The refereeing situation in MVC has always been IMO below the quality of the other areas of the league. The top part of the league for the most part year in and year out puts a good product out there. There are some schools that are not putting in the investment into their programs to maintain consistency and they should be dealt with in some type of programmatic response. But that is not the problem with this league. It is the refereeing that is dragging the quality of the overall league down. For the most part there is some really good talent throughout the Valley, the league attracts very good coaches and the fan base is very loyal. I believe the MVC will always stay a notch below or there will be no way of getting to the next level until the refereeing situation is improved. It really has effected the flow of the game and the quality. This is not about just BU but all the other schools and players in this league that deserve more.
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What should BU do?
- Thread starter SFP
- Start date
1) The MVC is least likely to get good refs on Sat, Wed and any game not on national TV.
Solution: change the schedule to all different days and/or only allow Wed/Sat games if there is a national TV contract
2) The MVC may or may not be "shooting itself in the foot" by issuing too many "points of emphasis" to the scheduled officials.
Solution: change the schedule to all different days and/or only allow Wed/Sat games if there is a national TV contract
2) The MVC may or may not be "shooting itself in the foot" by issuing too many "points of emphasis" to the scheduled officials.
lake Camelot
New member
I said nothing. I know that will tick everyone off, but The conference is what it is. We aren't going to get the top refs. I hope they can improve it by reviewing tapes with the refs, but I don't have any interest in changing conferences.
R
RedbirdFan21
Guest
I know I am not a BU fan... but its obvious that MVC officiating is not up to par with BCS Conferences... I don't think this is ever going to change though.
I didn't really know what option to pick, because it is clear that option #1 is not accurate (IMO) because there are problems.
Regarding option #2... what do you mean DEMAND changes be made? What are you (we) going to threaten??? Not play the games unless we get better refs? It just doesn't seem feasible to me.
Option #3- I don't think any other conferences (besides BCS conferences) are going to be any better. It is a reality that BCS conference can afford to pay ref's more then non-BCS schools- and they do. I don't think the MAC, C-USA, Horizon...etc etc have any better officiating..and if they do, you are sacraficing playing in a better confererence, for better refs. And it could/would hurt other sports, leaving the MVC. Plus, I am pretty sure a school would not leave a conference just because the officials were bad.
I guess my post was pointless, because I did not provide a resolution.
Option #2 is the most feasible, but there wouldn't be any "demanding" anything from the MVC... the schools could ask for a roundtable discussions with coaches, AD's and SID's or something like that... but I am not even sure that would fly...
I didn't really know what option to pick, because it is clear that option #1 is not accurate (IMO) because there are problems.
Regarding option #2... what do you mean DEMAND changes be made? What are you (we) going to threaten??? Not play the games unless we get better refs? It just doesn't seem feasible to me.
Option #3- I don't think any other conferences (besides BCS conferences) are going to be any better. It is a reality that BCS conference can afford to pay ref's more then non-BCS schools- and they do. I don't think the MAC, C-USA, Horizon...etc etc have any better officiating..and if they do, you are sacraficing playing in a better confererence, for better refs. And it could/would hurt other sports, leaving the MVC. Plus, I am pretty sure a school would not leave a conference just because the officials were bad.
I guess my post was pointless, because I did not provide a resolution.
Option #2 is the most feasible, but there wouldn't be any "demanding" anything from the MVC... the schools could ask for a roundtable discussions with coaches, AD's and SID's or something like that... but I am not even sure that would fly...
Redbird as members of this conference we all have the right to demand better quality in all aspects of this league. When you say the BCS will spend more money for the better officials I say why are we not striving to increase our overall revenue base to help close that gap. I believe some schools in this conference are too poor and or cheap and are bringing the overall quality down. You either canafford to play in a high quality league or you cannot. Investments need to happen on all levels of the game in order for the MVC to take the next jump in recognition which will then increase revenue. I'd like to see a chart of which schools have generated the most revenue for the conference and then compare that to what the shools have invested into their program. I would bet the schools that have invested wisely into their programs are generating the most revenue for the overall conference.
mrcoachdude
New member
It is what it is.......nothing to do here...but complain 
It is what it is.......nothing to do here...but complain
The problem is I'm sick of complaining about this issue since I started following this league. We have options and there are solutions. We need to ask more of the league if it truly wants to compete with the big boys instead of complaining. Trust me if the league could get greater recognition the revenue would increase, TV exposure would also increase, and we would start to get the respect we deserve. If I was not a MVC fan I do not know how many Valley games I would watch because it is painful watching the refs kill the flow of the game and kill any hope of a great ending.
