Att: Visiting southern and midwestern hayseeds

[upstater]

Guys,

I am impressed with what you have shown me about your facilities but in no way are those the best in the country. Schools like Oregon simply have more money and better stuff then just about anybody. It seems like every team in the Big 12 is throwing hundreds of millions of dollars in facilities every few years just to try and keep up with the SEC teams who spend even more. That is what it takes to impress 18 year old kids apparently.

A couple things to consider:

1. UConn hosts a lot more sports than the B12 does. It needs a lot more facilities. Not only new football, but new basketball, men's and women's, soccer and ice hockey, etc. But of the BE schools which included teams like Louisville and southern schools like USF, UConn had the nicest facilities.

2. Here's what Robert Griffin had to say about UConn's stadium: http://espn.go.com/espn/thelife/vid...ii-talks-video-games-draft?readmore=fullstory

Robert Griffin III: The thing that people think is when you go to these big stadiums and they have 80,000 people or 100,000 people, that these are the toughest stadiums to play at, but really, those aren't. When you have that many people, most of the time, the fans are pretty far away from the field. The toughest places to play are the ones that are jam-packed, are really tight to the field, and sit about 45,000 people. When we played at UConn my freshman year, that was the loudest place I've ever been as a football player. The stands are right next to the field, it was packed, and everyone was yelling. That was probably the coolest place for me to play at aside from Texas, Texas A&M, and Nebraska.

3. Between new facilities, stadium for football, new facilities for men's and women's basketball, UConn and the state will have spent over $200m on athletic facilities, and that's BEFORE the hockey arena and baseball stadium are built.

 

[okielite]

I can't wait until we get back to the quality of game where people like this are walking out of their stadium slack jawed wondering WTF just steam rolled them.

One of the happiest moments of my UCONN fandom was listening to Steve Spurrier's apology and pure embarrassment to all the South Carolina fans that made the trip to Birmingham in January 2010.

I can assure you that there are millions of "people like this" who do not know anything about UConn football. Rightfully so. Your program is young and quite frankly aside from 2010, have not done much that would get peoples attention. Don't take it so personally.

The fact that a coach apologized to his fans after losing to UConn pretty much sums it up. I bet the next time you beat them he doesn't have to apologize. Win a big game like that every year for the next 5 and you will help build your reputation. Looks like you will have the opportunity against teams like BYU, Illinois, Tenn, Virginia, and possibly Boise (depending on how they do with a new coach). On top of that win the AAC at least a couple of times. The opportunity is there.

 

[specialisthusky]

The fact that a coach apologized to his fans after losing to UConn pretty much sums it up. I bet the next time you beat them he doesn't have to apologize. Win a big game like that every year for the next 5 and you will help build your reputation. Looks like you will have the opportunity against teams like BYU, Illinois, Tenn, Virginia, and possibly Boise (depending on how they do with a new coach). On top of that win the AAC at least a couple of times. The opportunity is there.

You are essentially describing 2011 Uconn that was passed over for Pitt and Syracuse.

Two conference championships. Wins over name programs like notre dame, USCe, Uva, ISU, Baylor, etc.

Edit:

And since were on the topic of practice facilties, and everyone loves rankings here's ESPN's rank of our facilities as stacked up in the Big East.

http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/62051/ranking-big-east-football-facilities

 

[okielite]

Just to be clear, he didn't say they were the best. He said among the best.

Ok. I don't think they are among the best either.

There is no way that UConn has facilities as nice as tOSU, Wisconsin, Michigan, Oregon, Oklahoma, Texas, aTm, LSU, Bama, Georgia, Florida, Nebraska, etc...... It's just not possible for any AAC team to have nicer FB facilities than the blue bloods of college football. These teams put 100k fans at every home game, and they get hundreds of millions of dollars in donations every year. Oklahoma State has nice facilities but I dont' claim that they are as good as those teams I mentioned either, they are close but not the same.

 

[StevieDude]

I think you have taught us enough. Thank you for your time

 

[Carl Spackler]

Ok. I don't think they are among the best either.

