Frank the Tank's Slant on UConn and Big 12 chances...

[NickyNewark]

It's a good thing Frank the Tank isn't making (or consulting on) conference expansion decisions.

Like most of us FTT has his opinion but it's no better than our's.I think deep inside he's dreaming of a ND or Texas for his idea/hopes of the B1G?

 

[UConn Dan]

Like most of us FTT has his opinion but it's no better than our's.I think deep inside he's dreaming of a ND or Texas for his idea/hopes of the B1G?

Probably...those would be the prize for any conference, but on the flip-side could also be their undoing.

 

[NickyNewark]

Probably...those would be the prize for any conference, but on the flip-side could also be their undoing.

I agree with you but thats our eastern view.I think taking both would(like you)bring headaches they had'nt even considered but say 1 of a Mizzou or Kansas with a Uconn would enrich the B1G beyond what FTT thinks esp in hoops perception!At the least UConn is a safe pick that won't hurt or embarress the conference in any sport or academic's with unlimited FB potential.I think the B1G is looking for 1 homerun in FB in the west...say an Okla or Mizzou(hardly a hr IMO) to pacify the west so they can take UConn to lock down the east!But take my word on this...UConn will end up someones prize in the end game...we can get excited next time we see smoke(unless its from WV) IMO!!CR sorta sneaks up on colleges just when you think about giving up hope!

 

[ConnHuskBask]

A huge factor that is always ignored is financial commitment to athletics.

UConns budget dwarfs any of the remaining schools besides BYU.

I can understand some things like Cinci recent success in football and recruiting Ohio, same with USF and UCF ( lesser extent to success, more so recruiting) but to have any points system which puts Tulane ahead of UConn is just idiotic.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Curious, does anybody know how prescient or what kind of handiapper the Tank is?

 

[NickyNewark]

A huge factor that is always ignored is financial commitment to athletics.

UConns budget dwarfs any of the remaining schools besides BYU.

I can understand some things like Cinci recent success in football and recruiting Ohio, same with USF and UCF ( lesser extent to success, more so recruiting) but to have any points system which puts Tulane ahead of UConn is just idiotic.

I think people are in love with New Orleans more than Tulane as a real P5 add?Its almost ridiculous? Our BE brethern was infuriated over taking them(probably caused the C7 breakup) into even the AAC now their thinking P5??Has someone gone nut's?Buffalo sounds more sensible given academic restriction's the FB team would be burdened with not to mention they might have a smaller local fanbase than even BC or Temple ? Private school handicap too!!

 

[AZHuskiePop]

Sunday at 2AM...I wish they'd leave the time the way it is w/o trying to create artificial daylight! Daylight savings ?Azhusky,I loved living in SanDiego and the Serah Williams but do you ever miss the rain..xmas spirit?I just can't seem to feel at home under the western sky's w/o my extended family!Sorry to get OT myself ..just curious!

Thanks
My niece moved out here 20 years ago
My son ten
My wife and I. 7 years ago.
MY Older sister 7 years ago
Family friends also have moved out but they are way out in the West Valley (near Cardinal Stadium)
The desert doesn't compare with the beauty of Ct
and we don't have Rivers with actual water.
But the positstive effect is 300+days of Sunshine and no ice and snow except for distant mountains.
We do spend 5 weeks over the Summer at my dauthers in CT
Not because we can't handle the heat but because she teachers.
The only time I ever got a little bit homesick is when they tore down Yankee Stadium.

 

[NEforceUConn]

Thanks

We do spend 5 weeks over the Summer at my dauthers in CT

And those 5 weeks are probably the highlight of your year.

I spent a long weekend in Scottsdale and what an unremarkable place that is. I was looking forward to it and what a disappointment, almost as bad as this year's UConn FB team.

Face it the best thing these days, or over the last five years BY FAR, is a UConn fb win at home in 2010 over WVU, or Pitt, or slapping Cincy, or (just the other day) a Bosox clincher at home. Screw recent CR, give UConn 2 to 4 years and heads will turn as we recover and the B1G cuts us a deal.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

And those 5 weeks are probably the highlight of your year.

