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

[jostar1]

Part of the problem is that the metrics keep changing. And UConn is never on the right side of the metrics. When Rutgers was added to the Big 10, the metric was cable boxes. They were AAU and contiguous also, so they were acceptable. As we later found out, the Big 10 had been in contact with Rutgers for years telling them what they needed to do. Maryland had location, AAU, contiguous, wanted out of the ACC, and was a partner for Rutgers. The Big 10 did require AAU and contiguous back then. Not now. And cable boxes are not a metric now with the Big 10.

One constant, has been UConn's lack of football history and success. When the ACC added BC, Miami, Syracuse and Pitt, those schools had a history of football. There are name players you can associate with those schools---Doug Flutie, Donavan McNabb, Jim Brown, Dan Marino, etc,
And lack of football success kept us out of the ACC when they added Louisville over UConn.

When the ACC added SMU, SMU had a wealthy booster, so they cut the deal of taking no money from the ACC for 10 years. Plus they added the Texas market for the ACC Network. Similar to the addition of Rutgers to the Big 10, adding SMU was a plus due to the ACC having a conference network. UConn adds nothing to the ACC Network because the ACC Network is already on local cable companies, AND SMU had an acceptable football program.

Despite the changing metrics of cable boxes, AAU, contiguous state, ACC network--- the one continuous factor has been that UConn's lack of football success has been a problem with any conference. That is evident in the discussions last year that UConn had with the Big 12. They weren't going to add UConn right away; there was the 5 year runway plan for football.

 

[UConnJim]

UConn adds nothing to the ACC Network because the ACC Network is already on local cable companies, AND SMU had an acceptable football program.

I agreed with most of what you said, but this statement is not true. There are 2 different rates for the ACCN, in market (~$1.30/household) and out of market rates (~$0.25/household). Connecticut is currently out of market, so the ACC would get a higher rate by adding UConn. That said, there are many more households in Texas and in California for the ACCN although I don't believe the ACC gets in market rates for all of Texas and California. Thus, if ACCN revenues were the only factor, it makes more sense to add SMU/Cal/Stanford over UConn, but this is ST thinking as in the LT, I believe conference networks will be streamed.

 

[jostar1]

I agreed with most of what you said, but this statement is not true. There are 2 different rates for the ACCN, in market (~$1.30/household) and out of market rates (~$0.25/household). Connecticut is currently out of market, so the ACC would get a higher rate by adding UConn. That said, there are many more households in Texas and in California for the ACCN although I don't believe the ACC gets in market rates for all of Texas and California. Thus, if ACCN revenues were the only factor, it makes more sense to add SMU/Cal/Stanford over UConn, but this is ST thinking as in the LT, I believe conference networks will be streamed.

Thanks for the info. I agree that it is short-term thinking on the part of the ACC. The metrics are constantly changing and UConn is never on the right side of the metrics. Lack of football success has been constant, though.

 

[ZooCougar]

SUNJ sucks

SUNJ is fraudulent

 

[gioff2323]

It’s crazy that this thread still exits; more, persists.

But the notion that a lack of football success has been our downfall ignores the fact that we were successful when cuse, Pitt, wvu and ville got scooped It was only a liability when we were in AAC - which to be fair, that conference nearly killed us.

 

[Marbles90]

But the notion that a lack of football success has been our downfall ignores the fact that we were successful when cuse, Pitt, wvu and ville got scooped It was only a liability when we were in AAC - which to be fair, that conference nearly killed us.

I think it is crazy that many folks on this board try to equate our football value and comparison based on a very small sample. Pitt and WVU have a huge history of major college football. WVU was nationally ranked and won major bowl games in the 50's and 60's and has been relevant through their history (albeit with some down years). Pitt won a national championship in the 70's.

When I went to UConn in the 80's, I didn't even know we had a football team. UConn's major football history equals a few decent years in the (really bad) Big East in the early 2000's. And then some of the worst football ever post RE1. The whole conference realignment was based on media value not how one school did vs another school in one small blip in history.

