UCONN needs to go somewhere besides the sinking ship that is the Big East and fast. Sorry, but UCONN WBB already forced an entire conference to get better. In the era of the super conference, I don't even think one of the top two WCBB programs of all time can pull that off. UCONN, if it doesn't get out fast is going to have some major $$$ problems within it's athletic department, IMO. My first choice all along has been going to the ACC, but I think the Big 10 should be looked at as well. I know we are a WCBB board, but we are a big fish in a small pond that pours into a VERY LARGE lake. If UCONN doesn't get to a major power confernce, I fear in 10 years, UCONN could very well be fighting an uphill battle and nothing will ever be like it is now.
ND to ACC
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That would be nice if true. I figured they'd want another non-FB so they'd have an even number of schools for BB, etc.
EricLA
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I get that the BE looks like a bunch of morons, but what were they supposed to do? Teams have been jumping ship left and right. In hindsight, they should have said "screw the hoops schools. let's make the FB league stronger". but the Football schools apparently didn't push hard enough, or lacked the clout. The best case scenario would be for Maryland to get poached away from the ACC and have them need 2 schools. PSU never leaves the Big 10 (at least i don't think they do) so UCONN and RU to the ACC. L'ville to the Big 12 and the Big East renames their conference the Big Least.
UcMiami
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Just a comment on Big East commish current and previous - hard to blame them in the universe they occupy. The Big East in the modern CFB world of huge money TV contracts has been stuck in the unwieldy situation of having too many non-football schools with wildly different agendas to the football schools. Commissioners are only as strong as the individual members of their conferences allow them to be and the BE is so ununified as to be ungovernable. This conference was assembled for MCBB and as such (and for WCBB) it has been very successful, but this brave new world of the almighty football has doomed it.
I have no idea what the solution is but I cannot see 'BCS' football surviving in whatever patchwork conference it becomes. It has already become so geographically spread that it just doesn't make much sense. Revenue is going to go down and travel expenses will skyrocket. And any D1 football program is one phone call from another conference away from jumping ship.
Personally - I am a little surprised by the ACC move - seems they are buying a bunch of headaches for not a whole lot of gain. ND hasn't been a very good member of the BE and I doubt they will prove to be a great partner of the ACC schools either.
I have no idea what the solution is but I cannot see 'BCS' football surviving in whatever patchwork conference it becomes. It has already become so geographically spread that it just doesn't make much sense. Revenue is going to go down and travel expenses will skyrocket. And any D1 football program is one phone call from another conference away from jumping ship.
Personally - I am a little surprised by the ACC move - seems they are buying a bunch of headaches for not a whole lot of gain. ND hasn't been a very good member of the BE and I doubt they will prove to be a great partner of the ACC schools either.
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Uconn would jump into the ACC...but they still need an invite.
To the SEC so the Orange team won't be able to run and hide from the mighty Huskies any longer!
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I agree.
Although the fact that football could probably go 4-4 in the ACC vs 1-7 in the Bg10 might be tempting....
I know and if I was the UCONN president I would be calling every ACC commissioner until I got one. HA
If your one and only criteria being to join the conference then ND hasn't been a good member. The catch is that ND never said or eluded to them becoming a member. The BE may have thought that would or could eventually happen, but it wasn't a term of the contract. ND was simply treated as the other 1/2 dozen non-football schools. They've done exactly as they've said they would do from the beginning. It was the BE that wanted to change the deal and/or expected more than ND ever said they would give. When that deal was made the BCS picture was much different. As far as fulfilling what they intended to do as olympic sport members of the BE ND has more than fulfilled expectations and has added to the BE. ND will fulfill it's agreement with the ACC of 5 games. If ND was as bad of a member as you suggests it's odd that they've had offers from nearly all conferences and would have been selected before any of the other recent defections if the conferences had their choice.
alexrgct
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Herbst has actively courted the ACC and will continue to do so, I am sure. The other option is trying to sell the B1G on the concept of the Rutgers/UConn combo carrying enough of NYC to make it a strong get in tandem. Strictly from a BB perspective, both men's and women's, I would love to see UConn in the ACC, however.
alexrgct
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Even worse than the BEast's deal if what's being reported about the bowl situation is true.
