Edsall on National Disrespect of AAC

[freescooter]

I give him the benefit of the doubt on this one. Don't forget he said that after experiencing almost one season in what turns out to be a very tough league, deserving of it's Power 6 identity. I would think preparing for and playing USF and UCF (20th & 12th ranked in Amway coaches poll) in successive weeks (and earlier, 17th ranked Memphis) had something to do with his recent comments. Those three teams that are ranked higher than Florida, FSU and LSU! The AAC is for sure the most underrated football conference in college football.

I am pretty sure nobody would want to have to play any of those 3 teams in the first round of a 16 team playoff. This is an incredibly under rated football league. It has multiple ranked teams most years and last year Houston whooped up on A couple of blue bloods and didn’t even make the league title game.

 

[SubbaBub]

He's not wrong. The P5 should be it's own division but not based on their current rosters. Pick any metric you like save legacy.

P5 teams shouldn't be playing MAC or Sunbelt teams.

However, the AAC currently has 25% of its FB programs ranked. The shakeout from the switch to the CFB hasn't completed but you can infer that outside a random MW team that will become the norm as the P5 looks to the AAC for quality cupcakes.

 

[Confident Carl]

The most underrated conference that no one wants to watch anyway.

Though it doesn't help that ESPN assigns their 9th best broadcasting team and broadcasts over something akin to enhanced standard definition, let alone 720p, and puts them at times and channels that people, other than appointment viewing fans, aren't accustomed to watching.

In this thread I wasn't referring to marketing and TV but skill set. However, I am interested in what the national TV ratings for the USF-UCF game on Friday 11-24 in Orlando will be. It should be a sellout. Some tickets are going for over a G note on UCF's web site. This type of game coupled with success in the bowls is what earns respect and credibility. The AAC is a newer growth conference competing against the established P5. This also speaks to the importance of playing regional OOC games against BC, UMASS, Cuse, Rutgers, Army and even Penn State. One of the problems with the AAC is the distance between many of the teams. However even if we were in either the B1G or ACC we would be flying to most games other than some of those I mentioned.

 

[uconnphil2016]

We're pretty much the only school in AAC that doesn't have to worry about our head coach being poached

Well, us and ECU lol

 

[CL82]

The disrespect is reinforced by ESPN mocking the Civil Conflict and everyone laughing at the P6 designation.

Well why not? They both are pretty stupid.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[HuskyHawk]

Happy to see Randy out there saying these things. The playoff has to expand and include this league. It has become legitimately competitive.

Houston beat Arizona and lost to a good TT team by 3.
Memphis beat UCLA
Navy beat Air Force and will play ND
UCF crushed Maryland
USF crushed Illinois

The league's top teams have been very good out of conference this year.

 

[HartfordHank]

Happy to see Randy out there saying these things. The playoff has to expand and include this league. It has become legitimately competitive.

Houston beat Arizona and lost to a good TT team by 3.
Memphis beat UCLA
Navy beat Air Force and will play ND
UCF crushed Maryland
USF crushed Illinois

The league's top teams have been very good out of conference this year.

Arizona is 7-3 and 5-3 in the PAC12. A good win. Texas Tech is 5-5 and 2-5 in the Big12.
UCLA is 5-5 and 3-4 in the PAC12.
Air Force is in the Mountain West, a G5 Conference. They are 4-6 and 3-3 in MW. ND is the future.
Maryland lost to RUTGERS! They are 4-6 and 2-5 in the Big10. To quote Whaler UCF ducked playing GaTech.
Illinois is 2-8 and 0-7 in the Big 10.

Arizona is having a good season. None of the other wins are impressive or worthy justifying a great ranking. But this is what you call "The league's top teams have been very good out of conference this year". Not so much!

