ORU to Southland a done deal

[joeboo22]

Re: ORU to Southland a done deal

I'm not sure I follow the comments about ORU leaving due to UNO and USD being added. Outside of UMKC, UNO would be the closest league member to ORU and USD is pretty much just as close to ORU as WIU is.

What ORU wanted was a southern presence and lower travel costs, the SLC gives them that. Plus they will be the king of that conference, they won't have to contend with any school with a real sizable passionate fanbase like the Dakota schools in that league.

Now the task is on Douple to find a solid 10th member. There are some possibilities out there but he'll need to sell them on the Summit, the fact that league features some great schools and decent footprint should give him so nice ammo to use.

There is a saying I heard once that went something like when traveling north in winter times every mile by 2. I don't think that was the primary reason, I just think that they were upset that after being in the league for 15 years that they never received a true travel partner. The conference added in other areas but never their area.

[FargoBison]

Re: ORU to Southland a done deal

Which schools would be interested in the Summit League? Which one would be the best addition?

Mostly DII schools I'd guess...NKU, SCSU, MN State, Bellarmine(private school in Louisville)...and whatever schools are left in the Great West Conference of Misfit Universities(none of which I want our league to have anything to do with).

NKU would be the best simply because it would bolster our eastern flank.....after that.....I'd guess an MN school.

[filbert]

Re: ORU to Southland a done deal

Reading Vandrovec's article, it struck me that with ORU gone, SDSU becomes the prime candidate as the Summit's best baseball program . . . vastly increasing the possibilities for a pummeling at the hands of Fullerton or somebody in the NCAA baseball playoffs (or, you know, even a miraculous upset) . . .

If I were Douple, I'd go HARD for Northern Kentucky - - I also roll the dice and put Illinois-Chicago and Youngstown State (and what the heck--Valpo) from the Horizon on speed-dial - - also Eastern Illinois from the OVC--it's time I think for the Summit to start getting into the poach-schools-from-other-leagues game. If I can get one of those eastern schools, I'm back at ten and life is good. If I somehow hook two of them, then I go after one of the Minnesota schools (St. Cloud or Mankato) to get to 12 and have a West (or *cough*North Central*cough*) and an East division.

Hell, I'll even make a call to Northern Iowa and have a chat if they'll talk to me . . .

NDSU
SDSU
USD
UNO
UMKC
(SCSU or MSU-Mankato)

WIU
IUPUI
IPFW
Oakland
(NKU)
(EIU/UIC/Youngstown/some other Eastern)

(Nothing about UND because I think the bridges are pretty thoroughly burned between Grand Forks and the Summit league office . . . although nothing would really surprise me . . . )

[joeybrownerHOF]

Re: ORU to Southland a done deal

Reading Vandrovec's article, it struck me that with ORU gone, SDSU becomes the prime candidate as the Summit's best baseball program . . . vastly increasing the possibilities for a pummeling at the hands of Fullerton or somebody in the NCAA baseball playoffs (or, you know, even a miraculous upset) . . .

If I were Douple, I'd go HARD for Northern Kentucky - - I also roll the dice and put Illinois-Chicago and Youngstown State (and what the heck--Valpo) from the Horizon on speed-dial - - also Eastern Illinois from the OVC--it's time I think for the Summit to start getting into the poach-schools-from-other-leagues game. If I can get one of those eastern schools, I'm back at ten and life is good. If I somehow hook two of them, then I go after one of the Minnesota schools (St. Cloud or Mankato) to get to 12 and have a West (or *cough*North Central*cough*) and an East division.

Hell, I'll even make a call to Northern Iowa and have a chat if they'll talk to me . . .

NDSU
SDSU
USD
UNO
UMKC
(SCSU or MSU-Mankato)

WIU
IUPUI
IPFW
Oakland
(NKU)
(EIU/UIC/Youngstown/some other Eastern)

(Nothing about UND because I think the bridges are pretty thoroughly burned between Grand Forks and the Summit league office . . . although nothing would really surprise me . . . )

I agree and I like the idea of Douple being pro active. I like the teams you listed and would also add UMSL and Bellarmine (they have great athletics in D2). I also think that UND is still in play.

