Bit deflated with college football....

[uconndogs]

Love the onset of fall due largely to collge football. Nothing beats the hopes that accompany a new season, coupled with the pagentry, tradition and intensity of college football. UCONN's entry into this realm has simply been a blast.

But, I have to say, I feel a bit torn, if not duplicitous........

Penn State, one of the games most storied programs; and JoePa, one of its most storied coaches, have been shown to be all too human, all too flawed. These leaders of men, builders of character, allowed children....children.....to remain in harm's way. What culture must exist that winning football games took a precedence that allowed that to happen?

And certainly less meaningful and tragic, but nonetheless emblematic, are conference realignments which have shown me two things. First, educational institutions which tout themselves as the builders of our future leaders, regularly and without regard, fail to honor agreements in order to assure access to winning and ultimately, money. Second, competition, based on the premise of fair and equal access - the level playing field - is replaced by strategic and permanent advantage, so that one's pairs may be permanently diminished and unable to compete effectively.

I look forward to the kick-off against UMASS. I'll be there. I will be excited. But, I'll feel a bang of guilt. College football is seriously flawed and I see nothing within its leadership to show it the way.

 

[uconnfan68]

Not only did I "like" it, I wanted to thank you for writing it. I don't see a happy ending coming either. The President of UVA (of all places!) is being forced out for not pursuing a U. of Phoenix-like approach with Thomas Jefferson's school. The entire college experience will soon be a memory.

 

[uconndogs]

Thanks 68. I'm sure many will think me wacked for posting that. But I care about college football and that was from the heart.

 

[pj]

Great post. Big changes are coming to higher education when federal spending finally has to stop growing. They have gotten rich on federal support and riches have made universities ever more greedy. They have more money-devouring constituencies than ever that they have to feed. Not sure how it will play out, or affect athletics, but university leaders see it coming and are searching for revenue wherever they can.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I said the same thing essentially on here a couple days ago.

I'm sick of college football's bullsh1t and the only thing I care about anymore is UConn Football.

 

[RioDog]

I feel your pain, but I´m the original eternal optimist. I believe that change for better or worse is inevitable, but it creates new opportunities for those with the vision to see them. Example: the Haves in CFB lock out the Have Nots from their sanctioned ``championship`` system. Sucks for the Have-Nots, but perhaps it is also an opportunity for them and visionary media outlets to partner and create an alternative structure. Is the ONLY financially viable CFB product one that cycles the same 8 teams (pick the number you think is right) through a ``NC Game`` ? I´m no media mogul, but I don´t believe it. I think folks from the Northeast and Idaho and the `second-in-popularity´ schools in places like Florida and Texas, the Midwest and the West would demand and pay for such a product. They could challenge the old structure and eventually force the recognition that would result in a true NC game.

The Greek, Roman and British Empires didn´t last forever. The AFL was recognized and absorbed by the NFL. Apples and oranges comparisons? Perhaps, but nothing lasts forever, and hope springs eternal.

 

[ZooCougar]

The realignment business, which pre-dates the Penn State tragedy really spoiled the water for me. Realignment is ripping up the fabric of college football and I am saddened to see long time rivalries shoved aside in order to chase a few extra dollars.

The Penn State tragedy is just emblematic of this complete loss of pespective. They wouldn't let the track coach get away with this stuff for so long, someone would have come up with the moral courage to put a stop to it.

 

[UCFBfan]

The realignment business, which pre-dates the Penn State tragedy really spoiled the water for me. Realignment is ripping up the fabric of college football and I am saddened to see long time rivalries shoved aside in order to chase a few extra dollars.

This is what kills me the most about CFB. It was always about rivalries and geographic leagues. That's what made CFB so great. You loved to hate other fan bases and teams and those games always got you excited and were electric in the stadiums. Unfortunately, we never were able to have BC come to the Rent but I could only imagine what that would have been like. Now we've lost Syracuse and Pitt in bball, never had a chance to grow our rivalry with BC, and will now have an empty visitor section for the majority of league games as I can't see a few thousand Boise, Houston, SMU, SDSU, or Memphis fans making the trek. It's really going to kill some of the atmoshpere.

