Monday at XL is an opportunity to show we belong

[ruskin]

For the next 24 hours, the entire UConn athletic machinery from Susan & Warde on down should be devoting ALL their energies to packing the freaking XL Center Monday night and turn it into a pep rally only for the team but for the school. I mean a full-on PR press. Ask to talk to Ray Dunaway and all the other radio people in the morning to get people to the game. All-in on social media. Ask the Governor to tell the state if they really care about UConn to show up Monday and support the team and the school. Yes, it's short notice and UConn is not very light on its feet when it comes to stuff like this. But as Bobby Kennedy said, if not now, when? I fear that anything less than a sellout will be used as evidence by those who would keep UConn from the big-boy table. Think optics. If the student section isn't full let people sit there so it looks good on TV.

Yes Susan we know there are lots of things we can't control. I'm tired of hearing about things that are not in our control. This is. The next 24 hours are entirely in your control. Get the people in athletics and marketing moving. This is the perfect stage and time to deliver a positive message for UConn. KO and the boys are doing their job. Be a leader and do yours.

 

[Dann]

i think the fanbase will fill the xl for ko and this team based on everything the program has gone thru. i have no faith in leadership that they could pimp it tho.

 

[Fishy]

The next 24 hours.....will have absolutely no impact on anything.

Sorry, but it won't.

We won a Big East championship and an NCAA title 20 months ago. And yep, that meant nada, so if you're thinking a sell-out tomorrow is going to make another conference dampen their dainties, well, it won't.

If all this was an audition, then the past two decades should have sealed the deal for us. Unfortunately, the one thing we can't change - that we're the state U in a teeny, tiny lil state in the northeast - is the thing we needed to change.

I think the game is close to selling out anyway, but if we can't fill a building for a game against a #1 team, that's on us and not the school.

 

[ruskin]

The next 24 hours.....will have absolutely no impact on anything.

Sorry, but it won't.

We won a Big East championship and an NCAA title 20 months ago. And yep, that meant nada, so if you're thinking a sell-out tomorrow is going to make another conference dampen their dainties, well, it won't.

I think the game is close to selling out anyway, but if we can't fill a building for a game against a #1 team, that's on us and not the school.

I knew it wasn't going to be long before someone dropped the lead balloon. This being CT I am in no way shocked that it was post No. 3. C'mon Fishy. I'm not talking about just filling the building and being loud and replicating the atmosphere for all the great games in 1990s and 2000s there. Someone smarter than us can figure out a way to turn this game into a positive platform and to show we mean business. Im sick of this f--in Conference USA/Sun Belt/NNNNNNNNNNNBE nonsense. If UConn doesn't stand up for itself, with the whole world watching, who will?

BTW the school has said there are PLENTY of good seats available. Maybe that's changed in the last few hours and it is close to selling out. But tomorrow is not the night for the usual big chunks of empty seats (like those at the UConn-ND women's game).

 

[UConnDan97]

I have no problem at all with showing a fantastic amount of spirit and pride tomorrow night.

But I will take issue with the title of the thread. We do not have to show we belong. We simply belong. Three national titles, multiple Big East regular season and tourney championships, tons of players in the NBA....we belong. We are unarguably a top10 program of all time and arguably much higher. If anyone believes that we need to show that we belong in men's basketball, they are kidding themselves...

 

[noeynox]

Its not a lead balloon thing. I think the school and fan base have shown they belong. Now its a matter of getting the call.

 

[Uconnj2015]

ill be there but wish they just played all home games at gampel

 

[Chuck]

I somewhat agree with the OP. Football and tv markets have been driving the bus, but UConn basketball was also getting discounted. We were seen as a team with a successful history created and run by one coach. We're banned from post season play, half the team left and our legend retired.

Ollie has done a great job getting UConn spoken about in a positive light. It would be nice to keep the momentum going.

 

[uchusky32]

Tomorrow is a big game that has only BE standings. We have establish we have a basketbsll program 3 titles. KO has proven he can coach.

This is about football and the money it brings to select schools who want to keep it to themselves for as long as possible.

 

[Waquoit]

I think the game is close to selling out anyway, but if we can't fill a building for a game against a #1 team, that's on us and not the school.

No, it's on the school. We're banned from post-season play. That's put a damper on the season. The fans had nothing to do with that.

 

[epark88]

Wrong sport...

