ACC

[whaler11]

Wow! I posted like 10 hours ago, and I am already 3 pages behind! So much ground to cover:

@Whaler11: I don't want you to confuse my comment about the Whalers as my hatred of the Whalers. Quite the opposite; you'd be hard pressed to find a bigger Whaler fan than me. I was lucky enough to have season tickets as a kid, all the way through the 90's, in section 305 near the guy banging on the hard hat and the blind lady (for those that don't know, that isn't a joke; they were real Whaler fans and great ones, too!). I just couldn't understand why a guy who went through what we went through as Whaler fans would dismiss an "era of mediocrity" as if it was a time where we shouldn't have been fans.

@Butchy: You know I respect you because I still keep your quote as my tagline, but NEVER say the word "failures" in place of the word "Whalers"!! Ever!! (see above for reason)

@everyone else: My favorite all time Whaler was Ulf Samuelsson (#5). I just had a flashback to the commercial he did with Dineen where he said, "Kevin, Kevin, Kevin....I LOVE Volvos..."

That's all for now. Carry on...

Im not really dismissing it. I cared about the Rodgers Bailey QB controversy I just realize that not many others did. I'd compare to something like CCSU basketball. It can be fun and some people are into it, but you have to realize that most others don't give a damn. Thats just the reality, it didnt bother me then and it doesnt bother me now, I dont let it bother me that no one in my section knows who Carl Bond or Hez Faison is.

 

[zls44]

Yes, that helps somewhat.. I figured you were an and this has helped confirm it.

 

[zls44]

I'd compare to something like CCSU basketball. It can be fun and some people are into it, but you have to realize that most others don't give a damn. Thats just the reality, it didnt bother me then and it doesnt bother me now, I dont let it bother me that no one in my section knows who Carl Bond or Hez Faison is.

You mean UConn shouldn't shove it's past down people's throats? What a concept!

 

[Adios]

Yes, that helps somewhat.. I figured you were an and this has helped confirm it.

Kind of ironic you'd call me an when you have a hissy fit over someone saying that UConn had a football program before some imaginary date you created in your mind for when UConn football was founded. Complete disrespect to all the players who played during the 90+ years before and broke bones so you can have a little joy in your bubble. Really, who's the ? Cancel your season tickets for UConn football and go to Connecticut Whale games. Help out Baldwin. Bandwagoner.

 

[Adios]

And of course, the melodramatic poster gets excited.

 

[Adios]

You mean UConn shouldn't shove it's past down people's throats? What a concept!

http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/conn-m-footbl-archive.html

Go cry a river as you normally do.

 

[whaler11]

Kind of ironic you'd call me an when you have a hissy fit over someone saying that UConn had a football program before some imaginary date you created in your mind for when UConn football was founded. Complete disrespect to all the players who played during the 90+ years before and broke bones so you can have a little joy in your bubble. Really, who's the ? Cancel your season tickets for UConn football and go to Connecticut Whale games. Help out Baldwin. Bandwagoner.

God are you really this stupid? I have a clump of turf from Memorial Stadium hanging in my office and I'm a bandwagon fan? It's a solid strategy to tell your perceived bangwagon fans to cancel their season tickets... Since the school probably sold less than 500 per year in the 90's you and Carl wouldn't have to wait in lines for the bathrooms at Rentschler and you'd get that UFL experience you always wanted .

I'm pretty sure the one having a 'hissy fit' is you when it's pointed out that the vast majority of UConn fans do not care about the history of the team prior to the upgrade. I am fairly sure that you began namecalling and talking about the Whalers as though pointing out they weren't good was going to hurt my feelings.

Why dont you go back to collecting pins and worrying about the Belgian Waffle gridiron league and leave those who aren't so sensitive to have discussions where they deal with reality without such hurt feelings.

 

[Carl Spackler]

There's a difference between apathy and ignorance whaler. As the popularity of UConn football grows, more and more fans will actually look at things like the media guide, and become interested in the football program prior to 2002.

I wonder how many current b-ball fans think it's cool that Cliff Robinson played at UConn, and matched up with the great centers of the late 80s in the big east, in the old drippy ceiling field house. I bet a lot do. I know Calhoun implemented a long time ago, a system of honoring and recognizing past players, before his time.

I bet more and more UConn football fans, will find it cool that a guy like Koz from back in the day had the career he did. That guys in the 80s and 90s set all kinds of records that still rank right at the top today. That the three best QB's in the history of this program played in consecutive decades 80's,90's,00's and all wore #14. We need another QB this decade, sooner than later.

