Battle for the 1st Southwick Jug

[ScottVib]

Here's the thing. I kind of agree. UConn should have sent out a mailer on info about how to get tickets and a uconn reception at the game.

UMass is an hour from Hartford or so. I think getting at least 5k up there shouldn't be hard. Maybe the holiday makes it tough

If you were at the stadium, UConn fans may well have been close to 5k. Then UConn side was nearly as full as the UMass side, primarily dressed in blue. Relative to the attendance in the stadium, UConn represented well.

 

[gopher2]

Juck the Fugg. It's hideous.

Call the game the Yankee Doodle Dandy and make the trophy a three-cornered hat with a feather in it. Or the Southern New England Super Bowl with a trophy that is something similar in appearance to the actual Super Bowl trophy. Or let the students from both schools come up with something.

 

[Kolumbo]

Battle Of New England

 

[Jetskies]

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.

i agree, albeit sadly. would have loved to have this "final-week-rivalry-game" be vs a big east foe like syracuse. had the big east stayed together i imagine a true rival would have emerged from that conference, whom we could focus all of our week 14 energy/hate on.
We never got that chance, so now it's UMass.
It's a lame game that feels so high school whenever we play at McGuirk, but if we keep getting better and UMass finally gets their friggin house in order and starts winning some stinkin' FBS games, then maybe this can be a mutually beneficial series/rivalry. But until UMass actually shows signs of life, this game is a drag on our season, and almost feels like another FCS win, tbh.

 

[noeynox]

I think it's more appropriate that the losing team is forced to hold onto that trophy. They'll need to beat us before they can get rid of it.

You know that that would be a hell of a gimmick!

 

[UConn Dan]

I love that this went national. People have been talking about UConn and the jug and how we were robbed. There's even a parody southwick jug account on twitter. All press is good press

 

[BlueandOG]

Making this a rivalry game with a trophy (I do not like the name) is a good move for UConn, UMass, and NE football. UMass football will improve now that they are in the MAC. We will benefit from the stability of a rivalry game, particularly while we wallow in independence. Reminding the public that we have been playing football for over 100 years bolsters the perceived legitimacy of the program.

 

[HuskiesFan1014]

When I was an undergrad (in part during the Jimmy Carter years to show my age) a buddy (more of an acquaintance) felt that if we were out at a bar, no matter what, he had to end up with someone. It provided quite a bit of amusement at times but for the life of me I never understood it. There should be some standards.

Was your buddy Bill Cosby?

 

[Waquoit]

i agree,

Where did I go wrong?

 

[J187Money]

Here's the thing. I kind of agree. UConn should have sent out a mailer on info about how to get tickets and a uconn reception at the game.

UMass is an hour from Hartford or so. I think getting at least 5k up there shouldn't be hard. Maybe the holiday makes it tough

There was also a hoops game. Hard when you have both. And without anything concrete on the line (like conf championship) it takes some of the juice out.

 

[hardcorehusky]

Just got a fan survey from UMass. I let them know the replays and the audio as well as ref mic not working was not FBS level fan experience.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Just got a fan survey from UMass. I let them know the replays and the audio as well as ref mic not working was not FBS level fan experience.

Did you mention them hijacking the jug?

 

[Tdaley]

It's hard when you consider that the game time temperature was around 40 F, if I recall correctly. Furthermore, the other poster is just a troll. Don't feed him...

It was a great game to attend for UConn fans but it certainly was cold. The forecast was 38 degrees and sunny. As it turned out there was no sun in the second half. I try to buy an extra ticket in the UConn section and was told that non was available. As good as the UConn turnout was, I am sure many UConn fans who purchase tickets that didn’t show up because of the weather. Attendance at 11/30 game in New England will always be problematic.

 

[CL82]

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.

I was thinking the same thing. Had you not objected to it, it would be getting considerably less attention now.

 

[CL82]

this game almost feels like another FCS win, tbh.

But it counts as an FBS game. I'm good with it. (Full disclosure, I may be a bit jaded because UMass was the rivalry game when I was in college.)

 

[Jetskies]

But it counts as an FBS game. I'm good with it. (Full disclosure, I may be a bit jaded because UMass was the rivalry game when I was in college.)

it totally counts on paper, as an FBS win.

I just mean that as long as UMass sucks as much as they do, the win will be of little value to UConn's resume.
I also want UMass to be marginally good (or at least show a pulse as an FBS program), because of the risk of losing to them. College football is weird enough that UMass can theoretically beat us any year, as we just saw last weekend.
Risking losing to a competitive FBS team is better than losing to a perennial doormat.

as it currently stands, we don't gain by beating them, and we have a lot to lose by losing to a school constantly ranked #130 or similar.

I guess I just want the win to matter, and the risk to be worth it.
But we're an independent so i guess we don't get that luxury. play-who-you-can, and all that jazz.

