What the BYU home and home says about realignment (bad news)

[RMoore1999]

That is only "bad" news if you thought UConn knew for a fact it would be safe for the 2015 football season. It has been made perfectly clear by people with information that UConn does not have that knowledge. Unfortunately, some here continue to speculate that we might.

I missed this. Who with information has made it perfectly clear that UConn does not have knowledge of safety by 2015? Not saying we are, just asking.

 

[DSquiz]

I love how we're trying to turn a positive OOC game into some sort of negative. Haven't we all been saying that the only way to help us stay relevant is to play relevant OOC games?? Isn't this Home and Home one of those examples? Plus, we don't need to do a 2 for 1 or play our "home" game at the Meadowlands or Foxboro. Let's actually be happy here. The reality is CR isn't over and all this game does is show that were trying to give our FB chance to win big games and help us elevate into a new conference!

Thank you! It's so hard being an optimist on this board. Everyone wants to turn every good thing into a "sign" for why we are screwed.

Just take the good! Also can't wait to visit Utah in 2014!

 

[Fishy]

If you visit Utah in 2014, you'll miss the game.

I don't think the game has anything to reveal about expansion - it's a good game that I think has some television appeal. If something changes conference-wise, adjustments can be made and cash can change hands.

We're going to go out to Provo if for nothing other reason than I want to see some of you try to tailgate with just juice and soda.

 

[DSquiz]

Make it 2015. Takes me a while to remember its 2013 already. Time flys!

Also are you really not allowed alcohol while tailgating at BYU? I know Mormons don't drink but didn't think they had restrictions about others.

 

[huskymedic]

If you visit Utah in 2014, you'll miss the game.

I don't think the game has anything to reveal about expansion - it's a good game that I think has some television appeal. If something changes conference-wise, adjustments can be made and cash can change hands.

We're going to go out to Provo if for nothing other reason than I want to see some of you try to tailgate with just juice and soda.

We're good!!

 

[junglehusky]

I missed this. Who with information has made it perfectly clear that UConn does not have knowledge of safety by 2015? Not saying we are, just asking.

Why would Herbst be pumping the FBLFKATBE (football league formerly known as the Big east) and pissing off the BY armchair AD's every other month if she knew we were going to be in the B1G or ACC in 2 years? If anything her pro-Tulane quotes indicate exactly that we don't have knowledge of a double secret invite.

 

[scdono]

I think people are reading too much into the tea leave. Isn't it possible that Warde is just trying to improve the schedule and BYU is a no brainier?

 

[Fishy]

Also are you really not allowed alcohol while tailgating at BYU? I know Mormons don't drink but didn't think they had restrictions about others.

There is no alcohol allowed on campus - the stadium is on campus.

Their parking lots are also really, really tight - not sure where visiting fans would be able to set up.

 

[Adios]

It's definitely a HUGE positive that we are able to have 1-and-1 (home-and-home) arrangements still set up.

 

[DSquiz]

It's definitely a HUGE positive that we are able to have 1-and-1 (home-and-home) arrangements still set up.

I hope we can still get home and homes with big teams. UConn is still a huge name. Watching a #3 vs #2 women's bball game in double OT now a few days after watching us take #7 Gtown to double OT. People know us. I know it's BBall but its the brand people know.

 

[Rumrunner]

A home and home with BYU is an easy feat to accomplish, so long as you're willing to travel to utah at the end of the season. See Southern Miss. BYU struggles to find quality opponents to do what UConn agreed to. If anything, it is a sign of UConn's weakness, not strength. However it sure beats playing Nobody U at the Rent. So it's a win win for fans of meaningful games.

I hope we can still get home and homes with big teams. UConn is still a huge name. Watching a #3 vs #2 women's bball game in double OT now a few days after watching us take #7 Gtown to double OT. People know us. I know it's BBall but its the brand people know.

 

[UCFBfan]

I hope we can still get home and homes with big teams. UConn is still a huge name. Watching a #3 vs #2 women's bball game in double OT now a few days after watching us take #7 Gtown to double OT. People know us. I know it's BBall but its the brand people know.