I spent a long weekend in Scottsdale and what an unremarkable place that is. I was looking forward to it and what a disappointment, almost as bad as this year's UConn FB team.

Face it the best thing these days, or over the last five years BY FAR, is a UConn fb win at home in 2010 over WVU, or Pitt, or slapping Cincy, or (just the other day) a Bosox clincher at home. Screw recent CR, give UConn 2 to 4 years and heads will turn as we recover and the B1G cuts us a deal.

My highlights this year are enough to sustain me. Even wiith our lack of success.
1. Watching my oldest Grandson graduate from college in 4 years.
Better than my own
2. Getting my whole family together in St Maartin,
fourth of July week. Were I rediscovered how much I love to swim
Also that I love hanging with my grandsons.

3. The 5 weeks in Ct
a spending quality time with my Daughter and her family
b. Playing a couple rounds of golf with my grandson. A 12 year tradition. They still can't beat me.
c seeing my wheel chair bound older brother maybe for the last time. Swapping stories and solving the worlds problems.
d Going to Pepes 5 times in 5 weeks
e. Walking through little Italy in New Haven sharing a cannoli with my wife of 48 years.
f. Going to Riches farm for Mocha Almond Fudge Ice Cream
g. On my late mothers birthday eating a tradidional Italian dish that my daughter learned to make from her as a child . Preserving a part of our heritage.
4. Loosing 48 lbs and 8 inch on my waist size 42 to 34
WW, swimming, walking
5 Next week at my nieces wedding in AZ representatives of my entire family will make it our largest family gathering. ever West of the Mississippi. I will dance every dance. My sisters and I will sing "Old time Rock and Roll" to our families embarrassment.
Last year started with the heroism of one of my most memorable Huskie BB. teams . They will follow that up with continued success. They make me very proud.
We ended an ugly chapter in our football history.
Although we may not realize it we are entering a new day for football glory.
Not a bad year so far

 

[CAHUSKY]

I spent a long weekend in Scottsdale and what an unremarkable place that is. I was looking forward to it and what a disappointment, almost as bad as this year's UConn FB team.

You should have spent long weekends with us there in 1999, 2004 and 2011. I assure you your perception would be different. After those three trips I can't imagine anything but loving Scottsdale.

 

[NickyNewark]

Thanks
My niece moved out here 20 years ago
My son ten
My wife and I. 7 years ago.
MY Older sister 7 years ago
Family friends also have moved out but they are way out in the West Valley (near Cardinal Stadium)
The desert doesn't compare with the beauty of Ct
and we don't have Rivers with actual water.
But the positstive effect is 300+days of Sunshine and no ice and snow except for distant mountains.
We do spend 5 weeks over the Summer at my dauthers in CT
Not because we can't handle the heat but because she teachers.
The only time I ever got a little bit homesick is when they tore down Yankee Stadium.

Another thing I missed whenever I lived outside of the NE was the Italian culture.Growing up in the 50s and 60s in the North Newark,Belleville/Nutley area of Essex Cty I developed an admiration of Italian-American people and culture!Most were 1st or 2nd generation American and still spoke the old country language at home.The "Italians" I run into in other parts of the country are not really Italian to me in anything but name and lack the color and culture that make's the Italian unique!!I'm as american as any white man can be(Scots-Irish,Irish) whose father's family were Scottish-Hebrideans from PEI,Canada and mother's ancestors settled in the NW Pennsy from Mayo,Ire in the 1880s and came to NJ in the late 30s when mom was only 8 or 9 and 3 of my grandparents came together on the same boat!Dad in WW2 was stationed in Foggia,Italy at 19 yr old and came home at 22 yrs old speaking fluent Italian!!He sometimes joked about Italians but always loved them and held them in the highest regard.He was a great example of the greatest generation!Unfortunately he passed at 81 in "03" but mom is still going strong at 82 as I post this.Having your extended family along with you under "foreign skies" makes all the difference I guess? Nice story AzHusky..

