Mike Anthony: It’s time for David Benedict to handle the football problems that UConn’s Big East move creates.

[huskymedic]

Mike Anthony: It’s time for David Benedict to handle the football problems that UConn’s Big East move creates

>>As much as Benedict is probably loving being the guy who got UConn back into the Big East, he doesn’t want to be the athletic director who presided over UConn football’s demise.<<

 

[Husky92]

Ehh, thanks for posting medic but it's a pretty lame article. Really doesn't say much. I was hoping he'd lay out some options or scenarios for scheduling as an independent. Instead he lifts up the obvious (UMASS, 2 for 1s, and prior games). He shares no inside information, insight, or even imagination. It seems as though he read the Boneyard and didn't even talk to anyone on campus, the AAC, or anywhere in college football. I guess I shouldn't expect too much for an article written on a Sunday.

 

[Redding Husky]

This whole incident reminds me of a scene in "The Graduate" where Dustin Hoffman's father tells his son that his son's plan to marry the girl he loves is "half-baked".

This move to the Big East seems half-baked.

 

[huskymedic]

Ehh, thanks for posting medic but it's a pretty lame article. Really doesn't say much. I was hoping he'd lay out some options or scenarios for scheduling as an independent. Instead he lifts up the obvious (UMASS, 2 for 1s, and prior games). He shares no inside information, insight, or even imagination. It seems as though he read the Boneyard and didn't even talk to anyone on campus, the AAC, or anywhere in college football. I guess I shouldn't expect too much for an article written on a Sunday.

I get your point but not sure what kind of access anyone is getting @ this point (which is kinda the point of the article)

Thought this was interesting:

>>Benedict made pushing UConn through the Big East door his top priority over the past six months. Two years ago, UConn’s negotiation with the Big East started at the top, with university presidents, and hardly made its way down to athletic directors and coaches, dissolving at the top. This time, UConn approached it the opposite way, with Benedict first working closely with fellow ADs and their staffs, from the bottom to the top, so to speak.<<

 

[huskysupporter]

Benedict is a disaster.

 

[huskymedic]

Benedict is a disaster.

On here... on the Basketball forum and elsewhere they are looking to build a statute.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

Dan Orlovksy would be decent replacement for Benedict.

 

[History Geek]

That AD David Benedict orchestrated this is a significant new piece of information this morning. The press conference is going to be enlightening.

 

[huskysupporter]

On here... on the Basketball forum and elsewhere they are looking to build a statute.

It’s honestly bizarre. It is not a good deal for any program.

 

[Bonehead]

So 2 years in the making and there is no plan for football?

Good to know.

 

[StunningSteve]

That AD David Benedict orchestrated this is a significant new piece of information this morning. The press conference is going to be enlightening.

Exactly. And that he started 6 months ago... long before the AAC presidents negotiated with ESPN.
It suggests the SNY angst is more of a smokescreen, and not really the cause of all this.

 

[noeynox]

That Herbst let Benedict QB this again tells me she was intent on Torpedoing this from the moment Louisville got the invite over us.

On some level, guys like me have to accept part of the blame. I gave up my season tickets two years ago. I just couldn't commit to wanting to punch myself in the face anymore with lackluster, uncompetitive, football against schools i was indifferent about. I've still gone to games and i watch every game game on TV regardless of any great matchups that may be on at the same time, but i ended my seasons and donations, and i was one of thousands that did so.

So i am going to embrace this and see where it leads. The one thing i will not get behind is FCS football. If that's the plan, I'm out.

 

[whaler11]

I’d go with

Hi MAC and ESPN -scheudle us 6 fb games + bowl access and we’ll play you in bouncy ball on the road x amount of times.

Other than the random road game only way ESPN gets any UConn basketball regular season women’s games.

 

[XStorrsion]

Exactly. And that he started 6 months ago... long before the AAC presidents negotiated with ESPN.
It suggests the SNY angst is more of a smokescreen, and not really the cause of all this.

Well this story broke a little over 5 months ago, maybe a more likely cause

UConn reports more than $40 million athletic deficit

The University of Connecticut is reporting that spending in its athletic division outpaced revenue by more than $40 million in 2018.

www.apnews.com

 

[noeynox]

Exactly. And that he started 6 months ago... long before the AAC presidents negotiated with ESPN.
It suggests the SNY angst is more of a smokescreen, and not really the cause of all this.

