Abandoning Big East has become a disaster for one-time powerhouses

[UConnDad]

Ok who would you rather watch, UNC-Duke or Villanova blue Vs Villanova white? Villanova is light years beyond the rest of the conference right now. They have been to every Big East Final but 1 since the new league was formed and have won 4 of the last 5. They should probably just give them the trophy and save the money they spend on rent.

Oh and the ACC moved their tournament to Brooklyn to placate their new northern members and guess where the ACC schools have millions of alums? Not to copy the Big East. It didnt Translate well though so if that’s the one you went to it’s like saying you saw Hamilton at that theater in Wallingford.

I watch all the Big East games now that we‘re in it. I only watch the hated teams Duke, Carolina, Cuse, Kentucky, etc. to see them lose. UNC-Duke has no appeal unless they can somehow both lose! And the Brooklyn arena is inferior.

 

[Zissou]

It was also 35 years ago. It was closer to LaSalle’s title than the Villanova’s next Win.

I don’t think you know the history very well. Saying Nova couldn’t “get over the hump” and be elite before the last few years is ignorant.

1970 - Elite 8
1971 - Finals runner up
1972 - Sweet 16
1978 - Elite 8
1982 - Elite 8
1983 - Elite 8
1985 - National Champs
1988 - Elite 8

Admittedly the Lappas years, between Rollie and Jay, where characterized by very good teams that didn’t make runs in March. They never fell to the depths that UConn did in recent years, but they didn’t capitalize on some high seeds.

Nova has been a name basketball program since the 1930s, with achievement in every decade. Philly Big 5 basketball included.

What was the distance between Jim Calhoun’s first title and UConn’s previous title? UConn has had a great modern history. The Big East and Jim Calhoun built UConn basketball.

 

[Zissou]

The move out of the Big East benefitted Villanova who could never seem to get over the hump when Syracuse UConn Pitt Louisville were all there.

And Pitt? You are going to compare Pitt’s NCAA Tournament resume to Nova’s?

You need a filter. If you don’t know first hand, then Google a little before you post.

 

[pepband99]

I don’t think you know the history very well. Saying Nova couldn’t “get over the hump” and be elite before the last few years is ignorant.

1970 - Elite 8
1971 - Finals runner up
1972 - Sweet 16
1978 - Elite 8
1982 - Elite 8
1983 - Elite 8
1985 - National Champs
1988 - Elite 8

Admittedly the Lappas years, between Rollie and Jay, where characterized by very good teams that didn’t make runs in March. They never fell to the depths that UConn did in recent years, but they didn’t capitalize on some high seeds.

Nova has been a name basketball program since the 1930s, with achievement in every decade. Philly Big 5 basketball included.

What was the distance between Jim Calhoun’s first title and UConn’s previous title? UConn has had a great modern history. The Big East and Jim Calhoun built UConn basketball.

All factually correct, but comparing pre-64 team brackets to 64+ is a bit disingenuous. A 2 win "elite 8" in 1982 the worst offender (There's a reason the term didn't exist before 1985, really)

 

[buddy]

Pitt can cash those checks. I’ll take the titles.

Nova fans are a bit more satisfied than Pitt fans. I guess money doesn’t always buy happiness.

I think UConn would be better off with the money. Villanova has the backing of the incredibly wealthy Catholic church. UConn has to rely on State Legislators who are not always fans, nor are the taxpayers of Ct.

 

[UconnFanDC]

It was all a money move! I am sure non of them are having regrets other then the great Big East rivalry

 

[Get a Job]

Ok who would you rather watch, UNC-Duke or Villanova blue Vs Villanova white? Villanova is light years beyond the rest of the conference right now. They have been to every Big East Final but 1 since the new league was formed and have won 4 of the last 5. They should probably just give them the trophy and save the money they spend on rent.

Oh and the ACC moved their tournament to Brooklyn to placate their new northern members and guess where the ACC schools have millions of alums? Not to copy the Big East. It didnt Translate well though so if that’s the one you went to it’s like saying you saw Hamilton at that theater in Wallingford.