 

[gioff2323]

I’ve always felt our quick rise in football accelerated not only realignment, but realignment in favor of storied programs. We shdve beaten ucf, but everyone else had much better tradition.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

If UConn cam be prime mover in a conference with almost exclusively small private schools whose Alumni base and ratings potentially are much than conferences made up of larger public’s with typically better exposure , and secure a contract that gets these schools $7,000,000 a year for primarily men’s basketball,, For a bonus add in a women’s program whose eyeballs rival most men’s teams that a 2 foe 1 deal . The case for undervaluation of UConn is simply smoke and mirrors -
I omitted football because it’s impossible to model given our current situation no disrespect intended
I think you can model a scenario where UConn basketball alone is equally valued to many of these alleged power conference schools .
I know basketball is undervalued primarily because the NCAA historically viewed as their cash cow whose members were content with whatever they gave as a return on their effort .

 

[Patman]

At the risk of being flippant, what those 2 schools had was a name that didn't have the word "Connecticut" in it. Other than that, all 3 schools are large land grand schools having solid academics and good sports programs (with some of us having more championship trophies for our school to show). AAU is the cherry on top, but it's the excuse to keep a school out rather than a criterion to bring a school in. If they wanted to reach into New England, we'd be in, irrespective of that AAU tag.

people think UConn doing ok means UConn is doing great as an academic school

UConn is not great. The state does not pour enough money to get it there and UConn won't get there on its own because we're so gosh darn precious.

 

[RitzLuce1]

One constant, has been UConn's lack of football history and success. When the ACC added BC, Miami, Syracuse and Pitt, those schools had a history of football. There are name players you can associate with those schools---Doug Flutie, Donavan McNabb, Jim Brown, Dan Marino, etc,
And lack of football success kept us out of the ACC when they added Louisville over UConn.

I must say, I am so tired of this excuse. We made a Fiesta Bowl (after several winning seasons and bowl games) and the hayseeds clutched their pearls and went crazy, even making up lies about ticket sales. They were offended we made it. So excuse me if I don't buy this "lack of football history and success". Even when we had it, it wasn't good enough.


This is the truth. All these schools with the "football history and success" that made it (BC, Cuse, Pitt, Ville, Cincy, UCF, Houston, etc etc) are a helluva closer to us, than they ever will be to Ohio State, Michigan, and the top SEC schools. Only we have men's and women's bball powerhouses that can bring in millions annually through tournament credits and create months worth of content for their TV deals. The hayseeds have no vision which is why all the deadweight (which is what most of the schools invited to the ACC/Big 12 are and we should know because most of them were dead weight in the old Big East) have weighed down the ACC to the point of completely diluting it's football and basketball product. If the Big 12 isn't careful, it will happen to them to. How are UCF, Cincy, and Houston's "football history and success" translating to the Big 12? Spoiler, it isn't.

 

[jostar1]

So excuse me if I don't buy this "lack of football history and success". Even when we had it, it wasn't good enough.

UConn never had football history.

As far as success goes, all of those schools that you mentioned (BC, Cuse, Pitt, Ville, Cincy, UCF, Houston) had more football success than UConn. Regardless of whether you want to believe it or not.

The Fiesta Bowl was in 2011. What has UConn football looked like in the past 13 years?

Here is one year (2019). UConn football was ranked 123 out of 130 schools.

https://athlonsports.com/college-football/college-football-top-130-team-rankings-2019

Other years were similar for many years. You may not want to believe it but those are the facts. UConn football stunk for many years and it has held UConn back. UConn couldn't get the Big12 to bite last year. Lack of football success was obviously a problem (not the only problem); hence, the 5 year runway for football to be added was proposed.

I agree about the grandfathered schools in the P4 Conferences who add nothing to those conferences. If conferences were right-sized, those schools would be kicked out. But that's not happening.

