Big East soon to become Mid Major

[diggerfoot]

What's so bad about this lineup?

The Future Big East?
Boise State (Idaho)
Central Florida
Houston (Texas)
Memphis (Tennessee)
San Diego State (California)
Southern Methodist (Texas)
Tulane (Louisiana)
James Madison/Delaware
East Carolina
South Florida

Someone axed me whether I watch football. Answer, not that much any more. I think college football has deteriorated as a result of the conference realignments. I don't think the fighting to get bigger has added anything except confusion and disarray.

People here don't seem to agree with me that the new Big East is no more and no less arbitrary than the new Big 12 where WVA doesn't belong and where Missouri does (but is no longer there).

Here's what the Big East offered:

UCONN vs SDSU, intriguing
UCONN vs Boise State, cool
UCONN vs SMU, a one time power, until cheating
UCONN vs Houston, Heisman pedigree

All I am saying is give the Big East a chance (and also stop pining for the ACC, who does not want us).

You opened your arguments with geography as an important factor; now it's not, because of Internet connectivity. What really is going on here is that you've become attached to the Big East as a conference and you will grasp at any reason you can find to support your fixed belief. Virtually all of us become attached to this or that based on emotion rather than logic; that's only human. One starts digging a hole for themselves when they can't realize this and think they can justify what they want on logic alone.

I was more on your side with your original support of geography. Jet travel is an added expense for teams or for fans. Not everyone has suitable Internet connectivity, though it's convenient for those who visit a message board on the Internet to be oblivious to that. No way can a rivalry between SDSU and UConn stir up as much support and emotions as between BC and UConn. Those are simple facts, though facts don't matter when it's emotion that is driving you and you are fooling yourself into thinking it's logic, leading you to change your logic as you go.

A tangential point you make is that what really matters is standing out in whatever conference we are in; make the best out of whatever situation we are in. That general principle is a stronger, more logical argument than can be made for specifically remaining in the Big East.

 

[jplotinus]

I'm sorry if I was unclear. I like the Big East.

I'd relish a rivalry with Delaware. The annual game could be billed as the "Teenie Tiny World Series. The winner takes home The Bonzai Tree Trophy.

I'd be just as interested in any of the Vig East match ups as I would be with any other. Right now, college sports, especially football, are in complete and utter disarray. The conference push me pull you is ruining the natural regional alignments.

By the way, it is not inconsistent, as claimed, that criticism of far flung conference pairings, as I've done, versus extolling the virtues of the new BE. I'm only dealing with the reitu of the BE and the reality that that is where UCONN is.

Speaking of location and of teevee, has anyone mentioned the possible attention can get from ESPN? Earth to BYers, ESPN is located in po'. Tiny little CT.
Geno recognized that advantage. He damn near hot us put on probation for bringing Maya Moore there, right? That could be why Pat Summitt flipped out figuratively and, sadly, literally and why there's no UCONN TENN series now.

So, I here claim UCONN can just as easily get on teevee in a properly marketed BE as any other new conference.

 

[Biff]

Speaking of location and of teevee, has anyone mentioned the possible attention can get from ESPN? Earth to BYers, ESPN is located in po'. Tiny little CT.
Geno recognized that advantage. He damn near hot us put on probation for bringing Maya Moore there, right? That could be why Pat Summitt flipped out figuratively and, sadly, literally and why there's no UCONN TENN series now.

I don't really much care if you want to continue in your fantasy world view of college sports. But, your representation of this incident is just plain incorrect and inflammatory.

Geno did not bring Maya Moore to ESPN and the incident did not "damn near" have us put on probation and that incident was not why Pat Summitt "flipped out". Sadly and literally, you are wrong on all these facts and represent them incorrectly. I hope that was only accidental and not a purposeful mistake.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

I don't really much care if you want to continue in your fantasy world view of college sports. But, your representation of this incident is just plain incorrect and inflammatory.

Geno did not bring Maya Moore to ESPN and the incident did not "damn near" have us put on probation and that incident was not why Pat Summitt "flipped out". Sadly and literally, you are wrong on all these facts and represent them incorrectly. I hope that was only accidental and not a purposeful mistake.

Biff...I thinks Plots is a troll, real or wannabe...the Moore reference was clearly a poke and jab, to me anyways.

 

[HuskyNan]

Biff...I thinks Plots is a troll, real or wannabe...the Moore reference was clearly a poke and jab, to me anyways.

IP is from the wrong side of the Mason-Dixon line, unless a BC fan is having some fun.

 

[RadyLady]

Troll alert. Here only to stir the pot. Consider it stirred, and consider that you may have just completely worn out your welcome. Go back to the SEC

Sent from my SGH-T769 using Tapatalk 2

 

[RadyLady]

Troll alert. Here only to stir the pot. Consider it stirred, and consider that you may have just completely worn out your welcome. Go back to the SEC

Sent from my SGH-T769 using Tapatalk 2

Oops...forgot to quote the troll...or maybe I didn't wish to sully my post with his handle or his...whatever you want to call ir

Sent from my SGH-T769 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Icebear]

Simply a wannabee who is a canneverbe.

