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

[mavblues]

I know a guy...

It essentially says that in addition to a presentation on full Big 12 membership - UConn is expected to have an alternate presentation ready which would include membership for football only. That would include a plan in which the Huskies men’s and women’s basketball teams schedule a series of games against Big 12 teams. That would allow the Huskies to move non-football sports to Big East as he mentioned yesterday.

I would have never guessed that the thing holding UConn back from a P5 invitation was its Olympic sports...

 

[Penfield]

That's what I was told and it's consistent to what Blaud has been peddling. You can decide to how much weight to put on the accuracy of what he reports. It could be an well intentioned leak as well.

Well if multiple people are hearing it I'm more inclined to believe it. I just can't decide if I should take Blauds seriously or not. He seems to have some contacts but his theories make no sense

 

[sportsart]

I know a guy...

It essentially says that in addition to a presentation on full Big 12 membership - UConn is expected to have an alternate presentation ready which would include membership for football only. That would include a plan in which the Huskies men’s and women’s basketball teams schedule a series of games against Big 12 teams. That would allow the Huskies to move non-football sports to Big East as he mentioned yesterday.

That all goes back to, why would the Big 12 take UConn for FB and leave their best assets behind?

 

[jostar1]

Jake Trotter ‏@Jake_Trotter Aug 18

This email Bowlsby sent UH prez Khator July 26 sheds a tiny bit more light on Big 12’s expansion exploration process
View attachment 15054

Mark Blaudschun@blauds 5 mins ago
Big 12 expansion plans include an invitation to UConn to put its Big 12 pitch together
Big 12 adds UConn to official list

>>According to sources familiar with the process, Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby has sent an E-Mail to University of Connecticut President Susan Herbst, and explaining the procedures UConn should follow to formally apply for membership.

Numerous–perhaps as many as 20–emails are expected to be sent by the Big 12 as it winds its way through the steps of expanding from 1o to perhaps 12 or even 14 schools. Various media outlets have reported that Houston has also been officially contacted by the Big 12. The rest of this article is available to subscribers only – to become a subscriber click here.<<

Bowlsby is just doing what the Presidents told him to do. On the July 19 Big 12 Conference call, per Boren:

"So at the end of all of that discussion, the direction from the Board was to the commissioner to contact those schools, recontact those schools who have expressed interest to us, who have come to us, and to find out exactly the nature of the interest, evaluate what proposals they might make in accordance with their interests, and then he'll be reporting back to us."

 

[ConnHuskBask]

That all goes back to, why would the Big 12 take UConn for FB and leave their best assets behind?

It does seem strange that this would be the case.

The only thing I can think of is that it would not enacting the full pro rata clause and could land the Big 12 with:

1) 12 team football league which the simulations showed the highest probability of making the CFB Playoff.

2) Mitigates all the Olympic travel concerns.

3) TV pays the Big 12 a nice increase, but less than the full pro rata, so it keeps the Big 12 and the networks happy.

4) Nothing makes sense anymore.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I know a guy...

It essentially says that in addition to a presentation on full Big 12 membership - UConn is expected to have an alternate presentation ready which would include membership for football only. That would include a plan in which the Huskies men’s and women’s basketball teams schedule a series of games against Big 12 teams. That would allow the Huskies to move non-football sports to Big East as he mentioned yesterday.

But what the hell does he mean by this: "expansion can be simple and quick if it sticks to one issue and one school at the start" Whats the one issue and one school?

 

[TRest]

Bowlsby is just doing what the Presidents told him to do. On the July 19 Big 12 Conference call, per Boren:

"So at the end of all of that discussion, the direction from the Board was to the commissioner to contact those schools, recontact those schools who have expressed interest to us, who have come to us, and to find out exactly the nature of the interest, evaluate what proposals they might make in accordance with their interests, and then he'll be reporting back to us."

U Memphis has indicated that the nature of their interest is wanting some of that B12 (substitute word for hot young female).

 

[TRest]

But what the hell does he mean by this: "expansion can be simple and quick if it sticks to one issue and one school at the start" Whats the one issue and one school?

Who amongst you will join for free? Besides Memphis, we got your proposal.

 

[sportsart]

But what the hell does he mean by this: "expansion can be simple and quick if it sticks to one issue and one school at the start" Whats the one issue and one school?

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

That all goes back to, why would the Big 12 take UConn for FB and leave their best assets behind?

Technically, they're not leaving our best assets behind if it includes multiple yearly games with the Big 12 for both the men's and women's basketball teams as part of the deal. If it weren't for the distance, UConn would be the top candidate, so removing a large part of the biggest obstacle (transportation costs of non-revenue sports) to joining may actually help UConn Football get to a better league.

