UConn President Says No Plans To Lobby Big 12

[whaler11]

If only Herbst would do some sloppy begging in the press, it'd be a huge boost to our Big 12 chances.

Here ya go folks. There is nothing between 'it is what it is' and 'sloppy begging'.

Just throw your hands up say it's on the Big 12 and then point at a map
if anyone questions why UMass is on the conference schedule next year.

 

[sportsart]

Clearly it's not her fault that we are located in the Northeast and it's a Midwestern league looking to expand. But the ACC has a few teams in the Northeast and didn't choose us. The Big Ten has a school two hours away and isn't coming for us either. Our geography is hindering us now because we are outside the league's footprint. And apparently it was hindering us at least twice previously because we were inside the league's footprint. Personally I'm just getting annoyed that no matter what the criteria appears to be, we keep falling on the wrong side of it.

2011: ACC wants the Northeast and academics. We fit the mold. BC doesn't like us and rounds up others to block us.

2012: Big Ten wants cable boxes. We have some. Rutgers has more. I can live with this.

2012: Academics, which had been very important the last time no longer matter. Geography, still a concern, is less a concern. The ACC wants football. Though we are coming off a BCS appearance only twenty-two months earlier, Louisville is coming off one only ten months earlier. Our program sucks. Theirs is wonderful.

2016: Big 12 "wants eastern teams." Big 12 "wants academics." Big 12 "wants TV content that people in major metro areas will watch." We fit every category. Outcome? TBD.

Overall I have been very pro-Suzie and I still am. But at some point she needs to correctly identify what the other leagues want and make sure they know we deliver it.

And I'm not making this point directly at you. I am just ranting.

Jeff Hathaway

 

[MattMang23]

I'd say 60% Southwest, 30% Midwest and 10% West Virginia.

Lol on WV. I always considered Texas and Oklahoma the southern Midwest. Always considered Arizona, New Mexico, far west Texas (so TTU, sure. The other three Texas schools are either in the MetroPlex or not far [comparatively] south of it), southern Nevada, southern Utah the southwest.

I guess it's all up for interpretation.

 

[Fishy]

Despite the prevailing opinions here, the Big 12 isn't picking schools based on local newspaper articles.

But by all means, let the hissy fits continue...

 

[Stinger92860]

We may be doomed, but I can't wait to read pages 6+ in this thread.

 

[superjohn]

It would to the kinds of BOTs that want sports to have less power at their schools.

Sports are the reason people know about UCONN, without Calhoun and Auriemma we are UMass. Herbst knows this, she's said as much several times. I hope to god she's not the duplicitous charlatan you seem to be suggesting she is. My gut and what I've seen from her in the past tells me she's not.

 

[superjohn]

If only Herbst would do some sloppy begging in the press, it'd be a huge boost to our Big 12 chances.

Her comments were sloppy as hell.

 

[whaler11]

Despite the prevailing opinions here, the Big 12 isn't picking schools based on local newspaper articles.

But by all means, let the hissy fits continue...

I wonder if my first post said that?

Why don't you actually quote people
or is that not passive-aggressive enough for you.

Her quotes in that story are completely bush-league and tone deaf. Those that defend this kind of nonsense to the death may curry some of whatever favor they are looking for but provides for about zero credibility with everyone else.

 

[WestHartHusk]

Despite the prevailing opinions here, the Big 12 isn't picking schools based on local newspaper articles.

But by all means, let the hissy fits continue...

Is it really too much to ask that our football coach and President keep their feet out of theit mouths? They hate any positive buzz. A false news report that makes us look like a contender...squash it. What do we think about playing in the Midwest...it's too far. Why do we participate in sports...the fun of it. Enough already.

 

[MattMang23]

Jeff Hathaway

As much as we all can't stand him and he didn't put UConn in a good spot for realignment, he also didn't provide each conference with their parameters for selecting new members. He literally wasn't even employed by UConn for any of those conference moves- although he may very well have been in negotiations with the ACC in 2011 before announcing his "retirement" one month before Syracuse and Pitt announced they were leaving.

 

[whaler11]

Sports are the reason people know about UCONN, without Calhoun and Auriemma we are UMass. Herbst knows this, she's said as much several times. I hope to god she's not the duplicitous charlatan you seem to be suggesting she is. My gut and what I've seen from her in the past tells me she's not.

I don't know if she is or not - but the mounting evidence of her comments leads me to believe it is a possibility.

 

[Rumrunner]

If only Herbst would do some sloppy begging in the press, it'd be a huge boost to our Big 12 chances.

I prefer an image of Herbst sitting tight with her lips; it'd be a huge boost to her competency as the the communicator of an athletic department bleeding as much red ink as it is bleeding in the issue of public perception.

 

[superjohn]

Is it really too much to ask that our football coach and President keep their feet out of theit mouths? They hate any positive buzz. A false news report that makes us look like a contender...squash it. What do we think about playing in the Midwest...it's too far. Why do we participate in sports...the fun of it. Enough already.

It's beyond weird. We have so much going for us and we market ourselves like we are some cr@ppy community college.

 

[Fishy]

I wonder if my first post said that?

Why don't you actually quote people
or is that not passive-agressive enough for you.

Her quotes in that story are completely bush-league and tone deaf. Those that defend this kind of nonsense to the death may curry some of whatever favor they are looking for but provides for about zero credibility with everyone else.

I have no idea what your first post said - nor do I know what your second, third or tenth posts said.

