Battle for the 1st Southwick Jug

[UCFBfan]

I think it's ridiculous that they want "a mutually beneficial sponsor". Why can't we just have a trophy. Why does it need to be the Travellers Southwick Jug?? Just leave some things alone.

 

[CTBasketball]

I think it's ridiculous that they want "a mutually beneficial sponsor". Why can't we just have a trophy. Why does it need to be the Travellers Southwick Jug?? Just leave some things alone.

Benedict’s greedy fingers saw an opportunity to profit again.

 

[Drew]

 

[UCFBfan]

Benedict’s greedy fingers saw an opportunity to profit again.

Was it him though? Or the NIL collective? This sounds like an agreement between the collectives that UConn, for now, is open to and hoping UMass will be as well.

 

[Drew]

Posting my own tweet because I’m lazy but major thanks to Mike Burton. This is awesome.

 

[CTBasketball]

Was it him though? Or the NIL collective? This sounds like an agreement between the collectives that UConn, for now, is open to and hoping UMass will be as well.

Dave gave them a call.

 

[Waquoit]

Dave gave them a call.

Dave does find solutions.

 

[CTBasketball]

Dave does find solutions.

In my line of work, finding solutions is not better than finding the best solution.

 

[Waquoit]

In my line of work, finding solutions is not better than finding the best solution.

You don't think this was a great solution?

 

[CTBasketball]

You don't think this was a great solution?

It’s a solution, I wouldn’t say great.

 

[Waquoit]

It’s a solution, I wouldn’t say great.

Of course you wouldn't. The best solution is still out there somewhere. Meanwhile, this thing is put to bed.

 

[Kolumbo]

I don't disagree with proper planning. They could even leave it up to both student bodies to come up with a proper name and trophy, something both university communities would appreciate. And sponsorship. Why not?! Let someone pay to present the trophy and maybe they can make it out of platinum.

 

[Kemba429]

Not often I feel bad for rivals and want better for them. What a mess.. Hope they can that AD soon.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I still think the best answer is to destroy it. Call it the 'Newtown woodchipper solution'.

 

[Patman]

I don't disagree with proper planning. They could even leave it up to both student bodies to come up with a proper name and trophy, something both university communities would appreciate. And sponsorship. Why not?! Let someone pay to present the trophy and maybe they can make it out of platinum.

That takes time. The collectives put up a decent idea but either bad comms or late timing ruined it. Other people saying it was an issue on the umass side.

Nothing wrong with proposing things like this but the schools have to be the ones to lead after the NIL or sponsor units propose something. In the end it's a the schools product and not the nils

 

[huskymedic]

Multi-post thread:

 

[Patman]

Multi-post thread:

At some level Jim Mora expected a trophy so he had some reason to know about this. How well it was discussed in this week's prep which I'm sure Benedict and Mora probably have a short meeting, who knows. But it would seem obvious that multiple parties were working on this.

Again, at some level this shouldn't have just been between ZooMass's NIL and ZooMass. This had to be a conversation with UConn but particularly UConn and UMass. I'm not blaming our own guys yet and it sounds like UMass dropped the ball all around like the UMass athletics wanted to slink away from this thing and hope everybody forgot but Benedict et al should be making sure that this trophy thing got done and where UMass was on it. It would be nice to assume the other guy has it handled but clearly they didn't.

This is almost entirely on UMass in the end. It sounds like their collective wanted it, sounds like there was rough agreement to do it, they actually went out and got the thing and then it all went south.

 

[freescooter]

My reading on this is that the UMass collective proposed this, presumably with input from the UMass AD. They, much more than UConn have been pushing this as a rivalry game. Remember last year they originally wanted it at a Fenway at one point. I think we are fine with it being billed that way for several reasons. Most notably its an hour away. No planes, just a couple of busses. Played 80 times going back to 1897, and we really don’t have a regular rivalry game. So we said, sure. Why not? Then the UMass collective and the AD had a falling out. They tried to undercut it before the game. Seems like either Mora didn’t get the email or was having some fun at their expense. And maybe he kind of likes the idea of developing a regular rivalry. Wouldn’t surprise me at all. The most recent “joint statement” seems like a try at giving the Minutemen some cover while letting us get the darned trophy.

