Fiesta Bowl

[Dooley]

I think OOC scheduling has become FAR more critical for UConn. I'm supportive of WM adding Boise and BYU. But it's a huge challenge to get those games, admittedly. We need to get more Tennesee, Michigan types to come to the Rent by hook or by crook, and we need to find neutral site games to play (in a day's drive is helpful) and maybe even reconsider 1 or 2 oneoffs like the one at South Bend if it's the only way we can get marquis names on the schedule. Then we have to win those games. AAC will be similar to the OBE - maybe 1 top ten team, maybe 1-2 top 25 teams, but not enough to make any fan of traditional powers take notice. Unless UConn runs the table - meaning going undefeated 2 straight years or more - winning the AAC will barely register even if UCF, Cincy or whoever is having a good year.

Agreed. I'm more concerned with what UCONN does than anything else. The outside world views the AAC as a joke. Playing traditional powers and "accepted" big programs consistently tough would do UCONN more good. I'd sign up UCONN to play one offs against any top 15 team right now just to gain the exposure. Gives UCONN fans a chance to travel to the game and show some numbers. UCONN fans, for the most part, aren't going to travel to an away Tulane or UCF game. But we travelled well to Notre Dame and Michigan.

 

[huskymedic]

is Bortes a Jr

RS Jr.

 

[Chin Diesel]

is Bortes a Jr

Yes. He can come out this year or come back.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Entertaing game. I see Baylor covering, tho

Baylor has to hold them scoreless and get to 45 right now.

 

[Marty Jackson]

Anybody that doesn't think this crap conference & CR crap isn't gonna catch up to basketball and, more importantly recruiting, is kidding themself. How much of an impact is this years freshman class making? Not like the days of Rip Hamilton, Ray Allen, Omeka Okafor, Ben Gordon, Kalid El Amin and others.

newsflash, and some reality. Uconn bb wasn't going undefeated until they wind up in a better conference. please don't turn every loss into a referendum on the demise of uconn bb.

 

[huskymedic]

Swear they read the BY real time:

“@DanWolken: Probably shouldn't be this way, but you have to think a UCF win would give the AAC a perception edge within the Group of Five next year”

 

[sportsart]

Swear they read the BY real time:

“@DanWolken: Probably shouldn't be this way, but you have to think a UCF win would give the AAC a perception edge within the Group of Five next year”

I'm Dan Wolken. My cover is blown.

 

[UConnDan97]

I think that some people are underestimating the absolutely powerful value on UCF being in this game (instead of 'Ville) and having a very good showing. If any of you think that it has no impact at all on UConn, you have lost your minds. OF COURSE it has an impact on UConn! The fact that this game serves to show that we are not the MAC or that we are not the Mountain West goes so far in the perception of what we are (or will be) when we play in our league. It was also crucial that Ville not be there tonight, so that people couldn't say "Well, this league isn't that good, because their best team is off to the ACC next year."

People on this board should really wake up to the "perception is reality" and how it affects UConn whether they like it or not. And tip your hats to what has been a very good performance by UCF so far. Go get 'em, Knights!!!

 

[ZooCougar]

I'm Dan Wolken. My cover is blown.

I hear you, but it never worked that way for the BE, why would it be different for the AAC?

 

[BlueDogs]

UCF at least establishes that an AAC team can play in big boy bowls. Will help with the multi-Conf slot. But, we have a half to go. Waiting for the shoe to drop on them.

 

[sportsart]

I hear you, but it never worked that way for the BE, why would it be different for the AAC?

It did work for the BE. Just ask WVU and UL.

It just didn't reach our satisfaction. ESPN slighted the BE as well as fans around the country. But as I explained earlier, teams from the BE got chosen for the CR and I believe teams from the AAC will also get chosen. We need the top 3 team's records to be 12-0, 11-1 and 10-2. We also need to be one of those 3 teams every year.

If the top 3 teams have records like that, and beat teams from the P5, we can be looked at as a top heavy conference with a very weak group below it.

Get to a big bowl game and win. WVU got credit, the BE as a whole didn't.

 

[Dooley]

Because everything seems to kick UCONN in the nuts in the CR world, a UCF win tonight would do one of two things:

1. UCF instantly leapfrogs UCONN for the next ticket out of the AAC
2. ESPiN and national media will say "well, Baylor wasn't used to the big game. It's not like UCF beat Texas or OU."

I'm just meh on the whole idea that this game means as much as some think it does for UCONN. I've said it before and I'll state again: UCONN is on a 3-5 year B1G plan (there is NO way we are going to the ACC with so many enemies in that conference):

- gain AAU membership
- become competitive in football again
- prove basketball standing post-APR
- increase endowment
- hope UCONN fans continue to support UCONN in numbers so venue expansion/improvements can be carried out and TV contracts will become more attractive

I think what UCONN has done in 2013 has made some good steps towards these goals. 2014 will be an important year to get the ball rolling. I really think our only hope for a life raft out of the AAC is through the B1G conference. I don't think UCF is on the B1G radar whatsoever (they might get a ticket to the B12 or ACC). We might not be on the B1G's radar right now either. I sure hope we are. But it looks like we're angling hardest to be in the B1G so that's what I'm rooting for.