 

[huskymedic]

But what the hell does he mean by this: "expansion can be simple and quick if it sticks to one issue and one school at the start" Whats the one issue and one school?

That's a different article and more spitballing that all the extracurricular stuff aside - based on a pure football pedigree it should be BYU from what I gather. Two separate things.

 

[huskymedic]

Well if multiple people are hearing it I'm more inclined to believe it. I just can't decide if I should take Blauds seriously or not. He seems to have some contacts but his theories make no sense

Just to clarify - when I said "I know a guy"... it's a guy who has access to the pay site.

Blaud is old school and his contacts are old school.

 

[Ozone21]

What makes sense is Football and Men's and Women's hoops in Big 12 , Big East rest of the sports and obviously Hockey remains in hockey east.

 

[Penfield]

Just to clarify - when I said "I know a guy"... it's a guy who has access to the pay site.

Blaud is old school and his contacts are old school.

Haha thats what I thought you meant... then you started talking about "what you have been told"

 

[amory]

OK, so going off what Mark is saying, why not, Football and Bball to the B12, and all other sports to the Big East?

Would the BE have anything against this?

Easy trips for St. John's, Seton Hall, PC, Georgetown, Villanova, and maybe Xavier.

I don't think the Big East will be interested in half-members.

With our basketball, we're a no-brainer add. Without it, I think they'd take a pass.

 

[Penfield]

If we really did go FB only we have to realize that its basically an 8 year marriage before this league falls apart. Im fine with that though.

 

[Penfield]

I don't think the Big East will be interested in half-members.

With our basketball, we're a no-brainer add. Without it, I think they'd take a pass.

They are fine with us for field hockey only right now.

 

[Chief00]

Warde was good, but most of his work was internal. Benedict is doing very visible work. He is a marketing guy and a presentation guy. He is doing a bunch of stuff many of us would have done if AD. I presumed many of these things weren't allowed. I'm amazed that he is so easily manipulating things that result in dollars to the school, such as concession prices and advertising spots at football games. I had the impression that suggesting those things would be shot down immediately, apparently that isn't so or Benedict is very persuasive.

You got to compare the costs with the costs of not getting into a top conference.

 

[huskymedic]

Haha thats what I thought you meant... then you started talking about "what you have been told"

Well, there are those other voices...

 

[sportsart]

Technically, they're not leaving our best assets behind if it includes multiple yearly games with the Big 12 for both the men's and women's basketball teams as part of the deal. If it weren't for the distance, UConn would be the top candidate, so removing a large part of the biggest obstacle (transportation costs of non-revenue sports) to joining may actually help UConn Football get to a better league.

First off, if you take UConn for FB you want ALL the BB games. Doesn't make sense to only take several.

Second, I don't buy this travel crap. UConn has to travel to 9-10 far away locations and the Big 12 teams has just one. I don't know how Olympic sports work but aren't most of them once a year, maybe twice, so you are looking at, at worse 1 long travel every year or every other year.

 

[NYUConn]

I would place the Big 12 taking UConn football only on the prism of a Trump Presidency in all liklihood.

The only reason for taking UConn football and not bball is if the conference is taking media markets seriously and thinks that having a football member in the No. 1 and 30 DMA's is worth the money.

Even then it's a serious longshot.

 

[jostar1]

What makes sense is Football and Men's and Women's hoops in Big 12 , Big East rest of the sports and obviously Hockey remains in hockey east.

Could the rumor actually be this with some sort of scheduling agreement with the Big East for basketball?

 

[businesslawyer]

I don't think the Big East will be interested in half-members.

With our basketball, we're a no-brainer add. Without it, I think they'd take a pass.

Eh. We're playing women's field hockey in the league now. If we don't take out money and pay our fair share of the overhead for non-revenue sports, I am not sure that anyone would care one way or the other. Once you get past football and hoops, college athletics ceases to be a business and becomes more of a part of a university it seems. See, e.g., BC having no problem with us being in Hockey East (despite their fake position that they hate us for moral reasons relating to the lawsuit).

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

When Blauds is hypothesizing and forming his own conclusions, he's usually out in right field. However, when he's stating information he got from sources, he should be taken seriously. He's got legitimate connections in Northeast athletic departments, so he's way above the level of a Twitter "insider" in that regard.

 

[jostar1]

Stewart Mandel ‏@slmandel · 5h5 hours ago
And last but not least, my Top 10 Group of 5 teams. Beware of Appalachian State.

Ranking the 10 best Group of 5 teams in college football

9
Connecticut
The defensively stout Huskies improved from 2-10 to 6-7 last season and should take another step forward thanks to RB Arkeel Newsome.

Ranking the 10 best Group of 5 teams in college football