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Which scenario do you believe is better for BU?

Which scenario do you believe is better for BU?

  • Playing a 200+ rpi team on the road and at home the next year

    Votes: 7 13.2%

  • Playing a top 15 team on the road and that is it.

    Votes: 46 86.8%
  • Total voters
    53
TheAsianSensation said:
It's OK as long as it's made up for elsewhere.
Click to expand...

It's not OK. And here's why. . .

DePaul won't touch us again, anytime soon. . .
N'western likely doesn't want to jeopardize it's all-time series dominance. . .
UIC doesn't deserve our money after what they did w/ tickets last time. . .

Loyola is the only Horizon League team I support playing, for the historical value of the series. But I think 2 of every 3 or 3 of every 4 should be in Peoria.

I also think we should attempt to play Butler every year.

The rest of the Horizon League I could care less about.

That leaves Chicago State, and we obviously will never go there.

So that leaves only the Windy City Invitational, Marquette, or other neutral game at All State, Sears Centre, or United Center. . .

But if none of those three are available, making a Chicago-area game a priority is just plain dumb because it does nothing for you. . .

The only reason the NIU thing is quasi acceptable is because it beats the only other option Chicago State, given our uncanny ability to hold the program back on one silly detail. At least NIU has the opportunity to be an NCAA caliber team next year at home.
 
squirrelgotdead said:
It's not OK. And here's why. . .

DePaul won't touch us again, anytime soon. . .
N'western likely doesn't want to jeopardize it's all-time series dominance. . .
UIC doesn't deserve our money after what they did w/ tickets last time. . .

Loyola is the only Horizon League team I support playing, for the historical value of the series. But I think 2 of every 3 or 3 of every 4 should be in Peoria.

I also think we should attempt to play Butler every year.

The rest of the Horizon League I could care less about.

That leaves Chicago State, and we obviously will never go there.

So that leaves only the Windy City Invitational, Marquette, or other neutral game at All State, Sears Centre, or United Center. . .

But if none of those three are available, making a Chicago-area game a priority is just plain dumb because it does nothing for you. . .

The only reason the NIU thing is quasi acceptable is because it beats the only other option Chicago State, given our uncanny ability to hold the program back on one silly detail. At least NIU has the opportunity to be an NCAA caliber team next year at home.
Click to expand...

Agree on Butler and the Horion League teams... Unless there is something I dont know about (which is likely in this case) I think that we need to at least open a dialogue with Northwestern to explore interest if any... I don't think that we should go out of our way to play Northwestern...just an option I would like us to explore....

Disagree slightly on the Chicago area game statement...
 
Chicago games are all about recruiting and alumni. There is not one team in the Chicago area that if not in Chicago that we should play. Historically speaking yes Loyola has been a good foe for us but lately their program has been slipping. I'm surprised that the Chicago area schools are not able to develop a consistent program. The last program to do anything from Chicago were the Ray Meyer Sr. teams. How long ago was that? Just a waste of fertile recruiting grounds IMO. Then again NYC has had the same problem so it may be that kids just want to leave the environment completely. Any Sociology majors on this board? If you are in school it may be a fun paper to explore. How many top large city HS athletes stay close to home?
 
squirrelgotdead said:
It's not OK. And here's why. . .

DePaul won't touch us again, anytime soon. . .
N'western likely doesn't want to jeopardize it's all-time series dominance. . .
UIC doesn't deserve our money after what they did w/ tickets last time. . .

Loyola is the only Horizon League team I support playing, for the historical value of the series. But I think 2 of every 3 or 3 of every 4 should be in Peoria.

I also think we should attempt to play Butler every year.

The rest of the Horizon League I could care less about.

That leaves Chicago State, and we obviously will never go there.

So that leaves only the Windy City Invitational, Marquette, or other neutral game at All State, Sears Centre, or United Center. . .

But if none of those three are available, making a Chicago-area game a priority is just plain dumb because it does nothing for you. . .

The only reason the NIU thing is quasi acceptable is because it beats the only other option Chicago State, given our uncanny ability to hold the program back on one silly detail. At least NIU has the opportunity to be an NCAA caliber team next year at home.
Click to expand...



Well, if the only reason this was put on was because of the Chicago thing, then I agree with you that we'd have a major problem on our hands.

But on the surface, playing home and home with a MAC school isn't a disaster. As long as we have strength elsewhere in the schedule.



