football megalomania

[itsasport]

Everyone is saying that what is driving the league realignmentsadministrationl. But the idea that UConn will ever be a top 25 team in football is, to me, megalomania. Top reach that level, UConn will have to be able to consistantly recruit dozens of top players (unlike only a handful in basketball), including top quarterbacks, running backs, etc. etc.

How is UConn ever going to out recruit teams like Notre Dame, Penn State, BC, Miami (the list goes on) who aren't even ranked in the top 25? The article about ACC football shows how difficult it is to achieve and maintain successful football programs.

UConn is a basketball school. Basketball made UConn. It is idiotic that UConn allowed a new football stadium and practice facility to be built before needed improvements were made to the basketball facilities. (What ingratitude!) The only reason that a UConn football program could even be given a snowballs chance in Hell of getting any respect (despite the facilities) is because of the status that basketball gave to UConn athletics.

If the Big East can keep TCU and add another decent footballl program, the league will be stronger in football even with the loss of Syracuse and Pitt. And, I would rather have UConn stay in the Big East for basketball.

Uconn could decide to do a "Notre Dame" and stay in the Big East for all sports but basketball- and have the basketball teams be independents. They would be totally free to create their own schedules. There isn't one men's or women's program in the country (well, perhaps one) that wouldn't want to have UConn on their schedule.

I think that the UConn administration should get a grip and try to overcome the losses (as they did in the past.) If they can keep TCU, only one more school is needed to replace the two that left.

But, bottom line, the idea of being in the ACC makes me want to puke.

 

[uconnbaseball]

Football drives the bus, buddy. Even Calhoun has acknowledged that. Without football, UConn would be in worse shape than we are.

 

[CTFootball]

Let it go....the Big East that is.

I'm not sure why so many posters on this board have had such an infatuation with this league. It was great while we had it (especially for B-ball) but the writing was on the wall for a long time that it would not last forever. Hopefully, we are off to bigger and better things (and not stuck in a sub-par BE for all sports).

Finally, I don't believe the "we can't compete with these other programs in football" statement. It will take a significant commitment from the University, as well as much time and effort to get UCONN to the next level. I don't know if UCONNcan consistently be a player in football but it is surely capable of improving to a much higher level than we are currently at. Keep in mind that most, if not all of the best programs have down years.

I do think the fans and the University need to find creative ways to improve the game day experience. Big time schools have a big time game day atmosphere. I do beleive that UCONN football fans are as knowledgable as other fans, but we need to step it up quite a bot on game day to match major football programs.

 

[Adios]

Iowa State packs their stadium for games.

 

[willie99]

in 1986, people were saying we should drop out of the Big East for basketball

after all, why would inner city kids choose Storrs when they can play in Boston, NYC, Philly, DC, Pitt, Prov and Cuse?

no chance those kids are coming here

 

[Stinger92860]

in 1986, people were saying we should drop out of the Big East for basketball

after all, why would inner city kids choose Storrs when they can play in Boston, NYC, Philly, DC, Pitt, Prov and Cuse?

no chance those kids are coming here

I agree, never gonna happen, and no chance we ever win the BE in football or go to a BCS bowl.....

 

[RS9999X]

Let it go....the Big East that is.

I'm not sure why so many posters on this board have had such an infatuation with this league. It was great while we had it (especially for B-ball) but the writing was on the wall for a long time that it would not last forever. .

For me I lived in Syracuse in the 70s and moved here to CT in late 1978. The powers that be knew I couldn't live without College Ball and announced the Big East would begin play the follwing Fall in answer to my prayers.

No matter how this shakes out I won't be happy. Like many I've been on the campuses of BC, Georgetown, SU, and Nova etc and it simply won't be the same memory. I have no interest in ever stepping foot in TCU's stadium or Cincy's, etc.

 

[upstater]

UConn has already been in the top 25. Boise St is in the top 25 right now.