Just out of curiosity, are you a UConn alum and/or basketball fan? I've always assumed you were, albeit a grumpy one, but maybe I was wrong.

 

[Bubba1957]

Just checked,UConn is on fox (not fs1 fox fox), the next 4 Saturdays. UConn brand plus BE conference equals something that people will watch, nation wide. No way it happens in the AAC (or Acc for that matter).

 

[BoukofJames]

I understand that the institutions themselves are better off financially in the ACC, but from a fan standpoint, I have never heard anyone outside of online message boards bring up athletic department revenue as a measure of success or entertainment value. I’m very satisfied with UConn in the Big East. As a native of the Northeast, many of my closest friends went to other Big East schools which has added a new layer of fun to this season and will be even more enjoyable when we can go to games. For me, that only happens in the Big East - certainly wasn’t the case in the aac

 

[UConnDad]

The Big East is a nice basketball conference stop. The Big East is not a big time athletic conference full stop.

Wow you must be older than me. Trying to bring back Western Union telegrams? This is the perfect conference for us. Hoop stop!

 

[Waquoit]

Why watch Duke, Virginia, UNC, NC State when you can watch Providence and Butler

Exactly, why?

 

[John]

Wow you must be older than me. Trying to bring back Western Union telegrams? This is the perfect conference for us. Hoop stop!

yes, it's a perfect conference for us at this moment in time, but should never ever be thought of as the final destination.

 

[Zissou]

I think UConn would be better off with the money. Villanova has the backing of the incredibly wealthy Catholic church. UConn has to rely on State Legislators who are not always fans, nor are the taxpayers of Ct.

Wrong. The church doesn’t financially back the school.

 

[Zissou]

All factually correct, but comparing pre-64 team brackets to 64+ is a bit disingenuous. A 2 win "elite 8" in 1982 the worst offender (There's a reason the term didn't exist before 1985, really)

It was harder to make the tournament then

 

[Zissou]

I understand that the institutions themselves are better off financially in the ACC, but from a fan standpoint, I have never heard anyone outside of online message boards bring up athletic department revenue as a measure of success or entertainment value. I’m very satisfied with UConn in the Big East. As a native of the Northeast, many of my closest friends went to other Big East schools which has added a new layer of fun to this season and will be even more enjoyable when we can go to games. For me, that only happens in the Big East - certainly wasn’t the case in the aac

There is more talk here about the current Big East compared to the Big East line-up 20 years ago, but all conferences have changed.

My ACC friends complain about the new ACC. It’s too big. The schedules don’t allow for playing all teams twice. There are more games that aren’t rivalries and fewer games that are. They don’t know all of the coaches in the conference and the best players on every team. There is just a lower interest now, and this is from the schools that were ACC before the expansion.

Pitt, BC, and Cuse fans definitely miss the juice of the Big East. F’em! They made their bed and sold their soul. They have more cash, but we have a better conference top to bottom, and BET at MSG never missed a beat with the rebirth.

 

[rondo225]

Exactly, why?

There is more talk here about the current Big East compared to the Big East line-up 20 years ago, but all conferences have changed.

My ACC friends complain about the new ACC. It’s too big. The schedules don’t allow for playing all teams twice. There are more games that aren’t rivalries and fewer games that are. They don’t know all of the coaches in the conference and the best players on every team. There is just a lower interest now, and this is from the schools that were ACC before the expansion.

Pitt, BC, and Cuse fans definitely miss the juice of the Big East. F’em! They made their bed and sold their soul. They have more cash, but we have a better conference top to bottom, and BET at MSG never missed a beat with the rebirth.

I mean if your ACC friend can't keep track of 15 basketball teams because that's too big, that's on him(or maybe you're just making it up like "people have been saying". But do you know the best players on every team in the Big East? I sure as hell don't. The Big East is certainly not as deep this year as past seasons.

I don't know where you get that there is lower interest in the ACC. Maybe because it's a down year but also might be some northeast bias showing. We're not that far removed from VA, Duke, UNC, LVille, FSU, VA-Tech and Syracuse all being ranked in the top 25. It's perennially one of the best conferences in the country.