There is no way that UConn has facilities as nice as tOSU, Wisconsin, Michigan, Oregon, Oklahoma, Texas, aTm, LSU, Bama, Georgia, Florida, Nebraska, etc. It's just not possible for any AAC team to have nicer FB facilities than the blue bloods of college football. These teams put 100k fans at every home game, and they get hundreds of millions of dollars in donations every year. Oklahoma State has nice facilities but I dont' claim that they are as good as those teams I mentioned either, they are close but not the same.

Unbelievable - isn't it?

 

[beasteast]

I've been going to the Rent since it opened (missed three games in total) , and last year was by far the bottom of the barrel for Huskies. the fact is, that we DO play in the northeast where weather is inclement soetimes, and the program has been hampered by CR and PP. There is no doubt that if/when we do find a nice landing spot, with a new voice , the Rent will be at capacity. and although its not located on a college campus, the gameday experience is pretty special. now if we could only get fanny's in the seats by gametime, it could be one of the best in the country. I've been to many college and pro venues, and tailgating at the Rent is better than most.

 

[Carl Spackler]

I can assure you that there are millions of "people like this" who do not know anything about UConn football. Rightfully so. Your program is young and quite frankly aside from 2010, have not done much that would get peoples attention. Don't take it so personally.

The fact that a coach apologized to his fans after losing to UConn pretty much sums it up. I bet the next time you beat them he doesn't have to apologize. Win a big game like that every year for the next 5 and you will help build your reputation. Looks like you will have the opportunity against teams like BYU, Illinois, Tenn, Virginia, and possibly Boise (depending on how they do with a new coach). On top of that win the AAC at least a couple of times. The opportunity is there.

You're not telling me anything I don't already know, and I'm not taking it personally. The past 3 seasons of inconsistent garbage we've put out on the field, I do take personally, and I can't wait for it to be turned around. August 29 is game day and BYU is coming to get their first UCONN experience. Have a nice day. Thank you for interest in UCONN athletics.

 

[upstater]

I can assure you that there are millions of "people like this" who do not know anything about UConn football. Rightfully so. Your program is young and quite frankly aside from 2010, have not done much that would get peoples attention. Don't take it so personally.

The fact that a coach apologized to his fans after losing to UConn pretty much sums it up. I bet the next time you beat them he doesn't have to apologize. Win a big game like that every year for the next 5 and you will help build your reputation. Looks like you will have the opportunity against teams like BYU, Illinois, Tenn, Virginia, and possibly Boise (depending on how they do with a new coach). On top of that win the AAC at least a couple of times. The opportunity is there.

South Carolina was thoroughly dominated by UConn. He should apologize for that. I can understand losing to UConn in a close game, but to be thoroughly dominated in a game in your backyard? Lots of other P5 schools have been beaten badly as well, including a B12 school with Seneca Wallace on the cusp of a bowl appearance, Robert Griffin's Baylor teams got beaten twice by UConn, 5 ACC teams including a 45-10 annihilation of Virginia, Notre Dame @ South Bend, 2 SEC schools, 3 B1G schools. It's not like these wins don't keep happening over and over. UConn had a combined winning record of 18-14 against Louisville, Pitt and Syracuse, 3 new ACC schools. And even in its orst year, should have beaten Michigan.

 

[upstater]

Ok. I don't think they are among the best either.

There is no way that UConn has facilities as nice as tOSU, Wisconsin, Michigan, Oregon, Oklahoma, Texas, aTm, LSU, Bama, Georgia, Florida, Nebraska, etc. It's just not possible for any AAC team to have nicer FB facilities than the blue bloods of college football. These teams put 100k fans at every home game, and they get hundreds of millions of dollars in donations every year. Oklahoma State has nice facilities but I dont' claim that they are as good as those teams I mentioned either, they are close but not the same.

Hundreds of millions in donations every year, eh?

No.

 

[pj]

Ok. I don't think they are among the best either.

There is no way that UConn has facilities as nice as tOSU, Wisconsin, Michigan, Oregon, Oklahoma, Texas, aTm, LSU, Bama, Georgia, Florida, Nebraska, etc. It's just not possible for any AAC team to have nicer FB facilities than the blue bloods of college football. These teams put 100k fans at every home game, and they get hundreds of millions of dollars in donations every year. Oklahoma State has nice facilities but I dont' claim that they are as good as those teams I mentioned either, they are close but not the same.

