Conference shuffle - why is UCONN dead in the water

[inWV]

Ga Tech looks to be joining the Big 10 and the Big 10 is apparently trying to snag one more ACC school. BC has been mentioned as a possible get for the Big 10. UCONN is well regarded in terms of its academics. I would imagine our getting left behind is primarily a football thing. UCONN looked to be up and coming there, but the program seems to be dead in the water at present. The Trustees need to take a long look at the situation. These conference moves are almost all about money. Big money. It would seem that Herbst and the AD cannot play ball at an ACC and Big Ten level. If I were UCONN, I'd wouldn't be concerned about Kevin. He'll do alright. I'd be looking at the FB coach, the Prez and the AD!

 

[Brochacho]

Dogs are good swimmers though.

 

[bazzdog]

Yes Brochacho-dogs are great swimmers and the only ones dead are those who with us!

 

[eos91]

I think one aspect that was mentioned by a beat writer but is sometimes ignored is this:

Louisville was attractive to the Big-12, while Cincy and UConn didn't have other choices, so they would still be there on the next go-around... It is sad to say, but true...

 

[willie99]

I didn't read why we are did in the water, did I miss something?

 

[ctchamps]

I didn't read why we are did in the water, did I miss something?

Not dead in the water yet!! Might be swimming upstream for a while but we haven't finished spawning yet.

 

[Huskies4ever]

Not dead in the water yet!! Might be swimming upstream for a while but we haven't finished spawning yet.

I guess we've gone from dogs to salmon.

 

[jibsey]

Ga Tech looks to be joining the Big 10 and the Big 10 is apparently trying to snag one more ACC school. BC has been mentioned as a possible get for the Big 10. UCONN is well regarded in terms of its academics. I would imagine our getting left behind is primarily a football thing. UCONN looked to be up and coming there, but the program seems to be dead in the water at present. The Trustees need to take a long look at the situation. These conference moves are almost all about money. Big money. It would seem that Herbst and the AD cannot play ball at an ACC and Big Ten level. If I were UCONN, I'd wouldn't be concerned about Kevin. He'll do alright. I'd be looking at the FB coach, the Prez and the AD!

If you mean fanbase and TV by playing ball at a Big10 level then maybe, but didn't we just beat Louisville at their house? We haven't been as good the last few years as Cuse, Rutgers, and most of the others in the BE that have jumped conference? Not buying.

 

[ctchamps]

I guess we've gone from dogs to salmon.

If I was smarter I could have done a dogfish analogy. Don't know anything about dog fish.

 

[Huskies4ever]

If I was smarter I could have done a dogfish analogy. Don't know anything about dog fish.

Lol! A dog-fish hybrid sounds pretty cool.

Dogfish are species of small shark.
That's pretty much all you need to know!

 

[arnie3]

Conference wise, everything is still in flux. If if goes to 16 teams - 4 major conferences (which seems logical down the road) then we'll be a part of another major shuffle. Just last year the Big XII looked like it was dead in the water when 4 teams left. The word then was that Texas, and OK were also leaving and that a break up of the conference was inevitable. Of course, that did not happen and now the Big XII looks more stable than the ACC. So really who knows what will happen in the foreseeable future. I don't pretend to.
I've only been certain of one thing, and that is/was that the Big East Conference lacks a visionary, and that has caused them to be an instant target both from within and without.

 

[prankster]

It is all about football. And football is all about TV revenues. And TV revenues area all about delivering your TV market.

For UConn to be attractive to a particular conference, we have to deliver an attractive product.

Which is something that I mentioned, last evening in the game thread.

Our cheerleaders need to have an overall significant increase in cuteness.

Good things will proceed from that....

 

[prankster]

Ga Tech looks to be joining the Big 10 and the Big 10 is apparently trying to snag one more ACC school. BC has been mentioned as a possible get for the Big 10. UCONN is well regarded in terms of its academics. I would imagine our getting left behind is primarily a football thing. UCONN looked to be up and coming there, but the program seems to be dead in the water at present. The Trustees need to take a long look at the situation. These conference moves are almost all about money. Big money. It would seem that Herbst and the AD cannot play ball at an ACC and Big Ten level. If I were UCONN, I'd wouldn't be concerned about Kevin. He'll do alright. I'd be looking at the FB coach, the Prez and the AD!

Not for nothing, but one could hardly look at recent performance and suggest that BC is, in any meaningful way, a better "get" than UConn.....

Not in football, not in basketball, soccer, baseball....the list is pretty extensive.

BC dominates in hockey. But that is the beginning and end of the "get" that they present.

