Can someone explain to me why joining the Big East (again) would be bad? I don't want a sarcastic answer, I really want to know. This is what I do know, or think I know:
1) I'm not aware of any P5 invitations that are pending or likely. This would obviously be the best result.
2) The AAC is in a tenuous spot because some of its best teams are ripe for raiding--Houston, Memphis and Cincinnati all have decent to good football programs at the moment, and the latter two have historically good hoops programs too (even Houston has Phi Slamma Jamma). Without tracking every rumor, it does seem like two or three of those would be better geographic and athletic fits in the conferences that are most likely to expand. UConn being left in a raided AAC is not viable.
3) The Big East has no football, so you'd have to find a home for that sport or go independent. The rest of the Big East (after Nova) is not as bad as some make it out to be. Seton Hall has improved, Marquette can be good, Butler has been very good over the last decade, Xavier has been good recently, etc. The Big East would be a great home for UConn hoops--back to MSG, regional games (as opposed to our crazy AAC travel schedule), revisiting some old rivalries, etc.
I know P5 is the dream. But it doesn't seem realistic. If it were me, I'd be looking hard at the Big East. Why am I wrong?