2bradleyfans
New member
I would be ready to move to a new conference. If nothing else start the exploritory process and show D. Elgin we mean business.
I don't think the MVC wants to lose one of their Marquee schools (of which I consider Bradley to be)
I would vote for A-10. C-USA would be an option too. Having Memphis come to Carver every year would be alot of fun.
Also, the Horizon League might actually make the most sense. Two schools in Chicago, Two good Wisconsin programs, Valpo, Butler, Detroit, Cleveland, Wright
I don't think the MVC wants to lose one of their Marquee schools (of which I consider Bradley to be)
I would vote for A-10. C-USA would be an option too. Having Memphis come to Carver every year would be alot of fun.
Also, the Horizon League might actually make the most sense. Two schools in Chicago, Two good Wisconsin programs, Valpo, Butler, Detroit, Cleveland, Wright
TheAsianSensation
New member
Oy vey.
First off, many officials work both BCS games and MVC games. There is no such separation between officials that work BCS games and MVC games. They all work them all.
Yes, officiating is not great in the MVC. Guess what. It's terrible EVERYWHERE. Moving to another conference doesn't solve anything - you still have the same bad reffing.
Bradley moving conferences, period? Heck no. You really think the A-10 would be eager to add us? Nope. CUSA? They'd want a football program too. MAC same. Every other conference is obviously inferior.
And maybe the lack of flow in games has something to do with the fact that this is one of the best, if not the best, defensive-oriented conferences in the nation. When you play defense, flow of games break down and more fouls are called because of the physicality.
First off, many officials work both BCS games and MVC games. There is no such separation between officials that work BCS games and MVC games. They all work them all.
Yes, officiating is not great in the MVC. Guess what. It's terrible EVERYWHERE. Moving to another conference doesn't solve anything - you still have the same bad reffing.
Bradley moving conferences, period? Heck no. You really think the A-10 would be eager to add us? Nope. CUSA? They'd want a football program too. MAC same. Every other conference is obviously inferior.
And maybe the lack of flow in games has something to do with the fact that this is one of the best, if not the best, defensive-oriented conferences in the nation. When you play defense, flow of games break down and more fouls are called because of the physicality.
lake Camelot
New member
Conference USA isn't much. I look at the teams and think why are Tulsa and Memphis in that conference instead of the Valley. Then I remember Tulsa left because of football.I look again and there are decent football schools.They would not take Bradley, and I don't want Bradley to go there. The A-10 is a nice conference, but we would lose a bunch of our rivals. You can say we can still schedule them in non-conference but I don't see a Tulsa Home and home yet.
"Also, the Horizon League might actually make the most sense. Two schools in Chicago, Two good Wisconsin programs, Valpo, Butler, Detroit, Cleveland, Wright " ..........(Nooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!Way!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Right on 2bradleyfans, right on...
I disagree with you here! Did you watch the UCLA/Arizona State game last weekend? Both teams play great D but the refs really let them play and at the end of the game the players decided the outcome. There was plenty of banging and incedental contacts that were not called and I see the same thing in the Big East, Big Ten, SEC and ACC. They are getting their players ready for the next level. This is a mans game at this level and should not be called like a girls. That foul charging foul called on McCain should have been a no call and that hand call on D?? There are some over lapping refs but those are our best refs in this league. Our botton feeder refs are probably doing HS games on the side.
As TAS said, many of the guys who work MVC games are already working MAC, Horizon, CUSA, etc. Each league has its own style of play to an extent, and some refs get used to one style and have a bad game when they run into a different style.
Also, there is no such thing as Valley officials. They contract independently to all leagues.
The league has already started to move more games (particularly projected big games) to Tuesday and Sunday, when there are fewer games overall, therefore a better pool of officials to utilize.
Why go to the Horizon just to lose to Butler (a program we are already inferior to and are losing in regional awareness to), Valpo, UIC, Milwaukee, Loyola, etc. . .It's already an inferior league, and we are by no means guaranteed to be better than a number of programs there, so you are only increasing your irrelevance.
