ADDING UCONN TO THE BIG TEN WOULD BE ACTUALLY GOOD. HERE'S WHY.

[CallMeBruce]

Indiana 5 1940, 1953, 1976, 1981, 1987
Connecticut 4 1999, 2004, 2011, 2014

They also have more overall Final Four appearances than us.

We've had a great run, but let's not pretend that Indiana is some men's basketball scrub.

Did you miss the "in the last 20 years" part? We're going on 3 decades since IU's last title, they only have two FF appearances since then, and the most recent one was 14 years ago. We can stop pretending that's still a blueblood program.

 

[Pudge]

First off anyone who has not read the article I recommend doing so. Its highly entertaining. That said it in no way compares to the comments section. It is literally comedy gold. Props to Dooley. This dude does yeoman's work spreading the UCONN to P5 Message. Just for fun I have to post a few of the comments on that article from The Rutgers Faithful and the replies from IU Fans.

From RU Fan-

There is so much wrong with this 28 replies
That my blood is boiling right now. IU fans/CQ people won’t listen to logic, but just for the hell of it I will reiterate some points other posters made:
NYC doesn’t care about UConn. They may not care about RU, but it is certainly more than UConn and there was actually a measurable profit from adding Rutgers. I don’t think UConn would have had the same impact.
UConn’s non-bball sports are god awful.
Have you been to Storrs? It’s in the middle of fuc**** nowhere. Awful awful college town.
Rutgers absutely fills up its football stadium. The picture you posted, I was there (in the band), that was for the MD game. The last game of our shi*** season. Those stands were full for many games prior. Can’t blame the fans for decreased morale after that dumpster fire of a season. But I assure you our stadium fills and is an intense environment, FAR MORE than UConn.
UConn fans are terrible. Connecticut is a terrible state. You don’t even understand what trash you’d be inviting to the conference. You think it can’t get worse? Oooohh would they prove you wrong.
Also, Crimson Quarry, you sure talk about Rutgers a lot…. WHY? You could have easily made a case for UConn and minimally mentioned Rutgers. I’d actually classify this as a dual UConn RU article on an Indiana website…

Me-

UCONN's non bball sports are god awful? LOL That's news to me. Maybe he should check the National Title lists.

Storrs is an awful college town? WTF is Piscataway then?

Rutgers absolutely fills up its stadium? Sure for Penn State, Ohio State, and UM. For everybody else not so much. Last I checked UCONN had to put in temporary seating to accommodate the demand for Michigan Tickets. I'd love to see attendance figures if Rutgers hosted SMU or Tulsa

UCONN fans are terrible? Again that's news to me. I've been here for a few years and everyone has been pretty cool to me. Sure there are a few s in every group, but for the most part UCONN Fans represent their school well. Contrast that with Rutgers Fans who treated PSU Fans with more disrespect then I have ever experienced in my life during our visit to Piscataway. Adults yelling disgusting slurs at families with small children. Others had professionally produced signs and t-shirts depicting child sexual abuse. Over a football game? horrible. I have been all over the B1G and have been treated with respect and never got anything more than good natured ribbing. Huge difference in NJ.

Rutgers Fan-

Rutgers
Is not as terrible as you goons make us out to be.
Do you even truly look at us?
Football is decent, soccer is fantastic, wrestling is amazing, womens basketball is respected and our other sports are trying. Our academics are solid and we have some programs that are in the top 3 of the B1G. It is going to take time, but you clowns are unfairly not giving us any.
Why do Rutgers fans come over and yell? Because your hate reasons are ridiculously over-exaggerated. Imagine if a fan base * on all aspects of IU contantly and for no truly fair reason? That’s how many Rutgers fans feel about CQ and you can be damn sure we’re gonna come here and TRY to defend ourselves.
Rutgers* ..."Writer" at OffTackleEmpire.com


Me-

Football is decent? False. Fair weather fan base, crap stadium, below average recent success, historical ineptitude, unproven and highly inexperienced coaching staff, below average recruiting class subject to further poaching.

Soccer is fantastic? I guess finishing 3rd in your conference and being shut out in the final four is fantastic by Rutgers Standards.

Wrestling is amazing? Umm I guess so. If amazing is being ranked outside the top 10, losing out on every top tier in state recruit, and having exactly 1 All American across 10 weight classes at last year's NCAA Tournament. AMAZING!!!!

