Courant Columnist Colin McEnroe view on CR and UConn

[HuskyDogArt]

That's fine...I just don't know what the need is to bring politics into everything. Calling it NY Slimes is akin to, in a conversation unrelated to politics, calling Fox News Faux News. It immediately politicizes something for no need. What do you gain out of it?

Ok Sorry... The Boneyard, with the exception of the Cesspool, is not the place for politics. I still think that the Times article about Jim was garbage.

 

[RS9999X]

Why not Hartford? Not big enough? I mean much bigger than Louisville! Right? NYC is simply icing on the cake. Why focus on NYC (which doesn't watch football--ANY football). Seriously, you're trying to take a strength and turn it into a negative.

What I said was that UConn was on the bubble. UConn has some strengths but there are those simply overstating what they are at present.

Pretending Louisville was added because of some old long standing grudge is possible but unlikely given headlines like "Louisville tops ESPN media markets for 11th straight year" pulling nearly triple the Hartford market. That was ESPN promo stuff not Louisvilles.

 

[RS9999X]

Anyway, it not about eyeballs actually watching games. Its about POTENTIAL eyeballs.

For the BiG it is based on actual cable boxes and subscribers. For the ACC its about Nielsens. The minute we talk BiG then NJ's population has UConn clearly beaten to a pulp.

 

[businesslawyer]

The suit, filed yesterday in Vernon Superior Court, alleges that
the ACC and Boston College conspired to weaken the Big East. Boston
College announced Sunday that it would follow the University of
Miami and Virginia Tech, which are leaving the Big East to join the
ACC.

"We just got off a conference call," Blumenthal said early
Monday evening. "All the presidents have authorized this
lawsuit."

The suit names Boston College athletic director Gene DeFilippo,
ACC Commissioner John Swofford, ACC President Carolyn Callahan, ACC
Vice President Donn Ward and ACC Treasurer Cecil Huey, Blumenthal
said.

Connecticut, Rutgers, Pittsburgh and West Virginia already are
suing Miami. A judge last week threw out a case against the ACC on
jurisdictional grounds.

"I suspect the same will happen to those of us who, by virtue of
our rotation, happen to be officers," Ward said. "And I suspect the
people of Connecticut want their attorney general to chase far more
important issues."

The case against the ACC was thrown out because attorneys could
not prove the conference did enough business in Connecticut to
warrant a state suit. By suing the conference directors as
individuals, Big East schools hope they can get around the
jurisdiction issue.

"We are not required to show they are transacting business,"
Blumenthal said. "If they have violated the law and have damaged
Connecticut or its citizens, they can be sued."

Messages seeking comment were left at the homes and offices of
the other school and conference officials. Hugh Keefe, an attorney
who represented the ACC, did not return a page.

Miami and Virginia Tech will join the ACC next year. Boston
College might not change conferences until 2006.

The suit makes several tort claims, including unfair trade
practices, civil conspiracy and breach of contract, Blumenthal
said. As in the suit against Miami, the Big East schools seek
unspecified damages.

The suit singles out DeFilippo for allegedly using his role as a
conference director with Big East to manipulate discussions between
BC, Miami and the ACC, Blumenthal said.

"One of the key reasons that BC and DeFilippo were able to
engage in this secret scheme with Miami and the ACC is that they
had access to sensitive and confidential information from the Big
East and its member schools," Blumenthal said.

He said Boston College's defection strengthened the case.

"The more we learn, the more appalled and astonished we are by
the depth and breadth of the illegality," Blumenthal said.



Look, we'll go round and round. This was a complete PR disaster for the University of Connecticut, and Blumenthal, is a first class , and an embarrassment to people in this state that actually have scruples and morals.

The activities that UCONN took the point on legally, in 2003, are far different than any legal proceedings around intercollegiate athletics that occurred both before and after (and UCONN officials were involved in the most important of which that happened in the mid 1980s) and those MULTIPLE courses of legal action, created many, many enemies up and down the eastern seaboard of the United States. THe other presidents were more than happy to let Connecticut take the point on this, and Austin was a fool.

