Big East Glory Days

[upstater]

I was there for that game. Never saw that clip. The Earl of Storrs had an NBA game, I will leave it at that

Not many people can leap tall buildings in a single bound, but he could.

 

[HCCForever]

TC worked his butt off - always liked him.

some of his team mates were Skinner Frederick, Captain Eddie Williams and the late Ray Broxton (RIP)

 

[upstater]

I remember going to a UConn game vs. Georgetown at the Civic Center in '85. We lost by about 30 points. That team with Ewing & Co. was so dominant at the time I was just happy we got to say we were in the same conference with them. Never could have imagined what UConn would grow into once Calhoun got here.

But UConn did beat Georgetown a couple times in 81 and then in 82. Ewing's freshman and sophomore years. Once even beat them in DC.

Things got so bad for UConn in the Kelley years that we sometimes forget the Corny Thompson, Aleksinas, Mike McKay, Giscombe, Hobbs, Norm Bailey team was actually pretty good. Two 20 win seasons and finished in the middle of the BE. Then it all went south.

 

[Palatine]

I said it when it happened and I will repeat it. The Big East needs us more than we need them. They should have paid us to return.

 

[Palatine]

I remember going to a UConn game vs. Georgetown at the Civic Center in '85. We lost by about 30 points. That team with Ewing & Co. was so dominant at the time I was just happy we got to say we were in the same conference with them. Never could have imagined what UConn would grow into once Calhoun got here.

UConn beat Georgetwon with Ewing.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

But UConn did beat Georgetown a couple times in 81 and then in 82. Ewing's freshman and sophomore years. Once even beat them in DC.

Things got so bad for UConn in the Kelley years that we sometimes forget the Corny Thompson, Aleksinas, Mike McKay, Giscombe, Hobbs, Norm Bailey team was actually pretty good. Two 20 win seasons and finished in the middle of the BE. Then it all went south.

I'm pretty sure that during Corny's time at UConn we had a winning record against Georgetown. We swept them one year in BE play and split the other two. During the first three years of the BE there were six (five in year one, then Nova joined) schools that were all good enough to compete in the (then) NCAA tournament and be ranked (we were ranked at some point in each of those seasons) and two schools (SH & PC) as doormats (sadly we joined that level then they moved above that level). In 1982 we were the last team to beat Georgetown before the national title game. When we had Corny, McKay, Aleksinas (Kuczenski & Bailey as subs) our frontline was as talented as any. We had the talent to compete with anyone in the BE then, we didn't have the conditioning, preparation or in game coaching. Once the three graduated we were done. the 1982-1983 team was somewhat competitive (in comparison to later Perno squads) but we couldn't hang with the better schools in the conference.

I remember going to a UConn game vs. Georgetown at the Civic Center in '85. We lost by about 30 points. That team with Ewing & Co. was so dominant at the time I was just happy we got to say we were in the same conference with them. Never could have imagined what UConn would grow into once Calhoun got here.

I still remember those days and the worst part of it was the small mindedness that too many had. A large portion of the fan base and a good amount of the press saw Perno as someone who could do no wrong. He was the kid who stole the ball from Bill Bradley, sealing the sweet win against Princeton, so he would always be a hero. The argument was UConn couldn't reasonably compete with the better schools in the BE and many proposed leaving the conference for a level where we compete (I despised this mentality and thank God they didn't get their way). They also had excuses as the why we could never compete: 1) top players wanted to play in city schools (which the remainder of the BE was), we could never get them to UConn At the time, a lot of the better programs outside of the BE were similar in location to UConn so this excuse didn't carry a lot of weight and 2) there isn't enough local talent to support a successful program When this was being thrown around, BC made an elite eight (lost to Houston) with four starters from Connecticut. The same year, Villanova also made the elite eight with their best player being from Connecticut (a few years they would win a title with two starters from here). St John's was a tournament team with a starter from Connecticut and one of the top recruits in the country (who ended up at Pitt) was also from here. The excuses were just that, excuses, a means to absolve Perno of his coaching shortcomings. JC stating "It's doable" was among a handful of greatest statements any leader ever said.

When losing to the top of the conference by 20+ points was standard fare, the idea of building a program that would make the tournament four to five times a decade and win a game in the tournament here and there was a reasonable top level goal. If someone went around saying "we're on a path where we'll be tied in national championships with Indiana, behind only UCLA, Kentucky and North Carolina" back then they'd be viewed the way someone would be today if they were to say "we're on a path to have more football championships than Georgia and Florida St". The idea was that absurd in the mid 1980's.