 

[jplotinus]

There is not one game there most anyone would prefer to watch over whatever is on against it.

Face you just don't get it and no one agrees with you and isn't going to be pursued just because you say it should be different.

I have already called attention the the herd instinct on display here. I don't really see the value in agreeing the Big East is toast and the grass is greener on Tobacco Road or the rust belt, Bible Belt or anywhere else.

We are here. This is Big East territory and I regret no one wishes to stand firm for it. If you are so impressed with the ACC, go to their games. That's fine.

I don't roll that way.

Some dude keeps axin me if I go to UCONN football games. I tend to avoid getting drawn into 20 question games and I tend not to answer personal queries. If I want to post up personal tidbits, I will. But not in response to someone else's questioning me about personal factoids.

Here's what I'll share. I lived in S.FL back in Miami's football glory days where winning streaks and national championships were as common to them as basketball glory is to CT now.

I lost interest in them only after they left the BE. It is very unclear as to whether former BE colleges are better off in the ACC. I think they're lost in the shuffle, stuck on Tobacco Road.

For those who refuse to consider the potential benefit of a new coast-to-coast conference of non-traditional powerhouse programs. Fine. But hey, UCONN isn't a football power. It has <one decade in the bs division. In that time period, it has done rather well despite the chaos, disarray and stupidity that characterizes NCAA football at the top level.

 

[Icebear]

I have already called attention the the herd instinct on display here. I don't really see the value in agreeing the Big East is toast and the grass is greener on Tobacco Road or the rust belt, Bible Belt or anywhere else.

People agreeing with the obvious is not necessarily herd mentality. Your position is akin to being a climate change denier.

 

[Vowelguy]

People agreeing with the obvious is not necessarily herd mentality. Your position is akin to being a climate change denier.

No, it's akin to believing the sky is green, not blue.

 

[jplotinus]

People agreeing with the obvious is not necessarily herd mentality. Your position is akin to being a climate change denier.

Let me double check for accuracy of understanding:

I might be incorrect, but you think it is written in stone that the ACC is better than the Big East and that therefore it is unfortunate the ACC doesn't want UCONN.

Is that about the size of it?

For me, the issue is relative to the location of the observer. Tobacco Road does not look better to me than New England. I prefer to stand firm for my area and to participate in rebuilding the big east. I'm unwilling to write it off.

Here's something more: Diety willing and the creek don't rise (again) I will go to UCONN football games in the new Big East. I will not go to ACC games and I hope UCONN stops begging to go where it isn't wanted.

The ACC is just not into UCONN.

Can some of you begin to turn lemons to lemonade; or, is that just not gonna happen, no way, no how, no Boise State evah?

Just axin... :-/

 

[RadyLady]

Just doesn't get it......

 

[jplotinus]

I don't really much care if you want to continue in your fantasy world view of college sports. But, your representation of this incident is just plain incorrect and inflammatory.

Geno did not bring Maya Moore to ESPN and the incident did not "damn near" have us put on probation and that incident was not why Pat Summitt "flipped out". Sadly and literally, you are wrong on all these facts and represent them incorrectly. I hope that was only accidental and not a purposeful mistake.

Wait. Your post is not forthcoming; rather, it withholds. If you've got some information that corrects what I've said, why not offer it up?

Besides, I'm sorry you find it necessary to assume the worst about me. Do you make similar assumptions about others who strongly disagree with what you think is true and right and correct and ironclad?

How important is it for others to agree with you? The apparent answer is that you require agreement or else.

 

[tomcat]

Man, I just had a flash of deja vu.

'Scuse me for shouting - THIS IS NOT ABOUT BASKETBALL, IT"S ABOUT FOOTBALL AND TV $$$$$$. No matter how strong UConn is in the Big East, it WILL NOT attract TV contracts or continued donations from alumni because it will be in a crappy league. Please, jplotinus, give me one example of how UConn can rebuild the Big East from a league that will play games that no one will want to see. Tulane vs Central Florida? East Carolina vs San Diego State? And UConn is bad in football, it will not attract viewers. Even when UConn when to the BCS bowl, no one watched them.

What part of "crappy league" don't you get? Look at the list of schools below - they stink! I like someone's analogy of a couple days ago - UConn will become Old Dominion, a once powerful program that faded into oblivion.