 

[Vuce]

I got tickets with some guys from work in November - the 3 game plan and our tickets for tomorrow are end zone, super deck, 3rd row - so there cant be a ton of good seats left

 

[huskymedic]

I got tickets with some guys from work in November - the 3 game plan and our tickets for tomorrow are end zone, super deck, 3rd row - so there cant be a ton of good seats left

0nly 10 up for sale on StubHub right now... Corners and Upper

 

[hthusky74]

All I know is we are playing a team tomorrow who will be ranked either #1, #2, or #3. It's time to quit prognisticating about all this alignment bullshit and get down to the XL Center tomorrow night and start howling, and to quote Lawrence Taylor, "go after them like a pack of mad dogs". This CR stuff is frustrating, confusing, and outright crazy at times. On that front, it's time we take inspiration from another quote, this one by the late, great, Hunter S. Thompson who said, "When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."

 

[PolisHusky]

I will be there with 3 others.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

I have no problem at all with showing a fantastic amount of spirit and pride tomorrow night.

But I will take issue with the title of the thread. We do not have to show we belong. We simply belong. Three national titles, multiple Big East regular season and tourney championships, tons of players in the NBA....we belong. We are unarguably a top10 program of all time and arguably much higher. If anyone believes that we need to show that we belong in men's basketball, they are kidding themselves...

Couldn't agree more! No need for UConn to jump through hoops, they've already achieved what many programs have never come close to. How many National Championships has Alabama, Texas, Notre Dame and Oregon won in Men's basketball? How many National Championships has Wisconsin, Michigan, Florida and Oklahoma won in women's hoops? And how many BCS Bowls has California, Indiana, Mississippi, and North Carolina gone to?

The only aspect that UConn could improve on in hoops would be venue. The XL Center is past prime. Gampel -too small and already out-dated. The model for improvement? See Maryland. See UVA.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Fishy is right, it will have no impact on realignment. However, our fandom has become a bit lackluster of late, and needs a kick in the can, especially the students. They need a reminder that the glory days are not just behind, but are also ahead of us. So a big, loud turnout and a national audience game against #1 is a great tonic for that problem. It might even help recruiting, especially if we can win. I said before, this is the most challenging year we could possibly face (new rookie coach, no tournament, team hurt by transfers, minus scholarships and conference instability). If we can show that we intend to and are able to kick butt despite all that, it will mean a lot.

 

[Marty Jackson]

here's how much tonight's game matters in the CR equation...

About 2 months ago, we beat Louisville in their stadium. Less than 2 weeks later they were invited to the ACC because of football.

Just win.

 

[mavblues]

I will be there with 3 others.

Actually, you will be there with 16,293 others.

 

[ruskin]

here's how much tonight's game matters in the CR equation...

About 2 months ago, we beat Louisville in their stadium. Less than 2 weeks later they were invited to the ACC because of football.

Just win.

I think you might have sort of made my point for me Marty. The scoreboard might not have as much impact as a packed, jazzed crowd will.

It's sort of too bad this isn't England (or, even, gag, Duke) with organized chants beforehand. People more clever than me could come up with catchy ones that might get ESPN's attention - no clue who's doing the game tonight but if fans started with something like "A-C-C, where we oughta be" (I know it's lame) it might get some national buzz going.

Seriously, if Shulman or McDonough heard something CR related that was clever they'd mention on the air. "Boy these fans are fired up - I don't see how UConn doesn't land on its feet somewhere". Kind of free media that would not hurt one bit.

 

[NEforceUConn]

I just hope the game atmosphere at XL is pumped. I know its a Monday night with school not in session, but the recent State/Duke game at Raleigh was pretty impressive on the tube.

Now I'm not a big fan of storming the court after we win, but I sincerely hope the game atmosphere will come across on ESPN.

 

[Adios]

How many National Championships has Alabama, Texas, Notre Dame and Oregon won in Men's basketball??

Oregon has one.

 

[RS9999X]

if fans started with something like "A-C-C, where we oughta be" it might get some national buzz going.

.

Yup. Bring begging bowls, wear your oldest clothes and get on your knees when you say that chant.

I'd rather die

 

[Chuck]

I think you might have sort of made my point for me Marty. The scoreboard might not have as much impact as a packed, jazzed crowd will.

It's sort of too bad this isn't England (or, even, gag, Duke) with organized chants beforehand. People more clever than me could come up with catchy ones that might get ESPN's attention - no clue who's doing the game tonight but if fans started with something like "A-C-C, where we oughta be" (I know it's lame) it might get some national buzz going.

Seriously, if Shulman or McDonough heard something CR related that was clever they'd mention on the air. "Boy these fans are fired up - I don't see how UConn doesn't land on its feet somewhere". Kind of free media that would not hurt one bit.

I hope the fans will be crazy, but I will cringe if there are any CR related chants.

 

[ruskin]

OK nay-sayers - just ignore the elephant in the room at the XL?