If both the B1G and ACC wanted to add UCONN, which would you prefer and why?

[Ldandy]

PSU has been the leading football power in the Northeast for ages, but in terms of fan interest in watching their games, it faded as their national competitiveness declined and they moved to a midwestern league while the Big East raised the level of northeastern football. Of course interest in PSU football is still huge in Pennsylvania, but in New England where I live, you never hear them talked about and never see their games on at sports bars. There is more interest in Alabama than in PSU. I agree with your first point. We live in a what have you done for me lately society. PSU 2000-13 has not been The PSU of 1960-99. None of our supporters would claim otherwise. Unfortunately for PSU, Joe seemed to get old, complacent, and content with himself all overnight.

Suddenly a HC who always found a way to draft a winning game plan, and who was never outworked or out charmed by his rivals on the recruiting trail lost his fire. Meanwhile much of our conference was raising their games and gaining ground. This was a BAD combination. The result was 5 year stretch of football that we refer to as The Dark Years. In all fairness he did rebound a bit interspersing some conference titles, double digit win campaigns, and bowl victories into his last decade, but at his advanced age combined with the internal conflict on his staff between several assistants, it could not be sustained year to year any more.

To your second point again I agree. Joining The B1G was a shock to much of The Northeast and to PSU Fans in general. Thankfully our administration had the foresight to realize that they couldn't go it alone as an independent any longer. Amazingly The ACC had little interest in PSU, despite the fact that an invite would have likely been accepted. Sound familiar?

As to your last point I won't question you, as I spend little time in New England so I could never judge that for myself. I don't doubt that there is more interest in Bama than PSU in sports bars, as they are THE TEAM of the last 5-6 years and we are all fed a steady non ending diet of S-E-C, S-E-C, S-E-C, by the four letter. If Coach Franklin continues to recruit at the level that he has since his arrival, IMO we will be able to compete nationally again. It won't happen overnight, but in 3-4 years we will be able to compete for conference titles, and playoff spots. This could come sooner if further sanction relief is announced.

I think between James Franklin, the addition of Rutgers and Maryland to the B1G giving PSU more eastern exposure, and the demise of the Big East, PSU will come back somewhat in terms of northeastern fan interest. But Rutgers and Maryland may rise as well, since they are now on an equal footing, more or less, with PSU.

I both agree and disagree with you to a point. Franklin is a recruiting monster. The guy lives for the competition of it. I believe with his charisma and our natural recruiting base we can have top 3 talent in our conference every year. Adding RU and MD does nothing but help our cause. If we want a bigger national profile however, we have to win on a national level again. Teams like Bama, LSU, FSU and others have done this far better than us over the last decade. If we do that, interest in PSU North of PA will grow. That said no one believes that we will be THE team of choice for New Englanders. We will be a choice, along with UCONN, BC, ND and others. As to your second point, that is clearly TBD. It is possible that RU and UMD can rise up and challenge PSU, however it is just as likely or more likely that a dominant PSU could suck all of the oxygen out of the room for these two. PSU recruiting is PA, NJ, and MD. Always has been and always will. While we are now in the same conference, what can they say besides potential playing time, that PSU could not match or exceed? Coaches, facilities, resources, and fan/alumni support are all in PSU's Favor. They can't play the education card either as PSU is ranked higher than both nationally and has a massive alumni network that hires Penn Staters.

I am a fan of PSU obviously, but I am a fan of Eastern Sports in general. I rooted like heck for UCONN against UK, and would have done so for most Eastern Rivals outside of Pitt. I hope you guys get things turned around under Diaco and build your program back up. I hope a B1G invite is in your future, but if not I hope you all land on your feet in a P5 Conference somewhere. Its borderline criminal that you currently aren't. Good Luck.

 

[billybud]

I think culturally the B1G is a better fit.
The ethnic background except for recent southern emigration more closely mirror each other. The tradition rich Midwest football schools would be a much bigger draw in tradition rich New England.
My late mother always said why would you ever want to play with people who have shown they don't want to play with you.
How can you possibly embrace as brothers ,Schools like BC,Miami,,Pitt,and the worse of all Syracuse the school that killed the BiG East.

That would be like CUSA teams wanting to play in the AAC...who ripped off CUSA teams as the ACC ripped the BE....it's a natural progression in food chain style.

 

[itgoeslike]

That would be like CUSA teams wanting to play in the AAC...who ripped off CUSA teams as the ACC ripped the BE....it's a natural progression in food chain style.

. . .as the Big Ten ripped the ACC. . .now we've completed the food chain.

 

[Ldandy]

Because were just not that interested in that school after originally being considered eastern it was decided to give the "midwest" perception to PSU after jumping to the B1G and people just didnt care...out of sight out of mind! It made sense at the time and paid to paint them with that brush! They became less obvious each yr since until the JS affair.(Unfortunately) It still bugs even me! I know it could have happened anywhere but the insitutional coverup couldnt have!! And to think people obsess over the Mike Rice incident. What a farce in comparison!