 

[Dooley]

If President Herbst doesn't care about sports and is building up her resume for a "non-athletic" school, she will have a very hard time explaining the following in her next interview:

1. authorizing all of the money spent on hiring Mike Tranghese to lobby power conferences on our behalf;
2. marketing expenditures for "UConn 6th Borough";
3. hiring not 1, not 2, but 3 qualified Athletic Directors;
4. acquiring land (not money) in a stadium naming contract with the sole expectation that the stadium will require additional land to park additional cars carrying additional fans to said stadium;
5. proceeding with plans to upgrade baseball, soccer and hockey campus facilities, in addition to expanding the campus football training facility;
6. authorizing a move to partner with The Aspire Group to help handle an expected increase in volume of ticket sales in the coming year(s)

If President Herbst hates sports as much as this thread suggest, she sure has a very odd way of showing it.

 

[whaler11]

I have no idea what your first post said - nor do I know what your second, third or tenth posts said.

Too good to read the posts - but not too good to spend time taking passive aggressive shots at people who have the nerve to raise questions.

You should be part of Herbst's brain trust on this Big 12 deal: That perfect level of undeservered arrogance that leads to trying to figure out what went wrong while looking for someone to blame.

 

[MattMang23]

It's beyond weird. We have so much going for us and we market ourselves like we are some cr@ppy community college.

Hey it worked for Ville and may work for Memphis.

 

[whaler11]

If President Herbst doesn't care about sports and is building up her resume for a "non-athletic" school, she will have a very hard time explaining the following in her next interview:

1. authorizing all of the money spent on hiring Mike Tranghese to lobby power conferences on our behalf;
2. marketing expenditures for "UConn 6th Borough";
3. hiring not 1, not 2, but 3 qualified Athletic Directors;
4. acquiring land (not money) in a stadium naming contract with the sole expectation that the stadium will require additional land to park additional cars carrying additional fans to said stadium;
5. proceeding with plans to upgrade baseball, soccer and hockey campus facilities, in addition to expanding the campus football training facility;
6. authorizing a move to partner with The Aspire Group to help handle an expected increase in volume of ticket sales in the coming year(s)

If President Herbst hates sports as much as this thread suggest, she sure has a very odd way of showing it.

While true if she has a real interest in our conference or what the fans of the program think she has an odd way of communicating that.

 

[BlueandOG]

Despite the prevailing opinions here, the Big 12 isn't picking schools based on local newspaper articles.

But by all means, let the hissy fits continue...

Entry into the Big 12 is not a vote of the masses. Popular perception is not relevant. What is relevant is $ and exposure. The reasons why UConn will be a good add are many and strong. I suspect we will be invited because of our tv market, athletic department budget, flagship state university status (state $), median household income, proximity to NYC and Boston, and willingness to play some football games in NJ. Plus, we have many national championships in hoops and other sports, are a public ivy, and have major investments in facilities and programs.

In sum, the President is right. They know what we offer. Take us or not. We will be in a P5 soon.

 

[whaler11]

Sportsart has pre-blamed geography and Jeff Hathaway in this thread - so at least they are staying on message.

 

[Dooley]

While true if she has a real interest in our conference or what the fans of the program think she has an odd way of communicating that.

And how do we know that UConn isn't in some sort of lockdown silence period with a P5 conference?

Even if we are not a Silence Period, what is the best way to build a trusted relationship amongst highly paranoid and super secretive university Presidents? Blabbing in the press every other day over who we have talked with or tweeting about what Austin restaurant is her favorite...OR...protecting the integrity and trust of private conversations amongst said Presidents by keeping them private?

 

[Fishy]

Too good to read the posts - but not too good to spend time taking passive aggressive shots at people who have the nerve to raise questions.

You should be part of Herbst's brain trust on this Big 12 deal: That perfect level of undeservered arrogance that leads to trying to figure out what went wrong while looking for someone to blame.

You're precious. Do you need responses specifically targeted to you or can I just target topics more generally?

Let me know what suits your needs best.

Again, the Big 12 isn't picking schools based on local news articles and if you don't think that she has to manage expectations in what is likely a futile effort, I don't know what to tell you. But I quoted you, so enjoy.

 

[whaler11]

And how do we know that UConn isn't in some sort of lockdown silence period with a P5 conference?

Even if we are not a Silence Period, what is the best way to build a trusted relationship amongst highly paranoid and super secretive university Presidents? Blabbing in the press every other day over who we have talked with or tweeting about what Austin restaurant is her favorite...OR...protecting the integrity and trust of private conversations amongst said Presidents by keeping them private?

Seriously? UConn has been in a cone of silence for 5 years? If this were the case wouldn't you just say no comment.

The no evidence is evidence card has been played for years here and never once was no evidence actually evidence.

 

[superjohn]

Hey it worked for Ville and may work for Memphis.

That's not what I remember. Despite not having as much to offer as UConn I saw Louisville publicly lobbying and pointing out whatever strengths they have. Memphis having a lot less to offer than Louisville and way less to offer than UConn, currently seems to be publicly lobbying and highlighting any possible things they have going for them. UConn's public perception is so much weaker than the realities of what we offer, this has to be blamed on leadership.

 

[MattMang23]

That's not what I remember. Despite not having as much to offer as UConn I saw Louisville publicly lobbying and pointing out whatever strengths they have. Memphis having a lot less to offer than Louisville and way less to offer than UConn, currently seems to be publicly lobbying and highlighting any possible things they have going for them. UConn's public perception is so much weaker than the realities of what we offer, this has to be blamed on leadership.

I agree. Just joking that Ville got in to a P5 despite being a CC. They just ignored academics when making their pitch.