It’s about Rivals ...

[Pudge]

I don’t think things are fine. Even if we were 6-6 or 8-4. We’d be playing in New Orleans. Dallas. Tulsa.

It matters - to OUR lightly frosted Fanbase - to be able to travel to nearby Away games. It’s College Football

In College Basketball, I’ve gone to Seattle to see UCONN play Gonzaga. Once in awhile. But I think closer games will fit.

 

[CL82]

It's about games that a lot of UConn fans want to see. In terms of drivable opponents that list of people that might actually feel the same way about us pulling into town is this:

Army
Boston College
Pitt
Rutgers
Syracuse

UMass could make that list if both programs get out of the triple digits.
Maryland as long as Edsall is still the coach.

That's it. That's the list.

Ps. Temple is an exercise in mutual co-dependency. If either program could attract better opponents they would drop the other in a heartbeat.

This turned out to be pretty prescient.

 

[CL82]

I think rival games are over-rated.

Probably because we don't really have one. Playing annual, meaningful, close games in different sports against a roughly comparable team that you dislike is a great part of the college experience. We've been missing it for a while now.

 

[Pudge]

That’s a big deal.

Even though we had scant football history with Pitt, winning that game in OT at Rentschler was huge. Because of a decade of hoop; because we can - once in awhile - bump into Pitt alums or students. Etc

We lost something in the AAC. It’s not just because we are putrid

 

[Exit 4]

Liberty Liberty Liberty! Liberty!

the game many said won’t happen

 

[Pudge]

Liberty Liberty Liberty! Liberty!

the game many said won’t happen

Playing 5 or 6 Power 5 Schools ... great.

But we need Wins. Having 7 Independents today is better than 4 a few years ago. UMASS & Liberty showed UCONN that you could have some flexibility. You might see more FCS moving up or other G5 break. Why? The CFB wise men are wrong. You don’t need Conference if you’re UCONN. Your brand gets you more $ than AAC revenue.

 

[Exit 4]

Playing 5 or 6 Power 5 Schools ... great.

But we need Wins. Having 7 Independents today is better than 4 a few years ago. UMASS & Liberty showed UCONN that you could have some flexibility. You might see more FCS moving up or other G5 break. Why? The CFB wise men are wrong. You don’t need Conference if you’re UCONN. Your brand gets you more $ than AAC revenue.

Whatever - I'm just laughing that some said Liberty wouldn't/couldn't happen. We were in no position to turn our nose up at a fellow independent located east of the Mississippi.

 

[CL82]

Liberty Liberty Liberty! Liberty!

the game many said won’t happen

Really? That's your biggest takeaway from that article?

 

[Pudge]

I’m no fan of Liberty University. And I’ve lost my affection for Notre Dame which was forced on me Sunday mornings listening to Lindsey Nelson replays. And BYU.

But I will like playing them. More than a North Texas or South Alabama.

I think -given our prowess (David Benedict) I’m getting this done ... you may see more Group of 5 Brand programs go Indy.

 

[Exit 4]

Really? That's your biggest takeaway from that article?

Yeah actually it is. Everything else has been said. Schedule is impressive overall. I am satisfied with it for sure.

 

[outlaw]

ConFLiCT FoR LyFe

 

[coachcap]

That’s a big deal.

Even though we had scant football history with Pitt, winning that game in OT at Rentschler was huge. Because of a decade of hoop; because we can - once in awhile - bump into Pitt alums or students. Etc

We lost something in the AAC. It’s not just because we are putrid

Some more UConn-Pitt history: Night game- Tyler Palko 0 for the RENT, Alfred Fincher's play at the 2 yard line to prevent a TD. OR, Nick Williams' kickoff return to open the 2nd half in the game that Husky fans remember more for HCRE getting a pair & going for the 1st down on 4th & 2 yards @ his own 20yard line to run out the clock. Jordan Todman cementing running out the clock.

 

[Marty Jackson]

Probably because we don't really have one. Playing annual, meaningful, close games in different sports against a roughly comparable team that you dislike is a great part of the college experience. We've been missing it for a while now.

Agree 100%. Temple or Cincy were the closest but don’t get anyone excited like BC, Syracuse, or even Rutgers.
personally, never got too excited about Rutgers but they fit the bill too.

after they left, there was nothing.

 

[Chief00]

Doesn't matter. It really does not. We made a proactive choice to change - because it was necessary for the entire University: the BRAND, Basketball, Football.

My wish 5 years ago? I wanted to have our own wing of the American Athletic Conference. Go have your SMU, Houston, Tulsa, Tulane, Boise, BYU. I wanted UConn, Temple, Navy, Buffalo, Rutgers, Old Dominion (or Delaware/James Madison). Quite honestly, I saw the long long commutes always as an issue. I love the inclusion of the Florida teams ... we are NY/NE, we go to Florida. And I butt-hurt seeing our MBB open playing Tulsa and then Houston. nutso

Chief likes national level and travel rather than the regional scope that it appears most UConn fans favor. Be careful what you wish for. Chief liked when we played AZ and the UCLA and Washington games were great tournament games. Calhoun use to love going to the Western Regionals. Houston been one of the top AAC MBB teams the last few years under Sampson and SMU games were fun during the Larry Brown days.
As for football, got to love that final Herbst study on travel costs, which she bragged about and based her crazy decision making on in blind faith. We now know UConn’s football team (UC’s largest travel squad) goes to San Jose, CA rather than TX for football, goes to the Deep South for pay games (Ole Miss, Clemson & TN) - oh wait a moment our Ole Miss pay game is actually a Middle Tenn pay game with UConn body bags. We now have conference games in NE, WI and OH rather than TN, NC and OH. And we want to keep as many away FL games as we can for recruiting.

