Geno Auriemma thrashing Notre Dame for not joining in football

[The Funster]

I'm with you Carl. Some people aren't seeing the forest for the trees. Football was going to drive the bus nationally and everyone saw that it wasn't going to be that way in the Big East. Miami, VT and BCU left because they saw that the BE was never going to aggressively pursue FB the way it had to be pursued. Syracuse would have left then too if not for their loyalty to the BE.

Was the BE the weakest of the major conferences? Yes, and because of the hybrid model it was destined to stay that way. I mean, the BE football side stayed at 8 because that was the minimum needed to keep the AQ. What kind of ambition was that? Why didn't the BE proactively add more FB schools? Oh right, that would have made things unwieldy for the BB onlies. Football was never going to drive the bus in the Big East. Basketball and ND were given more credence and that is why the football side has eroded.

 

[Carl Spackler]

You know, the only reason we can be screwed in this whole situation, is if our leadership doesn't get the job done, and done right this time. Why is 12 teams good now, but in 2004? or 2010 for that matter?

the answer is because football always was riding backseat, not even shotgun, to basketball in this conference.

It cannot be that way anymore, if this conference is to survive. Football needs to take the driver's seat.

It's sad,to me, that we had to lose all the original teams in the region for it to come to this.

But with the power of the new york market behind us, and I argue a major share of Boston as well, we're going to be just fine when all this eventually clears. I see a lot more UConn headlines in the boston media than I see other major colleges.

I welcome NBC with open arms.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Put a vastly better team on the field and a lot more people will "care about UConn football." Maybe cruel but true. UConn football is not our ugly offspring that we're either morally obligated to love or do love because he or she is kin. There is not much to love about this UConn football team.

Passion for a sports team is like that for a beautiful woman. You can't help but be a fan.

This is exactly right. We've got no choice right now, but to blaze ahead and win football games, regardless of who we play and where. Who the heck knows what the college football post season will be like in 3 years, 5 years, 10 years.

We've got to become a recruiting powerhouse for football. We're on the right track.

I'm so very glad that we've got people with decades of experience in successfully recruiting for football programs in the northeast. Everything happens for a reason, so the saying goes.

Back in the 80's, these guys were recruiting for the likes of Yale, Syracuse and Rutgers when they weren't affiliated with any bowl games. Worst case scenario, they finish their coaching careers building successful teams the same way they started, in the same places, but with a lifetime of experience to use and pass along to the next generation.

 

[whaler11]

There is so much insanity in this thread it's hard to believe. None of this is Notre Dame's fault. This has been coming for years and the writing has been on the wall the entire time. Of course when you point out that you can read the writing on the wall, that just means you hate the Big East and UConn...

You can welcome NBC with open arms, but I'm not sure what you think they are going to give you... I don't know exactly what teams are going to be in the Big East 3 years from now, but I can promise you the league as a whole will be complete dogcrap. I just hope it's someone else's problem.

 

[whaler11]

We've got to become a recruiting powerhouse for football. We're on the right track.

How exactly do you have enough information to determine that UConn is on the right track to become a 'recruiting powerhouse for football'. Because it sounds good to say and is a key plank in your platform? How about they actually get the current class signed and enrolled in this zombie conference before we crown anyone King of Recruiting?

If Air Supply goes back to into the studio do you expect a platinum record because they had a lot of hits in the 80s? It's time to let go of Yale - the world is a different place.

Whatever you do, don't let reality get in the way of your opinion.

 

[Carl Spackler]

There is so much insanity in this thread it's hard to believe. None of this is Notre Dame's fault. This has been coming for years and the writing has been on the wall the entire time. Of course when you point out that you can read the writing on the wall, that just means you hate the Big East and UConn...

You can welcome NBC with open arms, but I'm not sure what you think they are going to give you... I don't know exactly what teams are going to be in the Big East 3 years from now, but I can promise you the league as a whole will be complete dogcrap. I just hope it's someone else's problem.

I really don't understand what good you see in the University of Connecticut and why you write here. It's so odd.

Of any college in the northeast USA right now, that has the potential to survive on it's own with the help of a single media outlet (like NBC) behind it - it's UConn.

UConn women's basketball is a big television draw. UConn men's basketball is a big television draw. UConn football is a big enough television draw in less than two years of you know, actually being on TV regularly, and every game STILL isn't available....but still - with that limited coverage, it's been enough ratings wise that SNY is expanding it's coverage in the market.