[LakeJack]

Re: ORU to Southland a done deal


http://www.argusleader.com/article/20111026/SPORTS02/110260330/Oral-Roberts-leave-Summit-League-next-year-Southland-Conference?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Sports



http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/338339/group/Sports/



http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextr...B1_CUTLIN18038

[hareball]

Re: ORU to Southland a done deal

A healthy Summit in good for a healthy MVFC. A healthy MVFC is good for a healthy MVC. Hopefully this provides some incentive for the MVC to work with the Summit. Obviously a MVC/Summit merger will not happen, but perhaps the MVC & Summit could enter into some sort of scheduling agreement or a MVC/Summit challenge in mens & womens basketball that would give every Summit teams 3 - 4 games per year against MVC teams. This would make the Summit a more attractive destination conference which as I stated earlier would also keep the MVFC together.

I know Youngstown in a long ways east, but perhaps they should be approached about moving from the Horizon & joining the Summit. If they intend to stay in the MVFC, it would make more sense for them to be in either the MVC or Summit and they won't be getting an invite to the MVC.

[The Sports Block]

Re: ORU to Southland a done deal

http://www.archive.org/details/Terry...011SportsBlock

- Terry Vandrovec from the Argus Leaders joins the Sports Block with Travis and Charlie to talk about Oral Roberts move from the Summit League to the Southland Conference, SDSU Cross Country, Volleyball and Soccer.

[hareball]

Re: ORU to Southland a done deal

Attached link is to the Grand Forks Herald live chat today - see comments starting at about the 3:13 mark re: the perspective from the sports writers at the Grand Forks Herald regarding the ORU move to the Southland. Definitely exhibits the reality free zone comment made by Vandrovec. Also see about the 3:58 mark for their "reality free zone" rebuttal. All makes for great theatre.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/pages/undsportschat

[The Sports Block]

Re: ORU to Southland a done deal

- Southland Commissioner will be on the Sports Block next Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. Questions are welcomed. 90.7 FM in the Brookings area and live streaming on ksdjradio.com

[tjbison]

Re: ORU to Southland a done deal

A healthy Summit in good for a healthy MVFC. A healthy MVFC is good for a healthy MVC. Hopefully this provides some incentive for the MVC to work with the Summit. Obviously a MVC/Summit merger will not happen, but perhaps the MVC & Summit could enter into some sort of scheduling agreement or a MVC/Summit challenge in mens & womens basketball that would give every Summit teams 3 - 4 games per year against MVC teams. This would make the Summit a more attractive destination conference which as I stated earlier would also keep the MVFC together.

I know Youngstown in a long ways east, but perhaps they should be approached about moving from the Horizon & joining the Summit. If they intend to stay in the MVFC, it would make more sense for them to be in either the MVC or Summit and they won't be getting an invite to the MVC.

There is no way YSU leaves the Horizon for the Summit, unless they get booted out of the Horizon

[mitchell]

Re: ORU to Southland a done deal

Below are the MBB expenses for the MVC, Horizon, OVC & Summit.

It would be great to get a couple teams like Indiana St & Evansville to jump over to the Summit, but I imagine they make much more money in the MVC. Not to mention the extra prestige.

MVC
$5,032,173 Creighton
$3,220,886 Wichita State
$2,937,206 Bradley
$2,168,174 Southern Illinois
$2,053,256 Drake
$1,973,250 Northern Iowa
$1,887,713 Illinois State
$1,885,565 Evansville
$1,872,907 Missouri State
$1,340,015 Indiana State

OVC
$1,513,316 Murray State
$1,179,408 Eastern Kentucky
$1,102,582 Morehead State
$1,033,087 Tennessee State
$880,043 Tennessee Tech
$785,317 Jacksonville State
$767,633 Tennessee-Martin
$759,590 Eastern Illinois

Horizon
$2,822,892 Butler
$2,676,678 Detroit
$1,892,347 Wright State
$1,766,502 Cleveland State
$1,752,285 Loyola (Ill.)
$1,604,343 Valparaiso
$1,254,292 Illinois-Chicago
$1,036,410 Youngstown State

Summit
$2,090,174 Oral Roberts
$1,456,339 Missouri-Kansas City
$1,392,896 Oakland
$1,194,554 IUPUI
$1,029,535 North Dakota State
$921,681 Western Illinois
$865,143 South Dakota State
$786,554 IPFW
$756,006 Southern Utah

[zooropa]

Re: ORU to Southland a done deal

I go after one of the Minnesota schools (St. Cloud or Mankato)

Mmmmm. I don't know that you want another D-1 school in this area. I miscounted the number of D-1 schools in this general area, and we're looking at 11 with roughly 11M people, and 4 BCS schools among that 11. I don't think a 12 school in the heart of the NE/MN/SD/ND/IA region can thrive without weakening every other school.

