A couple schedule notes

[uwmfutbol]

In 2002 UWM had never been to the NCAA tourney or the NIT. The program has changed drastically in the last 5 years. Take a look at UWM's current roster. Though unproven, on paper they are extremely talented; 5 years ago it was difficult to recruit players outside of the state of wisconsin. Now they're getting players from iowa, california, minnesota, illinois, michigan etc.

Long story short, I wouldn't sign a 4-1 deal with UW again. As far as I'm concerned marquette can go to hell if they won't sign anything less. Let them continue to schedule teams like Hillsdale and Cardinal Stritch. If I was a season ticket holder I'd be pissed.

[brewtownbrian]

I agree, but at the same time it's still a situation where UWM needs MU (and UW) more than MU and UW need to play UWM. It's a simple fact. UWM can schedule some good non-conference opponents, no doubt...but in the end MU and UW have way more to lose than they do to gain in playing UWM. And it's the opposite for UWM...not as extreme as it once was but that's the way it is.

I am against a 4-for-1 deal though.

[Kroener3535]

If we can get a Pac 10 team to come to our place and play without a return game (even though it is a tourney) why cant we get a 2 for 1 with Marquette...I just think it comes down to arrogance for them...thats the short of it anyways

[milwsport]

I think what it comes down is Crean trying to take heat off himself for not scheduling us. He had to know we weren't going to accept that from him. So he runs to the papers and announces a non-existant deal and people think, "Oh finally. Guess he's not a coward after all."

[mubasketball]

?? Cardinal Stritch is an exhibition game. Who are they supposed to schedule?

Hillsdale I thought was an exhibition game, but MU is scrimmaging at Kansas State instead of having another exhibition game, which I think will be much more beneficial.

No idea why Crean scheduled Hillsdale as a regular season opponent, but then again, you guys scheduled Upper Iowa as a regular season game last year, so really whats the difference?

[nohopspanther]

Upper Iowa was scheduled after an opponent broke a contract and backed out of a game.

[mubasketball]

Which is precisely what I think happened which led to the Hillsdale game being scheduled.

I shouldn't have to justify things related to MU but I see enough discussion about them on here that I figured I would!

[uwmfutbol]

I don't care about UWM being one of the potential teams to replace Hillsdale, Cardinal Stritch etc.

I'm upset because the average RPI of those non conf teams is like 250, and the marquette fan in me would actually like to see the team succeed, regardless of how much i despise their coach/AD. Scheduling cupcakes will screw over the team. To go from Morgan State and Delaware State to Georgetown and Louisville is a bit of a transition.

Nevertheless, 9 national tv games is really good for the program.

[Pantherholic]

mubasketball said:

Which is precisely what I think happened which led to the Hillsdale game being scheduled.

who broke out of a contract w/ MU? if you bring up the potential series w/ us, just don't bother typing a response.

[mubasketball]

That's just it. I have no idea who the potential series was that never came to reality. Its likely thats what happened. A few years ago we had a contract with Dayton, and they still owe us a return game. Scheduling the date turned out to be difficult, and when it was said and done an agreement couldnt be made and now the game will probably never be played, as the two coaches now are pissed at each other (both former assistants under Izzo, no less).

Again, I must point out that the non-conference schedule is not as weak as many on here seem to think. Annual game with Wisconsin, road game at Valpo (a good, solid team), and potential (and likely) CBE Classic semi-finals and finals in Kansas City (against Stanford, Texas Tech, and/or Duke). Getting to KC and playing any two of the three will be two more power conference opponents. That's four very good non-conference games right there.

Not to mention they have a very hard Big East schedule this season. We dont play Cincinnati or St. John's, both rebuilding and picked towards the bottom of the league. We play Louisville, Pittsburgh, and Providence twice. Louisville and Pitt are picked to finish at the top of the league.

