Creighton University

[stats]

Totally disagree. Gonzaga is a national brand. If/when they end up in the Big 12, they’ll continue to be as successful as they are now.

In my opinion, there are 60 or 70 power conference schools that have a major recruiting advantage over the mid-majors for obvious reasons. However, those schools need to compete against each other for recruits and it is pretty difficult to sustain that success. Gonzaga currently has something to offer that the majority of power conferences don't, which is almost guaranteed winning, being highly ranked and plenty of national exposure games. Wichita built their program into a mini-Gonzaga in the Valley. They were a national/brand or close to it so they left the Valley in 2017. They haven't won an NCAA tournament game since leaving the Valley. DePaul was most definitely a national brand as one of the best teams in college basketball before joining a major conference.

I understand that teams are going to change conferences for the money, but their identity will often change in the process. I also apologize for getting off-topic since ISU has little or nothing to do with this discussion.

 

[stats]

Well Creighton is ranked 10th in the nation, recruiting got better for them once they left the Missouri valley for a lot of reasons and it should be a wake up call for Illinois State

I like Creighton and they seem like they could be the real deal this year, but the numbers don't back your claim yet.
Last 15 years in the MVC (353-147 71%winning average, ncaa tourn. 9 of 15 years or 60% of the time, 2 sweet 16 appearances)
The 9 years in the Big East(196-107 65% winning average, ncaa tourn. 5 of 9 years or 56% of the time, 1 sweet 16 appearance)

 

[jbird]

Well Creighton is ranked 10th in the nation, recruiting got better for them once they left the Missouri valley for a lot of reasons and it should be a wake up call for Illinois State

Like they say: hindsight is half-empty.

I don't know why we didn't answer the wake up call and join a conference comprised primarily of non-football playing Catholic universities.

 

[RedbirdSoxFan]

Loyola is off to a TERRIBLE start. They just rounded off their Myrtle Beach appearance 0-3!

Just lost to Harvard.

 

[jbird]

Sometimes when I am reading this board it reminds me of radio sports call-in shows when I was growing up when a caller would ask why our team doesn't just package a couple of mediocre relief pitchers and utility infielders and trade them for a Clemente, Hank Aaron, etc. You don't get to just imagine your own fantasy deals and think they are possible. There has to be interest from the other side of the bargain that is at least as motivated to make the deal as you are. Because we know that college sports is all about $$$, what does ISU bring to the table? There have been hundreds of posts on here bemoaning the fact that we couldn't scrape up enough coins to begin construction of an IPF or even to buy out a couple ofyeats of a coach's contract.

Maybe 45 years ago our basketball brand was marketable to other conferences, but at that time a 3-8 football season would have been considered "turning the corner." Maybe at the end of the Stallings years we had some wind at our sails, but not enough $$$ or high enough profile to keep our coach and thus keep the program at a marketable level.

I find it at the same time both funny and sad to read about how we should be in a much higher profile conference than the Valley, when there are no conferences knocking our doors down to adopt us.

 

[redbirds2000]

Sometimes when I am reading this board it reminds me of radio sports call-in shows when I was growing up when a caller would ask why our team doesn't just package a couple of mediocre relief pitchers and utility infielders and trade them for a Clemente, Hank Aaron, etc. You don't get to just imagine your own fantasy deals and think they are possible. There has to be interest from the other side of the bargain that is at least as motivated to make the deal as you are. Because we know that college sports is all about $$$, what does ISU bring to the table? There have been hundreds of posts on here bemoaning the fact that we couldn't scrape up enough coins to begin construction of an IPF or even to buy out a couple ofyeats of a coach's contract.

Maybe 45 years ago our basketball brand was marketable to other conferences, but at that time a 3-8 football season would have been considered "turning the corner." Maybe at the end of the Stallings years we had some wind at our sails, but not enough $$$ or high enough profile to keep our coach and thus keep the program at a marketable level.

I find it at the same time both funny and sad to read about how we should be in a much higher profile conference than the Valley, when there are no conferences knocking our doors down to adopt us.

ISU basketball has missed out on the social media era when it comes to promoting their brand also. When I say missed out, I mean winning during this time.

 

[Birdswin]

Totally disagree. Gonzaga is a national brand. If/when they end up in the Big 12, they’ll continue to be as successful as they are now.

They do not have football.

 

[Manchester Matt]

They do not have football.

