Brett McMurphy lays out potential timeline, still has UConn sliding into the ACC for Maryland

[SAMCRO]

Ah the shots against the women and their fan base. Those were a lot funnier until you realized they are the last to blame by the fact we are being placed below such athletic mediocrity as Pitt and Rutgers on the conference expansion totem pole. Perhaps if the football team tried to win as much as the women, we wouldn't be sitting here this last crucial week hoping the last domino falls our way. The fact the men's bball team is on academic probation right isn't exactly ideal either.

The WBB success is amazing, very proud of that group. The fact they are as dominant as they are, and UConn hasn't gotten a sniff from either the B1G or ACC should tell you exactly how much WBB matters.

 

[ASweet3781]

The WBB success is amazing, very proud of that group. The fact they are as dominant as they are, and UConn hasn't gotten a sniff from either the B1G or ACC should tell you exactly how much WBB matters.

Yup it matters zilch. But it does raise my expectations for other UConn teams, you know like how the football team should be able to beat a losing Temple team at home.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Yup it matters zilch. But it does raise my expectations for other UConn teams, you know like how the football team should be able to beat a losing Temple team at home.

And you are the only one with these expectations.

 

[Doggie Style]

Assuming MD is gone, UConn's future will be determined by what ESPN tells Swofford UConn will mean for the TV contract. My guess is that ESPN will tell them to take us, blowing up the Big EAst once and for all and making the ACC hoops rights, which they already own, much, much more valuable.

Obviously the opposition by BC is well documented last time around, but do we remember who the other schools were that we're on board w/ their push to block Uconn??

 

[Marty Jackson]

I still hope the big surprise this round is that big10 grabs md, ru, UNC, and Uconn. The acc would have nowhere to turn.

 

[BlueMAB]

Yup it matters zilch. But it does raise my expectations for other UConn teams, you know like how the football team should be able to beat a losing Temple team at home.

You know the women's fans are extremely bitter about the fact WBB is unimportant to everyone but them when they show open contempt for a football program we all (presumably) want to succeed.

Rumor is compliance inspectors are sniffing around Geno and company. Be careful not to take shots at the men that may come back to haunt you. What happens on the field and in the classroom is virtually irrelevant to the changing conference landscaping. It's all about money and eyeballs.

 

[WNBARookFan]

You know the women's fans are extremely bitter about the fact WBB is unimportant to everyone but them when they show open contempt for a football program we all (presumably) want to succeed.

Rumor is compliance inspectors are sniffing around Geno and company. Be careful not to take shots at the men that may come back to haunt you. What happens on the field and in the classroom is virtually irrelevant to the changing conference landscaping. It's all about money and eyeballs.

Compliance inspectors have been sniffing around Geno & Co. since the days of Maya Moore's recruitment and the -storm that Tennessee created over it. Nothing new there.

While the WBB program adds some value, it's all about football in the end when it comes to conference realignment. For those individuals who are WBB fans only or FB fans only, it's silly to wish for the failure of the other program. While the BB teams gave UConn the opportunity to build up the resources needed to expand the football program, FB is ultimately what will drive the future of the UConn Athletic Department.

 

[Stinger92860]

I still hope the big surprise this round is that big10 grabs md, ru, UNC, and Uconn. The acc would have nowhere to turn.

This has 0 percent chance of occurring

 

[Marty Jackson]

This has 0 percent chance of occurring

Oh really....
When you were telling everyone that ND would join the ACC, driving MD to the Big10 with Rutgers in tow several months ago, I forgot where you said Uconn would land. Do you still have that post? Clearly you are omniscient in your knowledge of conference realignment to be throwing out absolutes like that.

Why not take a riskier position and try to predict who wins the World Series in 2012?

 

[Stinger92860]

Oh really....
When you were telling everyone that ND would join the ACC, driving MD to the Big10 with Rutgers in tow several months ago, I forgot where you said Uconn would land. Do you still have that post? Clearly you are omniscient in your knowledge of conference realignment to be throwing out absolutes like that.

Why not take a riskier position and try to predict who wins the World Series in 2012?

