 10 years)
Xavier- total: 9, best: final four, record: 14-9

X's best has been E8, not F4.

[nathanhm]

I know everyone keeps saying Gonzaga is too far and all sports would be too expensive but I think its a throwaway statement.

Gonzaga could enter 1 of 2 ways.

1) Basketball only. In a 2 division, 12 team league, that means the midwest schools have 1 flight a year to Spokane (shouldn't break anyones budget) and the Eastern schools have 1 flight every two years to Spokane (def shouldn't break anyones budget). Now Gonzaga has a lot of travel to do, 6 midwest games, and 3 east coast games every year. That being said they have their own charter jet and according to sources have already reached out so they seem to be willing to do the 9 games. If they are willing and able, then adding them should be a complete no brainer.

2) All sports: Logistically this would be more difficult but assuming there is an increase in revenue for Gonzaga, this may more than offset the additional travel costs. Otherwise Gonzaga may just find new homes for their other sports programs and be a partial member of the new Big East. WHich I am totally okay with and I would question anyone who isn't.

[GumbyDamnit!]

I know everyone keeps saying Gonzaga is too far and all sports would be too expensive but I think its a throwaway statement.

Gonzaga could enter 1 of 2 ways.

1) Basketball only. In a 2 division, 12 team league, that means the midwest schools have 1 flight a year to Spokane (shouldn't break anyones budget) and the Eastern schools have 1 flight every two years to Spokane (def shouldn't break anyones budget). Now Gonzaga has a lot of travel to do, 6 midwest games, and 3 east coast games every year. That being said they have their own charter jet and according to sources have already reached out so they seem to be willing to do the 9 games. If they are willing and able, then adding them should be a complete no brainer.

2) All sports: Logistically this would be more difficult but assuming there is an increase in revenue for Gonzaga, this may more than offset the additional travel costs. Otherwise Gonzaga may just find new homes for their other sports programs and be a partial member of the new Big East. WHich I am totally okay with and I would question anyone who isn't.

Nathan, how about a 3 division national league in which Gonzage is joined by a St. Mary's , a USF and Creighton can be out west? 5 Midwest and 5 east teams. Play each in division 2x and rotate the others. Minimize national travel, maintain regional rivalries and create new national rivalries. A thought... Gonzaga would be such a perfect addition. It would absolutely remind me of the Big East of the early 80's.