I have no problem at all playing Delaware State. That name is always thrown around as if its ridiculous to schedule them. Why? They recently made the NCAA Tournament. Lets look at their non-conference opponents this year: Pitt, N.C. State, Missouri State, Wisconsin, Purdue, Marquette, Michigan, Baylor.

I'd like to see an RPI team a little higher than Morgan State, but they also play Seton Hall, Virginia, and Penn State. Somebody has to play them. Basically we play more than enough quality competition in the non-league slate to prepare for the Big East. Not to mention, we have a very young team, nothing wrong with some cupcakes. My only complaint is Hillsdale, but again I'm guessing somebody backed out and Crean called up a buddy (the head coach at Hillsdale coached at Alma College in Michigan where Crean got his start). If that's the case and it's late August, early September and you need to fill a date, then that's what you have to do, much like Rob did with Upper Iowa last year. It happens.

[Rawls]

We can all agree that more goes on when scheduling opponents than any of us know. Simultaneously, none of us know exactly how far this proposed series is in being finalized. I seem to remember Milwaukee choosing to start a 4-1 series w/ MU next year (2007-08), as this year led to scheduling conflicts and an unagreeable date between the schools. Again, though, this is just rumors and rumblings. Personally, I think a 4-1 deal should not be agreed to under any circumstances by UWM.

[TBone]

If we can get a Pac 10 team to come to our place and play without a return game (even though it is a tourney) why cant we get a 2 for 1 with Marquette...I just think it comes down to arrogance for them...thats the short of it anyways

I disagree. We're not competing for recruits against the Pac 10 team, but we could be competing for recruits against MU.

Honestly, I don't see what the big deal is in a 4-1 or a 2-1 w/ Marquette. Regardless of what the format is, it's in Milwaukee. UWM fans will show up at the Bradley Center, and MU fans will show up at the Cell. It's not nearly as much of a homecourt advantage (IMO) as playing UW.

T

[pantherdon]

MONEY!

Probable sell outs.
+ season ticket holders and students would have to cough up more to be there.

[BBFran]

One thing people need to realize is that putting all the ego-driven stuff aside, this is about money, and our guys are not pushovers. An MU home game against UWM will sell thousands more tickets than against their usual creanpuffs, and in fact will put many thousands more actual fans in the seats, driving additional parking and concession revenue. If they are content to play Hillsdale and Lewis and Morgan State, fine; they'll sell about 11 or 12,000 season tickets, no individual game tickets, and the real crowd will be about 6 or 7,000. By contrast, a UWM game would put 15,000 actual fans in the stands.

But if they want the extra bucks a UWM game will bring them, they need to pay for it.

[obobo55]

I have been floating an idea I thought of over on the MU board.

The gist of the deal is a 2-for-1 with an additional buy game. The trick is to spread the games out over a longer time period by playing the games every other year.

2007@MU
2009@UWM
2011@MU
2013@MU

In 2007 and 2011, UWM will be hosting UW, so only in 2013 would they be playing both of the in-state powers on the road.

The big issue is as Fran states--$$$. This only makes sense for MU if they get more cash by playing UWM than they would raking it in from their season ticket holders for the Morgan St-types. At the same time, with UWM getting just 1 home game out of the deal, they need to get a decent amount of guarantee money from MU to justify another road game. How many more tickets would the Panthers sell (both single game & ticket packages) playing MU than they would against a good mid-major in a home-and-home arrangement?

I just think it is a tough deal to make work for both sides unless the pressure to play the game comes ffrom outside of the ticket office. If both sides want to do the game and are willing to sacrifice a bit to get it done, there will be a game. In this case, it seems one party is trying to force a bad deal by playing politics and spin with the local media.

PS--I'm not sure what the deal UWM has with UW entails as far as guarantee money. It may be the case that UW pays the Panthers quite nicely or perhaps the increase overall in guarantees in CBB has made that a bad deal in the last 2-3 years. With UWM's rise in prominence (assuming it continues), I can foresee a time coming where a 3-1 deal is unhealthy for the program with anyone.