I believe you have me confused with someone else. I stand by my position that UNC is not going to the B10.

 

[Marty Jackson]

I believe you have me confused with someone else. I stand by my position that UNC is not going to the B10.

Nope... It was you. You are always making these crazy predictions. Since this merry-go-round started, you've been spot on... Look at that prediction that UNC won't join the Big10... Crazy!!!!

 

[HuskyHawk]

18 total people just got really excited.

Actually, ND President cares a lot about the women's hoop program. Their rep as football U has not always made them as appealing to women. They view the women's hoop program as critical "outreach" in improving their image. And they know that the women's hoop program rose to prominence solely because it got to play UConn twice a year. Mike Brey has suggested much the same about the men. I think ND would easily prefer UConn to Maryland in the ACC, and would far prefer us to Louisville. Louisville's academics are just as disqualifying as WVU's were, if not more so.

 

[Danzz]

Speculation from these mental giants is that ND will have to make a choice, join for fb and prevent MD from leaving, with UConn as an acceptable #14.

Notre Dame isn't joining the ACC for football. If they were going to join a conference for all sports it would be the Big 10 or whatever they will be calling themselves.

 

[Danzz]

Actually, ND President cares a lot about the women's hoop program. Their rep as football U has not always made them as appealing to women. They view the women's hoop program as critical "outreach" in improving their image. And they know that the women's hoop program rose to prominence solely because it got to play UConn twice a year. Mike Brey has suggested much the same about the men. I think ND would easily prefer UConn to Maryland in the ACC, and would far prefer us to Louisville. Louisville's academics are just as disqualifying as WVU's were, if not more so.

They play good womens basketball in the ACC.

 

[jostar1]

Speculation from these mental giants is that ND will have to make a choice, join for fb and prevent MD from leaving, with UConn as an acceptable #14.

How many times did the Big East fans say that Notre Dame could have saved the Big East.

 

[businesslawyer]

Why is it important to anyone whether maryland leaves? Seriously, folks, it's Maryland. The fact that the Big Ten thinks they make more money selling the BTN in greater DC is a Big Ten issue, but what does the ACC lose?

 

[tzznandrew]

Why is it important to anyone whether maryland leaves? Seriously, folks, it's Maryland. The fact that the Big Ten thinks they make more money selling the BTN in greater DC is a Big Ten issue, but what does the ACC lose?

Further, is UConn really that much of a downgrade from them football-wise?

2002: UM - 11-3; UConn - 6-6
2003: UM - 10-3; UConn - 9-3
2004: UM - 5-6; UConn - 8-4
2005: UM - 5-6; UConn - 5-6
2006: UM - 9-4; UConn - 4-8
2007: UM - 6-7; UConn - 9-4
2008: UM - 8-5; UConn - 8-5
2009: UM - 2-10; UConn - 8-5
2010: UM - 9-4; UConn - 8-5
2011: UM - 2-10; UConn - 5-7
2012: UM - 4-7; UConn - 4-6

Overall: UM - 71-64; UConn 74-59

Since UConn has been FBS, they have more wins and fewer losses than Maryland. This despite having no history and not having the ability to recruit on a level playing field in those early years. While Maryland's best two season are better than UConn's, they have 6 losing seasons (two at 2-10) compared to 3 (likely 4).

 

[uchusky32]

Why is it important to anyone whether maryland leaves? Seriously, folks, it's Maryland. The fact that the Big Ten thinks they make more money selling the BTN in greater DC is a Big Ten issue, but what does the ACC lose?

Sports wise not that much. We would more than adequately make up for the lose. Market wise the DMV ( DC, Maryland, Virginia) market is huge. I'm flabbergasted that so many of us think this is all about the product on the field. This is about TV sets. which equals money.

 

[businesslawyer]

But as the ACC is counting only spectators, and not cable channel sales, all that matters is who watches. And not many more, if any more, people are watching Maryland than us.

If Maryland makes sense for the Big Ten, more power to them. But my point is that the ACC really isn't losing much of anything if all that happens is they trade Maryland for us.

