Big East Expansion?

Violet Ram

Violet Ram

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Wolfpack Ram said:
That's what I stated. And, if you go back and read my post, I also stated if VCU was competitive in the AAC, nothing will change regarding pre-season tournament scheduling. The top teams in each league have to share the wealth. They can't go to the same pre-season tournaments every year. The top teams will always rotate between the tier one pre-season tournaments.
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Teams can go to the same exempt-tournament once every four years. Teams from the same conference cannot schedule to play in the same exempt tournament. These two rules combine to make VCU an extremely attractive exempt-tournament team since we fill in the need for another good team from a non-P-5 conference. If we moved to the AAC, we would lose some of that edge, regardless of how well we perform, simply because there are other attractive teams. Instead of being able to go to Maui, Puerto Rico, and NYC every 4 to 5 years, there'd probably be a larger interval as Cinci, WSU, Memphis, and Temple attended those tournaments.

If you don't believe me, look at UVA's exempt tournament for this year. They're playing in The Air Force Reserve Tip-Off Tournament with an opening round game versus UMass, with the only other game against ASU/St. Johns. Not exactly sexy for a premier ACC team whose coming off a title run. In the ACC, teams really don't need to always have the elite OOC tournaments since they get those matchups in Conference play. The AAC offers an upgrade in conference play, but nowhere near the ACC bump.

Also, an interesting aside, did anyone else see that ACC teams are starting the season with a conference game?
 
Cyniclone

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Violet Ram said:
Teams can go to the same exempt-tournament once every four years. Teams from the same conference cannot schedule to play in the same exempt tournament. These two rules combine to make VCU an extremely attractive exempt-tournament team since we fill in the need for another good team from a non-P-5 conference. If we moved to the AAC, we would lose some of that edge, regardless of how well we perform, simply because there are other attractive teams. Instead of being able to go to Maui, Puerto Rico, and NYC every 4 to 5 years, there'd probably be a larger interval as Cinci, WSU, Memphis, and Temple attended those tournaments.

If you don't believe me, look at UVA's exempt tournament for this year. They're playing in The Air Force Reserve Tip-Off Tournament with an opening round game versus UMass, with the only other game against ASU/St. Johns. Not exactly sexy for a premier ACC team whose coming off a title run. In the ACC, teams really don't need to always have the elite OOC tournaments since they get those matchups in Conference play. The AAC offers an upgrade in conference play, but nowhere near the ACC bump.

Also, an interesting aside, did anyone else see that ACC teams are starting the season with a conference game?
Click to expand...

I think there's enough good tournaments out there that VCU can still get into the top-level ones as frequently as they do now, even if they have to wait a year or two longer for the best of the best like Maui or Atlantis. Pus they have the added cache of the AAC, whatever that does for them. Plus sometimes the less-prestigious tournaments produce better fields anyway.

I'm not worried about VCU's ability to participate in attractive early-season tournament no matter what conference they're in.
 
Wolfpack Ram

Wolfpack Ram

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Cyniclone said:
I think there's enough good tournaments out there that VCU can still get into the top-level ones as frequently as they do now, even if they have to wait a year or two longer for the best of the best like Maui or Atlantis. Pus they have the added cache of the AAC, whatever that does for them. Plus sometimes the less-prestigious tournaments produce better fields anyway.

I'm not worried about VCU's ability to participate in attractive early-season tournament no matter what conference they're in.
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And maybe VCU can actually make it to the championship game and possibly win a pre-season tournament. ;) Their pre-season tournament track record to date has been less than stellar.
 
G

GuardTheArc

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Violet Ram said:
Teams can go to the same exempt-tournament once every four years. Teams from the same conference cannot schedule to play in the same exempt tournament. These two rules combine to make VCU an extremely attractive exempt-tournament team since we fill in the need for another good team from a non-P-5 conference. If we moved to the AAC, we would lose some of that edge, regardless of how well we perform, simply because there are other attractive teams. Instead of being able to go to Maui, Puerto Rico, and NYC every 4 to 5 years, there'd probably be a larger interval as Cinci, WSU, Memphis, and Temple attended those tournaments.

If you don't believe me, look at UVA's exempt tournament for this year. They're playing in The Air Force Reserve Tip-Off Tournament with an opening round game versus UMass, with the only other game against ASU/St. Johns. Not exactly sexy for a premier ACC team whose coming off a title run. In the ACC, teams really don't need to always have the elite OOC tournaments since they get those matchups in Conference play. The AAC offers an upgrade in conference play, but nowhere near the ACC bump.

Also, an interesting aside, did anyone else see that ACC teams are starting the season with a conference game?
Click to expand...

By and large, the AAC and A-10 are both 3-bid leagues (and generally #7 and 8 in the conference pecking order after the P6).

Our overall scheduling ability and philosophy is perfect for who and where we are as a program. We have scheduled ambitiously in the OOC and then executed to near perfection this decade. We have more at-large invites since 2011 (six) than any other non-P6 as a result.

Our early season tourney appearances have given us outstanding exposure and RPI/NET-boosting challenges; we’ve played on neutrals against Memphis, Duke, Wisconsin, Tenn, UCLA, St Johns, Temple, Michigan, etc.

Very pleased with our annual schedules and early season tourneys. Frankly, they’ve been a significant component of our success......challenging yet manageable.
 
Celticguy

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Wolfpack Ram said:
And maybe VCU can actually make it to the championship game and possibly win a pre-season tournament. ;) Their pre-season tournament track record to date has been less than stellar.
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which is one reason they like us. this is our biggest challenge and has been for some time. If we cant beat them in Nov-Dec we wont beat them in Mar-Apr.
 
MemTGRS

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I can see both sides of the arguments of the competition of early season tournaments. I think it is almost a wash... you guys have no problem now obtaining a top line one (yes, the beatdown we absorbed in Atlantis has not been forgotten, haha).

But there are now enough really good ones besides there and Maui (I do consider those the top two... do y'all?). And I would consider the Rams to easily be in the Magic half-dozen of the rotation for the better invitations along with Cincinnati, Houston, Memphis, Temple, and Wichita State (a great double annual black & gold rivalry just waiting to be had ... perhaps a "You don't wanna go to war" trophy at stake).

Too bad that fans dont handle the politics... if so, an AAC invite would have been tendered six weeks ago... for you all to then debate whether to accept or not..........

Besides fans of your team, you’re favorite posters come from which team “in general”

AACbbs: The #1 Board for American Athletic Conference sports on the internet.
csnbbs.com csnbbs.com
 
Havoc2Ut2

Havoc2Ut2

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MemTGRS said:
I can see both sides of the arguments of the competition of early season tournaments. I think it is almost a wash... you guys have no problem now obtaining a top line one (yes, the beatdown we absorbed in Atlantis has not been forgotten, haha).

But there are now enough really good ones besides there and Maui (I do consider those the top two... do y'all?). And I would consider the Rams to easily be in the Magic half-dozen of the rotation for the better invitations along with Cincinnati, Houston, Memphis, Temple, and Wichita State (a great double annual black & gold rivalry just waiting to be had ... perhaps a "You don't wanna go to war" trophy at stake).

Too bad that fans dont handle the politics... if so, an AAC invite would have been tendered six weeks ago... for you all to then debate whether to accept or not..........

Besides fans of your team, you’re favorite posters come from which team “in general”

AACbbs: The #1 Board for American Athletic Conference sports on the internet.
csnbbs.com csnbbs.com
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He speaks truth when he shows up to visit.
 
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