Do you really expect top tier athletic departments to be built overnight? All schools coming to the Big East or whatever it will be called all have a common goal. God Almighty.We are screwed folks I know its fun to pretend and ride the uss conn but the reality of the situation is truly awful. Pray for instability and further realignment because these two will not be getting us into a conference without it
Asked the million dollar question: what happens if this league you are banking on just goes away.
Warde says we don't wnat that to happen. We control how good we are. We are in the Big East.
That means she's aiming....um, B1G!Herbst made a point to describe UCONN as a "research" university.
I think this isn't an issue at all... where --- are the schools going to go? There's no real western conference to speak of... Conference USA? Please.
Everyone who has an serious aspirations at all about football and is outside of a power conference NEEDS for this conference to work.
John Dankosky is awesome. He's one of the only people who covers CT politics and culture with anything resembling depth. Sports are not his level of expertise. Expecting NPR personalities to be sports experts is silly.
The MWC is no worse than our proposed league. Our league no longer has an chance at a lucrative TV deal, none. Our league includes difficult travel situations for the schools, and has no chance of generating any real mindshare because it has no identity. It is doomed to fail.
But it as clear as ever that that's where we are headed, whether the western schools join or not. The perception of UConn will drop even further, even in basketball. WM and SH seemed accutely aware of the problem, and helpless to do anything about it.
Dan (HFD? Dan97?) question on Rent expansion
WM - would love to have the need to do that. We have to generate success on the field and fan interest. Chicken or the egg question, sounds like want to sell out first before adding the seats.

There is no TV money in the MWC. If Aresco can deliver a substantial increase in TV dollars, with this new conference, and chances are he will easily beat their deal because its so pathetic, they'll be able to cherry pick to MWC teams if they so desire. It is the way that conference realignment is going. Teams leave even power 5 conferences for conferences that pay better.The MWC is no worse than our proposed league. Our league no longer has an chance at a lucrative TV deal, none. Our league includes difficult travel situations for the schools, and has no chance of generating any real mindshare because it has no identity. It is doomed to fail.
But it as clear as ever that that's where we are headed, whether the western schools join or not. The perception of UConn will drop even further, even in basketball. WM and SH seemed accutely aware of the problem, and helpless to do anything about it.
Only issue, I have with this post is that a few years back (way before P) so maybe 4 or so years back, I remember some of us screaming that UConn should market better, I specifically lamented the fact that UConn wasn't plastering billboards on I-95, when you entered CT from NY stating silly things like welcome to UConn country, BCS football, blah, blah, blah.Dead duck*ing on! There is a cost for those who actually are fans but come on here and are always entirely negative about every little thing. Those people need to start being shunned. There is a difference between criticism (and even rational discussions about what needs to be better) and the "whoa is me we suck" crap that we have to listen to from our own fans.
I will be pillaried for that. Because goodness forbid that anyone accepts that there can be consequences to what they say in social media.
Dead duck*ing on! There is a cost for those who actually are fans but come on here and are always entirely negative about every little thing. Those people need to start being shunned. There is a difference between criticism (and even rational discussions about what needs to be better) and the "whoa is me we suck" crap that we have to listen to from our own fans.
I will be pillaried for that. Because goodness forbid that anyone accepts that there can be consequences to what they say in social media.
Didn't expect him to be an expert. Just expected that line of thinking. Like I said, typical weenie NPR lib.
I'd love to watch a debate between you two just so I could watch you get intellectually throttled by a "weenie NPR lib."
Ouch that hurts.

Only issue, I have with this post is that a few years back (way before P) so maybe 4 or so years back, I remember some of us screaming that UConn should market better, I specifically lamented the fact that UConn wasn't plastering billboards on I-95, when you entered CT from NY stating silly things like welcome to UConn country, BCS football, blah, blah, blah.
Basically that group was shouted down.
UConn marketing/pumping itself up better, would have gone a long way toward a better self perception by their fans. Granted that was all under a different President and AD combo, but the university dropped the ball during the good times. Where we are now, back to back losing seasons if football, poor national image of the men's basketball program due to APR/post season ban issues, is not the time to be screaming "fans need to be more positive and supportive", that should have come long before, but I guess its what they have to say.
I'm a weenie NPR uber-lib, and I still love ya, brotha....![]()
Seriously after all the years of ESPN pimping the Mountain West over the "Big Least" you think our perception can drop off even further? Basketball is only an issue if we really do drop off. You can be viable in just about any conference.
I just think with the nature of the new national title playoffs... as a school outside of the power conferences you need as strong a SOS as possible... and if you're league contains the bottom 2/3rds of the WMC then you're in trouble.
Am I to understand that ESPN's and NBC Sports' presence in Connecticut - and if they are in any position to help UConn - was not raised during the course of this interview?
Going on NPR might be a good way to reach a narrow more upscale audience, but they should be doing an hour on WTIC too. And in the AM with Ray as the moderator. will reach a lot more people.
And finally SH/WM could do themselves a big favor and by not using the words "Big East" or "Mike Aresco" going forward. I look at Cincinnati and I see action - hiring a big-name coach, improving stadium.
Probably wasn't the venue but would have loved to hear Manuel defend keeping Pasqualoni another year
I remember you saying this before. I no marketing expert, maybe billboards suck, I was thinking along the lines of the the digital ones. The point is, a few years back UConn was in position to market the shot out of themselves based on the success they were having. They sat on their hands then and I really think it was a mistake.I might get killed for this, but all my advertising friends call billboards old media and "blue serge suit" advertising. They basically say no one sees it, but it gives the clients a good feeling.