AAC & Grant-of-Rights

[Guapo]

@Chief00 and @BlueDogs I agree with both of you guys. This 5 year football re-build is a joke. They should be putting every dollar (with the exception of $$ for basketball) to football starting with paying for a top, proven coaching staff to AT LEAST make football competitive. It can happen quickly. Other schools who spend less than us have done it. Last month I asked AD David Benedict at a reception if he was concerned about the lack of improvement this year, he said he wasn't and had total confidence in Edsall and Crocker and if the team hasn't shown improvement in 5 years, then he would be concerned. Talk about setting the bar nice and low. Of course, he won't be here in 5 years so why does he care? Anyway, pay enough, and a good staff will come.

As for the NBE. I don't get why folks are so high on going to the NBE. Why is that better than the American? The NBE is not even a shadow of the old Big East. Those days are long gone. And the AAC is damn good conference - alot closer to p5 than the NBE. I actually feel pretty happy/lucky we are in the conference. Frankly, I get the feeling the other schools in the conference talk about UConn the way we talk about Tulsa and ECU. We just gotta turn around the football program. It can be done. I don't want to say it can't get any worse because every time I say that, it does.

Are you talking basketball?

Because in basketball the NBE is, like, a much better conference.

 

[upstater]

I realize this but Edsall isn't Leipold. My point was that as much as I may want to turn up my nose at MAC football, we are worse than all of them currently. We may need to lessen our academic standards. We are good academically but much better schools do not complain about this issue. Maybe it is an issue or maybe it's an Edsall excuse, IDK.

I see no shot at the Big 10 and less than no shot at the Big 12. We need to get our football mediocre for the slight chance we can get into the ACC in 6 years.

I don't know anyone here really that has been hoping for the B1G. I thought this was always deluded for them because of the huge amount of money they make. No school but Texas helps the B1G. I mean, they would not add Oklahoma unless they had to, because Oklahoma would dilute them. UConn is not in the picture.

Leipold is in some ways worse than Edsall. I know it doesn't seem like it, but... having a coach there for 5 or 6 years does make a difference.

 

[billybud]

The AAC is much, much closer to being a power conference than the NBE. And is recognized as such.

The AAC plays P5 sports (NBE only has 7 baseball programs, for instance).

UConn, with a football program more akin to UCF, USF, Cincinnati, will be fine in the AAC. Especially if the AAC continues to do well against the P5 in football.

 

[Guapo]

The AAC is much, much closer to being a power conference than the NBE. And is recognized as such.

The AAC plays P5 sports (NBE only has 7 baseball programs, for instance).

UConn, with a football program more akin to UCF, USF, Cincinnati, will be fine in the AAC. Especially if the AAC continues to do well against the P5 in football.

I realize that this isn’t just about basketball but the NBE is already considered a “power conference” in basketball.

 

[yukonfan4]

I just wanted to point out that none of the above schools are in the American for football. ECU is what you're trying to say I believe when you say ecsu (or at least I hope it is)

wichita would still be a part time member for bball and yes i meant tulsa and eastern carolina or whatever they're called. but i inadvertently helped prove my point here- after the next CR the programs that will be left in the future aac are borderline anonymous!

No one has explained the logic here. Why would a network pay more for an AAC with a GOR? Why would they even care?

because a network isn't going to pay big bucks to the aac for a tv deal with the expectation that ucf and memphis etc. are going to be here for 10 years only to have them leave for a P5 confernece after 5 years. the ratings would plummet. as i said above, a future aac with only: navy, wichita, tulsa, ecu, temple smu and uconn is a dumpster fire!

when that day comes we will have to cut our losses once and for all and join the big east.

 

[CL82]

What are you talking about? You were talking that UConn should "come back to the Big East." I pointed out the UConn is in the same conference it has been in since 1979 and that the Catholic 7 left the Big East and bought the rights to the name. ...And then you went all "Sandy Barbour." Man you Little East guys are hypersensitive.

 

[gampelcrazies]

How could anyone say the AAC is better than the big east? It’s almost as if half the people in this thread don’t watch games that don’t involve UConn.

 

[manbyrd]

Georgetown, St Johns, Villanova, even Seton Hall will likely survive as entities, they are close enough to major metropolitan areas to fight the decline of Catholicism. But long-term any sort of sports dominance is likely to fade away fast. Tuition is already too high for these schools, when expenses get tight sports will be the first to be cut.

 

[TheRealKBuks]

The AAC is much, much closer to being a power conference than the NBE. And is recognized as such.

The AAC plays P5 sports (NBE only has 7 baseball programs, for instance).

UConn, with a football program more akin to UCF, USF, Cincinnati, will be fine in the AAC. Especially if the AAC continues to do well against the P5 in football.

What are you basing this on. The Big east is viewed as a power conference in basketball and the AAC is viewed as a mid major.

I know this isnt definitive but take a look at this screen shot from the bleacher report app

 

[billybud]

I realize that this isn’t just about basketball but the NBE is already considered a “power conference” in basketball.

Yes....if you want to be a basketball program in a basketball league...the NBE would be it.

But...it is a relegation of a sort to a boutique league...pretty much viewed as a one sport conference...

