Lansing Contract Situation

[4Q_iu]

I said long-term. I wouldn't be surprised if it no longer exists in 20 years. That could be said about a lot of mid-major conferences, I guess, but the model just doesn't work well.

Thanks --- I'll check back in ~15 years.... it's anyone's guess what the collegiate scene will be at that point

 

[bent20]

Thanks --- I'll check back in ~15 years.... it's anyone's guess what the collegiate scene will be at that point

My point is that I don't want to see ISU wait, which is what ISU always does with athletics. Form a plan that makes sense for us rather than staying in a bad situation and hoping for the best. Try to lead instead of being a helpless bystander.

 

[needles]

ISU belongs in the OVC in all sports. More Natural rivalries, no plane travel, and schools with similar budgets and demographics. ISU has no business spending money on plane travel to the Dakotas. In fact all Of ISU’s travel should be by bus. Of course I realize that there could be exceptions, but they should be just that exceptions.

 

[4Q_iu]

ISU belongs in the OVC in all sports. More Natural rivalries, no plane travel, and schools with similar budgets and demographics. ISU has no business spending money on plane travel to the Dakotas. In fact all Of ISU’s travel should be by bus. Of course I realize that there could be exceptions, but they should be just that exceptions.

What "natural rivalries" exist in the OVC? I think the athletic budgets are the same - not positive of overall budgets, nor the demographics

We have long-time series with Eastern Illinois -- that's it. There are 12 OVC members; we've never faced 4 of them in football, included Pioneer Football Conf member Morehead State. We've never faced Jacksonville State in men's basketball or football.

So, toss out EIU as a rival; what are the rest?

 

[Sycamorefan96]

What "natural rivalries" exist in the OVC? I think the athletic budgets are the same - not positive of overall budgets, nor the demographics

Eastern Illinois is already a rival and they are only 50 minutes from downtown Terre Haute. They're a more natural rival than Evansville who doesn't play football or Illinois State who probably considers SIU or Bradley a bigger rival than us.

 

[4Q_iu]

that's one.... and the MBB rivalry is virtually non-existent as we lead the series 90-36. The football series is close enough to make it a "big game"
The rest?

And the OVC has "football issues" as well, Belmont... no football; SIU-Edwardsville... no football; Morehead St... Pioneer Football

As for ill st regarding SIU or Bradley...

UK doesn't consider U'Louisville a rivalry... U.Texas doesn't consider Tx A&M a rivalry at times Gloomington hasn't considered that school in West Lafayette a rivalry

 

[Sycamorefan96]

I don't know who you are talking to, but I happen to be friends with IU, Louisville, and Kentucky fans. UL and UK hate each other with a passion, and IU and PU are definitely rivals no matter how bad one of them may be.

In the case of the OVC there are 9 football schools, and of the three that don't play (or play PFL) two of them are public schools. Throw us in the mix and there would be 10 football schools, 2 non-fb publics, and Belmont. That's a definite improvement for us in terms of playing against common opponents with similar agendas. It's better than playing 5 non football private schools with two of them that don't even have a baseball team. In the case of Belmont if they hated football as much as the private schools in the MVC the Bruins would have bolted both times they had an offer.

 

[4Q_iu]

I don't know who you are talking to, but I happen to be friends with IU, Louisville, and Kentucky fans. UL and UK hate each other with a passion, and IU and PU are definitely rivals no matter how bad one of them may be.

In the case of the OVC there are 9 football schools, and of the three that don't play (or play PFL) two of them are public schools. Throw us in the mix and there would be 10 football schools, 2 non-fb publics, and Belmont. That's a definite improvement for us in terms of playing against common opponents with similar agendas. It's better than playing 5 non football private schools with two of them that don't even have a baseball team. In the case of Belmont if they hated football as much as the private schools in the MVC the Bruins would have bolted both times they had an offer.

I agree with your assessment of UL and UK fans' hatred. However, the schools have met 32 times in football. 32 times in 107 seasons of "opportunity," (uk football began in 1881, ul football in 1912...) - that's roughly once ever 3.5 years. They've only began playing annually since 1994

they've met 43 times in basketball but the series became annual in 1983 -- both fairly modern creations.

as to the two big ten teams... i've met more gloomington fans who don't consider the other school a rival; i consider those gloomington fans to be near-delusional but you can find them. And those delusional fans will say that uk and that team in north crook are their rivals (which is especially odd when that gloomington fan is wearing a north crook football cap, jacket, hoodie...)

If the OVC is such a great home, then why didnt ISU lead the way to it in 1977 vice the Missouri Valley?

 

[sycamore tuff]

I suspect the valley was a different conference back then. We had more football schools back then ( West Texas State, New Mexico State, Wichita State).

 

[Sycamorefan96]

I suspect the valley was a different conference back then. We had more football schools back then ( West Texas State, New Mexico State, Wichita State).

I had to go back and look but there were 9 schools in the MVC (including ISU) and 7 of the 9 sponsored football.

 

[4Q_iu]

I had to go back and look but there were 9 schools in the MVC (including ISU) and 7 of the 9 sponsored football.

True, Drake and Tulsa were two of the 7... and all played Div I.

however, within years; the Valley was a hybrid football conference (Div I-A and Div I-AA)

today:

- we're all Div I- FCS but we're in a football only conference

- and West Texas A&M is a Div II school

Football has been an issue in the Valley for decades

 

[bent20]

If the OVC is such a great home, then why didnt ISU lead the way to it in 1977 vice the Missouri Valley?

Times have certainly changed. That question is irrelevant now. We can't compete with any consistency in the MVC. We've been getting our butts kick in pretty much all sports for a few years now. We recently went about three years with no program completing a winning season outside baseball.

 

[4Q_iu]

All true points.

Would you prefer we join the GLVC? The HCAC? Maybe the Crossroads League

 

[WOZ]

61 days left on GL’s contract?

 

[HOOPSFAN]

March 31st ....... end of the line ..... NO APRIL FOOLS JOKE.............

 

[child]

I noted yesterday while listing to JMV the Ride sports talk radio in Indy that he thinks the writing is on the wall, that GL is gone! Hope not...

 

[Daveinth]

Throw all the assumptions around that it is a given GL is all but without a job. However with the job that he and the staff have done this year it is not out of the question that he could end up in the COY talks in the Valley . Then what happens?

 

[child]

What Are COY talks?

 

[Jason Svoboda]

What Are COY talks?

Coach of the Year.

I don't think anyone but DeVries gets it but we'll see.

 

[Bluethunder]

My vote would go to Lickliter at Evansville. They were picked dead last by everyone and could end up 5th and have been competitive with most of the teams in the league. He has done a great job.

but if you look at recent history whoever wins the league gets coach of the year so expect DeVries to get it.