USA Today: Early look at the 2013-2014 Top 25

[BillEsq]

Dump...

I think your reading way to much into this. Cusumano gave a pretty typical interview in the light of all the realignment going on, and May gave the AD's favorite answer. (everything's sunny in Philly) I mean why would you get sick about it? Of course he is going to say great things about the A-10. If he was in the Southland he'd be saying great things about the southland.

I'm not sure what your concern is here. Are you upset with what the AD said or just that he said something positive about the A-10?

Seriously while you might not like the A-10 there is no reason not to be bullish on it. The A-10 has done an admirable job in the whole realignment mess while conferences like the WAC and Colonial are dying.

[DumpsterFireA10]

Dump...

I think your reading way to much into this. Cusumano gave a pretty typical interview in the light of all the realignment going on, and May gave the AD's favorite answer. (everything's sunny in Philly) I mean why would you get sick about it? Of course he is going to say great things about the A-10. If he was in the Southland he'd be saying great things about the southland.

I'm not sure what your concern is here. Are you upset with what the AD said or just that he said something positive about the A-10?

Seriously while you might not like the A-10 there is no reason not to be bullish on it. The A-10 has done an admirable job in the whole realignment mess while conferences like the WAC and Colonial are dying.

I know Frank from my days at SLU. I also realize that Chris May has to give the company line. See, he's got rules to follow and has PR to maintain, unlike me. I think no comment would have been a more honest answer. You're right, he'd be saying the exact same thing if SLU was in the MIAA or the Great Lakes Conference. I guess with Frank being the only SLU fan in the media, May did the right thing. St. Louis media has more or less back-burnered the Billikens now since the Cardinals are playing, so there's more time for idle speculation.

The A-10 did a very good job last year getting Butler and VCU (the best addition out there). There, I have officially said something good about the Atlantic 10 conference.

[Natty]

The A-10 is a very solid conference. They were raided by the Big East then added probably the two best available hoops programs that fit the conference footprint in George Mason (2011 Final 4) and Davidson (2008 Elite 8 participant not to mention an NCAA tournament team 8 of the past 10 seasons).

They also return their two best teams, VCU and Saint Louis. Three returning A-10 teams were top-50 RPI teams last season, the lowest of which (La Salle) went to the Sweet 16. Seven A-10+Davidson schools were top-100 teams this season. That's just one less than the new Big East. Average RPI of those teams: A-10+Davidson = 53.7, New Big East = 46.1...so not a huge difference there.

Is the A-10 as strong as the new Big East? Of course not. But it's certainly no joke either. McGlade has done the best job she could do in her spot in the pecking order over the past two seasons.

[yorost]

RPI is bad enough, but average RPI rank is even worse (at least average the RPI score). I'm sure you know it, and I appreciate its simple and known, but RPI isn't trying to rank quality of teams but performance over a season. Use one of the rankers trying to predict winners. If you look at Sagarin, last year's A10 was about 3.5 points behind next year's Big East, which is a pretty good gap. No, Sagarin is not perfect, either, but at least it is trying to judge quality of teams.

Also, one less RPI top 100 is good, but it's also with 4 more teams, There's a distinct gap on that front.

I like the A10, still, it's a good conference that's been weakened a little from this year. It has too much weight, though, the same problem the CUSA Marquette was in faced. We were never going to be a major conference no matter how good our top was getting. That will continue to hold the A10 back in conference comparisons. It did last year, and now it's more of a problem. It's good enough to supports some nice teams at the top, though, and that's all VCU needs to be a consistently good program.

[DumpsterFireA10]

RPI is bad enough, but average RPI rank is even worse (at least average the RPI score). I'm sure you know it, and I appreciate its simple and known, but RPI isn't trying to rank quality of teams but performance over a season. Use one of the rankers trying to predict winners. If you look at Sagarin, last year's A10 was about 3.5 points behind next year's Big East, which is a pretty good gap. No, Sagarin is not perfect, either, but at least it is trying to judge quality of teams.

Also, one less RPI top 100 is good, but it's also with 4 more teams, There's a distinct gap on that front.

