Geno: "We did a lot of dumb things that are still haunting us."

[Sea Goat]

It probably wouldn't hurt for ol Dickie to fall on his sword, say what an egotistical jerk he was for his role, apologize to all in the lawsuit, and make a nice donation to BC.

Yes! But there is more of a chance you'll see a snowball in hell first.

 

[CTMike]

Yes! But there is more of a chance you'll see a snowball in hell first.

You are probably right, but why? UConn's fate is hanging in the wind and like hell someone's personal ego should get in the way of trying to diffuse the situation- real, imagined, or otherwise. If it would help UConn's situation in any way, the ends would justify the means... Regardless of any temporary embarrassment for Dickie.

 

[CL82]

I think Geno is referring to the fact that the Rent was built on an Indian graveyard. Well that and hiring Pasqualoni seen here thinking about what adjustments to make during the Buffalo game.

 

[Pudge]

I love when posts start: "I'm not a lawyer ...", then 8 paragraph of legalese opining.

I'm not going to sweat the lawsuit. I agree with the characterization of Blumenthal; but, I think I'd label the ACC scum & put it in a Times Square billboard. My biggest most significant push - and I blame Hathaway too - is just ratcheting up our Teams FanBase throughout the region. And I mean MA, RI, NYC, LI, NH. Our reach should be regional as we have a fabulous product - excellence in college sports. Reasonable priced sports entertainment.

I think we have greater potential than RU ... Cuse ... Pitt.... BC ... And Louisville. But it's filling stands & yanking TV eyeballs that matter.

 

[John Greene]

I am always amazed at how many people think UConn can become a "regional team". Everyone I have ever known from NYC, & LI will say something nice about MBB (WBB) and then change the subject to the Yankees, Mets, Giants, Jets, etc. In MA the same thing only substitute Sox, Pats, Bruins. I don't know about NH & RI but my guess is outside of the southern suburbs of Springfield there would not be a lot of interest. We are the University of Connecticut. When we "took over MSG"is because a lot of fans took the train down to see the game, not because many New Yorkers really care about UConn.

 

[Carl Spackler]

I love when posts start: "I'm not a lawyer ...", then 8 paragraph of legalese opining.

I'm not going to sweat the lawsuit. I agree with the characterization of Blumenthal; but, I think I'd label the ACC scum & put it in a Times Square billboard. My biggest most significant push - and I blame Hathaway too - is just ratcheting up our Teams FanBase throughout the region. And I mean MA, RI, NYC, LI, NH. Our reach should be regional as we have a fabulous product - excellence in college sports. Reasonable priced sports entertainment.

I think we have greater potential than RU ... Cuse ... Pitt.... BC ... And Louisville. But it's filling stands & yanking TV eyeballs that matter.

I agree, none of that was done for football under Hathaway's watch from 2003-2012 - when we should have been doing it big time. We actually were winning for a good chunk there too- 39-12 at home under Edsall. Pasqualoni doesn't exist to me.

We're doing it now, full speed, promoting with the head coach, and the athletic department, but we don't have the winning to go with it. It will be really nice - to see the two things together - the all out promoting and reaching to the fan base in the entire footprint, as well as the winning. Hopefully sooner than later.

But make no mistake about it, when it comes to conference membership, the single reason that we are not in a P5 conference right now, is because we didn't have enough votes to be included, when the votes were had - and the number of people that voted you can count on your fingers, and people that are in position to vote on such things that have such wide ranging effect on entire university communities don't operate any differently than people voting on who's going to be invited to the neighborhood poker game, or parents post game party for their kids soccer team.

 

[IMind]

I am always amazed at how many people think UConn can become a "regional team". ... ..... not because many New Yorkers really care about UConn.

How many New Yorkers have Connecticut ties? How many kids from the NYC area go to UConn? How many top recruits out of NYC go to UConn? Even getting a small percentage of the NYC market to tune in is worth more than getting the entire state of Kentucky to watch. We don't have to approach the kind of popularity that the pro teams get to consider ourselves a factor in the NYC market. We already had a better deal from SNY than any other NYC area team. You also have to think about this in terms of potential markets... CT is a done deal... there's room for growth in NYC.

 

[SubbaBub]

Geno is a little closer to this situation than anyone on this board. If Geno says the lawsuit has played a role, guess what, it probably has. I kinda wished he didn't say it, but as wrong as it may be, the perception is that UConn spearheaded this thing thanks to Blumenthal.

More likely answer is Geno is pals with people at other schools who bought into the same dumb narrative. Being close doesn't necessarily mean his info is accurate. I'll take the publish quotes from BC until someone proves differently.

 

[Dooley]

I am always amazed at how many people think UConn can become a "regional team". Everyone I have ever known from NYC, & LI will say something nice about MBB (WBB) and then change the subject to the Yankees, Mets, Giants, Jets, etc. In MA the same thing only substitute Sox, Pats, Bruins. I don't know about NH & RI but my guess is outside of the southern suburbs of Springfield there would not be a lot of interest. We are the University of Connecticut. When we "took over MSG"is because a lot of fans took the train down to see the game, not because many New Yorkers really care about UConn.

