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

[BPT2Storrs]

The demise of the PAC-12 has been known for a long time. Everyone knew once USC and UCLA left for the Big Ten that the PAC was going to be unable to sustain itself. Why was Oregon going to stay there? The rumors about them going to the Big Ten have been out there for as long as the rumors about us going to the Big XII (several months now). If this was widely known to the public then just think what the ADs, media execs and others knew. I think this just highlights that we were never truly a candidate. We were in fact played. You can say that BY had a vision but you think he flew all the way out here without the blessing of the ADs/university presidents? Know way he comes to UConn and talks about us publicly without knowing he has the votes to back it up. This is all done through back channels and decisions are made before the public knows. We were a pawn. They never wanted us.

 

[GG]

No, GoKU was a fraud. I got confirmation from someone that every single person on this board knows. Talked with them a couple hours ago. All of the smoke around us was a lie by Yormark to get the Pac schools to jump. He used us, and executed it perfectly

That is completely contradictory to what Greg Flugar has said and he nailed everything else. He said the interest was (is) legitimate. He always had us behind CO, AZ, ASU and Utah. He said that things had to break a certain way for us to get the nod. Unless that was never relayed to UCONN, your source does not appear to have good information.

 

[Rewster]

ACC is trash and will be the new AAC in a couple of years when the valuable teams leave. We don’t need or want to join that league at this time. It would be all exit fee for the chance to tie up our media rights and guarantee we never get into a real conference.

Can’t have it both ways. How can teams leave but any team that enters will be stuck. I think the GOR keeps them in close to the whole time. And if they do leave it would be a bit of a windfall monetarily for the teams that stay for a short period. We need a infusion of money. If it’s partial for basketball that’s grows in full with football over time we need to go.

 

[Muddler]

In hindsight, there was a major flaw with the entire premise. We needed the deal to bad enough to shake loose Colorado but good enough that the other schools decided to stay. The huge problem was OU and UW - it became clear that they already had conversations and a path to to B1G and once the crappy contract with GOR was released it gave mutual incentive for the 2 schools to move on. At that point, everyone who could get off the island would and did.

We also learned in hindsight that they could have taken UConn will Colorado too. They just preferred other schools. All of them were available as there is no PAC anymore. At least the Big 12 can say they own the Utah market now.

 

[businesslawyer]

Few basic points:

(1) we were played by YoMark and he’s another media scumbag
(2) there was nothing DB and UConn could do about it when you’re dealing with people that have bad faith
(3) the university should be out in front of this. There is no honor in getting kick in the nuts and taking it silently.

Statement should be along these lines:

“Regrettably the b12 couldn’t see the value of brining the most dominant basketball program in the nation for the last 25 years and being part of the largest media markets in the nation. Being a top 25 state university, there are conferences with more suitable academic peers in any case. We look forward to football’s continued success under Coach Mora and the continued dominance of our basketball programs. Undoubtedly, more change is coming and the tremendous value UConn brings will be recognized by astute leaders.

Optional add-on:

P.S. Yormark is a lying manipulative P.O.S. that wasted our time and resources, and your presidents are as dumb as the institutions they lead. No hard feelings, though.

One thousand per cent NO. Let me spell this out for you. There are now four major conferences to survive in long term. Two of them we should assume we will never be financially important enough to qualify for. So your strategy is to get in a meaningless war of words to tick off one of the remaining two? Why, that’s brilliant.

I understand that mean words would make you feel better. Adults shut up, keep all their options open, and quietly wait for their opportunity to get revenge without broadcasting it publicly in a manner that reduces their options going forward.

 

[GG]

Adding this to key tweets because Flugar is responding to a key tweet. That being said, Flugar nailed all of this and started discussing these possibilities back in March or April. We may finally have to admit he has legit sources (plus he is just a nice guy).

 

[GG]

Bball coach excited about the new schools and the POSSIBILITY of other schools.

 

[CL82]

Adding this to key tweets because Flugar is responding to a key tweet. That being said, Flugar nailed all of this and started discussing these possibilities back in March or April. We may finally have to admit he has legit sources (plus he is just a nice guy).

Maybe, but I would rather shoot myself then watch that guy read an article to me.

 

[CL82]

Bball coach excited about the new schools and the POSSIBILITY of other schools.

"I am excited about some of the schools that are coming in and of the potential of other schools to come too"

Wow, there's a lot of ways to parse that isn't there?