I like the A10, still, it's a good conference that's been weakened a little from this year. It has too much weight, though, the same problem the CUSA Marquette was in faced. We were never going to be a major conference no matter how good our top was getting. That will continue to hold the A10 back in conference comparisons. It did last year, and now it's more of a problem. It's good enough to supports some nice teams at the top, though, and that's all VCU needs to be a consistently good program.

The dead weight is the problem. Instead of expelling teams that have no hope of ever being relevant, they hold onto bottom feeders as the top gets poached. Somehow, Fordham provides value.

[BillEsq]

LOL i can't believe we are wasting time arguing about the A-10.

I don't think anyone is going to confuse the A-10 with the BE. But it will remain a top 10 conference and arguably the best basketball only conference after the BE. Its heads over the competition MVC lost Creighton and is bottom heavy and the the disparity in the WCC is pretty steep. The A-10 is positioning to remain a multi-bid conference that continues to play in major metro areas and will consistently put 2-3 teams in the tournament with a surprise #4 every now and then. That is not to shabby.

Even if they lose two more they will still be a good conference. I know people complain about the bottom. But that's really just two teams Fordham and Duquesne. Fordham gives you NY and Duquesene gives you Pitt so... thats why they are there. Overall the A-10 isn't so bad

On a side note... Davidson is not yet in the A-10 and no guarantee that it is joining.

[DumpsterFireA10]

First off, forgive me for wanting something great for SLU. This league is going to be great.

Ever since the conference landscape started shifting, SLU has been going backwards. Remember C-USA in the old setup? The Great Midwest? That's the competition that I want to see on a nightly basis. That is the Big East conference right now.

Thank deity of choice for VCU. That's a program that is doing things right, and really looking good doing it. Plus, their fanbase is a lot of fun to go back and forth with.

SLU had a chance to be on the right side of things. Maybe it still happens. But being happy in the A-10 is never going to happen for me.

[BillEsq]

First off, forgive me for wanting something great for SLU. This league is going to be great.

Ever since the conference landscape started shifting, SLU has been going backwards. Remember C-USA in the old setup? The Great Midwest? That's the competition that I want to see on a nightly basis. That is the Big East conference right now.

Thank deity of choice for VCU. That's a program that is doing things right, and really looking good doing it. Plus, their fanbase is a lot of fun to go back and forth with.

SLU had a chance to be on the right side of things. Maybe it still happens. But being happy in the A-10 is never going to happen for me.

LOL no reason to ask for forgiveness... no one blames anyone for wanting to be in the BE. Lets face it I'd be worried about you if you didn't want SLU in the BE. That said as of now they are not in, no use crying over spilled milk all indications the are on the inside track for any next team in.

I know you have a hatred of the A-10 but outside of the BE, It is still the clear next best conference and gets St. Louis exposure on the coasts. the faster you come to grips with that the better it will be for you. Anyways this is a Big East Board not an A-10 or a Stl board.... complaining about Slu being in the A-10 doesnt really belong in here.

Cheer up we will be in sooner before later...

[DumpsterFireA10]

First off, forgive me for wanting something great for SLU. This league is going to be great.

Ever since the conference landscape started shifting, SLU has been going backwards. Remember C-USA in the old setup? The Great Midwest? That's the competition that I want to see on a nightly basis. That is the Big East conference right now.

Thank deity of choice for VCU. That's a program that is doing things right, and really looking good doing it. Plus, their fanbase is a lot of fun to go back and forth with.

SLU had a chance to be on the right side of things. Maybe it still happens. But being happy in the A-10 is never going to happen for me.

LOL no reason to ask for forgiveness... no one blames anyone for wanting to be in the BE. Lets face it I'd be worried about you if you didn't want SLU in the BE. That said as of now they are not in, no use crying over spilled milk all indications the are on the inside track for any next team in.

I know you have a hatred of the A-10 but outside of the BE, It is still the clear next best conference and gets St. Louis exposure on the coasts. the faster you come to grips with that the better it will be for you. Anyways this is a Big East Board not an A-10 or a Stl board.... complaining about Slu being in the A-10 doesnt really belong in here.

Cheer up we will be in sooner before later...

I found a fanbase that is more pissed off than SLU fans about their conference alignment. I somewhat feel better now.