ESPN dis-disrespects UConn (AAC season preview - Insider)

[CallMeBruce]

Huskies Still Class of Conference

1. Connecticut Huskies

This time, it's Ryan Boatright's turn. UConn's past two point guards won national titles as seniors, and Boatright is poised to follow the path charted by Kemba Walker and Shabazz Napier. Boatright might also have more options around him than either of those stars enjoyed on their championship teams, particularly if sophomore center Amida Brimah emerges as an offensive threat to complement his elite shot-blocking skills (15.1 block percentage). Rodney Purvis was a former top recruit at NC State who should be a scoring force in the backcourt, and freshman swingman Daniel Hamilton can light it up as well. If UConn can get anything out of the 4-spot (which likely will go to sophomore Kentan Facey), a deep backcourt should have the Huskies back in the national championship hunt, especially with Boatright leading the way.

Other than somehow still screwing up the Kemba thing, this is quite sweet of them.

 

[WingU-Conn]

Academically, Walker was a senior so they get a pass.

No mention of Lubin, though? Someone must pay.

 

[Fishy]

They're not sure what to do with us.


Huskies still class of conference

2014-15 AAC Projected Standings
1. SMU Mustangs | 2. Connecticut Huskies | 3. Memphis Tigers

1. Connecticut Huskies

This time, it's Ryan Boatright's turn...

 

[WingU-Conn]

They're not sure what to do with us.


Huskies still class of conference

2014-15 AAC Projected Standings
1. SMU Mustangs | 2. Connecticut Huskies | 3. Memphis Tigers

1. Connecticut Huskies

This time, it's Ryan Boatright's turn...

If you visit ESPN from an IP address out of Memphis, the predictions are probably

1. Memphis Tigers | 2. Connecticut Huskies | 3. SMU Mustangs.

 

[UConNation]

I like this one too... way to go ESPN.

2014-15 AAC Team Previews

Here are some more teams to watch from the ACC. Check out their individual previews.
• Memphis Tigers
• Cincinnati Bearcats

 

[nomar]

Ugh. The name (generic, derivative and confusing), the logo (seemingly taken from the 1988 AFC Pro-Bowl jerseys), the directional schools (how long before Northeast Florida joins the conference)...

 

[SellersElbow]

How un-American!

I like this one too... way to go ESPN.

2014-15 AAC Team Previews

Here are some more teams to watch from the ACC. Check out their individual previews.
• Memphis Tigers
• Cincinnati Bearcats

 

[amory]

Ugh. The name (generic, derivative and confusing), the logo (seemingly taken from the 1988 AFC Pro-Bowl jerseys), the directional schools (how long before Northeast Florida joins the conference)...

I'm ok with the name, I actually think it's a bit distinctive when they list it as the American rather than the AAC. But that logo has to go. It's the logo equivalent of watching paint dry.

Edit: Also considering Central Florida and ECU are the only ones carrying the banner for the conference in football, it seems a funny time to complain about directional schools.

 

[CallMeBruce]

I'm ok with the name, I actually think it's a bit distinctive when they list it as the American rather than the AAC. But that logo has to go. It's the logo equivalent of watching paint dry.

Edit: Also considering Central Florida and ECU are the only ones carrying the banner for the conference in football, it seems a funny time to complain about directional schools.

Everything about the league's branding, especially the name and the logo, strikes me as incredibly derivative and risk-averse. Basically, like they were trying to build a new league without anyone noticing.

 

[YearoftheHusky]

Ugh. The name (generic, derivative and confusing), the logo (seemingly taken from the 1988 AFC Pro-Bowl jerseys), the directional schools (how long before Northeast Florida joins the conference)...

I'd be ecstatic. I am a UNF Osprey alum.

 

[Pudge]

ok ... we are NOW looking to you the University of West Florida Pensacolian
Flyers.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Everything about the league's branding, especially the name and the logo, strikes me as incredibly derivative and risk-averse. Basically, like they were trying to build a new league without anyone noticing.

They didn't want anyone noticing for the wrong reasons, or for the league to be a joke. A risky name could easily lead to ridicule. It couldn't be "Big" anything. It couldn't be East, South or North anything, or Atlantic anything. It couldn't use "USA". Go ahead...see what you come up with that isn't stupid.

 

[CallMeBruce]

They didn't want anyone noticing for the wrong reasons, or for the league to be a joke. A risky name could easily lead to ridicule. It couldn't be "Big" anything. It couldn't be East, South or North anything, or Atlantic anything. It couldn't use "USA". Go ahead...see what you come up with that isn't stupid.

I'm not a professional branding expert, so I don't think it's incumbent on me to do their jobs better than they do them, but if you think that naming the league the "American" hasn't invited ridicule, then you haven't been listening.

 

[John]

I'm not a professional branding expert, so I don't think it's incumbent on me to do their jobs better than they do them, but if you think that naming the league the "American" hasn't invited ridicule, then you haven't been listening.

I haven't heard "Big Least" levels of buffoonery, so I don't think it's been that bad.

 

[fleudslipcon]

I like this one too... way to go ESPN.

2014-15 AAC Team Previews

Here are some more teams to watch from the ACC. Check out their individual previews.
• Memphis Tigers
• Cincinnati Bearcats

I don't what's worse. The inability to avoid confusing the AAC with the ACC or not confusing the AAC with a real power conference.

 

[nomar]

I'm ok with the name, I actually think it's a bit distinctive when they list it as the American rather than the AAC. But that logo has to go. It's the logo equivalent of watching paint dry.

Edit: Also considering Central Florida and ECU are the only ones carrying the banner for the conference in football, it seems a funny time to complain about directional schools.

I don't find it that funny. I'd rather have Florida and Carolina (either one) -- wouldn't you?

 

[nomar]

They didn't want anyone noticing for the wrong reasons, or for the league to be a joke. A risky name could easily lead to ridicule. It couldn't be "Big" anything. It couldn't be East, South or North anything, or Atlantic anything. It couldn't use "USA". Go ahead...see what you come up with that isn't stupid.

They could have killed two birds with one stone:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a//Prince_logo.svg/170px-Prince_logo.svg.png

 

[amory]

I don't find it that funny. I'd rather have Florida and Carolina (either one) -- wouldn't you?

in what world could the American have gotten UNC or South Carolina or Florida? There are a lot of teams I would've preferred over who we ended up with, but let's be realistic.

 

[nomar]

in what world could the American have gotten UNC or South Carolina or Florida? There are a lot of teams I would've preferred over who we ended up with, but let's be realistic.

In no world, obviously. I'm talking about a world in which we'd join a conference that had Florida or (one) Carolina in it.

Just some harmless griping on my part. We are where we are (for now). Can't really argue with our basketball success so far in the AAC.

 

[intlzncster]

Ugh. The name (generic, derivative and confusing), the logo (seemingly taken from the 1988 AFC Pro-Bowl jerseys), the directional schools (how long before Northeast Florida joins the conference)...

How in the hell did you remember that?

 

[nomar]

How in the hell did you remember that?

I was kidding, but apparently in 1988 the AFC team started using piping with the "A," accompanied by stars. Ha.

http://www.gridiron-uniforms.com/probowls/1988_ProBowl.html
http://www.gridiron-uniforms.com/probowls.html