 

[dennismenace]

Reflection: There is no more old big east and no more yankee conference. The University and it's "Brand" need an identity. "We are "Uconn". Next it needs a mission. We want to excel to a championship level in every sport. I am not sure we know what this is; that it is spelled out anywhere. If the identity and mission above is correct it will entail a strong leadership communication that needs to be repeated and a massive investment. Please correct me if I am wrong; just the way it looks from here. It appears that we do not have the commitment (BOT and finances) to the football program to make it a winner. Perhaps that is why we seem to be dithering around in circles (state funded school, politics etc.) We are kind of a wanna be without the will and finances and "hoping" we can land in a P5. HOPE defined as Heaven on Planet Earth. We have one foot on the boat and one on the dock and the boat is leaving. Let's face it; this setup is not working and will take some MOVES or it will get worse. We have spent BILLIONS ON renovations and not complaining about that as a taxpayer. Now FINISH the damn job and get on board with the athletic program. At least our state government could get SOMETHING right. If we have to funnel $50 million a year to the city of Hartford to balance their budget surely there would be a better return by fighting to get Uconn to front of the line for something that will build the state instead of "hoping" it won't collapse.

Please excuse the rant.

 

[UCFBfan]

I read the first three pages of this thread and won't go any further. The reality is that no one is dropping football or moving out of the best G5 conference.

On the other hand, does anyone have any proof the Big East even wants UConn? You all might believe that they are just begging to have us back, but from other articles and past actions, it seems to be the opposite. UConn isn't a peer institution in terms of it's a large State University and not a small Catholic School. The only similarity is geography and history. That's it.....

You all want to believe the Big East wants to welcome us with open arms. I'd say that there's no proof this is real and this argument is for naught.

I am totally against signing a GOR as will the FL schools and Cincy who look to beg the Big 12 to take them.

Football needs to turn around and that's the bottom line. Basketball needs to do the same seeing how we have yet to win this conference that many of you think we're better than.

 

[Walker11]

How could anyone say the AAC is better than the big east? It’s almost as if half the people in this thread don’t watch games that don’t involve UConn.

With the way things our trending with Uconn and Memphis, I wouldn't be surprised if the AAC is getting in more teams in 2 years. If we could put football somewhere, I'd prefer the BE but I think the trend favors the American and they should even out soon. A lot of this depends on Hurley and us.

 

[BFieldHusky]

I read the first three pages of this thread and won't go any further. The reality is that no one is dropping football or moving out of the best G5 conference.

On the other hand, does anyone have any proof the Big East even wants UConn? You all might believe that they are just begging to have us back, but from other articles and past actions, it seems to be the opposite. UConn isn't a peer institution in terms of it's a large State University and not a small Catholic School. The only similarity is geography and history. That's it.....

You all want to believe the Big East wants to welcome us with open arms. I'd say that there's no proof this is real and this argument is for naught.

I am totally against signing a GOR as will the FL schools and Cincy who look to beg the Big 12 to take them.

Football needs to turn around and that's the bottom line. Basketball needs to do the same seeing how we have yet to win this conference that many of you think we're better than.

FOX desperately wants UConn in the Big East, and they call the shots.

 

[Hoophound]

Sandy Barbour is a UMass grad. I’d take her solitary opinion as nothing of value on a long term speculative basis. They took Rutgers. Laughing at UConn 5 years ago—-when Rutgers was just invited—-seems disingenuous or at least dramatic for effect. Plus, she’s just an AD.

 

[UCFBfan]

FOX desperately wants UConn in the Big East, and they call the shots.

Do you have proof of this or are you just guessing?

 

[BFieldHusky]

Yeah I have the memo they sent out to the league

 

[Walker11]

Georgetown, St Johns, Villanova, even Seton Hall will likely survive as entities, they are close enough to major metropolitan areas to fight the decline of Catholicism. But long-term any sort of sports dominance is likely to fade away fast. Tuition is already too high for these schools, when expenses get tight sports will be the first to be cut.

In the future, it will make even less sense to pay 50k for a private education that has no better reputation than public schools. I live near Sacred Heart and it's hard to imagine anything other than an implosion.

 

[yukonfan4]

The reality is that no one is dropping football or moving out of the best G5 conference.

it won't be the best G5 conference once ucf usf memphis houston and cincy leave. this is the piece everyone is missing. it will be uconn, tulsa, ecu, navy, wichita, smu, temple and tulane. ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww. that's worse than the old c-usa!

 

[gampelcrazies]

With the way things our trending with Uconn and Memphis, I wouldn't be surprised if the AAC is getting in more teams in 2 years. If we could put football somewhere, I'd prefer the BE but I think the trend favors the American and they should even out soon. A lot of this depends on Hurley and us.

Even if both teams get back to what they once were, we are relying too much on other programs in the American to stay where they are.

 

[tcf15]

Do you have proof of this or are you just guessing?

 

[UCFBfan]

it won't be the best G5 conference once ucf usf memphis houston and cincy leave. this is the piece everyone is missing. it will be uconn, tulsa, ecu, navy, wichita, smu, temple and tulane. ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww

Where are they supposedly going?? The Big 12 explored expansion and passed on all available schools. If Texas and OU leave, Kansas is likely close behind. Can't see the Big 12 remaIning a P5 conference after that. Even if they add UCF, Cincy, or USF. That doesn't make them a P5. So I dont see them leaving anytime soon.

 

[Walker11]

Even if both teams get back to what they once were, we are relying too much on other programs in the American to stay where they are.

This is the important point and one I can't argue.

 

[UCFBfan]

Jerry Carino on Twitter

Thanks! I knew someone would find proof

 

[CL82]

The market is about to tell us how far we are behind. We won't sniff Big 12 money. Closer? Sure. Close? Not so much.