The Future Big East?
Boise State (Idaho)
Central Florida
Houston (Texas)
Memphis (Tennessee)
San Diego State (California)
Southern Methodist (Texas)
Tulane (Louisiana)
James Madison/Delaware
East Carolina
South Florida

And soon to be dumped:
Providence
DePaul
Villanova
St. John's
Seton Hall
Georgetown
Marquette

Thank you. I've been saying this ever since the first rumblings of change came out UConn by itself with a bunch of has-beens or never-weres, at least in terms of women's bb, is a disaster and is exactly like Old Dominion down the road. And here's an even worse scenario, for those of us who like to torture ourselves with disaster scenarios:

Let's say this plays out and UConn is playing top-notch basketball in a lousy league. Three or four years go by and gradually it becomes clear that UConn is not able to attract the kind of top players it used to. No more #1s. no Players of the Year. Decent players, but the university's national reach is reduced because players want to play in a league where there's top competition, day in and day out.

Under that scenario, what does Geno do? Does he want to coach second-level talent once again, as he had to at the start of his career? Will he accept the challenge of building up a school in a major conference that wants to get good at WBB? Will he ride off into the sunset of retirement? At that point, does anyone think UConn WBB would even be relevant except on a regional level?

Okay, it's a bunch of hypotheticals, and there's nothing any one of us can do to change things, nor is there much that UConn can do except hope. But my point is that we are not that far from seeing the next steps toward this scenario play out.

 

[tomcat]

Well, on queue, as it were. It is unseemly to go to Greensboro NC (ACC HQ) begging admission into the ACC. Something that is hard to communicate is that the best way for UCONN to get into some super conference or another is to stand firm, proudly rebuild the Big East by becoming the "beast of the East" and by having conferences come to us begging.

Query: Are posters really saying that UCONN cannot be the leader of a rebuilt Big East?

If so, posters may be overlooking the best avenue for eventual membership where UCONN really wants to be.

I don't think the begging approach sends the right message.

Just say-n :-/

Yes, UConn can be a leader of a rebuilt Big East. No, no one will care, because a rebuilt Big East will be second-rate when compared with the major conferences.

 

[Vowelguy]

Let me double check for accuracy of understanding:

I might be incorrect, but you think it is written in stone that the ACC is better than the Big East and that therefore it is unfortunate the ACC doesn't want UCONN.

The issue is not whether you or I or any other poster declares the ACC or the Big East better. The market determines this. Which league has the better TV contract?

This is all that matters.

Whoever has more money can build better facilities and lure better coaches. This leads to better recruiting and better results.

When the revenue gap is significant - and the BE is about to fall significantly behind its peers - the schools cannot keep up and all/most programs suffer.

 

[Biff]

Wait. Your post is not forthcoming; rather, it withholds. If you've got some information that corrects what I've said, why not offer it up?

Besides, I'm sorry you find it necessary to assume the worst about me. Do you make similar assumptions about others who strongly disagree with what you think is true and right and correct and ironclad?

How important is it for others to agree with you? The apparent answer is that you require agreement or else.

No I'm not going to provide you with the facts that refute your inaccurate statements. They are a matter of record. Your statements were not facts but rather false conclusions. I have no idea what information you used to get there but your conclusions as stated are wrong.

I don't know why you assume that I assume the worse about you. Another false conclusion by you I guess. You do throw out some pretty broad assertions based on very little fact it seems.

As I said in my original post, I don't care about your opinion on the BE or the ACC. Continue on with it. I don't agree with it but I don't care that you have it. Again your conclusion is wrong. I do care that you made false statements that seem to erroneously disparage the basketball program and my purpose for posting was only to dispute the correctness and accuracy of those statements.

 

[jplotinus]

Yes, UConn can be a leader of a rebuilt Big East. No, no one will care, because a rebuilt Big East will be second-rate when compared with the major conferences.

For the life of me, I do not understand why people have so much certainty about how this will all play out.

The negative projections are just that: guesses. I choose to guess positively in part; and, I am also basing my claims on my personal lack of affinity for the ACC. I really do prefer a northeast orientation. I hope my personal preference doesn't offend overmuch.

Now to the positive projections:

17-18 yr old kids are rather fickle, for lack of a kinder term to describe their whimsical nature. It is possible, perhaps just as likely as not, that the new Big East will be considered "cool" by the upcoming set of teen-something's. certainly, if I were a BE admin or recruiter, that is what I would pitch.

Certainly, the Bug East will be new and will offer coast-to-coast rivalries in the Internet age. Am I really the only one who sees that as an intriguing prospect and very easily a huge advantage, if played rightly rather than shunned in advance?

Speaking of recruiters, I doubt the BE schools will agree that they are second rate and I doubt they will recruit that way.

Let me here double check something:

Do posters here think the new Big East has nothing at all to offer up as a comparative advantage?

Are posters convinced their projections of future events are ironclad?

Do posters here just not like the BE anymore, under any conditions?
If so, might as well come on out and scream it.

I will:

I LIKE THE BIG EAST and I am truly sorry if that offends sensibilities around here.