No shit? I had no idea! You really should pay more attention to what’s going on.

Let me help you. Google Gonzaga to the Big 12. They aren’t the only conference interested. They’ll be in a bigger conference soon. Even without football.

 

[CaliRdBrd]

ISU basketball has missed out on the social media era when it comes to promoting their brand also. When I say missed out, I mean winning during this time.

Missed out on a whole lot more than social media.
No one outside this board (maybe 50 people?) even care any more. I’m really just here cause I still love ISU athletics, and it’s a way of remembering the good ole days.
To think this program will ever be relevant again is fools gold.

 

[TBS_20]

Missed out on a whole lot more than social media.
No one outside this board (maybe 50 people?) even care any more. I’m really just here cause I still love ISU athletics, and it’s a way of remembering the good ole days.
To think this program will ever be relevant again is fools gold.

They may sneak in every so often but they won't pay up for success so the coach will always leave for greener pastures

 

[Bird Friend]

I guess I don’t understand. Some on here complain about the decisions and performance of the administration, admit that nothing will change, yet continue arguing for change they‘re sure won’t happen.

 

[ISU86]

I guess I don’t understand. Some on here complain about the decisions and performance of the administration, admit that nothing will change, yet continue arguing for change they‘re sure won’t happen.

 

[DWRedbird]

Missed out on a whole lot more than social media.
No one outside this board (maybe 50 people?) even care any more. I’m really just here cause I still love ISU athletics, and it’s a way of remembering the good ole days.
To think this program will ever be relevant again is fools gold.

I disagree that folks outside of the board don't care. I've had more talks at work about ISU hoops than I have in recent years from people who are not ISU fans or alums. I think we could be relevant again or pack an arena again, but to do it we have to win consistently and not just against bottom of the barrel teams.

 

[isuquinndog]

The biggest issue I had with Elgin - he ignored football and for whatever reason could not seem to figure out that sport drives the "bus" for college athletics - thus, the Valley only continued to slide and now is close to being irrelevant, if we are not already there.

Well he had nothing to do with football. It's a different entity and not part of the Missouri Valley Conference. It's not even the same teams. The Missouri Valley Football Conference is different and as its own commish. It's all Patty V's fault!

 

[CaliRdBrd]

I disagree that folks outside of the board don't care. I've had more talks at work about ISU hoops than I have in recent years from people who are not ISU fans or alums. I think we could be relevant again or pack an arena again, but to do it we have to win consistently and not just against bottom of the barrel teams.

Seriously? That has to be just because they know you’re a big fan.

 

[Birdswin]

Well he had nothing to do with football. It's a different entity and not part of the Missouri Valley Conference. It's not even the same teams. The Missouri Valley Football Conference is different and as its own commish. It's all Patty V's fault!

I am well aware. But, the reason it was this way - Elgin wanted nothing to do with football and did not work to combine the two. In fact, he was against the renaming of the Gateway to MVFC. Tulsa left because of football. The vote was 5-4 with Creighton the remaining school - if Creighton votes against the name - the motion would not pass on a 5-5 tie. Creighton AD said he did not want to stand in the way of a name change if it would benefit other schools in the conference. Passed 6-4. I know this is not news, but Bradley was the leader to vote against this name change.

 

[DWRedbird]

Seriously? That has to be just because they know you’re a big fan.

Some of it is from the folks I worked with for 10 years who know how big a fan I am, but I've had more conversations about it with new folks that don't know how I'm a fan, and with more folks casually that I have in the last 5 years. There are less now that we are losing consistently and not playing good basketball, but early on people cared because firing Muller and bringing in a new guy generated buzz. That buzz won't stay if all we do is lose, and I'll have less and less of those conversation as the year goes on, and less if we lose again next year.

 

[stats]

Well Creighton is ranked 10th in the nation, recruiting got better for them once they left the Missouri valley for a lot of reasons and it should be a wake up call for Illinois State

I am guessing they will start playing better, but as of now Creighton is not ranked and they have a 5 game losing streak.

 

[ISU86]

Couldn't the message board for one of the D-I reclassifying institutions such as Lindenwood or Southern Indiana benefit from Crazzy's insight and expertise?

Or better yet, Hartford ... they are transitioning down to D-III.

 

[crazzymark]

Well well well I guess Creighton made it to the elite 8 what a surprise to all of you but me