Louisville trying to force UConn's and Rutger's hands at upcoming meeting

[06029]

You practically can't find a B12 expansion story that doesn't mention Louisville as a candidate, so perception of UConn looking around shouldn't be an issue. UConn committed tons of money for a football upgrade to allow it entry to a BE conference made up of Miami, BC, SU, Pitt and VT. Not whatever the future holds with CUSA schools.

Find me stories where Louisville is begging for an invite? There is a difference between being mentioned and begging. Uconn's profile in the BE has been hurt by its public posturing.

Every school in the BE has committed money to be in the conference with upgrades to stadiums, facilities, coaching, etc. Uconn is not unique and that argument holds no water. The conference composition that Uconn wanted is gone so they should do whatever they can to be in the conference they really wanted to be part of? I guess that is your argument. If the true argument is that Uconn needs to be in a BCS conference, then they should start leading the re-building of a BCS conference because hoping for an invitation to another BCS conference remains a bad business plan.

 

[uconndogs]

Most folks assign integrity as a key leadership trait. Not at BC, but at most other institutions that is the case.

 

[CTMike]

There is this spin coming from folks on here that UConn's plan is based on begging and wishing for an out. My perception is that Herbst is trying to make the best case possible for UConn to find a long term stable home. That's not begging or wishing. Stating that we are interested in the ACC isnt begging or wishing. Maybe our home will be the Big East, and that's why they are meeting this Sunday. But anyone who thinks that the Big East will also be long term and stable is not being realistic about the intentions of every other football school in the league.

 

[TRest]

Find me stories where Louisville is begging for an invite? There is a difference between being mentioned and begging. Uconn's profile in the BE has been hurt by its public posturing.

Every school in the BE has committed money to be in the conference with upgrades to stadiums, facilities, coaching, etc. Uconn is not unique and that argument holds no water. The conference composition that Uconn wanted is gone so they should do whatever they can to be in the conference they really wanted to be part of? I guess that is your argument. If the true argument is that Uconn needs to be in a BCS conference, then they should start leading the re-building of a BCS conference because hoping for an invitation to another BCS conference remains a bad business plan.

Uconn's profile has been hurt by stating the obvious? I cannot see a future conference roster that would retain BCS status absent a miraculous couple of seasons by one of its members, so taking the lead in putting together a new conference will still result with the same crappy candidates. We are now the sole remaining charter member of the BE that also plays football. Staying in the rebuilt BE is an absolute disaster for the future of the football program, although it may be inevitable.

 

[gars44]

This is very good news, especially in light of Susan Herbst's recent email re: "a stronger BE conference." First, if true, this means that the Big East stays together with no further defections through, I would guess, the next television contract - which coincides with the next BCS contract - 2014. It allows the BE to bid its TV rights to ESPN, NBC, FOX, and get the highest value.

It also means that the league is done with the Villanova football experiment. It sounds like the football side of the league has attained a new sense of clarity in its thinking. Urgency does that sometimes. Clarity is panic + rationality. Connecticut and RU need clarity.

 

[upstater]

So you are a fan of the BC strategy. Commit now, move as fast as you can when the call comes?

Uconn is in a real bad position right now in the BE. You have almost 2 weeks of solid news stories about how much you want to join the (fill in the conference dujour), your best friend in all of this is Rutgers (who no one wants for their athletic success but for their theoretical eyeballs for TV; does anyon know what their ratings actually are?) and you have ceded the appearance of leadership in the conference to Louisville. I thought Uconn would have taken leadership at some point. Put together a plan that not only protects its interests but that can also lead the conference thru its inevitable break-up and rebuilding. Instead, Uconn is at a meeting where people are demanding its pledge of support/loyalty and dragging it along feeling that whatever they get, they will give up as soon as someone calls. Hope is a lousy business plan.

Who cares? No one is going to kick UConn out.

 

[upstater]

Find me stories where Louisville is begging for an invite? There is a difference between being mentioned and begging. Uconn's profile in the BE has been hurt by its public posturing.

Every school in the BE has committed money to be in the conference with upgrades to stadiums, facilities, coaching, etc. Uconn is not unique and that argument holds no water. The conference composition that Uconn wanted is gone so they should do whatever they can to be in the conference they really wanted to be part of? I guess that is your argument. If the true argument is that Uconn needs to be in a BCS conference, then they should start leading the re-building of a BCS conference because hoping for an invitation to another BCS conference remains a bad business plan.

A bad business plan is committing to a high exit fee when you know an invitation is coming in the near future. Now that's bad planning. No one is kicking UConn out of the BE, nor is the BE going to be able to keep its BCS bid in the future.

