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Post by Blackbird on Dec 27, 2017 0:55:30 GMT -6
Literally every team in the Horizon has been a drag to conference RPI at least once in the last five years (Oakland in 2013-14, Wright State in 2014-15, NKU in 2015-16, Green Bay and IUPUI this year, and the others in two or three separate years), but UIC and Youngstown have been rather consistent drags on the metrics. In that same five year period, both programs have had a negative effect on our conference RPI every single year. Just looking at this year, a bad year for many of our teams and definitely a down year for the conference, dropping UIC and YSU would move us up to a projected 20th finish (currently 22nd). I haven't looked into other metrics, but I'm willing to wager they tell similar tales.
Maybe the Horizon can force those two to schedule nothing but road games against probable Top 50 teams in their non-cons? I mean, they're going to lose to their weak schedules anyway. By making them schedule up, we can at least get a little opponents-of-opponents bump out of them.
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Post by csudave on Dec 27, 2017 8:18:39 GMT -6
Literally every team in the Horizon has been a drag to conference RPI at least once in the last five years (Oakland in 2013-14, Wright State in 2014-15, NKU in 2015-16, Green Bay and IUPUI this year, and the others in two or three separate years), but UIC and Youngstown have been rather consistent drags on the metrics. In that same five year period, both programs have had a negative effect on our conference RPI every single year. Just looking at this year, a bad year for many of our teams and definitely a down year for the conference, dropping UIC and YSU would move us up to a projected 20th finish (currently 22nd). I haven't looked into other metrics, but I'm willing to wager they tell similar tales. Maybe the Horizon can force those two to schedule nothing but road games against probable Top 50 teams in their non-cons? I mean, they're going to lose to their weak schedules anyway. By making them schedule up, we can at least get a little opponents-of-opponents bump out of them. Sacrifice our bottom programs on the altar of the power 5...there’s a unique idea. I’m sure Youngstown would love adding the extra guarantee money to its football budget. |
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Post by gbphoenix1 on Dec 27, 2017 13:11:45 GMT -6
The truth of the matter is that there is no reason that any of the HL teams I mentioned can't be the next Butler or Valpo of the HL and move on to another conference if they have some post season success over the next few years. That is very obviously the point I have been making the last several posts. If any of us put together 3-4 really good years in the HL, I think the MVC will come calling. Sustained success of 3 to 4 years could lead a horizon league team to greener pastures, it has before. The point I have been making is that those teams don't have the MVC as an option right now. While they are trying to get into position for the MVC the HL should be reverting back to the mean over the next two years. I don't think all 10 members are on life support, several are well positioned and several more just need a little time to see their changes bare fruit. Like most on this and other boards I pay attention to a lot more than just my team. The rumblings I read have the MVC expanding sooner rather than later. If they expand at the end of this year not much will have changed and therefore I see most HL members as being a form of settling from the MVC. They wouldn't know for sure what they are getting and it would look more like the Loyola addition than the Valpo addition. Also, my point about the SLU, Dayton, GCU, NMSU teams isn't that they are on the radar or even attainable. Though you never know what the future holds. They are programs like Murray State that have a fan base, are important in their markets and win games. You said yourself that the MVC thinks WSU needs to win more. Well, my point is that the MVC wants a team that can be additive to their league right away, a media home run. The members they are in contact can't do that on day 1 which is why they haven't been invited to go to 12 with Murray State. Also, I will say this for the MVC and the HL. It is a shame that my school doesn't have the vision to get into this race. They just came off of a period of 3 NIT/NCAA appearances in the last 4 years, have some high major wins over ranked teams, have some of the best facilities in the league and always do fairly well at the box office. They stack up just as well as most attainable mid majors for the MVC. They just don't have the vision to raise the money to make a move. It is almost like they are content to sit and watch the teams they battle with move on while they stay in place. Old school Detroit and Loyola fans talk about this happening to them. |
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Post by HLFanaticus on Jan 10, 2018 23:15:36 GMT -6
 HL Records Youngstown State 3-1 UIC 2-2 Oakland 2-3 Milwaukee 2-3 IUPUI 2-3 Green Bay 2-4 Cleveland State 1-3 Detroit Mercy 1-4 Although Wright State and NKU are undefeated at 4-0 in league play, it appears that the HL race is still anybody's at this point. |
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