Key tweets, and it's all gone to Hell.

[Husky92]

iPhone is giving me 8 hrs Morgantown to Storrs, 4.5 hours Morgantown to Cincinnati.

 

[06029]

We have a Big Ten/SEC level fanbase in basketball, no doubt. In football, we have the same potential, as well. I am sure people know we actually do have a football fanbase that travels well. We already are amongst the best in the Hockey East.

FB travels well? How many away tickets are sold every year to Uconn? How many do they return to the other school? Potential? Maybe to driveable games, but on Thursday, I will guess less than 1,000 Uconn fans in Houston.

And never forget that the travel perception for Uconn is clouded by the Fiesta Bowl ticket sales and how few the school actually sold for that game and the other bowl games Uconn went to.

 

[Marty Jackson]

FB travels well? How many away tickets are sold every year to Uconn? How many do they return to the other school? Potential? Maybe to driveable games, but on Thursday, I will guess less than 1,000 Uconn fans in Houston.

And never forget that the travel perception for Uconn is clouded by the Fiesta Bowl ticket sales and how few the school actually sold for that game and the other bowl games Uconn went to.

was at the Navy game. hard to guess but there were quite a few uconn fans. probably in the 500-1,000 range.
that is a lot more manageable than a mid-week game in Houston.

 

[06029]

was at the Navy game. hard to guess but there were quite a few uconn fans. probably in the 500-1,000 range.
that is a lot more manageable than a mid-week game in Houston.

500-1,000 is not traveling well for FB. Typical allotment to visiting teams is 3-5k tickets depending on the size of the stadium. Schools that are consider to travel well don't return tickets allotted to them. And I consider Navy to be a driveable distance for an away game.

 

[junglehusky]

Must be another Morgantown in PA or NY upstate.

 

[MattMang23]

Morgantown to Storrs - per Google Maps
12 h 3 min (795.0 mi) via I-84, I-80 W and I-71 S

Uhhh, how slow do you drive?

 

[jostar1]

Chuck Carlton‏@ChuckCarltonDMN
With Oklahoma and David Boren opposed to expansion in the Big 12, what that could mean to the process.

UPDATE 4:20 P.M.: Oklahoma President David Boren released the following statement:

"I do not know where the speculation came from, but Oklahoma has not yet taken a position on expansion."

ORIGINAL REPORTING FOLLOWS
Hopes for Big 12 expansion quickly sour with OU president Boren's change of heart | SportsDay

 

[huskymedic]

Bohls: OSU’s Pickens disses Boren, Gundy; Formula 1 is banking...

>>1. T. Boone Pickens said he likes the current 10-team Big 12 configuration the way it is and would prefer adding Houston and SMU if the league grows, but that’s “probably unlikely.” The Oklahoma State benefactor said on our “On Second Thought” podcast that Oklahoma president David Boren has been wishy-washy about expansion and that “maybe it’s time for David to retire.” Some outlets reported Tuesday that the mercurial Boren is saying he’s decided against expansion, but Boren clarified his stance, saying “Oklahoma has not yet taken a position on expansion.” Pickens, who has given $500 million to his alma mater, said, “I’ve known David forever. He likes to talk. He gets a little bit confused sometimes.” Pickens said he and Cowboys coach Mike Gundy aren’t talking. “I don’t have any conversations with Gundy,” he said. Is there a rift? “I don’t know, but Mike doesn’t handle people relationships very well. And he gets mad about things. I’ve heard he’s written some notes about me that weren’t very complimentary.”<<

What a cluster...

 

[jostar1]

Brian DavisVerified account ‏@BDavisAAS 7h7 hours ago
I do know this about Texas President Greg Fenves. He's still open to hearing all options about Big 12 expansion. But if Boren's out...

 

[auror]

Pickens said he and Cowboys coach Mike Gundy aren’t talking. “I don’t have any conversations with Gundy,” he said. Is there a rift? “I don’t know, but Mike doesn’t handle people relationships very well. And he gets mad about things. I’ve heard he’s written some notes about me that weren’t very complimentary.”<<

I can imagine there might be a complicated relationship between a football coach doing his job and a guy who donated $500 million to the school and probably thinks the team is his like Jerry Jones.

 

[Nostical]

Lots of signs pointing to Big 12 standing pat.

Tramel: OU not anti-expansion; OU is anti-expansion candidates | NewsOK.com

 

[junglehusky]

Before this round of expansion interviews etc kicked off we did hear that some of OU's regents / trustees / admins were not on board with Boren. So this is not that shocking to hear that since the conference can't settle on 2 or 4 candidates that these dissidents withing OU are piping up again. It's a perfect storm of UT poisoning the well with UT while non-Texas schools were going to be disinclined to have them as one of two schools, BYU being BYU, geography, and both networks not thrilled with being on the hook to cough up a billion dollars for BYU/Houston/UConn/Cincinatti when they thought they were going to get FSU and Clemson for half a bil. (And apparently, so did the B12 until the ACC GOR).

 

[djct1999]

Lots of signs pointing to Big 12 standing pat.

