Muddy’s Observations:
(1) The Presidents and Athletic Directors of Xavier, Dayton, Saint Louis, Butler, and VCU should be acting solely in the best long-term interests of their respective schools. That’s what they are all being paid six-figure salaries to do.
(2) When the conference realignment merry-go-round finally stops, it is my opinion that the best possible outcome for Xavier, Dayton, Saint Louis, Butler, and VCU is the following:
2011-12 NCAA Men’s Basketball Attendance (ncaa.org)
America’s Basketball Conference (ABC)
Code:
[b]Rk. University Attendance
[color=blue]13. Marquette 15,138[/color]
[color=red]28. Dayton 12,154[/color]
[color=blue]35. Georgetown 11,283[/color]
[color=red]39. Xavier 10,155[/color]
[color=blue]44. Villanova 8,923
54. St. John's 8,428
63. Providence 7,883[/color]
[color=red]66. Saint Louis 7,757
70. VCU 7,622
78. Butler 6,599[/color][/b]
(3) The Presidents and Athletic Directors of Marquette, Georgetown, Villanova, St. John's, and Providence should also be acting solely in the best long-term interests of their respective schools.
(4) It is my further opinion that the best possible outcome for Marquette, Georgetown, Villanova, St. John's, and Providence is the
ABC shown above. But as Gregg Doyel pointed out in his article, they haven’t realized that just yet.
(5) If Marquette, Georgetown, Villanova, St. John's, and Providence leave the Big East, I don’t give a damn about what happens to the BE thereafter, and neither should the Presidents, Athletic Directors, alumni, and fans of those schools. The concept of 'conference loyalty' is highly over-rated. If you don’t believe that, review the previous 338 posts on this thread.
(6) Despite what they might say in public, the Presidents and Athletic Directors of Marquette, Georgetown, Villanova, St. John's, and Providence are not concerned with the future fortunes of DePaul and Seton Hall.
(7) If Xavier, Dayton, Saint Louis, Butler, and VCU leave the Atlantic 10, I don’t give a damn about what happens to the A10 thereafter, and neither should the Presidents, Athletic Directors, alumni, and fans of those schools.
(8) Throughout its 37-year history, the
Atlantic 10 Conference has always been in transition and has always been a stepping stone for schools who want to move to a 'better' conference (i.e. Atlantic 10 member schools have always acted in their own self-interests).
(9)
The Atlantic 10 in 2014-15 (prior to further departures / expansion) ?
Code:
[b] University Attendance
1. Duquesne 3,204
2. Fordham 2,343
3. Geo. Washington 2,561
4. La Salle 2,209
5. Massachusetts 4,279
6. Rhode Island 3,829
7. Richmond 5,660
8. St. Bonaventure 3,926
9. St. Joseph's 4,197[/b]
America’s Basketball Conference (ABC)in 2014-15 ?
Code:
[b]Rk. University Attendance
[color=blue]13. Marquette 15,138[/color]
[color=red]28. Dayton 12,154[/color]
[color=blue]35. Georgetown 11,283[/color]
[color=red]39. Xavier 10,155[/color]
[color=blue]44. Villanova 8,923
54. St. John's 8,428
63. Providence 7,883[/color]
[color=red]66. Saint Louis 7,757
70. VCU 7,622
78. Butler 6,599[/color][/b]
Apples and oranges.