 

[Pudge]

Arizona is 7-3 and 5-3 in the PAC12. A good win. Texas Tech is 5-5 and 2-5 in the Big12.
UCLA is 5-5 and 3-4 in the PAC12.
Air Force is in the Mountain West, a G5 Conference. They are 4-6 and 3-3 in MW. ND is the future.
Maryland lost to RUTGERS! They are 4-6 and 2-5 in the Big10. To quote Whaler UCF ducked playing GaTech.
Illinois is 2-8 and 0-7 in the Big 10.

Arizona is having a good season. None of the other wins are impressive or worthy justifying a great ranking. But this is what you call "The league's top teams have been very good out of conference this year". Not so much!

LOOK ... Tom Hermann's Houston team was outstanding. This UCF club is pretty damn good. IF ... you expand to 8 (as they should), the AAC needs a seat. Getting rid of the bowls that BC goes to has to happen. (since you don't travel) I would say the dynamic split of the P5 and the rest will slowly dissipate because ... those contracts that were signed in 3-5 years ago are uneconomic for ESPN and Fox.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

LOOK ... Tom Hermann's Houston team was outstanding. This UCF club is pretty damn good. IF ... you expand to 8 (as they should), the AAC needs a seat. Getting rid of the bowls that BC goes to has to happen. (since you don't travel) I would say the dynamic split of the P5 and the rest will slowly dissipate because ... those contracts that were signed in 3-5 years ago are uneconomic for ESPN and Fox.

They should expand to eight. That doesn't mean that UH's win over Arizona is the only OOC win of note in the above list. Every other one listed is more or less meaningless.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Arizona is 7-3 and 5-3 in the PAC12. A good win. Texas Tech is 5-5 and 2-5 in the Big12.
UCLA is 5-5 and 3-4 in the PAC12.
Air Force is in the Mountain West, a G5 Conference. They are 4-6 and 3-3 in MW. ND is the future.
Maryland lost to RUTGERS! They are 4-6 and 2-5 in the Big10. To quote Whaler UCF ducked playing GaTech.
Illinois is 2-8 and 0-7 in the Big 10.

Arizona is having a good season. None of the other wins are impressive or worthy justifying a great ranking. But this is what you call "The league's top teams have been very good out of conference this year". Not so much!

They beat the teams they played. UCLA was ranked when Memphis beat them. Right now Alabama has two wins over good teams. Their schedule ended up being incredibly weak.

 

[freescooter]

It is part self fulfilling. Indiana or Arizona or UCLA are all considered better teams than the AAC simply because they are in P5 leagues. Unless they lose in which case they are having a bad year. But UCF is a very good team which would compete in any conference. Same with Memphis and USF. They might not win but then again it is possible that they might in one or another division of s league. And in 1 game who knows. There is also the issue of you play who will play you. Maybe you take a 2-1 or a 1 off but you need at least a few 1-1s so that means you are not getting Michigan or Ohio State or Alabama socwhen you schedule a big 10 or SEC YOU are faced with the reality that you have to take Indiana or Maryland.

 

[Fairfield_1st]

Classic two-face Randy move, say this in the media while his contract has him getting rewarded for ANY bowl.

To some degree, that is probably a standard incentive (except for the $ amount) in FBS coaches' contracts. Also, his contract was likely negotiated by his agent, Jordan Bazant, and not himself. Lastly, his comments, if implemented, would result in him being less likely to receive that bonus, so he's working against himself.

 

[HartfordHank]

LOOK ... Tom Hermann's Houston team was outstanding. This UCF club is pretty damn good. IF ... you expand to 8 (as they should), the AAC needs a seat. Getting rid of the bowls that BC goes to has to happen. (since you don't travel) I would say the dynamic split of the P5 and the rest will slowly dissipate because ... those contracts that were signed in 3-5 years ago are uneconomic for ESPN and Fox.

Houston had some good teams. UCF is not at the same level as those Houston teams.

If they expand to 8 the G5 should get a spot if they meet certain criteria. Not the AAC. You mean the bowls BC qqualifies for and UConn does not qualify for? There should be fewer bowls. 5-7 or 6-6 teams should not be rewarded with a bowl game. Unfortunately there is to much money to be made by ESPN and they want the programming.