Women's basketball is respected? They are an upper mid tier program with zero shot at a title. Their HC is also way overrated.

Our other sports are trying? Cool lets give them participation trophies like they hand out in little league.

IU Fan-

Oh.
You’re trying? You just need some more time? Well, why didn’t you say so! I forgot that the Big Ten was in the business of offering remediation-level classes in college athletics.

Me-

Bwahahahahahahahahahaha!

Love this kind of stuff.

First ... there is NOTHING done at Rutgers that tells you that they can build a Program in a real sport. That is what Delaney & their due diligence should have turned up.

Comparative? Calhoun build a 4 NC Power from the backwoods of Storrs; an amazing feat. In the bigtime sport. Auriemma, given the keys, built the BEST Women's Program in the history of college sports and still has another decade to run. There is nothing at Rutgers near that. In fact, their Mens BB, excepting 1976, has always been bottom quartile of whatever league they are in. Stringer is what you say: she has gotten lost in the woods in the last half dozen years.

Look more closely: UConn Baseball is the finest Northeastern Program. With significant challenges, they rose above everybody from Maryland through NE. UConn Men's Ice Hockey went from 0 to top 10 attendance amongst the 60 Programs in College Hockey in one year. Solid fanbase; good recruiting area; and now, we are going to see this thing grow. Women's Field Hockey - one of the best Programs. Men's Soccer - traditionally one of the leaders in attendance since the early 1970s; yearly participant in NCAA tournament. Women's Soccer - darn good. There seems to be nothing Rutgers does that UConn does not do better. Wrestling? Frankly ... most of the Universities have dropped wrestling. I bet the reality is not what he claims. Do they ever have ONE wrestler win his class?

I happen to believe our Football and theirs are comparable. We just came from a different origin. As much as they claim all this attendance success yada yada ... in 2003 as both Programs were in the NEW BE, they really struggled to get 20,000 for a game I went to versus Syracuse. I think they have a natural recruiting advantage; one that Schiano really exploited. Still, I think they have a scary culture that came to the fore in this past year. Too many kids have been involved in violence, drunk driving, burglaries and skating out the door. If that is what New Brunswick/Piscataway gives you, then I think any conference would prefer to be in the Storrs woods.

Frankly ... this UConn campus is not going to look the same very soon to whomever at Rutgers has been there in the last few years. It was a cow town. It is now a Globally ranked University that is rising.

 

[Matrim55]

Did you miss the "in the last 20 years" part? We're going on 3 decades since IU's last title, they only have two FF appearances since then, and the most recent one was 14 years ago. We can stop pretending that's still a blueblood program.

They're still a blueblood program - they've just fallen on hard times. Once they upgrade from Crean next summer they'll be a consistent top 15 team and capable of making Final 4 runs most years, like Kansas or UNC.

 

[NYUConn]

Did you miss the "in the last 20 years" part? We're going on 3 decades since IU's last title, they only have two FF appearances since then, and the most recent one was 14 years ago. We can stop pretending that's still a blueblood program.

I clearly didn't miss "last 20 years" which is why I hedged mine with "we've had a great run."

If you think they aren't a blueblood program than you're either three cups into the UConn homerism Kool Aid (which I am totally fine with) or really ignorant of the basketball landscape in general.

I mean it's kind of a ridiculous thing to say that no titles since three final fours and 1 title in 29 years nullifies their entire storied history as a blue blood program when nobody from the B1G has won a national title since 2000.

 

[CallMeBruce]

I clearly didn't miss "last 20 years" which is why I hedged mine with "we've had a great run."

If you think they aren't a blueblood program than you're either three cups into the UConn homerism Kool Aid (which I am totally fine with) or really ignorant of the basketball landscape in general.

I mean it's kind of a ridiculous thing to say that no titles since three final fours and 1 title in 29 years nullifies their entire storied history as a blue blood program when nobody from the B1G has won a national title since 2000.

IU is not regarded with the UNCs, Kansases, or Kentuckys of the world. Indiana is more like UCLA - a once-great program that, despite earnest effort year-after-year, can never seem to regain their old glory. I'm not saying I wouldn't love to have them on our schedule every year, but Indiana's standing in the CBB community is nowhere near what it used to be.