Yes and no. It would be the 1st time they had started to prepare with a contingency plan in case things didn't go their way. Maybe they had been lobbying Aresco and he was fluffing them off on the SNY deal.

 

[noeynox]

I’d go with

Hi MAC and ESPN -scheudle us 6 fb games + bowl access and we’ll play you in bouncy ball on the road x amount of times.

Other than the random road game only way ESPN gets any UConn basketball regular season women’s games.

My suggestion as well. MAC 1st choice, Sunbelt 2nd. Would be nice to play a yearly game in Florida or Texas.

When cooler heads prevail, maybe The American is open to that.

 

[StunningSteve]

Well this story broke a little over 5 months ago, maybe a more likely cause

UConn reports more than $40 million athletic deficit

The University of Connecticut is reporting that spending in its athletic division outpaced revenue by more than $40 million in 2018.

www.apnews.com

It still appears as though all those interviews with Benedict, the coaches, and Herbst, about the blue haired fans not understanding how to use ESPN+ was more theatre than anything. To condition the masses for dissent.

I remember thinking how unusual it was that a troupe of administrators would allow the media to air them on such a matter.

 

[06029]

Follow the money. How many pledges from big donors are coming from a move to the Big East? How many of the big donors have been harping about this since the formation of the AAC?

Moving forward from this short sighted decision, Anyone know UConn’s remaining liability for playing at the Rent? Are they required to play there or is an on campus 20,000 seat facility in the future?

 

[XStorrsion]

It still appears as though all those interviews with Benedict, the coaches, and Herbst, about the blue haired fans not understanding how to use ESPN+ was more theatre than anything. To condition the masses for dissent.

I remember thinking how unusual it was that a troupe of administrators would allow the media to air them on such a matter.

I agree, and as others have said it explains why they seemed to have no idea how SNY would fit into that ESPN+ equation... UConn never planned to be a part of it anyway

 

[huskymedic]

Follow the money. How many pledges from big donors are coming from a move to the Big East? How many of the big donors have been harping about this since the formation of the AAC?

Moving forward from this short sighted decision, Anyone know UConn’s remaining liability for playing at the Rent? Are they required to play there or is an on campus 20,000 seat facility in the future?

I believe that after the Legislature got involved in the ND scheduling debacle - it's currently a minimum of 6 home games a year @ the Rent.

 

[uconnflyer88]

I love how they pick and choose teams to highlight when discussing conference differences....."UConn gets to play Georgetown, Villanova, Seton Hall and Providence instead of USF, UCF, and Tulsa."

The only team that should excite is Villanova...Seton Hall and Georgetown are ghost programs and Providence....is well Providence. I would much rather play Houston, UCF, Temple, and Cincinnati in basketball than Xavier, Creighton, and Butler.....the AAC is a better bball conference than Big East PRESENT DAY....and its not even close

 

[StunningSteve]

I agree, and as others have said it explains why they seemed to have no idea how SNY would fit into that ESPN+ equation... UConn never planned to be a part of it anyway

I also don’t think they quite knew how big the revenue disparity between the American and BE ESPN/FS1 contracts would be..

So all that theatre about ESPN+ was trying to divert attention from the disparity in financials, which look nonsensical from all of the side-by-side comparative revenue figures I’ve seen to date (exit fees, etc).

The writer said it well... when he said Benedict just put his head down with the singular focus to ‘get through that door’ (and handle the aftermath after that.) There doesn’t seem to be much analysis. More of a political bolt.

 

[UConnNick]

Follow the money. How many pledges from big donors are coming from a move to the Big East? How many of the big donors have been harping about this since the formation of the AAC?

Moving forward from this short sighted decision, Anyone know UConn’s remaining liability for playing at the Rent? Are they required to play there or is an on campus 20,000 seat facility in the future?

The Town of Mansfield NIMBYs would all have a coronary at the mere suggestion of building a football stadium on campus.

 

[UConnNick]

I also don’t think they quite knew how big the revenue disparity between the American and BE ESPN/FS1 contracts would be..

So all that theatre about ESPN+ was trying to divert attention from the disparity in financials, which look nonsensical from all of the side-by-side comparative revenue figures I’ve seen to date (exit fees, etc).

The writer said it well... when he said Benedict just put his head down with the singular focus to ‘get through that door’ (and handle the aftermath after that.) There doesn’t seem to be much analysis. More of a political bolt.

It proves one thing...our donors are just as clueless as our administrators.