First thought, anyone who thinks I wouldn't love better schedules is nuts...I'd love them. But at the same time I guess I can see why it is hard to get "great" schedules..some may consider me an apologist..that's fine if you want to feel that way.

Schedules are not easy to make, especially when you're in the situation we're in...now let me explain that statement. Most of the "power" schools in this country have what the media and public (And it seems the RPI for that matter) deem "tough conferences"...something we've never had. This means that every game these teams play in conference elevates them, something our conference does not do...in fact our conference usually hurts us, even if we go 17-0. Now then, there are only a certain amount of OOC games that can be played. Schools in these "power" conferences know they have 14-16-18 or whatever games against "tough" teams coming in conference...they also have half the teams in the country knocking on their door asking for a deal, many of which are 2-1 or 3-1 deals...when you couple preseason tourneys with their tough conference schedules these "power" teams don't need to play a team like Utah...in fact playing Utah could actually hurt their RPI....now then let's look at where we sit. First of all our conference drags us down, so a school knows that we're not an automatic help for their RPI....less incentive for a big school to schedule us. We're a tough team to play, especially in Utah..so why would a "power" school want to come to Utah and play without getting quite a bit in return? We don't have upper level teams knocking down our doors wanting to play us, I know some of you think this is just an excuse given by the athletic department to cover their want for an easy schedule, but I can tell you from what I know it's not. In the end the schedule comes down to lower level teams, with a smattering of upper level teams here and there...do I like it, no. Can I understand how it can happen, yes.

Now then, a few years ago we started playing Wake Forest in a series of home and home games...I'm not sure if many of you remember the comment Dave Odom made when that series started, but it's stuck in my mind and I'd like to summarize it now. Dave stated that he and Rick were friends and that started the conversation about playing each other...but the factor that truly made the deal "great" in each coaches mind was that both Wake Forest and Utah had a hard time getting quality games without giving up a 2-1 or 3-1 deal. Yes, Wake Forest has the same problem as Utah...I know someone who went to Wake and was a huge supporter of their team, he confirmed that Wake had a terrible time getting OOC games with the "big time" schools....because there's no incentive to play us...does North Carolina need Utah? Does Arizona need Utah? Does UCLA need Utah? The answer is always no...does Utah need them, I'm sad to say it but we do...this brings me to the USC situation a few years back. USC had a home-home with Utah..a home and home series that ended with Utah destroying USC in the JMHC..after that game USC officials told both Majerus and Chris Hill that they would "never play Utah again"..and they haven't..why? Because they got trounced by us...and despite what we've done, even now, we're not "good enough" in their minds to be worth a loss...remember back to the runner up year, after Lute lost to us by such a large margin he told people it was even less likely he'd play Utah now, because to him it's not worth risking that loss...the same thing happened when a team not expected to do a lot came within 10 points of beating Kansas, Roy Williams told people after the game he was glad he didn't schedule Utah....for the life of me I can't see any incentive for a "power" team to play us, if any of you can please enlighten me.

In the end I guess I just can't see how we can improve the schedule to the heights were it belongs...I'd love to see it as much as the next guy, but how do we do it...let's hear some ideas from those of you complaining about the schedule..ideas that go beyond "We're not really trying to improve the schedule"...pretend for a moment in your mind that Utah is trying to improve the schedule, let's come up with some ideas on how we could do it.

Second question for those of you wanting to get the big time teams here...should Utah agree to a 2-1 or 3-1 series just in order to play these teams? My answer is an emphatic no...we've earned the right to play home and home series with anyone in this country, we'd only be doing ourselves a disservice by accepting a deal where we have to travel somewhere twice.

I don't know what the answer is, but there has to be one somewhere, so let's start kicking some ideas around instead of just complaining about the schedule and assuming no one in the athletic department is wanting it to get better...I know that's a stretch for some of you, but let's give it a try....anyone can complain, why don't we try to help? Just an idea.

$.02 expired.

I think that the Ute sked has as many top-20 teams as they can get, presuming the Utes go far in the preseason-NIT (I can dream of winning at Rupp). And, as you say, its just too hard to get teams like UCLA to come to SLC. However, they seem to be skipping over a whole class of good teams (commonly called mid-majors, e.g. Gonzaga, College of Charleston, Coppin St., etc), to dip into the ranks of D-II or really bad D-I teams. I think we'd all be happier if just 1 or 2 of the Souix Falls type games was replaced by a Gonzaga (OK maybe not as good without Monson). Another idea would be to go after a weaker big-conference school that is willing -- I guess this year's Pac-10 opponents fit that bill, and perhaps Texas. Why not an Iowa State or Marquette? I think Rick's answer might be that its too much of an RPI risk -- that "at Texas" game last year would be cited.

first of all let me say I know Chris Hill has nothing to do with the basketball scheduling, that is done by Majerus and no one else. Sure Chris may have to dot the i's and cross the t's but make no mistake about it this is big Ricks thing.

