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Post by fargobison on Apr 25, 2017 16:40:36 GMT -6
How about adding Mankato and St Cloud to the mix? I think its high time they made the D-1 move, and would be good travel partners. We would have to be patient while they transitioned, but it seems like a natural thing IMO. Basically like a new and improved NCC. The Hockey angle would be interesting, too, with Denver, UND, UNO, St. Cloud and Mankato all in the same conference for non-hockey sports. I could see a Montana school starting a Hockey program. The two MN schools coming in (or maybe Duluth has surpassed one of them) seems like a good solution and builds long-term stability into the conference given the regional base, history, rivalries, shared cultures, etc. Personally, short of the Montana schools coming in, I think it is the best option. However, the xDSU's would be up in arms immediately, as they recruit a ton of their FB & BB players from there. If the state of Minnesota had 2 MVFC/Summit schools to choose from vs. going to Brookings or Fargo, a lot of those kids would likely stay in-state. If you haven't noticed, the xDSU's are not really into sharing, and that certainly includes recruits. The MN schools couldn't swing FCS scholarship football, all of them would need to follow Omaha's lead if they were to move up and cut the sport.
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Post by coyote70 on Apr 25, 2017 17:01:14 GMT -6
Thanks, Yote 53 for straightening me out. I would have no idea where the Summit could go to add some teams. As for the MVFC, I hope that stays where it is. Some pretty good rivalries there. Slim to no chance that any Minnesota school will move up to DI in anything but hockey. I know less about any Big Sky team wanting to defect...
By the way, I'm just now taking your advice... mixing a drink. Four inches of snow and the fireplace is a blazin'.
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Post by Coyote Fan on Apr 25, 2017 17:37:18 GMT -6
At this point I think it is time for the Dakota 4 to start dictating their own destiny instead of letting other schools do so that don't necessarily have the same long term outlook. It is only a matter of time IMO until the Indiana schools move to the Horizon or break apart from the Dakota's in some fashion. Regardless of how the MVC shakes out the Dak 4 need to get their AD's together and have a little meeting themselves about which direction is the best way to go forward.
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Post by Yotes on Apr 25, 2017 18:25:58 GMT -6
If they pull UNO and two Horizon schools the Horizon would backfill with the Indiana alphabets. The Summit loses three schools after the dust settles and is effectively dead in the water. Our only chance in all this is to take control of our own destiny. The Dakota Four should be approaching the flagships out west about starting an all-sports conference. This conference would be a predominately state school, flagship type of conference. USD-SDSU UND-NDSU Montana-Montana State Idaho-Idaho State Eastern Washington Denver-Omaha (basketball only) That would be a 9 football and 11 basketball conference. Could play a true round robin in both football and basketball. It would also be the undisputed #1 FCS football conference and a top mid-major basketball conference. Optional to add a 12th member to make it easier for travel with travel partners. Potential schools could be UNC or Weber State. We could make football work with 10 FCS members. There would be collateral damage in all this. I would feel bad for WIU but I think they could easily find a home in the OVC. Something like this needs to happen or we will all be forever pawns in the games of the MVC schools. It is just so natural that these schools should be together and is almost our destiny. An added bonus would be UNI could go suck eggs in a crap football conference. That sounds like a great conference, but why would any of those schools want to leave the Big Sky? In the event of the Summit losing UNO and IUPUI/IPFW the Summit would be relegated to pilfering the WAC. And if our admin doesn't want to stick around for that we bolt for the Big Sky. Honestly, I am surprised the MVC is even entertaining the thought of UNO. Much better options out there. That reeks of strife between the football/non-football MVC schools.
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Post by usdtator on Apr 25, 2017 18:51:53 GMT -6
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Post by usdtator on Apr 25, 2017 18:56:48 GMT -6
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Post by kiyoat on May 2, 2017 10:42:18 GMT -6
Sounds like its possible the MVC only takes Valpo now. That would bring them to 10, and drop the Horizon to 9. The Horizon could then add 1 or 3.... Maybe the east flank of the Summit? www.valpofanzone.com/forum/index.php?topic=2842.0If that were to happen, I'd try to get UMKC and Northern Colorado back. Gives Denver/ORU/WIU a geographic link. The rest of the conference is a solid core.
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Post by Yotes on May 2, 2017 11:25:17 GMT -6
I still think NMSU is worth pursuing. They'd raise the level of competition more than any other schools mentioned and they become less of a geographic outlier if we drop the Indianas. This may be contingent on taking UMKC/collapsing the WAC.
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Post by Coyote Fan on May 2, 2017 11:52:18 GMT -6
Why does anyone want UMKC back? Is the goal to make the Summit a weaker conference because that is exactly what they would do. No thanks.
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Post by kiyoat on May 2, 2017 12:26:53 GMT -6
Why does anyone want UMKC back? Is the goal to make the Summit a weaker conference because that is exactly what they would do. No thanks. I guess I'm just thinking about realistic targets, i.e. schools that might actually accept an invite. I think the Minnesota Schools aren't likely to move up, and we aren't likely to get any MVC or Horizon League Schools, as they would see it as a step down. Unfortunately, I don't see the motivation from the Montana schools to make a change, either. They are the core of the Big Sky. I could be wrong. NMSU could be looking for a change, since the WAC pretty much sucks. The geography isn't great, but that's always going to be an issue for us, I think.
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Post by gopheryote on May 2, 2017 12:29:51 GMT -6
The goal is to make the conference more stable and let a high tide raise all boats. Not to bring in someone in just because they have/recently had a good team in some sport.
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Post by Coyote Fan on May 2, 2017 16:07:59 GMT -6
The goal is to make the conference more stable and let a high tide raise all boats. Not to bring in someone in just because they have/recently had a good team in some sport. UMKC's boat has a pretty heavy anchor on it and the tide hasn't really lifted them before so I don't know why it would now. The goal of the Summit Dakota schools should be to do what is best for them and to associate with those that are most like them. For me and I think for the other 3 they care quite a bit about football and care quite a bit about Men's basketball as well. Even Women's basketball is a pretty big sport that these schools tend to care about. I don't want schools in USD's league that do not have like missions. Half the schools in the Summit don't have football and the league that USD football is in has a relevant basketball conference that has half of it's schools that would probably be all in favor of none of it's schools to have football programs. USD should be associated with the Montana's and Idaho's and schools like that. They are really a perfect blend but who knows if those schools want to team up with the Dakota's. Maybe I am in the minority but I would like one conference with all members having scholarship football and football being a requirement to be in the league. Whether it's joining members west of Vermillion or joining with schools such as UNI or Missouri State doesn't matter as much to me as it matters that the schools in the conference have like missions. UMKC does not have a like mission.
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larobe
Sophomore Member
Posts: 179
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Post by larobe on May 2, 2017 17:46:35 GMT -6
I can't understand why teams that don't have to fund a football program and make basketball their flagship sport,why they don't do better than a lot of teams that also fund football.They can sink most of the athletic budget into one sport,yet some still underpay their coaches and have less than stellar facilities,and generally poor basketball teams.Poor leadership and foresight if you ask me.
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Post by kiyoat on May 9, 2017 9:51:58 GMT -6
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Post by kiyoat on May 9, 2017 10:02:39 GMT -6
csnbbs.com/thread-817261.htmlHere's a thread from "Collegiate Sports Nation" that discusses the Horizon League taking FW or IUPUI. One salient point is that Fort Wayne sponsors baseball. With Valpo gone, both the SL and HL only have 6 baseball schools. Drop to 5 and we have a problem with our auto-bid in basketball, IIRC...
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