 

[ZooCougar]

It did work for the BE. Just ask WVU and UL.

It just didn't reach our satisfaction. ESPN slighted the BE as well as fans around the country. But as I explained earlier, teams from the BE got chosen for the CR and I believe teams from the AAC will also get chosen. We need the top 3 team's records to be 12-0, 11-1 and 10-2. We also need to be one of those 3 teams every year.

If the top 3 teams have records like that, and beat teams from the P5, we can be looked at as a top heavy conference with a very weak group below it.

Get to a big bowl game and win. WVU got credit, the BE as a whole didn't.

Which is exactly why I don't care what happens with UCF. If anything it's better for us if they lose.

 

[huskymedic]

“@TimGriffinBig12: Tonight's Fiesta Bowl crowd of 65,172 today is smallest for Fiesta Bowl since 1997 and smallest ever for FB since moving to U of P Stadium”

 

[Dooley]

Get to a big bowl game and win. WVU got credit, the BE as a whole didn't.

I think this sums up what Zoo and I are trying to say. WVU and UL won their BCS games but did it help the Big East/AAC? Not one bit. It got them tickets out of this hell though and that's what I'd be afraid of happening should UCF become some sort of instant football darling. And if UCF gets tapped out of the AAC before UCONN (I don't' care what conference taps them), I'll be p1ssed.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I think this sums up what Zoo and I are trying to say. WVU and UL won their BCS games but did it help the Big East/AAC? Not one bit. It got them tickets out of this hell though and that's what I'd be afraid of happening should UCF become some sort of instant football darling. And if UCF gets tapped out of the AAC before UCONN (I don't' care what conference taps them), I'll be p1ssed.

You are 1000% correct. It would be better for UConn if it's conference completely sucked. That would really impress the ACC and Big 10.

 

[Dooley]

You are 1000% correct. It would be better for UConn if it's conference completely sucked. That would really impress the ACC and Big 10.

Guess what? UCONN's conference already sucks. But if a UCF win tonight means that UCONN beating them in 2014 will look all the more impressive, then go Knights. Because we all know that conference mates always work together in the best interest of the conference as a whole and backstabbing/back-channel politicking NEVER happens.

 

[ZooCougar]

You are 1000% correct. It would be better for UConn if it's conference completely sucked. That would really impress the ACC and Big 10.

That's one theory.

 

[sportsart]

I think this sums up what Zoo and I are trying to say. WVU and UL won their BCS games but did it help the Big East/AAC? Not one bit. It got them tickets out of this hell though and that's what I'd be afraid of happening should UCF become some sort of instant football darling. And if UCF gets tapped out of the AAC before UCONN (I don't' care what conference taps them), I'll be p1ssed.

My exact point is winning may get us a ticket out. UCF wins consistently and we beat them consistently it's good for us. Root for the conference, root for the teams...whatever you want to call it. Our strength of schedule means something.

I'm not talking about one game. If UCF wins tonight it's not getting them a ticket out. They win tonight and win their OOC games in the coming years and they win the AAC for a couple of years...then maybe. We need them to win all their games except when we play them.

 

[UConnDan97]

Being the King of a good conference = promising future
Being the King of a crappy conference = nobody cares
Being the court jester of a good conference = nobody cares
Being the court jester of a crappy conference = nobody cares

There is only one scenario where people across the nation will give a about UConn football, and it involves our conference doing well and us becoming the king of it. If people don't see how both elements HAVE TO BE THERE for the equation to work, then I don't know what else to say...

 

[ZooCougar]

Being the King of a good conference = promising future
Being the King of a crappy conference = nobody cares
Being the court jester of a good conference = nobody cares
Being the court jester of a crappy conference = nobody cares

There is only one scenario where people across the nation will give a about UConn football, and it involves our conference doing well and us becoming the king of it. If people don't see how both elements HAVE TO BE THERE for the equation to work, then I don't know what else to say...

Well, the AAC will never be considered a good conference. So I guess we should just worry about UConn.

 

[JaYnYcE]

Well, the AAC will never be considered a good conference. So I guess we should just worry about UConn.

Stop making sense.

 

[UConnDan97]

Well, the AAC will never be considered a good conference. So I guess we should just worry about UConn.

They will if they always win big bowl games against the top teams from the "P5". You and I both know that. Or at least I know that, and you SHOULD know that.

For all the crap that the Big East caught, we were always compared to the ACC and NEVER to the Mountain West or C-USA. To the point where I got to watch idiots like Adelson and Dinich faux-battle on ESPN blogs about which conference was better. That's the goal yet again; to distance ourselves from the have-nots and get back into the conversation with the haves. I can't be clearer than that, and if you don't agree, that's fine. It would be wrong, but it would be fine. Bortles for the touchdown...

 

[CAHUSKY]

Well, the AAC will never be considered a good conference. So I guess we should just worry about UConn.

Unless they consistently win big games. God damn you're negative

 

[huskymedic]

Bortles can play and O'Leary can coach...