DiMauro on Big 12 media provincialism

[junglehusky]

Why isn’t UConn front and center in Big 12 expansion narrative?

It made the BCS under Randy Edsall. It was hideous under Paul Pasqualoni. And it's getting better under Bob Diaco. OK, so we get that college football "isn't part of the culture" up here. But anyone who thinks Rentschler Field wouldn't be abuzz with Texas, Oklahoma and Baylor coming to town is an idiot. We were breathing into brown paper bags for a week when Michigan was here a few years ago. This year, games with Syracuse and BC will move the needle.

So when you look big picture, how is UConn not front and center in this narrative?

Methinks this is because the purveyors of the narrative couldn't find Storrs, CT on a map and find the idea of traveling to a college football afterthought is beneath them.

The fervent wish from this corner is that Big 12 presidents ask themselves whether UConn will enhance the brand better than other candidates. And with UConn's tentacles in New York City — the always howling Garden and its games on SNY — the idea of introducing the Big 12 brand to the big, bad city would be tempting.

Or would they rather go to Memphis?

I just don't get it. I'm starting to understand why UConn fans are paranoid.

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Why isn’t UConn front and center in Big 12 expansion narrative?

"So when you look big picture, how is UConn not front and center in this narrative?

Methinks this is because the purveyors of the narrative couldn't find Storrs, CT on a map and find the idea of traveling to a college football afterthought is beneath them."

Bingo. Nailed it.

 

[DoctorWho85]

I'm liking the some of the sports writers and radio show hosts are starting to jump on board. Articles like his (even though it doesn't say much) can only help show that we have a strong following which we can translate to TV set eyeballs.

 

[noeynox]

Nice to see "our guys" doing their part. You have writers writing "open letters" to the big 12. This is a direct bitch slap at that fool Dodd.

 

[CL82]

I see a bit of Matt's chart in there as well. Hats off to him and to @Dooley. I think they've help by getting better information out there. While I'm confident that the Big 12 has these numbers and more, effecting the public discussion helps in my view.

In any event, my complements to DiMauro on a good article.

 

[DoctorWho85]

Nice to see "our guys" doing their part. You have writers writing "open letters" to the big 12. This is a direct bitch slap at that fool Dodd.

The more articles the better. It attracts attention to the athletic program and the overall University. We need more articles talking about the success of the basketball teams, the Olympic sports, the football teams improvement under Diaco, the schools commitment to education and our relevance in the NYC market.

 

[Charley Horse]

A line from the story, with my bolding for emphasis: Instead, media speculation, from mostly Midwestern and southern outlets that match the league's current footprint, have carried the narrative.

Ugh. Southern again. I was just griping about that reference on another thread here.

It must really be the general consensus in your part of the country that Texas is southern.

Google maps of US regions. On most, if not all, you will see that Texas is in the Southwest. Not the South.

I haven't read the whole article but I have no doubt he's right on every other count and that midwest and southwest journalists are provincial. In fact, they're pretty awful for the most part.

But it is ironically and delightfully amusing to commit such a regionally-ignorant faux pas while accusing others of being "provincial."

 

[Charley Horse]

Eh. Sorry to go off.

I just hate being called a southerner. Makes me picture sheets and crosses.

It's an insult.

 

[Excalibur]

A line from the story, with my bolding for emphasis: Instead, media speculation, from mostly Midwestern and southern outlets that match the league's current footprint, have carried the narrative.


It must really be the general consensus in your part of the country that Texas is southern.

Google maps of US regions. On most, if not all, you will see that Texas is in the Southwest. Not the South.

Geographically, sure. Culturally, not as much -- particularly from Austin east. It's kind of the crossroads of the south, midwest, and southwest.

 

[DoctorWho85]

Eh. Sorry to go off.

I just hate being called a southerner. Makes me picture sheets and crosses.

It's an insult.

I see what you're saying. I don't think they're referring to Texans as southerns (I can see the insult because who wants to be associated with Alabamians) I think they're referring to Texas as just being a state south of an imaginary line. Personally I associate Texas as "The West" because of Clint Eastwood and John Wayne

 

[Charley Horse]

Just pored over the entire article. Aside from the southern thing, it was a fun and informative article. Hopefully, it will make people think.

People love to think in a box. With conferences, people like to picture the traditional conference representing regional contiguous states. It boggles their mind that WVU is an outlier. Adding someone even farther east is something they can't even fathom.

And then there are others who go to the other extreme and say, "hey, let's spread it west too."

But then again, there is an awful lot of ignorance about everything UConn can bring to the table. Hopefully articles like these can help people give UConn second look.

 

[DoctorWho85]

A line from the story, with my bolding for emphasis: Instead, media speculation, from mostly Midwestern and southern outlets that match the league's current footprint, have carried the narrative.

Ugh. Southern again. I was just griping about that reference on another thread here.

It must really be the general consensus in your part of the country that Texas is southern.

Google maps of US regions. On most, if not all, you will see that Texas is in the Southwest. Not the South.

I haven't read the whole article but I have no doubt he's right on every other count and that midwest and southwest journalists are provincial. In fact, they're pretty awful for the most part.

But it is ironically and delightfully amusing to commit such a regionally-ignorant faux pas while accusing others of being "provincial."

Also, if being called a southern is the price I have to pay to live in Texas. I'll gladly take it. I'm just waiting for a position to open up in the Austin area of my company so I can transfer immediately.

