I mostly want to just say you are wrong, because in your previous comment lamenting the lack of a two bid A10 you were...wrong.

As it relates to fan engagement on this board, its absolutely a fact that engagement is down. Some of our previously most prolific commenters are no longer with us and that's going to hurt the board.

If your concern is the that the school has prioritized the basketball program over the track and field team or any other sports were just not going to be on the same page here. I am a basketball fan, participating in a basketball fan board. the reduction of other teams in the pursuit of the basketball team is just fine by me. I assume this isn't the common sentiment at the track and field fan forum board or amongst the crowds at the track and field events but admittedly i don't think any of those things exist.

As i said everyone's entitled to their personal feelings about the Valley vs. the A10. To each their own there is no wrong way to be a fan and if ones preference is to get in the time machine and go back to the Valley who am I am not here to tell them their preference is wrong. I will continue to point out the tangible and measurable benefits to the basketball program of being in a better conference though but those facts are not intended to denigrate anyones preferences, more to educate on why on paper its a benefit to the basketball program.

On a related note concerning our A10 conference, there's a lot of interesting discussions on "X" since Sunday about our commissioner's inaction on league scheduling, and not making any moves in the last 10 years to better help set-up multiple bids to compete against the other conferences.

The complaints against our league are motioning for dynamic scheduling (which we've hit some here) but also considering dividing the remaining 14 teams into 2 divisions based on geographic location. Then I read about instituting spending minimums for the institutions... Hey if you're in this prestigious basketball-centric league, don't bog it down for everyone else and be like a Fordham. Like make an attempt and a forceful attempt to get your basketball-prioritized members get good again - Rhode Island, Davidson, GW, Richmond. Everyone's down years hurt the league and everyone who is contending for bids.

It does suck that when the second place finisher goes 15-3 and isn't even close to the bubble. That was us at the end of league play last year (15-3) with a top-50 defense, and Mason after Sunday's close loss. You can also include Dayton this year who also went 12-6, but they didn't help their case by losing to A10's crap teams and that outweighed their impressive non-conference results. If those A10 crap teams were semi competitive and respectable, both Dayton and Mason would get bids also in 2024-25.

A10 commish needs to do better and fight more for her basketball league. Her inaction is going to make VCU and Dayton pursue Big East if it's not happening already. Other conferences have passed up the A-10.

Meanwhile MVC's current commish isn't doing much better for his league either. I don't know what he's doing actually to grow and improve it. We've hit on some of that in the arch madness posts with their poor TV deal and much lower revenue. Much love and appreciation for the MVC, but if MVC leaders Bradley and Drake bail for elsewhere (as they should be considering) that league is as good as gone.

The A-10 isn't what it once was when we saw it hit its peak in the 1990's. We no longer have top-10 teams in UMASS and Temple wanting to kill one another. They're gone, and been replaced by inferior schools that are now degrading the A10. MVC, same thing. League was carried by Creighton and Wichita State for all those years, which helped bring out the best in Southern IL, IL State, and other member schools to help the league get its 3-4-5 bids in its most competitive years... That conference is a former shell of itself.

Right now, who doesn't want to have Dayton and SLU as our rivals? It's been epic.

It does seem like the new system hurts the A10.

Unfortunately, we are in a position that we rely on the other teams in the conference to perform well in the conference. I would like to know what impact Dayton's 12-6 conference record had on the league. It's losses to UMass (214), GW (113), LU (109), and the Bonnies (102) - all higher than 100 - hurt them and hurt the league.

The move to the A10 overlaps perfectly with the last of the FF players leaving. I'd be careful at interpreting nostalgia for the past as nostalgia for the MVC when it could very likely be nostalgia for an incredible run of success with an extremely charismatic and talented group of players.

The A10 should implement dynamic scheduling but we should also not suck so much ass in the non con. The injuries were tough but we under performed relatively to how well we played later in the year. I get that everyone gets better as the year goes on but the team that beat SLU in DC should not have squeaked out wins against some of the very worst D1 teams in mens college basketball at home.

I would not mind seeing any 1 or 2 of these teams, Bradley, Belmont, or Drake getting an invite in the near future to the A10.

Point of clarification in terms of my belief in the Valley to A10 move.

1) The A10 is better top to bottom
2) The A10 will consistently have a better chance to add 1 more bid than the Valley
3) Nobody really cares what conference a team is in...so long as they make the tournament. (Outside of the Power 5 conference and the Ivy).

Since LU has left the Valley it has not sniffed an NCAA berth. I contend that they could have done so by staying in the Valley. Those recruits people are writing about were attracted to Drew, the program, campus, city - not because LU is in the A10. They see a final 4 banner and it means something, a sweet 16 and it means something.

I feel confident that nearly every player on DV's A10 rosters would have chosen LU regardless of MVC or A10...but 3 more years of not making the field will put the program back in the weeds...and if they stayed in the Valley, I think one of these teams, particularly this years, could have won in St Louis.

And that is what keeps a program on top. Would you rather be Drake or Loyola right here and now on the National Stage?

The Final Four was 7 years ago and our best ranked recruit since we were a national powerhouse (Brot era), Chuck Love, committed this season. Last year we had 2 four freshmen star recruits and a transfer from Georgia enter the program.

Personally I believe this has a lot more to do with NIL budgets and our ability to create opportunities on and off the court for incoming players than it does from the Porter Moser era on court success in the tournament. With that said everyone's entitled to their own belief system. I suppose its possible that all these folks are choosing Loyola for love of the game and the school and would have done so if we were still in the Horizon League or the Valley and that the string of recent recruiting success isn't tied to the A10 change and its simply coincidental they have happened since the change.

The final 4 and sweet 16 made the program relevant for the first time since the great team that gave GTown a run.

From there it’s all NIL. To improve your NIL collective situation, you have to stay relevant and you do that by competing for the dance..

And I firmly believe that the collective situation at Loyola would be better if the team was competing for ncaa tourney berths. A collective wants the bid, the bid equals more fundraising.

The reason we are getting a 4 star is because of the Portal. Fewer spots for high school kids…they go where they can play, then transfer up for $$. That’s why Chuck Love is landing here. And he is a terrific young player... more of a piece than a main guy in my opinion… Saw him play 2x this year and really liked watching him play. Lots of talent.

I would rather be Loyola than Drake right now, not even a second thought. Drew is quickly building us into a pillar of the A10 alongside Dayton and VCU, aka one of the premium mid majors in the country. Could even someday be knocking on the door of the Big East (if Xavier lets Dayton join, bottom-dwelling DePaul isn’t keeping Loyola out).

If Miles stays, we could be sniffing that Dayton/VCU level by next year. I’m frustrated with the NET and the non-con stuff too, but a few tweaks to the formula, some changes/directives from the conference, and of course better non-con performance (by us as much as anyone) and the conference could easily be in great shape. It feels bad right now after a down year, but it’s all within reach.

A10 is also just a lot more fun. The last two Dayton games, and the SLU game, were some of the best live sports atmospheres I’ve witnessed.

My favorite live LU games have been the 2 games in Dallas, the 2 games in Atlanta and the 1 game in San Antonio. Getting into the tournament is all that matters (in my opinion).