Also, the MVC is decent on the women's side of things and brings in a good chunk of NCAA Tourney money in women's hoops and volleyball that other leagues you would move to don't, and therefore you're hurting BU in the pocketbooks too.
Also, there is no such thing as Valley officials. They contract independently to all leagues.
The league has already started to move more games (particularly projected big games) to Tuesday and Sunday, when there are fewer games overall, therefore a better pool of officials to utilize.
Why go to the Horizon just to lose to Butler (a program we are already inferior to and are losing in regional awareness to), Valpo, UIC, Milwaukee, Loyola, etc. . .It's already an inferior league, and we are by no means guaranteed to be better than a number of programs there, so you are only increasing your irrelevance.
Also, the MVC is decent on the women's side of things and brings in a good chunk of NCAA Tourney money in women's hoops and volleyball that other leagues you would move to don't, and therefore you're hurting BU in the pocketbooks too.
2bradleyfans
New member
Just for fun I thought if Bradley moved to the Horizon and Youngstown State then moved to the MVC (YSU already plays football in the Missouri Valley) what would the rpi look like if we compared it right now
Well, I ran the numbers on realtimerpi and The Horizon would be an average rpi of 132 and the MVC would have an rpi of 136.
With my scenario Bradley strengthens an already good Horizon and subsequently the MVC is weakend making our new home the dominant conference.
Then in our non-con scheduling we could still schedule ISU to keep the rivalry going.
Well, I ran the numbers on realtimerpi and The Horizon would be an average rpi of 132 and the MVC would have an rpi of 136.
With my scenario Bradley strengthens an already good Horizon and subsequently the MVC is weakend making our new home the dominant conference.
Then in our non-con scheduling we could still schedule ISU to keep the rivalry going.
N
numbr_9
Guest
i know people are mad about the end of the UNI game, but is that really basis for jumping conferences? That seems like quite an overreaction to me. Do you really think that switching to another mid-major conference would change anything? All that would do is destroy great rivalries, increase our travel demands, and be a lateral move (at best) as far as strength of conference goes.
We're not the only team to think we may have gotten "jobbed' by officiating. Frankly, I dont think we get it any worse than anybody else.
If enough coaches think the officiating is bad enough, i'm sure they can bring it up to Elgin.
We're not the only team to think we may have gotten "jobbed' by officiating. Frankly, I dont think we get it any worse than anybody else.
If enough coaches think the officiating is bad enough, i'm sure they can bring it up to Elgin.
I also forgot that the Horizon League also has the tiered tourney on campus sites for the higher seeds, and then the regular season champ's floor from the semis on. So if you only finish in 4th place there, you don't have neutral ground for the conference tourney. And if you finish lower than fourth you have to travel to two or more places for your conf. tourney.
The MVC already does as much to review, evaluate, and improve their officiating as any conference in the country. The Comissioner is very aware of the problems, and the MVC already pays more for officials than any conference outside the 6 power conferences.
There is nothing further to do, except, like mrcoachdude says, just complain about it to anyone who'll listen.
There is nothing further to do, except, like mrcoachdude says, just complain about it to anyone who'll listen.
My anger on officiating has been brewing prior to the season. Last year it was no better and I believe this year it has been worse. There has been a few well done reffed games for us this year but it should be the norm not the exception. I'm sure it has been brought up to the commish but has anything been done? I'd like us to work it out but if all else fails we should consider alternatives as any good enterprise would. I believe the overall quality of the MVC has not been enhanced throughout the ages. Way back we had Louisville and Cincinnati, they left for greener pastures, Tulsa who was one of our better teams left, so we need to consider what it would take for us to move up. Marquette moved into the Big East and are doing well. Why can't we think of old BU as a major brand with a little more investment we could but staying pat the way the Valley is will not get us there. Either the Valley makes a full scale effort in improving the brand, and not just with their mouth, or we consider leaving. We could consider to make our own league with other like minded schools that have tradition and are willing to make investments into their program.
The Big Central Conference:
Bradley
A Chicago School (more for media coverage)
SLU
Butler
Xavier
Drake
Creighton
Valpo
WSU
I also believe collegiately speaking the academic reputations of most of these schools are pretty good. Think big or stay the same!