Probably fifty schools have better stadiums than UConn, but the practice facility and strength training facility were each among the 4-5 best in the country until a recent building spree with the big dollars that have flowed into college football the last few years. They are still among the top dozen or so.

Put it this way, our facilities are good enough to give us a recruiting and training advantage against most of the schools we compete against, in the ACC, AAC, MAC and B1G. They are good enough that we can recruit coaches from Notre Dame and strength and conditioning coaches from the SEC.

 

[itgoeslike]

How do you figure this?
You think UConn will be on national TV 1 more time than OU? 2? 3?

With all due respect please be realistic about things, no team in the AAC will get better exposure than power conference teams. That is why the AAC teams get 2 million per year and the power conference teams get 20 million. It does not take a genius to figure out which teams will be on national TV more.

Do you really think OU and OSU are not on national TV for just about every game?

You need to do some research on our media deal. In exchange for a pittance of revenue, the vast majority of AAC teams are guaranteed to be shown on nationally televised platforms. They'll be on almost every week, if not every week. Enjoy watching UConn football.

 

[Carl Spackler]

South Carolina was thoroughly dominated by UConn. He should apologize for that. I can understand losing to UConn in a close game, but to be thoroughly dominated in a game in your backyard? Lots of other P5 schools have been beaten badly as well, including a B12 school with Seneca Wallace on the cusp of a bowl appearance, Robert Griffin's Baylor teams got beaten twice by UConn, 5 ACC teams including a 45-10 annihilation of Virginia, Notre Dame @ South Bend, 2 SEC schools, 3 B1G schools. It's not like these wins don't keep happening over and over. UConn had a combined winning record of 18-14 against Louisville, Pitt and Syracuse, 3 new ACC schools. And even in its orst year, should have beaten Michigan.

But....but.....it's.. UCONN!?

 

[clmssun]

I was under the impression that many (half?) AAC "national" television broadcasts would be ESPN3. Am I misunderstanding something?

 

[Adios]

http://news.yahoo.com/video/rare-tornadoes-hit-california-173910900.html

They use our stadium at :32 to picture a football field for the viewer. We're going to the Pac-12!

 

[itgoeslike]

I was under the impression that many (half?) AAC "national" television broadcasts would be ESPN3. Am I misunderstanding something?

Yes. Here's a link from ESPN and the AAC
http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/77643/espn-big-east-announce-media-rights-deal
http://theamerican.org/sports/2013/6/20/GEN_0620130254.aspx

The basketball portion of the deal kicked in this year, but football kicks in this fall. Check out how many AAC games were televised for basketball. I can't remember UConn game this season that wasn't televised.
http://theamerican.org/news/2013/8/21/MBB_0821134423.aspx

 

[HuskyHawk]

But....but.....it's.. UCONN!?

It's one thing for then to accurately point out that the stadium is not quite like LSUs, and that the history isn't really there, nor do we draw a huge Michigan sized crowds or travel like Nebraska. It's another thing to suggest that through a bizarre freaking accident of conference relianment putting us in the AAC we aren't allowed to strive and invest like the big boys. Not knowing that Bob Diaco is our coach? He was possibly the most recognizable assistant in all of college football the last two years. It was headline news.

We take that attitude toward less successful hoops teams and I hate it. I hope you get your wish Carl, and we kick some ass, very publicly.

 

[clmssun]

Yes. Here's a link from ESPN and the AAC
http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/77643/espn-big-east-announce-media-rights-deal
http://theamerican.org/sports/2013/6/20/GEN_0620130254.aspx

The basketball portion of the deal kicked in this year, but football kicks in this fall. Check out how many AAC games were televised for basketball. I can't remember UConn game this season that wasn't televised.
http://theamerican.org/news/2013/8/21/MBB_0821134423.aspx

Okay, thank you for clarifying. As one with ties to UCF and UConn, I was recalling a lot of ESPN3 in 2013 football season, and I was not recalling that the new deal starts for football in 2014.

So, for better and for worse, the AAC will have many Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday football games, I suppose?