Don’t misunderstand Chief likes the national travel games - but those who bought the cost reduction BS - you bought some wetlands.

 

[Pudge]

Chief chief chief

it’s not a few football games a year TRAVEL

It is softball, volleyball, soccer (m & w), baseball, etc. That’s the savings. Double figure games for multiple sports.

 

[Chief00]

Chief chief chief

it’s not a few football games a year TRAVEL

It is softball, volleyball, soccer (m & w), baseball, etc. That’s the savings. Double figure games for multiple sports.

I get that but with football squad, coaches and equipment mgr/trainers, football has a travel party of around one hundred - compared to a fraction of the foot print for these other teams.

 

[Zissou]

This thread is mostly on track. Establish some FBS Indy regional rivals and fill up with P5 opponents.

Early in the thread a new conference was contemplated. I don't think that is realistic, but a scheduling and TV alliance of independents where UConn and Nova remain in the Big East makes sense.

Here is how the new UConn schedule that is taking shape might be improved with the EAST COAST FOOTBALL ALLIANCE:

9/3 UMass
9/12 @ Illinois
9/19 @ Virginia
9/26 Indiana
10/3 @ ACC TBA
10/10 Maine Nova
10/17 BYE (could change)
10/24 @ Ole Miss
10/31 Liberty UD
11/7 TBD (home game) JMU
11/14 @ San Jose St
11/21 TBD (home game)
11/28 Army

 

[Hoophound]

This thread is mostly on track. Establish some FBS Indy regional rivals and fill up with P5 opponents.View attachment 47439
Early in the thread a new conference was contemplated. I don't think that is realistic, but a scheduling and TV alliance of independents where UConn and Nova remain in the Big East makes sense.

Here is how the new UConn schedule that is taking shape might be improved with the EAST COAST FOOTBALL ALLIANCE:

9/3 UMass
9/12 @ Illinois
9/19 @ Virginia
9/26 Indiana
10/3 @ ACC TBA
10/10 Maine Nova
10/17 BYE (could change)
10/24 @ Ole Miss
10/31 Liberty UD
11/7 TBD (home game) JMU
11/14 @ San Jose St
11/21 TBD (home game)
11/28 Army

No offense, but you should let this one die. Your whole idea got shreaded by our AD going out and putting together a great schedule. Swapping out Maine for Nova is of no benefit, dropping FBS Liberty for FCS Delaware is nonsense and while adding JMU is fine, we are shooting higher it seems. This is a dead proposal, bury it.

 

[Nostical]

Chief likes national travel. Chief liked when we played AZ and the great tournament games. Calhoun use to love going to the Western Regionals.

I agree. Love heading to national sites for football—BYU, Boise, Oxford etc. Makes for a great weekend in interesting parts of the country. As for BBall, those Western Regional contests were awesome. How great was it in 2011 beating Kwahi Leonard and San Diego St to reach the final vs AZ and win by 2 when their corner shot bounced off the rim!!

 

[Zissou]

No offense, but you should let this one die. Your whole idea got shreaded by our AD going out and putting together a great schedule. Swapping out Maine for Nova is of no benefit, dropping FBS Liberty for FCS Delaware is nonsense and while adding JMU is fine, we are shooting higher it seems. This is a dead proposal, bury it.

I agree if those teams were FCS. The whole point is for them to be FBS independents.

UConn really should not play any FCS games after next year.

The AD has taken a step forward. It's no surprise to me. I said all along FBS Indy is viable and won't be a step down from the AAC.

 

[UConnDan97]

No offense, but you should let this one die. Your whole idea got shreaded by our AD going out and putting together a great schedule. Swapping out Maine for Nova is of no benefit, dropping FBS Liberty for FCS Delaware is nonsense and while adding JMU is fine, we are shooting higher it seems. This is a dead proposal, bury it.

Zizzou is still trying to "make fetch happen." It's not going to happen...

 

[zls44]

Here is how the new UConn schedule that is taking shape might be improved with the EAST COAST FOOTBALL ALLIANCE:

What's interesting is you used the word "improved", which is the opposite of what it would do.

 

[Zissou]

Zizzou is still trying to "make fetch happen." It's not going to happen...

You mean like when I was blistered on here for a year talking about how a UConn move to the Big East made the most sense? And how going FBS Indy was a viable option? That all seemed to work out, even with all of the expert opinions on here saying there was no chance.

 

[noeynox]

You mean like when I was blistered on here for a year talking about how a UConn move to the Big East made the most sense? And how going FBS Indy was a viable option? That all seemed to work out, even with all of the expert opinions on here saying there was no chance.

Well, let's have those schools join FBS and we can have that discussion.

 

[UConnDan97]

You mean like when I was blistered on here for a year talking about how a UConn move to the Big East made the most sense? And how going FBS Indy was a viable option? That all seemed to work out, even with all of the expert opinions on here saying there was no chance.

Yeah, your idea of us joining forces with Delaware and James Madison have been really spot on, bro! You're so fetch!

 

[Zissou]

Yeah, your idea of us joining forces with Delaware and James Madison have been really spot on, bro! You're so fetch!

You Mean Girls were also wrong about the Big East!