First off I would like the NCAA to make some ruling about the number of wins needed to get into the tournament. Mush like in football where the teams need X amount of wins against D1 opponents to even be considered.

I can understand the thinking of the Arizonas' and UCLAs' of the world with their insecurities about winning in Utah. My point is if you can't get Arizona then get Arizona State, if North Carolina wont come then play N.C.State. Play the second tier of those conferences, teams that know a possible win over the Utes would look good on their post season apllications. I guess what I'm saying is that I would much rather play the cellar dwellers of the big conferences than any D2 or worse teams. I really can't buy the theory that no one is willing to play the Utes.

The other aspect of this I just don't get if the friendship angle. Big Rick is willing to play some of his old buddies. He is well liked in the college scene, are people trying to tell me that Bobby Knight, Gene Keady and all the other big name people who profess to list Rick as a friend wont play him. I gotta believe that win or loose against the Utes these guys will get in the tournament.

While I will admit some schools wont play the Utes I also believe that Rick just doesn't want to play them either. I would bet that Snyder at Missouri would play, same with Notre Dame. Have Rick ask these guys for the game while doing one of his television gigs where the audience could see these guys say yea or nea. I think Rick throws up some some screens on this scheduling issue.

No I choose to be realisitic in my belief that there are certainly big name schools that woould play us if asked. I just don't think the big guy has asked or will.

I agree with all that the schedule needs help but I've got a question for you naysayers. Click on the link below and tell me how much you would bitch about the schedules of teams in the ACC.

Maryland plays the likes of Fairleigh Dickinson, Winthrop, George Mason, MD-Baltimore County, and Coastal Carolina. Granted their other teams are pretty good, but they are an ACC team.

Duke plays Army, Columbia, NC A&T, Davidson, and William & Mary. They don't have to play anyone but top teams if they wanted to.

We have Texas, Oregon State, Lousville, and Washington State. These are the mid-level teams that will give us home and home.

RunnUtz sez: "I guess what I'm saying is that I would much rather play the cellar dwellers of the big conferences than any D2 or worse teams. I really can't buy the theory that no one is willing to play the Utes."

We do have cellar dwellers of the bigger conferences; just not the ACC. Why would NC State want to play a home and home with Utah? Remember, our RPI ends up being a drag on many teams we play. It is such a catch 22. We can't get our RPI up without playing better teams, but we aren't that attractive to teams from top conferences because our RPI won't help them (plus we might kick the s*%$ out of them). Are you people willing to do 2-1? Are the Utes "better than that"?

I don't think any of us are really happy with the schedule, but:
-Rick has got us locked into top tourneys for the next several years.
-The formula works.
-I don't have any real answers.

NC Ute

Overall I'm disapointed in the schedule - *unless* the Utes can somehow pull off a win at Rupp Arena in the NIT. If they do, they will be guaranteed two games against top teams. That should outweigh the games against the patsies. Of course, beating Kentucky at home is a pretty tall order.

I thought there was supposed to be a "buy" week in the MWC schedule that would allow teams to schedule a non-conference game. I was under the impression that Rick was going to schedule a game against a "name" opponent during this week (I had heard Cincinnati). There doesn't appear to be an open week in the MWC schedule. This is a disapointment.

What I'm really disapointed about is that, according to ESPN's "Weekly Word" there were three quality teams looking for games late into the scheduling process, and Utah did not connect with any of them. The teams are Gonzaga, Stanford and Fresno State. From what I remember, Gonzaga was looking for an opponent for an ESPN game that would be played on the opponent's home court (with the game to be returned next season); Fresno was also looking for a home and home series. Stanford was looking for an opponent in the Pete Newell challenge; the Word said that Stanford probably wouldn't return the game, but I thought there may be an exception for Utah because Montgomery recruits there. Diehard, do you know if any of these options were looked at?

Finally, I thought Westminster and Southern Utah were supposed to be on the schedule. I know that they are not any better opponents than Souix City, Chicago State, etc., but if Rick is going to play those types of teams every year, I would rather see a game that at least has some local interest.

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