I'm not buying the athletic budget argument against Butler. They would almost certainly have more revenue as a member of the A-10, thus allowing them to increase their athletic budget from whatever it is now.

Other possible candidates for the A-10 include any of the aforementioned football-playing schools (James Madison, Delaware) that want to play FBS football (affiliate in the MAC, basically replace what Temple was doing).

Article out of Dayton with comments from A-10 Commish who says her league will be exploring it's realignment options now that Temple has announced it will be leaving.Link at http://www.daytondailynews.com/dayton-s ... 41601.html

I personally think Butler is a great option for the A-10. that said, i sense the A-10 might need to weather the loss of one or 2 more members. I think if Butler is added, SLU stays. They fit in well with the A-10 (private school) and aren't that much of a geographic misfit. the team i'm worried about is Charlotte. It's obvious they don't feel comfortable in the A-10 and wouldn't mind leaving. I think they might go to the C-USA/MWC merger or even the Sun belt.

This was the breakdown I posted of A10 expansion candidates.

Midwest:
1. Butler - Private school in a major market. Expands the A10's tv territory and has an exceptional basketball program, which would help replace the loss of Temple

2. Loyola Chicago - Private school in major market. Expands the A10 tv territory. Would not be viewed as great of a pickup as Butler, but if Butler cannot find the financial incentive to move or just did not want to move and the A10 wanted to expand west, they would be a solid backup.

3. Detroit - Private school in major market. Same as Loyola

Butler would be playing with natural rivals St. Louis, Xaiver, and Dayton, but would giving up a lot of guaranteed money to join the A10. It would be a high risk, possible high reward scenario. The others might see the A10 as an opportunity to step out of Butlers shadow into a more high profile conference, or they might see it as too costly. It wouldn't really make sense for a large public midwestern to join so I did not include any of them as options

South:
1. VCU - Major market (although duplicate of currently covered market) and a Large public school, like the school they would be replacing. Like Butler, Basketball success and commitment to success makes them attractive pick. Would they want to come alone? Does the A10 want to expand my more than 1?

2 GMU - Large public school in a duplicate market, Come Alone??? same as VCU

3. ODU - Large public school in a new market. Come Alone??? Like GMU and VCU w/o the final 4 run. Have a football program they have to worry about too

4. JMU - Large public school in a new market. Come Alone?? Football?? Like ODU w/ smaller market

With the A10 not being a football league ODU and JMU are likely out by default unless they are interested in pursuing the UMASS model for
football, which I don't believe to be the case. VCU and GMU don't really fit in with a bunch of private religious schools and if the A10 only wants 1, are unlikely to abandon natural rivals for an unnatural fit. Towson (who would give the A10 and foothold in Baltimore) would probably get a look to if they had a stronger hoops program

Northeast: There are a ton of northeastern expansion candidates. I will try to think like the A10 and rank them in terms of attractiveness

1. Boston U - Private School in major market. Solid hoops that would likely improve in the higher profile A10. With UMass looking more and more like Temple in terms of A10 commitment, this would allow the A10 to maintain a foothold in a vital market should Umass leave.

OTHER NEW ENGLAND OPTIONS: Northeastern (Backup Boston if Boston U not interested), Hartford (Private school in major market) New Hampshire and Maine (2 State public schools in the mold of UMass and URI)

2. Hofstra - Private school in a major market that is already covered. However, New York is huge and if any market could afford 2 schools its New York. Solid hoops school

OTHER NEW YORK OPTIONS: Stony Brook (If Public New York school wanted they would be ideal) Iona/Manhatten (Both Private religious schools in major media market with solid hoops programs)

Delaware and Drexel duplicate the already 2x covered Philadelphia market so I did not consider them serious candidates. Plus Delaware has the football problem.

So my guess for A10 expansion is either Butler or Boston U. I see the A10 being interested in getting the league focused on non major public schools who always seem to cause problems with their football programs. I just don't see the A10 being able to get GMU or VCU to bite. If the A10 cannot get Butler interested I see them adding Boston U in preparation for a UMass departure. The A10 just does not seem to interested in further New York expansion which is unfortunate for a willing, able and qualified Hofstra.

JPShmack's St.Bonaventure Bonnies win the A-10 and get to the tourney for the 1st time since 2000.

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WRANGLERS 153-55-1 CVFL CHAMPS '04 '05 '09 '12

NFL CHAMPS '29 '30 '31 '36 '39 '44 '61 '62 '65 '66 '67 '96 '10

BW/WAC/MWC CHAMPS '77 '82 '85 '88 '89 '91 '92 '93 '99 '12
['08 NCAA BASEBALL CHAMPS]

So happy for JP. It's a much needed boost to the StB program after their issues. Hope to see the program continue to rise!


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CSNBBS MB thread discussing possible A-10 realignment situation at http://www.csnbbs.com/showthread.php?tid=560320

Butler interested in A10

Butler has expressed interest in joining the Atlantic 10 for all sports except football as the replacement to Temple, multiple sources told ESPN.com's Andy Katz.

The A-10 will lose Temple, historically one of its best men's basketball programs, to the Big East in the fall of 2013. Butler has been among the dominant programs in the Horizon League, which, like the A-10, has been a competitive mid-major conference in the recent past.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story ... ources-say

Indy Star article discussing Butler/A-10 story at http://www.indystar.com/article/2012031 ... t%7CSports

Thanks guys.