 

[WhartonHusky]

All the UConn positives get re-hashed (mostly here) over and over. And while I do believe that ESPN is a draw for teams -- coach can stop by and get interviewed, etc. What's rarely mentioned is the proximity to Boston/NY. Is it not possible for coaches to take the team (perhaps FB teams are too large) to sights in Boston or NY when in the area for games? Seems to me if you are a Texas kid who chooses to attend a Big12 school chances are you've not seen much of New England/NY. Forget playing in MSG, how about seeing Times Square, the Empire State Bldg, Statue of Liberty, etc? Might that not be a draw for a recruit to a Big12 school over SEC?

 

[pepband99]

Talk about turning colors! Coming from DiMauro, who has made a cottage industry of signalling UConn being "beneath" his beloved Thunderchickens, this is quite the coup.

 

[HuskyHawk]

A line from the story, with my bolding for emphasis: Instead, media speculation, from mostly Midwestern and southern outlets that match the league's current footprint, have carried the narrative.

Ugh. Southern again. I was just griping about that reference on another thread here.

It must really be the general consensus in your part of the country that Texas is southern.

Google maps of US regions. On most, if not all, you will see that Texas is in the Southwest. Not the South.

I haven't read the whole article but I have no doubt he's right on every other count and that midwest and southwest journalists are provincial. In fact, they're pretty awful for the most part.

But it is ironically and delightfully amusing to commit such a regionally-ignorant faux pas while accusing others of being "provincial."

It's southwest...really Texas is just Texas. It's its own thing. But there are media outlets from Memphis and Orlando chiming in here, and those are southern.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Also, if being called a southern is the price I have to pay to live in Texas. I'll gladly take it. I'm just waiting for a position to open up in the Austin area of my company so I can transfer immediately.

That's funny. My company is merging with one near Austin. I don't want to move, but can think of worse places than Austin if I had to.

 

[Husky25]

The more articles the better. It attracts attention to the athletic program and the overall University. We need more articles talking about the success of the basketball teams, the Olympic sports, the football teams improvement under Diaco, the schools commitment to education and our relevance in the NYC market.

I see a bit of Matt's chart in there as well. Hats off to him and to @Dooley. I think they've help by getting better information out there. While I'm confident that the Big 12 has these numbers and more, effecting the public discussion helps in my view.

In any event, my complements to DiMauro on a good article.

I must preface this post with kudos to Mr. DiMauro on a fine piece of commentary. Here's the rub, The Day is a small regional newspaper with a circulation barely in the low 6 figures and Dimauro has about 2,500 followers. Accompanying these minor tidbits, Mr. Dimauro's twitter handle is BCGenius, which flies in the face of a pro-UConn article. How now (Brown Cow) does the theme of the column permeate the National discussion as far as realignment is concerned, especially in the seats of power in Norman, Austin, Lawrence, (and of course) Morgantown?

 

[Chin Diesel]

It's southwest...really Texas is just Texas. It's its own thing. But there are media outlets from Memphis and Orlando chiming in here, and those are southern.

Memphis is mid-South. Most Southerners would call Orlando New England.

 

[DoctorWho85]

That's funny. My company is merging with one near Austin. I don't want to move, but can think of worse places than Austin if I had to.

I'm a New Englander through and through, but Austin just looks like a much better place to live right now for someone my age. I eventually want to start my own business and I read an article (either NYT or Forbes) that says Austin is one of the top cities in the country for starting a business.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I'm a New Englander through and through, but Austin just looks like a much better place to live right now for someone my age. I eventually want to start my own business and I read an article (either NYT or Forbes) that says Austin is one of the top cities in the country for starting a business.

If your age = young, then absolutely.

 

[DoctorWho85]

I must preface this post with kudos to Mr. DiMauro on a fine piece of commentary. Here's the rub, The Day is a small regional newspaper with a circulation barely in the low 6 figures and Dimauro has about 2,500 followers. Accompanying these minor tidbits, Mr. Dimauro's twitter handle is BCGenius, which flies in the face of a pro-UConn article. How now (Brown Cow) does the theme of the column permeate the National discussion as far as realignment is concerned, especially in the seats of power in Norman, Austin, Lawrence, (and of course) Morgantown?

Dimuaro is generally seen as an anti-UConn guy because of his affiliation with BC. He may not have a large following, but he's local and it helps the cause. No matter how small his following is, it helps get the word out because other local writers will most likely read his article and start doing their own research on the topic and write their own article for their own respective newspaper/radio/tv show.

 

[Excalibur]

I'm a New Englander through and through, but Austin just looks like a much better place to live right now for someone my age. I eventually want to start my own business and I read an article (either NYT or Forbes) that says Austin is one of the top cities in the country for starting a business.

It has all of the pro-business economic culture with more reasonable social sensibilities. I'm not going to move more than 50 miles from the ocean unless I have to, but Austin has a lot going for it . . .

 

[DoctorWho85]

If your age = young, then absolutely.

What do you consider young?

 

[Husky25]

Dimuaro is generally seen as an anti-UConn guy because of his affiliation with BC. He may not have a large following, but he's local and it helps the cause. No matter how small his following is, it helps get the word out because other local writers will most likely read his article and start doing their own research on the topic and write their own article for their own respective newspaper/radio/tv show.

Agreed, but the decisions that need to be made are not at the local level and the decision makers are being influenced by agenda wielding hacks with national reach, the likes of Dennis Dodd.

 

[DoctorWho85]

It has all of the pro-business economic culture with more reasonable social sensibilities. I'm not going to move more than 50 miles from the ocean unless I have to, but Austin has a lot going for it . . .

Yeah that's a down side being something like 8 hours from the ocean. But the way I see it, if my business is remotely successful, I can visit the ocean anytime I want at Corpus Christie which I've been told is beautiful. Maybe even a vacation home down there (not holding my breath though haha)