http://www.chicagohoops.hoops247.com/in ... ll-resigns


http://www.depaulbluedemons.com/sports/ ... 15aaa.html

How about Doug Bruno moving over from the women's side?

Why would someone want that job??? Would Porter want that job or the one he has now? Being in that league with the shape that program is in seems like a losing battle.

Sad to see Parnell go. Saw him at a preseason Chicago coaches kick off.
A class act.
It is a fact that both he and Porter got together
On renewing the series on a home and home basis for the next two years.
Parnell needed a home game so the Ramblers agreed to go there first.
Supposedly the series is locked in for two years but who knows now after this.
Both coaches worked hard to make it happen. A shame kbut understandsble given his record the last five years. DePaul is finding its in over its head in that conference.
Now this will set them back a bit.o
Had a recent lunch near the new stadium being built near McCormick Place.
The city is putting in a new L stop.
But I just dont see DePaul drawing fans there.
It is a pain in the ass to drive in that area
And who in their right mind would take the subway there when it is January and ten degrees.
DePaul has now the stadium problems we had years ago before Father Piderit was skillfully in getting an on campus arena.

wondering if DP is rethinking their Big East decision? and if so what would their alternatives be?

Hope the Loyola DePaul contract is signed.

They probably aren't rethinking their Big East decision. They are in a big-time league, and I'm not quite sure how their revenue works in the Big East, but financially it's probably a good decision.

From a standpoint of success of their program and being able to win though -- that's a different story. To me, DePaul is in one of the weirder situations in college basketball. They have a lot of things going against them:most notably, 1) Geography and their campus; 2) Proximity to other D1 Programs in Chicago.

1) Geography and Their Campus: DePaul doesn't have an on-campus arena and the university is a casualty of it's own success. Lincoln Park is one of the nicest areas to live in Chicago, if not the nicest, which has resulted in astronomical real estate prices. Having The University in Lincoln Park is no doubt, a major factor in why the area is so great, but it's probably almost impossible to buy up any land around the area (like Loyola has been able to do) to make the necessary expansions, and build themselves an arena on campus, without making some huge sacrifices. They can't build anything big enough on campus that would be acceptable in the Big East.

2) The Cluster of D1 Chicago Area Schools hurts DePaul THE MOST out of all the others

A) DePaul basketball is has been a bottom feeder for so long, and the level of competition they have in that league is so high, recruiting just ONE or TWO good players is not enough to change their program.... For instance, Getting Milton Doyle elevated us from a likely last place finish each of our first two years in the Valley, to a 2-2 conference tourney record, and a trip to the semi-finals. If Doyle decided to transfer to DePaul, he would have had little to no effect on boosting them up in their league. Same goes for a Marlon Jones.... One or two players can make a difference in the Valley... You need 4 or 5 to boost yourself up in the Big East....

B) If you are a big-time Chicago Area high school basketball player, you probably want to go to Duke or a successful program who is consistently at the top of their conference and making the tournament. You want the Exposure. You want to play for a coach that knows what he's doing and will BE THERE. You don't want to be playing for a team that is at the bottom. Hell, maybe you want to get away from home too! You're not choosing DePaul.

C) If you're in the second tier of good players that doesn't get the offers from Duke, Kentucky, UNC, etc, (and you want to stay close to home), why would you want to go to a bottom feeder,playing in an empty all-state arena with a dwindling fan-base, when you can go some place like Loyola or some of the other Valley Schools, and have a chance to get playing time, win, and have a greater possibility of getting to play in an NCAA tournament? Also, if you've got the grades, and you're a decent player, would you rather go to DePaul and lose all the time or go to Northwestern, play in the Big 10, and walk out with a degree from a more prestigious school?

Bottom Line:
Northwestern:---- Offers Recruits a Top 10 Education at a BIG10 School
UIC ------------ Offers A Chance to Be a star and leader in a Weak League, get a ton of playing time, and a chance to go to The Tournament
LOYOLA -------- Offers Recruits a good education, at a school in a RESPECTED Mid-major League, that is still competitive, but easier to make a name for yourself, win games, and have a shot at going to The Tournament.
DEPAUL -------- Offers a good education (on par with loyola); except you will be in a league where you are consistently at the bottom, and because of the dominance of the larger schools, there is little to no chance of improvement with much less parity in the Big East.

Loyola is what it is... and the Valley is the perfect place for them to shine. My dream for Loyola is to be smart, and do what Gonzaga has done. Build your program.... Stay true to the type of school you are, and the success will come. It's the same concept that Butler had going for them, until they got too big for their britches and un-did all the success they spent years building. Loyola could be the Gonzaga of the Midwest, and I for one, WOULD BE THRILLED with that. The problem with DePaul is...they dreamed too big, and they got burned HARD. Back in the day there was a time i might have been a little jealous of DePaul... now i just feel sorry for them.

As far as their new arena? First... it looks dumb. It looks like the designer didn't finish the model by his deadline, got nervous about it the night before, went out and got Drunk at the bar at a P.F. Changs, took an appetizer plate home with him, slapped it on top of the model, said it was a roof, and everyone just bought it for some reason. Second, as stated before -- parking is a nightmare. Third, their students aren't going to go down there.... they don't go to the games away from their campus now. Finally, with parking and downtown prices for everything, etc... it's going to be an expensive trip to a DePaul basketball game.... So good luck with that!

If DePaul can figure out how to turn their program around, more power to them. I can think of some little ways Loyola can improve things, but for the most part, i feel they've made some very solid decisions. But for the life of me, I have no idea what's going on in Lincoln Park... and i wouldn't have the slightest clue how to fix it.

Also... I am not worried about a contract to play DePaul anymore. They now are going to have to go into a serious REBUILDING MODE, much like we had to do a few years ago. THEY need US MORE than we need THEM, at this point. They used to think they recruited on a much higher level then we did (and that very well may have been true.) Right now, they will have to be going after the same players as we are, with a big factor in that process being We are "on the rise" and they are "on the decline." Why give them a feather in their cap to say, "we play loyola and beat them." I would much rather play Northwestern, or Marquette than I would DePaul now.

Who are three teams that want nothing to do with us, Alex.

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Cigarboy sucks!

Playing DePaul would hurt our RPI

That's a pretty awesome first post, RamblerGirl. Funny.., and true.