 

[AZHuskiePop]

That would be like CUSA teams wanting to play in the AAC...who ripped off CUSA teams as the ACC ripped the BE....it's a natural progression in food chain style.

Who left CUSA and lobbied to keep a former CUSA school out of the AAC ?
At least on the surface they appear to have some allegiance to their former mates.
I wish I could say that about your new friends.

 

[clmssun]

Who left CUSA and lobbied to keep a former CUSA school out of the AAC ?

USF lobbied for years to keep UCF out. It only took one year to expose that shortsightedness and pettiness.

 

[John Greene]

As long as we are dreaming, how about we dream that they both want us so badly we are able to work the following deal.

FB goes to the B1G.
BB and other sports except hockey goes to the ACC.
Hockey stays in HE.
Best of all possible worlds?

 

[pj]

As long as we are dreaming, how about we dream that they both want us so badly we are able to work the following deal.

FB goes to the B1G.
BB and other sports except hockey goes to the ACC.
Hockey stays in HE.
Best of all possible worlds?

Football to the SEC, basketball to the ACC, hockey to Hockey East, everything else to the B1G.

 

[NickyNewark]

Wow,I don't even remember posting that but I won't deny it....I quit drinking for the most part in 81 but now and then I let loose on a holiday....I do recall eastern FB ADs wanting to give PSU the "midwest" perception to get a leg up recruiting during that period but not much else.WTF ? I hardly recognized myself. I deleted "my" evidence now you're response and my reply is all thats left of that bender lol!!

 

[CoastAtlantic]

http://btn.com/penn-state-press-conference-july-26/

Sandy Barbour is the new PS AD. Congratulations! Her record at Cal is noteworthy.

They've just made the one hire that makes Julie Hermann look competent in comparison.

 

[Ldandy]

http://btn.com/penn-state-press-conference-july-26/

Sandy Barbour is the new PS AD. Congratulations! Her record at Cal is noteworthy.

They've just made the one hire that makes Julie Hermann look competent in comparison.

Meh. See me in 5-10 years and we can judge her effort at a school who's alumni actually support athletics. Until that time we'll just have to make do with winning national titles in multiple sports every year, and watching both our academic and athletic sides continue to rise in the national rankings. As for the schools of The ACC? You are now in a conference with Pitt. Congratulations on that!

 

[NickyNewark]

Meh. See me in 5-10 years and we can judge her effort at a school who's alumni actually support athletics. Until that time we'll just have to make do with winning national titles in multiple sports every year, and watching both our academic and athletic sides continue to rise in the national rankings. As for the schools of The ACC? You are now in a conference with Pitt. Congratulations on that!

@This is misplaced but directed to CoastalAtlantic not you Ldandy.....?> JH look competent? Don't we rave about L'villes AD and Jurichs "genius" ? Where do you think RU found her? Jurichs top asst highly recommended by himself....let her show and grow in the job!! WTF would you know but the garbage you read!?! You are another bstimpy methinks...always looking down on everything not ACC. Is everyone down there arrogant?<

 

[Ldandy]

@This is misplaced but directed to CoastalAtlantic not you Ldandy.....?> JH look competent? Don't we rave about L'villes AD and Jurichs "genius" ? Where do you think RU found her? Jurichs top asst highly recommended by himself....let her show and grow in the job!! WTF would you know but the garbage you read!?! You are another bstimpy methinks...always looking down on everything not ACC. Is everyone down there arrogant?<

Julie's Issue is not her resume or potential at RU. Its the inexplicable manner in which she puts her foot in her mouth. Keep a muzzle on her and let her do her thing behind the scenes, and I think she will be alright. Coast Atlantic is grasping at straws. I'll judge Barbour on how she performs as PSU's AD, not how she performed as Cal's. The two departments are apples to oranges.

 

[NickyNewark]

Julie's Issue is not her resume or potential at RU. Its the inexplicable manner in which she puts her foot in her mouth. Keep a muzzle on her and let her do her thing behind the scenes, and I think she will be alright. Coast Atlantic is grasping at straws. I'll judge Barbour on how she performs as PSU's AD, not how she performed as Cal's. The two departments are apples to oranges.

Yeah but shes went from a "backwater" into the media capitol of the world so like her or not I'll watch her 1st FB signature hire and hoops progress and let that be her judge as long as she shows progress ...shes still got wet feet...Coastal is some piece of work huh?

 

[CoastAtlantic]

Opinionated? Yes. Arrogant? No. I've been more than willing to criticize the conference when it's deserved. Otoh, I will defend it as the most logical place for UConn.