Then you look around CFB and you see longer lasting rivalries like KU-Mizzou, Texas-Texas A&M, WVU-Pitt all gone because of money. I think CFB will take a small hit from this and people will not enjoy it nationally as much as they used to. Sure, everyone will cheer for their team still, but the love of watching random games on a Saturday will not be as exciting due to old rivalries gone. Maybe I'm wrong, but re-alignment, starting back with the ACC raids in 2003, has really put a damper on CFB. One can hope that in 10 years or so they go back to regional conferences and trim some fat off of FBS football. Hopefully UConn will not be some of the 'fat' trimmed off!

 

[metsfan2323]

Penn State and Joe Pa are forever disgraced.

As for realignment and the pursuit of money, part of me thinks it has always been this way, this is just the first time it has negatively effected UCONN or has it? We still seem to be poised for increased revenue and hopefully an oustanding football season.

Fair and equal access, level playing field? Just remember that the next time someone suggests UMASS to the Big East. Why we added Temple and not UMASS (a state with 2 million more people than CT) is beyond me, short term thinking I guess.

 

[ZooCougar]

This is what kills me the most about CFB. It was always about rivalries and geographic leagues. That's what made CFB so great. You loved to hate other fan bases and teams and those games always got you excited and were electric in the stadiums. Unfortunately, we never were able to have BC come to the Rent but I could only imagine what that would have been like. Now we've lost Syracuse and Pitt in bball, never had a chance to grow our rivalry with BC, and will now have an empty visitor section for the majority of league games as I can't see a few thousand Boise, Houston, SMU, SDSU, or Memphis fans making the trek. It's really going to kill some of the atmoshpere.

Then you look around CFB and you see longer lasting rivalries like KU-Mizzou, Texas-Texas A&M, WVU-Pitt all gone because of money. I think CFB will take a small hit from this and people will not enjoy it nationally as much as they used to. Sure, everyone will cheer for their team still, but the love of watching random games on a Saturday will not be as exciting due to old rivalries gone. Maybe I'm wrong, but re-alignment, starting back with the ACC raids in 2003, has really put a damper on CFB. One can hope that in 10 years or so they go back to regional conferences and trim some fat off of FBS football. Hopefully UConn will not be some of the 'fat' trimmed off!

I don't think it will be that small of a hit! College football went through Golden Age of sorts over the past 10 years or so. A Saturday ritual became an every night affair as games would be televised on Tues through even Sundays in the early part of the season. The game reached beyond the hardcores of each fanbase and into the mainstream because the drama was universal and made sense at first glance.

All of these realignments are answers to questions nobody asked. Bowl ratings are down, bowl attendance is plummeting. Realignment is just another reason why college football is killing itself. The now dead BCS is part of it, the neutral site games are part of it, perhaps even the overexposure and playing the "national championship" in the middle of January are part of it and there are probably a dozen other things that I can't think of that have contributed.

 

[ZooCougar]

Penn State and Joe Pa are forever disgraced.

As for realignment and the pursuit of money, part of me thinks it has always been this way, this is just the first time it has negatively effected UCONN or has it? We still seem to be poised for increased revenue and hopefully an oustanding football season.

Fair and equal access, level playing field? Just remember that the next time someone suggests UMASS to the Big East. Why we added Temple and not UMASS (a state with 2 million more people than CT) is beyond me, short term thinking I guess.

It might be because the 2 Million people in Mass don't give a crap. Nobody gives a crap about Temple either, but remember who was in charge of the conference.

 

[metsfan2323]

It might be because the 2 Million people in Mass don't give a crap. Nobody gives a crap about Temple either, but remember who was in charge of the conference.

That dog doesn't hunt. Very few people gave a crap about UCONN football until we were elevated.

 

[ZooCougar]

That dog doesn't hunt. Very few people gave a crap about UCONN football until we were elevated.

