Another angry voice: UConn is Leaning Hard Into Not Caring About Football

[huskymedic]

The Forgotten5 - “We try to tell stories from the Group of 5 that otherwise go untold”

 

[Chief00]

While the buyout amount in the article is generally correct, l believe the schedule narrative will prove to be false.

 

[whaler11]

The Forgotten5 - “We try to tell stories from the Group of 5 that otherwise go untold”

ironic when your outlet is named FORGOTTEN5

shaky nailed it yesterday my lord these people think sysphius is a hero

 

[UC1995]

There is a reason we are leaving and his title to the site says it all...

 

[TRest]

Each G5 school is building the most expensive house in a bad neighborhood, hoping it all works out in 20 years.

 

[CL82]

Personally, I am embracing everyone one of these doom predicting articles. Look this thing will go one of two ways. It will either the beginning of the end for our FBS football hopes or it won't be. If we can make it work, and it is looking increasingly possible, then this will become and great narrative of how we beat the odds, shifted the paradigm, etc.

 

[Waquoit]

Now that the dust has settled, it's apparent to me that the badmouthers are more FB fans than UConn fans.

 

[buddy]

Now that the dust has settled, it's apparent to me that the badmouthers are more FB fans than UConn fans.

Until we all get an announcement of a real schedule, this type of thing will keep recurring. I don't think the badmouthers are FB fans and not UConn fans. I think the FB diehards feel betrayed. I think fans who actually thought that UConn would be in a P5 feel betrayed. UConn fans never seem to be a unified group in general, and the support of rank and file citizens of the State is just not there.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

He's a physical therapist.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

He's a physical therapist.

Sure, but the credible PT believes UConn schedules home gridiron games in Storrs.

 

[freescooter]

Now that the dust has settled, it's apparent to me that the badmouthers are more FB fans than UConn fans.

Yeah. Those of us who bought season tix and attended not just basketball games but soccer, hockey, baseball as well as football and wanted UConn to compete at a high level in all sports , not maybe just one. Yeah it’s people like that who are more football fans than UConn fans. Honestly I have the opposite view. This was pushed by basketball only fans who have from day 1 undercut the football program and resented its success because it competed for resources and attention in their minds with their basketball team. They have this nostalgia for the old Big East that won’t even recognize that the remainder plus Butler and Xavier and some Catholic school from Nebraska is the Big East in name only.

 

[ZachCT12]

This dude is a total clown.

 

[huskyrob1]

Yeah. Those of us who bought season tix and attended not just basketball games but soccer, hockey, baseball as well as football and wanted UConn to compete at a high level in all sports , not maybe just one. Yeah it’s people like that who are more football fans than UConn fans. Honestly I have the opposite view. This was pushed by basketball only fans who have from day 1 undercut the football program and resented its success because it competed for resources and attention in their minds with their basketball team. They have this nostalgia for the old Big East that won’t even recognize that the remainder plus Butler and Xavier and some Catholic school from Nebraska is the Big East in name only.

I'm beginning to think that the prime mover in jettisoning the AAC was to save football as an independent. I mean if they were 9-3 last year no way would they have left the AAC, basketball be damned. Giving basketball a home in the NBE was just a very very welcome consequence of saving football. I think anyone saying they left the AAC just to save men's and women's basketball and hope football can survive as an independent, might be looking at this all wrong. Herbst, Benedict, the BOT, Edsall, already knew what Arresco would say about football only in the AAC. They were already exploring an independent schedule even before they announced anything. I don't know, even if 9-3 maybe they would have left the AAC anyway because of ESPN+ production costs and SNY getting flushed, travel costs, etc.

 

[Husky68]

"Herbst, Benedict, the BOT, Edsall, already knew what Arresco would say about football only in the AAC. They were already exploring an independent schedule even before they announced anything."

Boy I would sure hope so, even edu/gov't employees couldn't be lame enough to not see this as a likely outcome.

