It's a small ray of sunshine, but sunshine nonetheless: Calhoun speaks

[Rumrunner]

"I've said all along and will continue to say it, that UConn will eventually end up in the right place. It may just not be within the time frame we would all like it to be. ... What the Catholic schools do, obviously, would affect us, but we need to take care of UConn and everything else will take care of itself."

Jim Calhoun, Hartford Courant, December 11, 2012
http://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-huskies/hc-big-east-meeting-1212-20121211,0,7252553.story


Warde Manuel may fail at knowing his role as one of the leaders of husky nation.

But at least we know that there is one warrior on our side.

 

[Vuce]

that does NOT sound encouraging.

My translation is: we hope the stars align for us at some point, but it wont be in the near future, we are right now so might as well make the best of it.

 

[Rumrunner]

i guess we have a difference of opinion. i trust his words which are pretty darn clear in realignment speak. but maybe you know more than j.c. since you're putting a lot of words into his mouth.

that does NOT sound encouraging.

My translation is: we hope the stars align for us at some point, but it wont be in the near future, we are ****ed right now so might as well make the best of it.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I love Calhoun, but anything that he says that is directly related to basketball is just another opinion/guess that I don't take too seriously.

 

[huskymedic]

Other than coming from JC - in you opinion, how is what he said different from what WM has said recently:

UConn Director of Athletics Warde Manuel:

“Conference realignment is a prominent national issue in collegiate athletics and will continue to be so into the future. UConn has established a rich history as a very successful academic and athletic institution. We understand that because of that UConn will continue to be brought up in the discussion regarding potential schools considered in realignment."

"We have and will continue to monitor the situation regarding conference realignment and work to ensure that UConn is in the best position for the continued success of our athletic programs. We are proud of the success of our coaches and student-athletes and the tradition that has been established of winning conference and national championships."

“We are proud and appreciative of our great Husky fan base. Husky Nation is strong all over the country and the world. UConn has one of the most captive audiences of any school in the country and we have strong penetration in several of the nation’s largest television markets.”

"The UConn men’s basketball program has won three national championships since 1999 – the only school to do so in this time period – and one of just seven programs in the history of the game to win three or more titles."

"The UConn football team has made incredible strides since it moved to the FBS in 2002. The Huskies have won two BIG EAST Championships, played in five bowl games – including four over the past five seasons -- and became the fastest program to rise from FBS inception to an appearance in a BCS game in history."

"The excellence of the women’s basketball program is unparalleled to any school in the country as UConn has won seven national championships and appeared in 13 Finals Fours, including five straight."

"Olympics sports programs at UConn are successful and have competed in and won NCAA national championship play in a number of them."

"UConn will further enhance its athletic program in the 2013-14 academic year as its men’s ice hockey team begins play in Hockey East, the premier league in the country for that sport. Connecticut will become one of just nine institutions nationally to play men’s basketball, women’s basketball, football and men’s ice hockey in a major conference."

http://borgesblognhr.blogspot.com/2012/11/statements-from-susan-herbst-warde.html

 

[specialisthusky]

I love Calhoun, but anything that he says that is directly related to basketball is just another opinion/guess that I don't take too seriously.

i don't know. I feel like if UConn was truly #screwedharder Calhoun would be the only person in the administration to not hold back and cut out the BS statements to tell us like it is.

 

[Rumrunner]

You answered your own question- because calhoun said it.

"Other than coming from JC - in you opinion, how is what he said different from what WM has said recently":

 

[Marty Jackson]

Other than coming from JC - in you opinion, how is what he said different from what WM has said recently:

UConn Director of Athletics Warde Manuel:

“Conference realignment is a prominent national issue in collegiate athletics and will continue to be so into the future. UConn has established a rich history as a very successful academic and athletic institution. We understand that because of that UConn will continue to be brought up in the discussion regarding potential schools considered in realignment."

"We have and will continue to monitor the situation regarding conference realignment and work to ensure that UConn is in the best position for the continued success of our athletic programs. We are proud of the success of our coaches and student-athletes and the tradition that has been established of winning conference and national championships."

“We are proud and appreciative of our great Husky fan base. Husky Nation is strong all over the country and the world. UConn has one of the most captive audiences of any school in the country and we have strong penetration in several of the nation’s largest television markets.”

"The UConn men’s basketball program has won three national championships since 1999 – the only school to do so in this time period – and one of just seven programs in the history of the game to win three or more titles."

"The UConn football team has made incredible strides since it moved to the FBS in 2002. The Huskies have won two BIG EAST Championships, played in five bowl games – including four over the past five seasons -- and became the fastest program to rise from FBS inception to an appearance in a BCS game in history."

"The excellence of the women’s basketball program is unparalleled to any school in the country as UConn has won seven national championships and appeared in 13 Finals Fours, including five straight."

"Olympics sports programs at UConn are successful and have competed in and won NCAA national championship play in a number of them."