You want to bury your head in the sand about that, it's fine with me. I hope that our current University leadership does not.

You are the one burying your head in the sand. The individual defendants were sued by a group of five different schools and are all smart enough to know that uconn was just one of five who decided to implement a national law firms strategy and sue them personally and agreed that Connecticut was the best jurisdiction.

No one can prove your theory is wrong but it is highly implausible.

 

[upstater]

What I said was that UConn was on the bubble. UConn has some strengths but there are those simply overstating what they are at present.

Pretending Louisville was added because of some old long standing grudge is possible but unlikely given headlines like "Louisville tops ESPN media markets for 11th straight year" pulling nearly triple the Hartford market. That was ESPN promo stuff not Louisvilles.

UH, I said Louisville was added because of football. Not sure what you're referring to.

But let me say this again. You can have a very high rating in a small market, and that might not be anywhere near as meaningful as a very low rating in a huge market. Louisville pulls a 1.8 rating in its market for football, #32 in the nation. That's not that great. The thing is, however, you have to multiply that 1.8 x 600,000 TV households in the market to determine impact. You have to then get UConn's rating and multiply it x the 1,000,000 TV households in its market. And, perhaps take a lower rating and multiply it times the 200,000 TV households in Fairfield. Only then could you do a good comparison.

I would also point to UConn women getting unheard of ratings in the market.

By the way, if you are basing your extrapolation on the ESPN story, I think you're missing the picture. Those ratings are not for UConn or U. Louisville, but ALL college basketball games in the market. When it comes to Connecticut, there is only one show in town. UConn. Down in Louisville, you also have Kentucky (and maybe Indiana). BIG DIFFERENCE right there. I'd be more convinced if we compared viewership for UL games head to head against UConn games, multiplied by the number of television sets. It would be a whole different story.

 

[RS9999X]

By the way, if you are basing your extrapolation on the ESPN story, I think you're missing the picture. .

It's amazing isn't it? Everyone from the ACC misses the picture too. They stare at the same numbers and don't come to the same conclusion. Either does ESPN. The Cards are in, UConn is out.

 

[Limbo Land]

Heart tells us Uconn should have been picked but Louisville was the right one for the ACC and its league. Time to hope we go to 16 in the B1G.

 

[upstater]

It's amazing isn't it? Everyone from the ACC misses the picture too. They stare at the same numbers and don't come to the same conclusion. Either does ESPN. The Cards are in, UConn is out.

That's it? That's all you wrote? After what I wrote? You can't answer what I actually wrote?

What you're doing is totally twisting stats to make UConn look worse. That's obvious now.

 

[RS9999X]

That's it? That's all you wrote? After what I wrote? You can't answer what I actually wrote?

What you're doing is totally twisting stats to make UConn look worse. That's obvious now.

Send that to Big Swofford, Little Swofford (by way of the Raycom Louisville stations) and ESPN. I'm sure they'll tell you you are right. UConn Football dominates.

 

[upstater]

Send that to Big Swofford, Little Swofford (by way of the Raycom Louisville stations) and ESPN. I'm sure they'll tell you you are right. UConn Football dominates.

Huh? You were touting basketball ratings.

Because when it comes to football ratings, Louisville's are at 1.0. Click on the link in this thread. And we know why that is too--because no one in Louisville is excited by Indiana, Kentucky, and until this year Ville. This is why that football number is so depressed.

I'll say it again: Ville got in because of the quality of its football. Not its media market, which it shares with other schools.

 

[HuskyDogArt]

I'll say it again: Ville got in because of the quality of its football.

How long have they been playing FBS football?? Was it more then 10 years??

 

[Atross]

Everyone is under the assumption that UCONN goes someplace else. Right now it hasn't happened. There is a good chance it doesn't. What then?

