POLL: Indy vs AAC

[ZooCougar]

This is fair argument; however recruits and fannies weren’t coming in the AAC.

That should give you an indication of how much worse it will be as independents.

I don’t see the point of even fielding an FBS team at this point.

 

[RedSoloCup]

have come in from the ledge and see that independent will be at least tenable... though I admit that we have a tough road ahead and it does not mean we don't lose football altogether.

 

[Husky25]

UConn keeps proceeds from tickets sales, but they get nothing else from Rentschler Field. The State was a party to this change. They must step up. They have to get more than 6 events/year.

GFY Roberts Street residents. You don't want your mill rate to increase? At least an average of two non-UConn acts per month from May to October are to play at Rentschler Field. Whether that means the likes of Billy Joel (WPLR doesn't shut about him just doing Toad's Place), BPL, Bundesliga, XFL, HS LAX, Soccer, Football, summertime Monster Jam, whatever. UConn should get preferential dates but they cannot be the sole supporter of Rentschler Field. Rent has to come down.

 

[don356]

More revenue and games against teams people in Connecticut have more interest in seeing

So you think that playing teams that folks who are Uconn fans find more interesting is going to improve the mens bball team's results? I think it's a stretch to kill football when it's not a shoe in they're going to fair better on the court. aka it was premature. The new big east was not going anywhere.

 

[UConnRock]

I’m ok with this, although I’d argue we could fill out another p5 game or two with 2 for 1’s

Additionally, the attractiveness of the 2 for 1 for P5 teams increases for teams that recruit the NYC/NJ area and the games are on SNY.

 

[Guapo]

So you think that playing teams that folks who are Uconn fans find more interesting is going to improve the mens bball team's results? I think it's a stretch to kill football when it's not a shoe in they're going to fair better on the court. aka it was premature. The new big east was not going anywhere.

It’s 5 oclock somewhere

 

[Husky25]

AAC. Learning that we can in the short term make more media money from football independence changes nothing. We will not survive without attracting recruits and putting fannies in the seats, and both of those are going to be very tough to do outside a conference.

This was true in 2002 and 2003, when Independent UConn was bowl eligible with a 6-6 and 9-3 record respectively, but were vying for 1 of 56 spots.

If my Google skills are remotely decent, there will be around 80 spots going forward. As much I want UConn to be Bowl eligible this season, I doubt it. Regardless, they are still in the AAC this year. There is plenty of time to pull off a bowl scheduling alliance going forward much like Liberty (Cure Bowl) and BYU (ESPN guarantee if eligible).

 

[champs99and04]

This is fair argument; however recruits and fannies weren’t coming in the AAC.

You don’t think that had anything to do with coaching? I think going Independent is like the Hurley hire - and even the Diaco hire - in that there are bound to be some false positives at first simply because things can’t get much worse.

I’m far from an AAC apologist, but the stigma has always been more damaging than the product - and our fans played a huge role in that.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

While I am extremely intrigued by Independence and putting the games on SNY, I think it would be prudent that at least until we get back to respectability (even 4,5 wins) it's less risk parking the program in the AAC for now.

 

[Guapo]

This seems like a pretty good start

 

[Excalibur]

This seems like a pretty good start

Are you claiming that a schedule that was built while we were in a conference somehow shows that we will be able to schedule well as an independent?

Or are you saying that Lafayette and CCSU are good ads to the schedule?

Help me out here . . .

 

[Guapo]

Are you claiming that a schedule that was built while we were in a conference somehow shows that we will be able to schedule well as an independent?

Or are you saying that Lafayette and CCSU are good ads to the schedule?

Help me out here . . .

Yes

Also, I know this guy posts here not sure if his handle though. I’d love for him to post some examples of what he comes up with!

 

[businesslawyer]

This is fair argument; however recruits and fannies weren’t coming in the AAC.

They weren't coming because we sucked. If we suck forever, nothing will save the program. But there was a path out of sucking in the AAC. You were playing competition not any worse than the Big East used to have for a conference championship where, most years, the winner gets a big time bowl. That path out is now shut down.

 

[kemba]

I've definitely come around on the Big East move and im optimistic we can put something together as an independent that works for us. But except for having a weaker schedule that will hopefully let us initially win more games i can't think of many positives about independence over aac. Hopefully we can put something together though that isn't a big negative

 

[Guapo]

They weren't coming because we sucked. If we suck forever, nothing will save the program. But there was a path out of sucking in the AAC. You were playing competition not any worse than the Big East used to have for a conference championship where, most years, the winner gets a big time bowl. That path out is now shut down.

Again, this is definitely a possibility; but, I’d argue that ultimately there was no real path out of the AAC either.

The quality of competition doesn’t really matter, it’s about playing schools that people recognize.

UCF can win as many “championships” as they want, but people in Connecticut are never going to care as much about playing them as, say, Pitt or West Virginia.

 

[Alum86]

Are you claiming that a schedule that was built while we were in a conference somehow shows that we will be able to schedule well as an independent?

Or are you saying that Lafayette and CCSU are good ads to the schedule?

Help me out here . . .

Remember when we lost to New Haven at Memorial?

 

[RedSoloCup]

well...

UCF can win as many “championships” as they want, but people in Connecticut are never going to care as much about playing them as, say, Pitt or West Virginia.

we did have a rivalry trophy, so there's that...