This is going to be huge because we need marquee games to attract ticket sales. While I think the NBE is going to be more exciting then some believe, at least in football, it's not going to be enough to attract the casual fan. However, I think there will be a huge uptick in season tix this year because of the schedule and if UConn can impress and win, a lot of those season tickets may be renwed. This will be one of the most important seasons for UConn in many ways, but winning and putting on an enjoyable show for all the season ticket holders will be huge.

 

[pj]

It's great and I don't see why the late October game means anything negative about ACC or B1G. Leagues can schedule around that. Most teams have a bye week in October. A crowded late schedule may be tough on the players but to get a marquee game, it's worth it.

 

[zls44]

We're going to go out to Provo if for nothing other reason than I want to see some of you try to tailgate with just juice and soda.

Tell them RRs are sacreds to us.

We'll be fine.

 

[UkonCornelius]

Since Manuel finally found an OOC 2014 opponent, does the scheduling of BYU give us an insight into expansion?

If it does, it is not goods news with respect to this:

Assume that UConn has a qualified invite to the Big Ten, or at least has reason to believe it will be invited. There are legions that scoff at such nutso ideas and now they can scoff further.

Would UConn have scheduled an October 31, 2015 game if this was true? It's hard to look at this objectively and think that it would have. Traveling to Utah that late in the season would not be sensible if UConn was playing a full Big Ten slate. Big Ten OOC games are played earlier in the year, much earlier.

In fact, no Big Ten team plays an OOC game in October, never mind the last week of October in 2015. And in 2014, only Indiana plays in October and that's during the first week of October against North Texas State.

So that's 24 teams not doing something UConn will do. That's bad odds.


Perhaps Manuel's role is purely to monitor the situation and therefore he no other responsibilities regarding realignment and UConn's athletic future, and that it is only handled by Herbst and her chief of staff, rachel rubin. So he scheduled a late season OOC game without knowing UConn's future. With the gang of three in charge, that very well may be plausible.

One has nothing to do with the other. It's a great home and home. Stop looking for negativity

 

[housekeys]

...If anything her pro-Tulane quotes indicate exactly that we don't have knowledge of a double secret invite.

What good would anti-Tulane quotes do? What would anti-Tulane quotes mean?

My answer: nothing. Therefore, positive quotes or no quotes. While fans (myself included) can speculate, believe and predict what may well be imagined, Herbst and any one in the know, has to deal in reality. The reality is we are, were we are. Until the reality changes, then you can damn well predict what Herbst/Warde will do and say.

 

[junglehusky]

What good would anti-Tulane quotes do? What would anti-Tulane quotes mean?

My answer: nothing. Therefore, positive quotes or no quotes. While fans (myself included) can speculate, believe and predict what may well be imagined, Herbst and any one in the know, has to deal in reality. The reality is we are, were we are. Until the reality changes, then you can damn well predict what Herbst/Warde will do and say.

This is true... but you can also damn well predict what the reaction of the B1Gliever contingent of the boneyard will be every time Herbst says anything other than "Yeah you guys I secretly accepted a Big Ten invite, but don't tell anybody!"

(...as if it was Orpheus emerging from Hades with his girlfriend, and everything's going to be peachy as long as he doesn't turn around and make eye contact with her, which of course he's going to do because that's the whole point of the story. )

 

[Adios]

A home and home with BYU is an easy feat to accomplish, so long as you're willing to travel to utah at the end of the season. See Southern Miss. BYU struggles to find quality opponents to do what UConn agreed to. If anything, it is a sign of UConn's weakness, not strength. However it sure beats playing Nobody U at the Rent. So it's a win win for fans of meaningful games.

Very true. But have to take what we can get. BYU is good. I am not sure if Joseph Smith ever imagined what would come to be.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

There is no alcohol allowed on campus - the stadium is on campus.

Their parking lots are also really, really tight - not sure where visiting fans would be able to set up.

Given that BYU sacrificed a shot at the Final Four by suspending the second best player on their best team in school history for having familial relations with his girlfriend, I would guess that sex in the parking lot is also probably frowned upon.

 

[Fishy]

Given that BYU sacrificed a shot at the Final Four by suspending the second best player on their best team in school history for having familial relations with his girlfriend, I would guess that sex in the parking lot is also probably frowned upon.