 

[HuskyDogArt]

Everyone is under the assumption that UCONN goes someplace else. Right now it hasn't happened. There is a good chance it doesn't. What then?

Lets see then... Lets drop FB and ask the BE to invite us in for BB...

 

[UCFBfan]

Everyone is under the assumption that UCONN goes someplace else. Right now it hasn't happened. There is a good chance it doesn't. What then?

I'd actually say there there's a good chance it DOES happen. UConn, unless it takes a complete nose dive in the next few years, is the last remaining valuable property out there. If schools break away from the NCAA they'll want to corner the big markets and UConn is too close to NYC and even Boston to be left out. On top of that, the entire state follows UConn and would demand that whatever network that conference is on, be carried on their cable/dish packages. That, my friend is $$$$ to the execs and commissioners. Add to that, the Big-12 can't stay at 10 and survive in the world of growing conference sizes. They are a Texas/Oklahoma invite away from disappearing from the map. If the Pac-12 even starts to feel threatened by the other 14 team conferences, look for them to go after one or both of those schools. Then the fun will really begin.

 

[upstater]

Build this conference. That's what. This conference will either suck or get better. There's a good chance it will get better.

 

[formerlurker]

Build this conference. That's what. This conference will either suck or get better. There's a good chance it will get better.

I'd like to agree with you, I really would. But I keep thinking that CR hasn't led to more high level D1 prospects than years past. The amount of quality recruits will stay the same and the AAC is close to the bottom of the barrel where the big fish don't play. If any of the subpar members of our new conference get better it will most likely be at the expense of another AAC program. Tulane isn't suddenly battling LSU for a 5* kid because of their new conference affiliation. They'll be competing with us for an underappreciated 2* that we may have stolen from the bayou in the past because we were in the BEast.

I'm not sure we have enough time to help build this conference but we sure as better dominate it from Day 1. If we want to "move on up" we're going to have to nurture some sort of mutually beneficial rivalry with Cincy. One that draws attention and displays just how fcking talented we are.

 

[RS9999X]

Because when it comes to football ratings, Louisville's are at 1.0. .

I've got Louisville at 32nd place from ESPN in 2011 (1.8) and 20th place in 2012 (2.1)

MarketAverage Rating
Birmingham, Ala. 8.9
Greenville, S.C. 4.7
Knoxville, Tenn. 4.6
New Orleans 3.7
Jacksonville, Fla. 3.6
Columbus, Ohio 3.6
Atlanta 3.5
Oklahoma City 3.4
Nashville, Tenn. 3.3
Memphis, Tenn. 3.1
Austin, Texas 3.1
Tulsa, Okla. 2.5
Charlotte, N.C. 2.5
Las Vegas 2.5
Portland, Ore. 2.3
Richmond, Va. 2.3
Orlando, Fla. 2.2
Dayton, Ohio 2.2
Norfolk, Va. 2.2
Louisville, Ky. 2.1
Tampa/St. Pete, Fla. 2.1
West Palm Beach, Fla. 2.0
Greensboro, N.C. 2.0
Cleveland 2.0
Ft. Myers, Fla. 2.0

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/12/birmingham_tops_espn_college_f.html

 

[whaler11]

Build this conference. That's what. This conference will either suck or get better. There's a good chance it will get better.

There are a few specific programs where it would be impossible to
get worse.

 

[upstater]

I've got Louisville at 32nd place from ESPN in 2011 (1.8) and 20th place in 2012 (2.1)

MarketAverage Rating
Birmingham, Ala. 8.9
Greenville, S.C. 4.7
Knoxville, Tenn. 4.6
New Orleans 3.7
Jacksonville, Fla. 3.6
Columbus, Ohio 3.6
Atlanta 3.5
Oklahoma City 3.4
Nashville, Tenn. 3.3
Memphis, Tenn. 3.1
Austin, Texas 3.1
Tulsa, Okla. 2.5
Charlotte, N.C. 2.5
Las Vegas 2.5
Portland, Ore. 2.3
Richmond, Va. 2.3
Orlando, Fla. 2.2
Dayton, Ohio 2.2
Norfolk, Va. 2.2
Louisville, Ky. 2.1
Tampa/St. Pete, Fla. 2.1
West Palm Beach, Fla. 2.0
Greensboro, N.C. 2.0
Cleveland 2.0
Ft. Myers, Fla. 2.0