It's apples to oranges, comparing competition level at 1-AA to 1-A. Everyone gets that. But the game is still the same, and there are a LOT more alumni out there in the world that have poured themselves into UConn football over the years, than any other sport at UConn. They should have been recognized long ago, but our past coach didn't give a crap about anything that happened before him, and still doesn't, as evidenced by how he handeld the Maryland transition. Past players never got more than a passing wave.

You're not recognizing that there is both apathy and ignorance among current uconn football fans about our past, and at the same time, you're pissing on the history of this program, at the same time that you're proclaiming that you are a historic fan. Odd.

The 2007 recruiting class owns the best 5 year performance in the division 1-A era. The 1986 recruiting class owns the best overall 5 year performance all time, and the 1994 class is third, and owns the only 10 win season in history so far.

That 10 win record, is what I'd like to see the current roster of recruiting classes we've got, break.

If that doesn't mean anythign to you - go pet your sod on the wall and have a nice day.

 

[Adios]

You guys and your pre-upgrade talk. For the love of God no one cares about 90 years of mediocre or worse football. Here in the reality of 2012, to 99.9% of the population, UConn football started in 2000 or 2003 - take your pick.

Hissy fit.

 

[CTMike]

Oy, this thread...

Look, Carl, Butchy - you guys are great, and your passion for the history of the program is unsurpassed. Nobody is going to tell you not to be enthusiastic about it. It's great that you are. But, reality (and Whaler) have a very factual observation in that you are in the vast, vast minority of folks who care or are aware of the programs history pre 2002 or there abouts. That's not disrespectful to you, or to the players who played before then. It is what it is. We are very much a "what have you done for me lately" state of fans. And for the vast majority of folks - UConn Basketball started with Calhoun and Geno, and UConn football started with Edsall and Rentschler and Orlovsky. I'm 33 and I have no clue who you are referring to about Koz. I'm sure there were great football players at some point during the 100-odd year history of UConn football, playing against teams storied and not. Most folks just do not feel a connection to that. Rentschler really represents for most fans the first time that they could attend and feel a part of something big. And while I at least know who Cliff Robinson is, I don't feel any connection or pride in my alma mater in hearing his name. That starts for me with Chris Smith, Nadav, Tate George et al... feeling the elation and heartbreak of their magical run as a 12 year old. I know, I know. I'm just one person. But that's representative of an entire generation of fans. And current generations of fans would say "who the hell are those guys? Kemba rules!" History is exactly that - history. And most fans memories just don't go back that far. You guys are the exception to the rule, and that's admirable. Doesn't mean that I or anyone else loves UConn any less- it's just not what we connect with.

 

[Adios]

The athletic department keeps all records. As we've seen on the basketball forum, there are fans who were going to games before Calhoun came along, in the Field House. Other than that, I know some people generally care for "what have you done for me lately". Many NY Football Giants fans probably don't even know when the Giants were created and how. Same with the NE Patriots. Or the other professional franchises around here. Professional sports used to be called "commercial sports" before it got as big as it is now. But athletic departments and leagues DO promote their histories to those who are interested. They wear anniversary patches and throwback uniforms. Some definitely are interested.

 

[Dann]

Oy, this thread...

Look, Carl, Butchy - you guys are great, and your passion for the history of the program is unsurpassed. Nobody is going to tell you not to be enthusiastic about it. It's great that you are. But, reality (and Whaler) have a very factual observation in that you are in the vast, vast minority of folks who care or are aware of the programs history pre 2002 or there abouts. That's not disrespectful to you, or to the players who played before then. It is what it is. We are very much a "what have you done for me lately" state of fans. And for the vast majority of folks - UConn Basketball started with Calhoun and Geno, and UConn football started with Edsall and Rentschler and Orlovsky. I'm 33 and I have no clue who you are referring to about Koz. I'm sure there were great football players at some point during the 100-odd year history of UConn football, playing against teams storied and not. Most folks just do not feel a connection to that. Rentschler really represents for most fans the first time that they could attend and feel a part of something big. And while I at least know who Cliff Robinson is, I don't feel any connection or pride in my alma mater in hearing his name. That starts for me with Chris Smith, Nadav, Tate George et al... feeling the elation and heartbreak of their magical run as a 12 year old. I know, I know. I'm just one person. But that's representative of an entire generation of fans. And current generations of fans would say "who the hell are those guys? Kemba rules!" History is exactly that - history. And most fans memories just don't go back that far. You guys are the exception to the rule, and that's admirable. Doesn't mean that I or anyone else loves UConn any less- it's just not what we connect with.