Oddly, they're okay with that.

Mormons. Go figure.

 

[CAHUSKY]

There is no alcohol allowed on campus - the stadium is on campus.

Their parking lots are also really, really tight - not sure where visiting fans would be able to set up.

You either hide your booze or scrap the tailgate all together and drink at the TGIFridays across from the stadium.

 

[UConn07]

You either hide your booze or scrap the tailgate all together and drink at the TGIFridays across from the stadium.

Oh the horror..no drinking at the tailgate! You guys do realize that an on campus football stadium means no alcohol served during games. Didn't realize that was a pre-requisite for fun!

BYU is a quality OOC opponent and means nothing about realignment, but you people can continue to cry about nothing because you have nothing better to do.

1. We start the 2014 season on the first night of college football on national television against an opponent that draws a ton of eyes to TV sets. Great marketing.
2. A conference can schedule around an OOC opponent on one weekend in October..one has nothing to do with the other.

But continue your gloom and doom...

 

[WestHartHusk]

Oh the horror..no drinking at the tailgate! You guys do realize that an on campus football stadium means no alcohol served during games. Didn't realize that was a pre-requisite for fun!

BYU is a quality OOC opponent and means nothing about realignment, but you people can continue to cry about nothing because you have nothing better to do.

1. We start the 2014 season on the first night of college football on national television against an opponent that draws a ton of eyes to TV sets. Great marketing.
2. A conference can schedule around an OOC opponent on one weekend in October..one has nothing to do with the other.

But continue your gloom and doom...

It took all of my willpower to get past your first sentence, but otherwise you make good points. This is a good development, no two ways about it.

 

[tduconn]

This is great!. Utah FB stadium is in a very picturesk setting.......would love to be able to swing the trip myself.

When it occurs in the season means nothing........

Doesn't Stanford play ND in the latter part of the season?
How many BiG teams play ND in second half of the season?

In fact, all 12 of ND's games are somebody's OOC game, whether its at the beginning or end of the season.

Those that schedule contests won't find the time of the season to be a stumbling block. If we were to be in another conference at this time, schedule around it! Maybe it means loosing a bye week......or having bye weeks in close proximity. Scheduling is no big deal, whether we are in our unnamed conference, BiG, or ACC.

In the meantime, enjoy a couple of contests against a meaningful OCC opponent.

 

[RMoore1999]

Why would Herbst be pumping the FBLFKATBE (football league formerly known as the Big east) and pissing off the BY armchair AD's every other month if she knew we were going to be in the B1G or ACC in 2 years? If anything her pro-Tulane quotes indicate exactly that we don't have knowledge of a double secret invite.

Don't disagree.

For your background, Business Lawyer stated above in this thread: "It has been made perfectly clear by people with information that UConn does not have that knowledge."

I was just curious to whom and what he was referring. Do you recall?

Do I think it is likely that Delaney confided in Herbst (pursuant to the terms of an executed confidentiality agreement):

"Connecticut fits our master plan for a 20-team conference. We believe Connecticut's Southern New England presence brings more cable subscription value than does BC's Southern New England presence. We understand and have quantified Connecticut's overall impact on the NYC market; trust me, President Herbst, we fully recognize that component. For what its worth, the SNY Women's contract still baffles me, but all the more power to you. But as you know, we cannot invite Connecticut until we shake loose certain plums currently attached to trees growing in areas along the Eastern seaboard from Virginia down to Georgia. But fear not President Herbst; Connecticut's distribution of Big East exit fees and NCAA credits should put enought food on the table during the course of the 1 to 3 year period of limbo that Connecticut will need to endure prior to us being ready to extend the invite. In the meantime, keep pumping the research growth and your overall focus on academic excellence. Oh, and the hoops practice facility, hockey upgrade and lacrosse comment were nice touches. Keep that stuff coming. A new dawn is upon us, and Connecticut will soon ascend to its rightfull slot helping to anchor the eastern flank of college athletics' preeminent conference."

No, I don't think it is likely.

But I don't think it (or at least something comparable) is impossible either.

Anyway, I'm still interested in an elaboration of Business Lawyer's claim, if anyone is in the know...