I want UMass in the league

[Adios]

I have no problem with UMASS on the football and hoops schedule. Conference affiliation should be based on what's best for the conference as a whole and I just don't know if UMASS fits that bill. It's my sincere hope that it becomes a mute point for UCONN in the very near future.

That all said, UCONN has made an enormous commitment to its athletics and has peformed at a very high level. UCONN should dictate terms to whatever extent it can (venues, etc.). As I've said before, there is no reason to let UMASS off the mat, especially in football. UCONN should own recruiting and the games should not be close. The differential in the programs should be highlighted at every opportunity.

They are helping out our hockey program. Big time.

 

[huskymedic]

They are helping out our hockey program. Big time.

How so??

 

[Fishy]

They are helping out our hockey program. Big time.

No, they're not.

There is no altruism on the part of UMass to bolster UConn hockey.

 

[Mark W]

No, they're not.

There is no altruism on the part of UMass to bolster UConn hockey.

There is no effort to block the move either. I would make the same argument as to what you bring to Hockey East as you guys are making for football. There are better hockey programs out there that are a better fit for Hockey East

 

[huskymedic]

There is no effort to block the move either. I would make the same argument as to what you bring to Hockey East as you guys are making for football. There are better hockey programs out there that are a better fit for Hockey East

For example?

 

[TRest]

There is no effort to block the move either. I would make the same argument as to what you bring to Hockey East as you guys are making for football. There are better hockey programs out there that are a better fit for Hockey East

Not to pile on here, because you have been fine, but I doubt UMass has much clout in HE, all things considered. Our athletic budget is in the top 2-3 of HE before we even join, we should be able to compete at the bottom of the league.

 

[Mark W]

For example?

By bringing in Notre Dame the entire mid-west has opened up. There was a lot of talk in Hockey East to bring in a team or teams with more geographic relationship to them. There are a lot of good teams out there. My comment was not really a slam on UConn. It was more aimed at balancing the conference and bringing in a few good teams from that region.

I guess now would be a good time for a little clarification. I am a Umass alum and fan, but in NO way a UConn hater. In fact, my wife works at UConn and we go to many athletic events in which I root for UConn. We attend many UMass events as well and she does the same. Now on those occasions when they play each other...well, it gets a little ugly at our house. But I'm a Red Sox fan and she's a Yankee fan so we're used to it.

I've said before...decades ago, we were pretty even. Then UConn made some great decisions and UMass balked. Am I jealous? A little I guess. Do I begrudge UConn their success? Absolutely not. I've enjoyed watching your climb and you've proven it can be done in a predominantly pro sports region. That being said, I am a die-hard UMass fan and I am convinced that we can get to a level of success on our own.

 

[huskymedic]

By bringing in Notre Dame the entire mid-west has opened up. There was a lot of talk in Hockey East to bring in a team or teams with more geographic relationship to them. There are a lot of good teams out there. My comment was not really a slam on UConn. It was more aimed at balancing the conference and bringing in a few good teams from that region.

I guess now would be a good time for a little clarification. I am a Umass alum and fan, but in NO way a UConn hater. In fact, my wife works at UConn and we go to many athletic events in which I root for UConn. We attend many UMass events as well and she does the same. Now on those occasions when they play each other...well, it gets a little ugly at our house. But I'm a Red Sox fan and she's a Yankee fan so we're used to it.

I've said before...decades ago, we were pretty even. Then UConn made some great decisions and UMass balked. Am I jealous? A little I guess. Do I begrudge UConn their success? Absolutely not. I've enjoyed watching your climb and you've proven it can be done in a predominantly pro sports region. That being said, I am a die-hard UMass fan and I am convinced that we can get to a level of success on our own.

Fair enough... Thought you had someone specific in mind. I still have reservations that ND plays a game in HE all said and done.