UConn didn't travel very well to their last bowl game, when they lost to Marshall. Very similar to BC. Put BC or UConn in a good location with a reasonable date and they will travel.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

LOOK ... Tom Hermann's Houston team was outstanding. This UCF club is pretty damn good. IF ... you expand to 8 (as they should), the AAC needs a seat. Getting rid of the bowls that BC goes to has to happen. (since you don't travel) I would say the dynamic split of the P5 and the rest will slowly dissipate because ... those contracts that were signed in 3-5 years ago are uneconomic for ESPN and Fox.

It's all about the talent level. Tom Hermann's Houston teams had a lot of talent and he won. At Texas, he doesn't have anywhere near that level of talent and the results are disappointing. Send Urban Meyer or Nick Saban over to the UConn sideline and they lose. Randy to Tuscaloosa or Columbus and he wins.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

The most underrated conference that no one wants to watch anyway.

Though it doesn't help that ESPN assigns their 9th best broadcasting team and broadcasts over something akin to enhanced standard definition, let alone 720p, and puts them at times and channels that people, other than appointment viewing fans, aren't accustomed to watching.

Could be worse, Joe Buck could be doing the games. Heard he's depressed, his man crush Aaron Rodgers is out for a spell. Maybe he can do NBA broadcasts instead since he invented every sport.

 

[Confident Carl]

Well why not? They both are pretty stupid.

Civil conflict yes, P6 marketing no. Aresco is lobbying for the best TV deal and part of the marketing strategy is differentiating the AAC from the other G 5 teams. Geico commercials can look pretty stupid too but Warren Buffet sells a lot of car insurance with those crazy commercials. Mike Aresco has a method to his madness.

 

[sportsart]

Arizona is 7-3 and 5-3 in the PAC12. A good win. Texas Tech is 5-5 and 2-5 in the Big12.
UCLA is 5-5 and 3-4 in the PAC12.
Air Force is in the Mountain West, a G5 Conference. They are 4-6 and 3-3 in MW. ND is the future.
Maryland lost to RUTGERS! They are 4-6 and 2-5 in the Big10. To quote Whaler UCF ducked playing GaTech.
Illinois is 2-8 and 0-7 in the Big 10.

Arizona is having a good season. None of the other wins are impressive or worthy justifying a great ranking. But this is what you call "The league's top teams have been very good out of conference this year". Not so much!

Look at it this way. These so called P5 conferences are not so deep that the bottom 50% can be beat by our top 3.

There are a lot of P5 schools just along for the ride.

By the way, if they did allow us to join as P6, the bottom 2/3 of the P5 should be concerned playing our top teams.

 

[BlueMAB]

He just advocated for changes to a system that could potentially cost him money, and he still gets criticized.

The animosity some people on this board have for him....

 

[SubbaBub]

Houston had some good teams. UCF is not at the same level as those Houston teams.

If they expand to 8 the G5 should get a spot if they meet certain criteria. Not the AAC. You mean the bowls BC qqualifies for and UConn does not qualify for? There should be fewer bowls. 5-7 or 6-6 teams should not be rewarded with a bowl game. Unfortunately there is to much money to be made by ESPN and they want the programming.

UConn didn't travel very well to their last bowl game, when they lost to Marshall. Very similar to BC. Put BC or UConn in a good location with a reasonable date and they will travel.

There were about 7k there on Christmas Day for a meaningless bowl game. UConn travels just fine.

 

[BlueMAB]

Maryland lost to Rutgers, but smacked Texas at Texas.

 

[sportsart]

Look at Rewster post. When he was in the P5, he was all about it, student athletes outside the P5 be damned.

Doesn't make him a bad guy it's just a coach being a coach, and I absolutely believe he would leave for a better job, because he's done it once already. Plus situation with his son and the State has to be gnawing at him.