 

[uchusky32]

I do agree that it could be a wash. But I don't think if they had a choice they would choice the Ct market over the DMV.

 

[businesslawyer]

I do agree that it could be a wash. But I don't think if they had a choice they would choice the Ct market over the DMV.

Which would be entirely correct, until you figure out that the CT market spills over into the NYC market.

 

[uchusky32]

Which would be entirely correct, until you figure out that the CT market spills over into the NYC market.

I don't think they view it that way or we would have gone already. No way ESPN would have let any school vote us out.

 

[NutmegState]

I don't think they view it that way or we would have gone already. No way ESPN would have let any school vote us out.

It's not a question of viewing it that way. It's a fact. Fairfield County is part of the NYC DMA. Not kind of. Not sort of. Not if you look at it from this or that angle. It's a fact.

 

[uchusky32]

It's not a question of viewing it that way. It's a fact. Fairfield County is part of the NYC DMA. Not kind of. Not sort of. Not if you look at it from this or that angle. It's a fact.

Fact Uconn campus isn't in Fairfield county. It's in Storrs. Are our games on the Yes Network, or MSG? The major sports networks in NY? Please!

 

[BlueMAB]

Fact Uconn campus isn't in Fairfield county. It's in Storrs. Are our games on the Yes Network, or MSG? The major sports networks in NY? Please!

Ever heard of SNY?

You are arguing facts, not opinion.

 

[johnhuskies95]

If UConn went to the B1G then Cablevision would have to carry BTN in the fairfield county/NYC area.

 

[uchusky32]

Ever heard of SNY?

You are arguing facts, not opinion.

Of course not on equal playing field as the others. But I'll stop here. I want what you want out of the NBE. I just feel that if we were truly a "NY" sports team we would be wanted and picked up a long time ago.

 

[businesslawyer]

Of course not on equal playing field as the others. But I'll stop here. I want what you want out of the NBE. I just feel that if we were truly a "NY" sports team we would be wanted and picked up a long time ago.

No one said we were "truly a NY sports team." Who are you arguing with.

What is unassailable is that a quarter of Connecticut is within the New York media market and that having UConn in your conference helps to build a conference following in New York which is and will remain a highly fragmented market for college sports. Everything is not black or white (one of those silly so and so owns New York or they don't statements).

 

[BlueMAB]

Of course not on equal playing field as the others. But I'll stop here. I want what you want out of the NBE. I just feel that if we were truly a "NY" sports team we would be wanted and picked up a long time ago.

I'm not arguing that we are valuable enough in NY to be picked up, just that according to the DMA a portion of CT is considered metro NY, and that we do have an NY presence. RU wasn't about the NY market, the population of New Jersey is over 3 times that of CT. The small portion of NYC they bring is gravy. It's about the BTN and additional subscribers. There are so many more potential tv's in Jersey than CT that the miniscule NYC CFB market becomes irrelevant in distinguishing between the two.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

In terms of alternates, the ACC does not have many besides UConn unless they stand pat. WVU asked to join the ACC last year; but, got rejected reportedly over low academic standards. Louisville is lower ranked academically than WVU. Plus, UConn’s 5% share of the NYC TV market is worth more than the 50% of the KY TV market Louisville has to offer. Louisville has also been on a roller-coaster ride in Football, not sure how much better they are than UConn in football on average.
I see Temple as a bigger threat; but, they are not at UConn’s level yet and the only other school is UMass, and they are still stuck athletically and academically in the 1990’s.
As for the ACC itself, Florida State and Clemson are the most likely to go. G-Tech is too much of a stretch for the BIG and if the BIG was going to go that far south, Texas would be #1. SEC could grab G-Tech; but, UG may have an issue with that. I cannot see UNC going because too many alumni would raise hell over losing Duke as their main rival and politically it would be hard to take UNC without NC State. Same in Virginia as we saw last time, tough to split UVA from V-Tech. BIG could go after Pitt and/or Syracuse; but, if the BIG goes to 16 after this, I see them going after Texas or more likely some combination of Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma (least likely due to lack of AAU status).