The schedule sucks again

[brianstl]

The home schedule is actually worse than last year. This is really unacceptable.

[RiseAndGrind]

The home schedule is actually worse than last year. This is really unacceptable.

Bad enough that I will not be buying season tickets.

Why would I drive to the arena to see Rockhurst, Chicago St, and those 2 exhibitions?

Our two best home games are Dayton and Xavier. However, even SLU and the A10 managed to screw those up by putting them during Christmas break and Mardi Gras.

[brianstl]

I am actually a fan of having a big conference game on the Mardi Gras parade night.

[thetorch]

It is bad. We could go 13-1 in non con and not be a lock for the NCAAs. Our two toughest opponents are Georgia and Duke and then our SOS does a header off a skyscraper. If we don't win one of those games we'll have no quality victories in non con.

[RiseAndGrind]

It is bad. We could go 13-1 in non con and not be a lock for the NCAAs. Our two toughest opponents are Georgia and Duke and then our SOS does a header off a skyscraper. If we don't win one of those games we'll have no quality victories in non con.

I forgot about the Georgia game. My Bad. Doesn't change my opinion though.

I don't like the game on Mardi Gras. However, if it isn't at 4, that would make it better.

[Box and Won]

Mardi Gras games should be at night.

[brianstl]

It is bad. We could go 13-1 in non con and not be a lock for the NCAAs. Our two toughest opponents are Georgia and Duke and then our SOS does a header off a skyscraper. If we don't win one of those games we'll have no quality victories in non con.

A win at MSU has a chance to be a quality win. They could be pretty good this year.

[thetorch]

I like the exhibitions. Sure our dream exhibition is Lindenwood but that won't happen. Cardinal Strich was a top 10 NAIA team last year and of course Drew Diener coaches them. Nova Southeastern will be a semi reunion for our Aussie kids as they'll be playing several of their former teammates from back home.

[brianstl]

I guess it could be worse. Rhode Island was only able to manage five OOC home games.

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/uri/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2010-11schedule.pdf

[ACE]

I guess I just don't see the doom and gloom with the schedule. Strictly by the numbers (RPI), this appears to be a better non-conference schedule. Clearly Duke is better than any opponent from last season. Georgia should be better than last year. Ole Miss (if we play them in Cancun) had an RPI of 54 appears to be comparable to the Notre Dame team we played last year. Missouri State (75), Northeastern (77) Portland (84) and UIPUI (86) all top 100 RPI teams. If we play Southern Miss in Round Two in Cancun (121), they had a comparable RPI to the Iowa State team we played in Chicago last year (125). While I'm sure there is some disappointment that the regional rivalry with SIU won't be played this year, they appear to be in a shambles. Jacksonville (131) and even Austin Peay (159) had better RPIs than SIU last year (166). Chicago State is awful, just like Mississippi Valley State was last year. But we also had two more terrible teams, Kennesaw (281) and SEMO (314)... Tenn State this year is bad, but still not as bad as those two from last year.

[brianstl]

I guess I just don't see the doom and gloom with the schedule. Strictly by the numbers (RPI), this appears to be a better non-conference schedule. Clearly Duke is better than any opponent from last season. Georgia should be better than last year. Ole Miss (if we play them in Cancun) had an RPI of 54 appears to be comparable to the Notre Dame team we played last year. Missouri State (75), Northeastern (77) Portland (84) and UIPUI (86) all top 100 RPI teams. If we play Southern Miss in Round Two in Cancun (121), they had a comparable RPI to the Iowa State team we played in Chicago last year (125). While I'm sure there is some disappointment that the regional rivalry with SIU won't be played this year, they appear to be in a shambles. Jacksonville (131) and even Austin Peay (159) had better RPIs than SIU last year (166). Chicago State is awful, just like Mississippi Valley State was last year. But we also had two more terrible teams, Kennesaw (281) and SEMO (314)... Tenn State this year is bad, but still not as bad as those two from last year.

For me the let down is the home schedule. With the exception of UGA there is nothing to care about on it. Nothing intresting at all. No regional games, no regional games, just nothing to really get excited at all about. SIU may have been down last year. but at least they and MSU meant a little something more than your average non-descript OOC opponent.

[MB73]

For me the let down is the home schedule. With the exception of UGA there is nothing to care about on it. Nothing intresting at all. No regional games, no regional games, just nothing to really get excited at all about. SIU may have been down last year. but at least they and MSU meant a little something more than your average non-descript OOC opponent.

Agree big time, that is the whole issue: home games, other than GA, "nothing to care about on it".

Who TF wants to call a friend, "hey, I got 2 good ones for the Rockhurst (or insert rest-of-schedule) game".

[slufan13]

MUST go 12-2 with this schedule. The schedule isn't good at all after Duke and Georgia. 13-1 is almost the minimum because you really need to have a quality out of conference win. Dayton over Christmas Break is just terrible, but hopefully we'll get some kind of atmosphere. I'm willing to buy tickets for my friends who go to other schools and just at least throw some bodies in the crowd and maybe they'll get into it if it's a good game. Finishing off the season with Xavier is just sweet.