 

[Marty Jackson]

uconn and the big 12 are a mutual non-fit.
geographically, demographically, and athletically they don't fit.
they don't even play soccer in that league.

yes it is the most likely P5 conference to have movement. unfortunately, it is the least attractive to uconn. and uconn, the most attractive school not in the P5 isn't that attractive to the Big 12.

call it another kick in the balls by CR to uconn.

 

[huskymedic]

call it another kick in the balls by CR to uconn.

or champagne cork:

 

[junglehusky]

uconn and the big 12 are a mutual non-fit.
geographically, demographically, and athletically they don't fit.
they don't even play soccer in that league.

yes it is the most likely P5 conference to have movement. unfortunately, it is the least attractive to uconn. and uconn, the most attractive school not in the P5 isn't that attractive to the Big 12.

call it another kick in the balls by CR to uconn.

Unfortunately for UConn the only way we would have fit in the B12 was if they made a move that took Pitt, WVU, Rutgers/Cinci and us for a northeastern core. They were interested in Pitt though in reality if they got Pitt I don't know if they'd have taken WVU or anyone else too. I can't see them taking UConn and Temple even if they do get Cinci, who aren't quite northeast.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Another thing I missed whenever I lived outside of the NE was the Italian culture.Growing up in the 50s and 60s in the North Newark,Belleville/Nutley area of Ess e x Cty I developed an admiration of Italian-American people and culture!Most were 1st or 2nd generation American and still spoke the old country language at home.The "Italians" I run into in other parts of the country are not really Italian to me in anything but name and lack the color and culture that make's the Italian unique!!....

I knew I had to leave the Silicon Valley area (San Jose) in March of 1999. Watching UConn with the national championship, alone, was painful. It's not that I didn't have friends, but that they didn't care. Watched the Iowa win in a bar in Burlingame, with a former law school classmate who went to Iowa and a guy from New Jersey who was there on business travel. That's it. Nobody else in the place was even aware that the tournament was going on. There was no energy in the bar at all. The people there just lacked passion for anything (besides hate for the Dodgers). By late October of 99 I had moved to Massachusetts. Every place has its positives and negatives, but I find that it's the people that really make the difference.

 

[billybud]

I spent last week up at the cabin in Murphy, NC....which seems a world different from Florida. The fall actually is a season in North Carolina (in Florida it just means football rather than baseball).

I didn't realize how nice it is to have your local world change with every season.

We all need different cues from time to time...experience different things.

 

[NickyNewark]

You should have spent long weekends with us there in 1999, 2004 and 2011. I assure you your perception would be different. After those three trips I can't imagine anything but loving Scottsdale.

I have a hunch NEforceUconn is fairly young and Scottsdale may not offer him the youthful endeavor's he prefers ?I could be wrong but its not everyones ideal?Arizona's beautiful but give me the temperate forests of the east with the 4 seasons and the shore/ocean/lakes nearby.

 

[NickyNewark]

I knew I had to leave the Silicon Valley area (San Jose) in March of 1999. Watching UConn with the national championship, alone, was painful. It's not that I didn't have friends, but that they didn't care. Watched the Iowa win in a bar in Burlingame, with a former law school classmate who went to Iowa and a guy from New Jersey who was there on business travel. That's it. Nobody else in the place was even aware that the tournament was going on. There was no energy in the bar at all. The people there just lacked passion for anything (besides hate for the Dodgers). By late October of 99 I had moved to Massachusetts. Every place has its positives and negatives, but I find that it's the people that really make the difference.

For everything that Cali has to offer I also found the people emotionless about "our interests" like hoops and FB....it did'nt seem to matter to them if their team won or lost?They lacked the vigor of easterners and probably southerners too?I knew I wasn't home in LA or Dago(SD)!!Of course nothing matches the beauty of BigBear,Reno,Nev or the redwood forests of Marin Cty!Like you said..its the people that let you know if your where you belong in the world!!

