No longer a mid-major

[Saluki762]

The author is a dousche bag but it nice to see this. I wish he would have said it applied to the whole conference.

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/mariotti/303148,CST-SPT-jay19.article
:valley: :salukis: :salukis: :salukis: :salukis: :salukis: :valley:

[Bradleyfan]

The author is a dousche bag but it nice to see this. I wish he would have said it applied to the whole conference.

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/mariotti/303148,CST-SPT-jay19.article
:valley: :salukis: :salukis: :salukis: :salukis: :salukis: :valley:

Don't worry. He'll relegate them back to "mid-major" status if they lose to Kansas! :bash:

[txsaluki05]

I don't mind Mariotti; the article was really well written.

[Aegyptus]

I don't mind Mariotti; the article was really well written.

I agree. He is pretty much exactly on point. SIU does not have the money to keep Lowrey if Michigan comes calling. Mariotti has to play a personality on TV to sell advertising and keep the ratings up (and for god's sake he works with Woody Paige, have pity on this man).

Mariotti running a glowing story in the Chicago paper is a big help for SIU as many of SIU's undergrads come from there. Plus, for a big time Chicago reporter to take SIU seriously is a big step forward. That would not have happened 5 years ago.

Enjoy the compliment Southern, you earned it.

(Now start searching the Student Center's couches for change - put up donation boxes around campus - does Glen Poshard bake? - cheerleader carwash - etc.)

[rjl]

With all the publicity the Valley has received the last two or three seasons, complete with sports pundits pushing the issue, the Valley is probably no longer seen as a "mid-major" by almost everyone except the NCAA tournament selection committee.

If we can continue to send at least one team as far as the S16 every year, which is extremely possible, even they will have to recognize.

[SIUDAWG02]

I hope the Big Ex SIU Head Coach Conference doesn't steal another one of our coaches.

[Brave2001]

With all the publicity the Valley has received the last two or three seasons, complete with sports pundits pushing the issue, the Valley is probably no longer seen as a "mid-major" by almost everyone except the NCAA tournament selection committee.

If we can continue to send at least one team as far as the S16 every year, which is extremely possible, even they will have to recognize.

Sending a team to the sweet 16 every year is the epitome of being a mid major. We must send teams to the Elite 8/Final 4/Title Game consistently to have any hope of being classified as a major conference.

That is the harsh fact. The BCS conferences dont measure success in terms of Sweet 16 appearences (they measure it in terms of Final 4's). Failing to even reach the Sweet 16 is grounds for coach firings at some BCS schools and losing in the first round is grounds for firing at most schools.

If we want to be considered a Major conference, we must set the bar at the same level they do. Making the sweet 16 every year is not nearly high enough.

SIU must reach the Elite 8 this year. Reaching the Sweet 16 for them is simply meeting their goals and potential, not exceeding it. They are that good. We must expect the next level out of teams that good.

[yeager]

Sending a team to the sweet 16 every year is the epitome of being a mid major. We must send teams to the Elite 8/Final 4/Title Game consistently to have any hope of being classified as a major conference.

That is the harsh fact. The BCS conferences dont measure success in terms of Sweet 16 appearences. Failing to even reach the Sweet 16 is grounds for coach firings at some BCS schools and losing in the first round is grounds for firing at most schools.

If we want to be considered a Major conference, we must set the bar at the same level they do. Making the sweet 16 every year is not nearly high enough.

SIU must reach the Elite 8 this year. Reaching the Sweet 16 for them is simply meeting their goals and potential, not exceeding it. They are that good. We must expect the next level out of teams that good.

Good post.

[Majik45]

Failing to even reach the Sweet 16 is grounds for coach firings at some BCS schools and losing in the first round is grounds for firing at most schools.

We know that's not true, or Bill Self would have been fired...:lol:

[RuleOne]

The timing of our conference tournament seems to shout "mid-major". 1 week early like all the scrub conferences.

[Saluki762]

The timing of our conference tournament seems to shout "mid-major". 1 week early like all the scrub conferences.
It also gives our teams a nationally televised game. If our championship was on Selection Sunday there is no way we would have that. It also gives our teams in the dance a week to rest and heal. I think the conference tournament is great the way it is.

[smsandmsuson]

We know that's not true, or Bill Self would have been fired...:lol:


Or our good friend Barry Hinson. I guess there are exceptions to that rule:ermm:

[rjl]

Sending a team to the sweet 16 every year is the epitome of being a mid major. We must send teams to the Elite 8/Final 4/Title Game consistently to have any hope of being classified as a major conference.

That is the harsh fact. The BCS conferences dont measure success in terms of Sweet 16 appearences (they measure it in terms of Final 4's). Failing to even reach the Sweet 16 is grounds for coach firings at some BCS schools and losing in the first round is grounds for firing at most schools.

If we want to be considered a Major conference, we must set the bar at the same level they do. Making the sweet 16 every year is not nearly high enough.

SIU must reach the Elite 8 this year. Reaching the Sweet 16 for them is simply meeting their goals and potential, not exceeding it. They are that good. We must expect the next level out of teams that good.

There is no "mid-major" conference that "only" sends a team to the S16 every year.

The Horizon has come close, but no cigar.

If a Valley team makes the S16 EVERY year, and some years goes further, bye bye mid major.

[shocker3]

It also gives our teams a nationally televised game. If our championship was on Selection Sunday there is no way we would have that. It also gives our teams in the dance a week to rest and heal. I think the conference tournament is great the way it is.

Every conference in America no matter how small or minor gets its conference championship game on national TV.

For most conferences it is espn or espn2. For a couple of the real small conferences it is espnU. For some conferences it is either ABC or CBS, but EVERYONE has their tournament championship game on national TV.

The big advantage to being a week earlier is that it used to get at least one of our semi-final games on national TV (espn2), but that doesn't happen anymore.

Having our championship game on CBS is nice, but as long as we are on espn or espn2 it shouldn't make much difference.


I do think attendance might dip if we were a week later and games had to start on Thursday or even Wednesday. :valley:

[Aceman96]

I hope the Big Ex SIU Head Coach Conference doesn't steal another one of our coaches.


BxSIUcc for short.