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Post by maplehurst on Mar 25, 2009 19:54:34 GMT -5
I just heard an interview of Digger Phelps on Westwood One. Digger stated that Xavier and Gonzaga are mid-major powers. Digger went onto imply that the major power conferences are the ones that play in the BCS. That leaves out Conference USA. So is last year's finalist, Memphis, a mid-major?
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Post by Dunga on Mar 25, 2009 20:33:46 GMT -5
This is ESPN (in collusion with the BCS conferences no doubt) branding all non BCS schools as somehow inferior with the slanderous "mid" major tag. Absolutely makes me sick. I detest ESPN for this reason; however, I understand the economic reasons behind the machine. All A10 fans should boycott ESPN and their sponsors!!
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Post by clubhouse on Mar 25, 2009 20:39:35 GMT -5
I love the call for a boycott. What would ESPN do with all that airtime they normally reserve for coverage of the A-10?
Do you really think their sponsors will make ESPN to refer to the mid-majors as something else? This belongs right up there with the upcoming "earth hour" and the ploy not to buy gas on a random Wednesday.
Please humor me and provide a list of demands ESPN must comply with before we begin the boycott.
I'm demanding that my television provider drop ESPN from their lineup immediately. Long live the A-14.
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Post by mikebossy22 on Mar 25, 2009 20:47:27 GMT -5
ESPN just wants everyone to believe that basketball revolves around the traditional football schools because they're all in the BCS conferences. ESPN stinks, the mid-major tag is stupid, if a team is good then a team is good, there's no need to call them a mid-major.
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Post by Dunga on Mar 25, 2009 20:47:55 GMT -5
I love the call for a boycott. What would ESPN do with all that airtime they normally reserve for coverage of the A-10? Do you really think their sponsors will make ESPN to refer to the mid-majors as something else? This belongs right up there with the upcoming "earth hour" and the ploy not to buy gas on a random Wednesday. Please humor me and provide a list of demands ESPN must comply with before we begin the boycott. I'm demanding that my television provider drop ESPN from their lineup immediately. Long live the A-14. Watching ESPN is like watching Fox news. I elect to turn them off rather than feeding the beast (or Big East). You should too. |
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Post by davejohn on Mar 25, 2009 21:44:58 GMT -5
ESPN chooses its tags carefully. I've even heard them call Memphis an "honorary major" as if it's some great favor. The tags "major", "mid-major", and "low-major" are slowly rotting college basketball. It's too bad.
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Post by njbonnie08 on Mar 26, 2009 7:06:34 GMT -5
Memphis is 100% a mid-major. That league is not even in the same ballpark as the A10, and we are called a Mid-major 95% of the time.
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Post by njbona02 on Mar 26, 2009 8:15:25 GMT -5
Memphis is a big time school that plays in a bad conference. That conference was a big time conference before Cincinnati and Louisville left for greener pastures. Memphis was stuck so its not their fault. Anyway I think Caliparis is getting tired of hearing how crappy C-USA is and might leave if Kentucky or another school throws big time cash at him.
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Post by maplehurst on Mar 26, 2009 8:25:26 GMT -5
njbona02: I remember that. I think DePaul and Marquette also left C-USA, although DePaul has been terrible, lately. As for Calipari heading for Kentucky, I don't think so just yet. Kentucky's coach is relatively new and he just got the Wildcats into the NIT. They have to see if he improves Kentucky year-by-year.
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Post by triple302 on Mar 26, 2009 8:45:37 GMT -5
njbona02: I remember that. I think DePaul and Marquette also left C-USA, although DePaul has been terrible, lately. As for Calipari heading for Kentucky, I don't think so just yet. Kentucky's coach is relatively new and he just got the Wildcats into the NIT. They have to see if he improves Kentucky year-by-year. I am not sure Gillespie is going to get the chance at Kentucky. There are a lot of rumors out there that he is getting canned at the end of the year. This is Kentucky we are talking about, saying he got them to the NIT is not good enough for those fans and administrators. It wouldn't surprise me if they fire him and throw boat loads of money at Calipari. As for the "mid-major" discussion, tell me another "mid-major" conference that has had the success in the last 10-12 years that the A10 has. Think of the teams that in that time have been ranked in the top 5. St. Joes, Xavier, Temple, UMASS, URI all have had time in the top 5 in the last 12 years. I know that is not as good as the Big East or the ACC, but its not much different than the Big 10 or Pac 10 and definitely a whole lat better than the MVC, MAC, MAAC, even CUSA now. There are not just 2 distinctions in college hoops right now. Are we one of the BIG conferences? No. But can we honestly be put in the same category as the Horizon, MVC, or god forbid the Patriot League. ESPN is ruining college basketball with these distinctions. The guys doing the broadcasts (excluded Tom Brennan) are all ex-coaches and players from big time schools who are totally biased and that is what espn wants. They could get rid of all of them except for maybe Gottlieb and I think the sport would be better off. |
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Post by B02 on Mar 26, 2009 9:18:13 GMT -5
Well I think the Big East has proven that they are far and away the best conference top to bottom this year its not even close. Anyone who calls Memphis a mid-major has no clue about basketball history. As stated earlier Memphis used to play with Depaul Marquette Cincy Louisville etc... all of these schools were traditional b-ball powers. They play in a 20,000 seat arena and get the cream of the crop recruits.
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Post by njbona02 on Mar 26, 2009 9:46:02 GMT -5
Gillespie has gotten worse since he has been at Kentucly. Plus he is terrible with alumni and the media. All of which equal a firing. As they said in How I met your mother, "Billie can I see you in the Employee Transition Room."
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Post by maplehurst on Mar 26, 2009 10:06:31 GMT -5
Suppose Gillespie is told to take his game elsewhere. Would Kentucky go for Calipari or for Oklahoma State's Chris Ford, a Kentucky graduate? In fact, didn't Gillespie coach at OKlahoma State before he went to Kentucky?
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Post by fjs64 on Mar 26, 2009 10:47:50 GMT -5
Didn't Gilespie coach at Texas A&M?
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Post by triple302 on Mar 26, 2009 10:52:03 GMT -5
I think Gilespie was at A&M. I didn't even think about the Chris Ford thing. I wouldn't rule out Miller from X either. He would have some ties in the area since Cincy isn't that far, and he has been primed for a bigger job for a while.
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