Public Perception of the UConn Program

[amory]

Parrish has always been a UConn hater. Nothing new.

 

[tcf15]

Parrish has always been a UConn hater. Nothing new.

The colleagues he refers to: Matt Norlander, Sam Vecenie and Chip Patterson.

 

[HuskyBballFan]

Parrish has always been a UConn hater. Nothing new.

Parrish said on twitter that he had UConn on his list but was outvoted by the other two. So your beef is with Norlander and Vecenie.

It says that their three criteria for this list were coaching stability, young players already in the program, and recruiting. So I have to think that their justification for excluding UConn is that they don't think Ollie sticks around for five years. Otherwise, I don't see how Jalen Adams, Terry Larrier, and a top 5 recruiting class isn't good enough.

 

[aceboon]

If you've read anything from Norlander in the past about UConn then its pretty easy to put it on him.

 

[HuskyCLT]

Parrish said on twitter that he had UConn on his list but was outvoted by the other two. So your beef is with Norlander and Vecenie.

It says that their three criteria for this list were coaching stability, young players already in the program, and recruiting. So I have to think that their justification for excluding UConn is that they don't think Ollie sticks around for five years. Otherwise, I don't see how Jalen Adams, Terry Larrier, and a top 5 recruiting class isn't good enough.

That HAS to be the only justification. Ollie signed a contract extension and said he's going to stay here. Anything else is just BS speculation. I guarantee that a year ago they would have had VCU on this list because Shaka kept saying he was going to stay the coach there and build the program - he signed a big long term contract. Then he left for Texas. So you're telling me that Gregg Marshall is definitely staying at Wichita too because he signed a long-term contract? We'll see what happens when a job better than Alabama comes calling for him. Those "colleagues" are absolute idiots.

 

[HooperScooper]

FWIW ESPN did something similar 2 years ago about the next 3 seasons and UConn wasn't in the top 25. They won the NC the first year of the 3 year period. Then had a down season last year. We'll see what happens this season.

For UConn to get more respect on these type of things they need to get back to dominating during the regular season and the post season. In the 1990s and 2000s UConn was a dominant program before the NCAA Tournament also. I think that helps with the perception. But I will agree that winning national championships is the ultimate goal.

From September 2013:
http://insider.espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/9710359/college-basketball-future-power-rankings-teams-most-likely-succeed-next-three-seasons#comments

1. Duke
2. Kentucky
3. Kansas
4. Louisville
5. Florida
6. Michigan State
7. Arizona
8. Syracuse
9. North Carolina
10. Ohio State
11. Michigan
12. Gonzaga
13. Indiana
14. Wisconsin
15. Georgetown
16. VCU
17. Oregon
18. Maryland
19. Marquette
20. Notre Dame
21. Memphis
22. Wichita State
23. UCLA
24. Virginia
25. Iowa State

 

[MexicoHusky]

I can't speak for ESPN and other media outlets, but the people seem to recognize us. In the last month I've met a couple of good college basketball fans. One was a Duke fan the other was a Iowa fan. The Iowa fan seemed almost gitty when I told him I was a UCONN grad/fan. He was very impressed by our last couple NCs. The Duke fan had a similar reaction, but less gitty. He definitely had respect for our program. The Duke fan said we always have tougher guards then pansy Duke...I added the pansy part. When he said we had tougher guards I really wanted to tell him we had a tougher program. But he was a nice guy so I bit my tongue.

 

[HooperScooper]

More food for thought. Back in May 2007 ESPN had an article ranking the top 10 programs of the past 10 years. UConn was tied for 2nd with Michigan State behind Duke who was 1. Back then UConn had 2 National Championships in that 10 year period. But they also had 5 BE championships and 4 conference titles during that time frame and some dominating years. And they played in arguably the best basketball conference. UConn hasn't been dominant in the regular season since 2009 and they're now in the AAC. National Championships are the ultimate goal but for better or for worse they're missing these things now so that people kind of forget how good the program has been.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2862455

First up: ESPN.com's Top 10 programs of the last 10 years.