The Chicago Issue must be addressed, and ASAP. Either just come out and say they want one a year up there, or abolish it. I'm confused by their goal.
 
Beninator said:
Speaking of the Chicago area game, does anyone know if we have tried to schedule Northwestern? Last year they scheduled Brown and Butler...
Click to expand...

We'd probably want a home-and-home with them, and Northwestern is about the last team in the world that would look to schedule that type of series with a team like Bradley.
 
Hopefully soon Bradley will be on TV in Chicago enough times in a season, we won't have to feel like we have to schedule a game there every year. :D
 
JBinPeoria said:
... In recent years, there has been numerous talk about how the Creightons, Missouri States and Illinois States of the world get the shaft year-in and year-out. The reason they get the shaft year-in and year-out is too many 200+ pri teams on their schedule and the NCAA doesn't take Missouri Valley accomplishments seriously.
Click to expand...

You are very right IMO about the NCAA not taking the MVC accomplishments seriously.

I just wanted to expand a little on Mo St. In 2006, they played (and beat) the following 200+RPI teams: @ 229 Ark St, 201 Tx A&M CC, 229 Ark St, 233 Illinois St, @ 233 Illinois St.

The knock on Mo St that season was their Wins against the Top 50 RPI only came against In-Conference foes (and those MVC schools cracked the code and cheating the system of the RPI). So no "marquee" Non-Con wins kept them out.

In 2007, they picked up the Big Name "marquee" win against Wisconsin on a neutral floor (Wisky finished 2nd in B10 with an RPI of 4). Their 200+ RPI wins were against 314 Alabama St, 237 UW-Milwaukee, and @ 262 UNC-Wilmington.

Also, just an fyi... Mo St's SOS in 2006 was 46 and in 2007 t was 42.
 
Welcome back MM and great statistical information to back up my thoughts.:D As I said nothing against NIU but with their rpi way down there's not much good it can do us.
 
Tks SFP. ;)

To expand a little.

And I risk sounding snobbish... but I mean it only in the sense that I respect playing on the road. I don't turn my nose down on anyone - IMO, EVERY game is a BIG GAME. EVERY GAME. Some have more impact - positively and negatively - than others. But ALL are BIG.

I think BU Rick may have taken this a little personal and the poll doesn't say a Top 15 vs H-n-H vs NIU.

So let me break this down. All in my opinion - and I took a look at only the Regional teams. (I couldn't see anyone stating a case for playing Home-n-Home with Sacramento St who was 341 last year in the RPI versus playing a "buy-game" at UCLA)

I looked at the following States: Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio.

From those States, I have 3 categories (excluding MVC schools):

Buy-Game
Illinois
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri
Arkansas
Wisconsin
Marquette
Michigan
Michigan St
Indiana
Purdue
Notre Dame
Kentucky
Louisville
Tennessee
Vanderbilt
Ohio St

Home-n-Home
Northwestern
Depaul
Butler
Memphis
Xavier
Cincinnati
Dayton
Loyola
UIC
SLU
UW-Green Bay
UW-Milwaukee
Cleveland St
Kent
Wright St
Miami (Oh)

Home Only
N Illinois
Chicago St
WIU
EIU
UMKC
SEMO
Ark St
Ark-LR
Ark-PB
Central Ark
C Michigan
E Mich
W Mich
Oakland
Detroit
IUPUI
IUPU=Ft Wayne
Valpo
Ball St
Morehead St
E Kentucky
W Kentucky
Murray St
Tn-Martin
Austin Peay
Belmont
Lipscomb
M Tenn St
Tn Tech
Chattanooga
E Tenn St
Youngstown St
Akron
Toledo
Bowling Green
Ohio U

Obviously - we don't live in my dream world. I'd be ok with a 2-for-1 with some on the Buy-Game list and the H-n-H list. And I would also be ok with an occasional H-n-H (or 2-for-1 in our favor from the Home Only) lists.


BU Rick may think this is an attack on NIU, but it is more of an attack on the "level" some of us expect out of Bradley to perform on the road. Some of us would like to see us in a winnable game against a tougher opponent (on paper). But don't get me wrong - I think this could be a tough "trap" game after the Vegas trip no matter the results out West (and I respect playing ANYONE on the road).

We may all be happy we just win the game - but some will still argue against scheduling the game period. (Maybe this is the "best" available" and instead of playing a Non-D1 at home or getting slaughtered on the road after a Holiday Tourney against a top 15 team... let's take what we can.. and then do what we can.)