I would add to that, BC is dismal when it comes to TV following in the Boston market.

UConn, on the other hand, delivers its TV market.

 

[AtlHusky]

If I was smarter I could have done a dogfish analogy. Don't know anything about dog fish.

Alls I knows is Dogfish Heads are some mighty fine drinkings.

 

[DogMania]

I think one aspect that was mentioned by a beat writer but is sometimes ignored is this:

Louisville was attractive to the Big-12, while Cincy and UConn didn't have other choices, so they would still be there on the next go-around... It is sad to say, but true...

Bingo! I think this is the prime reason why UL got the invite. I think the ACC is scared silly that MD is not the last program that is going to get skimmed from them.

I think it's just a matter of time when UConn will get an ACC invitation but what will the ACC look like then. Oh, the old Big East plus some ACC programs that nobody wants.

I would not be shocked if the Florida schools get picked off within the next year or so. I don't think the NC teams are desirable due to the size of their TV markets. GT makes some sense due to the large Altanta market. I can understand the B1G money is attractive to the NC schools, but doesn't it make sense market wise for them to take one or both of the FL schools and if they take one, take GT to come up with that 16 magic number?

I've heard BC mentioned but although Boston is a big market it's a pro sports town and not a big college football fan base like you get in the south and middle of the country.

The more I think about it, the more I begin to believe the B1G will take some combintion of FSU, UM and GT. The Big 12 might try to take ACC schools as well, but some might wonder if that conference is really all that much better than where they are. Big 12 will want prgrams that have good FB programs so maybe a VT might be attracctive, though their market isn't all that good. UV would be an attracctivve market but they're not very good in either FB and Hoops. Clemson is often good in FB, but their TV market can't be all that good.

I could go on and on, but I think eventually UConn will get that ACC invitation. The ACC might not be as strong as it is now but it sure will e a whole lot better than what the BE has become. The bigger question might be, when? I hope it happens sooner than later because the longer this goes, the bigger the impact there will be with recruiting and the worse our programs might get. Then how attractive will we be? I'm not too worried about that just yet, but if it goes 2 or more years before the ACC looks to add ore schools, this could become a greater issue than it already is.

 

[Fishy]

We've tried being good at sports. Got us nowhere. They took a couple of choking dogs from central New York and dickknuckle, Pennsylvania. We tried being good at academics. They took a school that hands out coloring books.

Where are we falling short? We're basically trying to impress a bunch of old white men from the south and midwest? What do they like, aside from bourbon?

Yep, it all comes down to . We have a gap.

Somehow we have to close the gap. We need more better .

We bring the , we'll get the call.

We need a professional dance team at every event - even dopey stuff like swimming, field hockey and tennis. Wardrobe malfunctions will be the rule, not the exception. You come to a UConn event, you leave with an eyeful.

I call it Operation Nip Slip.

 

[businesslawyer]

We've tried being good at sports. Got us nowhere. They took a couple of choking dogs from central New York and dickknuckle, Pennsylvania. We tried being good at academics. They took a school that hands out coloring books.

Where are we falling short? We're basically trying to impress a bunch of old white men from the south and midwest? What do they like, aside from bourbon?

Yep, it all comes down to . We have a gap.

Somehow we have to close the gap. We need more better .

We bring the , we'll get the call.

We need a professional dance team at every event - even dopey stuff like swimming, field hockey and tennis. Wardrobe malfunctions will be the rule, not the exception. You come to a UConn event, you leave with an eyeful.

I call it Operation Nip Slip.

Wow. Did that sound funny in your head before you sat down and typed it?

 

[CTFIRERETIRED]

Not for nothing, but one could hardly look at recent performance and suggest that BC is, in any meaningful way, a better "get" than UConn.....

Not in football, not in basketball, soccer, baseball....the list is pretty extensive.

BC dominates in hockey. But that is the beginning and end of the "get" that they present.

I would add to that, BC is dismal when it comes to TV following in the Boston market.

UConn, on the other hand, delivers its TV market.

I would add to that, BC is dismal when it comes to TV following in the Boston market.

I have been saying that about BC for ages. They are a big Hockey school, but lets face it, FSU, MIAMI, VA-TECH, VA., NC, NCST, ETC DON'T PLAY HOCKEY.

 

[Danzz]

I would add to that, BC is dismal when it comes to TV following in the Boston market.

I have been saying that about BC for ages. They are a big Hockey school, but lets face it, FSU, MIAMI, VA-TECH, VA., NC, NCST, ETC DON'T PLAY HOCKEY.