Tramel: OU not anti-expansion; OU is anti-expansion candidates | NewsOK.com

Or.......Boren is taking a stand vs Texas. Everyone just assumes Texas has the upper hand but OU shares equal power or more. OU probably has 4 landing spots, UT has two that are certain. This is Boren's way of taking a stand....... I get my way or we are out. No expansion is the death of the conference. That's a given. But Boren has always seen the worth of staying in the Big 12 if there was a long term vision. To Boren it has always been 4 teams, BYU and UConn included, or nothing. Adding just UH and Cincy is not viable. The noise generated this past week further proves its four or nothing. This is a positive for UConn.

 

[junglehusky]

Wolken chatting with Chuck Carlton on this week's (non) development:

 

[junglehusky]

Wolken chatting with Chuck Carlton on this week's (non) development:

One of the tidbits: Carlton says a Big12 source told him that if UConn were 500 miles closer (or maybe it was 500 miles away? at work, not gonna replay) that UConn would be in.

So...

 

[Husky25]

One of the tidbits: Carlton says a Big12 source told him that if UConn were 500 miles closer (or maybe it was 500 miles away? at work, not gonna replay) that UConn would be in.

So...

So, an hour by plane?

Give me a GD break!!!

 

[huskeynut]

One of the tidbits: Carlton says a Big12 source told him that if UConn were 500 miles closer (or maybe it was 500 miles away? at work, not gonna replay) that UConn would be in.

So...

This is BS. You can make all sorts of excuses/ reasons if you don't want someone in your conference.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

This is BS. You can make all sorts of excuses/ reasons if you don't want someone in your conference.

It's not BS, it's true. 500 miles closer would also lessen the perception that we're a bunch of New England Yankees. Don't discount that being a factor in a league heavily dominated by Texans. Whether that perception is right or wrong on either end, it's present in some capacity.

Also don't forget that it was stated a couple years back, and is entirely true, that if UConn were located in Fairfield County and not Storrs we'd be in the B1G.

 

[Jimdish255]

What a surprise that T-Bone prefers more Texas. It's a clown show and Boren is just getting done with it. Probably planning his next/final move or thinking retirement. He must be really disheartened at the myopic short-term thinking of his peers in the league.

 

[UC1995]

So sad that we are ultimately happy that Big 12 isn't expanding and the AAC is staying the same. I think this whole process has severely lowered our expectations.

We need to flip the narrative and say B1G is our ultimate location and settling on a bunch of disfunctional family members like the Big 12 is not worth the effort. I have to admit I admire the administrations quiet low key approach.... Doesn't piss off current group and doesn't turn of B1G universities.

Cincy... Houston... Memphis.... ECU have to live with their actions after Big 12 says no more movement.

 

[noeynox]

One of the tidbits: Carlton says a Big12 source told him that if UConn were 500 miles closer (or maybe it was 500 miles away? at work, not gonna replay) that UConn would be in.

So...

Fits with what Benedict said at the tailgate to the yarders. For that particular p5 league, geography was our biggest obstacle. Too bad they can't come to agreement that they are going to need to conference network of some sort at some point to remain competitive. That would have given us a leg up in the competition.

 

[CardiffGiant]

One of the tidbits: Carlton says a Big12 source told him that if UConn were 500 miles closer (or maybe it was 500 miles away? at work, not gonna replay) that UConn would be in.

So...

Hate to say it, but this is consistent with the comments of the AD at the recent tailgate according to that thread....

 

[CL82]

It's not BS, it's true. 500 miles closer would also lessen the perception that we're a bunch of New England Yankees. Don't discount that being a factor in a league heavily dominated by Texans. Whether that perception is right or wrong on either end, it's present in some capacity.

Also don't forget that it was stated a couple years back, and is entirely true, that if UConn were located in Fairfield County and not Storrs we'd be in the B1G.

Damn Storrs brothers.

 

[Marty Jackson]

It's not BS, it's true. 500 miles closer would also lessen the perception that we're a bunch of New England Yankees. Don't discount that being a factor in a league heavily dominated by Texans. Whether that perception is right or wrong on either end, it's present in some capacity.

Also don't forget that it was stated a couple years back, and is entirely true, that if UConn were located in Fairfield County and not Storrs we'd be in the B1G.

i've also heard that if we had square a holes, we could all crap bricks.

 

[NYUConn]

Also don't forget that it was stated a couple years back, and is entirely true, that if UConn were located in Fairfield County and not Storrs we'd be in the B1G.

I know this is insane, but I really believe that UConn should look at moving the main campus to Stamford over the next 20 years.

Taking Conference Realignment and athletics out of the equation altogether, having campus located 45 minutes to Grand Central Station and NYC would be a boon academically. It would allow our grad programs more access to top tier companies and institutions, while giving our undergrads a leg up in securing internships and jobs after graduation.

Being that close would allow the school to secure top professionals to serve as adjunct faculty as well.

If more UConn undergrads get exposed to opportunities in NYC, you are creating more potential NYC-located grads, increasing their net worth and building a stronger alumni network.

I love Storrs and I wouldn't of traded my 4 years there for anything, but let's be real, geographically it may as well be Siberia. Being 90 minutes from Boston and 2.5 hours from NYC is nice, but being 45 minutes from NYC would be nicer and a serious game-changer for the college.

Go ahead and crucify me. I'm ready for it.