 

[CL82]

CL82...did you read the post that prompted my response. It was not one of the well-thought out posts discussing revenue sharing or any of the others on here that I have no problem with. I think making the comment that if you let UMass into any conference you are in you might as well give up athletics is indeed short-sighted and asinine. That is not my view of many of the other posts however.

Political posturing to a sympathetic ear at the Globe, while a perception nightmare not to mention the hit to our reputation, may or may not be the whole story. I haven't read the entire article you referenced so I'm in no position to debate that with you either way. What I do know is that I've seen more positives going on at UMass under President Caret and Chancellor Subswammy in the last 2 1/2 years than I have seen in 2 decades. For me, not being a political insider with intimate knowledge of the situation, that is where the rubber meets the road.

Mark, did you read my posts? Let me be more clear. You may not find the Boneyard to be a source of willing cheerleaders for your program. There are very valid reasons for those who do not want to be associated with UMass. Maybe your institution is moving toward improvement at a glacial pace. Maybe, you will get there someday. Who can say? But for today, those who do not want to be in a conference with you are neither "asinine" nor "shallow." They are realistic and not blinded by being a UMass fan boy.

Posters from wanna be institutions coming onto the board and begging for validation gets tiresome very quickly. We have a name for those types, we call them Rutgers fans. You may find a more sympathetic ear among your own fan base, perhaps not since they are more familiar with your program. Do you guys have your own message board?

 

[RS9999X]

There's a difference between saying UMass is a possibility for addition and wouldn't be any worse than Tulsa or saying adding UMass would be a good thing.

I can live with UMass as an option instead of Tulsa. I just can't get excited over it

On paper Tulsa might be able to build something between SMU and Houston that rivals the Texas and Oklahomas rivalry.

OK. That was ridiculous. They had years to do that and didn't. As I wrote before away games at UMass are OK I like the area. But there's no way to get excited about adding UMass. Or any of the teams now in the league. If Derek Kellogg really produces he's gone.

 

[tzznandrew]

Living and working in Boston, and teaching and knowing a number of students/peers who went to UMass Amherst (and it's important to distinguish--this doesn't hold true for UMass-Boston, Lowell, or others), I respect the school. Students often now look to UConn as a better option (a matter of degree--my best students see UConn and UMass as "safeties," my good students see UConn as a reach and UMass not as a safety school, but as one they feel good about getting into). I've met tons of nice and smart people who went to UMass, and back in the 1990s, always wanted the two schools to play.

But the University needs to show commitment to athletics. Sustained commitment.

This isn't like 1979, when the Big East was being formed. Back then, St. John's PC, Syracuse, BC, and Georgetown had solid histories and were looking up. They were able to take a flier on UConn because UConn had demonstrated basketball excellence in a small conference. UMass isn't there yet...

 

[RS9999X]

. Students often now look to UConn as a better option (a matter of degree--my best students see UConn and UMass as "safeties," my good students see UConn as a reach and UMass not as a safety school, but as one they feel good about getting into)....

This is the opposite when I was teaching HS in Mass in the early 90s and Calipari was the annual motivational speaker for Business Educators. UMass was still the dominant New England U and UConn was ramping up on UC0nn 2000. Today the two are flip flopped.

A great Boston.com article on how UMass became UMess

http://www.boston.com/sports/colleges/articles/2010/10/24/uconn_scores_by_spending_more/

 

[Vuce]

They were able to take a flier on UConn because UConn had demonstrated basketball excellence in a small conference. UMass isn't there yet...

One thing - Umass did have a lot of success in the YanCon. Leaman, Dr. J., Al Skinner, etc. Umass has not had the kind of fan support that Uconn has had over the course of decades. The entire state of CT follows Uconn. Umass does not have a local TV contract, they have two beat reporters covering them, and they draw about 3K to 6K fans per game (7,500 is considered a really good crowd for them). In order for them to get attention they have to be a top 15 team like they were 1992-96. They are quite a ways from that (and have been for the last 15 years).

