[SuperJon]

There is no excuse to play a non-D1 team once the regular season starts. I know of no other team that does this. D2 and D3 and NAIA teams are your preseason exhibition games. Liberty needs to take one and done road games rather than Lower division games. The only reason to play a game like the coming one is if no other D1 team will play LU.

You're showing your ignorance on this topic. Teams at our level very rarely play exhibitions, much less in the middle of the season.

[Purple Haize]

There is no excuse to play a non-D1 team once the regular season starts. I know of no other team that does this. D2 and D3 and NAIA teams are your preseason exhibition games. Liberty needs to take one and done road games rather than Lower division games. The only reason to play a game like the coming one is if no other D1 team will play LU.

You're showing your ignorance on this topic. Teams at our level very rarely play exhibitions, much less in the middle of the season.

Dude, he's like a Ranger or something. Tread lightly!

[BJWilliams]

You actually made a better point than I did there PH...regardless, Christmas will be a nice opportunity to work some bugs out in live game action. We get Greensboro this weekend upcoming then Austin Peay, Howard and Furman, then after a few days off for Christmas we get one more tuneup against Southeastern and after a couple games to ring in 2014 (including one on New Year's Day), its conference play.

[Purple Haize]

You actually made a better point than I did there PH...regardless, Christmas will be a nice opportunity to work some bugs out in live game action. We get Greensboro this weekend upcoming then Austin Peay, Howard and Furman, then after a few days off for Christmas we get one more tuneup against Southeastern and after a couple games to ring in 2014 (including one on New Year's Day), its conference play.

Yeah, maybe you should think before you get too snarky. Thankfully you aren't doing our schedule

[BJWilliams]

My thing is I dont have a problem with these games against teams like Greensboro, VA Intermont, Southeastern, etc. you have 16-20 games to fill in your non-conference schedule and youre not going to get all D1 teams in that 16-20 games.

[Purple Haize]

My thing is I dont have a problem with these games against teams lime Greensboro, VA Intermont, Southeastern, etc. you have 16-20 games to fill in your non-conference schedule and youre not going to get all D1 teams in that 16-20 games.

Yet you said basketball is more beholden to RPI and SOS than football So playing these games should hurt our hoops team MORE in your world than playing Brevard in football

Or are you changing your mind?

[SuperJon]

I don't think he knows what he's doing.

Or talking about.

[Purple Haize]

I don't think he knows what he's doing.

Or talking about.

You mean BJ, not ARMYMIKE. Cause ARMYMIKE can sneak in your room and cut your fingers off without you even knowing it!

[thepostman]

I have a headache now

[BJWilliams]

My point, as convoluted as it may have sounded to get there, is that getting games like Greensboro and Randolph and UNC Pembroke and any number of other "sub D1" games, is more common because getting "big time games" at home with your mid-major programs is a significantly greater challenge because of SOS and RPI. Youre not going to always get a team like a Clemson or Virginia or Wichita State or VCU or Charleston or any number of major and mid-major programs at home if you're Liberty.

[Purple Haize]

My point, as convoluted as it may have sounded to get there, is that getting games like Greensboro and Randolph and UNC Pembroke and any number of other "sub D1" games, is more common because getting "big time games" at home with your mid-major programs is a significantly greater challenge because of SOS and RPI. Youre not going to always get a team like a Clemson or Virginia or Wichita State or VCU or Charleston or any number of major and mid-major programs at home if you're Liberty.

What does it matter to an RPI or SOS if you play those teams at home or away
You make absolutely no sense whatsoever.

[BJWilliams]

Armymike (btw thank you for your service) was taking issue with the fact that we are playing a team like Greensboro College at home. My point is that you get games like that because you aren't going to get a team like a Butler or a VCU or a Wichita State or someone that can "move the needle" at home. I think at various points here in the recent past, there has been laments over why we get crappy attendance for men's basketball games. the reason is twofold a) we struggle with garnering consistent success b) the opponents we do get here, at least that I have recalled, have not exactly been teams that get people off the couch and into the Vines Center. I think the only two times I can recall an attendance over 8000 people (true attendance) in my 10 years in Lynchburg, were the 2004 Big South Championship game, and the Clemson game in 09 as part of the College Hoops Tipoff Marathon on ESPN. Anyway, due to the at times symbiotic relationship between the two, we may have more games like that until we start seeing more regular success (i.e. not going about 10 years between NCAA Tournament appearances).

[Bigsouthking]

Regarding the schedule; (maybe should start a new thread with this)

1st - Layer has done a fine job of scheduling for this season, UVA is the only BCS school he plays, that means all other games are VERY winnable or should be. Means LU should have a winning season with all seniors & the schedule they have.

