With the recent news that the WCC turned down overtures from Seattle University to resurrect its Division I program and join the conference along with UOP, it got me to thinking. Long Beach State needs to think long and hard about what direction the Big West is going in. Ever since it became an all Cal league, its been nothing but down hill and I see it worsening. As a conference, the Big West has been in the 15 20 range RPI wise for basketball. Unless something changes drastically, I see the Big West falling to the 20 25 range in the next 5 to 10 years. Do we just sit around and watch us fade into the sunset?
Others on the board have stated that there are no other alternatives and we just need to hope every other school in the Big West gets their act together. Sorry, Im sure I dont speak for everyone, but Id rather take a chance and try to form a new conference with the expectation that it would serve our interests better in the long run. Heres my proposal.
Pacific Metro Athletic Conference (PMAC) Members would include:
Long Beach State
Pacific Need them for basketball and womens volleyball (our 2 highest profile sports)
UCSB same reason as Pacific
Pepperdine The only non-Jesuit school in the WCC, so maybe they would leave. The conference needs another Los Angeles based school that is serious about basketball.
UC Davis Lots of potential. With normal development, should become a power.
Bakersfield Ok, some of your may question my sanity, but I think they have the same long term potential as Davis. Their new president is very ambitious and anxious to put the Roadrunners on the athletic map.
University of Denver Dont know too much about them except they fit the conference profile and play in a decent conference (Sun Belt). Just for travel alone, youd have to think they would consider another conference. I think this is a Jesuit school, so I can see the WCC go after them in a few years if someone else doesnt grab them.
Seattle University Some of you youngsters dont know that Seattle U. was a force in college basketball at one time. Elgin Baylor played there. The state of Washington has a great pool of Division I players, so I dont see why Seattle U. cant have a very good program, along the lines of Gonzaga.
That makes 8 members enough to form a conference that would receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Its regional - there are teams from Washington, Northern and Southern California, and Colorado. If you look at these 8 teams, can anyone honestly say that staying the in the current Big West setup would be better in the long run?
What would become of the Big West? Well, they still have the three amigos, CSUF, CSUN, and UCI, plus Cal Poly and Riverside. They could convince CS San Bernardino, UCSD, and one of the following three (Pomona, Sonoma, or Humboldt) to step up to Division I. That makes 8, and their dream of an all California league is still intact.
Others on the board have stated that there are no other alternatives and we just need to hope every other school in the Big West gets their act together. Sorry, Im sure I dont speak for everyone, but Id rather take a chance and try to form a new conference with the expectation that it would serve our interests better in the long run. Heres my proposal.
Pacific Metro Athletic Conference (PMAC) Members would include:
Long Beach State
Pacific Need them for basketball and womens volleyball (our 2 highest profile sports)
UCSB same reason as Pacific
Pepperdine The only non-Jesuit school in the WCC, so maybe they would leave. The conference needs another Los Angeles based school that is serious about basketball.
UC Davis Lots of potential. With normal development, should become a power.
Bakersfield Ok, some of your may question my sanity, but I think they have the same long term potential as Davis. Their new president is very ambitious and anxious to put the Roadrunners on the athletic map.
University of Denver Dont know too much about them except they fit the conference profile and play in a decent conference (Sun Belt). Just for travel alone, youd have to think they would consider another conference. I think this is a Jesuit school, so I can see the WCC go after them in a few years if someone else doesnt grab them.
Seattle University Some of you youngsters dont know that Seattle U. was a force in college basketball at one time. Elgin Baylor played there. The state of Washington has a great pool of Division I players, so I dont see why Seattle U. cant have a very good program, along the lines of Gonzaga.
That makes 8 members enough to form a conference that would receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Its regional - there are teams from Washington, Northern and Southern California, and Colorado. If you look at these 8 teams, can anyone honestly say that staying the in the current Big West setup would be better in the long run?
What would become of the Big West? Well, they still have the three amigos, CSUF, CSUN, and UCI, plus Cal Poly and Riverside. They could convince CS San Bernardino, UCSD, and one of the following three (Pomona, Sonoma, or Humboldt) to step up to Division I. That makes 8, and their dream of an all California league is still intact.
