Non-Con schedule "officially" posted

[ER3]

It would be nice if scheduling teams like these was as easy as you apparently think it is. I can assure you that the people at Bradley who do the scheduling have tried every one of these schools, and they are not interested in playing Bradley in Peoria.

If it was easy as you think, then why aren't any of these schools playing at SIU, ISU, MSU, or any other MVC home court (except when forced to by the Bracket-Buster deal)?

I never said it was easy to get quality mid-major teams to come here...and I never said that BU isn't trying to get these teams on the schedule...I'm sure they are...I was merely questioning why these good mid-majors don't schedule each other on a more consistent basis...seems like a win-win to me.

I guess I was just trying to point out the hypocrisy that seems to exist in the ranks of some of the better mid-major programs...Out of one side of their mouths they complain about how the BCS teams won't play them...how difficult it is to get BCS teams to do home-and-home deals with them...how it is nearly impossible to put together a good non-conference schedule when BCS teams refuse to schedule with them.
Then, BU fills out their non-con schedule with SEMO, SIU-E, ETSU, UIC, etc...and Dayton, Kent St., Charlotte, Tulsa, VCU, etc. fill out their non-con schedule with Longwood, Mississippi Valley State, Arkansas State, North Florida, Central Arkansas, and a bunch of other teams that do nothing but kill your SOS...
I'm not saying it's a BU problem...I just don't understand why these good mid-major programs talk about how it is so unfair that BCS teams duck them when it comes times to make schedules, but at the same time these same good mid-major programs seem to be ducking each other in the same scheduling game...
Just seems a bit hypocritical to me.

 

[ER3]

UMKC and FGCU are on our schedule through no fault of our own, and anyone up on events should know that.
Had we not gotten those games, we'd maybe at best just have a Lewis College or a Missouri-St. Louis like a couple of the other Valley teams did to fill their final game.

I'm fully aware of how FGCU and UMKC got on our schedule. I'm not here to blame anyone for the schedule...I'm merely voicing my opinion that a non-con schedule with 4 teams that are likely to have RPIs greater than 200, and only having one team that is likely to have an RPI under 40...that makes for an underwhelming non-con schedule, IMO. And one that is a huge step backwards from what we had last year.
Butler being way down this year from where they were last year, the TOTW tourney falling apart late in the game, Iowa State pulling out of their game with us...those are things that are certainly out of our control...but you still have to assess the schedule as it is...regardless of how or why you into that situation...
I'm sure that BU is trying everything they can to schedule as well as they can...and I hope that this time next year we will all be talking about how much the schedule has improved over this year's schedule...but for now, this is the only schedule we have...and to me, it is not a very good one. But on the bright side, there should be no reason that we can't get 8 or 9 wins in these non-con games and put us in a good position heading into the Valley schedule...so let's do that....

 

[squirrel]

You are right on ER3. . .ANY mis-steps given the weak associations and RPI connectors of our opponents will be magnified in this year's RPI.

Our one saving grace is a bunch of games away from home that we should win.

 

[brocks]

I'm fully aware of how FGCU and UMKC got on our schedule. I'm not here to blame anyone for the schedule...I'm merely voicing my opinion that a non-con schedule with 4 teams that are likely to have RPIs greater than 200, and only having one team that is likely to have an RPI under 40...that makes for an underwhelming non-con schedule, IMO. And one that is a huge step backwards from what we had last year.
Butler being way down this year from where they were last year, the TOTW tourney falling apart late in the game, Iowa State pulling out of their game with us...those are things that are certainly out of our control...but you still have to assess the schedule as it is...regardless of how or why you into that situation...
I'm sure that BU is trying everything they can to schedule as well as they can...and I hope that this time next year we will all be talking about how much the schedule has improved over this year's schedule...but for now, this is the only schedule we have...and to me, it is not a very good one. But on the bright side, there should be no reason that we can't get 8 or 9 wins in these non-con games and put us in a good position heading into the Valley schedule...so let's do that....