2nd - playing non D 1 teams.... If your a LM school such as a Big South and your AD requires you to play lets say 3 money games( money games are when you play big boys for a lot of cash for athletic department) then you as a coach should be able to play 3 non D 1 teams. Why? Because that would make the record at worst 3-3. No coach should have to start the year off 0-3 before the season even starts. Teams like Liberty, Winthrop doesn't have to play many of these games, they have $.... UNCA, PC usually plays 5 of these games to pay for non revenue sports, etc... That's why Eddie B was always 3-11 before conference play started...

[ATrain]

Why not play the sub D-Is? In the end, all that is going to make a difference is winning the Big South tournament. I'd just rather see us play local schools that'll draw local interest and fans like Randolph this year and like we did with Lynchburg College a few years ago.

[Sly Fox]

Often times we have scheduled these Sub-DI games against like-minded schools to throw them a bone. I think of recent games like Cedarville & Nyack (when John was coaching them) in particular and certainly this year's game against Southeastern. It gives these schools a chance to recruit kids noting they can play against DI schools like Liberty.

Of course, I would love to see us schedule home-and-homes with HBU. But that is just me being a bit selfish.

[ATrain]

I'd like to see home-and-homes with ODU, but that's just me being a bit selfish. ODU will never go for that.

[BJWilliams]

As Im preparing to relocate to the Tidewater area, Id love to see us play ODU more as well...in all sports that we both sponsor.

[bballfan84]

we did a home and home with ODU when I was playing

[TIMSCAR20]

I can tell you that BigsouthkIng is absolutely right about the scheduling. This year's schedule is pretty solid IMO. They have some very winnable games against solid division I teams and a few non D-1 games is fine at this level. SOS rarely comes into play for Big South Teams at the end of the season. The last time that was even significant was during the Gregg Marshall era at Winthrop.

The most difficult task I have ever been assigned in any of my jobs may have actually been trying to make a schedule when I was coaching at Liberty. It takes 2 to tango. You can't just call people up and they agree to your terms. Every team has their own agenda when it comes to scheduling. Everyone in America is trying to schedule the bottom 50 teams because coaches want division 1 wins. The better you are as a team, the harder it is to get people to come into your arena. I remember talking to Lefty Dreisel when he was at JMU trying to get a home and home or a 2 for 1 with them. He said, "call me back when that Big Nigerian fella Peter Aluma graduates" or something to that effect.

Back on topic, I am happy to see the guys perform well in the tournament this weekend. I have to say that Burrus is playing very well and has been since the William and Mary game. He is a difficult matchup for most and can score a variety of ways. I am happy to see him back in the lineup. As the season goes on, we will see the perimeter shooting start to improve. That's just the way it happens for most shooters each year. Looking forward to being in the Vines on Saturday for the Greensboro College game. I hope the fans come out and support the team.

[Purple Haize]

I can tell you that BigsouthkIng is absolutely right about the scheduling. This year's schedule is pretty solid IMO. They have some very winnable games against solid division I teams and a few non D-1 games is fine at this level. SOS rarely comes into play for Big South Teams at the end of the season. The last time that was even significant was during the Gregg Marshall era at Winthrop.

The most difficult task I have ever been assigned in any of my jobs may have actually been trying to make a schedule when I was coaching at Liberty. It takes 2 to tango. You can't just call people up and they agree to your terms. Every team has their own agenda when it comes to scheduling. Everyone in America is trying to schedule the bottom 50 teams because coaches want division 1 wins. The better you are as a team, the harder it is to get people to come into your arena. I remember talking to Lefty Dreisel when he was at JMU trying to get a home and home or a 2 for 1 with them. He said, "call me back when that Big Nigerian fella Peter Aluma graduates" or something to that effect.

Back on topic, I am happy to see the guys perform well in the tournament this weekend. I have to say that Burrus is playing very well and has been since the William and Mary game. He is a difficult matchup for most and can score a variety of ways. I am happy to see him back in the lineup. As the season goes on, we will see the perimeter shooting start to improve. That's just the way it happens for most shooters each year. Looking forward to being in the Vines on Saturday for the Greensboro College game. I hope the fans come out and support the team.

I know one school who is still waiting on a check...

[TIMSCAR20]

Well I could have given you my annual salary but it probably wouldn't covered what was owed

[Purple Haize]

Well I could have given you my annual salary but it probably wouldn't covered what was owed

I think I made out better than anyone so it's all good. Ha

[TIMSCAR20]

Well I could have given you my annual salary but it probably wouldn't covered what was owed

I think I made out better than anyone so it's all good. Ha

Changed your life for the better that's for sure!