1. Duke (2 first-place votes)


Love them or hate them, you can't quibble with the Blue Devils' performance during a 10-year run. With one national championship, three Final Fours, 28 NCAA Tournament wins, six ACC titles (five solo), seven ACC tournament titles (including five in a row) and an average RPI of 4.3 over that time period (almost six RPI places better than Kansas, which is second on that list), Duke's accomplishments, in arguably the nation's toughest conference, are unmatched by any other program. The Blue Devils have had a bunch of terrific college players over the past decade, and when you throw in pro stars such as Elton Brand and Carlos Boozer along with solid contributors like Shane Battier and Corey Maggette, the program even is shedding the "talent doesn't translate to the next level" label. It's fair to note that Duke has underperformed its NCAA Tournament seeds fairly significantly since its last national title in 2001, but it's also fair to mention that when you're a No. 1 seed almost every year (eight times in the last decade), it's hard to do anything but underperform in knockout-style events.


T2. Michigan State (1)


The sleeper team of the top 10, the Spartans don't have the blue-blooded reputation of a Kentucky or a Kansas, but they have a decade's worth of performance that would flatter either of those schools. The Spartans made three straight Final Fours from 1999 to 2001, winning the title in 2000. The Spartans returned to the Final Four in 2005, losing to North Carolina. In the past 10 seasons, they have four Big Ten titles, two Big Ten tournament titles and 24 NCAA Tournament wins (third-best over the past decade) -- but did so with an average seed of 5.10 (well behind Duke's average seed of 1.7). One significant drawback: The Spartans have not won either the Big Ten regular-season title or conference tournament title since 2001. MSU has generated some very solid pros, headlined by Jason Richardson, Zach Randolph and Morris Peterson.


T2. UConn (1)


The Huskies have been one of the nation's bellwether programs over the past 10 years and one of two programs (along with Florida) with more than one NCAA championship in that time. UConn won it all in both 1999 and 2004, cashing in both times it made the Final Four in that span. UConn also has notched 25 NCAA Tournament wins, five Big East championships and four conference tournament titles. Also, perhaps more than any other program in this list, UConn has generated a large number of extremely good NBA players, including Emeka Okafor, Ben Gordon, Caron Butler, Richard Hamilton and Charlie Villanueva.


4. Florida (1)


My, how two seasons can change perceptions. In February 2006, Florida was a successful program that had gathered momentum in the SEC but was best known for repeatedly getting knocked out early in the NCAAs. Florida suffered first-round NCAA upsets in 2002 and '04 and needed a buzzer beater to escape Butler in overtime in 2000, when the Gators ultimately made it to the national championship game. Since last February, the Gators have ripped off 18 straight tournament wins (SEC and NCAA) and became the first school to win back-to-back national titles since Duke in 1991 and '92. When you look at the composite -- two national championships, three Final Fours, 22 NCAA Tournament wins -- it stacks right up there with the ultraheavyweights of the college game, but it's clear that much of that bulk came in the last two seasons. Florida's top talent at the pro level -- David Lee, Mike Miller, Udonis Haslem and Jason Williams -- isn't as impressive as that of some of its peers, but that should change down the road with three potential lottery picks (Al Horford, Joakim Noah and Corey Brewer) this year.


T5. Kansas


The pessimist will mention the lack of a national championship in the past 10 seasons (actually, make that 19). The optimist will point out that the Jayhawks have an overall profile worthy of this spot, despite being one of only two programs on this list without a national title in that span. The Jayhawks have won at least a share of six Big 12 titles and have four conference tournament crowns. They also have the second-best RPI in the nation (10.20) over that time frame, along with 20 NCAA Tournament wins (despite back-to-back first-round losses in 2005 and '06) and two Final Four appearances. Looking to the NBA for additional affirmation, KU has produced Paul Pierce, Kirk Hinrich, Drew Gooden and Raef LaFrentz.


T5. North Carolina


With the Roy Williams connection, funny that these two programs ended up deadlocked in our poll. Much to the consternation of Jayhawk Nation, Williams did in Chapel Hill what he couldn't do in Lawrence -- guide his team to the national title, winning it all in 2005 with a loaded club that produced four NBA lottery picks. In the past 10 years, Carolina has compiled 20 NCAA Tournament wins, three Final Four appearances and the one national title. UNC's contribution to the NBA ranks has been top-shelf as well, with Vince Carter and Antawn Jamison being joined by the 2005 class headlined by Marvin Williams, Sean May and Raymond Felton.


