Maybe UMass should be in the mix

[HartbeatHusky]

I know most don't agree with this, there are a few posters who have said this already but I think UMass would be a sensible addition in many ways. Who really knows if we are going to keep our BCS bid or if UConn is going to stick around for the long term anyway. It really doesn't make sense for Boise State to be in the Big East and everybody knows it so it probably will not happen.

UMass is a natural rival for UConn and annual UConn/UMass games could quickly become something to circle on the calendar especially if every other year will be at Kraft World. We can't make these decisions on a whim though and have to think long term and UMass is a sensible long term addition. I think ECU is as well. I also still favor the TX combo of SMU and Houston but think any farther west is not logical. Ideally my Big East expansion would have the conference looking like this next season given the circumstances we are in. A natural logical Northern and Southern division where rivalries could develop and thrive. If you want to throw in Navy and Air Force for 14 that would be fine too. Who really knows what the BCS is going to do. I think the Big East should be aiming for stability more than anything and football only members are inherently unstable partnerships so why even bother?

Most of you would hate this conference and so would I because of what could have been. But I think this set up would make the most sense for the future of Big East football. If by chance we kept the BCS bid it would also really boost college football in the northeast to have large state flagship universities UConn, UMass, and Rutgers in one league together with other large public schools like Temple and Cinci.

Massachusetts
Connecticut
Rutgers
Temple
Cincinnati
West Virginia

East Carolina
Louisville
South Florida
Central Florida
Houston
Southern Methodist

 

[Jarhead_1775]

Sorry, I disagree. Umass blows. Could they be a viable alternative in years to come? Sure, but not now in that dilapidated stadium they play in and not 2 hours away from campus in bcu's backyard. It'd be temple all over again.

 

[CTMike]

I actually don't mind what you've go there. My hesitation with UMass is that, given where they are as a program at this time, they can't come in and add stature and stability re: BCS. Personally I'd like to see them succeed the next 2-3 years before an invite (perhaps when Cuse and Pitt leave?).

Unlike some others, I really do think ECU would be solid for football. Large parts of Carolina are pretty crazy about Pirates football. Basketball would be a problem but unlike a DePaul I could see ECU making strides to at least be competitive.

 

[ctchamps]

IMO, UMass and Villinova are out only because the timeline for their development would take too long.

If activity by the other conferences resumes within a year, the BE most likely won't have time to configure anything.

But if activity pauses for a year, or if activity is confined outside of the BE, then the BE has to concern itself with only a short term solution and hope it turns into a long term solution. So they need established programs that will give viewership immediately and hope they can parlay this into a decent media contract and can maintain the BCS AQ. The million dollar question is are there any teams available capable of providing this. Outside of Boise State there is no consensus.

I guess I would lean towards the service academies next. Houston, SMU and Temple are intriguing. They have a potential for quick development and legitimacy. And they are in excellent potential markets. So they can give short term immediate benefits.

 

[SubbaBub]

I just don't see any FCS upgrades as the smart thing to do at this time. Show you are committed to upgrading your AD, that your stadium situation is viable, that you'd be able to sell 40k tickets a game, and beat BCS teams for a few years then call back.

Uconn got "in" as a founding conference member and a state flagship university with a successful AD and a distinct and proven market for its sports programs.

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[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

What kind of cockamainyhoohaa (sic) idea are you proposing this time? Bad enough idea aside, you had the audacity to put Massachusetts ahead of Connecticut. All joking aside, have you considered venturing out of Hartford for awhile?

 

[ctchamps]

I just don't see any FCS upgrades as the smart thing to do at this time. Show you are committed to upgrading your AD, that your stadium situation is viable, that you'd be able to sell 40k tickets a game, and beat BCS teams for a few years then call back.

Uconn got "in" as a founding conference member and a state flagship university with a successful AD and a distinct and proven market for its sports programs.

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I thought the NCAA mandates an eight conference league for football. Last I heard there were six teams and a few heading out the door. No one is investing in a stadium expansion without security and going independent is security. So I don't buy your solution. Sorry.

 

[HartbeatHusky]

It's far from a great option and really it sucks that UMass, UConn, and Rutgers all belatedly even tried to have high level football programs. That is the original sin in all of this if you ask me. That's the real reason why having a major athletic conference based in the Northeast has proven to be so difficult.

