I don't get this UConn entitlement ...

[Pudge]

... and I am certain we have all been through this last 15 years ride.

How can we disrespect Temple OR Memphis? I think fundamentally WE are missing the Value Add market piece that someone is leading the BE guys towards. YES ... I don't think Marinatto was just out on a fishing expedition. He was directed ... over & over ... to certain programs. Odjakian was a ESPN programmer. NBC & FOX have been integral in how this has advanced. UConn is NOT Syracuse or Pitt. We lack the branding or the cache to have advanced. But ... all this will change. I am NOT indifferent to whether we go ACC or stay. But, what alternatives do we control?

Bitch about Academics? Really. Can we sit here and just batter a Memphis or a Louisville? I am very proud of the progress that the University of Connecticut made as an academic institution & where it has become the top NE Public. But, I also see clearly the ability for many of our Peer institutions to make that climb as well. If the Penn States or the Auburns fail to climb & USF becomes a top University in nationally, I think we can point to the same dynamics. This is about Sport &, while I am glad that Navy will be in, I expect everyone to strive for something better in their institution. We aren't the Ivy; but, we want to be with Schools that are getting better.

UNLV? Fresno? Both, frankly, can rise significantly higher than their current status. That UNLV article has a MAJOR California developer (the key player in Staples & one of the key players in the return of the NFL to LA) building a 52000 state-of-the-art Stadium. Ummm ... what would Villanova give for that? Or a bunch of other Programs? You guys want UMASS? Make the case over a Program with a couple hundred million dollar brand new stadium in a growing market. I am a UCLA alum & can tell you that ONLY Fresno matched Nebraska in traveling fanbases on the West Coast to the Rose Bowl regular season games; they were an incredible group. We need regionals; but, we need strength of the eyeballs & buzz. Fans that care.

It bears stating again: Pitt = Underachieved since 2003. Syracuse = Underachieved since 2003. We have had momentum as a Program; we need PP to have a great advancing program this year.

 

[JaYnYcE]

HA! I appreciate your honesty Pudge.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[uconndogs]

Appreciate the sentiment here Pudge. But, you know.......silk purse and sow's ear.....

 

[Pudge]

Appreciate the sentiment here Pudge. But, you know.......silk purse and sow's ear.....

I guess I'm dumb. I have NO idea what that phrase means.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I don't understand the premise of this post at all.

As UConn fans we're supposed to be happy to play with and be associated with Memphis, Temple and UNLV?

The past 15 years our success in basketball is only matched by Duke and UNC.

Our university has grown to top 20 public status in America.

In less than a decade in a 'BCS' conference we've won multiple championships where as Syracuse has finished in last place 6 time out of the last 7 years and we've played Pitt nearly even in that same time.

Complaining on a message board will do nothing to change our affiliation, I get that, but that doesn't mean we have to be happy where we are or be resigned to saying we are some second class university or athletic department.

We'll be playing on an uneven field the next few years vs our Northeast competition due to conference affiliation and tv revenue. I just hope Coach P can carry the upward trajectory of our program.

 

[whaler11]

Fresno makes Syracuse look like a thriving metropolis.

 

[Adios]

UNLV should aim for the Pac-12, then.

 

[PeterSanDiego]

Thank Pudge, I started the UNLV thread and I guess I've lived on the West Coast so long that I forgot about CT attitude of being arrogant for no reason.

 

[Pudge]

whaler? I don't get your Joe Bftsytlnyk act. New England curmodgeons are our sterotypical neighbors; but, you take it to a different level. For the record ... do NOT bet against any California city. It is true that lots of Syracuse (get it ... whaler), Buffalo and Midwest people leave for CA every sunny Rose Bowl day. Fresno is the 5th largest CA city. With a decade or two, you'll wake up and find another million. (and I am very aware of all their Public infrastructure/education/labor problems). When you get to Fresno, you won't even notice that it's not on the Ocean. It'll just be better than Flint.

As for the why NOT whine answer? I am a UConn homer. I can write longer posts than Spackler on why UConn women's hoop gives us a great entree over the next decade to be an attractive Conference candidate. Still, we are in the Land of Misfit Toys for a reason. We are new. And, maybe this is because my CT years were short; however, I like being amongst a group that will strive to upset the Cartel. I want to see Boise beat Oklahoma again.

 

[whaler11]

whaler? I don't get your Joe Bftsytlnyk act. New England curmodgeons are our sterotypical neighbors; but, you take it to a different level. For the record ... do NOT bet against any California city. It is true that lots of Syracuse (get it ... whaler), Buffalo and Midwest people leave for CA every sunny Rose Bowl day. Fresno is the 5th largest CA city. With a decade or two, you'll wake up and find another million. (and I am very aware of all their Public infrastructure/education/labor problems). When you get to Fresno, you won't even notice that it's not on the Ocean. It'll just be better than Flint.