 

[gars44]

I would like to know the agenda for Sunday before I cast any aspersions. Is Louisville honestly trying to keep the conference together (it seems to be broken beyond repair)? Or, are the Big East football schools planning on seceding & merging with the Big-12 minus whatever? If it's the former, adding just Temple won't cut it.

Coach, I agree that more needs to be done, but (1) agreeing to stay together and (2) adding Temple constitutes a darn good start. Baby steps. If we can keep the thing together and add Temple, that sends a big message. We can worry about adding UCF and Memphis and Houston at the next President's meeting.

 

[gars44]

May I add that Temple was voted out by a Miami-led coalition that felt they were a drain on BE football because Temple at the time did not have a decent stadium, did not have fan support, did not have a commitment to football, and overall, were not up to par with other teams in the league. Well, we all know how committed Miami was. Miami's secret desire was to take BC and Syracuse with it to the ACC. Miami must be very happy now with the addition of Syracuse and Pitt. To the point, Temple has turned the thing around for itself pretty well. Much has changed. They humbled the BE champs last year. They humiliated MD this year. I would welcome them.

 

[gars44]

Nelson, Herbst thinks differently. Is it possible that she posseses superior information and is acting accordingly? If she thought what would happen is as you say, wouldn't she be singing a different tune?

She is singing a different tune. Did you read her email? And, she's going to the meeting this time. I suspect, with hat in hand.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

A bad business plan is committing to a high exit fee when you know an invitation is coming in the near future. Now that's bad planning. No one is kicking UConn out of the BE, nor is the BE going to be able to keep its BCS bid in the future.

We have made the case to the ACC, asked nicely and even publicly begged for an invitation. If the ACC wanted to invite UConn, it would have invited UConn. Unless I missed the press release, the ACC has not invited UConn. Given that the objective of the raid was to destroy the Big East as cheaply as possible, why would the ACC invite UConn when UConn's refusal to commit to the league could finish the Big East off without the ACC spending another dime?

Louisville, WVU, TCU and Cincinnati are on the cusp of being invited to the Big 12, and they appear to still want to work with us. UConn is on the cusp of going no where at all, and UConn is refusing to commit. This strategy started at stupid, and could transition to catastrophic if Herbst tells everyone to buzz off at the meeting without an ACC invitation in her hand.

 

[TRest]

She is singing a different tune. Did you read her email? And, she's going to the meeting this time. I suspect, with hat in hand.

I believe you are correct. Pendergast was on TIC yesterday, and all I could sense was "we aren't going anywhere, better learn to like it."

 

[TRest]

Coach, I agree that more needs to be done, but (1) agreeing to stay together and (2) adding Temple constitutes a darn good start. Baby steps. If we can keep the thing together and add Temple, that sends a big message. We can worry about adding UCF and Memphis and Houston at the next President's meeting.

It sends a big message, all right, but not a good one.

 

[Waquoit]

Nelson, Herbst thinks differently. Is it possible that she posseses superior information and is acting accordingly? If she thought what would happen is as you say, wouldn't she be singing a different tune?

It sounds to me that she is singing a much different tune now than she was two weeks ago.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Uconn's profile has been hurt by stating the obvious? I cannot see a future conference roster that would retain BCS status absent a miraculous couple of seasons by one of its members, so taking the lead in putting together a new conference will still result with the same crappy candidates. We are now the sole remaining charter member of the BE that also plays football. Staying in the rebuilt BE is an absolute disaster for the future of the football program, although it may be inevitable.

TCU finished #2 in the country last year. Your post is a FAIL.

 

[upstater]

We have made the case to the ACC, asked nicely and even publicly begged for an invitation. If the ACC wanted to invite UConn, it would have invited UConn. Unless I missed the press release, the ACC has not invited UConn. Given that the objective of the raid was to destroy the Big East as cheaply as possible, why would the ACC invite UConn when UConn's refusal to commit to the league could finish the Big East off without the ACC spending another dime?

Louisville, WVU, TCU and Cincinnati are on the cusp of being invited to the Big 12, and they appear to still want to work with us. UConn is on the cusp of going no where at all, and UConn is refusing to commit. This strategy started at stupid, and could transition to catastrophic if Herbst tells everyone to buzz off at the meeting without an ACC invitation in her hand.

You're delusional.

I don't even know what this means: "Given that the objective of the raid was to destroy the Big East as cheaply as possible, why would the ACC invite UConn when UConn's refusal to commit to the league could finish the Big East off without the ACC spending another dime?"

What does that mean?

Here you are claiming Cincy is much wanted but no one wants UConn.

It's just bizarre.

Seriously, you can respond to my posts from now on, but I'll be ignoring yours. It's just a waste of my time.

 

[gars44]

A bad business plan is committing to a high exit fee when you know an invitation is coming in the near future. Now that's bad planning. No one is kicking UConn out of the BE, nor is the BE going to be able to keep its BCS bid in the future.