7. Kentucky


Heresy? Yes, Kentucky has the 1998 national title in its account for this drill, one that wrapped up one of the most dominant three-year runs in modern NCAA basketball history, but in the nine seasons that followed, the Wildcats' 17 NCAA wins have not earned them even one return trip to the Final Four. Of course, you can't discount the five SEC titles and five conference tournament championships in this stretch, either. The lack of standout NBA players may be evidence of the biggest knock on former coach Tubby Smith -- recruiting that saw a decline in the amount of blue-chip talent coming to Lexington. The best of the bunch probably is Tayshaun Prince.


8. Arizona


Here's the other program in the top 10 without a national title in the last decade, although the Wildcats did win it all in 1997. Zona also has underachieved a bit in the NCAAs, turning three No. 1 seeds into only one Final Four appearance. Still, the Cats have long been one of the nation's elite programs. In the past 10 years, they have 18 NCAA wins, four league titles (surprisingly, though, so does Stanford) and won the Pac-10's first conference tournament in 12 seasons in 2002. Looking for some stars at the pro level? Try Gilbert Arenas, Andre Iguodala, Richard Jefferson and Jason Terry, for starters.


9. Maryland


Maryland has operated rather successfully in the very long shadows of Duke and North Carolina in the ACC. The Terps have a league championship, a conference tournament championship, two Final Four appearances and the national championship in 2002. The Terps actually have had a better average RPI than Carolina over the past 10 years (helped a good amount by the Heels' 8-20 disaster in 2002), and also have only one fewer NCAA Tournament wins (20 for UNC, 19 for Maryland) over that span. When it comes to talent for the NBA, Steve Francis is by far the best of a so-so bunch.


10. Syracuse


The Carmelo-fueled 2003 national title helps a lot, as the rest of the past decade has netted only seven additional NCAA Tournament wins. The Orange also have won shares of two regular-season Big East titles and claimed back-to-back conference tournament titles in 2005 and '06. Take away the national title (say, the Orange lost in that Final Four) and they probably are behind such schools as Illinois, Texas and Stanford. Just shows how much winning championships is valued in our basketball world. Hakim Warrick probably is next in line after Anthony on the NBA level.

Others receiving votes: Texas, Gonzaga

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

Personally I like how the public doubts us. Let's keep it that way. And continue to win titles. It's all the more satisfying.
But after 2014, UConn certainly had to prove itself because it lost arguably 3 of its best players (Bazz, Daniels, Giffey).
And now we have to prove ourself after an abysmal 14-15 NIT campaign. Many sites have UConn in their preseason top 25. That's more than fair.

 

[Pudge]

If you really want to impress me, go ahead and tell me that Mark Gottfried is the future. You might also mention Jim Crews or Dan Dakich.

Let is be proclaimed to all reading this here: Sam Vecenie was an intern for some media company 18 months ago. We are not dealing with longterm respected deeply knowledgeable panel of CBB genius.

 

[Palatine]

Don't discount the Connecticut media's role in tearing us down especially guys like Jeff Jacobs. All the excellence he has witnessed and all he can do is slam Calhoun and the program. They have held back praise and jumped on every negative, it has had some effect.

Read the Kentucky press. Look how they treat their basketball team. This are cues for the less informed to follow.

 

[Waquoit]

I was at a wine tasting room in Napa in Fall 2013. And the couple next to us was moaning that their CFB team was the worst in the country. I asked who and they said Cal. I said I'm a UConn fan and I"m sure you could beat us. And I added, but our basketball team will be good this year. The woman says, "But you always are." That's what people think of UConn.

 

[sdhusky]

Don't discount the Connecticut media's role in tearing us down especially guys like Jeff Jacobs. All the excellence he has witnessed and all he can do is slam Calhoun and the program. They have held back praise and jumped on every negative, it has had some effect.