Susan Herbst is driving a ferrari right now. If the big east can't get things done right, we might just need to take this thing for a ride around the tracks on our own for awhile.

 

[Carl Spackler]

How exactly do you have enough information to determine that UConn is on the right track to become a 'recruiting powerhouse for football'. Because it sounds good to say and is a key plank in your platform? How about they actually get the current class signed and enrolled in this zombie conference before we crown anyone King of Recruiting?

If Air Supply goes back to into the studio do you expect a platinum record because they had a lot of hits in the 80s? It's time to let go of Yale - the world is a different place.

Whatever you do, don't let reality get in the way of your opinion.

Yet again......why are you here? Did we lose anybody from 2011? Do we have players transferring out to other BCS conference teams? Do we have player(S) transfering IN from other BCS conference teams?

Go away.

 

[whaler11]

I really don't understand what good you see in the University of Connecticut and why you write here. It's so odd.

Of any college in the northeast USA right now, that has the potential to survive on it's own with the help of a single media outlet (like NBC) behind it - it's UConn.

UConn women's basketball is a big television draw. UConn men's basketball is a big television draw. UConn football is a big enough television draw in less than two years of you know, actually being on TV regularly, and every game STILL isn't available....but still - with that limited coverage, it's been enough ratings wise that SNY is expanding it's coverage in the market.

Susan Herbst is driving a ferrari right now. If the big east can't get things done right, we might just need to take this thing for a ride around the tracks on our own for awhile.

Ok, if all those things are true... why are Syracuse and Pittsburgh in a league that will survive and UConn is in a league that is 100% completely dead. Why is Louisville at the top of a list to get into the Big 12 when Missouri finally declares and UConn is flapping in the wind?

I live here on Earth in reality, so let me let you in on a few things. A: Nobody gives a #*$& about women's basketball. B: UConn has as much chance of surviving 'riding around the tracks on their own for awhile' as a human being does surviving on the surface of Venus.

NBC is going to save UConn and the Big East now? By putting them on some cable network buried deep in systems that no one will watch?

Either the administration somehow gets UConn into the ACC or Big 10 - or it's going to be 22,000 people at Rentschler half-watching UConn and ECU.

 

[whaler11]

Yet again......why are you here? Did we lose anybody from 2011? Do we have players transferring out to other BCS conference teams? Do we have player(S) transfering IN from other BCS conference teams?

Go away.

Have they lost any signees yet? Nope. Is it signing day yet? Nope.

Players transferring in from BCS schools? Yeah, that's something to get worked up about. Usually the way to gridiron greatness is to load up on players that couldn't make it at other schools.

 

[Mr. Hand]

Count me among those who understand that nothing could have saved the Big East. Well, short of going back in time and explaining to NBC that Notre Dame will soon have to give up its independence in football unless you also decide to invest in the Big East in a major way.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

The Big East could have been saved if the 8(9) football teams thought that being in a league with each other was a worthwhile endeavor. Obviously, as subsequent events are proving, the league had 5-6 teams that are going to get into other BCS conferences, so the quality was clearly there. UConn, Rutgers and USF appear to be the dregs.

Maybe Whaler is right. Maybe UConn is just a lousy program that doesn't deserve to be in a BCS league.

 

[The Funster]

It would be interesting to see what would have happened if these 12 football schools had gotten together for all sports.

Miami
VTech
BCU
Pitt
Syracuse
UConn
Rutgers
WVU
Louisville
USF
Cincy
Temple

I'd say it would have been better than the ACC in both football and hoops and better in hoops than what would have been left of the Big East. I'd also also say that this conference and the SEC would be picking the ACC clean today.

 

[whaler11]

The Big East could have been saved if the 8(9) football teams thought that being in a league with each other was a worthwhile endeavor. Obviously, as subsequent events are proving, the league had 5-6 teams that are going to get into other BCS conferences, so the quality was clearly there. UConn, Rutgers and USF appear to be the dregs.

Maybe Whaler is right. Maybe UConn is just a lousy program that doesn't deserve to be in a BCS league.

I've never said they are a lousy program nor do I think they don't belong in a BCS league. I can look at the stable BCS leagues though and I can see that UConn is not a member of one. I can't explain why that is (although I know it's not Notre Dame's fault)... but it is. If we could change it by beating our chests on internet message boards, I'd be happy to help you.