 

[NYUConn]

IU is not regarded with the UNCs, Kansases, or Kentuckys of the world. Indiana is more like UCLA - a once-great program that, despite earnest effort year-after-year, can never seem to regain their old glory. I'm not saying I wouldn't love to have them on our schedule every year, but Indiana's standing in the CBB community is nowhere near what it used to be.

I don't know a single, respectable college bball analyst or journalist who would not consider Indiana or UCLA blue bloods.

 

[CallMeBruce]

I don't know a single, respectable college bball analyst or journalist who would not consider Indiana or UCLA blue bloods.

Do you think they're considered to be elite programs right now? Do you think they're considered to be on-par with Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, or UNC?

 

[NYUConn]

Do you think they're considered to be elite programs right now? Do you think they're considered to be on-par with Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, or UNC?

"Elite" programs. What does that even mean? Indiana has made the NCAA tournament in 6 out of the last 10 seasons and the Sweet 16 twice in that time. UCLA has made 9 out of the last 10 seasons with 3 trips to the Final Four in that time.

Are they marquee coaching jobs? Hell yes, people will be tripping over themselves to coach at Indiana and UCLA much like they would at Kentucky, Kansas, Duke or UNC.

 

[CallMeBruce]

"Elite" programs. What does that even mean? Indiana has made the NCAA tournament in 6 out of the last 10 seasons and the Sweet 16 twice in that time. UCLA has made 9 out of the last 10 seasons with 3 trips to the Final Four in that time.

Are they marquee coaching jobs? Hell yes, people will be tripping over themselves to coach at Indiana and UCLA much like they would at Kentucky, Kansas, Duke or UNC.

http://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2013/3/27/4154834/ucla-coaching-search-shaka-smart-vcu

 

[NYUConn]

http://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2013/3/27/4154834/ucla-coaching-search-shaka-smart-vcu

Wow. Check mate. You took my hyperbole as gospel.

 

[CallMeBruce]

Wow. Check mate. You took my hyperbole as gospel.

This is how you argue on the Internet, man.

 

[NYUConn]

This is how you argue on the Internet, man.

Haha.

The definition of "Blue Blood" is a class of people who have acquired privilege and prominence over other classes in society. This is acquired over the course of history due to their success in one capacity or another.

By that definition Indiana and UCLA are absolutely blue bloods of college basketball.

What you are stuck on is whether or not they are title contenders at the moment, which I would say they are certainly not. That doesn't make them chump programs or diminish them as blue bloods, it just means that's where they are at the moment.

UConn had a down year last year. Does that diminish our standing or are people willing to give us the benefit of the doubt since we've won 4 titles in 16 year?

 

[pj]

First off anyone who has not read the article I recommend doing so. Its highly entertaining. That said it in no way compares to the comments section. It is literally comedy gold. Props to Dooley. This dude does yeoman's work spreading the UCONN to P5 Message. Just for fun I have to post a few of the comments on that article from The Rutgers Faithful and the replies from IU Fans.

From RU Fan-

There is so much wrong with this That my blood is boiling right now. IU fans/CQ people won’t listen to logic, but just for the hell of it I will reiterate some points other posters made:
NYC doesn’t care about UConn. They may not care about RU, but it is certainly more than UConn ...

Rutgers absutely fills up its football stadium. The picture you posted, I was there ...

If his grammar and spelling were better, it might be easier to believe in the greatness of Rutgers.

 

[TruthNnumbers]

Do you think they're considered to be elite programs right now? Do you think they're considered to be on-par with Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, or UNC?

As I've said before I’m an Indiana first B1G fan but I would agree that we are not "on-par" with those programs or UConn over the last 20-25 years. But then name another school not on that list that is. I'll also say that I come here for the reasons I posted last week...this is a good source for CR info from nice people that happen to support a school I would like to see added to the B1G. I do not come here to argue or defend IU or the B1G.