 

[Travelman6]

Would a b12 bball only invite really be that bad if the conference could guarantee 4 or 5 fball games with b12 teams each year? Would 6 sweeten the deal? And possibly an upgrade to all sports if fball performs well, say over a 5 year period/next 5 years? B12 could go for gonzaga and have an amazing bball conference.

I'd be all in for that.

 

[UCFBfan]

Adding this to key tweets because Flugar is responding to a key tweet. That being said, Flugar nailed all of this and started discussing these possibilities back in March or April. We may finally have to admit he has legit sources (plus he is just a nice guy).

I can only imagine the nuclear meltdown the mens bball board will have if we go bball only to the Big 12.....

 

[UConn Dan]

"I am excited about some of the schools that are coming in and of the potential of other schools to come too"

Wow, there's a lot of ways to parse that isn't there?

Wow really sounds like he was talking about UConn

 

[CL82]

Wow really sounds like he was talking about UConn

Maybe, or maybe he only thinks some of the additions are good ones but he hopes the other additions will grow into being good ones.

Or maybe he still sees a candidate out there that has the potential to join in addition to the others. Who knows? But I'm kind of done talking about this ... at least until the next time.

 

[upstater]

The discourse on Twitter in adding OSU & UConn on Twitter shows a lot of sympathy for OSU. Why? Because they were in a power conference & so they have a big budget and a lot more sports than UConn. But UConns budget is $20m higher than OSUs & it has more sports. This underscores how little people know about UConn. Is it the size of the state ? I looked at the budgets of the Pac4 and was surprised to see they were heavily subsidized. Cal for instance subsidizes $31m if it’s AD and it just took on an additional 9 million in annual stadium debt service. Unlike most schools, Cal shows the debt on their budget. Good for them. But they are now in UConns position as are all the pac4

 

[LBird33]

Would a b12 bball only invite really be that bad if the conference could guarantee 4 or 5 fball games with b12 teams each year? Would 6 sweeten the deal? And possibly an upgrade to all sports if fball performs well, say over a 5 year period/next 5 years? B12 could go for gonzaga and have an amazing bball conference.

I'd be all in for that.

One question. Where do the Olympic sports go ? I’m thinking the Big East would say bye bye

 

[ESLNKY03]

Wow really sounds like he was talking about UConn

Surely the trustees meeting that was scheduled for 2 weeks out, was initiated with the recent 2 more teams leaks coming down the pipe

 

[Buffett10]

If the B12 offers a basketball only spot and covers our exit fee from the Big East, I think we have to take it. We want to be in on their basketball tournament after the split, and we’d now have a foot in the door for future expansion. It’s also just a really strong basketball league tbh.

Pass

 

[businesslawyer]

I wouldn’t rule out an offer that hasn’t been made, and thus I don’t know the specifics of, but it’s hard to see a deal for basketball only that would work for both us and the XII. The amount of money it would take for us to cover the buy out to the Big East and then make enough money from the move to cover the extra travel and the fact that, short term, I have little doubt our fan base would rather stay where we are with some drivable road games, would be far, far more than anyone has ever considered paying a team just for basketball.

So it doesn’t sound plausible to me, but whether it makes sense or not would depend on the particular offer.

 

[Bongo Fury]

Would a b12 bball only invite really be that bad if the conference could guarantee 4 or 5 fball games with b12 teams each year? Would 6 sweeten the deal? And possibly an upgrade to all sports if fball performs well, say over a 5 year period/next 5 years? B12 could go for gonzaga and have an amazing bball conference.

I'd be all in for that.

UConn would be like ND. Plus give FB more exposure and help recruiting

 

[upstater]

I agree, we would have to take it. I think we try to make it work if it is over $15m, but I would insist on a scheduling alliance and the ability to eventually become a full member if we meet certain criteria in football.

Don’t know if you have ever watched Greg Flugar’s show but he always had us right behind Colorado, Arizona, ASU and Utah, and insisted BY’s interest in us was legitimate (but that things had to break a certain way for us to make the cut as a full member). But at certain times he thought we would be a full addition and at other times he thought we would be a basketball only addition. He indicated, as late as three weeks ago, that Yormark approached both UCONN and St. John’s as basketball only additions. He also indicated that Gonzaga was sometimes in play, but the Zags were insisting on a full invite.

