Pod with Brett McMurphy on UConn bowls

[gwhuskyfan]

Talked with Brett McMurphy last night about our bowl chances. Thought he had some good insight:

 

[huskymedic]

McMurphy can be a weenie @ times but this is a good listen for some nuts & bolts about process for those not in the weeds.

 

[huskymedic]

Similar take on the chances here from Aman: It appears likely that UConn will get a bowl invite

 

[HCCForever]

Does a rematch make sense?
The Athletic — Gasparilla Bowl vs. NC State — Dec. 23

 

[businesslawyer]

Does a rematch make sense?
The Athletic — Gasparilla Bowl vs. NC State — Dec. 23

No bowl is giving us a rematch against one of the three teams that destroyed us. How would you sell tickets for that?

 

[huskymedic]

Does a rematch make sense?
The Athletic — Gasparilla Bowl vs. NC State — Dec. 23

No...

 

[Husky25]

Does a rematch make sense?
The Athletic — Gasparilla Bowl vs. NC State — Dec. 23

I think of The Big Lebowski when I hear this bowl. It should be held in Sioux City.

 

[gioff2323]

Please not Shreveport. Please.

 

[businesslawyer]

Please not Shreveport. Please.

It's not the only bowl on the list of possibilities that almost no UConn fans will go to.

Any bowl this year is a totally unexpected and welcome treat. I'm not going to complain for a moment if it's on a date and/or at a place that I have no ability to go to. Next year, talk to me about the quality of the bowl.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Does a rematch make sense?
The Athletic — Gasparilla Bowl vs. NC State — Dec. 23

No bowl is giving us a rematch against one of the three teams that destroyed us. How would you sell tickets for that?

I agree there won't be a rematch but I would like to see how a surging UConn would do against a fading NC State without the QB they had when they smoked the Huskies earlier this year.

 

[Husky25]

It's not the only bowl on the list of possibilities that almost no UConn fans will go to.

Any bowl this year is a totally unexpected and welcome treat. I'm not going to complain for a moment if it's on a date and/or at a place that I have no ability to go to. Next year, talk to me about the quality of the bowl.

Until UConn can secure a BYU/Army type arrangement, bowl quality while Independent will continue to be a kiddie card table type bowl.

 

[lukefrom11]

I don't know why UConn fans or the projections are seemingly obsessed with bowl rematches. Syracuse and NC State are the last programs I'd want to see them play.

 

[gioff2323]

It's not the only bowl on the list of possibilities that almost no UConn fans will go to.

Any bowl this year is a totally unexpected and welcome treat. I'm not going to complain for a moment if it's on a date and/or at a place that I have no ability to go to. Next year, talk to me about the quality of the bowl.

Aside from selfishly hoping we get to a bowl I can make, Right or wrong, the media and non-UConn fans look at us as a non-supportive fan base and point to Fiesta as Exhibit A. IMHO, we need to show up at this years bowl game. It’ll help AD David Benedict secure a bowl tie-in, make us a better candidate for better bowls going forward and help change the national narrative. The administration, the staff, the players all exceeded expectations this year - it’s our turn to do so wherever they go to play a 13th game.

 

[giddyup]

Fenway is a no brainer if bowl hosts want to fill seats and drive regional interest. It is locked as an ACC v AAC series, but maybe there can be some horse trading?

 

[businesslawyer]

I agree there won't be a rematch but I would like to see how a surging UConn would do against a fading NC State without the QB they had when they smoked the Huskies earlier this year.

They are certainly not the same team we played earlier in the season.

 

[businesslawyer]

Aside from selfishly hoping we get to a bowl I can make, Right or wrong, the media and non-UConn fans look at us as a non-supportive fan base and point to Fiesta as Exhibit A. IMHO, we need to show up at this years bowl game. It’ll help AD David Benedict secure a bowl tie-in, make us a better candidate for better bowls going forward and help change the national narrative. The administration, the staff, the players all exceeded expectations this year - it’s our turn to do so wherever they go to play a 13th game.

Yeah, that has more to do with fans talking on social media than bowl committees. Bowl committees work with consultants. They understand that looking to see how many fans travel from a northeast school to Shreveport is not going to be really relevant in determining how well the fanbase will travel to Florida.

That having been said, if you care about what people write on the internet, yes, by all means, pray that we don't go to Shreveport. (Or Albuquerque).

 

[HuskyAlum012]

Yeah, that has more to do with fans talking on social media than bowl committees. Bowl committees work with consultants. They understand that looking to see how many fans travel from a northeast school to Shreveport is not going to be really relevant in determining how well the fanbase will travel to Florida.

That having been said, if you care about what people write on the internet, yes, by all means, pray that we don't go to Shreveport. (Or Albuquerque).

New Mexico would be the worst possible destination for us, imo.

 

[Stinger92860]

They are certainly not the same team we played earlier in the season.

Nor are we.

 

[AzHusky]

Not living in Connecticut anymore I don't know how hard it would be to get to New Mexico, but as far as things to do in New Mexico it's about the same as Charlotte. There are a lot of nice bars and restaurants. There is even skiing in Toas which is about 2 hours 30 minutes north of Albuquerque.

 

[Kolumbo]

Not living in Connecticut anymore I don't know how hard it would be to get to New Mexico, but as far as things to do in New Mexico it's about the same as Charlotte. There are a lot of nice bars and restaurants. There is even skiing in Toas which is about 2 hours 30 minutes north of Albuquerque.

And you've got a tour map.

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www.travelinusa.us

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

Not living in Connecticut anymore I don't know how hard it would be to get to New Mexico, but as far as things to do in New Mexico it's about the same as Charlotte. There are a lot of nice bars and restaurants. There is even skiing in Toas which is about 2 hours 30 minutes north of Albuquerque.

I was in Albuquerque once....um....that was enough. But....if UConn gets a bowl there I may have to give it another shot. Loved other parts of NM....not Albuquerque.

 

[BlueMAB]

Next year, talk to me about the quality of the bowl.

Absent bowl tie-in agreements that don't yet exist for us, why would it be any different next year?

 

[businesslawyer]

Absent bowl tie-in agreements that don't yet exist for us, why would it be any different next year?

What's different is that next year I won't be as happy with anything. And that now that we've unexpectedly faced the issue once, let's see what Benedict can do in the offseason.

 

[BlueMAB]

What's different is that next year I won't be as happy with anything. And that now that we've unexpectedly faced the issue once, let's see what Benedict can do in the offseason.

The fans have to show up and support to help him get leverage.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Until UConn can secure a BYU/Army type arrangement, bowl quality while Independent will continue to be a kiddie card table type bowl.

That’s ok.