 

[HartbeatHusky]

What kind of cockamainyhoohaa (sic) idea are you proposing this time? Bad enough idea aside, you had the audacity to put Massachusetts ahead of Connecticut. All joking aside, have you considered venturing out of Hartford for awhile?

I travel pretty often but home is where the heart is. I pretty much listed them geographically fron north to south, just realized that SMU should be north in relation to Houston though, so my bad.

 

[Eddy Hall]

From CT Mike: "Unlike some others, I really do think ECU would be solid for football. Large parts of Carolina are pretty crazy about Pirates football. Basketball would be a problem but unlike a DePaul I could see ECU making strides to at least be competitive."

I agree about ECU. Their program reminds me a bit of Va Tech when it joined t Big East. The Pirates have a large, loud, passionate fan base. Game day in Greenville is something to behold. And ECU does have a large following in the Raleigh / Durham area, which is probably around the 25th largest TV market. Plus it would be nice to have a presence in the middle of ACC country to compete for exposure and recruiting.

If this is all about football and TV market share, I'd take ECU in a heartbeat over programs like Memphis, Villanova or UMass.

 

[UConnJim]

Fleudslipcon - Nobody is investing in stadium expansions without conference security? That is not true at all. Louisville and Rutgers expanded their stadiums with a view towards the future. UCF and other Florida schools built stadiums without a BCS conference. SMU, Houston, TCU,...either expanded or built. ECU expanded as well. If UConn had a 55k capacity stadium right now and averaged 50k per game, we would have been number 1 on the ACC expansion list. Sometimes you have to have a vision and take a risk. In my opinion, The Rent should be expanded right now for the future and the upcoming home games with Michigan and Tennessee. We should have a marquee home game against a top football program every year to drive attendance.

Here is my list:

VT
FSU
Penn St
Michigan
Ohio State
Oklahoma
Texas
USC
Notre Dame
Tennessee
Alabama
Florida
Auburn
LSU
Georgia
Texas A&M
Nebraska

 

[ctchamps]

I'm not arguing against the stadium expansion. Just the timing. This is not a good time for that imo. Hopefully conditions will stabilize and the time will come. As long as the possibility exists that UConn may have to downgrade its football program, the powers who control stadium expansion will vote it down.

 

[HuskyHawk]

No matter how we expand, I hope we can avoid adding any new school with a geographic descriptor in the name. We already have South Florida. Any school with an east, south, west or north, or even a southwest, is automatically downgraded in perceived stature. Mostly this is for good reason, they are usually regional schools within their own states, not national institutions.

Perceived prestige looks like this: 1. University of or University. 2. State University. 3. Geographic XXXXX [State] University or [City Name] State university. 4. University of @ regional campus.

Michigan ahead of Michigan State, which is ahead of Western Michigan.
Kansas ahead of K-state, which is ahead of Wichita State.
Florida ahead of Florida State which is ahead of CFU and SFU.

 

[SubbaBub]

I thought the NCAA mandates an eight conference league for football. Last I heard there were six teams and a few heading out the door. No one is investing in a stadium expansion without security and going independent is security. So I don't buy your solution. Sorry.

Not against UMass, just don't see how adding a first year, untested FBS program helps. Even if we go to 12, this conference will need more teams. Umass if it does want in should make like UCF or even ECU. Heck, if I were them, I'd be positioning to be Uconn's replacement.

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[SubbaBub]

No matter how we expand, I hope we can avoid adding any new school with a geographic descriptor in the name. We already have South Florida. Any school with an east, south, west or north, or even a southwest, is automatically downgraded in perceived stature. Mostly this is for good reason, they are usually regional schools within their own states, not national institutions.

Perceived prestige looks like this: 1. University of or University. 2. State University. 3. Geographic XXXXX [State] University or [City Name] State university. 4. University of @ regional campus.

Michigan ahead of Michigan State, which is ahead of Western Michigan.
Kansas ahead of K-state, which is ahead of Wichita State.
Florida ahead of Florida State which is ahead of CFU and SFU.

I like this. Maybe that's what's keeping WVU out if the SEC. Dumb fools don't know it's a state.


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[ctchamps]

Not against UMass, just don't see how adding a first year, untested FBS program helps. Even if we go to 12, this conference will need more teams. Umass if it does want in should make like UCF or even ECU. Heck, if I were them, I'd be positioning to be Uconn's replacement.