[kshoe]

I guess I just don't see the doom and gloom with the schedule. Strictly by the numbers (RPI), this appears to be a better non-conference schedule. Clearly Duke is better than any opponent from last season. Georgia should be better than last year. Ole Miss (if we play them in Cancun) had an RPI of 54 appears to be comparable to the Notre Dame team we played last year. Missouri State (75), Northeastern (77) Portland (84) and UIPUI (86) all top 100 RPI teams. If we play Southern Miss in Round Two in Cancun (121), they had a comparable RPI to the Iowa State team we played in Chicago last year (125). While I'm sure there is some disappointment that the regional rivalry with SIU won't be played this year, they appear to be in a shambles. Jacksonville (131) and even Austin Peay (159) had better RPIs than SIU last year (166). Chicago State is awful, just like Mississippi Valley State was last year. But we also had two more terrible teams, Kennesaw (281) and SEMO (314)... Tenn State this year is bad, but still not as bad as those two from last year.

Ace, I agree.

The schedule has basically been on the front of the message board for a few weeks now so hopefully no billikens.com regulars are surprised by the teams we are playing.

As far as the RPI goes, this is a noticeably better schedule than last year. We played 4 games away from home last year. This year its 6. Some posters have been clammoring for match-ups against non-BCS teams with an RPI in the 75-125 range. Thats exactly what IUPUI, Portland, Jacksonville St, Northeastern are. We all know the reasons that SIU isn't on the schedule this one year and it makes sense to split them and MSU up so we aren't playing both each year home or away.

As always, the key to our RPI will be winning the games we play. Can't go on the road and lose to teams like Portland and think we are going to get an at large invite to the dance. Its that simple.

[bsheldon]

Agree big time, that is the whole issue: home games, other than GA, "nothing to care about on it".

Who TF wants to call a friend, "hey, I got 2 good ones for the Rockhurst (or insert rest-of-schedule) game".

Agreed. I tried to recruit a die hard Mizzou fan to the blue side last year. He was impressed with The Fetz but was boggled by who we were actually playing. The first game was Belmont and the second was Fordham. I wish I could say I didn't agree with him when he said he had never heard of either of them. These were the only games that he could make. Not really any home games that anyone outside of dedicated SLU fans would have the slightest bit of interest in going to see. At least Georgia is a state and people know where they are from. Same can be said of our home conference games--at least RI and UMASS have their location in their names so people around here have a clue as to where they are from. How many people outside of die hard SLU fans in St louis really know anything about Duquesne, La Salle or Fordham?

Again the only way any of this will ever change is if they keep winning year after year. They got the ball rolling last year with a spectacular year now they have to follow that up with an even better season this year. Do that several times in a row and people will be clamoring to play us instead of the other way around and who knows maybe tickets will become impossible to get and sell outs will be the norm.

[Scoop]

I'm fine with it except Rockhurst. This D2 game every year sucks.

[bsheldon]

Ace, I agree.

The schedule has basically been on the front of the message board for a few weeks now so hopefully no billikens.com regulars are surprised by the teams we are playing.

As far as the RPI goes, this is a noticeably better schedule than last year. We played 4 games away from home last year. This year its 6. Some posters have been clammoring for match-ups against non-BCS teams with an RPI in the 75-125 range. Thats exactly what IUPUI, Portland, Jacksonville St, Northeastern are. We all know the reasons that SIU isn't on the schedule this one year and it makes sense to split them and MSU up so we aren't playing both each year home or away.

As always, the key to our RPI will be winning the games we play. Can't go on the road and lose to teams like Portland and think we are going to get an at large invite to the dance. Its that simple.

Ace and Shoe--great posts. Until we truly do become something that we are not yet, a perrenial top 25 team, teams in that 75-125 range are exactly who we should be targeting right now. They may not be sexy match-ups or even big draws, but they are the correct range of teams for now. Maybe after a succesful season this year we can try to move that range up just a bit to the 50-100 range. Looking at those RPI numbers if we had the exact same record last year against the teams we play this year we would have been much more a part of the bubble conversation than we already were last year. Really that should be about as high as we should aim until we really make the transition to the next level. I hope that transition starts this season. I feel we are on the right track and heading in that direction. Hopefully 5 years from now we look back on last year's group as the turning point and this coming year's group as the first breakthrough season for the program. It is a great time to be a Bills fan.

[Schasz]

I still have not seen a game in the Bills crib, and while I am hopeful this will be the year it won't be easy. I would like to see the UGA game but we will more than likely be moving into our new South Florida home right around when that game will be played.

[ARon]

Our two best home games are Dayton and Xavier. However, even SLU and the A10 managed to screw those up by putting them during Christmas break and Mardi Gras.