As for the why NOT whine answer? I am a UConn homer. I can write longer posts than Spackler on why UConn women's hoop gives us a great entree over the next decade to be an attractive Conference candidate. Still, we are in the Land of Misfit Toys for a reason. We are new. And, maybe this is because my CT years were short; however, I like being amongst a group that will strive to upset the Cartel. I want to see Boise beat Oklahoma again.

Fresno is a big city that seems to be so bad off they are eliminating their fire and police departments. California's budget issues are to the point of absurdity. If you think the 15th school down on their list will be able to pursue bigger time football thats fine - I disagree 100000%.

One of my favorite parts of this board is when people who aren't here, who haven't spent almost their whole lives here, who don't pay the taxes that sustain UConn know so much better then the residents.

Who doesn't want to see the Boises beat the Oklahomas and what the hell does that have to do with UConn being in a league with community colleges 3 thousand miles away?

 

[whaler11]

To your initial post Pudge you are confusing entitlement with.... self respect.

 

[Pudge]

You more Connecticut than me?

That's priceless. From my immigrant Grandmother arriving in New Haven in 1920, I think we can just about fill Rentschler by now. I know the UConn/CT community and go to games surrounded by a dozen cousins. I also know that there is a strain of lack of worldliness/awareness; there was when I was a student 25 years ago & I still see it Nutmegged.

Community Colleges? What galls me is the notion that a core group of Chuck Neinas/John Swofford's want to forever lock out the advancing UConn's & USFs & Boises. Dismissive scornful statements disrespecting like schools to UConn in this advancement only expose a keen narrow focus. Any notion that we are gathering a Debate Team goes out the window soon in this conversation because half of you want to sh+tcan Georgetown.

 

[UCHuskies08]

I guess I'm dumb. I have NO idea what that phrase means.

Can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. That is, you can't make something of high quality out of .

 

[Pudge]

Can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. That is, you can't make something of high quality out of ****.

This, then, gets you back into the decision NOT to include Penn State 20+ years ago.

I don't see the B1G desiring UConn. I see falling into the ACC ... because they just lost 4 schools as less than desirable. I see a structure in 15 years that will be different.

Take our $9m Football & $2.5m Basketball TV money for a half-dozen years. That's making a silk purse out of the sow's ear. (Contrast it to 2004)

 

[whaler11]

You more Connecticut than me?

That's priceless. From my immigrant Grandmother arriving in New Haven in 1920, I think we can just about fill Rentschler by now. I know the UConn/CT community and go to games surrounded by a dozen cousins. I also know that there is a strain of lack of worldliness/awareness; there was when I was a student 25 years ago & I still see it Nutmegged.

Community Colleges? What galls me is the notion that a core group of Chuck Neinas/John Swofford's want to forever lock out the advancing UConn's & USFs & Boises. Dismissive scornful statements disrespecting like schools to UConn in this advancement only expose a keen narrow focus. Any notion that we are gathering a Debate Team goes out the window soon in this conversation because half of you want to sh+tcan Georgetown.

I have never once proposed kicking the basketball schools out. So you'll need another angle.

Its great that you can be Johnny Connecticut without actually living here - thats a tremendous achievement. If only we locals were as worldly as you we'd see the virtues of UNLV and Fresno State. Two schools so valuable that no one else wants them - if only any single conference leadership had your vision - the sky is the limit!

You should get to work on filling Rentschler, we'll need the help when our fans prefer a home game against Bowling Green to playing Michigan at a neutral site.

 

[Dann]

I have been busy and slacking on my BY posting but a men pudge. We got 2 golden tickets that state u's like us usually don't just get out of nowhere. Ppl here don't understand the climb and how to do it because we skipped part of it. We are clearly to this point way ahead of where ppl thought we would be. The next level can not be reached with schools from this region. It must be rising up and coming schools nationally. I will expand on this further this week.

Sorry I have been real busy with a couple things guys. I have a couple recruit updated to hit u guys with also. Also lol at the bc ppl here talking poop. A couple months ago all of new England's best we're bc locks, now they would be happy to finish 2nd to us. I think unassuming is actually going to have better rankings in region in the end. I have inf to back this up.

Also quick hitter- I was told there are beginning discussions for a major series with wvu. Fball both ball and soccers and also going to a baseball tney together in the works. Hope it happens. Will have a lot mor for u guys later.

Uh smu byu bsu sdsu Fresno unlv unr
Uconn Ruty Cincy lville usf Ucf navy mem temple
Ecu and Hawaii on deck...
18 all sports. F ball schools we can ooc th for all u be ppl.
Big markets. Huge recruiting footprints. Time zones. NBC contact with 3 games on a main tv ch. etc....

 

[noeynox]

I can see both sides of the argument but tend to side with Pudge's view. These are the cards we have been dealt. Why anyone would care about Boise's or Memphis's academics as it relates to UConn is mindboggling to me. These are athletic conferences, that are trying to put together the best made for TV match ups possible. A conference with compelling match ups on both sides of the country is going to have some value. I'm really hoping BYU and Airforce come on board. BYU/Boise out West and UConn/Rutgers on the east coast, late in the season, with the winners advancing to the conference title game should be good for TV in a few years.