Poppycock. Then what you're saying is that every game we have ever played at MSG felt like a home game because CT based fans trained in to NYC? Do Syracuse fans train in too? Or is NYC just gaga for Syracuse and UCONN has to train in our fans from Connecticut only?

Aside: most of the CT based fans training in live in the NYC DMA. Syracuse is not in the NYC DMA.

 

[Kolumbo]

Bob Diaco is going to be the best thing to happen to this program. I don't know if the B1G is taking this into account, but games against RU and possibly MD would sell out because of proximity. Penn State, Michigan, Ohio State, etc. are all automatic sell-outs. Whether UCONN fans are filling the stadium or B1G fans from NYC or Boston, they will sell out. Expand the stadium to 50k and it will sell out. There is just so much upside to inviting UCONN.....

 

[John Greene]

How many New Yorkers have Connecticut ties? How many kids from the NYC area go to UConn? How many top recruits out of NYC go to UConn? Even getting a small percentage of the NYC market to tune in is worth more than getting the entire state of Kentucky to watch. We don't have to approach the kind of popularity that the pro teams get to consider ourselves a factor in the NYC market. We already had a better deal from SNY than any other NYC area team. You also have to think about this in terms of potential markets... CT is a done deal... there's room for growth in NYC.

Can't answer for certain but I would bet that more CT residents have NY ties than NYC residents have CT ties. The two would be quite different as far as college sports choices are concerned. Also don't know how many NYC students outside of 5 star BB players attend UConn, but given the huge percentage of our undergrad population that comes from CT I would guess not a lot. Is it possible to build more "regional" interest? Sure it is but, not easily. RU did not get into the B1G because it is NYC's team. It is the Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. NJ has a lot more people than CT.

 

[Adios]

Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, etc, do not have high tier teams. If UConn was in the B1G, East Hartford would become a weekend destination in the fall. Aren't they building some mall at Rentschler?

 

[John Greene]

Poppycock. Then what you're saying is that every game we have ever played at MSG felt like a home game because CT based fans trained in to NYC? Do Syracuse fans train in too? Or is NYC just gaga for Syracuse and UCONN has to train in our fans from Connecticut only?

Aside: most of the CT based fans training in live in the NYC DMA. Syracuse is not in the NYC DMA.

When we or Cuse "took over MSG" it was during the BE tourney. Lots of fans from both schools trained, bussed, drove, etc. into the city bought losing team fans tickets and packed the later games. I remember lots of GT & Nova fans doing the same when they were in the semi's and finals. Granted that may be before the memory of many on the BY. That was what made the BE at MSG so special, the fans of most of the schools could get there and pack the place as their team advanced. Unlike most other tourneys where if a local school is not in the final it is a morgue.

 

[Gampeltiles]

Hmmm, what do others drink while reading here?

I have never shaken my love for Red, White and Blue beer.

 

[Gampeltiles]

We are not getting into the ACC. It's B1G or nothing.

If that is the case, my money is on nothing.

 

[John Greene]

Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, etc, do not have high tier teams. If UConn was in the B1G, East Hartford would become a weekend destination in the fall. Aren't they building some mall at Rentschler?

Yes they are building an outlet mall but it is not because they expect thousands of people from northern NE to drive past the half dozen similar malls between their homes and EH to support it. They are building it there because they do not believe the land will be needed for other purposes such, as more space for an expanded Rent. I'm sorry if that seems overly negative but it is correct.

 

[Gampeltiles]

Yes they are building an outlet mall but it is not because they expect thousands of people from northern NE to drive past the half dozen similar malls between their homes and EH to support it. They are building it there because they do not believe the land will be needed for other purposes such, as more space for an expanded Rent. I'm sorry if that seems overly negative but it is correct.

Please educate me, to add 10,000 seats to the Rent they can expand vertically in the end zone. How does that take up land?

 

[Adios]

Yes they are building an outlet mall but it is not because they expect thousands of people from northern NE to drive past the half dozen similar malls between their homes and EH to support it. They are building it there because they do not believe the land will be needed for other purposes such, as more space for an expanded Rent. I'm sorry if that seems overly negative but it is correct.

I think a UConn football fanbase throughout New England can be cultivated in the B1G. Already been somewhat done in basketball, I'd say. We'd need to win football games.

Winning over cities, no matter the size, is what we must do. Example, Auburn is aiming to own Mobile, Alabama.

 

[sportsart]

Please educate me, to add 10,000 seats to the Rent they can expand vertically in the end zone. How does that take up land?

Need to pok the ca's

 

[FAIRTIDES]

I think he kind of burst the bubble of CR hope for UConn. I guess that there are no talks with other conferences happening if you read what he said.

Maybe, but, if you were Susan, and you had a secret that absolutely had to remain secret, would you relay that secret to a man with no filter? Just sayin.

