OT - The mess at Houston

[JMick]

I guess we'll see in a few years when the cycle starts up again and we see who goes where. If the Big 12 loses a few members, they will need to back fill. One thing is certain: they aren't backfilling with schools who have a dumpster fire football program. No P5 conference is adding a dumpster fire football program. Houston understands this; UConn doesn't. Very disappointing.

it's easy to "understand it" when you have boosters with delusions of grandeur that will continually buyout coaches with oil money. UConn needs to fix its money problem before they can fix the football problem

 

[Platt81]

I guess we'll see in a few years when the cycle starts up again and we see who goes where. If the Big 12 loses a few members, they will need to back fill. One thing is certain: they aren't backfilling with schools who have a dumpster fire football program. No P5 conference is adding a dumpster fire football program. Houston understands this; UConn doesn't. Very disappointing.

You mean like the B1G did with Rutgers? There’s many factors beyond being good at football. UConns biggest fault is conferences see our value, but they also see us as available when needed. I would say both the B1G and ACC have buyers remorse by passing UConn over but would never publicize that opinion. Meanwhile we sit in purgatory.

 

[noeynox]

You mean like the B1G did with Rutgers? There’s many factors beyond being good at football. UConns biggest fault is conferences see our value, but they also see us as available when needed. I would say both the B1G and ACC have buyers remorse by passing UConn over but would never publicize that opinion. Meanwhile we sit in purgatory.

Rutgers wasn't a dumpster fire when they were chosen. Flood had them somewhat respectable before he got canned for trying to get a professor to change grades or something and Schiano prior to that led them one year to a final AP ranking of like 11th in the country. They're actually the opposite of the point you're trying to make. RU invested heavy in football at the expense of non revenue sports sometimes, at a crucial time and as a result they are forever financially secure going forward.

They are a dumpster fire today, like we are now. Houston is absolutely doing the right thing. The right thing for them may not be a path we can afford at the moment.

 

[Dooley]

it's easy to "understand it" when you have boosters with delusions of grandeur that will continually buyout coaches with oil money. UConn needs to fix its money problem before they can fix the football problem

I guess the question would then become how come Houston's sugar mommies and daddies are investing 1000% more intelligently (in terms of CR goes) than UConn's? Our sugar daddy/mommy money is going towards building a part-time hockey venue and other venues for sports that don't move the CR needle at all (soccer/baseball).

 

[Stainmaster]

I guess the question would then become how come Houston's sugar mommies and daddies are investing 1000% more intelligently (in terms of CR goes) than UConn's? Our sugar daddy/mommy money is going towards building a part-time hockey venue and other venues for sports that don't move the CR needle at all (soccer/baseball).

It doesn't move the needle, but it's necessary in order to mitigate long-term inaction/inattention to those facilities. The previous baseball facility was grievously outclassed by Eastern's field, which is not acceptable for any program at a university of this caliber.

Also, Fertitta's net worth is $4.5 billion. The more money you have to throw around, the higher the odds it'll hit the areas that actually need it.

 

[Dooley]

You mean like the B1G did with Rutgers? There’s many factors beyond being good at football. UConns biggest fault is conferences see our value, but they also see us as available when needed. I would say both the B1G and ACC have buyers remorse by passing UConn over but would never publicize that opinion. Meanwhile we sit in purgatory.

You're applying Big 10 expansion criteria to the Big 12's and it's just not that easy. For the Big 10, AAU membership is (mostly) required. They were also interested in market expansion for their new BTN and got a HUGE payday when they brought in the NYC market through Rutgers. As @noeynox pointed out above me, Rutgers football was pretty good at the time of expansion. All UConn needs to do is be"pretty good" (again) at football too.

While the Big 10 is thinking long-term (and money), the Big 12 is only thinking about football. Which candidates, if any, improve the football profile enough to continue the conference's legit access to the CFB Playoff (as it stands today). If the Playoff field is expanded, I wouldn't expect the Big 12 to expand either. They'd be guaranteed access if all P5 winners get in. The only way they'd add a new member is to replace any departing members. IF that happened, it's only going to be for football.

 

[Dooley]

It doesn't move the needle, but it's necessary in order to mitigate long-term inaction/inattention to those facilities. The previous baseball facility was grievously outclassed by Eastern's field, which is not acceptable for any program at a university of this caliber.

Also, Fertitta's net worth is $4.5 billion. The more money you have to throw around, the higher the odds it'll hit the areas that actually need it.

I agree with you. One part I hate hate hate about CR is having to argue against sports I actually love - baseball, hockey and soccer. Just wish there was a dollar for dollar match on football too. Ha!

 

[Dooley]

Great post.

Snuck in my one and only good post right before the new year.