 

[Kolumbo]

I must say, I am so tired of this excuse. We made a Fiesta Bowl (after several winning seasons and bowl games) and the hayseeds clutched their pearls and went crazy, even making up lies about ticket sales. They were offended we made it. So excuse me if I don't buy this "lack of football history and success". Even when we had it, it wasn't good enough.


This is the truth. All these schools with the "football history and success" that made it (BC, Cuse, Pitt, Ville, Cincy, UCF, Houston, etc etc) are a helluva closer to us, than they ever will be to Ohio State, Michigan, and the top SEC schools. Only we have men's and women's bball powerhouses that can bring in millions annually through tournament credits and create months worth of content for their TV deals. The hayseeds have no vision which is why all the deadweight (which is what most of the schools invited to the ACC/Big 12 are and we should know because most of them were dead weight in the old Big East) have weighed down the ACC to the point of completely diluting it's football and basketball product. If the Big 12 isn't careful, it will happen to them to. How are UCF, Cincy, and Houston's "football history and success" translating to the Big 12? Spoiler, it isn't.

Exactly. When I was at UConn we couldn't even get a UConn vs PC basketball game on tv. We were the bottom of the newly created Big East Conference. Now UConn is a blue blood. They don't like UConn because of football. We don't have enough history. We don't have enough revenue. All that changes if UConn joins a power conference. I just don't understand why all of the decision makers don't get it. When UConn has an opportunity on a level playing field, it wins. And wins bigly.

 

[UConnJim]

Tradition and history matter in college football (moreso than in college basketball) and, unfortunately, UConn was late to upgrade to FBS football and had no football history when large scale conference realignment began. Think about this, many of the schools that moved ahead of UConn in the realignment game have had a Heisman Trophy winner: TCU, SMU, BYU, Pitt, Syracuse, BC, Louisville, Houston. And, some of the schools have won "theoretical" national championships: SMU, TCU, Pitt, Syracuse, BYU.

 

[Waquoit]

Those schools didn't sink to the depths of being in the 100-130 power rating for ~ 10 years. If we stayed up in the 40-60 range like we were under RE1, then we'd have been in a P4 years ago.

You do know we were cast adrift unlike any program ever during that time, right?

 

[Kolumbo]

Tradition and history matter in college football (moreso than in college basketball) and, unfortunately, UConn was late to upgrade to FBS football and had no football history when large scale conference realignment began. Think about this, many of the schools that moved ahead of UConn in the realignment game have had a Heisman Trophy winner: TCU, SMU, BYU, Pitt, Syracuse, BC, Louisville, Houston. And, some of the schools have won "theoretical" national championships: SMU, TCU, Pitt, Syracuse, BYU.

Yeah, I get all that. I'm sure all the old guys calling the shots feel all that history is important. I don't think all the young fans today care too much about the old heisman trophy winners. UCF and USF have much less history than UConn and I wouldn't be surprised to see USF get a call soon.

 

[ZooCougar]

Yeah, I get all that. I'm sure all the old guys calling the shots feel all that history is important. I don't think all the young fans today care too much about the old heisman trophy winners. UCF and USF have much less history than UConn and I wouldn't be surprised to see USF get a call soon.

History matters less than being good. UCF was good at football. They are kind of atrocious in every other category. Also they were a Big 12 panic buy.

 

[KryHavok]

people think UConn doing ok means UConn is doing great as an academic school

UConn is not great. The state does not pour enough money to get it there and UConn won't get there on its own because we're so gosh darn precious.

Mate, why so downtrodden? So the school isn't in the same category as Chicago (was gonna say Puke, but nah), or Stanford, or UNC in terms of academics...you gonna think your doctorate is less worthy cuz it came from UConn rather than some other uni? In my field, I think my doctorate from UConn carries some weight given the program I was in. It's small comfort, but I'm not gonna p!ss in my cereal to spite my school's lack of prestige cuz it's not considered elite. Yeah, it can use more money, that's true of most schools not in the Ivy league or having billion dollar endowments.