Having said that here I go doing it anyway. I think most would disagree with your understanding of the title "blue-blood". UNLV as an example was never...never...even in the early 90s a blue-blood, but for the time they were at the top of the CBB world. It takes time, a lot of it, to become a blue-blood program and it takes time, a lot of it, to be taken off of that list as well. IU, thanks to Mike Davis and Kelvin Sampson, dropped to near death by 2008. There was more to it of course but they are responsible for taking a wounded program and utterly destroying it. In his first year Tom Crean had two returning players, both walk-ons who had scored a combined 36 points in their Indiana careers. By 2012 IU was ranked 1st in the pre-season AP poll. ONLY a blue blood makes that kind of a turnaround.

IU has 21 B1G titles, 38 NCAA bids, 64 NCAA wins, 21 sweet 16’s, 11 final 8’s, 8 final 4’s, 6 title games and 5 NC’s. We have beaten the AP #1 ranked team 7 times, have 1756 wins (10th), 60 All-America, 29 McDonalds All-America, 9 national coach of the year, 18 B1G player of the year and on and on and on. Indiana is still a blue-blood college basketball program.

 

[SixRings]

I must have missed something, I thought the article was about wanting UConn in the conference and they were talking down to Rutgers fans...I'll have to re-read some of this I guess. I thought the arrogant about UConn stuff was from Rutgers fans not IU.

I was looking at ldandy's post a few up where he quotes an IU post from the comments. There are plenty of other IU comments that are annoying. But it is mostly the Rutgers gatekeepers of the B10 that post such ridiculous comments.

 

[Seaa Blue]

IU is not regarded with the UNCs, Kansases, or Kentuckys of the world. Indiana is more like UCLA .

From http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_basketball_RB/Reports/attend/2015.pdf

IU was 8th in NCAA attendance last year.

UCLA was 60th.

That's a huge indicator of life left in the program.

 

[TruthNnumbers]

I was looking at ldandy's post a few up where he quotes an IU post from the comments. There are plenty of other IU comments that are annoying. But it is mostly the Rutgers gatekeepers of the B10 that post such ridiculous comments.

Did you mean this:

IU Fan-Oh.
You’re trying? You just need some more time? Well, why didn’t you say so! I forgot that the Big Ten was in the business of offering remediation-level classes in college athletics.

I believe that was directed at the Rutgers fan not UConn. Anyway no big deal either way, every school has fans that say stupid stuff and IU is no different.

 

[UCFBfan]

UConn fans are terrible. Connecticut is a terrible state. You don’t even understand what trash you’d be inviting to the conference. You think it can’t get worse? Oooohh would they prove you wrong.

Sorry but this guy knows Rutgers is in New Jersey right? I was born and raised in NJ and moved to CT for college and stayed. I know Connecticut has it's problems but I have to laugh when a fan of someone from a college in New Jersey bashes another state, let alone CT. It was even better that he called us trash. That's usually the word I hear people tell me my home state is when I tell them I'm originally from Jersey.

 

[B1GOSU]

The fact that Purdue still trails U. Chicago in B1G Championships is even more amazing when you consider the fact that the B1G has sponsored a full slate of women's sports at least since the early 1980s. Back when U. Chicago won their B1G Championships, it was only from men's sports. So now there are twice as many chances for a B1G Championship with a full slate of women's sports, which means its even more shocking Purdue still hasn't caught up with Chicago yet!

Is this what you mean?

National titles/B1G titles by school:

PSU 47/75

Michigan 36/376

Wisconsin 28/193

OSU 28/207

Maryland 27/6

Iowa 25/106

Indiana 24/171

UConn 20

MSU 20/95

Nebraska 19/8

Illinois 18/237

Minnesota 18/163

Johns Hopkins 9/1

Northwestern 8/73

Purdue 3/71

Rutgers 1/0


Note that the U of Chicago who left in 1946 had 73 B1G conference championships. As an IU fan I like to keep this handy for those times when Purdue fans get out of hand. It’s bad enough they only have 71 B1G titles but to still be behind U of Chicago is ridiculous. Then there’s MSU who didn’t join until 1950 with 95, PSU who joined in 1990 with 75 and even Northwestern beats them with 73, lol Purdue. Maryland and Nebraska will both likely pass them in less than 50 years. Heck Johns Hopkins may pass them at some point with just 2 teams in the conference. I say we keep Rutgers and keep cashing those checks add UConn and beg the MAC to take Purdue…sound good?

Sorry I thought you were talking about national championships.

