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ND to ACC?

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DaddyChoc

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sad to see UConn blocked out of the major conferences
 
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sad to see UConn blocked out of the major conferences

"Major conference" is an illusion. Further, what actually governs the perception of major versus minor is football. Thus, by that arbitrary and grossly unimportant determining factor, the Ivy League is a minor conference. For most of its history, UCONN did not consider football to be important enough to commit the resources necessary to compete at the top level. That changed a few years ago and UCONN now plays at top dog level. But UCONN is a long way from being a consistent top 25 football school.

It will take time to get there. In a football conference, UCONN would be the equivalent of a Vanderbilt, a Duke, a Kansas, a northwestern, a Washington State, an NC State, or a Kentucky and a soon to be Rutgers. That is, a team capable of an occasional good year, but generally and usually one that struggles to be in the middle of the pack.

I doubt if the Rent would be consistently packed to see UCONN got its butt kicked, year in and year out by major footballers.

Do you think UCONN is better off by aspiring to doormat status?

Really?
 

Fishbone

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"Major conference" is an illusion. Further, what actually governs the perception of major versus minor is football. Thus, by that arbitrary and grossly unimportant determining factor, the Ivy League is a minor conference. For most of its history, UCONN did not consider football to be important enough to commit the resources necessary to compete at the top level. That changed a few years ago and UCONN now plays at top dog level. But UCONN is a long way from being a consistent top 25 football school.

It will take time to get there. In a football conference, UCONN would be the equivalent of a Vanderbilt, a Duke, a Kansas, a northwestern, a Washington State, an NC State, or a Kentucky and a soon to be Rutgers. That is, a team capable of an occasional good year, but generally and usually one that struggles to be in the middle of the pack.

I doubt if the Rent would be consistently packed to see UCONN got its butt kicked, year in and year out by major footballers.

Do you think UCONN is better off by aspiring to doormat status?

Really?
Most of what you say may be true. It's all about the football money.
 
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Any chance that Notre Dame will reconsider and join the new Big East Catholic league thus opening their spot to UCONN? When is Maryland leaving the ACC? What about Boston College.. maybe they can join the new Big East and open a spot....
 
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We would actually have the chance, at least, to be a middle of the pack team in the "Big 5". We would be better than Northwestern and Indiana in the Big 10. Have we forgotten the quality wins we've had already? Amazing.
 
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"Major conference" is an illusion. Further, what actually governs the perception of major versus minor is football. Thus, by that arbitrary and grossly unimportant determining factor, the Ivy League is a minor conference. For most of its history, UCONN did not consider football to be important enough to commit the resources necessary to compete at the top level. That changed a few years ago and UCONN now plays at top dog level. But UCONN is a long way from being a consistent top 25 football school.

It will take time to get there. In a football conference, UCONN would be the equivalent of a Vanderbilt, a Duke, a Kansas, a northwestern, a Washington State, an NC State, or a Kentucky and a soon to be Rutgers. That is, a team capable of an occasional good year, but generally and usually one that struggles to be in the middle of the pack.

I doubt if the Rent would be consistently packed to see UCONN got its butt kicked, year in and year out by major footballers.

Do you think UCONN is better off by aspiring to doormat status?

Really?

Considering UConn has been essentially as successful as Louisville, Rutgers, and Syracuse since it joined Big East football, UConn's program would hardly be "doormat" status wherever it goes. It is certainly a step above Vanderbilt, Duke, Northwestern, etc (obviously football wise-academically, that's another story).

If UConn does not get into a major conference within 3 years, there will be a problem for the entire athletic department. College football drives the major funding for universities...if UConn doesn't have a piece of that "Big 5" pie, not as many resources are available for the remainder of its sports.
 
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Any chance that Notre Dame will reconsider and join the new Big East Catholic league thus opening their spot to UCONN? When is Maryland leaving the ACC? What about Boston College.. maybe they can join the new Big East and open a spot....


I don't think that the Catholics want them.
 
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Any chance that Notre Dame will reconsider and join the new Big East Catholic league thus opening their spot to UCONN? When is Maryland leaving the ACC? What about Boston College.. maybe they can join the new Big East and open a spot....

LOL... ND will be going to ACC. Maryland is leaving next year and L-Ville is taking their spot. BC leaving the ACC to go to the new BE is possibly the funniest thing I've ever read on this board. Why on EARTH would they ever do that??
 
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Considering UConn has been essentially as successful as Louisville, Rutgers, and Syracuse since it joined Big East football, UConn's program would hardly be "doormat" status wherever it goes. It is certainly a step above Vanderbilt, Duke, Northwestern, etc (obviously football wise-academically, that's another story).

If UConn does not get into a major conference within 3 years, there will be a problem for the entire athletic department. College football drives the major funding for universities...if UConn doesn't have a piece of that "Big 5" pie, not as many resources are available for the remainder of its sports.

Granted, the Big 5 currently get more $$$ than other conferences and more $$ is better than less $$.I also grant that advantage will likely continue; but here's something to consider:

There may be a few downside risks that could quickly materialize. One of those risks may be manifesting for the earliest of those who jumped the BE ship. I speak here of Miami and BC. While I've not checked actual attendance, every time I glance (I do not watch college futbol regularly), the stadiums in Miami and in Chestnut Hill are 1/2 empty. And, neither Miami nor BC have achieved anything close to the futbol success they had in their BE days.

