Why UNI Must Always Fight For Our In-State Series

[Panthers to the Bone]

http://www.thesouthern.com/articles/2006/07/09/sports/10006694.txt

This is the reason why UNI must always fight (if there is ever talk to not play) Iowa and Iowa State in home and home games. It gives UNI something that only Drake is able to afford the luxury...playing BCS teams in home and home series. It gives UNI a good RPI game at home each year in the non-conference. Same goes for Bracket Buster. The format may not be exactly ideal for every team in the conference, but it gives UNI good non-conference games in a home and home series. Seriously, with Bucknell, Iowa, Iowa State, UW-Milwaukee, and BB #5, that is one heck of a non-conference schedule for a high mid-major to play (without scheduling one and done games with other BCS schools).

Just keep in mind how hard it will be to schedule an NCAA Tournament type non-conference schedule if UNI ever hears that the Iowa/ISU series, with one game at home every year, is willing to get dropped, or re-formatted.

I'm not saying anything will happen any time now, but, it's one of those topics you never want to hear ANY talk about, IMO.

[panther2317]

Once again...I hope that Andy Katz and other college basketball pundits are keeping track of all of the "major" teams that are refusing to play the Valley again. Kudos to Iowa and Iowa State for playing their in-state Valley foes. In recent years...playing UNI has HELPED their NCAA Tournament profile and their RPI. Why don't the Missouri's and Illinois' of the world understand that? Why aren't DePaul and Notre Dame lining up to play teams like Bradley, Indiana State and Evansville? Because they want to win. And they're not sure if they will win those non-conference games with the Valley. They will try and fool you by telling us that their non-conference games are tougher...but when you look and see a lot of UMBC's, Quinnapiac's and Central Connecticut State's on their schedule...well...I'm not buying it. They want to load up on "W's" in the non-conference portion of the schedule and then go .500 in conference play...and they want that to be enough to get into the NCAA's over a team like UNI, Wichita, Bradley, Creighton, SIU and even Missouri State who play a good mix of very good BCS schools, other mid-majors and a couple of nice home-cookin' type of "W's" on their schedule and then play in the 5th toughest league in the country.

I hope Iowa and ISU never want to quit those series with UNI and Drake. It could happen I suppose. If it does happen...I would hope we could talk to Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Wisconsin and rotate games with those folks. (UNI did beat Nebraska in the Dome...but I think that was a 2 for 1 arrangement back then).

[ejacobson]

UNI is very fortunate to have the in-state games, but I do not think anyone in the state would ever want to see them go. They provide a great source of revenue for all the state schools, and set-up passionate state rivalries that keep fans coming and people interested in the games. I know several Iowa fans that are glad Iowa plays UNI each year because if they weren't playing UNI in an exciting in-state game, they would be playing some poor low-major squad to fill that game with a home court W. Very boring to watch. I don't think the state of Iowa would ever let those games stop, they just do too much for the state in general.

[Marc Wigim]

Iowa is in a unique position because it's four major universities are all in fairly impressive basketball conferences and are able to compete with anyone. Iowa and Iowa State fans recognize this accordingly (for the most part) and ej is right: most Iowa fans look at the UNI game as a good out-of-conference test. This is a big thing for this state and a lot of people would be upset if it were stopped. Besides, don't these games have a corporate sponsor? I thought it was called the "Subway Big Four" or something.

[Panthers to the Bone]

Watch out...the stuff may have just hit the fan.

http://www.cyclonefanatic.com/ipb/index.php?showtopic=8163

Supposedly from an email from Jamie Pollard:

Iowa State University is 100% supportive of a "Big Four" basketball event in Des Moines. We believe there is great value for all four institutions to showcase their basketball programs in our capital city. You have our pledge that Iowa State University will take the lead in trying to initiate an annual event in which Iowa State and Iowa would face Northern Iowa and Drake in the Wells Fargo Arena. The Cyclones would continue the annual home and home series with the Hawkeyes. The concept has the potential to be a "win/win" for all parties. Beyond taking center stage as the premiere men's basketball event in our state, playing both Drake and Northern Iowa in Des Moines would allow us to consider converting our home and home series with those schools to a similar series with an opponent from the ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-10 or SEC.

