Courant Columnist Colin McEnroe view on CR and UConn

[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.

 

[Fishy]

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.

It actually sucks monkey nuts in basketball.

The first four are fine.

UCF hoop just got prison-raped by the NCAA for cheating their balls off. SMU will be a mirage until Larry Brown leaves and they dissipate as an entity. ECU, Tulsa, Tulane, USF and whoever the hell I'm forgetting will face duck* our RPI until we either get out of the conference or start our death rattle.

You have a better argument in football. So many of the so-called power conference teams are actually pretty bad football programs - the individual programs in the conference match up fine with most of them.

We just don't any perennial top-20 type programs.

 

[upstater]

It actually sucks monkey nuts in basketball.

The first four are fine.

UCF hoop just got prison-raped by the NCAA for cheating their balls off. SMU will be a mirage until Larry Brown leaves and they dissipate as an entity. ECU, Tulsa, Tulane, USF and whoever the hell I'm forgetting will face duck* our RPI until we either get out of the conference or start our death rattle.

You have a better argument in football. So many of the so-called power conference teams are actually pretty bad football programs - the individual programs in the conference match up fine with most of them.

We just don't any perennial top-20 type programs.

The problem hasn't been UCF, Tulsa and East Carolina. They actually play decent bball at those schools. Even So. Mississippi (which isn't a member) was in the 30s this year. Tulsa and ECU were 102 and 104. The problem has always been SMU and Houston at the 200 level. Those teams have been pretty bad. Tulane too at 178. I think ECU is going to compete well because they get decent talent out of Carolina. If the conference has any hope, Houston and SMU will have to up its game. Houston grabbed a blue chip recruit last year, but then sucked. So we'll see.

 

[CAHUSKY]

. If the conference has any hope, Houston and SMU will have to up its game. Houston grabbed a blue chip recruit last year, but then sucked. So we'll see.

And SMU picked up Larry Brown and McDonalds all-America Keith Frazier. Looks like they are trying to step it up