im 100% on board with this but i will say something also. uconn has some great bball history pre JC/Geno but yet 95% of fans don't care. its just how it is. if you like the history, thats fine, enjoy it. but most of the fanbase isn't going to be joining you. in bball after this crazy last 25 years people know a little bit about pre jc/geno but barely any and its only becuase of a banner or history thing thats in the arena. fball 20 years from now will be the same. people will know the history post 2000(pick your date) and know a couple of names or famous moments pre that. thats all and thats fine. uconn is not, i repeat NOT psu, navy, bc, cuse etc....some of those schools are basically living in the past at this point while others continue to create new history. uconn needs to create history for themselves while we have fans, becuase those fans then feel/enjoy the history and thats what creates generations of fans. the first 10 years was a incredible start all things considered and just about everyone in the d1 athletics world never thought we would get this far. nows our chance to kick it over the top and put a stamp on this .


also side bar-keep the history is good vs bad away from the nnnbe vs acc stuff. its just wild at this point.

 

[Adios]

Dude, you went to Prep. Our football program is history. lol I don't know about 95% of fans not caring about the program's history. I'd say less than that. I am sure there are fans who just care to tailgate and see a game. Over time, if we start winning, people may care more.

 

[CTMike]

I hope you don't feel like I was attacking or you need to defend your enjoyment of the history. It's great. It's just a more unique point of view in UConn Country.

PS- you are right, I don't know how the Giants were started. But my connection with them starts with watching the 86 team with my dad.

 

[Adios]

They were founded in 1925 as an expansion franchise, costing $500. Tim Mara, a bookie, was offered an expansion franchise and said there's absolutely no reason to refuse one in NYC. In the long run, he was right. He refused to sell any shares to anyone, saying the team is for his sons. Star QB, Benny Friedman (a Wolverine; better than Peyton Manning for his time), left the team in 1929 or 1930 because Mara wouldn't sell any part of the team. He had a 50% completion percentage when 35% was considered good. No one was able to break his season TD record for years. One of his sons sold half the team to the Tisch family around 1990 (I think 1991). The NFL had puny crowds back then.

Forgot to mention, it was somewhat common back then for teams to name themselves after baseball teams.

 

[Dann]

let me getthis hread back on topic. i really wonder how much schools like fsu/gt/clemson/miami and vt are worth becuase it must be alot.

cuse, pitt, bc, duke and wake can't possibly be worth 15mil a year tv wise as single properties. fsu, miami and clemson i imagine are big draws and same with vt nationally. uva is the same local mk as vt but a different fan but the tvs are probally good. md also prob draws ok with dc tvs. gt gets that states tvs only behind the sec. nc/ncst can live but the other i dont think so. i guess i wonder about the acc if expansions does hit them. how bad would there tv contract be.

if just fsu/clem left for the b12 and not others along with them, how much would that hurt the acc? are those there 2 biggest draws bringing up the league average tv $$ wise??? what if those 2 did finally pull the trigger on the move and the b12 is going to get 4 more east teams to seal up the league with a east/west setup. sure lville will be one of those but they would still need 3 teams. what happened if gt/miami/vt went also. the acc would be done tv wise right???the sec would have to get 2 teams of ncst/nc/uva/md. or any different mold of teams in a situation like this^^^.

who are the players in the acc tv wise and who are the duds? we would want uconn to be considered a dud compared to other tvs worth in a new confrence not an average buy. goin gto the acc it seems we would be a average tv $$ buy but going to another conf we would be the small guy. being the small guy means only one way to go when your surrounded by bigger buys. being the average buy means its hard to improve when others around you are no better.

 

[Adios]

As stated earlier in the theead, pro football obliterates college football on TV nowadays. I did see a post somewhere else about viewership on a WVU board. That post is going to be hard to find, but had some great information. FSU, Miami, and Clemson ARE big draws, but so is Pitt, believe it or not. We're ranked 47th. We are a bigger draw on TV than many "established" BCS programs.

