ncaanopaawaa2000 wrote:
ncaanopaawaa2000 wrote:
I wonder if there are any rumors or such related with any speculation of the Horizon League & the Summit League of merging together to become a better Midwestern basketball-spekked all-sports conference. I still think that IUPUI & IPFW should eventually be in the Horizon, and Western Illinois should be in the OVC, while the Dakota schools with Denver and UN-Omaha should find a few D-II schools from the Upper Midwest (and now North Dakota) to form a new sub-regional conference.
I NEVER said that they should be a 16-team league. Hadn't you guys closely and carefully read my post? The ones I'm specifying are in bold. P.S.: I truly WISH and HOPE that North Dakota joins with its other Dakota brother schools, whether UND goes to the Summit OR the other 3 schools join UND. Besides, that's the only think I can think of this moment.
Anyways, I can understand both leagues want to keep alive their hopes as "stable conferences". But staying at 8 or 9 ain't the only option, to make themselves look like the A-Sun and the newly-re-branded WAC. Why not the two leagues plan to expand some members to at least 12 and a chance to add football (if met by the FCS requirements)? Speaking of expansion and candidates, any of you guys have thought of some samples for all of those 3 Midwest conferences (Horizon, Summit & MVC)? Because I still haven't yet, sadly.
There are a few issues with some of this....
1. The Big Sky won't grab three more fb schools. Their conference is full, already.
2. I doubt the OVC will want another school in Illinois that isn't bringing a fb program with them. The OVC is one short in fb...so, no need to bring in another Oly program.
3. IUPUI, hasn't done squat in bb in quite some time. So, why add them to the Horizon?
4. Will Denver and ORU want to be in a conference with a bunch of DII schools? ORU already left the SLC because of a group of DII schools joining.
Anyway....I agree with the idea of expansion....but, you can't just shake everything up...and expect all the schools to just fall in line.
According to the 'Grid'....UM St. Louis, could be ready at some point. Though, I'm not too sure how recently the 'Grid' was updated. Also, Belarmine, Southern Indiana, for bb schools with Lindenwood, and C. Oklahoma could be fb call-ups sometime in the future.