Commentary Thread for Premium Top-Shelf Tweets

[UConnTrumbull]

ACC or AAC football? Yeah, I thought the general consensus was that UConn will be all-in no matter which conference it is in. In my opinion, Big East is a big NO, as is football only in any conference.

UConn is a state flagship. It must be all-in unless it wants to fold its football program altogether.

Not sure I understand what "all-in" means in regards to being football-only. Would putting Basketball and Olympic sports in the Big East mean we're not invested in football?

 

[pepband99]

Yes we do.

He floated AAC (sic) football only and Big East for everything else.

It's not as though that hasn't been discussed 100 times here. It's probably more realistic now though if the AAC loses teams

Um, "probably?"

It's honestly a huge deal, if true, because ESPN stands to lose us completely for basketball, should we go that route. It's "put up or shut up" time as it pertains to our basketball.

They already have to deal with a non-ESPN property as the reigning national champ (for maybe the 2nd time in 20 years), do they want the chance of more?

 

[whaler11]

Um, "probably?"

It's honestly a huge deal, if true, because ESPN stands to lose us completely for basketball, should we go that route. It's "put up or shut up" time as it pertains to our basketball.

They already have to deal with a non-ESPN property as the reigning national champ (for maybe the 2nd time in 20 years), do they want the chance of more?

More realistic in the sense that UConn would have enough leverage to get the AAC to agree to football only.

 

[alexd]

Obscure?!!! Hardly.

Meanwhile, you can't criticize my post criticizing another post as OT for being OT. It's in the rules...or something.

Okay...."Obscure" for non Parrotheads.

 

[Kolumbo]

Not sure I understand what "all-in" means in regards to being football-only. Would putting Basketball and Olympic sports in the Big East mean we're not invested in football?

All-in meaning all sports in one conference. We are not joining the New Big East unless football drops out of Division I. Joining the New Big East would be the worst possible move. Joining all the Catholic schools that bolted the Big East? No thanks.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Not sure I understand what "all-in" means in regards to being football-only. Would putting Basketball and Olympic sports in the Big East mean we're not invested in football?

Only if football had to play in a league that is worse than our current league.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

All-in meaning all sports in one conference. We are not joining the New Big East unless football drops out of Division I. Joining the New Big East would be the worst possible move. Joining all the Catholic schools that bolted the Big East? No thanks.

Thanks for clarifying but I respectfully disagree. Assuming we have the power to make a football-only move in the AAC, I don't see how putting our most accomplished programs in the Big East is a negative. I'm no expert on the politics in this matter but all I see is you keep your football program in a fairly competitive league and move your basketball programs to a better league with regional opponents.

 

[Kolumbo]

Only if football had to play in a league that is worse than our current league.

The AAC less Cincy and Houston plus X and Y would be a league worse than our current league.

 

[Kolumbo]

Thanks for clarifying but I respectfully disagree. Assuming we have the power to make a football-only move in the AAC, I don't see how putting our most accomplished programs in the Big East is a negative. I'm no expert on the politics in this matter but all I see is you keep your football program in a fairly competitive league and move your basketball programs to a better league with regional opponents.

As Whaler said, this topic has been discussed in great detail. In theory it makes sense, but I tend to look at it making the UConn brand weaker. Programs of high stature and caliber don't take that splintered approach, in my opinion. ND and Navy are the exceptions, of course. Pros and cons to that route but I don't like it. The Catholics held the Big East back and we have suffered the most. Let them die a slow death.

 

[pepband99]

More realistic in the sense that UConn would have enough leverage to get the AAC to agree to football only.

Yes, but given the alternative, this is a much better outcome, over a further watered down AAAAAAAAC.

 

[whaler11]

Yes, but given the alternative, this is a much better outcome, over a further watered down AAAAAAAAC.

Depends on who leaves and what the exit terms are with everyone. It would feel a bit like giving up the long term ship.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

As Whaler said, this topic has been discussed in great detail. In theory it makes sense, but I tend to look at it making the UConn brand weaker. Programs of high stature and caliber don't take that splintered approach, in my opinion. ND and Navy are the exceptions, of course. Pros and cons to that route but I don't like it. The Catholics held the Big East back and we have suffered the most. Let them die a slow death.

I've never seen this discussed, though I'm sure it has been. To each his own, I just don't see how this approach makes us weaker. If football drives the bus and we are in the same football conference, then it shouldn't matter where your basketball teams play. Just my two cents.