Apart from the comparative difference in prestige between the Summit, Valley & Horizon, if you look at a plot of the locations of schools, The Summit forms a kind of crescent around almost all of the Valley and most of the Horizon. Even if the Summit were on a peer level with the Valley & Horizon, it would be tough to draw members out of those conferences because of the increased travel costs.

Another outside the box thought: WKU. Are they going to hit a 'crap or get off the pot' stage with FBS football? I imagine that they would be welcomed back into the Valley, and would be a fit for the Summit in all other sports. The argument that they went FBS because they were overrepresented in women's sports is flat contradicted by Equity in Athletics data which suggests that, if anything, they are in need of reducing men's participation.

[joeboo22]

Re: ORU to Southland a done deal

Mmmmm. I don't know that you want another D-1 school in this area. I miscounted the number of D-1 schools in this general area, and we're looking at 11 with roughly 11M people, and 4 BCS schools among that 11. I don't think a 12 school in the heart of the NE/MN/SD/ND/IA region can thrive without weakening every other school.

Apart from the comparative difference in prestige between the Summit, Valley & Horizon, if you look at a plot of the locations of schools, The Summit forms a kind of crescent around almost all of the Valley and most of the Horizon. Even if the Summit were on a peer level with the Valley & Horizon, it would be tough to draw members out of those conferences because of the increased travel costs.

Another outside the box thought: WKU. Are they going to hit a 'crap or get off the pot' stage with FBS football? I imagine that they would be welcomed back into the Valley, and would be a fit for the Summit in all other sports. The argument that they went FBS because they were overrepresented in women's sports is flat contradicted by Equity in Athletics data which suggests that, if anything, they are in need of reducing men's participation.

I'm not saying I disagree with you, but if St. Cloud State or MN-Mankato make the move the Summit has to take them in and probably will, it will give NDSU a travel partner. They are close to Minneapolis so travel should be easy and I'm guessing if either did make the jump they would drop football so it takes that off the slate.

Personally I would like to see 3 added. Add a MN school and then add a NKU and another eastern school. That is what I would like to see. St. Cloud State does have baseball, men's tennis and women's soccer. So it appears they do fit the sports offered department pretty well. I do think if a MN school was to go D-I the Summit is telling UND its over at least for a long time. Which in UND's little circle they are probably fine with.

Its fun to talk about, but IDK if anyone really knows.

[FargoBison]

Re: ORU to Southland a done deal

I'm not saying I disagree with you, but if St. Cloud State or MN-Mankato make the move the Summit has to take them in and probably will, it will give NDSU a travel partner. They are close to Minneapolis so travel should be easy and I'm guessing if either did make the jump they would drop football so it takes that off the slate.

Personally I would like to see 3 added. Add a MN school and then add a NKU and another eastern school. That is what I would like to see. St. Cloud State does have baseball, men's tennis and women's soccer. So it appears they do fit the sports offered department pretty well. I do think if a MN school was to go D-I the Summit is telling UND its over at least for a long time. Which in UND's little circle they are probably fine with.

Its fun to talk about, but IDK if anyone really knows.

Yeah as long as the MN school cuts football I don't see them moving up as causing any issues from a recruiting standpoint. In fact it may help recruiting since adding one MN school would give the league a bigger presence in MN.

The league could solidify itself by adding Mankato or SCSU, Bellarmine(located in Louisville) and NKU(located just out of Cincy) and split into east and west divisions...NKU, Bellarmine, IUPUI and IPFW are all pretty close to each other.

West
NDSU-Mankato/SCSU
SDSU-USD
UNO-UMKC

East
IPFW-Oakland
IUPUI-WIU
Bellarmine-NKU

[UNO Fan]

Re: ORU to Southland a done deal

What about Nebraska Kearney??