How are you feeling right now about the team and program?

DCDuck said:
Program-wise I'm still optimistic. We should be able to attract a good coach, but the lack of stability at HC is concerning. Nobody bats 1.000. My fear is that we whiff on a coach and end up like Wichita State, where discussion around our program becomes "remember when we used to be really good?" and we end up in a cycle of coaches with short leashes who struggle to get us back to where we used to be.

All of the Big East talk is premature. The conference hasn't shown any inclination to expand. I doubt the schools that split from the American just over a decade ago because of football-first decision-making are eager to merge with a conference whose primary concern is football.

I also don't believe we are as attractive an option to the Big East (i.e. FOX) as schools like Davidson and Saint Louis - schools that offer larger media markets while still fitting into the (non-UConn) Big East's cultural identity of small private schools.

If the Big East opportunity materializes, we should absolutely take it. I'm just doubtful that opportunity is right around the corner as some members of this forum seem to think.
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You hit on my one worry. We've basically nailed six straight coaching hires. The law of averages suggest that we'll get it wrong at some point. I am confident that Ed will nail this next one, however.

What I've been told when it concerns the TV execs is that they care first and foremost about eyeballs and ratings. The reason that VCU gets maximum exposure on the ESPN Friday night broadcast (5 games every year), and why both Dayton-VCU games are always on ESPN Friday nights is because we, along with Dayton, bring the best ratings of any teams in the A10. I was told, and have seen a report showing, that VCU-Dayton games for example draw about the same amount of viewership as many ACC games shown on ESPN. Now, not Carolina or Duke games, but we are on par with most of the other schools ratings wise.

Like you, I don't think a Big East opportunity is right around the corner. However, I think should they choose to expand, we're in a better position than many think. We don't fit the small, religious private school model, but the TV execs may not care as much about that going forward.
 
The law of averages doesn't guarantee occasional failure. I suspect our successful coaching hires are a result of advantages that mean each new hire has an individual chance of success that's already very high. It isn't a coin flip each time (he prayed).
 
umwram said:
The law of averages doesn't guarantee occasional failure. I suspect our successful coaching hires are a result of advantages that mean each new hire has an individual chance of success that's already very high. It isn't a coin flip each time (he prayed).
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It's not so much the law of averages as it is that nothing is ever foolproof.

Even the heavyweights, with all their advantages and prestige, get it wrong now and again (Gillespie at UK, Payne at Louisville, Alford at UCLA, Howard at Michigan, some would say Davis at UNC, etc.) The difference is that those schools can cut their losses more easily and go after another proven commodity. For the most part we don't have that luxury - and if we do, it's only because those coaches see us as a springboard to their forever jobs.
 
DCDuck said:
Davidson has a stronger NBA pedigree (Steph Curry is one of the 15 greatest players of all time), is in a much larger market known for being a college basketball hotbed, and theoretically has access to a pro-level arena in Charlotte. I agree with you that Xavier (and Butler) would fight tooth and nail to keep Dayton out, though.

I also suspect Georgetown would try to keep us out of the conference, since their fans see themselves as being "the premier basketball school in the DMV" or whatever.
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The Xavier and Dayton hatred of each other is wild. I wore my VCU gear two years ago to the NCAA Tournament 1st and 2nd round games in Greensboro. Xavier played there and brought a ton of fans. The amount of love I received for just wearing VCU gear from Xavier fans was insane. They were giving me beers and having me hang out with their crews in their tailgates and just non stop giving me love for us beating Dayton in the A10 final. They absolutely HATE Dayton. I didn’t realize how much those schools despise each other.
 
RamStrut said:
The Xavier and Dayton hatred of each other is wild. I wore my VCU gear two years ago to the NCAA Tournament 1st and 2nd round games in Greensboro. Xavier played there and brought a ton of fans. The amount of love I received for just wearing VCU gear from Xavier fans was insane. They were giving me beers and having me hang out with their crews in their tailgates and just non stop giving me love for us beating Dayton in the A10 final. They absolutely HATE Dayton. I didn’t realize how much those schools despise each other.
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I don’t think realize how much they can’t stand each other. Xavier would rather blow up than see Dayton in the BE. I honestly it’s why I think VCU and Dayton are perfect. VCU would have all of match ups for storylines. Dayton and Xavier would be a top rivalry match up for the conference. If you talk to Dayton fans in Ohio the feelings toward us regarding our games have absolutely nothing on Xavier. That is a UNC- Duke, Mich/OSU, Bama/Aub, etc type hate.
 
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