Is the B1G realistic?

[Dooley]

really? I'm going to build a Star Trek transporter pad that goes from my house right to my seat, and I'm going to create cheerleader androids that bring me my beer during the game.

Now we're talking! The only difficult decision appears to be who to model your cheerleader androids after: Emily Noonan or Kate Upton?

 

[UConNation]

I have the same daydream if I won this thing or MegaMillions. UCONN would have a new 65,000 on-campus football stadium in the design similar to Quest Field to capitalize acoustics. WIth whatever is leftover, Gampel would get a facelift and an expansion and the rest would go into the endowment.

Seriously though... aside from greatly expanding The Rent, I would want to see Gampel expanded and MUCH MUCH more of the lower seating devoted to student seating. The one thing DOOK has done right, is designing their basketball stadium/seating plan

 

[businesslawyer]

Nonsense.

We were never cracking the FSU/Miami/GT/BC blockade - likely never will given that they now have Pitt and Syracuse with 'em.

Other than BC, the other schools will support us the moment ESPN or their media consultants tell them there is materially more money to be made by adding us than either standing pat or adding someone else. That simple.

 

[John]

Now we're talking! The only difficult decision appears to be who to model your cheerleader androids after: Emily Noonan or Kate Upton?

I've been instruted not to talk about Emily anymore, so I won't answer that question, but I think you know what my answer would be if I were answering that question.

 

[Palatine]

Seriously though... aside from greatly expanding The Rent, I would want to see Gampel expanded and MUCH MUCH more of the lower seating devoted to student seating. The one thing DOOK has done right, is designing their basketball stadium/seating plan

Forget expanding Gampel. Just have someone fix the huge shreds of material hanging from the ceiling.

 

[storrsroars]

Now we're talking! The only difficult decision appears to be who to model your cheerleader androids after: Emily Noonan or Kate Upton?

I go with neither. There's a better choice:

And why stop with just stadiums and infrastructure? Don't you care about the players? Wouldn't you feel good all over if during an interview, the reporter asked, "Who's that standing next to you?" and Shabazz looked into the camera and said, "Why THAT'S my personal ball washer."

 

[CL82]

I've been instruted not to talk about Emily anymore, so I won't answer that question, but I think you know what my answer would be if I were answering that question.

By whom, the judge who issued the restraining order?

 

[John]

By whom, the judge who issued the restraining order?

no by the self-appointed group moderators around here.

 

[Dooley]

no by the self-appointed group moderators around here.

Oh, sorry John. I didn't realize that had happened. I retract my earlier joke. My bad.

 

[Danzz]

In one word YES we are a prime candidate for the B1G but we need a partner to make 16 teams. With the exception of the SEC every conference is wrapped in a grant of rights so it's challenging. This thread belongs on the CR board

Partner is correct. One team moves and it creates an opportunity similar to what happened when Maryland moved to the BIG. We came in second to Louisville on that one when we were probably the favorite to go to the ACC.
The CR board has been pretty inactive the last time I visited so this thread is fine here IMO.

 

[ecasadoSBU]

UConn is not part of the "Association of American Universities", which all Big Ten teams are.
These are the Top Public Research Universities in the United States.

http://collegeapps.about.com/od/choosingacollege/tp/big-ten.htm

You can see which schools are members here:
Private: http://collegeapps.about.com/od/choosingacollege/a/AAU-Private.htm
Public: http://collegeapps.about.com/od/choosingacollege/a/aau-public.htm

Not sure if UConn would be considered.

Public: http://collegeapps.about.com/od/choosingacollege/a/aau-public.htm
Stony Brook University-State University of New York

 

[buddy]

Public: http://collegeapps.about.com/od/choosingacollege/a/aau-public.htm
Stony Brook University-State University of New York

Public: http://collegeapps.about.com/od/choosingacollege/a/aau-public.htm
Stony Brook University-State University of New York

Nebraska is not a member. Academics make no difference in conference realignment.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

Nebraska is not a member. Academics make no difference in conference realignment.

Academics matter for us and only for the B1G or the PAC.

When you haveNebraska's football pedigree academics don't matter so much.
AZ first law of Academics regarding CR,
Academics are inversely proportional to your football reputation.

 

[ecasadoSBU]

1. No AAU. This is probably the biggest deterrent but UCONN already measures favorably to other AAU institutions based on a few metrics. President Herbst recently secured $1.5B in state aid to, in large part, expand research. We are one of a very few U.S. universities in the Universistas 21 (global research version of the AAU) and now that Ohio State just accepted membership, I hope we can use that as a network opportunity.