 

[Drew]

 

[gtcam]

If Houston can lure Holgorsen away from Big 12 WVU, the only people chuckling will be Houston...when they start cashing those Big 12 checks. Houston clearly understands that its only shot at a P5 is in the Big 12. And the only shot the Big 12 expands is if/when expansion improves their football conference. Nothing else. Houston knows it and I applaud them for having the gusto to go for it. I really wish UConn had some of that, to be honest. But I am looking forward to hiring a new DC away from Porter & Chester at $65,000/yr so we can afford paying to build a part-time hockey arena.

Chief00 might think this is brilliant but the B12 already has 4 Texas based teams and do you think that UTexas, Baylor, Texas Tech or TCU are going to let another Texas team in? The only way is if one or most likely 2 of them leave or get kicked out - neither will happen
Expansion alone without any school leaving will not open any B12 doors for UH
They have a better chance at the SEC or Pac12 and those two are most likely not going to be looking at UH
I understand that the Houston market is huge but that is the only thing that makes UH overly attractive
I get your thinking that way but the B12 members are not going to be rolling out the red carpet to UH

 

[Exit 4]

I really hope this blows up in their face.

Blowing up spectacularly would be hilarious. Fingers crossed.

 

[Exit 4]

Chief00 might think this is brilliant but the B12 already has 4 Texas based teams and do you think that UTexas, Baylor, Texas Tech or TCU are going to let another Texas team in? The only way is if one or most likely 2 of them leave or get kicked out - neither will happen
Expansion alone without any school leaving will not open any B12 doors for UH
They have a better chance at the SEC or Pac12 and those two are most likely not going to be looking at UH
I understand that the Houston market is huge but that is the only thing that makes UH overly attractive
I get your thinking that way but the B12 members are not going to be rolling out the red carpet to UH

Did you miss the memo? Tillman Fertitta is also buying the PAC-12 network and moving UH along with it.

Sidebar, any kid on UH is waking up to the fact they play on Fertitta's team which means you better make Tillman happy or he'll use the George Steinbrenner phone to the dugout so to speak.

 

[DoctorWho85]

Chief00 might think this is brilliant but the B12 already has 4 Texas based teams and do you think that UTexas, Baylor, Texas Tech or TCU are going to let another Texas team in? The only way is if one or most likely 2 of them leave or get kicked out - neither will happen
Expansion alone without any school leaving will not open any B12 doors for UH
They have a better chance at the SEC or Pac12 and those two are most likely not going to be looking at UH
I understand that the Houston market is huge but that is the only thing that makes UH overly attractive
I get your thinking that way but the B12 members are not going to be rolling out the red carpet to UH

Not to mention that diminishes the rest if the schools outside of Texas power within the conference

 

[noeynox]

Randy sums up the situation at Houston nicely:

 

[superjohn]

I guess the question would then become how come Houston's sugar mommies and daddies are investing 1000% more intelligently (in terms of CR goes) than UConn's? Our sugar daddy/mommy money is going towards building a part-time hockey venue and other venues for sports that don't move the CR needle at all (soccer/baseball).

We don't have any sugar daddies.

 

[Hoophound]

Randy sums up the situation at Houston nicely:

Is that directed at anyone specifically? Seems kind of odd.

 

[noeynox]

Is that directed at anyone specifically? Seems kind of odd.

He's always tweeting random quotes.

 

[Scrutineer]

We don't have any sugar daddies.

Chief?

 

[Drew]

 

[huskymedic]

Scratch one...

Houston Chronicle: Potential coaching candidates for UH football

Holgo, Kiffin, Orlando, Brown and Kingsbury...

 

[king conn]

Randy sums up the situation at Houston nicely:

Randy should know, he's handed out plenty of bills for that

 

[Chief00]

Chief00 might think this is brilliant but the B12 already has 4 Texas based teams and do you think that UTexas, Baylor, Texas Tech or TCU are going to let another Texas team in? The only way is if one or most likely 2 of them leave or get kicked out - neither will happen
Expansion alone without any school leaving will not open any B12 doors for UH
They have a better chance at the SEC or Pac12 and those two are most likely not going to be looking at UH
I understand that the Houston market is huge but that is the only thing that makes UH overly attractive
I get your thinking that way but the B12 members are not going to be rolling out the red carpet to UH

Houston is the 4th largest metro market in the USA and perhaps the top recruiting metro. No politician in the governor’s office or legislature is not going to not mandate the other Texas State schools vote Houston into the Big 12, now that they are a candidate when an opening develops. Remember the Virginia legislature and VT admission to the ACC? They put pressure on the ACC via UVA

 

[Pudge]

Pete Thamel - uber Root Fanboy of Syracuse - is dismissive of the University of Houston.

In the great arc of Conference Realignment, neither BC, Syracuse, Louisville, TCU or Pitt ... really ... are the Best Strategic Plan for a ProStructure = which is my view of where the P5 has gone. Syracuse is a piss-ant town that Institutional Lenders avoid and the academics are a myth. Elon and Davidson types draw more affluent Greater NYC suburban kids these days than the Proportion SU used to get.