Bottom line - you gotta win games. Last I checked, winning (no matter who you play basically but not always) does help the RPI.

So let's go out and win at NIU.
 
Scheduling

Scheduling

86% favor BU playing a top 15 on the road and thats it! Somehow, this needs to be communicated to JL, VHB, the Pres., and the new AD if we ever get one! Also, I would think that if the PJS people ever wake up, they would also want to comment on this.
My only other thought on scheduling is that if we don't make the NCAA or the NIT, our season should be over. The players need to know what the goal is at the beginning of the season and that there is not going to be another option open to them to play in a second rate tournament if we don't achieve the goal.
 
Remember, everyone: In order to play a top-15 team on the road, the top-15 team has to actually be interested in playing us in a one-and-done. I see the big boys would probably be much more willing to use lesser upper mid majors for those purposes than MVC schools, and Bradley, in particular.
 
Excellent point TAS. . .

Although, a perennial Top 15 program would be significantly more likely be arrogant enough to not consider a Valley school a serious threat (i.e. Syracuse has had some embarrassing home losses the last couple seasons), whereas, an upstart program (like Mississippi St) that figures to be a Top 15 team may aim to schedule down at home as much as possible to avoid risk.

The reality of it for me, and in part why I'm not really that upset with it, is the way our sked is shaping up, this may be the only game I have an issue with--and I think it will turn out to be an excellent home game for us next year. If this is the worst game on our schedule that we have control over, I'm not going to be too upset with this slate at all.
 
squirrelgotdead said:
Excellent point TAS. . .

Although, a perennial Top 15 program would be significantly more likely be arrogant enough to not consider a Valley school a serious threat (i.e. Syracuse has had some embarrassing home losses the last couple seasons), whereas, an upstart program (like Mississippi St) that figures to be a Top 15 team may aim to schedule down at home as much as possible to avoid risk.

The reality of it for me, and in part why I'm not really that upset with it, is the way our sked is shaping up, this may be the only game I have an issue with--and I think it will turn out to be an excellent home game for us next year. If this is the worst game on our schedule that we have control over, I'm not going to be too upset with this slate at all.
Click to expand...


I'm just saying a school like Syracuse would rather schedule a Cleveland St than a Bradley, for example. Don't give a Valley team ammunition for an at-large resume. Cleveland St isn't as likely to build that resume.


That puts the Valley in no-man's land. No one wants to give them the signature win oppurtunity if they can help it. Instead of scheduling the 45-RPI Bradley, for example, schedule the 70-RPI Cleveland St. The RPI difference is minimal. You're going to be hurt rather equally if you lose to either.



And if this is the worst game, then I'm OK. I'm treating this as the equivalent of a home cupcake, only it's being done for non-resume boosting reasons.
 
If the Top 15-30 programs are afraid to play BU then we need to seriously look to schedule the Top 30-75 teams consistently. BU needs to go after perrenial lower conference powerhouses like Davidson, College of Charleston, Gonzaga, San Diego St., St. Mary's, Butler, ODU, GMU, VCU, etc............
 
Braves4Life said:
If the Top 15-30 programs are afraid to play BU then we need to seriously look to schedule the Top 30-75 teams consistently. BU needs to go after perrenial lower conference powerhouses like Davidson, College of Charleston, Gonzaga, San Diego St., St. Mary's, Butler, ODU, GMU, VCU, etc............
Click to expand...

That is the way Molinari used to do it. . .
 
Braves4Life said:
If the Top 15-30 programs are afraid to play BU then we need to seriously look to schedule the Top 30-75 teams consistently. BU needs to go after perrenial lower conference powerhouses like Davidson, College of Charleston, Gonzaga, San Diego St., St. Mary's, Butler, ODU, GMU, VCU, etc............
Click to expand...

And then the selection committee would whine we're not scheduling hard enough. At the same time that we'd be getting rejected by the very schools we need to schedule.

:lol:
 
Braves4Life said:
If the Top 15-30 programs are afraid to play BU then we need to seriously look to schedule the Top 30-75 teams consistently. BU needs to go after perrenial lower conference powerhouses like Davidson, College of Charleston, Gonzaga, San Diego St., St. Mary's, Butler, ODU, GMU, VCU, etc............
Click to expand...

I think this is more realistic. Scheduling teams that are consistently top 20 is unrealistic......
 
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