I disagree about the bid. The BE may not "deserve" the bid, but it is going to keep the bid. It will be in the nature of a mercy bid, for the next round only, but enough to allow the conference to remain viable. Combination of mercy and anti-trust/congressional investigation type of considerations. WVA, Louisville, TCU, Navy, Air Force, Politics, and Mercy - would be enough to keep it.

 

[upstater]

It sounds to me that she is singing a much different tune now than she was two weeks ago.

I'll say it again. Whether they commit to a higher exit fee or not, they aren't kicking UConn out, so what's the point of a higher exit fee.

Why a higher exit fee? Can someone explain?

 

[noeynox]

Ill believe TCU is is still coming when they actually play a Big East game in conference.

Temple will save us all.

 

[upstater]

I disagree about the bid. The BE may not "deserve" the bid, but it is going to keep the bid. It will be in the nature of a mercy bid, for the next round only, but enough to allow the conference to remain viable. Combination of mercy and anti-trust/congressional investigation type of considerations. WVA, Louisville, TCU, Navy, Air Force, Politics, and Mercy - would be enough to keep it.

Utah and BYU will have a BCS bid, so forget about Orrin Hatch.
The league is done.

 

[gars44]

It sends a big message, all right, but not a good one.

The new league is not ideal, but it beats the heck out of oblivion.

 

[tduconn]

I don't think UConn should be calling Temple's kettle black. Temple has done a remarkable job of turning the program around from where it was when it was kicked out. The fan attendence is "up and coming" (30k + for Villanova, 57+ for Penn State). Their OOC schedule is quite good......Maryland away, and Penn State at home. By the way, when was the last time UConn secured a game against Penn State....at home or away?

Its the same old story......if you invest in a program by getting better coaches, get better recruits, put a better product on the field, and play name BCS opponents........fans eyes open a little more.

I think Temple is doing a good portion of the above, and is the next up and coming program on the east coast. I don't think we should readily look down at teams in a MAC league because they have placed players in the NFL (Pitt Steelers QB?)that have been quite successful. WMU will be a big challenge for UConn today.

IF it has to be a renewed BE FB league........go for Temple and UCF (which is quite good also), hopefully TCU stays........hopefully others stay.......but I wouldn't hold my breath.

 

[gars44]

I'll say it again. Whether they commit to a higher exit fee or not, they aren't kicking UConn out, so what's the point of a higher exit fee.

Why a higher exit fee? Can someone explain?

Yes, I'll volunteer for this one. In order for us to expand the football side with Navy, Air Force, perhaps TCU, and others, we have to be a solid, firm piece of land to tie up to. No one is going to commit to a volcanic island about to explode. So the conference has to commit to being a conference for a period of time, without the constant threat of teams leaving every summer, or winter, or fall. If Uconn can't commit to this, then neither will anyone else, and we very likely will be much worse off than we are right now. So, no, they are not kicking us out, but we can't have one foot out the door either.

 

[gars44]

Utah and BYU will have a BCS bid, so forget about Orrin Hatch.
The league is done.

It's not just Utah.

 

[businesslawyer]

We have made the case to the ACC, asked nicely and even publicly begged for an invitation. If the ACC wanted to invite UConn, it would have invited UConn. Unless I missed the press release, the ACC has not invited UConn. Given that the objective of the raid was to destroy the Big East as cheaply as possible, why would the ACC invite UConn when UConn's refusal to commit to the league could finish the Big East off without the ACC spending another dime?

Louisville, WVU, TCU and Cincinnati are on the cusp of being invited to the Big 12, and they appear to still want to work with us. UConn is on the cusp of going no where at all, and UConn is refusing to commit. This strategy started at stupid, and could transition to catastrophic if Herbst tells everyone to buzz off at the meeting without an ACC invitation in her hand.

But you're posting as if we've been trying to get into a bigger conference, actively, for years. We've been trying for two friggin weeks. Two weeks. To get a conference to act on a hundred years decision.

Is it possible that Herbst shot her mouth off prematurely and was easily played. Sure, it's possible. Anything is possible. I tend not to criticize people for being idiots before I'm sure they are, but hey -- I guess that's just me. It works for coaches too. Is it safe for you to conclude she knows nothing more of the ACC's short and intermediate term plans than you do? (Hint -- that was a rhetorical question.) I know this is close to existential to UConn sports, but you and others are going to have to wait to see what happens to know what has been happening.

That having been said, the right thing to do is to move forward with rebuilding the Big East even if we are fairly certain we won't be a part of it for very long. It is, at worst, a safety net, and we owe it to our partners. It will be interesting to see what type of an exit penalty we agree to.