Read the Kentucky press. Look how they treat their basketball team. This are cues for the less informed to follow.

Yes. Its jeff jacobs...

 

[uconn_jack]

I was at a wine tasting room in Napa in Fall 2013. And the couple next to us was moaning that their CFB team was the worst in the country. I asked who and they said Cal. I said I'm a UConn fan and I"m sure you could beat us. And I added, but our basketball team will be good this year. The woman says, "But you always are." That's what people think of UConn.

I would be curious if you polled causal sports fans and asked them who are the best CBB programs, where UConn would fall. Duke and Kentucky would probably come back 1 and 2 of course, but I'd bet UConn is top 5. Yeah, dominating regular season and conference tournaments carries weight, at least among serious CBB fans and sports writers who follow everything, but the casual sports fan remembers the NC's. Between the men's and women's programs, I think most average sports fans know UCONN is synanamous with CBB sucess.

 

[sammydabiz]

The two recent national championships have kept us in the running with the elites of the elites....

But real talk, (outside of the incredible Kemba-led run in 2011) our last Confernce Tourney Championship was 2004?!? And to top it off, our last Conference Regular Season Championship was 2006!?!

Just saying we can't get too "uppity", we still have some room to grow, but the future looks mighty bright indeed

 

[Tenspro2002]

The two recent national championships have kept us in the running with the elites of the elites....

But real talk, (outside of the incredible Kemba-led run in 2011) our last Confernce Tourney Championship was 2004?!? And to top it off, our last Conference Regular Season Championship was 2006!?!

Just saying we can't get too "uppity", we still have some room to grow, but the future looks mighty bright indeed

Well, it's not like our 2011 BET Championship doesn't count.

But it's true that we've been, overall, a mediocre regular season team 6 years running. That does need to change. Recent history aside, in the future we have a better chance of winning championships coming off dominant regular seasons than off of so-so ones.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

My general sense is that the public perception of UConn is much, much better than the Boneyard's perception.

All this stuff about "we loving being the scrappy underdog" is irreconcilable with the general public's view of UConn as a powerhouse program. I know people who do not give a ____ about college basketball and they know that UConn is an elite program.

 

[Chief00]

Who cares? Just win.

 

[Fishy]

My sense is that the general public can suck UConn's left nut.

 

[MexicoHusky]

I actually think UCONN should be pushing the UCONN vs the P5 angle. I think it would sell. Little school from the middle of nowhere. Left for dead by the P5. I love it. I'm not exactly sure how we do it, but I know it would partly rely on success in the NCAA tournament.

 

[MexicoHusky]

I'm not sure if I articulated myself very well. This is sorta what I was thinking.

 

[Hoophound]

I actually think UCONN should be pushing the UCONN vs the P5 angle. I think it would sell. Little school from the middle of nowhere. Left for dead by the P5. I love it. I'm not exactly sure how we do it, but I know it would partly rely on success in the NCAA tournament.

"Little school from the middle of nowhere" is the ESPN angle on us, but usually it is shown in negative light. Anyone that has left the Northeast knows that being an hour from Boston, 2.5 hours from NYC and 20 minutes from the Greater Hartford megalopolis only qualifies as the middle of nowhere in the minds of people that want UConn to go away and stop taking their cheese. UConn is in an incredible location and the fact that so many people and so much media are an easy drive away is a huge advantage. You wait, when we join the B1G or ACC, suddenly UCONN will be ground zero for tons of network activity. Winning teams and an easy, inexpensive trip from New York and Bristol.

 

[uconndoit]

I met my SO's family recently. When I told her father that I'm a UConn fan/alumnus he grimaced and said he doesn't like UConn but then immediately admitted that it's probably because "they win too much".

 

[Inyatkin]

We're a little school in the middle of nowhere, except that we're a good-sized school in the middle of the country's most densely populated region.

 

[MexicoHusky]

We're a little school in the middle of nowhere, except that we're a good-sized school in the middle of the country's most densely populated region.

for sure, but i still don't mind the narrative. I also don't see this narrative as some kind of slam by espn. Of all the lousy things espn does their depiction of uconn as the little guy bothers me the least