'It has immense resources to offer as a state’s flagship school

[rich1122]

Unless we get something close to the MI game on a routine basis, who will take us? Take it from a guy who has been to every game. This last week people left early when WE were ii the lead. I mean if we think that we are going to the Bg1G with our fan base you are kidding yourself. Ohio State ain't com'n.

I hope that I am wrong. Fairfield City I apologize. I could not help myself.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

No need to apologize but the incessant whining that occurs at times (TDH on a high powered passing attack, your comments on our 40k seat stadium being a 25k seat stadium) do reach the point of overkill.

We do need a bigger & better fan base if we are to get where we want to be. In our favor is the fact that with all of the crap we've been dealt and the negligence (pissing away a decade of positive achievements) of our former AD, we still have a decent turnout (just shy of 25k under the conditions we dealt with a week ago is not all that bad in the scheme of things).

I remember when we filled the stadium regularly and at that time I felt that we hadn't done a damned thing to cultivate a fan base (JH's negligence). With success and the correct leadership, we could double what we had then (to use a marketing term we've barely penetrated the part of the state where I live), which would make us a nice fit in any conference. Someone's going to need to convince me that we tried (really tried) and failed before I believe we can't do it. Without trying at all we were well on our way half a decade ago.

 

[ruskin]

Apparently one of the immense resources is the ability to borrow corporate jets at moment's notice. Life in the Big Time.

 

[Stinger92860]

Unless we get something close to the MI game on a routine basis, who will take us? Take it from a guy who has been to every game. This last week people left early when WE were ii the lead. I mean if we think that we are going to the Bg1G with our fan base you are kidding yourself. Ohio State ain't com'n.

I hope that I am wrong. Fairfield City I apologize. I could not help myself.

Find help quickly.

 

[J187Money]

Unless we get something close to the MI game on a routine basis, who will take us? Take it from a guy who has been to every game. This last week people left early when WE were ii the lead. I mean if we think that we are going to the Bg1G with our fan base you are kidding yourself. Ohio State ain't com'n. I hope that I am wrong. Fairfield City I apologize. I could not help myself.

That's easy. Play Michigan every week. Or some other B1G opponent.

They leave FSU games at halftime also.

 

[Dooley]

Our stadium would be full with a B1G conference schedule. I have no doubt in my mind of that. What I doubt is whether or not we can fill our stadium ever again with these garbage AAC teams like Memphis, Tulane, SMU, etc coming in.

 

[gars44]

I think the underrated challenge with the job is the expectations of the fanbase. It's certainly a job with a lot of potential but when you've got almost no natural recruiting grounds, locally have to compete with Big 10 and ACC programs for players and very little tradition to sell - the definition of short and medium term success needs to be calibrated correctly.

Winning 7-8 games a year consistently and growing from there is success. Expecting anyone to make UConn nationally relevant in the near term is ridiculous.

Winning 7-8 games a year will get us into a p5 conference. I'd say it would be a huge success. A fantastic, maybe unbelievable, success. Long time ago I made the same comment if TJW could get to 4 wins.

 

[gars44]

I think to a large extent you guys are undervaluing this job. It isn't USC but if you look at what it brings to the table it is pretty damned good. Facilities are among the top 10 in the country. Fan base is not bad and even in a bad year our worst attended game will be better than a typical game at most AAC, MAC and Sunbelt schools and if the new coach starts to turn the corner, 35,000 will be standard, with a few sell outs for important or big games. And while there are expectations, the fans won't shoot your dog or picket your house if you don't win. And this is an athletic Department that has historically been very supportive of its coaches and given them what they need to succeed. You don't win national championships in multiple sports without that. Just since 2000 UConn has won national championships in mens and womens basketball, mens soccer, and now field hockey and has produced multiple Olympians in track and field and swimming. This has been a very supportive athletic department and university for athletics and that makes it a pretty attractive place for a coach.

Very nicely said, Free, but here is this: The football powerhouses and their followings do one h_1L of a lot more for their football players, and their football coaches, and football boosters, than Uconn has ever imagined or even thought of doing. And they exist in better climes, or have better "traditions," than Uconn can offer. I don't think we are ready to stomach what it takes to succeed right now. If we can hang with it for a few years, enough people will come to realize that you get dirty when you play football. This ain't contract bridge.

 

[ktuck911]

Now I get why we're interested in Clawson. He can turn programs around. Impressive performance against NIU. Wow

 

[gars44]

Our stadium would be full with a B1G conference schedule. I have no doubt in my mind of that.

I have doubt of that. If this was a losing program, going 3-9, 4-8, each year, maybe getting to 5-7 every now and again; our stadium would look just like it does now. Nobody likes a loser. Nobody goes to game to watch a loser. The Michigan State Uconn 59-6 slaughter would not fill the house. If we win in this AAC conference, they will come.

 

[gars44]

That's easy. Play Michigan every week. Or some other B1G opponent.

They leave FSU games at halftime also.

After the first Michigan game, the novelty is gone. It's just not fun to watch your team get demolished week after week. People find a new team when that happens. The B1G means nothing to this program if we can't figure out a way to win in the AAC.

 

[Dooley]

I have doubt of that. If this was a losing program, going 3-9, 4-8, each year, maybe getting to 5-7 every now and again; our stadium would look just like it does now. Nobody likes a loser. Nobody goes to game to watch a loser. The Michigan State Uconn 59-6 slaughter would not fill the house. If we win in this AAC conference, they will come.

I disagree. UCONN fans are interested in watching the games against the "names", no matter how many times it happens. Take a look at basketball attendance throughout the season as a barometer. You also underestimate the strong traveling fan bases of some of the B1G schools. Granted, Purdue or Minnesota likely wouldn't bring more than 5K to our house, but Penn State, Michigan, MSU, OSU, Nebraska, Wisconsin and in good years, Rutty definitely would.

 

[gars44]

I disagree. UCONN fans are interested in watching the games against the "names", no matter how many times it happens. Take a look at basketball attendance throughout the season as a barometer. You also underestimate the strong traveling fan bases of some of the B1G schools. Granted, Purdue or Minnesota likely wouldn't bring more than 5K to our house, but Penn State, Michigan, MSU, OSU, Nebraska, Wisconsin and in good years, Rutty definitely would.

The way you know that's not true is, look at the bottom of the B1G attendance, Indiana, Purdue, Illinois. It's not good. When the novelty wears off, no one goes to watch a loser. Hopefully, I'm right about winning in the AAC. Very hopefully, because if I'm wrong than last one out turn out the lights.