 

[uconnfan68]

For fans of the old Big East there is an excellent podcast "Big East Rewind" hosted by ex-Villanova center Chuck Everson
and Syracuse's Sonny Spera. It's a labor of love for the two and features interviews with dozens of coaches, players, etc. who were all part of the Big East especially in 80's and 90's. It's a little light on UConn but is still amazingly nostalgic for everyone who grew up on Big Mondays.

A little light? Zero respect.

 

[Ratso]

View attachment 86990

I got my 1st tattoo thanks AI

 

[gsmooth]

A little light? Zero respect.

it was my problem with the Requiem for the Big East 30 for 30 back in 2013. It was a fun watch for nostalgia purposes and a history lesson, albeit an incomplete one. UConn and Villanova are the premium programs of the Big East when looking at the conference in totality from it's inception, point blank.

Georgetown was the BE team of the 80s, UConn was the BE team of the 90s, UConn was the BE team of the 2000s (including 2011), and Villanova is the BE team of the 2010s.

 

[Kathy]

I'm pretty sure that during Corny's time at UConn we had a winning record against Georgetown. We swept them one year in BE play and split the other two. During the first three years of the BE there were six (five in year one, then Nova joined) schools that were all good enough to compete in the (then) NCAA tournament and be ranked (we were ranked at some point in each of those seasons) and two schools (SH & PC) as doormats (sadly we joined that level then they moved above that level). In 1982 we were the last team to beat Georgetown before the national title game. When we had Corny, McKay, Aleksinas (Kuczenski & Bailey as subs) our frontline was as talented as any. We had the talent to compete with anyone in the BE then, we didn't have the conditioning, preparation or in game coaching. Once the three graduated we were done. the 1982-1983 team was somewhat competitive (in comparison to later Perno squads) but we couldn't hang with the better schools in the conference.


I still remember those days and the worst part of it was the small mindedness that too many had. A large portion of the fan base and a good amount of the press saw Perno as someone who could do no wrong. He was the kid who stole the ball from Bill Bradley, sealing the sweet win against Princeton, so he would always be a hero. The argument was UConn couldn't reasonably compete with the better schools in the BE and many proposed leaving the conference for a level where we compete (I despised this mentality and thank God they didn't get their way). They also had excuses as the why we could never compete: 1) top players wanted to play in city schools (which the remainder of the BE was), we could never get them to UConn At the time, a lot of the better programs outside of the BE were similar in location to UConn so this excuse didn't carry a lot of weight and 2) there isn't enough local talent to support a successful program When this was being thrown around, BC made an elite eight (lost to Houston) with four starters from Connecticut. The same year, Villanova also made the elite eight with their best player being from Connecticut (a few years they would win a title with two starters from here). St John's was a tournament team with a starter from Connecticut and one of the top recruits in the country (who ended up at Pitt) was also from here. The excuses were just that, excuses, a means to absolve Perno of his coaching shortcomings. JC stating "It's doable" was among a handful of greatest statements any leader ever said.

When losing to the top of the conference by 20+ points was standard fare, the idea of building a program that would make the tournament four to five times a decade and win a game in the tournament here and there was a reasonable top level goal. If someone went around saying "we're on a path where we'll be tied in national championships with Indiana, behind only UCLA, Kentucky and North Carolina" back then they'd be viewed the way someone would be today if they were to say "we're on a path to have more football championships than Georgia and Florida St". The idea was that absurd in the mid 1980's.

Only beat Ewing once in 80-81, his freshman year.
With Corny we were 2-3 against Georgetown

 

[CL82]

For fans of the old Big East there is an excellent podcast "Big East Rewind" hosted by ex-Villanova center Chuck Everson
and Syracuse's Sonny Spera. It's a labor of love for the two and features interviews with dozens of coaches, players, etc. who were all part of the Big East especially in 80's and 90's. It's a little light on UConn but is still amazingly nostalgic for everyone who grew up on Big Mondays.

I’ve seen some UConn episodes there. It’s a good watch.

 

[upstater]

Only beat Ewing once in 80-81, his freshman year.
With Corny we were 2-3 against Georgetown

Beat them 63-52 at the Capital Centre in 1982. I think this is the game where Karl Hobbs was mercilessly booed but he dribbled circles around them. May have been Hobbs' finest moment.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Only beat Ewing once in 80-81, his freshman year.
With Corny we were 2-3 against Georgetown

81-82 was Ewing's freshman year. We split with them that year and in 80-81. We beat them twice in 79-80.

 

[Kathy]

81-82 was Ewing's freshman year. We split with them that year and in 80-81. We beat them twice in 79-80.

Did not beat them twice in 79-80. Played them once and lost.