 

[Patman]

My reading on this is that the UMass collective proposed this, presumably with input from the UMass AD. They, much more than UConn have been pushing this as a rivalry game. Remember last year they originally wanted it at a Fenway at one point. I think we are fine with it being billed that way for several reasons. Most notably its an hour away. No planes, just a couple of busses. Played 80 times going back to 1897, and we really don’t have a regular rivalry game. So we said, sure. Why not? Then the UMass collective and the AD had a falling out. They tried to undercut it before the game. Seems like either Mora didn’t get the email or was having some fun at their expense. And maybe he kind of likes the idea of developing a regular rivalry. Wouldn’t surprise me at all. The most recent “joint statement” seems like a try at giving the Minutemen some cover while letting us get the darned trophy.

from his side having a rival game, whether the rest of us really want it or not, gives his players something to key towards. I know a lot of you guys would prefer it to be syracuse or dare I say Rutgers... but we know the real hate is against Boston College... but it is something.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

There are a number of things that keep me from viewing our games against UMass as warranting a trophy.

For openers, we've been playing them since the 1890's yet prior to this fall there was never any desire anywhere of this being a trophy game. If the winner should have received a trophy, one would have materialized before the great depression.

That we now have a series of games with them is far more the result of need for both parties (until UMass starts play in the MAC next year) than any connection between the schools, which given the proximity and history is an indictment on the idea of this being a rivalry. The only reason this is above the other New England flagships, who were also long time Yankee Conference foes is because UMass is the only one of them who upgraded football.

I know that some have brought up some silly, long standing trophies that other schools compete for (little brown jug was brought up, old oaken bucket was not but is a similar deal), but those have been around from before WWII and some incident led to its creation. Basically UMass' collective tried to ConnFlict us, just as nutty Bob Diaco tried to ConnFlict UCF. There needs to be some natural development of something for the trophy to not be lame as hell. There wasn't in either case where someone tried to create a trophy.

 

[Waquoit]

As long as UMass is FBS I'd like UConn to play them on the last weekend of the season. It's UConn v UMass, honestly the name of the game alone is what CFB used to be all about. If you want to take out all of the tradition and make it a purely transactional affair, it's no different than the Yard Goats to me. And if UConn and UMass are going to play on the last weekend of the season, they might as well play for a trophy.

 

[freescooter]

from his side having a rival game, whether the rest of us really want it or not, gives his players something to key towards. I know a lot of you guys would prefer it to be syracuse or dare I say Rutgers... but we know the real hate is against Boston College... but it is something.

All of those WOULD be better. And at one point all seemed to be heading that way. But when BC went to the ACC that one went away. It is still testy when we play each other but that only happens occasionally. Rutgers was blossoming then they left for the B10 and we haven’t played them since. Hard to have a rival you never play. UMass is historic, close, and we have played them consistently since 2018 with future games scheduled through 2028 I believe. UMass wants to keep us on their schedule and I suspect we want that too. In the event of changes because of conference affiliations it could move to an earlier part of the schedule.

 

[tiger paw]

Population CT = 3.6m Mass.= 7m Total =10.6m. Attendance for UC-UM game was 10k+. Was a disgrace . Not exactly sure what the rest of the people in CT+ MA do every Saturday afternoon.

 

[UConnDan97]

Population CT = 3.6m Mass.= 7m Total =10.6m. Attendance for UC-UM game was 10k+. Was a disgrace . Not exactly sure what the rest of the people in CT+ MA do every Saturday afternoon.

Thank you for your interest in UConn athletics...

 

[businesslawyer]

There are a number of things that keep me from viewing our games against UMass as warranting a trophy.

For openers, we've been playing them since the 1890's yet prior to this fall there was never any desire anywhere of this being a trophy game. If the winner should have received a trophy, one would have materialized before the great depression.

That we now have a series of games with them is far more the result of need for both parties (until UMass starts play in the MAC next year) than any connection between the schools, which given the proximity and history is an indictment on the idea of this being a rivalry. The only reason this is above the other New England flagships, who were also long time Yankee Conference foes is because UMass is the only one of them who upgraded football.

I know that some have brought up some silly, long standing trophies that other schools compete for (little brown jug was brought up, old oaken bucket was not but is a similar deal), but those have been around from before WWII and some incident led to its creation. Basically UMass' collective tried to ConnFlict us, just as nutty Bob Diaco tried to ConnFlict UCF. There needs to be some natural development of something for the trophy to not be lame as hell. There wasn't in either case where someone tried to create a trophy.

Agree in part and disagree in part. It was meaningless until we won it and they wouldn't give it to us. Now I care.