Chances are, fan interest in both attending and watching them on teevee is going down. In short, being in a Big 5, especially as they get bigger still, simply means it will be easier to get lost in the shuffle. Hadn't we ought to consider how big is too big; and, likewise, can small be better under certain circumstances?

Although the new conference UCONN will be in will consist in teams being paid less by networks, what do you think will happen if the network profit margin on games they broadcast is high? There's a chance, too, that the games will be as exciting as any out there because teams, styles of play resulting from new rivalries might generate interest. I think networks will likely put those games in favorable time slots, bring their A- team announcers and otherwise promote them. Who's to say the Big 5 will not or cannot morph into the Big 6; or, if is to be the Big 5, that one current member of it won't fade?

Right now, in futbol, the SEC clearly wins more than the other four. Uconn's 40000 capacity stadium is far below the SEC and Big G1 average. I don't think the lament for membership in another conference gives enough credence to the downside risks and the upside potential of new conference. This perspective is not widely shared. This I know, but I foresee equally acceptable outcomes no matter how this plays out.

Maybe UCONN will end up in a Big 5. That is what most want. If that happens, I hope doing so works out well.

Here's what I will do: if UCONN stays in the new conference, I will go to the Rent and unfurl a support banner. But I'm not likely to go see them get their butts kicked by FSU, if they go to the ACC. That said, I hope they beat Michigan this year.
 

msf22b

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Just confirmed by AP
ND to join ACC next season
 
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Good riddance. Guess I'll become a Duke fan for those games that it becomes necessary. Never thought I'd say THAT!
 
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Glad to be rid of them, personally. And it has almost nothing to do with the last few years of their "dominance" over UConn on the WBB court - though that hasn't helped, I must admit. I despised them even when we were regularly beating the snot out of them. They were never a full member of the BE anyway. They always had one foot in the door and one foot squarely outside of it. Their football elitism as a supposed conference member was always a bone that stuck in my craw.

However, I suspect that at some point - a year, two years, five years - we will find ourselves back in their neighborhood and be facing them with regularity. Conference realignment is far from over. Lots of dominoes left standing that will fall at some point and take others with them. I think we are somewhere in that stand of dominoes, just waiting for the first few to fall before our turn comes. Until then, I don't expect Geno to be very willing to play ND. There are enough other good OOC programs to fill the season schedule out around what will surely be a pretty easy road to conference championships next year and the year after that, and the year after that....

My parting words to nd: May the road rise up to meet you...and kick you square in the arse.
 
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Right now, in futbol, the SEC clearly wins more than the other four. Uconn's 40000 capacity stadium is far below the SEC and Big G1 average. I don't think the lament for membership in another conference gives enough credence to the downside risks and the upside potential of new conference. This perspective is not widely shared. This I know, but I foresee equally acceptable outcomes no matter how this plays out.

Maybe UCONN will end up in a Big 5. That is what most want. If that happens, I hope doing so works out well.

Here's what I will do: if UCONN stays in the new conference, I will go to the Rent and unfurl a support banner. But I'm not likely to go see them get their butts kicked by FSU, if they go to the ACC. That said, I hope they beat Michigan this year.

That last sentence reads that you'd rather support the team in games where they can win rather than sticking it through games where they can get beaten up. UConn is still a growing program-it's going to take its licks from the "big dogs," but it is still about exposure. This is a program that when it first entered the world of football got killed by Virginia Tech, but a few short years later, was beating Notre Dame AT Notre Dame and playing in the Tostitos Bowl vs. Oklahoma. Being in a league without elite football programs to play regularly makes it incredibly hard for UConn football to make a statement, and therefore make an impression on the national scene. Yes, the basketball programs will sustain the athletic department for a while, but UConn ultimately needs a comfortable home for its football program. UConn is the flagship university for the State of Connecticut. To not have a seat at the "top dog" table will eventually become a problem-sponsorship deals with athletic companies, TV contracts, etc. are all important. UConn does not want to be a Georgetown, Villanova, Butler, etc. where the main athletics are basketball. UConn (and by extension, the state) needs its football program to succeed.

The Big 10 (or whatever number it is today) is going to be the top dog relatively soon. Hence their moves for Maryland (DC tv market) and Rutgers (part of the NY/NJ market). Both flagship state universities. That's what UConn is striving for.

I understand what you are saying in principle...however, in reality, UConn needs to not be stuck where it is for too long. Believe me, fans would rather go to the Rent to see a match-up vs. Ohio State or Florida State on a regular basis vs. seeing us face Tulane and SMU every year. Outside of UConn, Cincinnati and South Florida...there really isn't a lot of firepower athletically speaking with the new conference members. Memphis is decent in men's basketball. Other than that? The conference of misfits is lacking.
 

triaddukefan

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Good riddance. Guess I'll become a Duke fan for those games that it becomes necessary. Never thought I'd say THAT!

:cool: Thanks

(Conference) Politics makes strange bedfellows.... I'll be rooting for UNC next year when they play Maryland :eek:
 

triaddukefan

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So when does Maryland head to the Big10?


July 1, 2014....


If it were up to me...... the ACC would let Louisville join this summer.... and let them take the place of MD in the football and basketball schedules. Let Maryland be an independent for a year :)
 
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