 

[Patman]

Mate, why so downtrodden? So the school isn't in the same category as Chicago (was gonna say Puke, but nah), or Stanford, or UNC in terms of academics...you gonna think your doctorate is less worthy cuz it came from UConn rather than some other uni? In my field, I think my doctorate from UConn carries some weight given the program I was in. It's small comfort, but I'm not gonna p!ss in my cereal to spite my school's lack of prestige cuz it's not considered elite. Yeah, it can use more money, that's true of most schools not in the Ivy league or having billion dollar endowments.

No, my program is one of the better ones going and the university is better off for it.

I'm OFFERING that you stop lying to yourself about UConn's position in the world. What i am SUGGESTING is you kick the states goverments ass for not making up for lost time the big schools got in the 50s and 60s in terms of funding.

I find self-delusion is a waste of time better spent moving upwards.

 

[Patman]

You know the adage that if you want to look like an athlete then you have to be an athlete?

 

[KryHavok]

I'm OFFERING that you stop lying to yourself about UConn's position in the world. What i am SUGGESTING is you kick the states goverments ass for not making up for lost time the big schools got in the 50s and 60s in terms of funding.

I find self-delusion is a waste of time better spent moving upwards.

What the hell are you flipping out about?! Who is lying to themselves, cuz I sure as hell ain't. I've no delusion that UConn is Yale or Cal Berkeley, but I'm not gonna doomsday it and say it ranks with Memphis...jeez, calm down dude . Can't do anything about the 50s or 60s or even last year. If the assembly in CT wants to grow the school, they gotta do it today and tomorrow. If it wasn't for that horse...

 

[CL82]

I have to laugh about people complaining about UConn's place in the academic world. It is a very good school, though not an Ivy League school. That shouldn't have been surprising to anyone who applied there. To hear a grad whine about Connecticut "not being elite" seems laughable to me. If you wanted an Ivy League degree, you should've applied and attended an Ivy League school.

For my part, I had a choice between attending an Ivy League school and attending UConn. I haven't regretted my choice to attend UConn even once. The education that I received there was, in fact, outstanding. But often in academics you get out what you put into it. The friendships and memories I have from my time there are treasured by me including starting me on my lifelong love of UConn athletics.

As for Connecticut's reputation, it's a very good university for many reasons, including:

For anyone for whom that's "not enough" I shrug and wish them well in their academic endeavors

 

[Ha Who]

It worked for FSU and Clemson. And the lawsuit kept the Big East from dissolving. It's a joke that UConn is the only school tarred by that lawsuit. Wasn't it filed in Pittsburgh?

WORTH NOTING; UConn vs. A.C.C, Round 2: This Time the Lawsuit Is Against Boston College (Published 2003)

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal files second lawsuit on behalf of University of Connecticut and three other Big East universities against Boston College, athletic director Gene DeFilippo and Atlantic Coast Conference after Boston College announces that it will join ACC (M)

www.nytimes.com

 

[RitzLuce1]

Tradition and history matter in college football (moreso than in college basketball) and, unfortunately, UConn was late to upgrade to FBS football and had no football history when large scale conference realignment began. Think about this, many of the schools that moved ahead of UConn in the realignment game have had a Heisman Trophy winner: TCU, SMU, BYU, Pitt, Syracuse, BC, Louisville, Houston. And, some of the schools have won "theoretical" national championships: SMU, TCU, Pitt, Syracuse, BYU.

Maybe they can put "we thought tradition and history mattered in college football moreso than college basketball" on their epitaph.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Tradition and history matter in college football (moreso than in college basketball)

Please defend this statement.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

You do know we were cast adrift unlike any program ever during that time, right?

Of course I do - I've been to every game at the Rent since day one and have endured every part of the unfortunate downfall. Three bad coaching hires drove a sad decade. Hope springs eternal for me, but it doesn't change the reality of what occurred unfortunately.