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I misunderstood you were commenting on UMass. I thought you were commenting about UConn. This explains a lot of my confusion over other posts you made, posts I agreed with, which seemed to contradict the above post. Sorry.

 

[epperson]

You're on to something. UConn likes to think of themselves as a BCS power-house since they're obviously enamored with their 8-5 ticket to the "big game" which most people did not watch.

It's akin to a fat chick who hangs out with even fatter chicks because she wants to feel thin by comparison.

So to all you UConn pups, here is your "Super Conference":

-Yukon
-UMass Slam-hearst
-Fairfield
-Salve Regina
-UNH
-Framingham State
-Hartford Community College (pending everything)
-Bridgewater State
-Smith College (preseason favorite)

 

[uc1974]

Epperson you are the model for all trolls. You need to get a job or a life, preferably both. If you were at least clever you'd be tolerable. You are neither.

 

[CTEagle]

Epperson you are the model for all trolls. You need to get a job or a life, preferably both. If you were at least clever you'd be tolerable. You are neither.

 

[epperson]

Ah, you thin-skinned Yukon Pups need to forsake your woe-is-me attitude and embrace reality.

The ACC Executives are not going to deliver a gift to you because you hold some loony, far-fetched version of your school.

UMass desperately wants a rivalry with UConn and you guys always wax on about wanting a regional rivalry. Problem solved.

 

[CTEagle]

Umass would be a good addition. They will play all their league games at Foxboro, which will be the nicest venue in the new league. It's an extra road game which all Husky fans can easily get to. It will provide Uconn with an instant rivalry game and will place 2/3 New England FBS teams in the NNBE.

 

[HartbeatHusky]

Umass would be a good addition. They will play all their league games at Foxboro, which will be the nicest venue in the new league. It's an extra road game which all Husky fans can easily get to. It will provide Uconn with an instant rivalry game and will place 2/3 New England FBS teams in the NNBE.

I agree. If we do happen to remain in the BCS it would also give BC an in-state BCS rival playing at a stadium people in Mass love to go to and can tailgate at which I'm sure would thrill GDF.

 

[uconnfan68]

Ah, you thin-skinned Yukon Pups need to forsake your woe-is-me attitude and embrace reality.

The ACC Executives are not going to deliver a gift to you because you hold some loony, far-fetched version of your school.

UMass desperately wants a rivalry with UConn and you guys always wax on about wanting a regional rivalry. Problem solved.

You answered your own question in the very first line of your first post of this thread... "I know most don't agree with this"

 

[HuskyHawk]

You're on to something. UConn likes to think of themselves as a BCS power-house since they're obviously enamored with their 8-5 ticket to the "big game" which most people did not watch.

It's akin to a fat chick who hangs out with even fatter chicks because she wants to feel thin by comparison.

So to all you UConn pups, here is your "Super Conference":

-Yukon
-UMass Slam-hearst
-Fairfield
-Salve Regina
-UNH
-Framingham State
-Hartford Community College (pending everything)
-Bridgewater State
-Smith College (preseason favorite)

I see that your manners have yet to improve and your posts exhibit even less intelligence than yesterday. Nobody at UConn thinks the Huskies are a BCS powerhouse. I sure hope that nobody in Chestnut Hill thinks that BC is, or we'll need to administer anti-psychotics. My wife and many friends and neighbors are BC grads (with several as Double Eagles) and they would be embarrassed by your behavior and comments. You and DeFillippo are doing nothing positive for the reputation of an otherwise excellent school.

UConn has been in the football Big East for 7 years. We've been to 5 bowl games in that time. No honest person could suggest that such a performance by a new FBS program isn't impressive.

 

[epperson]

Lighten up. I started off yesterday with rational comments and in particularly, explaining the past events of the BC exodus from the perspective of Chestnut Hill and the problems which followed for the BE.

I can discuss anything with a level of objectivity but the vibe in this forum is low brow.

This is the sense I get from Desmond Conner.

I don't take umbrage over petulant internet squabbles. It's fair game. What's astonishing is how thin-skinned you Yukon Pups really are. You guys can dish it out and express all manners of repugnance. When someone gives it back or responds in kind, you feign moral outrage.