 

[CAHUSKY]

I knew I had to leave the Silicon Valley area (San Jose) in March of 1999. Watching UConn with the national championship, alone, was painful. It's not that I didn't have friends, but that they didn't care. Watched the Iowa win in a bar in Burlingame, with a former law school classmate who went to Iowa and a guy from New Jersey who was there on business travel. That's it. Nobody else in the place was even aware that the tournament was going on. There was no energy in the bar at all. The people there just lacked passion for anything (besides hate for the Dodgers). By late October of 99 I had moved to Massachusetts. Every place has its positives and negatives, but I find that it's the people that really make the difference.

Well, Stanford had lost the week before to Gonzaga and I don't believe CAL or St. Marys were in the tourney so the interest in the bay area was probably minimal. And, why Burlingame? There are great sports bars all over the place down there but not in Burlingame (where i was born and lived for my first 6 years)

 

[NickyNewark]

Well, Stanford had lost the week before to Gonzaga and I don't believe CAL or St. Marys were in the tourney so the interest in the bay area was probably minimal. And, why Burlingame? There are great sports bars all over the place down there but not in Burlingame (where i was born and lived for my first 6 years)

Hmmm.I'm not familiar with Burlingame,Ca but I only spent a couple of weeks in the S.F. area on vacations from S.Cali!!My sister lived out there for 5 years though but missed our extended family.Now she's in Exeter,NH living with her husband and 2 children.Maybe theres too much outdoor activity in Cali for anyone to get overly wrapped up in any one sport ?The people out there are friendly but too laid back for what Im used too !

 

[billybud]

Californians are much too cool to hunker down over a grill full of ribs at a tailgate. I can't see a Californian, in a barbecue stained T shirt, Gentleman Jack in hand, screaming hooooooei Hogs! and high fiving any passer by who stumbles to within ten feet of him.

Hell...they even eat avocados and artichoke hearts out there in that land of latte chugging, volvo driving, LTGB contributing, democrat voting, wheat bran eating liberals.

 

[CAHUSKY]

Californians are much too cool to hunker down over a grill full of ribs at a tailgate. I can't see a Californian, in a barbecue stained T shirt, Gentleman Jack in hand, screaming hooooooei Hogs! and high fiving any passer by who stumbles to within ten feet of him.

Hell...they even eat avocados and artichoke hearts out there in that land of latte chugging, volvo driving, LTGB contributing, democrat voting, wheat bran eating liberals.

ahem...........I own a bbq catering company and tailgate nearly every week swilling whiskey.

ps. im allergic to avocados but love artichokes, owned a Volvo, voted democratic and am in the process of signing a contract to host one of the largest LGBT ski weeks in the country in Tahoe this year. Im guessing you and I don't have a lot in common other than UCONN basketball.

 

[billybud]

ahem...........I own a bbq catering company and tailgate nearly every week swilling whiskey.

ps. im allergic to avocados but love artichokes, owned a Volvo, voted democratic and am in the process of signing a contract to host one of the largest LGBT ski weeks in the country in Tahoe this year. Im guessing you and I don't have a lot in common other than UCONN basketball.

Nope.

I've never owned a Volvo. Never been on ski's. I do live in a small community of six households arranged around a wooded ravine with strict natural planting codes (for 30 years). A lesbian couple and a gay man make up two of the households.

But. excuse me! Barbecue is PORK...not a californian creation of tri tip, bottom sirloin or other beef.

PORK..pig...equals barbecue (or BBQ) in the south. My Texan wife thinks that those dried, tough chewy strings of beef knawed off of ribs of slattern cows are bbq.

 

[NEforceUConn]

I have a hunch NEforceUconn is fairly young and Scottsdale may not offer him the youthful endeavor's he prefers .

Actually I am old enough to say that i blocked a Randy LaVigne jumper in CYO ball. His team did give us a beat down though.

 

[CAHUSKY]

Nope.


But. excuse me! Barbecue is PORK...not a californian creation of tri tip, bottom sirloin or other beef.

PORK..pig...equals barbecue (or BBQ) in the south. My Texan wife thinks that those dried, tough chewy strings of beef knawed off of ribs of slattern cows are bbq.

Thanks for the lesson. My whole hog is as good as any you've ever eaten. There are actually some boys on the west coast who know BBQ. That said, i do make a mean tri tip.