I've been a season ticket holder each of the last two years. And each year the Mardi Gras day/night game has been the most fun game of the year. Don't knock it till you try it.

[billiken_roy]

i have been a huge opponent of our scheduling the last few years. and while this isnt the best of schedules, it is in deed better than the last two seasons.

pros:

1. 200+ rpi opponents appear to be reduced. last year we knew we had 6 dogs. this season only chicago state and tennessee state come in with 200+ rpi's from last year.

2. i like the duke game. hey get to play the #3 rpi team and defending national champion anywhere anytime take it. no better guage then this to see how good we are.

Cons:

3 exhibition games is just wrong. it is stupid. i hope father biondi is getting big mileage out of playing rockhurst again. and if we have to play that game dont play one of the other two. it is a missed opportunity. i just dont buy the story that no one between 100 and 200 would play us. screw it go on the road and play. but dont wast this game. we did again.

as much as i hate the dayton game in early january, i would guess that we dont have much wiggle room on conference games. we probably get to tell the conference bad days and preferred days and after that the conference probably sticks us whereever.

here is the rpi from last year of our ooc opponents:

austin peay 162

georgia 106

tennessee state 260

iupui 83

portland 79

duke 3

jacksonville 142

southwest missouri state 90

northeastern 75

east tennessee state 121

southern miss 113

bowling green 189

chicago state 345

all in all i think it is a substantial improvement. those complaining about no name opponents, kshoe is correct, we knew the guts of this schedule for weeks and there was little chance we were going to get a last minute game with louisville or missouri

[b.hayes]

I've been a season ticket holder each of the last two years. And each year the Mardi Gras day/night game has been the most fun game of the year. Don't knock it till you try it.

A) I agree with you. The Mardi Gras game has always been fun.

He has tried it. He probably just can't hack it.

[brianstl]

i have been a huge opponent of our scheduling the last few years. and while this isnt the best of schedules, it is in deed better than the last two seasons.

pros:

1. 200+ rpi opponents appear to be reduced. last year we knew we had 6 dogs. this season only chicago state and tennessee state come in with 200+ rpi's from last year.

2. i like the duke game. hey get to play the #3 rpi team and defending national champion anywhere anytime take it. no better guage then this to see how good we are.

Cons:

3 exhibition games is just wrong. it is stupid. i hope father biondi is getting big mileage out of playing rockhurst again. and if we have to play that game dont play one of the other two. it is a missed opportunity. i just dont buy the story that no one between 100 and 200 would play us. screw it go on the road and play. but dont wast this game. we did again.

as much as i hate the dayton game in early january, i would guess that we dont have much wiggle room on conference games. we probably get to tell the conference bad days and preferred days and after that the conference probably sticks us whereever.

here is the rpi from last year of our ooc opponents:

austin peay 162

georgia 106

tennessee state 260

iupui 83

portland 79

duke 3

jacksonville 142

southwest missouri state 90

northeastern 75

east tennessee state 121

southern miss 113

bowling green 189

chicago state 345

all in all i think it is a substantial improvement. those complaining about no name opponents, kshoe is correct, we knew the guts of this schedule for weeks and there was little chance we were going to get a last minute game with louisville or missouri

The overall schedule isn't what sucks. The home part is what blows and the fact that MSU is the only road game that returns as part of a series next year doesn't make me feel all that great about what next years home schedule might be. The fact the RPI part has improved is great, but it would be nice if there were a couple of games in the non-con part that had a little sizzle to it.

[billiken_roy]

The overall schedule isn't what sucks. The home part is what blows and the fact that MSU is the only road game that returns as part of a series next year doesn't make me feel all that great about what next years home schedule might be. The fact the RPI part has improved is great, but there would be nice if there were a couple of games in the non-con part that had a little sizzle to it.

my guess is that a good season with an ncaa bid and all our returning players for 11-12 would result in the bcs teams finally coming around and playing.

the fact that we at least got rid of 4 200+ rpi buy games is moving in the right direction.

[JohnnyJumpUp]

I am actually a fan of having a big conference game on the Mardi Gras parade night.

Agreed! Mardi Gras games have nice fan turnouts. Last year against Dayton was one of the most exciting games of the season, the crowd was great.

[Bizziken]

The overall schedule isn't what sucks. The home part is what blows and the fact that MSU is the only road game that returns as part of a series next year doesn't make me feel all that great about what next years home schedule might be. The fact the RPI part has improved is great, but it would be nice if there were a couple of games in the non-con part that had a little sizzle to it.

Completely agree...this schedule seems like a bunch of 1 year hole-fillers until next year, when we can hopefully get some decent BCS teams...

Something that worries me, is that this schedule gives us virtually NO room for error. We can lose the game @ Duke, the one @ Missouri State, and maybe even the Georgia game...but past that, we have to win out to have a solid shot at an NCAA bid over mid level BCS schools. It almost seems like a mid-major's football schedule where we HAVE to win every game to be considered for a BCS Bowl game...