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Notre Dame has essentially been a freeloader during its association
with the BE. Now it gets to go and freeload in the ACC (although
to a lesser degree since the ACC did get them to commit to 5 ACC
games). Although, geographically, ND is a natural fit for the B1G,
I'm guessing that the B1G wouldn't allow them to freeload. All in or
nothing.
Now people are yelling for UConn to join one of the stronger
conferences as if UConn had that option. Look at it from a football
perspective (which is the only perspective that counts). UConn has
a decent but mediocre football program. How is that attractive to
one of the stronger conferences? Which of the stronger conferences
needs UConn?
I think those who characterize the ND move as a disaster for the BE
are a little over the top. They were never part of BE football and their
loss to men's hoops will be inconsequential.
with the BE. Now it gets to go and freeload in the ACC (although
to a lesser degree since the ACC did get them to commit to 5 ACC
games). Although, geographically, ND is a natural fit for the B1G,
I'm guessing that the B1G wouldn't allow them to freeload. All in or
nothing.
Now people are yelling for UConn to join one of the stronger
conferences as if UConn had that option. Look at it from a football
perspective (which is the only perspective that counts). UConn has
a decent but mediocre football program. How is that attractive to
one of the stronger conferences? Which of the stronger conferences
needs UConn?
I think those who characterize the ND move as a disaster for the BE
are a little over the top. They were never part of BE football and their
loss to men's hoops will be inconsequential.
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I hate ND. Always have, always will. Their arrogance and elitism - wanting to call the shots - just annoys me. They played the same fricken game BC did. Told a great story about how they wanted to make the Big East stronger, all the while working behind the scenes to leave as soon as possible. The BE conference, in their infinite wisdom, even put ND in charge of figuring out how to enhance the football landscape of the BE after Syracuse, Pitt and WVU bolted. Say what? The only non-football member helping determine the football future of the conference? ND comes out with EVERYTHING they wanted. Keep their football independence, getting a tie in to BCS ACC bowls without actually being in the ACC football conference, keeping their tv contract too, I'm sure.
I always figured that no conference would allow ND to join without also joining as a full fledged football member. Clearly, I was wrong. Swofford has raped the BE mercilessly.
On top of that, the exit fee for ACC teams is now a whopping $50 million. Do you really think Clemson, FSU or any other ACC teams is going to pony up to the plate for that amount of money to leave the conference now? They would have to have a really significant financial gain to do so. Ironically, this may help UConn and Rutgers eventually land in one of the bigger football conferences, just not the ACC.
In my opinion, there is not a chance UConn goes to the ACC. None. The football program isn't strong enough. Besides, with ND out as a full fledged football member, adding a 16th would mean an uneven split in football divisions. If they add any schools, it will be a non-football school. If I had to bet, I would say Georgetown for it's academic reputation.
UConn better hope for an invite to the B1G, or maybe the Big 12, but I don't see the Big 12 as a realistic option. One of the negatives for UConn getting an invite to the B1G is it is not a member of the AAU. But, an invite to one of the other "big boy" conferences is the only way the non-football sports stay relevant, and the football program has an in to go to the big-boy BCS bowls - assuming the program can rise above mediocrity.
Personally, at the very least I would love to see the Big East football schools part ways with the non-football schools. The conference is way too big in its current configuration. It will never happen...the Big East commissioners past and present have shown very little initiative to make a proactive move. Always in reactive mode. I suspect Louisville will depart in due course, which will leave UConn and Rutgers out in the cold.
I hope Herbst and Warde Manuel are working those phones hard! Loyalty, smoyalty. It is every program for themselves at this point. If UConn isn't willing to push hard to get out of this tattered mishmash of a conference, they should be ashamed of themselves!
I always figured that no conference would allow ND to join without also joining as a full fledged football member. Clearly, I was wrong. Swofford has raped the BE mercilessly.
