Oakland's Horizon League Announcement Tuesday, May 7th at 4:00 pm????

[Valposter]

This article from the Detroit Free Press at 2:18 pm today:

http://www.freep.com/article/20130506/SPORTS08/305060097/oakland-horizon-league

Oakland University's athletic department is inviting media members to Tuesday afternoon's meeting of the Board of Trustees, presumably to announce that the school is leaving the Summit League and joining the Horizon League.

Officials from the school and league have declined to comment on the subject of the meeting, which will be followed by a news conference.

The Green Bay Press Gazette reported last month that OU will move to the Horizon, which already is home to Detroit Mercy.

Tuesday's board meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m.

[valpotx]

Well, it would be about time...

[Valpo89]

If this board had a "Like" button, I'd click on it.
Greg Kampe and his teams will now return to the ARC every year for entertaining battles.

[Chuck A]

Pretty much the worst kept "secret" in the history of conference realignment

[Dave_2010]

I love the end or the article about the Oakland/UDM "rivalry" that "was abruptly ended when the Golden Grizzlies began having success." Seems like a typical UDM move.

[classof2014]

I am looking forward to possibly starting up a rivalry with Oakland. Honestly, I'm ashamed to call UDM our rivals, at least Butler showed a little bit of class. I will be looking forward to going to the game against Oakland next season, more so than UDM. Especially since losing Junior, UDM has as good of a chance of winning the HL as UWM.

If this is ture, it was a good trade a struggling Loyola team for an Oakland team that seems to be getting better. Now if we can get a 10th team, that is similar if not better than Oakland, than losing Butler wouldn't hurt too much and all will be well in the HL again... At least until Valpo fills the shoes and becomes the next HL powerhouse and leaves for bigger and better things.

[StlVUFan]

I am looking forward to possibly starting up a rivalry with Oakland

Restart, actually.

[valpopal]

I am pleased Oakland will finally be officially entering the Horizon League. I have enjoyed the rivalry over the years, and I like the history of friendliness between Coach Kampe and the VU basketball program. However, if this is all there is, then it is late and underwhelming after waiting more than a year for an announcement after Butler left. Oakland is a good replacement for Loyola, but there remains a gap that should be filled by a tenth team sometime soon.

Also, as I wrote last Wednesday, we all knew this was coming:

Oakland's Board of Trustees has a "special formal meeting" scheduled for Tuesday.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

I am looking forward to possibly starting up a rivalry with Oakland. Honestly, I'm ashamed to call UDM our rivals, ...

I don't think Oakland can be Our Rival; they can be A Rival, but since they're going to be Rivals with UDM (until the latter leaves for the NBE or the A-10 *coughing fit), we can't be.

It's kind of like the Lions trying to be rivals with the Packers or Bears.  I mean, sure, there's a degree of rivaldom there, but no one wants to be the third wheel in a rivalry.

[a3uge]

Let's give a round of applause for the Horizon League keeping calm and not adding IUPUI or IPFW immediately after Butler left. Oakland is an ideal replacement and if it took Loyola leaving to get the votes, the HL played it as well as it possibly could.

It's too bad Murray State couldn't be added, but maybe one day.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Oakland is an ideal replacement and if it took Loyola leaving to get the votes

Excellent point.  I think Northern Kentucky is much more realistic than Murray, though.

There, we disagreed on something.

[a3uge]

Oakland is an ideal replacement and if it took Loyola leaving to get the votes

Excellent point.  I think Northern Kentucky is much more realistic than Murray, though.

There, we disagreed on something.

Eh, the HL should let the AD scandal blow over first.

[classof2014]

Let's not get too ahead of ourselves... Oakland hasn't confirmed anything. Chances are this press-conference held tomorrow afternoon will be announce their entrance into the Horizon League. But as of right now Oakland is still a member of the Summit and not the Horizon.

[dylanrocks]

Since losing Junior, UDM has as good of a chance of winning the HL as UWM.

I have absolutely no idea how our team will perform next year, only that it will look a lot different than this past season. Indeed, there will be three or four new players in the starting five.

As for the topic at hand, I can fully appreciate why Detroit feels the way it does. That having been said, the Titans and their fans at the moment have no choice but to accept their plight.

[valpotx]

It's official:

http://www.horizonleague.org/blog/oakland-university-to-join-horizon-league-in-july.html

[vu72]

Interesting to me that unlike Butler, Loyola remains on the header for the League inspite of their decision to leave.

[valpotx]

Statement by the Summit:

http://www.thesummitleague.org/sports/articles/2012-13/releases/050713-summitstatement

[StlVUFan]

Interesting to me that unlike Butler, Loyola remains on the header for the League inspite of their decision to leave.

The Spring sports aren't done yet, 72.

[classof2014]

I am very pleased to see this. Glad the HL was proactive after Loyola's leaving in replacing them with a much better program that has a bright future. I would love to see a 10th added this summer but if it's just Oakland this year I will be pretty damn happy! Gives me some hope in LeCrone. I will be looking forward to seeing Oakland next year in the ARC!

Like I said before, the HL traded away the old veteran, whom is running on fumes for the up and coming guy who has a bright future.