 

[CL82]

The schools are similarly sized with UConn growing faster, BUT even if Syracuse held more sway over NY (and SNY chopping off Syracuse BE games in favor of UConn women's games in the NYC market doesn't back that position), you'd still have to say that UConn's portion of NYC + Conn. is > Syracuse's portion of NYC + Central NY.

You could say that, except Syracuse doesn't have a portion of NYC. They do have a portion of upstate NY, so there's that.

 

[itgoeslike]

Okay, thank you for clarifying. As one with ties to UCF and UConn, I was recalling a lot of ESPN3 in 2013 football season, and I was not recalling that the new deal starts for football in 2014.

So, for better and for worse, the AAC will have many Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday football games, I suppose?

The deals were staggered. But you are right, in order to schedule that games nationally you'll see quite a few weekday games. . . but there will be weekend games too. It will still be a dramatic upgrade in visibility.

 

[NEforceUConn]

Taking Pitt and Louisville did hamper the Big 12's expansion plans. You have to ask yourself, who was more stupid, the ACC or the Big 12?

At first i always thought the Big 12, but upon reflection thinking out 7 to 15 years the ACC will rue the day they picked Pitt and UL. In 7 to 15 years Pitt and UL will be isolated, victims of crummy athletic programs, hated within their league, and academically falling. The Big 12 snookered the ACC.

Does anyone think if Pitt moved to the Big 12 that it would move the national athletic conference needle. HA.

 

[upstater]

You need to do some research on our media deal. In exchange for a pittance of revenue, the vast majority of AAC teams are guaranteed to be shown on nationally televised platforms. They'll be on almost every week, if not every week. Enjoy watching UConn football.

He really does need to do research. if his same logic applied to basketball, he'd have to explain why the ACC gets $20m and the AAC only $2m, yet UConn was on ESPN, ESPN2 and CBS a total of 16 times, while some of the ACC teams that made the tournament were only on those national channels a total of 4 times.

 

[Adios]

At first i always thought the Big 12, but upon reflection thinking out 7 to 15 years the ACC will rue the day they picked Pitt and UL. In 7 to 15 years Pitt and UL will be isolated, victims of crummy athletic programs, hated within their league, and academically falling. The Big 12 snookered the ACC.

Does anyone think if Pitt moved to the Big 12 that it would move the national athletic conference needle. HA.

Western PA is LOADED on natural resources...

 

[okielite]

Hundreds of millions in donations every year, eh?

No.

Yes, hundreds of millions is what big time schools get in donations every year.. Here is proof.

http://www.businessinsider.com/char...texas-am-past-texas-as-top-money-maker-2013-9
Texas A&M University raised $740 million last year according to DallasNews.com. The amount breaks the record set by Wisconsin in 2005 ($595 million) and could help the school's athletic department surpass Texas as the richest in college sports.
It is unclear at this point how much of the $740 million was given specifically for sports. But according to the school president, more than one-third ($246 million) was donated specifically to cover the costs of the $450 million renovations to the school's football field. The president also cited the recent success of the football team, led by Johnny Manziel, as a big factor in the donation surge.


Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-740-million-in-donations-may-push-texas-am-past-texas-as-top-money-maker-2013-9#ixzz2xCsvvhbd

 

[itgoeslike]

Yes, hundreds of millions is what big time schools get in donations every year.. Here is proof.

http://www.businessinsider.com/char...texas-am-past-texas-as-top-money-maker-2013-9
Texas A&M University raised $740 million last year according to DallasNews.com. The amount breaks the record set by Wisconsin in 2005 ($595 million) and could help the school's athletic department surpass Texas as the richest in college sports.
It is unclear at this point how much of the $740 million was given specifically for sports. But according to the school president, more than one-third ($246 million) was donated specifically to cover the costs of the $450 million renovations to the school's football field. The president also cited the recent success of the football team, led by Johnny Manziel, as a big factor in the donation surge.


Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-740-million-in-donations-may-push-texas-am-past-texas-as-top-money-maker-2013-9#ixzz2xCsvvhbd

Connecticut taxpayers donated over $1B. . .

 

[btstimpy]

TV broadcasters want national eyeballs.....MSG wants butts in seats.