A couple of things:
1) Lawsuit after the 1st BE raid
2) Most vocal (BC criticism) etc.
3) JC, just an intense dislike by many
3) Latopgate, Miles, academic probation
4) Football program became stagnant after a good start
I really don't think that there was much else Herbst and Manual could do that would have made a difference. They just don't like us very much in the ACC.
And as far as hockey is concerned, BCU doesn't need the ACC because they have Hockey East. Except for sucking at every sport in the ACC, things have worked out great for BCU.

 

[upstater]

Bingo! I think this is the prime reason why UL got the invite. I think the ACC is scared silly that MD is not the last program that is going to get skimmed from them.

I can't agree with this because it assumes the ACC is acting in concert. It is not. FSU openly accused the ACC of stealing money from the football heavy schools. The UNC outgoing Pres. then accused the football schools of not caring about academics. The open warfare means that the two candidates were being treated as pawns. Who had more leverage? FSU. That's why Louisville was the pick. I don't think there was any other strategy or thinking involved. This was simply a case of bad bad bad blood.

 

[CTBasketball]

I just hope we sit tight and wait for the Big10 to extend an offer. Its the only option. No use in going to the ACC.

 

[Danzz]

I can't agree with this because it assumes the ACC is acting in concert. It is not. FSU openly accused the ACC of stealing money from the football heavy schools. The UNC outgoing Pres. then accused the football schools of not caring about academics. The open warfare means that the two candidates were being treated as pawns. Who had more leverage? FSU. That's why Louisville was the pick. I don't think there was any other strategy or thinking involved. This was simply a case of bad bad bad blood.

Yes, FSU was driving that bus. You are dead on.

 

[prankster]

We've tried being good at sports. Got us nowhere. They took a couple of choking dogs from central New York and dickknuckle, Pennsylvania. We tried being good at academics. They took a school that hands out coloring books.

Where are we falling short? We're basically trying to impress a bunch of old white men from the south and midwest? What do they like, aside from bourbon?

Yep, it all comes down to . We have a gap.

Somehow we have to close the gap. We need more better .

We bring the , we'll get the call.

We need a professional dance team at every event - even dopey stuff like swimming, field hockey and tennis. Wardrobe malfunctions will be the rule, not the exception. You come to a UConn event, you leave with an eyeful.

I call it Operation Nip Slip.

How is this substantively different from what I suggested Thursday night?

Excepting for how you gave it the name "Operation Nip Slip".....nice touch.

 

[uconnfan68]

Lol! A dog-fish hybrid sounds pretty cool.

Dogfish are species of small shark.
That's pretty much all you need to know!

Mmm, Dogfishhead 90 minute IPA.

 

[jleves]

Well aside from the perfect storm of sanctions, APR, a HOF coach breaking his hip weeks before the season, a bad football hire, drop off in recruiting, bad football years, underachieving bball year and a totally unproven bball head coach, the powers that be aren't putting the school in a position to look attractive. Attendance is down. It took way too long to get the practice facility started (if it's really even started). The Rent is too small. Gampel is old and too small. The civic center is a joke.

If UConn really wants to be courted by the likes of the ACC or the Big10, they really have to commit to provide the best environment they can and they need to seriously look at their coaches. The practice facility needs to be accelerated. They need to seriously look at what they can do to improve the bball arenas. They need to have plans and funding in place to add 25,000 seats to the Rent in case the Big10 does come calling. The Big isn't looking for a team with a 38,000 seat stadium. They have to make a commitment to a serious football coach and staff even if it means running in the red until a better league comes calling. They have to do a much much better job of marketing the UConn brand. This will draw the ire of the boneyard, but they have to make a serious commitment to a bball coach that can keep them on top. We don't have time to develop a guy with no experience. They absolutely have to do things to increase attendance and viewership (of course a lot of that comes with winning, which basically goes back to the facilities and coaches). Why they haven't spent the last decade marketing UConn as New England's team is beyond me. If you say it often enough, put enough commercials out there, people will start to believe it in the states to the north. They have to be driving towards the AAU accreditation. And they have to be really vocal about doing these things. These can't be back channel things. They have to be perceived as moving UConn forward on all fronts and with gusto and maybe a little hubris.

Basically they have to make a lot of changes in how they do things and how infrastructure can be improved. They have to be proactive and put UConn in a position where it is sought after instead of looking like we're waiting to see how things pan out before we spend some capital.

The University and the state can decide to put the money up now and then an athletic program that probably breaks even can suddenly generate 20 or 30 million a year. Or they can continue to beg conferences to consider us without doing those things and we can become UMass or Providence.