Commentary Thread for Premium Top-Shelf Tweets

[Muddler]

Virginia Tech was once passed on by the ACC before politicians got involved. Syracuse was on its way to the ACC and had to remain in the Big East. Houston was likely to be passed on by the Big 12 and their governor stepped in. I'm assuming they will find their way in now. Even Utah's senator was super active in fighting for Utah. Baylor had political help getting in the Big 12. CT is the home of ESPN and our Governor and University President have done what? I guess it is easier sending student-athletes to Hartford to plead for more state money like they did this year.

Many people seem to love Herbst, but didn't this all happen under her watch? At a time when hundreds of millions of dollars were at stake, she hired an AD from the MAC. He may have been a very good hire, but Uconn needed someone with strong ties to the ACC...someone who could influence decision makers and give the ACC confidence that Uconn could right it's ship. We can knock Louisville all we want, but they told their story well enough that the ACC ignored their academics. All we seem to hear from Uconn is "it is what it is". Hundreds of millions of dollars were at stake.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I would prefer they don't do it actually.

Push comes to shove, you think AAC for all sports is a better spot to be than AAC Football only and Big East for everything else?

 

[whaler11]

Push comes to shove, you think AAC for all sports is a better spot to be than AAC Football only and Big East for everything else?

I think that AAC football and Big East for everything else feels like putting up a white flag on ever getting to a P5.

Of course I agree that the Big East is a better place to put the basketball team than the AAC.

It would just feel very final to me.

 

[HuskyHawk]

lol you're clueless. X has had 7 sweet sixteens since 1990. Dayton has had *one*

And Dayton would love to leave the A-10 for the Big East. Every A-10 school would.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I think that AAC football and Big East for everything else feels like putting up a white flag on ever getting to a P5.

Of course I agree that the Big East is a better place to put the basketball team than the AAC.

It would just feel very final to me.

I don't know why you say that? Football would be no worse off. We could still earn a top 8 bowl berth with a strong season. Basketball would get much more attention from the media, which still fawns over the Big East and pretends that the American doesn't exist. The seeding alone for American teams has been awful. If it loses Cinci, it becomes even worse, maybe a one bid league.

 

[TRest]

I don't know why you say that? Football would be no worse off. We could still earn a top 8 bowl berth with a strong season. Basketball would get much more attention from the media, which still fawns over the Big East and pretends that the American doesn't exist. The seeding alone for American teams has been awful. If it loses Cinci, it becomes even worse, maybe a one bid league.

Why would the AAC do us the enormous favor of keeping our football and letting the good stuff go somewhere else?

 

[pepband99]

Why would the AAC do us the enormous favor of keeping our football and letting the good stuff go somewhere else?

...because they won't have a choice. If the contracts get blown up by the defectors, ESPN will likely come back with an offer equal to a bag of balls. Losing our football would only make it worse.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Why would the AAC do us the enormous favor of keeping our football and letting the good stuff go somewhere else?

Why do they do it for Navy? What options will they have? If they lose UH and Cinci for example, who are they inviting? Southern Miss? Every single FBS team they can add downgrades the overall competition in basketball. So why not let a pretty solid UConn football team with still the best brand available, stay? We'd balance Navy from a scheduling perspective. Or, if they want more content, add Wichita State. WSU+UConn football isn't a good outcome over adding say, Old Dominion? And isn't that a good travel situation for Tulsa, Tulane and SMU?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I think that AAC football and Big East for everything else feels like putting up a white flag on ever getting to a P5.

Of course I agree that the Big East is a better place to put the basketball team than the AAC.

It would just feel very final to me.

I know there are departure fee reasons that UConn has stayed in the AAC, but that decision has also put us in the position of appearing interchangeable with a community college like Houston.

 

[CallMeBruce]

were georgetown and st. johns on your short list? depaul, marquette?
The conferences are comparable and one year stats don't impress me.

I don't know why I'm engaging since you're obviously going to move the goalposts to defend your absolutely idiotic argument, but in the three years that the Big East and A-10 have existed in their current forms, the Big East has been the #5, #3, and #3 conference, while the A-10 has been #7, #7, and #8. Big East is still a power conference in basketball. A-10 is decidedly not.

 

[TRest]

Why do they do it for Navy? What options will they have? If they lose UH and Cinci for example, who are they inviting? Southern Miss? Every single FBS team they can add downgrades the overall competition in basketball. So why not let a pretty solid UConn football team with still the best brand available, stay? We'd balance Navy from a scheduling perspective. Or, if they want more content, add Wichita State. WSU+UConn football isn't a good outcome over adding say, Old Dominion? And isn't that a good travel situation for Tulsa, Tulane and SMU?

Because Navy's olympic sports can't compete at this level but its football is a national brand. UConn is a national brand because of basketball, the football is stumbling towards solid (maybe). I don't know, but doubt that the contract binding the AAC together is contingent on the television contract with ESPN remaining in place.

 

[CallMeBruce]

Because Navy's olympic sports can't compete at this level but its football is a national brand. UConn is a national brand because of basketball, the football is stumbling towards solid (maybe). I don't know, but doubt that the contract binding the AAC together is contingent on the television contract with ESPN remaining in place.