 

[weyuo]

The new AAC deal was too ESPN+ heavy for UConn's liking. The women's basketball program is of more value than the AAC would/could negotiate for so the powers that be in Storrs said we can make better money on SNY and big time event games on ESPN(UConn vs ND, UC vs Tenn, ect) so that sport at the very least pays for itself and then some. UConn men's basketball should save a couple bucks on logistics but how much, playing as many uninteresting league opponents as when they were in the AAC, is still a question. Who's going to Nebraska from CT to watch a men's or women's basketball game and.... who is going to televise it and for what kind of profit if any? And... the powers that be in Storrs have pretty much left UConn football to twist in the wind. If they can get their footing and carve out scheduling and results to at least pay for themselves then they can continue but it's clear they do this on their own. The state, the CT residents, the school are done with them. The football program has to sell itself now to survive. I think they can. This mountain I believe they can climb. And man will it be sweet when a top 10 UConn squad plays on New Years Day.

 

[hardcorehusky]

For the record, just to magnify how bad the AAC contract with ESPN was- UCONN men's basketball could be on ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, ESPNU and ESPN News a MAXIMUM of 6 times a year. That was along with women's basketball, bad revenue, high expenses and fan apathy led to UConn punting on the AAC.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

If this move actually works out watching these scrub journalists eat crow will be one of the best parts.

 

[Guapo]

Yeah. Those of us who bought season tix and attended not just basketball games but soccer, hockey, baseball as well as football and wanted UConn to compete at a high level in all sports , not maybe just one. Yeah it’s people like that who are more football fans than UConn fans. Honestly I have the opposite view. This was pushed by basketball only fans who have from day 1 undercut the football program and resented its success because it competed for resources and attention in their minds with their basketball team. They have this nostalgia for the old Big East that won’t even recognize that the remainder plus Butler and Xavier and some Catholic school from Nebraska is the Big East in name only.

You really can type anything into this machine.

 

[HuskyBandDad]

For the record, just to magnify how bad the AAC contract with ESPN was- UCONN men's basketball could be on ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, ESPNU and ESPN News a MAXIMUM of 6 times a year. That was along with women's basketball, bad revenue, high expenses and fan apathy led to UConn punting on the AAC.

Is this true? So the other games would all be on ESPN + ??

 

[billybud]

If UConn can schedule as successfully as BYU...there is a chance that a good Husky program could become relevant.

This season, BYU plays Southern Cal, Utah, Tennessee, Washington, USF, & Boise State.

2020...Michigan State, Arizona St., Minnesota, Missouri, Houston, Stanford, Boise State.

2021...Southern Cal, Washington St, Boise State, Arizon St., Utah, Baylor, Virginia

If UConn can schedule similar programs but with a more eastern orientation, they will have opportunities.

 

[Guapo]

If UConn can schedule as successfully as BYU...there is a chance that a good Husky program could become relevant.

This season, BYU plays Southern Cal, Utah, Tennessee, Washington, USF, & Boise State.

2020...Michigan State, Arizona St., Minnesota, Missouri, Houston, Stanford, Boise State.

Lol @billybud you just TL;dr’d the entire football board. Well done.

(This is a compliment)

 

[billybud]

Lol @billybud you just TL;dr’d the entire football board. Well done.

(This is a compliment)

Not sure that I get it....I was sincere...with scheduling like BYU's, if UConn football can play at a high level...there will be a chance to make AP rankings..a bowl game...and national recognition as a successful independent.

 

[Guapo]

Not sure that I get it....I was sincere...with scheduling like BYU's, if UConn football can play at a high level...there will be a chance to make AP rankings..a bowl game...and national recognition as a successful independent.

It’s internet shorthand “Too long; didn’t read” and then writing a short summary of everything that’s been said. I was being sincere, you basically put the pro-independence argument in its simplest form.

 

[BlueMAB]

I'll believe UConn can schedule like BYU when I see it.

 

[BlueandOG]

I have come to believe that the move to NBE/Independence was necessary. AAC was hurting our two crown jewels and, at best, not helping football. NBE will make crown jewels shine again, which will bolster entire athletic department. We will have independent football schedules that are much more entertaining than AAC games, which will help fan interest, recruiting, etc. The only down side is no bowl tie-ins. Overall, I give the move an A and the vision and courage to make the move an A+.