G	Date	Type		Opponent	Conf	SRS		Tm	Opp	OT	W	L	Streak	Arena
G	Date	Type		Opponent	Conf	SRS		Tm	Opp	OT	W	L	Streak	Arena
Date	Type		Opponent	Conf	SRS		Tm	Opp	OT	W	L	Streak	Arena
1	Sat, Dec 1, 1979	REG		Yale	Ivy	-6.96	W	83	75		1	0	W 1	Hartford Civic Center
2	Tue, Dec 4, 1979	REG		New Hampshire	ECACN	-16.90	W	71	62		2	0	W 2	Hartford Civic Center
3	Fri, Dec 7, 1979	REG	N	Richmond	ECACS	-2.36	W	81	79		3	0	W 3	Jon M. Huntsman Center
4	Sat, Dec 8, 1979	REG	@	Utah	WAC	5.47	L	66	73		3	1	L 1	Jon M. Huntsman Center
5	Tue, Dec 11, 1979	REG		Fairfield	ECACM	-10.88	W	66	57		4	1	W 1	New Haven Coliseum
6	Fri, Dec 14, 1979	REG	@	Rhode Island	ECACN	1.14	L	63	74		4	2	L 1	Keaney Gymnasium
7	Sat, Dec 22, 1979	REG		Seton Hall	Big East	-2.87	W	89	73		5	2	W 1	Hartford Civic Center
8	Fri, Dec 28, 1979	REG	N	Ohio	MAC	-8.33	W	95	76		6	2	W 2	New Haven Coliseum
9	Sun, Dec 30, 1979	REG	N	Pittsburgh	EAA	5.70	L	72	77		6	3	L 1	New Haven Coliseum
10	Thu, Jan 3, 1980	REG	@	New Hampshire	ECACN	-16.90	L	59	67		6	4	L 2	Lundholm Gym
11	Sat, Jan 5, 1980	REG	@	St. John's (NY) (17)	Big East	10.43	L	73	83		6	5	L 3	Madison Square Garden (IV)
12	Wed, Jan 9, 1980	REG		Boston College	Big East	5.92	W	83	71		7	5	W 1	Hartford Civic Center
13	Sat, Jan 12, 1980	REG	@	Massachusetts	EAA	-12.38	W	72	51		8	5	W 2	Springfield Civic Center
14	Wed, Jan 16, 1980	REG		Fordham	ECACM	-5.89	W	66	53		9	5	W 3	Hartford Civic Center
15	Sat, Jan 19, 1980	REG		McNeese State	Southland	0.02	W	73	69		10	5	W 4	Hartford Civic Center
16	Wed, Jan 23, 1980	REG		Providence	Big East	-0.03	W	74	63		11	5	W 5	New Haven Coliseum
17	Sat, Jan 26, 1980	REG	@	Syracuse (6)	Big East	16.43	L	89	99		11	6	L 1	Manley Field House
18	Wed, Jan 30, 1980	REG		Manhattan	ECACM	-15.08	W	89	66		12	6	W 1	New Haven Coliseum
19	Sat, Feb 2, 1980	REG	@	Georgetown	Big East	13.07	L	64	84		12	7	L 1	McDonough Gymnasium
20	Wed, Feb 6, 1980	REG		Massachusetts	EAA	-12.38	W	73	55		13	7	W 1	Hartford Civic Center
21	Sat, Feb 9, 1980	REG		Rhode Island	ECACN	1.14	L	65	68		13	8	L 1	Hartford Civic Center
22	Wed, Feb 13, 1980	REG		Boston University	ECACN	0.10	W	72	65		14	8	W 1	Hartford Civic Center
23	Mon, Feb 18, 1980	REG		Vermont	ECACN	-6.28	W	89	62		15	8	W 2	Hartford Civic Center
24	Wed, Feb 20, 1980	REG	@	Holy Cross	ECACN	-0.54	W	88	70		16	8	W 3	Hart Recreation Center
25	Sat, Feb 23, 1980	REG	@	Maine	ECACN	-3.41	W	87	67		17	8	W 4	Alfond Arena
26	Thu, Feb 28, 1980	CTOURN	N	Boston College	Big East	5.92	W	79	68		18	8	W 5	Providence Civic Center
27	Fri, Feb 29, 1980	CTOURN	N	Syracuse (3)	Big East	16.43	L	61	92		18	9	L 1	Providence Civic Center
28	Wed, Mar 5, 1980	NIT		Saint Peter's	ECACM	5.72	L

 

[storrsroars]

only good things about the current big east are john fanta and jonathan the husky.

and that's just simply an undeniable fact.

C'mon man. There was an excellent episode on "Dogs" on Netflix about the lineage of Butler bulldog mascots and their handlers.

You have no heart.

 

[Seamus84]

View attachment 86990

Bring back those road uni’s!!!