Navy basketball was better than UCF, ECU, USF, and Tulane last year. Their baseball team was 43-16, soccer was .500, etc. They would not be particularly weak in any sport the AAC plays.

 

[UConnNick]

Navy basketball was better than UCF, ECU, USF, and Tulane last year. Their baseball team was 43-16, soccer was .500, etc. They would not be particularly weak in any sport the AAC plays.

Navy's Olympic sports are in the Patriot League because Army is a Patriot League member. They're not going to put those sports anywhere else because it would leave their arch rivalry behind.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Navy's Olympic sports are in the Patriot League because Army is a Patriot League member. They're not going to put those sports anywhere else because it would leave their arch rivalry behind.

And they have only been competitive because they are in the Patriot league. Navy didn't want to join the American for all sports and specifically mentioned that they didn't think they could be competitive.

 

[upstater]

...because they won't have a choice. If the contracts get blown up by the defectors, ESPN will likely come back with an offer equal to a bag of balls. Losing our football would only make it worse.

But they also have a huge incentive to discourage other teams from trying sports ala carte.

In other words, neither side has any leverage.

And in such a situation, anything can happen. It's a "We're screwed anyway" kinda scenario.

 

[Kolumbo]

The Big East is a better basketball conference today but big picture, my personal preference is to stay away. It is now a purely catholic conference and it has chosen that route. Add UConn and Temple to the A-10 and the A-10 just made a huge jump. Purely my opinion and hypothetical anyway since UConn has chosen its path, for better or worse.

 

[D/$$$]

But they also have a huge incentive to discourage other teams from trying sports ala carte.

In other words, neither side has any leverage.

And in such a situation, anything can happen. It's a "We're screwed anyway" kinda scenario.

Look, were not likely to be 'invited' to the B12 unless they get a TV deal, which is where we bring our leverage. Sad that we're a great fit for BIG and/or ACC because of same. So in the absence of a TV deal, and in light of the new TV environment and future, we should figure out how best to exit the losing creature known as the AAC. For all sports. We have smart folks and lots of lawyers.......figure it out! Lots of us have had it with status quoa....it's simply not working.

 

[IMind]

Navy basketball was better than UCF, ECU, USF, and Tulane last year. Their baseball team was 43-16, soccer was .500, etc. They would not be particularly weak in any sport the AAC plays.

Ehh... they were playing a Patriot league schedule in their other sports... I was a Patriot League athlete... and while I can claim that I played a Division I sport... in truth it's a far different world than the one UConn competes in. I'm not saying they can't do it, but the upgrade would be tough.

 

[upstater]

Look, were not likely to be 'invited' to the B12 unless they get a TV deal, which is where we bring our leverage. Sad that we're a great fit for BIG and/or ACC because of same. So in the absence of a TV deal, and in light of the new TV environment and future, we should figure out how best to exit the losing creature known as the AAC. For all sports. We have smart folks and lots of lawyers..figure it out! Lots of us have had it with status quoa....it's simply not working.

if you kill off football, you will never make a P5.

 

[D/$$$]

if you kill off football, you will never make a P5.

Agree, but why is exiting the AAC necessary for our football survival. Aren't there any other possibilities out there?

 

[auror]

Yes.

1) That was an insanely fast reply. I caught myself commenting on the thread within seconds but it was too late.
2) If our FB program were better than most of the schools, then we could say it's ugly company. Our market metrics are what they are, but at the end of the day, especially if the B12 is looking towards new media eyeballs, we need to have people watching/streaming football.
3) I have 0 issue with the B12 taking public auditions. There's no dirty laundry leaks that would be ugly, just sources reporting they're keeping an open mind and interviewing everybody. Let the best school win and we think that's us.

 

[upstater]

Agree, but why is exiting the AAC necessary for our football survival. Aren't there any other possibilities out there?

What would the possibilities be?

 

[Excalibur]

I don't know why you say that? Football would be no worse off. We could still earn a top 8 bowl berth with a strong season. Basketball would get much more attention from the media, which still fawns over the Big East and pretends that the American doesn't exist. The seeding alone for American teams has been awful. If it loses Cinci, it becomes even worse, maybe a one bid league.

I don't think he's really arguing any of those points. If we split Football and other sports, it gives the impression that we believe there are no viable routes to the P5. I agree with that.

I also think that the Big East doesn't pick up the phone unless they believe the same thing . . .

 

[CL82]

ESPNU Take:

you ESPN. Starting to get the hate going again. Someone phone up the city of Bristol and tell them to station some cops at the enterance road. Anyone speeding? Ticket. Taillight out? Ticket. Touch the yellow lines? Ticket?

I hate you Effers.

[moved this comment from the premium tweets thread...that thing is like a speed trap]

 

[UC313]

I sincerely hope that our message to ESPN is being heard. You can eat a whole bag full if you thing you're going to screw us again and keep our rights for pennies on the dollar. Ill gladly turn my viewership over to Fox or CBS. My morning routine of watching sportscenter with my boy will change too. If they want to make it all about the bottom line, then so will I.

I'm officially on the Break Bristol Bandwagon.