UConn had a ready made fan base. You can't really say the same about UMASS.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

This is what kills me the most about CFB. It was always about rivalries and geographic leagues. That's what made CFB so great. You loved to hate other fan bases and teams and those games always got you excited and were electric in the stadiums. Unfortunately, we never were able to have BC come to the Rent but I could only imagine what that would have been like. Now we've lost Syracuse and Pitt in bball, never had a chance to grow our rivalry with BC, and will now have an empty visitor section for the majority of league games as I can't see a few thousand Boise, Houston, SMU, SDSU, or Memphis fans making the trek. It's really going to kill some of the atmoshpere.

Then you look around CFB and you see longer lasting rivalries like KU-Mizzou, Texas-Texas A&M, WVU-Pitt all gone because of money. I think CFB will take a small hit from this and people will not enjoy it nationally as much as they used to. Sure, everyone will cheer for their team still, but the love of watching random games on a Saturday will not be as exciting due to old rivalries gone. Maybe I'm wrong, but re-alignment, starting back with the ACC raids in 2003, has really put a damper on CFB. One can hope that in 10 years or so they go back to regional conferences and trim some fat off of FBS football. Hopefully UConn will not be some of the 'fat' trimmed off!

Completely agree with all of this. I remember as I kid there were a few games I just would not miss.

Texas vs. Texas A&M
Oklahoma vs. Nebraska
Iron Bowl
Miami vs. FSU

Half of those games are gone.

 

[Carl Spackler]

I have the confidence and faith that UConn, in these times, is doing things the right way. We've lost quite a bit when it comes to basketball, for remaining loyal, trustworthy, over the years, to the athletic conference that has given UConn the spring board, through athletics, to being the finest public institution of higher learning in New England and beyond in the northeast USA. As for the college experience, Storrs is one of the few places in the country, that is hiring new faculty, expanding it's influence in education - academics.

We're still with the Big EAst though, and we're poised to do very, very well for ourselves in the future, and for our partner institutions in higher education, that want to be with us.

As for Penn State? I've spent enough of my time thinking about that place. It's a little city state built from nothing over 60 years by Joe Paterno, with Joe Paterno's values of absolute power instilled to the core, and it needs to be knocked down. It will happen, it's just a matter of when and how, and that seems to be over years, by the extensive civil lawsuits to come.

I'm very excited for UConn football. We've got all kinds of matchups this year that are compelling for UConn. There's a story in every game.

 

[jdb50]

Good post Carl. The year we had in 2010 with the game winning kick sending us to the Fiesta Bowl should be what College ball is all about. The move by the big boys to eliminate 70% of the programs from the chance to get to that opportunity is shameful. The expansion of the pool of possible winners is what causes interest to rise in the game nationwide. Seeing the ratings fall with the Bama/LSU rematch should have driven this point home. We've got a chance to show off our program in a nationwide conference. Let's just keep building and doing it the right way. About 36 days to go!

 

[whaler11]

This is what kills me the most about CFB. It was always about rivalries and geographic leagues. That's what made CFB so great. You loved to hate other fan bases and teams and those games always got you excited and were electric in the stadiums. Unfortunately, we never were able to have BC come to the Rent but I could only imagine what that would have been like. Now we've lost Syracuse and Pitt in bball, never had a chance to grow our rivalry with BC, and will now have an empty visitor section for the majority of league games as I can't see a few thousand Boise, Houston, SMU, SDSU, or Memphis fans making the trek. It's really going to kill some of the atmoshpere.

Then you look around CFB and you see longer lasting rivalries like KU-Mizzou, Texas-Texas A&M, WVU-Pitt all gone because of money. I think CFB will take a small hit from this and people will not enjoy it nationally as much as they used to. Sure, everyone will cheer for their team still, but the love of watching random games on a Saturday will not be as exciting due to old rivalries gone. Maybe I'm wrong, but re-alignment, starting back with the ACC raids in 2003, has really put a damper on CFB. One can hope that in 10 years or so they go back to regional conferences and trim some fat off of FBS football. Hopefully UConn will not be some of the 'fat' trimmed off!

Um BC came to the rent....

 

[UCFBfan]

Um BC came to the rent....

In fact they did....well it was only once and I wish it was an every other year event.