You really believe Randy would move on from UConn if he got an offer in the next 2-3 years if he got an offer?

You have been around long enough to know he only came back to fix the mess the stupid twins and wacky Bob made.

First off he would not get an offer any time soon, but again, you know damn well this is his last stop.

 

[noeynox]

You really believe Randy would move on from UConn if he got an offer in the next 2-3 years if he got an offer?

You have been around long enough to know he only came back to fix the mess the stupid twins and wacky Bob made.

First off he would not get an offer any time soon, but again, you know damn well this is his last stop.

It could be. But some guys are lifers at one stop. Frank Beamer, Bill Snyder, Kirk Ferentz. I wouldn't confuse Randy with those guys. This is his last gig, but no one was going to beat his door down and offer him head job anywhere.

I can say that and,still be glad he is here fixing this mess.

 

[HartfordHank]

There were about 7k there on Christmas Day for a meaningless bowl game. UConn travels just fine.

We will see how well UConn travels on Saturday for their home game. How many do you expect at Fenway?

 

[Rocktheworld]

RE got in all the trigger words: "exclude" and "discriminate".

It’s only complete if he says it’s “not okay”

 

[whaler11]

The last problem UConn has right now is someone offering Edsall a job.

Next season there is no defensive front 7, no center, not one player in the secondary who projects as AAC average, the place kicker doesn’t make kicks, they can’t punt, Newsome is gone...

I’d worry about how they put together a team that can beat UMass before I’d sweat Randy leaving for greener pastures.

 

[CL82]

Civil conflict yes, P6 marketing no. Aresco is lobbying for the best TV deal and part of the marketing strategy is differentiating the AAC from the other G 5 teams. Geico commercials can look pretty stupid too but Warren Buffet sells a lot of car insurance with those crazy commercials. Mike Aresco has a method to his madness.

I don't disagree. Sometimes a stupid idea is your only play.

But perception is reality and the P5 was a random creation as well. I hope it is successful.

 

[whaler11]

I don't disagree. Sometimes a stupid idea is your only play.

But perception is reality and the P5 was a random creation as well. I hope it is successful.

Here is the rub - the P5 is not a random creation.

The P5 is shorthand for the autonomous conferences within the NCAA structure.

So while Aresco has convinced some dupes that having cheerleaders running around with P6 flags is going to impact the next TV contract they really just look foolish to anyone who understands what is going on.

Mike Aresco has accomplished nothing for the AAC to date. Just another bloated salary that UConn funds that has no ROI.

 

[Redding Husky]

I give him the benefit of the doubt on this one. Don't forget he said that after experiencing almost one season in what turns out to be a very tough league, deserving of it's Power 6 identity. I would think preparing for and playing USF and UCF (20th & 12th ranked in Amway coaches poll) in successive weeks (and earlier, 17th ranked Memphis) had something to do with his recent comments. Those three teams that are ranked higher than Florida, FSU and LSU! The AAC is for sure the most underrated football conference in college football.

As the Big East football conference was for about 20 years.

 

[noeynox]

Here is the rub - the P5 is not a random creation.

The P5 is shorthand for the autonomous conferences within the NCAA structure.

So while Aresco has convinced some dupes that having cheerleaders running around with P6 flags is going to impact the next TV contract they really just look foolish to anyone who understands what is going on.

Mike Aresco has accomplished nothing for the AAC to date. Just another bloated salary that UConn funds that has no ROI.

What possibly could he have done better given the timing of when he came on, and what do you see him doing going forward?

I don't get the animosity for the guy. He is the commissioner of the league. He is trying desperately to promote his league. It is league that UConn included, can't get fans in seats.

As for UConn ROI, the only guy that seems to have a clue is Benedict. Herbst may be great at running the university, but on her watch our athletics are getting close to the point of irrelevancy. Her appointed Rock Star was worthless when he was really needed to make a football hire.