There's been a couple great articles on what this means to the Bona faithful, and it can't quite do it justice.

This very thread basically sums up what Bonaventure went through the last nine years:

"oust St. Bonaventure…"
"and Saint Bonaventure are virtual 'untouchables'"
"Send St. Bonaventure, Duquesne and LaSalle to the Horizon."
"the 4 weak sisters of the A-10"
"drop fordham, lasalle, st. bonaventure"


Tragically, the program isn't "on the rise" right now. Andrew Nicholson is an NBA player. Our best individual player since Bob Lanier.

The kid is so amazing. He's 7 feet, he rebounds, blocks shots, has great touch, hits his free throws. He also steps out and knocks down threes. He's smart (he's a physics major). He never beats his chest, just hustles back and plays D. He's been the double-teammed superstar EVERYONE keys on, and still has scored 19+ points in 12 straight games. He's a team player who always looks to pass when he's double-teammed.

There's only ONE bad thing about Andrew Nicholson, and it's a MASSIVE flaw: He's a senior.

We better get a lot of recruiting mileage out of this NCAA run, because replacing a guy Xavier's coach called "Tim Duncan" on Sunday is NOT easy to do.

Who knows what will happen thanks to this. The last time we made the dance, we landed Mike Gansey on the recruiting trail. Of course, he transferred after the scandal.


By the way, the untouchable weaker sister of the Atlantic 10? We're one of 25 teams with both men's and women's teams in the NCAA Tournaments this year. And the average size of the other 24 schools is 28,000 students. Ohio State is 26 times larger than St. Bona (2,200). Nine years ago, people were suggesting the A-10 was going to throw us out. Now, we're "pound for pound" the best basketball school in the country.

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1897-1898 | 1900-06 | 1926-27 | 1929-30 | 1939 | 1942

I remember watching the St.Bona/Kentucky game in the on campus pub at Fresno St. back in 2000 getting drunk before taking a midterm w/ a bunch of friends. They almost pulled it off. I used the midterm as the sobering period so I could rush home to watch the rest of the games after taking it.

_________________

WRANGLERS 153-55-1 CVFL CHAMPS '04 '05 '09 '12

NFL CHAMPS '29 '30 '31 '36 '39 '44 '61 '62 '65 '66 '67 '96 '10

BW/WAC/MWC CHAMPS '77 '82 '85 '88 '89 '91 '92 '93 '99 '12
['08 NCAA BASEBALL CHAMPS]

Article out of Richmond with comments from Richmond AD regarding Butler/A-10 story at http://www2.timesdispatch.com/sports/co ... ar-1763534

Funny story:

In 2000 spring break was a week before the A-10 tournament. So the Bonnies had extra A-10 tourney tickets and did an email lottery to give the extras away. I had volunteered in athletics all season long and they had offered me a GA position for next year, so athletics called me and said "We want people to use them. If you'll go, they're yours" and I gave him a list of eight people who'd go.

Fast-forward a week, the athletic department didn't have room for me to go to the NCAAs, and did another lottery for purchasing NCAA tickets. I get a call from athletics that says "Hey, we can't cherry pick names because the local TV stations are covering the lottery LIVE on the air." I didn't win. On Wednesday, I walked into the guys office and said "What about the band list? Did you turn THAT in yet?" He says "If you have an instrument and can play, I'll call our AD and add you to the list." My buddy drove me two hours to my house and two hours back to get an old trumpet from my parents house.

24 hours later, I'm on the baseline, front row of the band (boy were they pissed at me) at the game.

After Michigan State won the title, I'm watching One Shining Moment and there I am in the blue hat behind Tim Winn:

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1897-1898 | 1900-06 | 1926-27 | 1929-30 | 1939 | 1942

Awesome, we were both on CBS in 2000. My reason wasn't cool like the NCAA tournament. My friend Josh was on Big Brother 1 so they took us to LA a couple times and Julie Chen interviewed my roommate. I took a pic w/ Dr. Drew. I'm all the way to the Right of the screen/ front row. My cousin to the left. 3 Fresno St. Alums. I'd trade that lame a$s sh*t for 1 sec of 1 shinning moment any day. Fresno even made the Tourney that year too but I wasn't gonna drive to Salt Lake.

Quick shot of us at the beginning and longer at 6:34 when they come in for the interview.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiDLSwP5 ... re=related

_________________

WRANGLERS 153-55-1 CVFL CHAMPS '04 '05 '09 '12

NFL CHAMPS '29 '30 '31 '36 '39 '44 '61 '62 '65 '66 '67 '96 '10

BW/WAC/MWC CHAMPS '77 '82 '85 '88 '89 '91 '92 '93 '99 '12
['08 NCAA BASEBALL CHAMPS]

Top 11 Google Searches in the USA for March 11:

1. nit
2. ncaa bracket
3. magic johnson
4. ncaa tournament 2012
5. ncaa basketball
6. what time is it
7. iona
8. current time
9. walt
10. armenian genocide
11. st bonaventure


Delta added a special non-stop flight from Buffalo to Nashville this week.

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1897-1898 | 1900-06 | 1926-27 | 1929-30 | 1939 | 1942