 

[tzznandrew]

One thing - Umass did have a lot of success in the YanCon. Leaman, Dr. J., Al Skinner, etc. Umass has not had the kind of fan support that Uconn has had over the course of decades. The entire state of CT follows Uconn. Umass does not have a local TV contract, they have two beat reporters covering them, and they draw about 3K to 6K fans per game (7,500 is considered a really good crowd for them). In order for them to get attention they have to be a top 15 team like they were 1992-96. They are quite a ways from that (and have been for the last 15 years).

If the Big East was going to take UMass, it would have been then, except they didn't fit the bill. But UConn made sense--you already have BC, PC, Syracuse, St. John's, Seton Hall--taking a CT school made a lot of sense; rural MA, less so.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Nelson, you are so wrong it is incredible. First, you have no premise - we don't need to add anyone. Second, they went 1-11 in the MAC. Repeat that, 1-11. Hell, even Tulane had 2 wins.

In their first ever season. Good grief. Do you not remember where UConn was? And UMass was a much stronger 1AA school when they made the jump than UConn was. We were lucky as hell to start out in a bcs conference.

Don't be so petty. There are two possible realities out there. One is that we land in a major conference in the next couples of years and the other is that we never do. Having UMass in the league won't change option 1. But it makes option 2 better. Delaware upgrading would be a plus too. We need more northeastern opponents to drive interest in college football in the region.

I think we will find a new home. But if the worst should happen we need to build up local schools. Create a true eastern conference.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Alum86]

Umass. Remember the "U" games at the HCC way back when? $75.00 a ticket when the others were @25. They were supposedly our equal. NFW
We are so way ahead of them it's silly. No credence for them. Stay in the MAC with the directionals

 

[AZHuskiePop]

If UMass was smart they would forget about FSB football.
They don't seem that committed anyway.
They should approch the C7 for BB membership and they will be accepted.
They will be acccepted to put to UConn who the C7 blames for the the big east demise.
We are responsible in their eyes
Of couse they can't blame BC
They forget it was CT that put itself on the line by its legal action which the BOZO's in Providence only supported half-heartly. Even the old Providence comissioner credit Connecticut with trying to keep the league together
The sucess of that action could have stopped CR. But are faithfull conference mates stabed us again
That forget is was Pitt and that Jesuit DC school who killed the the ESPN contract.
which was the BIG EAST death knell
When Pitt and Syracuse left UConn finally woke up.
Pitt is a non factor Syacuse like it or not was the end of the Big East
Connecticut realized the the tax payers 100mm+ investment in football was in serious jeprody.
Unforutunately we learned are lesson too late.
Its primarily Connecticut and to a lesser degree Cinn and South Florida who are the victims here.
Which unless things change this is the reality.

The C7 never was in the same exposure ballpark. They just pretended to be with their hand wringing.
That group of hippocrites hung around to see what the money would be.
They obviosly were playing around with FOX even as that fool Aresco was trying to make a deal.
Waiting for the right time to kill any possible deal.
Par for their course(but Uconn is the Bad Guy)
Then blamed everything but their greed. There departure was the Etue Brute moment for the conference.
Tulane was their excuse but it had to be a done deal well before then and it was all about money.
I don't blame them for that but I do blame you for trying to pin the blame on everyone else that was protecting their investment.
The C7 thought they could get more money on their own and also thought they could get a nice parting gift for their
troubles. Millions of Dollars in exit fees and NCAA credits. Sorry Guys
Where are your damages?
But Uconn is the bad guy
Ironically Syracuse and that SJ DC school are still playing each other. Maybe they colluded to kill the conference.
But Uconn is the bad Guy.
The C7 could project all they want but the Blood of the BIG EAST is on their hands just like everyone elses.

They will get the name but if there is any justice they should pay dearly.
Anyone who says they deserve it is a fool.