 

[rondo225]

Exactly, why?

Because they're better teams and more entertaining games?

 

[HooperScooper]

I think UConn would be better off with the money. Villanova has the backing of the incredibly wealthy Catholic church. UConn has to rely on State Legislators who are not always fans, nor are the taxpayers of Ct.

I'm not familiar with the finances at Catholic universities but does the Catholic church actually support those schools? If anything I highly doubt they are supporting the athletic endeavors of these schools. Anyone know?

 

[willie99]

Miami football is a small relic of what it once was. Even VT took a step backwards in football. WVU might be an exception. ND football has a license to steal in football, and stealing they are. The original members including the first add are all sucking wind across the boards. BC, RU, Pitt & Cuse.

Although they left for more money, I'm sure that makes the fans "happy". More money, no glory

I want to win, how much money the school gets paid means a whole lot less to fans of the sport. That's like a Jets fan being happy because their owner is getting richer

 

[Greedo]

I'm not familiar with the finances at Catholic universities but does the Catholic church actually support those schools? If anything I highly doubt they are supporting the athletic endeavors of these schools. Anyone know?

I really don’t think they do. If anything just the chapel does.

 

[huskysupporter]

Bragging about league payouts has a very distinct "my dad owns a dealership" type energy.

Every single person on this message board would jump at chance for UCONN to jump to a P5. Let’s not kid ourselves. All of those schools are in a better position than UCONN.

 

[Palatine]

If a financial windfall is a disaster, it's a disaster.

Ironically, team that has fallen the furthest is Miami. They are no longer relevant in any sport.

BTW, this is an appropriate use of ironic which is often misapplied. The effect for Miami turned out to be the opposite of what was expected, and it did indeed result in wry amusement from onlookers.

 

[HuskyHawk]

There is more talk here about the current Big East compared to the Big East line-up 20 years ago, but all conferences have changed.

My ACC friends complain about the new ACC. It’s too big. The schedules don’t allow for playing all teams twice. There are more games that aren’t rivalries and fewer games that are. They don’t know all of the coaches in the conference and the best players on every team. There is just a lower interest now, and this is from the schools that were ACC before the expansion.

Pitt, BC, and Cuse fans definitely miss the juice of the Big East. F’em! They made their bed and sold their soul. They have more cash, but we have a better conference top to bottom, and BET at MSG never missed a beat with the rebirth.

14-16 team conferences suck. It's a TV bargaining creation and nothing more. The schools don't like them and the fans and players don't either.

There is a chance that disruptive TV/broadcast of the future reversed the current incentive for mega conferences. Things were much better before, more local rivals, less travel. Not just the big east, but the old Big8 and SWC, the pre-expansion BigTen and ACC, etc.

Disagree on your last sentence because it ignores football. It also ignores baseball and soccer. Basketball is the only sport where the ex-BigEast programs have suffered. BET at MSG also definitely missed UConn and Syracuse, which always were the biggest draws except for a handful of great St. Johns teams. Some of those BET games were like home games for UConn over the years.

 

[phillionaire]

If a financial windfall is a disaster, it's a disaster.

Ironically, team that has fallen the furthest is Miami. They are no longer relevant in any sport.

BTW, this is an appropriate use of ironic which is often misapplied. The effect for Miami turned out to be the opposite of what was expected, and it did indeed result in wry amusement from onlookers.

Miami is still relevant in football because sports writers always ask "is the U back" after they start 4-0, and then they promptly lose by a billion to Clemson.

 

[rondo225]

If a financial windfall is a disaster, it's a disaster.

Ironically, team that has fallen the furthest is Miami. They are no longer relevant in any sport.

BTW, this is an appropriate use of ironic which is often misapplied. The effect for Miami turned out to be the opposite of what was expected, and it did indeed result in wry amusement from onlookers.

What exactly if your definition of relevant in football? Because if it's top 25 teams, I'd say Miami is relevant