This Sweet 16 should make both happy.

Me? I'm happy about finally checking off a bucket list...even if it is just the NIT semi final with a half ass team..

How would you like to be the Rodney Dangerfield of the NCAA tournament? This from Bristol, TN local news:

Good luck to Florida State in the NIT.

 

[huskymedic]

So, for better and for worse, the AAC will have many Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday football games, I suppose?

Not so...

"Aresco notes the conference plays football games on Thursday and Friday nights -- allowing for TV exposure away from college football's glut of games on Saturdays -- and says he wants to schedule football "creatively" for TV. And on that, he manages to point to an issue involving the league that seems to have been settled: "We won't be playing (football) on Mondays and Tuesdays and ESPN hasn't asked us to do that."

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport.../big-east-tv-rights-espn-fox-cbs-nbc/2000245/

"Aresco said the Big East won't be playing football on Sundays, Mondays or Tuesdays under the new deal. There could be "a Wednesday or two" to accommodate ESPN, he said, but the bulk of games will be on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays."

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...-mike-aresco-catholic-7-negotiations/1957721/

 

[upstater]

Yes, hundreds of millions is what big time schools get in donations every year.. Here is proof.

http://www.businessinsider.com/char...texas-am-past-texas-as-top-money-maker-2013-9
Texas A&M University raised $740 million last year according to DallasNews.com. The amount breaks the record set by Wisconsin in 2005 ($595 million) and could help the school's athletic department surpass Texas as the richest in college sports.
It is unclear at this point how much of the $740 million was given specifically for sports. But according to the school president, more than one-third ($246 million) was donated specifically to cover the costs of the $450 million renovations to the school's football field. The president also cited the recent success of the football team, led by Johnny Manziel, as a big factor in the donation surge.


Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-740-million-in-donations-may-push-texas-am-past-texas-as-top-money-maker-2013-9#ixzz2xCsvvhbd

That article is a fraud.

Read it closely.

How can you count endowment returns and research grants as "donations?"

Yearly?

Come on!! STop it.

 

[buddy]

Guys,

I am impressed with what you have shown me about your facilities but in no way are those the best in the country. Schools like Oregon simply have more money and better stuff then just about anybody. It seems like every team in the Big 12 is throwing hundreds of millions of dollars in facilities every few years just to try and keep up with the SEC teams who spend even more. That is what it takes to impress 18 year old kids apparently.

Please understand that I like most people in the country don't know much about UConn FB. We all know UConn BB is a strong program and the WBB is the best in the country. As far as FB I don't even know who your coach is, but I bet you know who OU and OSU's coach is. OU because they played UConn in the BCS bowl and OSU's because of the rant. "I'm 40, I'm a man", that was embarrassing. UConn FB is just an under the radar type program that has a great opportunity to grow to the level that the BB and WBB programs have. Pretty amazing what has been done in such a short time already.

I actually don't know who coaches any Oklahoma team, or Oklahoma State for that matter. I know that they are good, but not great, in football and have tornadoes. That's about it.

 

[SAMCRO]

Ok. I don't think they are among the best either.

There is no way that UConn has facilities as nice as tOSU, Wisconsin, Michigan, Oregon, Oklahoma, Texas, aTm, LSU, Bama, Georgia, Florida, Nebraska, etc. It's just not possible for any AAC team to have nicer FB facilities than the blue bloods of college football. These teams put 100k fans at every home game, and they get hundreds of millions of dollars in donations every year. Oklahoma State has nice facilities but I dont' claim that they are as good as those teams I mentioned either, they are close but not the same.

You're wrong. 100% wrong. You're making a VERY uninformed statement based on assumptions/perception (the ACC may have a job for you on their CR selection committee). I've been in UConn's, tOSU's, and UM's in the past 3 years and UConn's is nicer and more modern by a mile (not talking about stadium, just the facilities and indoor practice field). Our current AD (former Michigan Man) has said as much upon his arrival a couple years ago. According to the NFL scouts who show up for practice and come to the pro days UConn's is one of the nicest and most impressive (Oregon's was pretty unanimously #1 from the scouts), on par or better than pretty much anything else out there.