They play in antiquated mausoleum Carrier Dome - with NO NYS grants or infrastructure aid available in any foreseeable political climate. FanBase? That push for being NYC team? BC has similarly gone to their hole. But the P5 conference label has saved them; floated them.

WE - UConn - have a far more expansive potential as a State U if we had the P5. We did not get it because Louisville pumped fraudulent muni money into glitz facilities and cheater coaches; and Rutgers had a simple land comparative advantage. Etc.

Looking down your nose at Houston (particularly his mystery B12 source) is silly. They should work every angle. That is what BC did. And the stink did not last that long.

 

[UConnNick]

Chief00 might think this is brilliant but the B12 already has 4 Texas based teams and do you think that UTexas, Baylor, Texas Tech or TCU are going to let another Texas team in? The only way is if one or most likely 2 of them leave or get kicked out - neither will happen
Expansion alone without any school leaving will not open any B12 doors for UH
They have a better chance at the SEC or Pac12 and those two are most likely not going to be looking at UH
I understand that the Houston market is huge but that is the only thing that makes UH overly attractive
I get your thinking that way but the B12 members are not going to be rolling out the red carpet to UH

The Houston media market is large, but UH is lucky if it's the fifth team in its own market. UT, A&M, Baylor and even TX Tech all dwarf Houston's anemic fanbase in the Houston market. Commuter schools are no match for huge enrollment state universities with a predominance of students living on campus for four years. Houston is a magnet for alumni of all the big TX state universities. Even a private school like Baylor, with a huge alumni presence in Houston, grabs a bigger market share than UH does in Houston.

 

[Drew]

 

[Adios]

UH gave us Tom Byron and Paul Wall.

 

[Dooley]

The Big 12 does not have a TV network like the other P5 conferences. They don't care one bit about over saturation of markets or doubling (or quintupling) down in Texas. They brought TCU in not too long ago. Why? Because they made it to a Rose Bowl. They care about football. Only football. Football. Football. Football. If Houston is 9-3 or 10-2 in a few years, that is the one and only criteria that the Big 12 will consider. The Big 12 does not care about anything else except what makes them a better football conference, either as an add-on to what they currently have or to replace a departing member. Houston understands this, hence the UH President making statements that 8-5 is unacceptable. This move is very risky, but the reward of possible acceptance into the Money Club is absolutely worth it for them. If they can hire away a very good coach from an existing Big 12 member (with a mountain of cash that Houston does not have), that's a very serious football statement. And, again, football is the one and only thing that the Big 12 cares about. Discussing any CR criteria other than football is a waste of time when we're discussing the Big 12.

UConn, with its vast resources from past state economies and current alumni/fan donor levels, is allocating its money into other things. Either they've been told by other conferences to bring other areas up-to-par (i.e. don't worry so much about dumpster fire football) OR they are engaging in a spectacular misuse of resources...which would be consistent with some of our recent horrendous coaching contract extensions we've handed out.

 

[Drew]

it really is pretty remarkable that we share a conference with a team that fires a coach after 8-5 and will go poach a sitting Big 12 HC. We fire a DC after having the worst statistical defense in CFB history and the local media writes scathing articles on the program. Two completely different worlds.

 

[Pudge]

it really is pretty remarkable that we share a conference with a team that fires a coach after 8-5 and will go poach a sitting Big 12 HC. We fire a DC after having the worst statistical defense in CFB history and the local media writes scathing articles on the program. Two completely different worlds.

Yeah ... that is funny. I expect Crocker's mom would have fired him after a historically awful defense ... or even just watching tackling on film.

 

[huskymedic]

For some comparison - here what each AAC schools (minus Navy) reported for football expenses in 2016 in the mandatory Equity in Athletics Database (2016 is latest year available on line.

1. Temple - $20,624,125.00
2. UConn - $20,454,919.00* (see note below regarding Diaco staff term cost of $4,011,343 from data)
3. SMU - $17,637,584.00
4. UCF - $17,064,586.00
5. Cincinnati - $15,491,793.00
6. Tulsa - $15,145,884.00
7. Memphis - $14,713,436.00
8. Houston - $14,641,643.00
9. Tulane - $13,367,701.00
10. USF - $12,657,036.00
11. ECU - $10,591,998.00

*In January, 2017, the University of Connecticut terminated the head football coach of his coaching responsibilities. As a result of this action and the coaching staff's employment contracts, the University was required to incur a one-time expense of $4,011,343. This expense is included in the football total expense of $20,454,919 * >>> I did not go through each school for similar caveats but excluding the Diaco payment - it puts UConn @ #4 w/ $16,443,576.00.

(Expenses are expenses attributable to intercollegiate athletic activities. This includes appearance guarantees and options, athletically related student aid, contract services, equipment, fundraising activities, operating expenses, promotional activities, recruiting expenses, salaries and benefits, supplies, travel, and any other expenses attributable to intercollegiate athletic activities.)

Once can argue it's not how much we spend but what we got out of those expenditures.