[Panthers to the Bone]

Concerning:
1.) It takes away a revenue game(s) for UNI
2.) It takes away the home court advantage for UNI
3.) It takes away the home court advantage for Drake, who helps the MVC's RPI
4.) It would probably mean back to back nights of UNI vs. Iowa/ISU, which means less prep time for the Panthers
5.) It makes the season ticket package at UNI less attractive
6.) It takes UNI's money maker in the tv package out of UNI's hands
7.) It will prevent UNI fans from being able to see UNI play in person, as 16,000 seats is not enough for all the UNI,Drake,Iowa,ISU fans.
8.) Taking away a home court advantage against the only BCS school to come to UNI each year takes away potential RPI boosts and wins which lead to NCAA tournament births. NCAA Tourney births mean more NCAA TV $, which is more than an event like this would bring in. Would UNI have made the tourney last year without the win over Iowa? Probably not.
9.) This pisses me off that ISU (insert Iowa if they were to do so) would want to do this. Not that I can't see why ISU would want to do this, but rather that they have taken initiative already to do something like this.
10.) This shows just how scared ISU is of UNI and Drake. They don't feel as though they can win on the road. The issue here is that ISU and Iowa can get big time games anytime they want to. The problem is that the MVC can't. There needs to be a stance taken!

[Panthers to the Bone]

The only way I would support this is if this was only a one game deal for each team, and that the game in Des Moines for UNI would rotate ISU and Iowa, and if team UNI didn't play in Des Moines would play at UNI. Therefore, it would "showcase their basketball programs in our capital city" and still give those MVC teams in-state a home BCS team. Of course, they don't want this, but if this is the true motivation, I would love to see ISU and Iowa do it that way!

[VeloPanther]

The Cyclones would continue the annual home and home series with the Hawkeyes.

Pollard sure sounds ready to take away a prime home game from UNI, but he's not giving up his prime home game. UNI shouldnt agree to this as stated in Pollard's email, but if they don't, does Pollard then say, "Fine, we won't play you at all then"?

[GonzoCat]

Apparently the idea of dumping UNI from the schedule did not die with the departure of Wayne Morgan. Let's hope the new AD at Iowa does not get behind this, Hartzell needs to get in his ear immediately. Isn't he a past UNI guy?

If Iowa comes out in support of it too, it will be a done deal, short of legislative action to require home and home series. I hate to see it come to that.

That's BS you spineless coward Pollard.

Holy Crap! I almost forgot, doesn't the bb coach at ISU have some former ties to UNI too? Does he not have any loyalty whatsoever to his alma mater?

[AmesPanther]

I'm not going to sign up to read, but it's on CF so I don't lend it much credit; he does way to much guessing and throwing stuff at the wall to have anything real.

Pollard will do what's best for ISU no matter what. Playing at UNI and Drake doesn't help ISU. It's fine to play the games if UNI/Drake are easy wins, but since they aren't ISU/Iowa don't want a loss and don't have financial incentives. These are games for Iowans and that's it.

I'd rather see the BB and FB games go away entirely. I'm honestly tired of all the back and forth.

[EastonWest]

If McDermott has any class or balls he wont want this.

[GonzoCat]

Bone, did you have some early wind of this when you started this thread, or are you just some sort of psychic? Did I spell that right, I was never any good at any of those ps words?

I have a counter proposal for Jamie, I wonder if he would be interested? How about UNI and Iowa continue their home and home series, and every year UNI and Iowa play ISU and Drake in a Big 4 event at the UNI Dome? The Dome holds more people than the Well, so more Iowans could take advantage of this great showcase premiere mens basketball event. That sounds like a "win/win" for all parties to me.
The UNI/Drake game would count as the UNI home MVC game between the two, and with all 3 teams off their schedule ISU would be free to schedule 3 series against other BCS schools.

[Marc Wigim]

I have bad news: as long as Jamie Pollard is at ISU, he is the enemy. He's not interested in making sports in Iowa more attractive to everyone in the state. Honestly, that's not his job. His job is promote ISU, which he is doing. This is just another attempt by Jamie Pollard to bill Iowa State as the premier school in the state, and he willl step on anyone he needs to in order to accomplish said goal. UNI, Iowa or Drake be damned. Let's stop admiring this guy as a great AD and recognize him as an evil genius. I think it would save everyone a lot of time by doing so. All I can hope is that Iowa defeats ISU in football by 60+ points so that maybe Pollard will shut up about this being a "Cyclone State."

[Chitown Panther]

It will be interesting to see a quote on this topic from Greg.

[Matt Trump]

It will be interesting to see a quote on this topic from Greg.

Mac was on The Jon Miller show yesterday at about 3 pm and was asked about this very topic. IIRC, Mac said that he wanted what what best for all the programs in the state. He didn't seem to supportive of this idea if it were to be detrimental to the other teams in the state.

The only good thing about this tournament is that it gets UNI more big-time exposure in Des Moines. Especially when we can beat the crap out of all those teams in front of a large crowd. But, I don't like the idea because the benefit is well outweighed by what we would lose.