 

[UC990411]

Agree wholeheartedly if in fact UConn is a "lock" to be out of there soon. If not, they should absolutely be looking to build as strong a conference, both competition and attendance wise that they possibly can. Not for the other schools, for themselves. As a UMass fan, I'm not asking UConn for any favors. But if you think you will draw more at the Rent for Tulsa than you will for UMass, I guess we've got nothing else to talk about.

Why invite another team to share with, or give revenue to when we can schedule UMass ooc

 

[Mark W]

Mark, did you read my posts? Let me be more clear. You may not find the Boneyard to be a source of willing cheerleaders for your program. There are very valid reasons for those who do not want to be associated with UMass. Maybe your institution is moving toward improvement at a glacial pace. Maybe, you will get there someday. Who can say? But for today, those who do not want to be in a conference with you are neither "asinine" nor "shallow." They are realistic and not blinded by being a UMass fan boy.

Posters from wanna be institutions coming onto the board and begging for validation gets tiresome very quickly. We have a name for those types, we call them Rutgers fans. You may find a more sympathetic ear among your own fan base, perhaps not since they are more familiar with your program. Do you guys have your own message board?

Cl82....do you really think I come to the Boneyard to look for UMass fans?....I come here to discuss sports, and for the most part I find knowledgable sports guys that are passionate about their team....I respect that....but please never think that I am seeking your validation....that and 2 dollars will get me a cup of coffee at Dunkin Donuts.

You sound like one of those guys that are still pissed about Boston College. They made it before you did and you feel the need to channel your inferiority towards someone....okay, get your off on Umass

As far as being being a wanna be institution.....how's that BIG 10 thing going????

 

[Vuce]

Uconn inferior to BCU??? BAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 

[Mark W]

Uconn inferior to BCU??? BAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Who's in the ACC getting the big bucks....you'd love to be where they are

 

[CL82]

Cl82....do you really think I come to the Boneyard to look for UMass fans?....I come here to discuss sports, and for the most part I find knowledgable sports guys that are passionate about their team....I respect that....but please never think that I am seeking your validation....that and 2 dollars will get me a cup of coffee at Dunkin Donuts.

You sound like one of those guys that are still pissed about Boston College. They made it before you did and you feel the need to channel your inferiority towards someone....okay, get your off on Umass

As far as being being a wanna be institution.....how's that BIG 10 thing going????

And yet you keep giving us your schools resume, and then calling people "assinine" and "shallow" when then point out the flaws. Dude, you are a troll. Feel free to come here to discuss sports. I'd suggest that you stop trying to convince us that UMass is in anyway a viable peer conference mate and then get your nickers in a bunch when no one buys in.

 

[Mark W]

And yet you keep giving us your schools resume, and then calling people "assinine" and "shallow" when then point out the flaws. Dude, you are a troll. Feel free to come here to discuss sports. I'd suggest that you stop trying to convince us that UMass is in anyway a viable peer conference mate and then get your nickers in a bunch when no one buys in.

Troll????? Can you read???? Did you read how much I respect UConn and everything that UConn has accomplished? If that is a troll, then this is not a message board at all but some kind of cult. And you, my friend, is the one handing out the Kool-Aid. You want me to read all the vitriol and crap that people say about UMass without a response? What should I say? Oh please UConn..help us please to become relevant because without you we are nothing???? Give me a break!!!

And as far as our resume.....football (for the time being), women's basketball, and men's soccer are the only sports you have the advantage now.

 

[Mark W]

I want to take this opportunity to apologize to real sports fans who happen to be UConn fans here. This guy kinda pushed my buttons by calling me a troll and lashing out is not my style at all. I have been to more sporting events rooting for UConn than a lot of people who call themselves UConn fans (not making any assumptions of anyone on this board). If being a UMass fan is something that automatically makes me a troll, then I am out of here. I read this board for about 8 months before I registered, and I found it entertaining, informative, and a venue to interact with New England collegiate sports fans. I have no problem staying with UMasshoops.com, but sometimes I want to interact with people that aren't UMass homers. If that puts me as a troll here....okay

 

[Mark W]

im sorry did u just claim that your mens basketball was better resume wise then uconn? what about baseball, fielkd hockey, debate club and womens arts and crafts? i dont think uconn is worse then umass in any of those either. if umass pust a 40k stadium up on campus or in springfield. then i will pay attention. hell, i'll even claim its wardes fault...