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/12/birmingham_tops_espn_college_f.html

You are aggregating Kentucky, Louisville, and Indiana's market, and giving Louisville the credit. The comparison of football ratings to basketball ratings proves this. They love their basketball in Louisville. There's a reason basketball draws 3x the interest that football does. Look at the teams!

 

[upstater]

I'd like to agree with you, I really would. But I keep thinking that CR hasn't led to more high level D1 prospects than years past. The amount of quality recruits will stay the same and the AAC is close to the bottom of the barrel where the big fish don't play. If any of the subpar members of our new conference get better it will most likely be at the expense of another AAC program. Tulane isn't suddenly battling LSU for a 5* kid because of their new conference affiliation. They'll be competing with us for an underappreciated 2* that we may have stolen from the bayou in the past because we were in the BEast.

I'm not sure we have enough time to help build this conference but we sure as better dominate it from Day 1. If we want to "move on up" we're going to have to nurture some sort of mutually beneficial rivalry with Cincy. One that draws attention and displays just how fcking talented we are.

Way too pessimistic. Tulane can't keep them, apparently, but it has recruited some talent. No reason to believe the DePaul kids are any better. They are both bottom of the conference. Really, teams like So. Mississippi did well enough in CUSA. No reason to think that East Carolina can't do just as well. I fully expect the conference to grow with Temple, UConn and Cincy bringing quality basketball to it. Houston is already landing top recruits.

 

[The Funster]

Build this conference. That's what. This conference will either suck or get better. There's a good chance it will get better.

I'd like to believe it will get better, I really do. However, I just can't help envisioning this conversation:

"I'm sorry Coach. When I told the coach at BigConferenceU that I was also serious about UConn, he just laughed and said that if I go to UConn I'll never get to play in a major bowl game because their conference sucks. So I went with BigConferenceU."

 

[Husky25]

I'd like to believe it will get better, I really do. However, I just can't help envisioning this conversation:

"I'm sorry Coach. When I told the coach at BigConferenceU that I was also serious about UConn, he just laughed and said that if I go to UConn I'll never get to play in a major bowl game because their conference sucks. So I went with BigConferenceU."

Unless you make the 4 team tournament (soon to be expanded), none of the bowls are major.

 

[upstater]

I'd like to believe it will get better, I really do. However, I just can't help envisioning this conversation:

"I'm sorry Coach. When I told the coach at BigConferenceU that I was also serious about UConn, he just laughed and said that if I go to UConn I'll never get to play in a major bowl game because their conference sucks. So I went with BigConferenceU."

The thing is, those kids were already hearing that about the BE. The only real difference now is Syracuse football v. UConn football. Cuse might take players. Other than that, I don't see a huge change in level of player.

 

[UCFBfan]

I also think that if we keep scheduling the big names for OOC games (I'm assuming we're talking about football here) and winning some of them, we'll remain relevant long enough. We also need to find a coach who can do what Edsall was able to do. Take the players that are overlooked, coach them up, and put them in a system that leads to winning.

Look at KO. His energy and passion are going to keep top players coming to UConn for years. Hopefully we can bring in someone on the football side with the same passion and drive and just hold on long enough until a larger invite comes.

 

[Irishboy9780]

This new conference really isn't that bad. In basketball Uconn,Temple,Memphis and Cincy are all tournament quality teams. UCF is right behind too. In football Cinci,Houston,SMU are all good. ECU is an up and coming program and tulsa and tulane aren't that bad either. This conference will take a few years, but if given enough time it will be the best of the rest in FB and a power conference in BBALL.