To add to this, this NCAA selection committee (assuming they're an issue this season) will not be "doing nuance" about who is to "blame" for the schedule. They'll just say BU scheduled weak and leave it at that.

This does mean we need to beat Florida/Syracuse or Michigan State to impress. Those are all beatable opponents, btw.

 

[Bravesfan]

It would be nice if scheduling teams like these was as easy as you apparently think it is. I can assure you that the people at Bradley who do the scheduling have tried every one of these schools, and they are not interested in playing Bradley in Peoria.

If it was easy as you think, then why aren't any of these schools playing at SIU, ISU, MSU, or any other MVC home court (except when forced to by the Bracket-Buster deal)?

I'm just curious as to why you think these mid-majors don't want to play each other, especially after they complain about not getting the BCS teams. Are these teams just looking for wins over quality, and hope that their winning percentage boosts their RPI? As we saw with ISU last year, that strategy backfired on them, so I don't get why the Kent St's and Tulsa's of the world don't want to play us, other than there is only so much room per schedule. I'd be interested in your comments.

 

[Beninator]

To add to this, this NCAA selection committee (assuming they're an issue this season) will not be "doing nuance" about who is to "blame" for the schedule. They'll just say BU scheduled weak and leave it at that.

This does mean we need to beat Florida/Syracuse or Michigan State to impress. Those are all beatable opponents, btw.

.....and hope that the scheduling gods at ESPN give us a quality opponent
for the bracketbuster. --the real wildcard if we have a good record
going into February.imo

 

[squirrel]

.....and hope that the scheduling gods at ESPN give us a quality opponent
for the bracketbuster. --the real wildcard if we have a good record
going into February.imo

I am optimistic that we will have a lot of wins already when that happens this year so. . .

 

[DoubleJayAlum]

If it was easy as you think, then why aren't any of these schools playing at SIU, ISU, MSU, or any other MVC home court (except when forced to by the Bracket-Buster deal)?

At Creighton we've had home and home series with St. Josephs, Xavier, and George Mason and renew a series with Dayton starting this year. We also start a series with New Mexico this year. I'm pretty sure SIU had a series with Charlotte, St. Mary's and WKU. SIU and MSU have long standing series with SLU.

I'm not really sure why you think the other mid-majors aren't interested in home and home series with MVC schools as their scheduling practices seem to indicate otherwise...

 

[Beninator]

I am optimistic that we will have a lot of wins already when that happens this year so. . .

dont want to jinx my team....thats all.;-)

 

[Bravesfan]

At Creighton we've had home and home series with St. Josephs, Xavier, and George Mason and renew a series with Dayton starting this year. We also start a series with New Mexico this year. I'm pretty sure SIU had a series with Charlotte, St. Mary's and WKU. SIU and MSU have long standing series with SLU.

I'm not really sure why you think the other mid-majors aren't interested in home and home series with MVC schools as their scheduling practices seem to indicate otherwise...

I'm not seeing other schools doing what Creighton does. Altman had decided long ago that he was not going to get the BCS teams on his schedule, outside of Nebraska. So while he does have some very winnable games every year, he seems to go after like minded mid-majors more aggressively than I have seen other Valley teams do. I don't know if this is due to many not wanting to play Valley teams, or if teams aren't trying hard enough to attract them onto their schedule. But I would like to see the Valley as a whole try to go after these teams more aggressively in the future.

 

[it's boogie time]

I guess the part of this schedule that dissappoints me is that it sets nothing up for next year at home. I expected a lackluster home schedule this year and now I have to expect it next year.

Can Bradley play in that Chicago (Hoffman Estates) tournament next year? I can't remember how long they said the wait had to be.

