Delany on East Coast pre-expansion push: espn | The Boneyard

Delany on East Coast pre-expansion push: espn

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Said before - will say again now, and I'm sure again many times in the future until it's done.

The concept that a single school can have any significant market share of the Northeast corridor is a farce. The New York Yankees don't even own their own market. What can get significant share for intercollegiate athletics is an entire conference.

Joe Paterno wanted to create a division 1A conference in the northeastern footprint. Dave Gavitt's catholic school basketball creation got in the way. Penn State went to the big 10. The Big East grew - started playing football, and got into the market.

With the dissolution of the Big EAst conference as an FBS/division 1A athletic conference, a big hole in intercollegiate athletics market was created in the Northeast corridor.

IF - any conference would like to make Joe Paterno's goal in the early 1980s come to reality, and create a true division 1A/FBS athletic conference that has it's presence significantly in the corridor from D.C. to Boston - it is foolish to leave UCONN out of it.

The Big 10 conference, is the conference that best fits the profile.

I think sooner than later, Delany is going to be able to convince his constituents to realize that adding UCONN to the mix - if the goal is to be achieved - is inevitable.

I would hope he realized that without a doubt when sitting in MSG a few weeks ago.
 
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Well, the 4th would actually be in New England and you can't own the northeast without New England

The story seems to think the B1G is interested in Ny-Dc. Seems so rediculous that they don't understand that NY is really the tri-state area and that my friends includes the state of Ct.
 
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No, but we're the last one standing and we've been more successful than the 5 already placed - BC, Syracuse, Pitt to the ACC and Rutgers and UMD to the B1G. I come from a long line of miserable, cynical bas s and I feel somewhat optimistic.


The Big10 can claim a hell of a lot more alumni base in the northeast corridor than any combination of ACC programs, but they don't have the fan base in the area outside of alumni.

Adding Syracuse Pitt and Louisville to try to get the northeast corridor fanbases for intercollegiate athletics will turn out eventually to be a big mistake for the ACC - unless UCONN is added. None of those schools can claim anything close to what the big 10 schools can produce in alumni bases. But they have fanbase equity built up through 30 years of the Big East conference.

The history of those ACC schools that exists with UCONN, plus renewing a Boston College annual scheduling of basketball and football - would do it for the ACC.

The big 10 with Rutgers and Maryland and PSU will not generate much movement at all in NYC. They will realize that very quickly. Rutgers is an albatross. With UCONN - they can do the same things, but it will be slower growth, as there is no history for fanbases - but there are plenty o alumni for the growth.

Personally, I'd prefer waiting for the Big10 in the long haul, but if the ACC calls now, they win.
 

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Statements of obvious : if the B1G takes us, it puts Cuse and especially BC out in ACC no-man's-land. B1G firmly establishes NYC/Northeast presence. If the ACC takes us, that's instant NYC cred, strengthens New England, and rekindles old rivalries. Both scenarios offer real value.
 

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Statements of obvious : if the B1G takes us, it puts Cuse and especially BC out in ACC no-man's-land. B1G firmly establishes NYC/Northeast presence. If the ACC takes us, that's instant NYC cred, strengthens New England, and rekindles old rivalries. Both scenarios offer real value.

That's it in a nutshell. We can be a lynchpin. Or, we can be unfulfilled potential if neither takes us.
 
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I think the B1G understands that, but they needed to add Rutgers first. We (UConn) would be too much of an outlier otherwise.
This exactly. For Delaney and the B1G, expansion was always a multi-phase plan. Phase 1, Rutgers and Maryland. Wait until phase 1 is implemented, then announce efforts for phase 2. My money is that UConn's fate will be sealed sometime in mid to late summer. My guess, this was agreed upon when Maryland and Rutgers was first announced. UConn didn't want the ACC, not vice versa. There are where to many things being said and done especially recently, but also since the beginning of this mess, to think otherwise.
 
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If PSU's 50k students don't come from big cities, then where do they come from? The middle of the state is basically bare.

They come from Philly mostly, some from Pittsburgh.
 
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This exactly. For Delaney and the B1G, expansion was always a multi-phase plan. Phase 1, Rutgers and Maryland. Wait until phase 1 is implemented, then announce efforts for phase 2. My money is that UConn's fate will be sealed sometime in mid to late summer. My guess, this was agreed upon when Maryland and Rutgers was first announced. UConn didn't want the ACC, not vice versa. There are where to many things being said and done especially recently, but also since the beginning of this mess, to think otherwise.

This is on the very upper end of optimistic realism. While this is a scenario that could currently be playing out, I think UConn has to prove itself over the next 2-3 years in terms of increased research, more football wins, and more fans in the stands. To me the most likely scenario is we get a BIG 10 invite in about 2 years.
 
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This is on the very upper end of optimistic realism. While this is a scenario that could currently be playing out, I think UConn has to prove itself over the next 2-3 years in terms of increased research, more football wins, and more fans in the stands. To me the most likely scenario is we get a BIG 10 invite in about 2 years.
This year's on field football results are completely meaningless. I agree that UConn was given a "to do" list which includes increased research and stadium expansion, but whatever the football team's record is has zero bearing. It is unrealistic for anyone to expect UConn to accomplish everything, even in the 2-3 year period you mentioned, but its vital for UConn to show continuous progress toward implementation. Fortunately for UConn, it has the resources, it has the athletic pedigree, it has the tv markets. There is literally no way it gets left out of the P5.
 