On top of that, the exit fee for ACC teams is now a whopping $50 million. Do you really think Clemson, FSU or any other ACC teams is going to pony up to the plate for that amount of money to leave the conference now? They would have to have a really significant financial gain to do so. Ironically, this may help UConn and Rutgers eventually land in one of the bigger football conferences, just not the ACC.
In my opinion, there is not a chance UConn goes to the ACC. None. The football program isn't strong enough. Besides, with ND out as a full fledged football member, adding a 16th would mean an uneven split in football divisions. If they add any schools, it will be a non-football school. If I had to bet, I would say Georgetown for it's academic reputation.
UConn better hope for an invite to the B1G, or maybe the Big 12, but I don't see the Big 12 as a realistic option. One of the negatives for UConn getting an invite to the B1G is it is not a member of the AAU. But, an invite to one of the other "big boy" conferences is the only way the non-football sports stay relevant, and the football program has an in to go to the big-boy BCS bowls - assuming the program can rise above mediocrity.
Personally, at the very least I would love to see the Big East football schools part ways with the non-football schools. The conference is way too big in its current configuration. It will never happen...the Big East commissioners past and present have shown very little initiative to make a proactive move. Always in reactive mode. I suspect Louisville will depart in due course, which will leave UConn and Rutgers out in the cold.
I hope Herbst and Warde Manuel are working those phones hard! Loyalty, smoyalty. It is every program for themselves at this point. If UConn isn't willing to push hard to get out of this tattered mishmash of a conference, they should be ashamed of themselves!
Question out of curiosity. If UConn could go to the ACC as a non-football playing member just like Notre Dame would you want UConn to do that? Say UConn could leave their football program in the Big East as Notre Dame leaving does not effect Big East football. They would be just like new Big East football only member Boise State.
To me that appears to be the potential option most readily available. Adding Notre Dame does not add uneven number of football teams so there isn't really a mandate for the ACC to add another school, but if they could add UConn to balance all the non-football sports along with the Notre Dame addition that might be immediately attractive given what it does for both men's and women's basketball.
While not ideal I think I see that as the current best potential solution for UConn.
To me that appears to be the potential option most readily available. Adding Notre Dame does not add uneven number of football teams so there isn't really a mandate for the ACC to add another school, but if they could add UConn to balance all the non-football sports along with the Notre Dame addition that might be immediately attractive given what it does for both men's and women's basketball.
While not ideal I think I see that as the current best potential solution for UConn.
If you don't think UConn's football program is strong enough to get in the ACC then there is no way UConn gets into the B1G or the Big 12 or the other 2 power conferences. The ACC is UConn's only realistic option.
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Now that is an option I could live with.
CamrnCrz1974
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Problem is, they were never proactive and had FOUR separate occasions where they lost schools to other conferences. The first one was the VaTech/Miami/BC exodus. The second was Pitt and Syracuse leaving. The third was West Virginia leaving and TCU not showing up. The fourth is Notre Dame leaving.
At some point, the "what were they supposed to do" question is wholly irrelevant because it is obvious they did not do anything or learn from their mistakes. The other conferences were the agressors, while the Big East was repeatedly reactionary.
Coler
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arty155
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- Its fun, worrying about sports, instead of real problems. Wasn’t it just a few months ago we heard complaining we play ND four times a year? Congrats – problem solved.
- Sports. Change is inevitable. Unless you are among the very few influencing the action, why not enjoy the ride? (Oops,... almost forgot that first sentence
).
- Yes, I agree with FC - its definitly a good quote. I suspect UConn will likely continue its WCBB rivalry with ND each regular season for years to come, and national television revenue will make it very worth their while. If they continue to be strong in the NCAA tourneys, we’ll see them play twice (and if they are not that strong, we will not miss them).
- Sports. Change is inevitable. Unless you are among the very few influencing the action, why not enjoy the ride? (Oops,... almost forgot that first sentence
).
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I hope the AD has enough guts to tell them never again.Just saw this. Boy did the big XII screw the pooch here. They could have had this exact same arrangement six months ago.
And there goes what was budding into the best rivalry in WBB. Maybe we can still get an annual game. And UConn does own ACC opponents.
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