 

[HuskyHawk]

The AAC less Cincy and Houston plus X and Y would be a league worse than our current league.

And the better league we could join would be? It would be status quo. It's the league we are in by default. How does it devalue football to move the other sports?

 

[Kolumbo]

And the better league we could join would be? It would be status quo. It's the league we are in by default. How does it devalue football to move the other sports?

It doesn't devalue football. It sends a message that we are moving all other sports to the big east and keeping football in the tty AAC until we get a P5 invite, which is most likely not acceptable to the big east. Probably not to the AAC either. UConn got screwed and is stuck in the AAC. We all know how screwed UConn is but the Big East is not the answer.

 

[Kolumbo]

I leave but this CR board keeps pulling me back in. I'm thinking in circles.

Couples Retreat (2009): Suffocating Part 2

 

[WestHartHusk]

It doesn't devalue football. It sends a message that we are moving all other sports to the big east and keeping football in the tty AAC until we get a P5 invite, which is most likely not acceptable to the big east. Probably not to the AAC either. UConn got screwed and is stuck in the AAC. We all know how screwed UConn is but the Big East is not the answer.

The AAC has Tulsa for all sports, what is their leverage here? And even if they arent an option, aren't their enough indy teams (or maybe we can persuade one or two to join us) to give that a go?

I agree about the Big East, but Fox may remind them how much they are overpaying for their content and 'advise' them to let us in.

 

[upstater]

If they could keep football in the AAC, this could work well.

If they need to move other sports to the BE, then football would be hurt recruiting wise and interest wise.

BUT, you could have some ind of scheduling alliance with Army, UMass, or even BYU who UConn has played in recent years. You could schedule Buffalo as well. That's 4 games. Mix in a few MAC schools and maybe BC and Syracuse once every few years.

 

[Kolumbo]

I do not believe we UConn split conferences, football in one and the rest of the sports in the other. If that did happen, I'd prefer the Atlantic 10 over the big east, but it won't, so it doesn't matter. If the AAC gets pillaged by 3 or 4 programs and UConn is stuck, the AAC might as well merge with C-USA. That conference could have some leverage in terms of scheduling deals.

 

[upstater]

I do not believe we UConn split conferences, football in one and the rest of the sports in the other. If that did happen, I'd prefer the Atlantic 10 over the big east, but it won't, so it doesn't matter. If the AAC gets pillaged by 3 or 4 programs and UConn is stuck, the AAC might as well merge with C-USA. That conference could have some leverage in terms of scheduling deals.

Why Atlantic10 over the Big East?

 

[JMick]

I do not believe we UConn split conferences, football in one and the rest of the sports in the other. If that did happen, I'd prefer the Atlantic 10 over the big east, but it won't, so it doesn't matter. If the AAC gets pillaged by 3 or 4 programs and UConn is stuck, the AAC might as well merge with C-USA. That conference could have some leverage in terms of scheduling deals.

yeahhhhhhhh no.

 

[Kolumbo]

Why Atlantic10 over the Big East?

Big East programs are dead to me. They all benefited from UConn's success in basketball and they all bailed on the Big East. Plus the Atlantic 10 has more diversity. VCU, Rhodey, UMass, George Mason.

 

[JMick]

Big East programs are dead to me. They all benefited from UConn's success in basketball and they all bailed on the Big East. Plus the Atlantic 10 has more diversity.

yeah let's hold grudges and put our team in a worse league just because. that's a great idea.

 

[Kolumbo]

yeah let's hold grudges and put our team in a worse league just because. that's a great idea.

So you think the new Big East is a superior conference? You are entitled to your opinion. It does have Nova and Georgetown after all.

 

[Hoophound]

Big East programs are dead to me. They all benefited from UConn's success in basketball and they all bailed on the Big East. Plus the Atlantic 10 has more diversity.

They did the smart thing. The football schools were bailing. I'd love to play Providence instead of ECU or Marquette instead of Tulane. Most Big East games were good games and the Big East still recruits good basketball players. KO would see a bump going there from the AAC.

 

[JMick]

So you think the new Big East is a superior conference? You are entitled to your opinion. It does have Nova and Georgetown after all.

It is definitely a better conference and advanced metrics prove it. They had 3 teams in the Kenpom top 25 last year, 6 in the top 50. A-10 had 0 in the top 25 and 3 in the top 50