A Painful Walk Down Memory Lane

[Nostical]

This article about a newly announced series between ND and Wisconsin is causing controversy because ND wants to play its “home game” in Lambeau Field—and wants Wisconsin to play its “home game” in Soldier Field, Chicago, not Camp Randall Stadium on campus.

It had me looking back to when UConn was offered a multi game series with ND—initially for 10 years—and “turned it down” by insisting on having our home games at The Rent!

I revisited many of the local media comments written back then, expressing what we now know was a case of severe and premature Husky hubris.

As a reminder, ND wanted UConn to play its “home games” at Giants Stadium or Gillette—not at The Rent.
Realistically, it would have meant one game per year at a site still very accessible to UConn fans and in key areas of UConn (and clearly ND) fan interest—but that wasn’t quite acceptable to our politicians in the State House or Jeff Hathaway, Michael Hogan and the rest of the administration, who were joyously beating their prideful chests.

Read these media gems, but try not to shake your head too violently in exasperated mind numbing frustration.You could injure yourself.

1. “UConn's coach, Randy Edsall, said, ‘These games will be a tremendous recruiting tool for our program, enhance our national television exposure and increase visibility in two metropolitan areas in which we have significant alumni.’

This statement by UConn’s head coach is so off-line because the fact is, UConn has already become a big-time program and doesn't need to play Notre Dame to showcase their product.”

2. “Everyone in the state was upset—lawmakers in particular. They argued that the state didn't construct a brand-new football stadium only to have it's team play their home games in Gillette Stadium or the Meadowlands.

Fans were upset that Notre Dame was, in their eyes, "bullying" the Huskies and pointed out that Notre Dame was using history to make their case. In 2009, they felt there was no reason for UConn to bend over backwards for them.”

3. “UConn has made huge progress in football. Ten years ago they didn't even have a FBS division team but until they stand up to Notre Dame, they're not big-time.

Standing up to Notre Dame shows how they feel about themselves and where their program is headed. Congratulations UConn—today, you are a man!”

 

[businesslawyer]

Blaming the media for this is absurd. Many on this board were focused on "respect" and "status" and a whole host of reasons relating to how this made them feel, as opposed to whether or not a series with ND would be good for cementing our place as a BCS program before something happened and we got thrown out. We all know how that turned out. (And I'm not saying taking the series would have changed the way in which we got screwed. But it wouldn't have hurt our status, either, and it would have made us getting shut out of things a little tougher in the PR world.)

 

[Husky68]

duckk ND. Win games.

 

[Fairfield_1st]

This article about a newly announced series between ND and Wisconsin is causing controversy because ND wants to play its “home game” in Lambeau Field—and wants Wisconsin to play its “home game” in Soldier Field, Chicago, not Camp Randall Stadium on campus.

I can't see the link on my work computer, but do you have the home fields backwards? If not, that's a messed up request.
I don't think asking Wisconsin to play at Lambeau is unreasonable, though I don't know how far that is from campus. But asking them to have a home game out of state, like they did with UConn going to NY or MA, is unreasonable to me.

 

[huskymedic]

I can't see the link on my work computer, but do you have the home fields backwards? If not, that's a messed up request.

Try this: UW to meet Notre Dame at Lambeau Field in 2020 and at Soldier Field in 2021

 

[Fairfield_1st]

Try this: UW to meet Notre Dame at Lambeau Field in 2020 and at Soldier Field in 2021

Thanks. That worked. Still odd to make ND the home team at Lambeau just for TV. What's difference does the TV channel make? I didn't see the article explaining that one. Weird, but but both schools seem happy.

 

[Nostical]

Blaming the media for this is absurd

Who’s blaming the media? Their opinions, like many on this board, were wrapped up in the issue of “respect” but it was the decision makers and political pressure that led to a lost opportunity. In my opinion back then there was a value in playing ND repeatedly. I saw visits to Gillette and the Meadowlands as an asset not a liability. Others disagreed and that assessment prevailed. We now move on.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Who’s blaming the media? Their opinions, like many on this board, were wrapped up in the issue of “respect” but it was the decision makers and political pressure that led to a lost opportunity. In my opinion back then there was a value in playing ND repeatedly. I saw visits to Gillette and the Meadowlands as an asset not a liability. Others disagreed and that assessment prevailed. We now move on.

Same. It was a lost opportunity for the program. Not sure if it would have changed anything as far as the ACC was concerned, but it sure couldn't have hurt to have been already on ND's schedule.

 

[noeynox]

Blaming the media for this is absurd. Many on this board were focused on "respect" and "status" and a whole host of reasons relating to how this made them feel, as opposed to whether or not a series with ND would be good for cementing our place as a BCS program before something happened and we got thrown out. We all know how that turned out. (And I'm not saying taking the series would have changed the way in which we got screwed. But it wouldn't have hurt our status, either, and it would have made us getting shut out of things a little tougher in the PR world.)

I'll admit i wanted at least one game at The Rent. The real problem i seem to remember were the local politicians getting involved.

 

[hardcorehusky]

The death of the series had nothing to do with the media. It was solely down to the Legislature would not allow UConn to have a home game outside of the Rent. It was built into the contract and no one would let UConn have the home games away from Connecticut. That has changed with a new UConn regime as witnessed by the Fenway Park home game.

 

[SubbaBub]

At the time, one game of the six at the Rent wasn't a huge ask. As we found out later. ND were a bunch of punters.

 

[huskyrob1]

Same. It was a lost opportunity for the program. Not sure if it would have changed anything as far as the ACC was concerned, but it sure couldn't have hurt to have been already on ND's schedule.

It might of been enough to change some no votes. Especially if between us and Louisville. As I recall the ones voting a hard no were Miami, BC, and one or two others. Duke, UNC, and one or two others wanted us over Louisville.

 

[auggie22]

We are in the ACC right now if we just played ball with ND.