 

[chitown fanatic]

ETSU is garbage...you can't put any more whip cream on this cr@p and tell me it tastes good. They are bad and so is their weak arse conference. If this is bulletin board material, fine, come in to peoria and beat us. Too many directionals and hyphens on this schedule...I get more mad by the day when I look at it. I feel sorry for the fans...the opener is the only game worth going to. Who cares if Lennox forrester brings his provisional division 1 gym rats to our gym? what do we gain by playing them? The same argument the majors use against playing us applies here. An upset kills us, a win is something we should do anyway. Boo to this whole non-con....I should start posting mascots like I do of ISU's traditional weak non-cons. Where's that matador?

 

[bugregshu]

I guess the part of this schedule that dissappoints me is that it sets nothing up for next year at home. I expected a lackluster home schedule this year and now I have to expect it next year.

Can Bradley play in that Chicago (Hoffman Estates) tournament next year? I can't remember how long they said the wait had to be.

Another tourney at the Sears Center in Hoffman Estates would be nice. I remember hearing that we were in line to play the Great Alaskan Shootout in 2009. Is that still a possibility?

 

[bugregshu]

ETSU is garbage...you can't put any more whip cream on this cr@p and tell me it tastes good. They are bad and so is their weak arse conference. If this is bulletin board material, fine, come in to peoria and beat us. Too many directionals and hyphens on this schedule...I get more mad by the day when I look at it. I feel sorry for the fans...the opener is the only game worth going to. Who cares if Lennox forrester brings his provisional division 1 gym rats to our gym? what do we gain by playing them? The same argument the majors use against playing us applies here. An upset kills us, a win is something we should do anyway. Boo to this whole non-con....I should start posting mascots like I do of ISU's traditional weak non-cons. Where's that matador?

I guess they should hire you to fill up the schedule. Pack that thing full of BCS teams at home.

 

[BradleyBrave]

I guess they should hire you to fill up the schedule. Pack that thing full of BCS teams at home.

Chitown is right. It's a terrible non-conference schedule, especially in the quality and quantity of home games. Worst by far in the Les era. I expect us to change that next year. We can gripe for a while, and right now is the right time. Once the season starts, you play who you play and all there is to worry about is beating who's on the schedule. But for now, the schedule stinks and as a donor and season ticket holder, I reserve the right to complain about the quality of teams I am paying to see.

 

[Braves4Life]

Who cares if Lennox forrester brings his provisional division 1 gym rats to our gym? what do we gain by playing them? The same argument the majors use against playing us applies here. An upset kills us, a win is something we should do anyway.

This is something any quality coach and program does to reward loyalty from former assistant coaches....to help them get a start and make a name for their program.....to give them some exposure.

It's called CLASS!

 

[TheHeemyMonster]

This is something any quality coach and program does to reward loyalty from former assistant coaches....to help them get a start and make a name for their program.....to give them some exposure.

It's called CLASS!

JL has already helped him. He helped him get a job!!! Lennox will be building his program for the next few years. Does that mean we have to play them for the next few years to help him out some more???

I am with Chitown and BB on this one. I am not nearly as excited was I was last year about the upcoming season and a big reason is our schedule. There is not one home game I am looking forward to until the conference season starts. If fans like us can't get excited for the season then how are other not as loyal fans supposed to??

 

[Da Coach]

It's a courtesy that all Div I coaches do.

 

[MacabreMob]

Hey, I get as excited as everyone else when a BCS team or top Mid-Major comes in to Carver....

But I also enjoy just watching Bradley.

If Bradley has to fill the non-conference home slate with BCS and top-level mid-majors just to pack in a bunch of schadenfreudes wearing Tarheels sweatshirts, Illini hats, and whatver else besides Bradley red, then screw 'em.

6000 BRADLEY FANS at the Ohio U game were louder than 11000 fans at a Bradley game playing Michigan State.

 

[BradleyBrave]

It's a courtesy that all Div I coaches do.

I think a lot of SIU fans are still waiting for that courtesy from Bruce Weber and Matt Painter. Same with ISU and Tim Jankovich getting that courtesy from Bill Self. It's a nice thing to do, but saying 'all' coaches is painting with a broad brush.