 

[zls44]

Tonight's playoff vote ends any chance the University of Connecticut ever has at being relevant in football. Ever.

 

[pj]

Tonight's playoff vote ends any chance the University of Connecticut ever has at being relevant in football. Ever.

Ridiculous.

 

[ruskin]

disagree. Won't be easy, but schedule harder (no more FCS cupcakes), beat big boys at every opportunity, and we have several in front of us (mich, tenn) Swallow pride like Syracuse did and play a home game at Gillette/Meadowlands/Yankee Stadium every other year vs. marquee opponent. also, WVU is playing at FedEx Field in 2013 and 2015. Further drive from Morgantown to Landover, Md. (216 mi.) than us to NY or Boston..

 

[zls44]

LOL at thinking UConn even gets a phone call from a marquee opponent going forward. Yet ALONE a home and home.

 

[UConnDan97]

Gotta get back on the meds, brotha!

We'll have our chances against Michigan, Tennessee, and some ACC battles too. We need to make the most out of every opportunity we get, and we'll be in the discussion. If we don't, we won't. But we will have our opportunities, plain and simple.

 

[huskymedic]

LOL at thinking UConn even gets a phone call from a marquee opponent going forward. Yet ALONE a home and home.

C'mon man... Sitting in Memorial Stadim 10 years ago did you ever think we'd play ND or Michigan (home or away)??? We need to win OOC games over the next two BCS years and le the pieces fall where they may. There is a lot more to all of this than "just being in the final four". You can be relevant without winning the whole enchilada.

 

[ruskin]

I agree with huskymedic, although I think our ship sailed with ND. When playoff gets to 8, and it will, that's when an unbeaten team from any conference with good OOC wins can't be denied. One thing to keep an eye on the next few years is 'Big 5' out of conference scheduling for later in this decade and early in 2020s (yikes). There's going to be a lot of pressure on them to include Big East, Mtn West, etc.

 

[zls44]

8 is the key. 8 gives UConn hope.

8 doesn't happen until 2025 in all likelihood. Tough to get into it when they can't even sniff anything important for 12 years. Maybe you get excited over beating Memphis, Temple, and Boise once in a blue moon. But I don't, and neither do 75% of people. Doesn't make me a better or worse fan than you, just different.

 

[huskypantz]

I agree with huskymedic, although I think our ship sailed with ND. When playoff gets to 8, and it will, that's when an unbeaten team from any conference with good OOC wins can't be denied. One thing to keep an eye on the next few years is 'Big 5' out of conference scheduling for later in this decade and early in 2020s (yikes). There's going to be a lot of pressure on them to include Big East, Mtn West, etc.

Why will there be a lot of pressure? B1G schools play 8 conference games plus they'll all have annual games against PAC schools by 2017 - with one FCS game, they have room for 2 more games. PAC schools play a 9 game conference schedule plus the B1G game. Add in an FCS game and they have room for one more game. I don't see these conferences feeling pressure to play more BCS teams. ACC is going to 9 conference games, and many of those schools have out of conference rival games (GT-UG, CU-USCe, FSU-UF, Pitt-ND) plus an FCS game. There is little room to schedule a home-home series with a quality opponent.

 

[ruskin]

There is little room to schedule a home-home series with a quality opponent.

Do you think there will be opportunities to schedule 1-timers with quality opponents? I think there will be. That's where teams in UConn's situation have to swallow some pride and meet that challenge. The pressure will come when a one-loss team from SEC doesn't make it because an FCS team dragged down their strength of schedule and the SEC overall has an off year. It's going to happen. I know it's a human committee, but SOS is going to remain a big factor.

 

[pepband99]

Do you think there will be opportunities to schedule 1-timers with quality opponents? I think there will be. That's where teams in UConn's situation have to swallow some pride and meet that challenge. The pressure will come when a one-loss team from SEC doesn't make it because an FCS team dragged down their strength of schedule and the SEC overall has an off year. It's going to happen. I know it's a human committee, but SOS is going to remain a big factor.

Correction - it will remain a big factor until someone gets "screwed" out of a playoff spot, then it will be tweaked. History repeating