"UConn will further enhance its athletic program in the 2013-14 academic year as its men’s ice hockey team begins play in Hockey East, the premier league in the country for that sport. Connecticut will become one of just nine institutions nationally to play men’s basketball, women’s basketball, football and men’s ice hockey in a major conference."

http://borgesblognhr.blogspot.com/2012/11/statements-from-susan-herbst-warde.html[/quote]
Make that eight... Uconn isn't even in a conference let alone a major conference by the end of the week.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

Based on my many years experience with my back up against the wall there is only one thing to do.
Trust me we are backed into a corner continuing this posture we will tire and be defeated.
Attack is the only alternative.
We put together a UConn Position Paper:
1 Outline the successes we have had when given an opportunity by Dave Gavitt
We certainly didn't merit inclusion in the Big East except that Dave saw us as a sleeping giant.
We paid the Big East Back ten fold for faith in us.
2. Despite having achieved little in football our lack of success was do to our late arrival in a diminishing Big East Football Landscape and an unfortunate hire.
This mistake will not be repeated.
3. If given an opportunity we will do for the B1G ,or B12 what we did for Big East basketball
We can outline the potential markets that would become available if they aquire a successful UConn program
( Note I would not directly contact the ACC but if we had to we could leak the contents of our ultimatum.
Yes I said ultimatum .
We require a response in a short period of time because we are men of honor and our brethen that gave us an oppuntunity deserve an answer.
If we do not hear back we will make a long term commitment to the Big East BB onlies which given our history will keep us as the dominant Basketball School in the New York Market
If we do not hear back or if we do we call an Emergency meeting of the Big East
We will give a five year commitment to the Big East with a large buyout option which dimishes every year we remain in the league.
We agree to end the NBE football experiment and add 3 or 4 more basketball heavies guarateening MSG the best possible product available in the North East.
We are able to participate in the 2013 BE tourney
We in effect subsidize Football on an independent Model for a five year period.
If football can capture the states imagination like BB
BIG four conference afffliation should be a lock.

 

[Adios]

There's 3 mentalities on this board regarding realignment.

- The glass is half-full.
- The glass is half-empty.
- OMG, WE ARE GONNA DIE.

 

[VAHuskyFan]

There's 3 mentalities on this board regarding realignment.

- The glass is half-full.
- The glass is half-empty.
- OMG, WE ARE GONNA DIE.

Love it, but let's be honest - there's no water in the glass at present. Here's my take on the 3 mentalities:

-The glass is empty. But someone will offer us another glass.
-The glass is empty. Warde is to blame for this somehow.
-ESPN poisoned our water.

 

[Dann]

i would argue there is a 4th glass. "the glass with evan and a splash of coke and a fat lip"

 

[Pudge]

I love Calhoun, but anything that he says that is directly related to basketball is just another opinion/guess that I don't take too seriously.

You are a New England curmudgeon. Plain & Simple.

At some point ... you just have to believe that we are going to find our place. Otherwise, just go root for the WBB.

 

[CL82]

i guess we have a difference of opinion. i trust his words which are pretty darn clear in realignment speak. but maybe you know more than j.c. since you're putting a lot of words into his mouth.

LOL, Vuce has it right. That quote says nothing positive. At best it is neutral, at worst there are some negative hints ("I said we'll be okay and I will continue to say it even in the face of the negative news. Catholics leaving is bad news but we will still okay, etc.")

There's 3 mentalities on this board regarding realignment.

- The glass is half-full.
- The glass is half-empty.
- OMG, WE ARE GONNA DIE.

I've been all three camps and I think I'm drifting to the last option. Here's another way of view the current state of the board.

Optimist - The glass is half-full.
Pessimist - The glass is half-empty.
Alarmist - OMG, WE ARE GONNA DIE.
Paranoid - ESPN is plotting to steal my glass.
Realist - The glass is broken and no longer holds water.
Messianic Complex - I will lead you all to the land of bountiful glasses.
Compulsive - If I hit F5 enough times a new glass will appear.
Delusional - No one is saying anything about getting me a new glass, therefor they must be planning to get me a glass. I mean why would they be silent if they didn't have a plan to get me glass?

 

[HuskyHawk]

Love it, but let's be honest - there's no water in the glass at present. Here's my take on the 3 mentalities:

-The glass is empty. But someone will offer us another glass.
-The glass is empty. Warde is to blame for this somehow.
-ESPN poisoned our water.

You missed the fourth...like the spoon in the Matrix, there is no glass. I suspect this is the HFD position.

 

[UConnDan97]

LOL, Vuce has it right. That quote says nothing positive. At best it is neutral, at worst there are some negative hints ("I said we'll be okay and I will continue to say it even in the face of the negative news. Catholics leaving is bad news but we will still okay, etc.")


I've been all three camps and I think I'm drifting to the last option. Here's another way of view the current state of the board.

Optimist - The glass is half-full.
Pessimist - The glass is half-empty.
Alarmist - OMG, WE ARE GONNA DIE.
Paranoid - ESPN is plotting to steal my glass.
Realist - The glass is broken and no longer holds water.
Messianic Complex - I will lead you all to the land of bountiful glasses.
Compulsive - If I hit F5 enough times a new glass will appear.
Delusional - No one is saying anything about getting me a new glass, therefor they must be planning to get me a glass. I mean why would they be silent if they didn't have a plan to get me glass?