 

[Palatine]

As I've said before I’m an Indiana first B1G fan but I would agree that we are not "on-par" with those programs or UConn over the last 20-25 years. But then name another school not on that list that is. I'll also say that I come here for the reasons I posted last week...this is a good source for CR info from nice people that happen to support a school I would like to see added to the B1G. I do not come here to argue or defend IU or the B1G.

Having said that here I go doing it anyway. I think most would disagree with your understanding of the title "blue-blood". UNLV as an example was never...never...even in the early 90s a blue-blood, but for the time they were at the top of the CBB world. It takes time, a lot of it, to become a blue-blood program and it takes time, a lot of it, to be taken off of that list as well. IU, thanks to Mike Davis and Kelvin Sampson, dropped to near death by 2008. There was more to it of course but they are responsible for taking a wounded program and utterly destroying it. In his first year Tom Crean had two returning players, both walk-ons who had scored a combined 36 points in their Indiana careers. By 2012 IU was ranked 1st in the pre-season AP poll. ONLY a blue blood makes that kind of a turnaround.

IU has 21 B1G titles, 38 NCAA bids, 64 NCAA wins, 21 sweet 16’s, 11 final 8’s, 8 final 4’s, 6 title games and 5 NC’s. We have beaten the AP #1 ranked team 7 times, have 1756 wins (10th), 60 All-America, 29 McDonalds All-America, 9 national coach of the year, 18 B1G player of the year and on and on and on. Indiana is still a blue-blood college basketball program.

Let's talk this century. Kent Benson doesn't mean squat anymore.

BTW, what is the head to head record for Indiana football versus UConn?

 

[TruthNnumbers]

Let's talk this century. Kent Benson doesn't mean squat anymore.

BTW, what is the head to head record for Indiana football versus UConn?

Got it...

Let's talk this century. Kent Benson doesn't mean squat anymore.

BTW, what is the head to head record for Indiana football versus UConn?

note that I'm not saying anything negative about UCONN but you are just getting more insulting. Thx for your time.

 

[The Funster]

Indiana and UCLA are definitely blue bloods.

 

[CTMike]

Got it...

note that I'm not saying anything negative about UCONN but you are just getting more insulting. Thx for your time.

You just got Palatined. Just know that he doesn't represent hardly anyone's views here. Nothing but respect for IU.

 

[CTMike]

Sorry but this guy knows Rutgers is in New Jersey right? I was born and raised in NJ and moved to CT for college and stayed. I know Connecticut has it's problems but I have to laugh when a fan of someone from a college in New Jersey bashes another state, let alone CT. It was even better that he called us trash. That's usually the word I hear people tell me my home state is when I tell them I'm originally from Jersey.

Born in NJ, have family in NJ... Thankful EVERY day that I don't live there!!

 

[mavblues]

As I've said before I’m an Indiana first B1G fan but I would agree that we are not "on-par" with those programs or UConn over the last 20-25 years. But then name another school not on that list that is. I'll also say that I come here for the reasons I posted last week...this is a good source for CR info from nice people that happen to support a school I would like to see added to the B1G. I do not come here to argue or defend IU or the B1G.

Having said that here I go doing it anyway. I think most would disagree with your understanding of the title "blue-blood". UNLV as an example was never...never...even in the early 90s a blue-blood, but for the time they were at the top of the CBB world. It takes time, a lot of it, to become a blue-blood program and it takes time, a lot of it, to be taken off of that list as well. IU, thanks to Mike Davis and Kelvin Sampson, dropped to near death by 2008. There was more to it of course but they are responsible for taking a wounded program and utterly destroying it. In his first year Tom Crean had two returning players, both walk-ons who had scored a combined 36 points in their Indiana careers. By 2012 IU was ranked 1st in the pre-season AP poll. ONLY a blue blood makes that kind of a turnaround.

IU has 21 B1G titles, 38 NCAA bids, 64 NCAA wins, 21 sweet 16’s, 11 final 8’s, 8 final 4’s, 6 title games and 5 NC’s. We have beaten the AP #1 ranked team 7 times, have 1756 wins (10th), 60 All-America, 29 McDonalds All-America, 9 national coach of the year, 18 B1G player of the year and on and on and on. Indiana is still a blue-blood college basketball program.

No need for the disclaimer (IMO). You've been cool here so far, and you should be proud of your school.