First, to answer your question of why Louisville? There was an existing power struggle within the ACC. The Carolinas and Virginia's wanted UConn. FSU and Clemson felt threatened by that and believed that Louisville would be more of an ally. If you are to believe that an actual choice was made, it had little to do with the success of the respective football programs and more from pre-existing relationships/lack thereof within the conference.
But I digress. If I have learned anything through all of this is the fact that whatever story is told through the media is what they want you to believe, regardless of fact. I don't think Louisville was the choice and I don't believe the end result is what ESPN wanted. In one short week, Louisville was able to sell itself while UConn sat idle. Does that make sense to you? Do you really believe that was just a gross miscalculation by the UConn administration? I don't. Then, if ESPN did get what they wanted, why the constant bashing of UConn after the fact? Wouldn't ESPN simply sit quiet, resting on its laurels, simply ignoring UConn and keeping it out of the headlines. They did the opposite. They consistently tried to devalue the UConn brand. I interpret that as somehow the worldwide leader didn't get its way and wasn't happy. Most telling, why has UConn recently made public their ambitious plans both academically and athletically? Does it make sense that a school, after supposedly being left out of the P5, will take all these steps and invest all this money on the blind faith it may increase its chances of inclusion? I don't buy it.
So why do the on field football results not matter? Because everything else is in place. UConn has the resources to succeed. The basketball titles proved many things. The state, UConn alumni, NYC, and the entire Northeast does/will rally behind a UConn winner. Does anyone really believe that if UConn was in the Big 10, our football program won't succee? Would it be a struggle to get funding to expand the Rent? Better yet, would we not fill it? What UConn lacks in tradition, it gains in current relevance. Today, UConn is an athletic power. If given the chance, UConn football will follow suit. I know this. You know this. Delaney knows this. The Big 10 knows this. It doesn't matter if this year we go 4-8 or 8-4.
Again, I strongly believe that UConn already knows its going to the Big 10. There has nothing that has been said or done since realignment began suggests otherwise.