I believe the global version of the AAU would be the University Research Association?!?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universities_Research_Association


But I'm sure Connecticut's future is bright whether it joins the AAU or not. Its a great school with great students and students athletes. If the alumni and fans keep supporting it, it will make out of the storm

I never understood this crappy requirement of schools to be part of the AAU to be members of the Big Ten. If its about athletics and money then why try to fool people to believe this is an academic oriented initiative

It sort of reminds of me of beauty pageants where the main factor is physical appearance, and what every one cares about... but they add these stupid requirements like "Personality, intelligence, talents" and other crap they don't really give a damn about.

 

[husky8273]

AAU and Nebraska is not an AAU member.

Nebraska was a member of AAU when they joined the Big 10 and lost that status after they joined.

 

[tzznandrew]

Nebraska was a member of AAU when they joined the Big 10 and lost that status after they joined.

And they were ousted by Michigan and other B1G members, who had been trying to oust them since before they were invited.

 

[ctchamps]

Nebraska was a member of AAU when they joined the Big 10 and lost that status after they joined.

True; but their status was in jeopardy prior to the acceptance into the B!G. The B!G did not make as big a sacrifice in their standards in accepting Nebraska as the ACC did in accepting Louisville.

 

[Tenspro2002]

I have a feeling whether or not we ever get into the B1G hinges on whether they are content with Rutgers being their only foothold in the NYC market, and/or whether they care to branch out into New England. It will take a few years for that to shake out.

Obviously, how we do in football over the next 5 years makes a big difference, and whether we can attract the kind of audience in those markets that the B1G is looking for.

 

[CTBasketball]

I have a feeling whether or not we ever get into the B1G hinges on whether they are content with Rutgers being their only foothold in the NYC market, and/or whether they care to branch out into New England. It will take a few years for that to shake out.

Obviously, how we do in football over the next 5 years makes a big difference, and whether we can attract the kind of audience in those markets that the B1G is looking for.

Can't have any more Thursday night games against Towson or UMass anymore.

 

[ctchamps]

I have a feeling whether or not we ever get into the B1G hinges on whether they are content with Rutgers being their only foothold in the NYC market, and/or whether they care to branch out into New England. It will take a few years for that to shake out.

Obviously, how we do in football over the next 5 years makes a big difference, and whether we can attract the kind of audience in those markets that the B1G is looking for.

More important is the academic direction of the University. The closer UConn attains AAU status the more likely the B!G will be interested, and the more likely the ACC will get nervous. And then it becomes a situation who flinches first.

 

[SixRings]

I have a feeling whether or not we ever get into the B1G hinges on whether they are content with Rutgers being their only foothold in the NYC market, and/or whether they care to branch out into New England. It will take a few years for that to shake out.

Obviously, how we do in football over the next 5 years makes a big difference, and whether we can attract the kind of audience in those markets that the B1G is looking for.

First and foremost, It has to make sense for the other members of the Big Ten to want to add more members. I hate to be a downer because I am really hoping for an invite, but from what I have read many of the current members didn't want to add Rutgers and UMD. They would be happier with less so that FB can play each opponent at least once and keep geographical rivalries up. Delany has to be sold and sell the others that 16 teams makes sense. Then, all of the many other items have to fall in line for UConn such as media market, AAU acceptance(?), winning FB program, etc. I think that UConn would be high on anyone one of the P5's list of expansion but how UConn fits in is the biggest obstacle to overcome, regardless of the status of AAU and FB program. Just my opinion.

 

[ctchamps]

First and foremost, It has to make sense for the other members of the Big Ten to want to add more members. I hate to be a downer because I am really hoping for an invite, but from what I have read many of the current members didn't want to add Rutgers and UMD. They would be happier with less so that FB can play each opponent at least once and keep geographical rivalries up. Delany has to be sold and sell the others that 16 teams makes sense. Then, all of the many other items have to fall in line for UConn such as media market, AAU acceptance(?), winning FB program, etc. I think that UConn would be high on anyone one of the P5's list of expansion but how UConn fits in is the biggest obstacle to overcome, regardless of the status of AAU and FB program. Just my opinion.

The new logo threads show that some people prefer change and some don't. Every change that took place in the BE's history had supporters and detractors.