 

[Marty Jackson]

Who cares when people place an emphasis on the program as long as they are fans. As a Yankee fan, I couldn't tell you how great Babe Ruth or even Mickey Mantle were. I have no connection to them other than what I've read. My Yankee heroes are more like Gossage, Dave Winfield and Ron Guidry to date myself because I saw them play, and I can relate to their career. doesn't mean Ruth or Mantle are dis-respected. The fun in this is debating how good those guys would be today, and how they would compare to today's players.
Bringing this back to the Huskies, it doesn't have to be a pissing contest about who is a better fan or when you consider football to have started. For most of today's Uconn FB fans, they started watching when Uconn moved up to D1A. So, if you're someone that has been watching Uconn football longer, you may have a longer timeframe for which to compare players in the past.
For BB, when someone says they don't relate to Cliff Robinson, it shows how long we've been a good program. Hell, I bet there are young fans of Uconn who don't remember Burrell, Smith, George, or even Marshall (Donyell). Do we really need to debate dates or when the program 'really' started?

 

[Carl Spackler]

Oy, this thread...

Look, Carl, Butchy - you guys are great, and your passion for the history of the program is unsurpassed. Nobody is going to tell you not to be enthusiastic about it. It's great that you are. But, reality (and Whaler) have a very factual observation in that you are in the vast, vast minority of folks who care or are aware of the programs history pre 2002 or there abouts. That's not disrespectful to you, or to the players who played before then. It is what it is. We are very much a "what have you done for me lately" state of fans. And for the vast majority of folks - UConn Basketball started with Calhoun and Geno, and UConn football started with Edsall and Rentschler and Orlovsky. I'm 33 and I have no clue who you are referring to about Koz. I'm sure there were great football players at some point during the 100-odd year history of UConn football, playing against teams storied and not. Most folks just do not feel a connection to that. Rentschler really represents for most fans the first time that they could attend and feel a part of something big. And while I at least know who Cliff Robinson is, I don't feel any connection or pride in my alma mater in hearing his name. That starts for me with Chris Smith, Nadav, Tate George et al... feeling the elation and heartbreak of their magical run as a 12 year old. I know, I know. I'm just one person. But that's representative of an entire generation of fans. And current generations of fans would say "who the hell are those guys? Kemba rules!" History is exactly that - history. And most fans memories just don't go back that far. You guys are the exception to the rule, and that's admirable. Doesn't mean that I or anyone else loves UConn any less- it's just not what we connect with.

Fair enough. The vast majority of UConn football fans, are going to feel personal connection with Donald Brown, or Dan Orlovsky, or Jasper Howard, or when Tyler King broke his leg. It's a simple matter of numbers. More people watch now than ever before.

Brian Kozlowski just happens to be the most successful professional football player ever to come out of UConn and if you're 33, you were a freshmen about 7 years after he graduated and were probably watching the super bowl he played and caught passes in 1999 when Randy Edsall was out recruiting his first UConn class. Not ancient history, and the fact that somebody your age doesn't know who he is, and is a professed UConn football fan, is one of the reasons why I don't like the way Randy Edsall runs a football program. He managed to land Orlovsky and started to win games in 2003, but I guarantee you - Randy Edsall alienated just as many people in football at UConn has he has in Maryland, going 9-24 in his first 3 seasons, in CT - the only differencein that he was given free reign, is that we had a lot more to be concerned about around football, and in 2003, with a brand new sold out stadium, and a team that won games, the rest of it was ignored. Randy Edsall's first three years were the worst consecutive three years in UConn football in well over 20 years.

But to pretend that it doesn't matter - history - or to pretend like there is no tradition, or was no tradition, as was the norm for the past 12 years, is simply wrong. It matters. People do care. Just becuase you don't care about something, doesn't mean it's not important to others.

THe guys that have played since 2002, have laid the groundwork for division 1-A UConn football. They built that on top of eveyrthign that had come before.

Players build programs, not coaches.

 

[Adios]

#1....sports memorabilia from dates before any of us were alive can go for huge sums of money. Some items are worth more than houses that many of us own. Some people really do care about history and are insanely fascinated by it.

#2....if I am correct, Edsall said he got the block "C" from the 1924 team.

End of any history talk on my part in this thread. When you're an alum who cared to follow the football program before they "upgraded" to FBS, it's not an issue of "who's a better fan". It's part of your upbringing. Now, if you'll excuse me, I am going to Memorial Stadium to get some grass to smoke.