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This year's on field football results are completely meaningless. I agree that UConn was given a "to do" list which includes increased research and stadium expansion, but whatever the football team's record is has zero bearing. It is unrealistic for anyone to expect UConn to accomplish everything, even in the 2-3 year period you mentioned, but its vital for UConn to show continuous progress toward implementation. Fortunately for UConn, it has the resources, it has the athletic pedigree, it has the tv markets. There is literally no way it gets left out of the P5.

Football results are meaningless? I would strongly disagree with that. It leads to increased fan support and the perception of the program being better. Do you know why florida state and Clemson wanted Louisville instead of UConn? because they had won more football games over the last few years with teddy bridewater and Charlie strong. Did that make a lot of sense? NO. But it is the truth. There's nothing else lousiville has over UConn except recent football wins. If you can give undisputed and relevant reasons why Louisville had Florida State and Clemson support and UConn didn't, than I would love to hear it.
 
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Football results are meaningless? I would strongly disagree with that. It leads to increased fan support and the perception of the program being better. Do you know why florida state and Clemson wanted Louisville instead of UConn? because they had won more football games over the last few years with teddy bridewater and Charlie strong. Did that make a lot of sense? NO. But it is the truth. There's nothing else lousiville has over UConn except recent football wins. If you can give undisputed and relevant reasons why Louisville had Florida State and Clemson support and UConn didn't, than I would love to hear it.

At the time the ACC selected Louisville, it had not won more games. It had gone through a very bad period with a decent year the prior year. They were 7-6 the prior year. And 7-6 the year before that. They had two losing seasons in a row the two years before that. So they weren't showing any consistency. They were showing, however, some bounce back in the year they were selected, but it happened mid-season. UConn actually beat Louisville as Louisville was getting the word.
 
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Football results are meaningless? I would strongly disagree with that. It leads to increased fan support and the perception of the program being better. Do you know why florida state and Clemson wanted Louisville instead of UConn? because they had won more football games over the last few years with teddy bridewater and Charlie strong. Did that make a lot of sense? NO. But it is the truth. There's nothing else lousiville has over UConn except recent football wins. If you can give undisputed and relevant reasons why Louisville had Florida State and Clemson support and UConn didn't, than I would love to hear it.
First, to answer your question of why Louisville? There was an existing power struggle within the ACC. The Carolinas and Virginia's wanted UConn. FSU and Clemson felt threatened by that and believed that Louisville would be more of an ally. If you are to believe that an actual choice was made, it had little to do with the success of the respective football programs and more from pre-existing relationships/lack thereof within the conference.
But I digress. If I have learned anything through all of this is the fact that whatever story is told through the media is what they want you to believe, regardless of fact. I don't think Louisville was the choice and I don't believe the end result is what ESPN wanted. In one short week, Louisville was able to sell itself while UConn sat idle. Does that make sense to you? Do you really believe that was just a gross miscalculation by the UConn administration? I don't. Then, if ESPN did get what they wanted, why the constant bashing of UConn after the fact? Wouldn't ESPN simply sit quiet, resting on its laurels, simply ignoring UConn and keeping it out of the headlines. They did the opposite. They consistently tried to devalue the UConn brand. I interpret that as somehow the worldwide leader didn't get its way and wasn't happy. Most telling, why has UConn recently made public their ambitious plans both academically and athletically? Does it make sense that a school, after supposedly being left out of the P5, will take all these steps and invest all this money on the blind faith it may increase its chances of inclusion? I don't buy it.
So why do the on field football results not matter? Because everything else is in place. UConn has the resources to succeed. The basketball titles proved many things. The state, UConn alumni, NYC, and the entire Northeast does/will rally behind a UConn winner. Does anyone really believe that if UConn was in the Big 10, our football program won't succee? Would it be a struggle to get funding to expand the Rent? Better yet, would we not fill it? What UConn lacks in tradition, it gains in current relevance. Today, UConn is an athletic power. If given the chance, UConn football will follow suit. I know this. You know this. Delaney knows this. The Big 10 knows this. It doesn't matter if this year we go 4-8 or 8-4.
Again, I strongly believe that UConn already knows its going to the Big 10. There has nothing that has been said or done since realignment began suggests otherwise.
 
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Statements of obvious : if the B1G takes us, it puts Cuse and especially BC out in ACC no-man's-land. B1G firmly establishes NYC/Northeast presence. If the ACC takes us, that's instant NYC cred, strengthens New England, and rekindles old rivalries. Both scenarios offer real value.

BC would at least have Hockey East, which is a big deal in the New England. If UConn gets into the B1G, Syracuse is screwed. The Fruit is further way and has a smaller alumni base than UConn. The combination of UConn's active presence, the B1G alumni network in NYC, and Rutgers potential relevancy in the NYC market would basically freeze Syracuse out. In time, ND would become the ACC's primary brand in NYC because ND is ND and not because ND is part of the ACC.
 