 

[Pudge]

We did 38500-39000 when the schedule was with Western Michigans, Akrons & then basically the same as we advanced with the Pitt, SU and WVU. This blowhard crap about the CT fan won't accept a Rutgers, Louisville, UCF, San Diego (or Fresno ... I'm indifferent) as our home conference schedule ... I simply don't buy it. PLUS ... we have proven that we can get a Michigan once in awhile; a Tennessee.

I don't think we are going sliding back.

I understand what the FOUR conferences have concocted. And, I care what it means for Basketball. But ... I think we simply have to expect that we are only mid-way throught this; and a massive reorganization of all college sports will not stand (and that, folks, is what some are pointing to with all this money).

Further, I am clueless on all of the Boneyard personal positions on various issues. It sucks that some wallow in the muck like the pig in Charlotte's Web.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Surprised by the choice of words here. Entitlement? Arrogance? I know we have to play the hand we're dealt but......my tax dollars and various donations should try to ensure that our conference mates should not include the likes of Memphis and UNL--V.

 

[huskypantz]

What scares me from an academic perspective is whether the kids that those schools recruit will meet BE admission standards. We know that UConn denied kids that Temple signed/admitted on more than a few occasions. Will the talent levels at these schools drop when they have to play by the same rules as UConn/RU?

 

[whaler11]

What scares me from an academic perspective is whether the kids that those schools recruit will meet BE admission standards. We know that UConn denied kids that Temple signed/admitted on more than a few occasions. Will the talent levels at these schools drop when they have to play by the same rules as UConn/RU?

You expect Temple, Memphis and Boise to raise admission standards? The only games they would win would be against each other.

 

[rich1122]

There are many positives in the history of the program. We put many guys in the NFL now Won the Big East title twice. I am proud of what has happened. I am a huge fan and I think that I missed 2 Home games since the inception. I am a big fan of PP and think that he has what it takes to get us to the next level.

However let's face it. We have never been a Top 10 team; lost just about every big game (except South Carolina); coach abandoned us for MD as his dream job - wow; can't fill a 40K stadium every week yet WE have the gall to look down our noses at other schools. Give me a break. We don't have the right to complain about anybody, until we bring the program up to the next level.

 

[PolisHusky]

I don't think it is entitlement at all. Were my parents wrong in telling me to reach for the stars and surround yourself with those who will make you better? Isnt that why i chose to be part of this board or am I disenchanted

Memphis, Fresno, or UNLV? I think there is always better company to keep. Compare rankings (US news and world report) of the schools in top conferences and both the ACC and Big Ten don't water down their academics to meet the demands of rabid athletics fanbases. Barring the bias of the rankings, no one is saying that BYU, Air Force, or Navy (who is committed to the conference) are second to UNLV or Fresno or Memphis (who had Tranghese to fight for them). Are we looking for TV markets, or institutions that challenge us on the field and make us strive for better results in our classrooms. Sure, there is academic corruption and scandal (even at some of the best schools), but I cannot believe that you think that the commitment to academics and athletics that we have are going to receive a boost in the foreseeable future by associating with schools that we are looking at largely in part to their athletic prowess or TV market viewership.

I wiIl wish every institution was building the good education for its students and student-athletes, but the fact of the matter is a conference should have the right to be selective if it is trying to uphold an image and tradition of excellence of the institutions as a whole. Marketing is just one aspect of importance, one created by the television contracts/networks, but I like to think that all of us want the best institutions (we can get) that exceed and/or represent our values. Again, I may be in the minority who sees this as very important.

If you want a conference that is only focused on athletics, we must reinstate the old southwest conference.

 

[junglehusky]

If you want to argue pure athletics, or TV markets, that is one thing. But what's on Herbst's plate, and the trustees and Gov. Malloy, is bigger than what is on Warde's plate (or Calhoun's or Auriemma's or Pasqualoni's). Athletic competition is a huge part of it, but admissions and alumni relations is another. Competing athletically against UVa, UNC, Maryland, even Syracuse and Miami, is better for UConn's admissions than competing against SMU, Boise, SDSU. As I've said before, UConn wants to recruit students who are also applying to UVa and UNC (or Michigan and Wisconsin for that matter).

Nothing against the students who go to SMU, Memphis, or Boise, but they are a completely different profile of student, from a completely different region of the country, at a university that has a fundamentally different academic mission than UConn. If you ask if I support those institutions aspirations to improve academically, I say of course. But let's not kid ourselves, these schools are a tier below the Cincy's and USF's and Louisvilles, who are in turn a tier below the UNC's and UVa's. The NNBE schools might have a chance at improving their rankings (or even just the quality of education) but it just takes much longer to improve on a university-wise scale, compared to improving a single athletic team, or a single academic department.

 

[junglehusky]

Haha, PolisHusky and I must be sharing the same brainwave frequency...