At the end of the day, once UConn fans can look past the emotions, they would know that the best move in order to maintain their athletic successes would be as a member of a conference that can offer them games against teams located in the same time zone, in markets of future growth of recruits and run by programs that are best placed to offer the competition in the various sporting disciplines UConn participate in (except for hockey, because we don't sponsor that).

To be fair, though, there are ADs in the ACC who should never have been hired in the first place. Debbie Yow has set the bar so low that if Julie walking over it would be considered a moderate success.

 

[pj]

Opinionated? Yes. Arrogant? No. I've been more than willing to criticize the conference when it's deserved. Otoh, I will defend it as the most logical place for UConn.

At the end of the day, once UConn fans can look past the emotions, they would know that the best move in order to maintain their athletic successes would be as a member of a conference that can offer them games against teams located in the same time zone, in markets of future growth of recruits and run by programs that are best placed to offer the competition in the various sporting disciplines UConn participate in (except for hockey, because we don't sponsor that).

To be fair, though, there are ADs in the ACC who should never have been hired in the first place. Debbie Yow has set the bar so low that if Julie walking over it would be considered a moderate success.

The argument for ACC superiority seems to boil down to access to football recruiting in Florida/Georgia/ Carolinas/Virginia. But, Boston College was a better team in the Big East than it's been in the ACC. We'll see what happens with Syracuse and Pitt. I am not sure that southern recruiting can make northern teams nationally competitive. The top southern recruits are likely to stay in the south.

 

[Dooley]

If operating on equal footing, I just don't see Syracuse or BC being able to keep up with us in terms of AD budget. Warde is making a commitment to football and with that, comes increased spending on recruiting/travel expenses. If UCONN were on equal footing as the ACC northeast privates in terms of TV revenue, I think UCONN would become a competitive northeast football school for the traditional southern football powers of the conference.

 

[Ldandy]

The argument for ACC superiority seems to boil down to access to football recruiting in Florida/Georgia/ Carolinas/Virginia. But, Boston College was a better team in the Big East than it's been in the ACC. We'll see what happens with Syracuse and Pitt. I am not sure that southern recruiting can make northern teams nationally competitive. The top southern recruits are likely to stay in the south.

Recruiting success for the majority of programs has more to do with what you have to sell, and who's doing the selling. Just being in a state with athletic talent is not in itself a guarantee of landing said talent. If you look at The ACC as a whole, it should be a lot stronger in football than it has been considering the access it has to recruiting hot beds.

The 4 Carolina Schools + UVA have been mostly mediocre to bad for the last 60 years. Clemson won a National Title in 81 and then fell off the face of the planet until the last 4-5 years. GT has had some high peaks(91) and low valleys, but has not been able to sustain any kind of long term consistency. One can argue that Miami and VPI have tailed off from where they were in The Big East. As for the far north schools in The ACC your assumption is likely correct. The top southern recruits are likely to stay in the south. That said outside of FSU and Clemson, they aren't ending up in The ACC. They are heading to The SEC, or to the occasional big name school like OSU, USC, UT etc.

How does this relate to UCONN? The same way it relates to SU, Pitt, or BC. If you are counting on a mythical southern bump to improve recruiting you will be disappointed. The only bump The Huskies would receive would be from being safely in a P5 Conference. Contrary to what Coastal or others believe, ACC Membership in no way guarantees significantly greater success in recruiting southern athletes for northern schools. Syracuse, BC, and Pitt have no more success recruiting major talent there than Northwestern, Indiana, or Rutgers would. If a 3* prospect from Florida picks Syracuse or BC, it was likely either one of his best offers, or he fell in love with the school/coaches. Not some laughable notion that he might play an away game in Florida once or twice in his career.

 

[btstimpy]

The argument for ACC superiority seems to boil down to access to football recruiting in Florida/Georgia/ Carolinas/Virginia. But, Boston College was a better team in the Big East than it's been in the ACC. We'll see what happens with Syracuse and Pitt. I am not sure that southern recruiting can make northern teams nationally competitive. The top southern recruits are likely to stay in the south.

The argument for superiority would be more the host of the National Championship Trophy. It's been with the SEC for a long time. Now it is with the ACC, or an ACC member actually.

Access to football recruiting hotbeds is nice, and it helps a lot. It's better to be able to tell a kid that his friends and family will be able to see him play locally regularly than to not be able to say that. Given that, the coaches have to take advantage of it. Boston College's problem was that Frank Spaziani stunk. They did well with Tom O'Brien and Jeff Jadgozinski. Tom O'Brien didn't like that he had good teams that the good bowls passed over. So he left. A travelling fan base is important. Their current coach is former offensive coordinator from the Florida Gators. He should be able to recruit Florida for BC with a little time. Louisville's and West Virginia's rosters have been full of Florida players at times. It can be done.

But you are right in that the best of the best will stay closer to home. The SEC schools and the southern ACC schools will have an advantage, and that advantage is growing, not shrinking.