 

[whaler11]

Fair enough. The vast majority of UConn football fans, are going to feel personal connection with Donald Brown, or Dan Orlovsky, or Jasper Howard, or when Tyler King broke his leg. It's a simple matter of numbers. More people watch now than ever before.

Brian Kozlowski just happens to be the most successful professional football player ever to come out of UConn and if you're 33, you were a freshmen about 7 years after he graduated and were probably watching the super bowl he played and caught passes in 1999 when Randy Edsall was out recruiting his first UConn class. Not ancient history, and the fact that somebody your age doesn't know who he is, and is a professed UConn football fan, is one of the reasons why I don't like the way Randy Edsall runs a football program. He managed to land Orlovsky and started to win games in 2003, but I guarantee you - Randy Edsall alienated just as many people in football at UConn has he has in Maryland, going 9-24 in his first 3 seasons, in CT - the only differencein that he was given free reign, is that we had a lot more to be concerned about around football, and in 2003, with a brand new sold out stadium, and a team that won games, the rest of it was ignored. Randy Edsall's first three years were the worst consecutive three years in UConn football in well over 20 years.

But to pretend that it doesn't matter - history - or to pretend like there is no tradition, or was no tradition, as was the norm for the past 12 years, is simply wrong. It matters. People do care. Just becuase you don't care about something, doesn't mean it's not important to others.

THe guys that have played since 2002, have laid the groundwork for division 1-A UConn football. They built that on top of eveyrthign that had come before.

Players build programs, not coaches.

So after multiple paragraphs blaming Edsall you conclude with players build programs, not coaches. Um ok.

You might want to consider your own point. Just because something is important to you doesn't mean it is to others. It's a bit telling that after all those years the most successful pro the program had was Koz, a player who caught 85 balls in 14 years. I have friends who roomed at UConn with him for a time, quite a character.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Right, and I've recognized the point that others have no personal connection historically and appreciated it, and I continue to dicuss history, because I prefer an informed UConn fan that makes the choice that they don't care, over a fan that thinks that UConn football started with Indiana @ UConn in August 2003 - or some point thereafter.

What's your deal? You're cuckoo enough to have a piece of dirt from Memorial framed and hanging on your wall, (how big is it? and how do you fight gravity btw?) but you don't think other people should talk about football prior to 2002 like it matters?

THat's the impression I get, I don't understand it.

 

[Dann]

#1....sports memorabilia from dates before any of us were alive can go for huge sums of money. Some items are worth more than houses that many of us own. Some people really do care about history and are insanely fascinated by it.

#2....if I am correct, Edsall said he got the block "C" from the 1924 team.

End of any history talk on my part in this thread. When you're an alum who cared to follow the football program before they "upgraded" to FBS, it's not an issue of "who's a better fan". It's part of your upbringing. Now, if you'll excuse me, I am going to Memorial Stadium to get some grass to smoke.

you better hurry becuase that is gone soon for our new bball pf.

 

[whaler11]

Right, and I've recognized the point that others have no personal connection historically and appreciated it, and I continue to dicuss history, because I prefer an informed UConn fan that makes the choice that they don't care, over a fan that thinks that UConn football started with Indiana @ UConn in August 2003 - or some point thereafter.

What's your deal? You're cuckoo enough to have a piece of dirt from Memorial framed and hanging on your wall, (how big is it? and how do you fight gravity btw?) but you don't think other people should talk about football prior to 2002 like it matters?

THat's the impression I get, I don't understand it.

I'm perfectly fine with discussing history, I had almost as much fun going to URI or UMass than I did going to Atlanta or Raleigh or Charlotte.

I disagree with your assertion that people are ignorant. People know UConn had a football team, they just don't much care. I don't understand why and Butchy take it so personally and feel to the need to lash out about unrelated things like Kevin Dineen or how bad the Whalers stunk.

I am interested in the history of sports, and read everything I can on subjects like 19th century baseball. I also follow NEC basketball, but since I know 99.9% of people don't care I don't let it bother me. I don't fool myself into thinking if only people knew about the 1899 Cleveland Spiders it would enrich their enjoyment of the met Yankees-Red Sox series.

 

[Adios]

I don't understand why and Butchy take it so personally and feel to the need to lash out about unrelated things like Kevin Dineen or how bad the Whalers stunk.

Why would I take someone else's wishful thinking personally? All I say is some would beg to differ that UConn football is 10 years old and you have a hissy fit. If you want to think UMass football starts this year, feel free. UMass would say otherwise.