Bravo to the HL and LeCrone on adding Oakland.

[crusaderjoe]

I am very pleased to see this. Glad the HL was proactive after Loyola's leaving in replacing them with a much better program that has a bright future. I would love to see a 10th added this summer but if it's just Oakland this year I will be pretty damn happy! Gives me some hope in LeCrone. I will be looking forward to seeing Oakland next year in the ARC!

Like I said before, the HL traded away the old veteran, whom is running on fumes for the up and coming guy who has a bright future.

Bravo to the HL and LeCrone on adding Oakland.

Dear Lord...this move is about as reactive as it gets.  This was the safe, plain vanilla ground ball up the middle expansion move.  This isn't just about replacing LUC.  It's about replacing LUC and Butler. 

This board absolutely amazes me sometimes.

[EddieCabot]

I am very pleased to see this. Glad the HL was proactive after Loyola's leaving in replacing them with a much better program that has a bright future. I would love to see a 10th added this summer but if it's just Oakland this year I will be pretty damn happy! Gives me some hope in LeCrone. I will be looking forward to seeing Oakland next year in the ARC!

Like I said before, the HL traded away the old veteran, whom is running on fumes for the up and coming guy who has a bright future.

Bravo to the HL and LeCrone on adding Oakland.

+1  As 2014 has said all along, Oakland is a huge upgrade and you should see an immediate improvement in the HL's RPI ranking, # of NCAA bids and NCAA tournament seeding.  Oakland has always played a great non-conference schedule and next year's is no exception.

[valpotx]

I am very pleased to see this. Glad the HL was proactive after Loyola's leaving in replacing them with a much better program that has a bright future. I would love to see a 10th added this summer but if it's just Oakland this year I will be pretty damn happy! Gives me some hope in LeCrone. I will be looking forward to seeing Oakland next year in the ARC!

Like I said before, the HL traded away the old veteran, whom is running on fumes for the up and coming guy who has a bright future.

Bravo to the HL and LeCrone on adding Oakland.

+1  As 2014 has said all along, Oakland is a huge upgrade and you should see an immediate improvement in the HL's RPI ranking, # of NCAA bids and NCAA tournament seeding.  Oakland has always played a great non-conference schedule and next year's is no exception.

I still don't get this poster.  He is obviously being a smart a$$ here.  Sometimes he appears to be sincere, and other times he just loves to belittle Valpo and the HL.

[crusaderjoe]

And just for the record, I want to welcome our old conference mates into the HL.  But to say that this move was proactive is, well, unjustified.

See if you can notice the trend:

--The MCC needs schools or it will lose its auto bid.  Let's raid the Mid Con (UIC, UWGB, WSU, UWM, CSU).
--The MCC wants to add additional schools.  Let's raid the Mid Con (YSU).
--The MCC, er HL wants to add additional schools.  Let's raid the Summit, er Mid Con (Valpo).
--The MCC, er HL wants to add additional schools.  Let's raid the Summit, er Mid Con (Oakland).

This is playbook, not proactive.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Dear Lord...this move is about as reactive as it gets.  This was the safe, plain vanilla ground ball up the middle expansion move.  This isn't just about replacing LUC.  It's about replacing LUC and Butler. 

This board absolutely amazes me sometimes.

I think you have to reconsider that statement in light of the fact that Loyola was likely still aligned with UDM in vetoing Oakland!  Once they left, that was the only way Oakland could have been added, so yes, they were proactive as soon as they had the votes.

Like what happened in the Senate after Scott Brown was elected to fill out Ted Kennedy's seat.  You work with what you have, when you can.

And promoting people from the Summit--they keep doing it because it works.  Well, except for Youngstown

I still don't get this poster.  He is obviously being a smart a$$ here.  Sometimes he appears to be sincere, and other times he just loves to belittle Valpo and the HL.

He's pretty much perpetually a smartass, I've decided.

Congrats on crossing the 2K mark, Tx!  I'm going to start calling you "The Juice".

[classof2014]

Like I said before bravo to the HL for getting Oakland. We all know the HL has wanted them and they wanted to come into the HL but if the votes from the other programs aren't there then it's not the HLs fault. Right after LUC left, Oakland joined. Bravo to the HL.

I think it's gonna take time to replace Butler. I don't think they're gonna get a program as good as Butler but if they're able to get another program with a good resume, then it'll be a good replacement. Nobody would've been happy if the HL was proactive and got IUPUI or IPFW for Butler or even a mediocre school. I would like to the HL go after Murray State, Belmont, or RMU as a possible replacement for Butler.

I am now much more optimistic about the future of the HL after getting Oakland today. Reacting is settling, proactive is getting what you want. The HL wanted Oakland and they got them. Reactive would've been jumping the gun and settling for IPFW, IUPUI, etc...

It might take another year or two until they get back up to 10 but if they get a high quality program for Butler then it will be worth the wait.

Let us not forget this isn't all on the HL, if Murray State doesn't want to leave the OVC then it's damn hard to convince them to leave the OVC. Perhaps wait a season or two and maybe they'll change their minds or there will be another school on the market.