Non-Key Tweets

[HuskyJ]

That makes no sense at all. Who is asking another conference to invest in UConn? Is it that you think the only way to show a conference that we can expand the stadium to 55k is to do it? Seriously, that's absurd. And saying "perception is reality" is just throwing out a meaningless cliche. Whose perception? Tuxedo Yoohoo's? Frank the Tank's? Or the people who make a decision? Because you have no reason to doubt that people who will make the decision don't understand the relevant facts.

If we want to be perceived as a big time program we will have to look like one, not be the promise of one if given a golden ticket. We will have to create that image.

We spent plenty of money to get into Big East football and that investment over a decade ago is good enough to be in the AAC today. Unfortunately it’s going to cost more to step up again. We can’t just wait for our golden ticket anymore.

The guy who keeps getting passed over for his promotion doesn’t become more appealing over time just sitting in his office.

 

[Fishy]

I'm concerned that we have so many fans who feel the need to "double down" on dumb posts. What if that is what is keeping UConn from a P-5 invite?

Shall we plate our helmets with gold? Buy a fancier equipment truck? Buy our own blimp? Buy Shamu and keep him in a tank on our sidelines to delight small children? Knock down the brand-new hoop doohickey and build one on top of the rubble?

What are they asking for? It's so vague and so stupid.

How much would it cost to import another seven million residents? That's what worked for Rutgers, not their deranged deficit spending.

 

[Durks07]

I'm concerned that we have so many fans who feel the need to "double down" on dumb posts. What if that is what is keeping UConn from a P-5 invite?

Can't be, otherwise West Virginia would have been relegated to the NAIA

 

[FDNY99]

Can't be, otherwise West Virginia would have been relegated to the NAIA

 

[CL82]

Shall we plate our helmets with gold? Buy a fancier equipment truck? Buy our own blimp? Buy Shamu and keep him in a tank on our sidelines to delight small children? Knock down the brand-new hoop doohickey and build one on top of the rubble?

What are they asking for? It's so vague and so stupid.

How much would it cost to import another seven million residents? That's what worked for Rutgers, not their deranged deficit spending.

Mmm. I like the last idea...and the blimp. Yeah a blimp would be pretty cool. People would say "Hey look their goes that Husky blimp." It would sound redundant, but it wouldn't be.

 

[Husky25]

Mmm. I like the last idea...and the blimp. Yeah a blimp would be pretty cool. People would say "Hey look their goes that Husky blimp." It would sound redundant, but it wouldn't be.

It starts a conversion.

 

[Kolumbo]

Let me put it this way. We were able to compete for Big East championships under Edsall. If we don't compete for AAC championships, I would blame it on the coaching, not some inherent advantage that Houston/SMU/Memphis/ECU/USF/UCF/Temple/Tulane/Tulsa have over UConn. It's just not harder to compete with those schools than it was with the Big East teams we successfully competed with (WVU, Rutgers, Cuse, Pitt, etc). In the long run, we should have better football than every one of our AAC conference mates.

I understand what you are saying but the Big East was a BCS conference. We are no longer in a power conference. HUGE difference in recruiting. The other AAC teams don't have an advantage over UCONN. We are all in the same stinkin' tugboat - we will all be mediocre an no one will have an advantage due to location. Except maybe Tulane. Everyone likes a good party.

 

[pj]

I understand what you are saying but the Big East was a BCS conference. We are no longer in a power conference. HUGE difference in recruiting. The other AAC teams don't have an advantage over UCONN. We are all in the same stinkin' tugboat - we will all be mediocre an no one will have an advantage due to location. Except maybe Tulane. Everyone likes a good party.

I know what you are saying but the question was whether we could win the AAC. We can, because (as you acknowledge) our AAC competitors have all our defects including conference.

 

[Kolumbo]

I know what you are saying but the question was whether we could win the AAC. We can, because (as you acknowledge) our AAC competitors have all our defects including conference.

The question was not whether UCONN could win the conference. Sure UCONN could win the conference. So could the other 10 teams who finished equal to or better than UCONN this year, as well as Navy. The statement I replied to was that UCONN needs to be a perennial winner of the conference, and I implied that UCONN would be lucky to win the conference at all. And if someone is suggesting that UCONN become the perennial winner 10-15 years down the road, I don't think I could stomach that length of time in the Gulag.

 

[HuskyJ]

What on earth are you talking about?

I just think trying to sell your struggling football program with the we’ll invest more in it’s future after we are guaranteed the big bucks may not instill the most confidence or appeal to perspective buyers.

Would I like to get an invite and then make the investments. Sure we’ve had our spots in BE football and hockey east lined up before the investments. But that’s just not the norm. And since my original post started with Cinn and UCF getting their ticket punched before us, that would make the last 4 schools to go P5 investing in their stadiums without guarantees. There are only a few ways to change perception and spending money is one of the few you can control. Is a “Build it and they will come” a great strategy, nope. But falling comfortably into the G5 is certain death.

The longer we are a G5 school the less we look like a BCS school that just got left behind and the more we look like a mid major simply by the company we keep.