The addition of Rutgers and Maryland to the B!G was to increase viewership on the East Coast boosting revenue for the B!G network, and to give support to Penn State by adding potential eastern rivalries. The average B!G college fan who just looks at football and basketball hates the additions. But they aren't responsible for the financial well being of the conference. They have the luxury of being myopic.

It will be the BOT, who will make the decision regarding UConn's fate. Some of them will consider finances in their decision and some will determine that the added revenues are not important relative to the loss of traditions. It all comes down to a subjective decision in the end unless the parameters are overwhelmingly favorable. If Texas or ND changed there elitist attitude, conferences that are stable would take them in an instant because they have an overwhelming number of things they can bring to a conference. A less stable conference can't be choosey. Hence the BE in the past and now the ACC have overlooked the pimping of ND in selecting them. But the PAC said no to Texas.

 

[HuskyHawk]

UConn has beaten Louisville and Rutgers head to head within the last two years, so no, I don't think football is the driver unless you are a premier program like Nebraska. Market and politics are the biggest drivers. Our market is OK (Connecticut has the same population as Oklahoma, for example), and politically UConn has booted it all over the place. How our administration managed to let BCU box us out of the ACC is beyond me. Herbst should have locked down Tobacco Road until they would refuse to accept any alternative choices but Connecticut. Instead, they were mildly pro UConn until BCU had a tantrum, then we got boxed out.

I can see Syracuse being picked over UConn, but how Pitt and Louisville were selected ahead of us reflects how poorly UConn handled this. Pitt is in a dying city that is shrinking about 10% every 10 years, and Louisville is a freaking community college. The ACC should be running from Pittsburgh as a market as fast as it can, and Louisville is a joke. We can't blame the ACC for picking those two over UConn. UConn didn't make the sale.

Pittsburgh is probably doing better than Syracuse at this point. Both have reversed population declines. Low cost of living may be helping.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

The new logo threads show that some people prefer change and some don't. Every change that took place in the BE's history had supporters and detractors.

The addition of Rutgers and Maryland to the B!G was to increase viewership on the East Coast boosting revenue for the B!G network, and to give support to Penn State by adding potential eastern rivalries. The average B!G college fan who just looks at football and basketball hates the additions. But they aren't responsible for the financial well being of the conference. They have the luxury of being myopic.

It will be the BOT, who will make the decision regarding UConn's fate. Some of them will consider finances in their decision and some will determine that the added revenues are not important relative to the loss of traditions. It all comes down to a subjective decision in the end unless the parameters are overwhelmingly favorable. If Texas or ND changed there elitist attitude, conferences that are stable would take them in an instant because they have an overwhelming number of things they can bring to a conference. A less stable conference can't be choosey. Hence the BE in the past and now the ACC have overlooked the pimping of ND in selecting them. But the PAC said no to Texas.

The B1G basketball fans would have rather seen UConn, Maryland than Rutgers.
The football fans and I know plenty thought Rutgers was a private school.
Even New Jersey people don't have the same attachment to their school as Connecticut People.
If I wear a tee shirt that says Connecticut (not UConn) someone will come to me and discuss Basketball. Connecticut is associated with basketball . New Jersey with the Soprano's

 

[Palatine]

Can't have any more Thursday night games against Towson or UMass anymore.

Why don't people understand this has nothing to do with anything?

 

[ctchamps]

The B1G basketball fans would have rather seen UConn, Maryland than Rutgers.
The football fans and I know plenty thought Rutgers was a private school.
Even New Jersey people don't have the same attachment to their school as Connecticut People.
If I wear a tee shirt that says Connecticut (not UConn) someone will come to me and discuss Basketball. Connecticut is associated with basketball . New Jersey with the Soprano's

Delaney and those who run the B!G network vetted Rutgers based on viewership and viewership potential. It certainly had to be more based on potential than current interest imo. Rutgers is closer to NYC than UConn. It also is closer to Philadelphia. No college captures NYC or Boston for that matter. The B!G is hoping that by adding Rutgers to their conference excitement can be generated for them in NYC. I'm skeptical.

I think UConn is trying to develop the Fairfield audience and make a case that it has a New York presence. That is one of the two reasons for games at Bridgeport. The other of course is to raise interest in that county to bring in monies.

 

[CAHUSKY]

Delaney and those who run the B!G network vetted Rutgers based on viewership and viewership potential. .

cable boxes not viewership.