 

[Gampeltiles]

Give parking discounts to cars with 4 or more people in it. Find some unused space in Manchester or wherever and run shuttle buses. People could also tailgate in the "commuter" lot and catch the shuttle a half hour or sooner before gametime since the shuttle bus, as it were, does not have to park, it just lets people out.

 

[Hoophound]

Maybe, but, if you were Susan, and you had a secret that absolutely had to remain secret, would you relay that secret to a man with no filter? Just sayin.

Bingo. We aren't getting any hints one way or another. The P5 autonomy vote and CR are getting messier by the week. Everything is likely to be done more quietly and carefully than ever. I look for hints every day but I don't truly expect to get one. I think we'll find a home eventually but I suspect we'll all be surprised when it suddenly happens.

 

[Gampeltiles]

Maybe, but, if you were Susan, and you had a secret that absolutely had to remain secret, would you relay that secret to a man with no filter? Just sayin.

I think the administration may have given a filter to Mr. Tell it Like it is----I do think he knows. He just comes across as purposely negative. Maybe he wants to keep it that way because we are on the cusp and doesn't want the let down that happened when the ACC invited us last time.

I mean it was sign sealed and delivered. Press conference Tuesday.

I agree that any announcement will be sudden and unexpected. I don't think they would keep Geno in the dark, however. That would be a complete lack of respect.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

It is true that Blumenthal was and is an attention whore who used the initial ACC raid as a platform to help his career, not the state or the state's flagship university. That said, the lawsuit at this point is little more than an excuse the ACC can throw out as they had gotten over it and were more than willing to take exhaustive steps to add us prior to even the second round ACC of expansion through BE raids.

I found out in the fall of 2009 (from someone who would have known this) that JH had informed a handful of people (primarily power donors to the athletic department) about the ACC's plan to eventually (when, not if was the only variable) add Syracuse and us in an effort to a) establish them as without question the strongest men's hoops conference b) lock up the entire eastern seaboard and c) deliver the blow to the BE that they thought the earlier would accomplish (in this case by taking then the three most current national titles and the two highest profile members that the conference could boast about) while in the process gaining a rivalry that they could promote as second to only UNC-Duke.

One major reason this went wrong was that JH assumed everything had been cast in stone and his work (not that he actually did any) was done. Another was that due to the CR activity during the summer of 2011, the ACC a) sped up their timetable for the purposes of renegotiating a television deal and b) acted in a very unique manner that required quick and covert action. That BC was on the committee that tasked with recommending action allowed them far more authority than they normally would have had. They could have tied up the decision for days if they did not agree with the choices, which would have derailed the entire endeavor. Our missing out in Spetember 2011 was not due to the lawsuit.

Of the laundry list of complaints I have with JH, the largest is this: it was pointed out in this thread about our baseball team (in addition to football and basketball success) in 2011. Our 2010-2011 athletic year was among the best that any athletic department could brag about yet few outside of our fan base have any clue as to what we had accomplished. He did zero to promote the program anywhere.

 

[Gampeltiles]

It is true that Blumenthal was and is an attention whore who used the initial ACC raid as a platform to help his career, not the state or the state's flagship university. That said, the lawsuit at this point is little more than an excuse the ACC can throw out as they had gotten over it and were more than willing to take exhaustive steps to add us prior to even the second round ACC of expansion through BE raids.

I found out in the fall of 2009 (from someone who would have known this) that JH had informed a handful of people (primarily power donors to the athletic department) about the ACC's plan to eventually (when, not if was the only variable) add Syracuse and us in an effort to a) establish them as without question the strongest men's hoops conference b) lock up the entire eastern seaboard and c) deliver the blow to the BE that they thought the earlier would accomplish (in this case by taking then the three most current national titles and the two highest profile members that the conference could boast about) while in the process gaining a rivalry that they could promote as second to only UNC-Duke.

One major reason this went wrong was that JH assumed everything had been cast in stone and his work (not that he actually did any) was done. Another was that due to the CR activity during the summer of 2011, the ACC a) sped up their timetable for the purposes of renegotiating a television deal and b) acted in a very unique manner that required quick and covert action. That BC was on the committee that tasked with recommending action allowed them far more authority than they normally would have had. They could have tied up the decision for days if they did not agree with the choices, which would have derailed the entire endeavor. Our missing out in Spetember 2011 was not due to the lawsuit.

Of the laundry list of complaints I have with JH, the largest is this: it was pointed out in this thread about our baseball team (in addition to football and basketball success) in 2011. Our 2010-2011 athletic year was among the best that any athletic department could brag about yet few outside of our fan base have any clue as to what we had accomplished. He did zero to promote the program anywhere.

Maybe the baseball team can play at the Rock Cats new ballpark in Hartford to raise awareness. That's how UCONN does things to raise awareness-------move it off-campus.

(I am aware they are building a new baseball facility on campus, it's nice to know that they will have a home that is not second fiddle to ECSU's baseball facility).