 

[Vuce]

Shall we plate our helmets with gold? Buy a fancier equipment truck? Buy our own blimp? Buy Shamu and keep him in a tank on our sidelines to delight small children? Knock down the brand-new hoop doohickey and build one on top of the rubble? What are they asking for? It's so vague and so stupid. How much would it cost to import another seven million residents? That's what worked for Rutgers, not their deranged deficit spending.

Your posts are much better when you number them 1, 2, 3, 5, etc.

 

[CTMike]

It starts a conversion.

What are we converting?

 

[DarthGrumpy]

If Yoda is correct and we lose Cincy and UCF (and for some awful reason it just doesn’t feel wrong), the situation can be no dire, it’s time for UCONN to beg, borrow, steal, and coerce its way in to the P5. That means doubling down on investments, no waiting for upticks in attendance to increase the stadium. The other facilities need to be fast tracked, get the Hockey barn, new baseball facilities, upgrading Gampel all started and finished now. We need to look like a shiny new member of the P5 before someone invites us. Because every day that goes by, championships aside, we look more and more just another want to be. Perception will kill us in the media and recruiting and just feed on itself. Carrots AND sticks need to be brought to bear on ESPN by the state.

UCONN cannot go gentle in to that good night.

Too bad Connecticut does not have Christie as a Governor. I am sure after being stuck in their campus for several days due to a traffic study or two, ESPN officials may realize how important it is for them to support UConn's move to a P5 conference.

 

[CL82]

Stating that two separate things happened does not prove cause and effect. Yes, Rutgers expanded their stadium ahead of the demand for tickets. Yes, Rutgers got into the Big Ten. That is not evidence that expanding a stadium gets you into the Big Ten.

Nor is your statement evidence that it did not. Are you asserting that stadium size plays no role in the decision making process of which institution is worth inviting to join a conference?

Regardless, BL my point was simply that Rutgers made the jump successfully to the P5. Mocking their strategy for getting there from the G5 cheap seats seems pointless.

 

[CAHUSKY]

Nor is your statement evidence that it did not. Are you asserting that stadium size plays no role in the decision making process of which institution is worth inviting to join a conference ?

Is there one instance where it clearly was?

 

[Fishy]

Rutgers. Is. In. The. Big. Ten. Because. They. Are. In. A. Very. Large. Market.

Some people just can't seem to get their minds around that.

Perhaps they're bad at math.

 

[CL82]

Rutgers. Is. In. The. Big. Ten. Because. They. Are. In. A. Very. Large. Market.

Some people just can't seem to get their minds around that.

Perhaps they're bad at math.

Buffalo is in a very large market, they didn't get the nod so it may just have been a little more complicated than that but some people can't wrap their mind around more than one variable at a time, perhaps they are just simple....

That said, the point is simple: they are in, we are out. Seems foolish to mock them.

 

[CL82]

Is there one instance where it clearly was?

It's not really my point CA, but off the top of my head, I think of one, Villanova.

Building it won't get you invite if you are otherwise unworthy, but not having a competitive stadium would certainly be a factor against you. There's a reason we are still playing in Memorial stadium.

 

[Fishy]

Buffalo is in a very large market, they didn't get the nod so it may just have been a little more complicated than that but some people can't wrap their mind around more than one variable at a time, perhaps they are just simple....

That said, the point is simple: they are in, we are out. Seems foolish to mock them.

Good lord.

You're just lost.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Rutgers. Is. In. The. Big. Ten. Because. They. Are. In. A. Very. Large. Market.

Some people just can't seem to get their minds around that.

Perhaps they're bad at math.

Or, maybe they're ignorant or just dummies!

 

[husky210]

Buffalo is in a very large market, they didn't get the nod so it may just have been a little more complicated than that but some people can't wrap their mind around more than one variable at a time, perhaps they are just simple....

That said, the point is simple: they are in, we are out. Seems foolish to mock them.

Huh? Since when is Buffalo a very large market? You do realize they're like a couple hundred miles from NYC right? You must mean Toronto? I bet they're super interested in American college football.

 

[upstater]

Buffalo is in a very large market, they didn't get the nod so it may just have been a little more complicated than that but some people can't wrap their mind around more than one variable at a time, perhaps they are just simple....

That said, the point is simple: they are in, we are out. Seems foolish to mock them.

Buffalo has a market of 1.3m.

The Rutgers market is 6x as big.

When it comes to pro sports, the Buffalo market is much bigger, because then it includes a chunk of So. Ontario (2m to 7m) and Rochester (1.2m).

 

[Kolumbo]

University at Buffalo, The State University of New York Bulls.
Catchy.

 

[Waquoit]

Too bad Connecticut does not have Christie as a Governor. I am sure after being stuck in their campus for several days due to a traffic study or two, ESPN officials may realize how important it is for them to support UConn's move to a P5 conference.

Nah, Christie only punches down.

 

[billybud]

The internet kooks now see portent in ESPN releasing the name of the new sponsor for the ACC basketball tournament....New York Life

http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/new_york_life_begins_for_acc_mens_basketball_tournament

I tell you, this Game of Thrones is far more interesting than the HBO series....