 

[drayenob]

 

[Austin316]

Any publicity is great publicity. Idk how we always find ourselves in these predicaments but I think it’s great. And hysterical. Bring the UConn-UMass bowl jug to ct where it belongs.

 

[RSTuthill]

Why do we care who the miscommunication is on or not on. It is a great idea. Building up UMass along side UConn and BC is in everyone's interest. I say get it done with the least amount of entropy product possible. That means not pointing fingers in regards to its false start.

 

[Kolumbo]

I think UMass will be very competitive in the MAC this time around and this rivalry could become exciting. Just my hunch

A UConn - UMass rivalry game should in no way be affected by the weather. This is New England for Pete's sake. Hit the Packie and dress wicked warm

 

[jostar1]

Wetzel talks about it at 1:03: 34:

 

[freescooter]

it totally counts on paper, as an FBS win.

I just mean that as long as UMass sucks as much as they do, the win will be of little value to UConn's resume.
I also want UMass to be marginally good (or at least show a pulse as an FBS program), because of the risk of losing to them. College football is weird enough that UMass can theoretically beat us any year, as we just saw last weekend.
Risking losing to a competitive FBS team is better than losing to a perennial doormat.

as it currently stands, we don't gain by beating them, and we have a lot to lose by losing to a school constantly ranked #130 or similar.

I guess I just want the win to matter, and the risk to be worth it.
But we're an independent so i guess we don't get that luxury. play-who-you-can, and all that jazz.

We’ll, not sure that it is of “marginal value”. We move up in a couple of ranking systems after winning that game. So somebody or some computer thought beating UMass had value.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[Kolumbo]

UMass has another collective, The Massachusetts Collective. I think it makes sense to have just one collective. Less confusing for fans and alumni. Perhaps this is why the Jug wasn't validated by UMass

 

[businesslawyer]

UMass donors to their Athletic Department: Bless your heart. Man, I love other people’s drama.

 

[oldanintheway]

But it counts as an FBS game. I'm good with it. (Full disclosure, I may be a bit jaded because UMass was the rivalry game when I was in college.)

Ancient History: 73' in the 8-2-1season, it was the Homecoming Game. Memorial Stadium was packed, got to say hello to Yogi Berra, his son Timmy was very good receiver for UMass.

 

[uconnbill]

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.

What do you care? Now buzz off

 

[uconnbill]

i agree, albeit sadly. would have loved to have this "final-week-rivalry-game" be vs a big east foe like syracuse. had the big east stayed together i imagine a true rival would have emerged from that conference, whom we could focus all of our week 14 energy/hate on.
We never got that chance, so now it's UMass.
It's a lame game that feels so high school whenever we play at McGuirk, but if we keep getting better and UMass finally gets their friggin house in order and starts winning some stinkin' FBS games, then maybe this can be a mutually beneficial series/rivalry. But until UMass actually shows signs of life, this game is a drag on our season, and almost feels like another FCS win, tbh.

The thing is it is not a FCS win and it counts towards bowl total which is a positive.

 

[Kolumbo]

"Listen, my children, and you shall hear
Of the Midnight Ride Collective’s fear
30th of November, UMass and UConn
The Southwick Jug would already be gone
Did not have a sponsor, not even a beer

"Chase Lundt told the paper, “It’d be neat.”
The trophy should go to the winning team
Sadly it was not even there, it did seem
But UConn would get it from the team they beat—
One if by land, and two if by sea;
And on the opposite shore Jim Mora would be
Ready to take it, put it under his wing
And give it to his 8-4 team on the upswing
This was no Civil conFLiCT, it was a real thing"

UConn And UMass Created And Abandoned College Football's Goofiest Rivalry Trophy | Defector

UMass and UConn were all set up for the big one. The two programs played 77 times before, but this was the first time that a trophy sponsored by an NIL collective would be on the line. Sure, UConn was 7-4 coming into the game and UMass was 2-9. But with UMass moving to the…

defector.com

 

[Rich]

I have an idea for table stakes in the annual UCONN/UMASS game....

You know that area at the very 'bottom' of MA where the MA property line 'jogs' into CT? Where 91 comes in/goes out to MA? Well, the nearest town in MA is Longmeadow and the nearest town in CT North Thompsonville.

First, we'd draw an 'imaginary' line across the top of the CT such that the border was continuous instead of jogging South. Then we would map the square footage of the CT bulge/jog area and 'extend' it for our purposes here on the other side of the line into MA, in the same shape.

The schools could play for annual 'control' of this land. Call it the Longmeadow Thompsonville Trophy. Also the side that wins that year gets to put up a sign on the other's property welcoming motorists to CT or MA with the tagline 'Home of the Longmeadow/Thompsonville Trophy' and listing that year's score.

Now that's a trophy that cannot be conveniently 'lost', or foregone due to some BS collective.