Big 4 Classic nearing an end?

SerenityNow

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Dec 4, 2009
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I think it could have been more successful/had more appeal if it were set up differently - perhaps like a round robin. Yes, I know that would never happen. Frankly, I don't really care if we play either school again. Add in a couple of major conference home and homes would be my choice.
 

EYEoftheSTORM

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Yeah Id be down for going back to what it was, but I see no way ISU does anything less then a 2 for 1.

Year 1: Play UNI and Drake at Hilton
Year 2: Play at UNI, Drake in Hilton
Year 3: Play at Drake, UNI in Hilton

Repeat.
Agree with this...

We should not be playing a MVC team at their home court on any sort of regular basis… Home games are to valuable to the athletic dept. to give one up just to give the people of Drake/UNI and a few ISU/ Iowa fans warm feelings of the old times.

Sorry UNI/ Drake, its just business.
 

CyCy

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Back in my day (late 1960's) we played Drake twice per year.
 

cyclones500

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If they were to return to playing both each year, I say continue the Big 4 but make it two-day event.
Something like:

Saturday
5:30 p.m. Drake vs. Iowa State
8 p.m. UNI vs. Iowa
Saturday
1:30 p.m. Drake vs. Iowa
4 p.m. UNI vs. Iowa State

Game-time rotation can switch each year to keep it balanced.
 

casey1973

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I'm probably the only one but I get too nervous playing UNI and Drake because of the fact we clearly should beat them year in and year out but seems like they play out of their minds against us. I don't have a problem with Drake but UNI annoys me for some reason.
 

Rural

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Feb 3, 2010
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The reason for the "classic" will be gone from Iowa City soon.
 

CySmurf

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I'm probably the only one but I get too nervous playing UNI and Drake because of the fact we clearly should beat them year in and year out but seems like they play out of their minds against us. I don't have a problem with Drake but UNI annoys me for some reason.
Because they beat us maybe? That would annoy me anyway.
 

JohnnyFive

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Feb 25, 2012
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I won't miss it. I'm all for alternating Drake and UNI every other year if it's at Hilton. I don't want to miss out on solid RPI-builders like Michigan or a BYU. Give me those-type games plus Drake or UNI every year and it's perfect.
 

alarson

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I imagine we will say, "Sure we will play you. When would you like to come over?"

This is exactly what we will say.

The big 4 classic thing was purely a way to give some cover to do just that. First you end the 'tradition' of this thing happening every year, then you move to our place or no place.

At very worst it should be a 2 or 3 for 1 situation. I dont give a damn about UNI or Drake, id be just as happy with some scrub team that at least gives us another home game every other year.
 

alarson

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Because America is the Land of Opportunity, and we theoretically don't believe in this class-based removal of opportunity.

If the big schools want to keep their spot/prestige, let them continually earn it the same way as everybody else, and level out that playing field.

Are you serious with this?

I mean should we offer a home and home to western nowhere state as well?

There's no reason for us to be subsidizing Drake\UNI. They barely move the needle on our basketball sales, but us or Iowa coming there is the best night of their season. Why should we be giving them that?
 

ISUChippewa

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As a dual ISU/UNI fan (grew up in Ames, went to school at UNI), I would love to see it go back to a home-and-home arrangement after the Big 4 Classic expires, but I'm also pragmatic enough to realize that the most likely outcome would be a 2 for 1 or 3 for 1, which would be better than not playing each other at all.

If nothing else, maybe the Big 4 can be rearranged to make it a better event for all involved; I like the idea of making it a round-robin sort of tournament, crowning the state champion sort of deal. UNI was down last season (relative to their recent success), but I'm hoping that was an aberration as opposed to the norm for the next few years. I would rather have ISU play UNI again next season than revert back to Drake; UNI returns almost their whole roster plus adds a transfer from Virginia. I'll be disappointed if we're (UNI) not on the bubble at the very least next season.

And, if we do drop both schools altogether from the non-con schedule I don't think it's a given that we could automatically pencil in a home and home series with another BCS power. I think it would probably be more likely that we would just bring in another low/mid major like a UNC-Wilmington or Northern Illinois type of school again.
 

dabears32

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Nov 23, 2009
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Agree with this...

We should not be playing a MVC team at their home court on any sort of regular basis… Home games are to valuable to the athletic dept. to give one up just to give the people of Drake/UNI and a few ISU/ Iowa fans warm feelings of the old times.

Sorry UNI/ Drake, its just business.

UNI isn't accepting a 2 and 1 with us or Iowa anytime soon. They have proven the ability to schedule an outstanding non conference schedule
 

alarson

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UNI isn't accepting a 2 and 1 with us or Iowa anytime soon. They have proven the ability to schedule an outstanding non conference schedule

Lol wut?

Yes, please then show the long list of major conference teams that are playing in Cedar Falls, even in 2 for 1 arrangements. The fact is those arent there, and that it would actually be more than most other major conference opponents would do if we offered them a 2 for 1.

We'd be a premier matchup for them, we dont owe them anything just because we happen to be in the same state.
 

Tedcyclone

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This was a awful idea from the beginning. It needs to be a Tournament or home and homes. I vote for a 2 day tournament. This is just weak sauce. It was doomed from the beginning.
 

chuckd4735

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I honestly don't care either way. Never really got excited about playing Drake or UNI.

Yeah...if the two series just went away, I would not care one bit. But I have no problem doing a 2 for 1 with each school. There is absolutely no way ISU could do a home and home. ISU has the ability to schedule teams in home and home that will be much more beneficial to their RPI.
 

OPButtrey

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I want to go back to a home and home with each. I look at it as a unique tradition kind of like how Notre Dame plays Navy every year even tho it doesn't help them in any way. I live in KC and the sports radio shows often talk about how they wish KU or KSU would play Witchita State. They always reference the home and home games in Iowa (they don't realize it's been discontinued) and say how they would like to see the same thing here. I also think there is a lot of value playing an away game against a team that is amped to play us and has a chip on there shoulder.
 

Haverhill

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Play Drake every year at Wells Fargo Arena (similar to Creighton game in regards to seating arrangement)

Play UNI with 2 in Ames; 1 in Cedar Falls.