If it is truly BY’s vision to have the best basketball programs to ensure the future of the big 12 (which assumes the SEC and BIG try to break away), I would have to imagine that this is a real possibility. He also believes there is more money to be made in bball in the future if the conference takes the product to the networks separately. BY has been open about his desire to have a NY (east coast) presence. We also know that the Big 12 has already completed its due diligence with the Zags and UCONN (I do not believe they got that far with St. John’s), so this move could be made relatively quickly. What continues to concern me is whether the presidents of the Big 12 schools truly understand and embrace Yormark’s vision. I happen to agree with him, there is no way you can have a bball tourney that excludes names like KU, UCONN and Gonzaga. Securing those programs means you will always be a player and have a voice.

How would it be $15m for bball? That’s half the total tv payout. If bball were worth as much as football UConn would be in the P2

 

[coachcap]

Would a b12 bball only invite really be that bad if the conference could guarantee 4 or 5 fball games with b12 teams each year? Would 6 sweeten the deal? And possibly an upgrade to all sports if fball performs well, say over a 5 year period/next 5 years? B12 could go for gonzaga and have an amazing bball conference.

I'd be all in for that

Hoops only to the XII sounds like water torture, but may be UConn's only lifeline. I am of the belief that the next network contract for the Big East will be drastically lower or the networks will just not negotiate as they have enough content due to the demise of the PAC-12.
If UConn goes hoops only to the XII, I agree with the previous statements that the Contract mast be at least for $ 15M per year & a provision to play 6 games per year to allow for more ease in scheduling in football.
My concern is where will the Athletic Department plant Husky Olympic Sports? This will get messy.

 

[CTBasketball]

I told you guys last week we’d only go to the B12 as hoops only at a discount. You all went at my throat.

Stop daydreaming. You all and UConn are constantly being used over and over. It’s sad to watch, you’re all addicted to this nonsense.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Would a b12 bball only invite really be that bad if the conference could guarantee 4 or 5 games with b12 teams each year? Would 6 sweeten the deal? And possibly an upgrade to all sports if fball performs well, say over a 5 year period/next 5 years? B12 could go for gonzaga and have an amazing bball conference.

I'd be all in for that.

There will be one last tectonic plate to shift in the next handful of years: the ACC, which will likely lose its top 6-8 brands to the B1G/SEC/Big12. So, the scenarios are:

1 - wait it out for the next handful of years as we are now and hope to slide into the remaining ACC schools and be in the fourth best conference with schools like BC, Wake, Syracuse, etc.

2- take a basketball/Olympic sport arrangement with the Big12 that hopefully includes a football scheduling arrangement to augment the rest of our Independent schedule. I'd imagine that upon showing well in football we'd be taken into the Big12 when they expand past 16 teams.

I think UConn should bet on itself and take #2. Mora should get us there, imo.

Pulling basketball from the BE will hurt many of us emotionally, but given where the media companies are at in terms of merging big brand schools, I don't think the Big East will thrive in such an environment. From the women's BB perspective, I think being in the BE and AAC has not exactly helped the program as the rest of the nation began to place more emphasis on women's BB and a move to the Big12 will help bolster recruiting (not that they need that much help, obviously but when Geno retires you never know what then occurs).

If AD David Benedict is using a decision tree to drive his moves, I think with what has happened this week (i.e. a HUGE consolidation to a P3/P4 in mere days - something that previously took years to happen) a partial Big12 offer has to be accepted.

Previously I did not think that would be even something we'd consider, but with what transpired this week, I think if we don't do this in 5 years we'd all look back and say we blew it by not doing it.

 

[upstater]

Coverage on the demise of PAC-12 from the Bay Area tonight.

Listen to what Larry said about Stanford and Cal football. Let it be a warning to UConn.

It is a sad day when the 108 years old conference went up in smoke in one day.

What’s the lesson to draw? I listened to all of that and I don’t get a lesson

 

[upstater]

Would a b12 bball only invite really be that bad if the conference could guarantee 4 or 5 fball games with b12 teams each year? Would 6 sweeten the deal? And possibly an upgrade to all sports if fball performs well, say over a 5 year period/next 5 years? B12 could go for gonzaga and have an amazing bball conference.

I'd be all in for that.

Guarantee games against the Big12? The Big12 has an array of so-so schools. They are not all that good outside of TCU. Seriously look at them as football schools. There’s nothing there. They have 16 teams and only one of those teams is a football power. 1. The only appeal of this conference was $50m a year and Kansas basketball. It really is a basketball conference. Full stop