 

[uc1974]

It's football guys. You can be a BB school but ya' gotta field a D1, hopefully BCS, football team. Even poor Duke . UConn will be fine, FB wise but certainly never Alabama. So what. The bus driver here is football, not basketball and you need to stop whining about it. You don't want to go to X campus, then don't go. Can't be helped.

 

[jrazz12]

this thread is pretty foolish

 

[CTMike]

Everyone is saying that what is driving the league realignmentsadministrationl. But the idea that UConn will ever be a top 25 team in football is, to me, megalomania. Top reach that level, UConn will have to be able to consistantly recruit dozens of top players (unlike only a handful in basketball), including top quarterbacks, running backs, etc. etc.

How is UConn ever going to out recruit teams like Notre Dame, Penn State, BC, Miami (the list goes on) who aren't even ranked in the top 25? The article about ACC football shows how difficult it is to achieve and maintain successful football programs.

UConn is a basketball school. Basketball made UConn. It is idiotic that UConn allowed a new football stadium and practice facility to be built before needed improvements were made to the basketball facilities. (What ingratitude!) The only reason that a UConn football program could even be given a snowballs chance in Hell of getting any respect (despite the facilities) is because of the status that basketball gave to UConn athletics.

If the Big East can keep TCU and add another decent footballl program, the league will be stronger in football even with the loss of Syracuse and Pitt. And, I would rather have UConn stay in the Big East for basketball.

Uconn could decide to do a "Notre Dame" and stay in the Big East for all sports but basketball- and have the basketball teams be independents. They would be totally free to create their own schedules. There isn't one men's or women's program in the country (well, perhaps one) that wouldn't want to have UConn on their schedule.

I think that the UConn administration should get a grip and try to overcome the losses (as they did in the past.) If they can keep TCU, only one more school is needed to replace the two that left.

But, bottom line, the idea of being in the ACC makes me want to puke.

You are certainly entitled to your opinion. In my opinion, yours is shortsighted and dumb.

Like it or not, UConn made a significant committment to football. That will continue, and it will grow. The idea that UConn is "just" a basketball school is so antiquated that there just aren't any words for it at this point. UConn is a basketball, football, soccer, baseball, you name it school - and that's just sports.

 

[RS9999X]

The bus driver here is football, not basketball and you need to stop whining about it. You don't want to go to X campus, then don't go. Can't be helped.

The problem is that football does not drive in CT. It drives ad dollars in five major conferences. The reality here that combined basketball may well be the top media revenue program in 2014 for UConn and contribute more to the positive side of the AD budget and to fund raising and alumni donations than football.

It's awkwrd but there it is.

 

[junglehusky]

I smell a troll...

 

[MattMang23]

How is UConn ever going to out recruit teams like ... BC

Yeah how will they ever be able to pull that off???? I can't imagine UConn ever out-recruiting BC...

 

[zls44]

"UConn can never compete with Georgetown or Syracuse in basketball, they should quit the Big East"

 

[Samoo]

this thread is pretty foolish

but he did get to use a big word....

 

[weyuo]

Start a new league. Invite top Northeast football schools. I may be beating a dead horse here but it makes more sense than joining the ACC which will lose it's top 3 football schools as soon as the SEC turns it's ugly head and looks their way. Then your in a conference that is no better than Big East football is right now...just weaker in basketball.

Name it the Big North Conference.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

How's this for megalomania?

I dream of UConn negotiating an independent contract for broadcast rights to basketball games with ESPN. If football teams can do it, why can't basketball? Is it true that no team would play us if we promised to share the revenue?

Why would ESPN not want to do this? They could make some damn good money off this. Negotiate a schedule against the best ACC schools and Big East schools in Jim Calhoun's final season in basketball as a carrot to bring UConn in as a football team, and give ESPN exclusive broadcast rights.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

The first three games I would think to put on the schedule for December 2013 would be Clemson, Georgia Tech, and Duke. Call it the ACC revenge tour, lol. (The Shot, The 2004 Championship, and well, you know).

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Hell, why not throw exclusive broadcast rights for the women's team too as part of the deal.