We'll debate the out of you...men or women

 

[TRest]

I want to take this opportunity to apologize to real sports fans who happen to be UConn fans here. This guy kinda pushed my buttons by calling me a troll and lashing out is not my style at all. I have been to more sporting events rooting for UConn than a lot of people who call themselves UConn fans (not making any assumptions of anyone on this board). If being a UMass fan is something that automatically makes me a troll, then I am out of here. I read this board for about 8 months before I registered, and I found it entertaining, informative, and a venue to interact with New England collegiate sports fans. I have no problem staying with UMasshoops.com, but sometimes I want to interact with people that aren't UMass homers. If that puts me as a troll here....okay

Since it's impossible to discuss anything but Umass at UMasshoops, you should stick around. Not to get off track, but I've been lurking on and off for years and that is the worst circle jerk I've ever seen. We don't even bitch if someone starts a new thread when there's an old one available.

 

[tzznandrew]

I want to take this opportunity to apologize to real sports fans who happen to be UConn fans here. This guy kinda pushed my buttons by calling me a troll and lashing out is not my style at all. I have been to more sporting events rooting for UConn than a lot of people who call themselves UConn fans (not making any assumptions of anyone on this board). If being a UMass fan is something that automatically makes me a troll, then I am out of here. I read this board for about 8 months before I registered, and I found it entertaining, informative, and a venue to interact with New England collegiate sports fans. I have no problem staying with UMasshoops.com, but sometimes I want to interact with people that aren't UMass homers. If that puts me as a troll here....okay

Look: I don't think you're a troll, but you should not be stressed by someone calling you a troll. It's one person, and I think the discourse has been largely civil. Step off the ledge...

 

[CL82]

Troll????? Can you read???? Did you read how much I respect UConn and everything that UConn has accomplished? If that is a troll, then this is not a message board at all but some kind of cult. And you, my friend, is the one handing out the Kool-Aid. You want me to read all the vitriol and crap that people say about UMass without a response? What should I say? Oh please UConn..help us please to become relevant because without you we are nothing???? Give me a break!!!

And as far as our resume.....football (for the time being), women's basketball, and men's soccer are the only sports you have the advantage now.

Again Mark, nothing on the merits, just more insults. People on here who don''t view UMass as a viable conference partner aren't "assinine", they aren't "shallow", and it isn't a "cult". The whole, "I respect your program" but you are an assinine, shallow cult is classic troll. One part nice, one part flame. Oh and the whole multiple question mark thing, that's kind of trolly as well unless you are a 13 year old girl.

 

[Steve1981]

I'm all for playing them OOC, but if we are on conference par with the likes of UMass in any sport, we might as well stop playing sports.

A bit extreme but agree we should start playing OOC. Believed you had somewhere in the mid 30's for a weeknight game. Not too bad. Would not complain being added to the nBE, feel we need time to start winning in the MAC and build a fan base at Gillette. Very curious how a local FCS team (Maine) will draw this year and a FBS team (Boston College) next year. Hope we could play UConn in 2015.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

UMass is an awful football program at the moment - that really can't be debated.

But if they were somehow to become not awful, and if UConn is stuck in this mess for the long term, I would rather have UMass in the conference. I suspect the rest of the conference might prefer Tulsa because 1) they're not as awful, and 2) if UConn and Cincy do leave, Tulsa would likely be the first of the schools they'd invite anyway.

Tulsa will be the 12th. Whenever Navy stops pretending they will join the Big East, we will need a new 12th. I DO NOT want another southern school like UTEP or Southern Miss to be added. It would be bad enough for UConn to be stuck in this league for the next 10 years. It would be worse to be the outlier.