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First, to answer your question of why Louisville? There was an existing power struggle within the ACC. The Carolinas and Virginia's wanted UConn. FSU and Clemson felt threatened by that and believed that Louisville would be more of an ally. If you are to believe that an actual choice was made, it had little to do with the success of the respective football programs and more from pre-existing relationships/lack thereof within the conference.
But I digress. If I have learned anything through all of this is the fact that whatever story is told through the media is what they want you to believe, regardless of fact. I don't think Louisville was the choice and I don't believe the end result is what ESPN wanted. In one short week, Louisville was able to sell itself while UConn sat idle. Does that make sense to you? Do you really believe that was just a gross miscalculation by the UConn administration? I don't. Then, if ESPN did get what they wanted, why the constant bashing of UConn after the fact? Wouldn't ESPN simply sit quiet, resting on its laurels, simply ignoring UConn and keeping it out of the headlines. They did the opposite. They consistently tried to devalue the UConn brand. I interpret that as somehow the worldwide leader didn't get its way and wasn't happy. Most telling, why has UConn recently made public their ambitious plans both academically and athletically? Does it make sense that a school, after supposedly being left out of the P5, will take all these steps and invest all this money on the blind faith it may increase its chances of inclusion? I don't buy it.
So why do the on field football results not matter? Because everything else is in place. UConn has the resources to succeed. The basketball titles proved many things. The state, UConn alumni, NYC, and the entire Northeast does/will rally behind a UConn winner. Does anyone really believe that if UConn was in the Big 10, our football program won't succee? Would it be a struggle to get funding to expand the Rent? Better yet, would we not fill it? What UConn lacks in tradition, it gains in current relevance. Today, UConn is an athletic power. If given the chance, UConn football will follow suit. I know this. You know this. Delaney knows this. The Big 10 knows this. It doesn't matter if this year we go 4-8 or 8-4.
Again, I strongly believe that UConn already knows its going to the Big 10. There has nothing that has been said or done since realignment began suggests otherwise.

the reason why results matter is because it gives our advocates inside other conferences additional ammo to convince the people on the fence to take UConns side.
 
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This year's on field football results are completely meaningless. I agree that UConn was given a "to do" list which includes increased research and stadium expansion, but whatever the football team's record is has zero bearing. It is unrealistic for anyone to expect UConn to accomplish everything, even in the 2-3 year period you mentioned, but its vital for UConn to show continuous progress toward implementation. Fortunately for UConn, it has the resources, it has the athletic pedigree, it has the tv markets. There is literally no way it gets left out of the P5.

Uconn can show increased monies for academic research, and it can increase its stadium size, but its folly to believe that in 2-3 years time that Uconn's football wins and losses over this 2-3 year period would be " completely meaningless " by then if this is when a P5 league expansion begins anew. If it wins the AAC it absolutely enhances its chances, imo... but 500 or so records after 3 years in the AAC could prove damaging. Thats why the Hathaway hire of Pasqualoni was so bad. Its timing could not have been worse, imo. Uconn will be evaluated thru the Pasqualoni football years too... so it is important for Diaco to get Uconn back to a bowl game... and quickly, imo
 
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At the time the ACC selected Louisville, it had not won more games. It had gone through a very bad period with a decent year the prior year. They were 7-6 the prior year. And 7-6 the year before that. They had two losing seasons in a row the two years before that. So they weren't showing any consistency. They were showing, however, some bounce back in the year they were selected, but it happened mid-season. UConn actually beat Louisville as Louisville was getting the word.

They were 10-2 at the time they were selected and then went on to beat Florida. They had tons of momentum and had Strong and Bridgewater coming back the next year. They also knew Louisville planned to give Strong a huge extension if invited to the conference and the added revenue from it. The ACC wanted the Louisville momentum and thought strong would be there for the relative long term to continue their success. Again, was this a sound and completely logic move. NO! but it is the truth.
 
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http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/94897/delany-on-east-coast-pre-expansion-push

I think you're going to see this thing come alive and pop when our teams are playing out there," Delany said. "The curiosity of Rutgers and Maryland fans, Penn State fans, you have a critical core of three institutions

"Critical core of three institutions" does this mean more teams will be added around this core?

I will say this: while I don't think they've decided anything for certain, I do not believe for a second they're starting up a New York City office just to be welcoming to Rutgers. I believe they are starting this office with the hope of further expanding eastward.
 
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I will say this: while I don't think they've decided anything for certain, I do not believe for a second they're starting up a New York City office just to be welcoming to Rutgers. I believe they are starting this office with the hope of further expanding eastward.

I have a hard time seeing it any other way than what you just said.
 
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I will say this: while I don't think they've decided anything for certain, I do not believe for a second they're starting up a New York City office just to be welcoming to Rutgers. I believe they are starting this office with the hope of further expanding eastward.
I truly believe the B1G gatekeepers have already decided to invite UConn, and likewise, the pathway to the B1G's expansion eastward has everything to do with what's going on at 101 Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan.
 
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