Deal with it

 

[Icebear]

Let me double check for accuracy of understanding:

I might be incorrect, but you think it is written in stone that the ACC is better than the Big East and that therefore it is unfortunate the ACC doesn't want UCONN.

Is that about the size of it?

For me, the issue is relative to the location of the observer. Tobacco Road does not look better to me than New England. I prefer to stand firm for my area and to participate in rebuilding the big east. I'm unwilling to write it off.

Here's something more: Diety willing and the creek don't rise (again) I will go to UCONN football games in the new Big East. I will not go to ACC games and I hope UCONN stops begging to go where it isn't wanted.

The ACC is just not into UCONN.

Can some of you begin to turn lemons to lemonade; or, is that just not gonna happen, no way, no how, no Boise State evah?

Just axin... :-/

Dude, point to where I have noted anything about the ACC. It is about how bad the gutted Big East is nothing more. You don't read what anyone has said. B1G, ACC, SEC doesn't matter to me because it is about how bad the Big East is. Other than in name it no longer exists. All the important worthwhile teams that used to provide us competition are now in other conferences. The concept the conference is now working is terrible fiscally. Transportation costs will be through the roof and revernue is going nowhere. personally, I would rather be in the B1G.

 

[Vowelguy]

Funny how whenever I mention the revenue gap, you conveniently ignore it and stick to what you wish would happen. Yeah, because dreams top dollars.

Fortunately there's a wonderful Ignore feature on this board, which I will now make use of.

 

[jplotinus]

Thank you. I've been saying this ever since the first rumblings of change came out UConn by itself with a bunch of has-beens or never-weres, at least in terms of women's bb, is a disaster and is exactly like Old Dominion down the road. And here's an even worse scenario, for those of us who like to torture ourselves with disaster scenarios:

Let's say this plays out and UConn is playing top-notch basketball in a lousy league. Three or four years go by and gradually it becomes clear that UConn is not able to attract the kind of top players it used to. No more #1s. no Players of the Year. Decent players, but the university's national reach is reduced because players want to play in a league where there's top competition, day in and day out.

Under that scenario, what does Geno do? Does he want to coach second-level talent once again, as he had to at the start of his career? Will he accept the challenge of building up a school in a major conference that wants to get good at WBB? Will he ride off into the sunset of retirement? At that point, does anyone think UConn WBB would even be relevant except on a regional level?

Okay, it's a bunch of hypotheticals, and there's nothing any one of us can do to change things, nor is there much that UConn can do except hope. But my point is that we are not that far from seeing the next steps toward this scenario play out.

Yes, you have relied on hypotheticals. But, your post is very thoughtful in my opinion, and much appreciated.

The part that jumps out at me is the Old Dominion part. That part is particularly apt because it relates more to women's BB and less to football. That is good.

All glory is fleeting, as the saying goes. UCONN has had a longer than normal run at the tip top of WCBB world. And we look pretty strong now and on into the immediate future. Sooner or later a reversion to mean will likely occur. Any number of factors can cause that reversion. I won't try to either list them, much less guess what might cause it for us.

I thought for awhile that Miami would be on top foevah in football. Note, too, they dropped when they went to the ACC and not the other way around. BC has also all but dropped off the face of the earth too, now that it is a run of the mill ACC school.

I don't know what the future holds for the BE. I have already said, however, that it has some cards that it can play. I applaud, in particular, the coast-to-coast aspect. I do that not because I prefer it; I do so because that factor can be seen as an innovation in college sports. It now only takes a little savvy to make it happen and to turn those of us who are gloomy into happy campers.

Shall we give it a chance and abide the outcome?

Blessings

 

[pap49cba]

What a waste of bandwidth...

 

[RadyLady]

I don't know what the future holds for the BE.
we have tried to tell you. You obtusely ignore these posts
I have already said, however, that it has some cards that it can play.
jokers. That's all. No other viable cards.
I applaud, in particular, the coast-to-coast aspect. I do that not because I prefer it; I do so because that factor can be seen as an innovation in college sports.
cost, cost, cost. It will cost to compete across the country for games are not played on the internet
It now only takes a little savvy to make it happen and to turn those of us who are gloomy into happy campers.
hope you have some smashed potatoes to go with your savvy.
Shall we give it a chance and abide the outcome?
You're on your own, kid.
Blessings
can't quite figure that one out

 

[connboy77]

I don't know if this has ever been mentioned or not, or has ever been under consideration by the UCONN administration. What if UCONN became an independent? In this way they would be able to set their own schedule and play the best teams possible. I don't claim to know all the ramifications of such a move, or the pro and cons of not being a part of a conference.

My main fear is that if UCONN remains in the Big East they will become a fading women's basketball power much like La Tech and other past elite programs that have faded into a second rate team. What top ten or twenty recruit would want to come to UCONN if they play nothing but cup cakes?