Went to realtimerpi.com for the first time in a few weeks today and couldn't believe that 12 of the league's 16 teams are in the top 96.  http://realtimerpi.com/rpi_atl10_Men.html. 

Going into the league schedule, this is pretty great news if you root for the A-10 and not just GW.  The league RPI sits 5th now, moving ahead of the Mountain West in recent days.  With the ACC a very slight amount ahead of the A-10, and that league having only half of their teams in the top 100, it is not inconceivable that the league could finish 4th.

The implications for this year are pretty clear, but as the A-10 office tries to fend off the C7 poaching of the top of our league, these statistics cannot be lost in the shuffle. 

The question I have asked myself about the realignment issues is "What happens if Xavier, Butler, et. al., just say No."?  Xavier seems to be the lynchpin in this whole thing, and if Xavier declines simply to test the water, to say "we're happy where are and you should consider an alignment with us instead," what effect that will have.  My view is that Xavier is the proverbial prettiest girl in the room, and if they say 'no,' the C7 isn't simply going to pass them by.  They're still going to be just as pretty and just as desireable, no matter how often or long they say 'no.'  They've got nothing to lose.

Xavier is the team with all the leverage.  As they go, so will Butler, Dayton, St. Louis and from some rumors...Duquesne.  If I'm the A-10, I'm talking to ESPN/CBS/NBC and coming up with estimated dollars for a package that includes the current A-10 plus the C7, to bring to the table when Xavier gets serious with the C7. 

I understand the dynamics of GT wanting to be elite and not allowing GW to be seen on their level (ditto for St. John's with Fordham, Villanova with St. Joe's/LaSalle), but I'm holding out hope that Xavier has the backbone to say we've got a great thing here, and with you it will be better for you across all sports. 

I also understand that this is about men's basketball.  The C7 has no objection to competing in other sports against A-10 teams...they're already doing it.

I'm not optimistic, but I've just got to believe that Xavier sees that they are holding all the cards and not the C7. 

 There is a long thread on the A10 board about the allure of the joining up with the Catholic 7.  I think allure is a good word, because joining up with this group means a lot more to X, Dayton or SLU than it would to GW.  I think these schools look up to the history that goes with Villanova, Providence and Seton Hall.  Most of the C7 schools get to literally live off of what they did in the 80's.  It's like Rick Pitino and Lou Carneseca were just there yesterday.  That is why the C7 probably had the will to break away, because they look at the schools in the A10 and say, we may be able to poach these guys.  But can they play the Catholic card a little too. There is a bond between those institutions because of that.

Statistically they shouldn't be able to raid the A10, but it is cultural, and they are living off what their programs did 20-30 years ago.  Could the A10 do something different to stop it?  Almost every X poster says the same thing.  And that is, they want to get away from the dead weight in the A10.  They just see schools like Fordham, Duquesne, LaSalle, URI and the Bonnies, and say that they don't bring anything to the conference.  Yes, I left GW off that list because I really don't see anyone referring to GW as dead weight.  I think they understand that we are just going through a tough period.  But ask any X fan if they would rather be in a conference with GW or Georgetown, and I think you will know the answer before they say it.

Nice report BGF, thanks.

Fordham, Duquesne, LaSalle, URI and the Bonnies, and say that they don't bring anything to the conference. Yes, I left GW off that list because I really don't see anyone referring to GW as dead weight. I think they understand that we are just going through a tough period.

Doesn't GW have more losing seasons in the last decade than URI?  Doesn't URI have more NCAA wins than GW as an A-10 member?   Didn't URI make it to the Elite-8 in 1998, something GW is yet to do?   Doesn't URI play in one of the newest and most modern venues in the A-10?