Future Schedule

M

MadBird

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I get the whole argument about a strong conference schedule "allows" a more comfortable non-con, BUT people still have to pay for those games. Wisconsin fans get to buy seats for St. Francis of Brooklyn, UWGB, Providence, Marquette, Nicholls St., Morgan St. and THE Illinois State University. At least 2 or 3 or 4 clinkers in there. There's no Providence or Marquette, but ISU's home schedule isn't the worst.
 
CaliRdBrd

CaliRdBrd

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jbird said:
This won't be well-received by many on this board, but that's OK. As a Redbird fan of 44 years, including through some abysmal football and basketball seasons, it drives me crazy to read posts like that one; and it's obviously not just Cali, many others have posted variations of the same theme. If I start actually caring about Redbird games based primarily on who is on the opposing bench or sideline, I will start questioning my commitment as a Redbird fan. When I was in school, there were plenty of games against Fort Hays State, Nebraska-Omaha, Missouri-Kansas City, Eastern Illinois, etc. and yet I.....and thousands of others each and every gameday...........looked forward with anticipation to gong to the stadium or Fieldhouse. We "actually cared" because it was a Redbird game.
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Understood, and I’m adult enough to be ok with others opinions.
That said, as evidenced by your comments, it seems you were fan when prominence on a National stage wasn’t that important.
The landscape is much different now, but you do raise an interesting point….why not drop down to D2 or D3 in both basketball and football, and develop a cozy little sports environment where it’s all about going to the games, without any worries about national recognition? There is a case to be made for the wonderful sports’ environments at some of these lower level schools.
Honestly, given that this school has shown zero interest in being relevant on a national stage, this may be the best choice.
Better than wallowing in sub-mediocrity, in half full stadiums, against teams no one cares about.
 
Bird Friend

Bird Friend

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CaliRdBrd said:
Understood, and I’m adult enough to be ok with others opinions.
That said, as evidenced by your comments, it seems you were fan when prominence on a National stage wasn’t that important.
The landscape is much different now, but you do raise an interesting point….why not drop down to D2 or D3 in both basketball and football, and develop a cozy little sports environment where it’s all about going to the games, without any worries about national recognition? There is a case to be made for the wonderful sports’ environments at some of these lower level schools.
Honestly, given that this school has shown zero interest in being relevant on a national stage, this may be the best choice.
Better than wallowing in sub-mediocrity, in half full stadiums, against teams no one cares about.
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We don't have to go a division down. The B10, ACC, SEC, and PAC12 will raid what's left of the B12 and a couple other schools, and then form a new 'professional' association (or division of the NCAA). Then . . . maybe . . . we'll get back to a truer sense of amateur sports at the collegiate level.
 
CaliRdBrd

CaliRdBrd

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Bird Friend said:
We don't have to go a division down. The B10, ACC, SEC, and PAC12 will raid what's left of the B12 and a couple other schools, and then form a new 'professional' association (or division of the NCAA). Then . . . maybe . . . we'll get back to a truer sense of amateur sports at the collegiate level.
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Maybe. Either way we’re destined to be a pig with lipstick. I guess we just need to embrace the ugliness.
 
J

jbird

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CaliRdBrd said:
Understood, and I’m adult enough to be ok with others opinions.
That said, as evidenced by your comments, it seems you were fan when prominence on a National stage wasn’t that important.
The landscape is much different now, but you do raise an interesting point….why not drop down to D2 or D3 in both basketball and football, and develop a cozy little sports environment where it’s all about going to the games, without any worries about national recognition? There is a case to be made for the wonderful sports’ environments at some of these lower level schools.
Honestly, given that this school has shown zero interest in being relevant on a national stage, this may be the best choice.
Better than wallowing in sub-mediocrity, in half full stadiums, against teams no one cares about.
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I don't understand the logic between complaining about opposition that nobody cares about and then saying that we should be playing Division II or III? Would a D III opponent draw more than Bradley in basketball or UNI or SIU in either basketball or football?

There were a couple of years when I was in school that the'Birds were considered to be better than the Illini in basketball. So should the Illini have dropped a Division or two? There was a year not long ago that the Valley was rated as the #6 conference in the country in basketball, ahead of the PAC 10 that year.

As far as ISU willing to wallow in "sub-mediocrity" with no interest in approving its national profile, there is a difference between lack of interest and lack of resources. If ISU had tens of million$$$ that they don't have, I doubt that they would be satisfied with the status quo. I am not wealthy enough to own a multimillion dollar estate or a $75,000 car, but that doesn't mean that I aspire to live life as a peasant.
 
J

jbird

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You don't "move up" in national prominence just by declaring yourself to be a new member of a P5 conference; you have to be approved by the members of that conference, which means you have to have something to offer that would make it profitable for them to admit you. There is nothing that ISU is in a position to do that would make us financially attractive to a P5 or P6. We could tear down Horton and build a 30,000 seat stadium but even if we sold out at that capacity we would only be a small fraction of what might interest the higher profile conferences.

Rather than "accepting" a lack of a high national profile, I am accelting that some things are not within ISU's control.
 
SgtHulka

SgtHulka

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jbird said:
I don't understand the logic between complaining about opposition that nobody cares about and then saying that we should be playing Division II or III? Would a D III opponent draw more than Bradley in basketball or UNI or SIU in either basketball or football?

There were a couple of years when I was in school that the'Birds were considered to be better than the Illini in basketball. So should the Illini have dropped a Division or two? There was a year not long ago that the Valley was rated as the #6 conference in the country in basketball, ahead of the PAC 10 that year.

As far as ISU willing to wallow in "sub-mediocrity" with no interest in approving its national profile, there is a difference between lack of interest and lack of resources. If ISU had tens of million$$$ that they don't have, I doubt that they would be satisfied with the status quo. I am not wealthy enough to own a multimillion dollar estate or a $75,000 car, but that doesn't mean that I aspire to live life as a peasant.
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Winter Olympics Applause GIF by SB Nation
 
TBS_20

TBS_20

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I'll fix this. We all throw in on bitcoin and we call the shots with our winnings. Bitcoin is on ita way to 150k this cycle.
 
CaliRdBrd

CaliRdBrd

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jbird said:
I don't understand the logic between complaining about opposition that nobody cares about and then saying that we should be playing Division II or III? Would a D III opponent draw more than Bradley in basketball or UNI or SIU in either basketball or football?

There were a couple of years when I was in school that the'Birds were considered to be better than the Illini in basketball. So should the Illini have dropped a Division or two? There was a year not long ago that the Valley was rated as the #6 conference in the country in basketball, ahead of the PAC 10 that year.

As far as ISU willing to wallow in "sub-mediocrity" with no interest in approving its national profile, there is a difference between lack of interest and lack of resources. If ISU had tens of million$$$ that they don't have, I doubt that they would be satisfied with the status quo. I am not wealthy enough to own a multimillion dollar estate or a $75,000 car, but that doesn't mean that I aspire to live life as a peasant.
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I’m simply saying either schedule big and compete on a national stage or just say “screw it” and drop down to D2 or D3.
Basically, downsize all sports and spend the money earmarked for the athletic program (money we’re currently wasting on a mediocre program) on education, and temper the expectations.
 
J

jwa123

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CaliRdBrd said:
I’m simply saying either schedule big and compete on a national stage or just say “screw it” and drop down to D2 or D3.
Basically, downsize all sports and spend the money earmarked for the athletic program (money we’re currently wasting on a mediocre program) on education, and temper the expectations.
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None of this will happen.
 
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