I feel like I'm in a different category all by myself:

The Confusionist - Not sure what the glass should look like or why I constantly keep searching for one, and before people started talking about all these glasses, I wasn't even thirsty! Is that a glass?!? No. !!! Wait. What?

 

[ruskin]

If JC is working behind the scenes to get Manuel/Herbst/ESPN and-or Fox/state pols in the same virtual room at the same time I am 100 percent favor of that. The man willed UConn to three NCAA titles. Would love it if he could pull it out of the hat 1 more time. Would be more than worth what he's getting paid this year.

And before all you "Everybody hates Calhoun that's why we're not in ACC" ppl start piling on, well. . . save your breath. JC has some unlikeable qualities, no doubt. But when he's trying to get someone to his side (think recruiting) he can pour on the Irish charm. It can't hurt.

 

[John Greene]

If JC is working behind the scenes to get Manuel/Herbst/ESPN and-or Fox/state pols in the same virtual room at the same time I am 100 percent favor of that. The man willed UConn to three NCAA titles. Would love it if he could pull it out of the hat 1 more time. Would be more than worth what he's getting paid this year.

And before all you "Everybody hates Calhoun that's why we're not in ACC" ppl start piling on, well. . . save your breath. JC has some unlikeable qualities, no doubt. But when he's trying to get someone to his side (think recruiting) he can pour on the Irish charm. It can't hurt.[/quo

It can hurt and has hurt. The target audience is not 18 year olds. Just pray that JC sticking around does not do for UConn what Pat Dye sticking around has done for Auburn. JC has done a lot for UConn but he should just go quietly if he truly wants to help.

 

[ruskin]

sorry John respectfully, but wholeheartedly, disagree. I want Calhoun in our foxhole. The man likes a fight, wins a lot more often than he loses, and if somebody tells him "earn your money this year and get us into a better conference" he has a lot political capital, a lot more than you're giving him credit for. I'm curious who you think the target audience is? I think it's more than the ivory tower people who may truly dislike him. I'm thinking TV execs and politicians who can nudge the process in our favor. "Hey Chris Murphy I endorsed you, now you need to help UConn".

I also think it's time ppl stopped with the self-loathing and buying into this conventional wisdom that people hate UConn/Calhoun because of the grades and Nate Miles stuff. JC isn't perfect, but he's no cleaner or dirtier than K, Cal, Roy Williams, Boeheim, etc etc. Those guys just have much better PR and keeping their dirty laundry out of sight. Next time someone tells you Calhoun cheats, mention Corey Maggette, the recent dude from Duke who had the $100K credit line, the UNC athletes who got good grades and DIDNT EVEN GO TO CLASS.

 

[John Greene]

sorry John respectfully, but wholeheartedly, disagree. I want Calhoun in our foxhole. The man likes a fight, wins a lot more often than he loses, and if somebody tells him "earn your money this year and get us into a better conference" he has a lot political capital, a lot more than you're giving him credit for. I'm curious who you think the target audience is? I think it's more than the ivory tower people who may truly dislike him. I'm thinking TV execs and politicians who can nudge the process in our favor. "Hey Chris Murphy I endorsed you, now you need to help UConn".

I also think it's time ppl stopped with the self-loathing and buying into this conventional wisdom that people hate UConn/Calhoun because of the grades and Nate Miles stuff. JC isn't perfect, but he's no cleaner or dirtier than K, Cal, Roy Williams, Boeheim, etc etc. Those guys just have much better PR and keeping their dirty laundry out of sight. Next time someone tells you Calhoun cheats, mention Corey Maggette, the recent dude from Duke who had the $100K credit line, the UNC athletes who got good grades and DIDNT EVEN GO TO CLASS.

The target audience is conference officials and the AD's & Presidents of the member schools of the conferences we would like to see UConn join. The media people a distant second. JC does not have the best reputation with some in the first group. When he becomes the face of UConn athletics for them it does not help. His actions may not justify that but I have reason to believe it is true. He may have done nothing different than the coaches you name but the perception is different. At this point perception matters. Just look at the UConn/Louisville outcome.

 

[OkaForPrez]

LOL, Vuce has it right. That quote says nothing positive. At best it is neutral, at worst there are some negative hints ("I said we'll be okay and I will continue to say it even in the face of the negative news. Catholics leaving is bad news but we will still okay, etc.")


I've been all three camps and I think I'm drifting to the last option. Here's another way of view the current state of the board.

Optimist - The glass is half-full.
Pessimist - The glass is half-empty.
Alarmist - OMG, WE ARE GONNA DIE.
Paranoid - ESPN is plotting to steal my glass.
Realist - The glass is broken and no longer holds water.
Messianic Complex - I will lead you all to the land of bountiful glasses.
Compulsive - If I hit F5 enough times a new glass will appear.
Delusional - No one is saying anything about getting me a new glass, therefor they must be planning to get me a glass. I mean why would they be silent if they didn't have a plan to get me glass?

Thanks for teaching me F5 = Refresh.. There goes 3 more weeks.