 

[Husky25]

Remember when we lost to New Haven at Memorial?

No but I did see Pony Excess. The ESPN produced "documentary" made it a point to mention over and over that the win vs. Connecticut was the first since giving Eric Dickerson a brand new 'Vette.

 

[businesslawyer]

Again, this is definitely a possibility; but, I’d argue that ultimately there was no real path out of the AAC either.

The quality of competition doesn’t really matter, it’s about playing schools that people recognize.

UCF can win as many “championships” as they want, but people in Connecticut are never going to care as much about playing them as, say, Pitt or West Virginia.

So your logic is "the AAC wasn't as good as the Big East so independence is fine?" You don't see the fallacy there? The AAC was clearly not as good for us as the Big East. But conference bottom feeders turn themselves around and, if they don't ever get to be 'Bama, get to be Wisconsin. Or Oregon. Or Miss State. Within the AAC, all it took to be competitive in the league was a good coach, a financial commitment equal to our conference mates and time.

Listen all -- I know we sucked. No one is pretending the last three years have even been watchable, much less fun. But it did not mean we had to suck forever. Now, however, ....

 

[Guapo]

So your logic is "the AAC wasn't as good as the Big East so independence is fine?" You don't see the fallacy there? The AAC was clearly not as good for us as the Big East. But conference bottom feeders turn themselves around and, if they don't ever get to be 'Bama, get to be Wisconsin. Or Oregon. Or Miss State. Within the AAC, all it took to be competitive in the league was a good coach, a financial commitment equal to our conference mates and time.

Listen all -- I know we sucked. No one is pretending the last three years have even been watchable, much less fun. But it did not mean we had to suck forever. Now, however, ....

The money could very well end up being better with this deal, there’s a potential for an interesting and fun schedule and our basketball team has stability and is in a significantly better conference.

Are there risks? Sure. Would most of us prefer being in the ACC? Sure. However, we are a basketball school and we protected the crown jewel of the athletic department while also keeping the football program in a position to compete in the FBS.

 

[businesslawyer]

The money could very well end up being better with this deal, there’s a potential for an interesting and fun schedule and our basketball team has stability and is in a significantly better conference.

Are there risks? Sure. Would most of us prefer being in the ACC? Sure. However, we are a basketball school and we protected the crown jewel of the athletic department while also keeping the football program in a position to compete in the FBS.

Dude -- if you're going to try to really have discussions do better. I have acknowledged that this is clearly in the best interests of UConn basketball, at least in the short and intermediate term. I have acknowledged that most of the UConn fanbase will like that. So it's fine that you like it and think we should have done it.

But what I don't get is this -- having forced people who truly care about UConn football to eat a poop sandwich because it gets you what you want, why do you have to waste our time trying to convince us we should like our sandwich? We might get more TV money. So what. Name one recruit who is going to come here to not be competing for anything because he is happy that we will get more TV money than we would have if we played in a real conference with real competition and real rewards.

 

[Slasher]

From a money prospective this an absolute no-brainer. The AAC contract is almost 7M per team per year, with that slanted heavily towards football. So lets call it $5M per year for football teams.

So UConn would get:
$5M AAC
$4M Big East
$1-2M Bowl/playoff money.

No-brainer. Not getting anywhere near that as an independent in football.

 

[Guapo]

Dude -- if you're going to try to really have discussions do better. I have acknowledged that this is clearly in the best interests of UConn basketball, at least in the short and intermediate term. I have acknowledged that most of the UConn fanbase will like that. So it's fine that you like it and think we should have done it.

But what I don't get is this -- having forced people who truly care about UConn football to eat a poop sandwich because it gets you what you want, why do you have to waste our time trying to convince us we should like our sandwich? We might get more TV money. So what. Name one recruit who is going to come here to not be competing for anything because he is happy that we will get more TV money than we would have if we played in a real conference with real competition and real rewards.

I’m not trying to make you eat poop, I acknowledge this was definitely hard on those die hard UConn football fans and I do feel bad for those of you that were hurt by this decision.

 

[Guapo]

Dude -- if you're going to try to really have discussions do better. I have acknowledged that this is clearly in the best interests of UConn basketball, at least in the short and intermediate term. I have acknowledged that most of the UConn fanbase will like that. So it's fine that you like it and think we should have done it.

But what I don't get is this -- having forced people who truly care about UConn football to eat a poop sandwich because it gets you what you want, why do you have to waste our time trying to convince us we should like our sandwich? We might get more TV money. So what. Name one recruit who is going to come here to not be competing for anything because he is happy that we will get more TV money than we would have if we played in a real conference with real competition and real rewards.

I’m not trying to make you eat poop, I acknowledge this was definitely hard on those die hard UConn football fans and I do feel bad for those of you that were hurt by this decision.

I guess what I’m saying is that if we try real hard and maybe add in some spices, we can make this sandwich taste like dirt rather than poop

 

[uconnfan68]

Again, this is definitely a possibility; but, I’d argue that ultimately there was no real path out of the AAC either.

The quality of competition doesn’t really matter, it’s about playing schools that people recognize.

UCF can win as many “championships” as they want, but people in Connecticut are never going to care as much about playing them as, say, Pitt or West Virginia.

The CivilConflict wasn’t real?