Possible Big 12 Invite rumors

[superjohn]

glad to see uconn fans are coming to grips with the fact that they are in a mid major church league.

admission is the first step.

First funny one of these you've ever done.

Congrats. Also, congrats on the Elite 8 in '96.

 

[Drew]

And Edsall offering 150k of his own money trying to keep Dunn as OC. Embarrassing.

Omg I forgot about this. This was INSANE

And then we hired the OL coach who had never been an OC before to come in and draw up plays. Holy cow what a clownshow that was

 

[businesslawyer]

Preface this with the fact I’m genuinely asking, not rhetorically. Isn’t there a possibility, that if/when the acc implodes, uconn can join cuse Pitt Louisville duke bc Georgia tech, and a few others and add them to the big east? Miami cares too much about football to join that. But then we could have a 10 team football league, and a 20 team total league w/ basketball? Wouldn’t that be 70% as attractive as Big 12 for football, and equally as attractive in basketball and geo? You think those former acc teams would still prefer big 12 over that? Again, genuine question.

The Big East is never going to invite in a bunch of football schools again. Never. It will be run by basketball only schools for the purpose of basketball only. There is never going to be a Big East Football Conference again.

 

[August_West]

glad to see uconn fans are coming to grips with the fact that they are in a mid major church league.

admission is the first step.

Any league that includes Cincinnati is a hoops down grade.

 

[UConn990411]

I think two things are true here:
1. It would be sad to leave the Big East, especially from a basketball standpoint where UConn fits in seamlessly.
2. Going to the Big 12 would give UConn’s athletic department the best chance at long-term survival and success.

Whether we like it or not, it feels like a move the UConn administration has to make if the opportunity presents itself.

 

[CL82]

If we had a $3M budget, would Pasqualoni still be a smart hire? Or was he just the only guy we could find with a decent pedigree who was willing to work for $1.5M?

Again, I'm not sure that Pasqualoni was hired solely based upon salary. At that time the 1.5 million wasn't a hard number. I think it was a bad hire that weighted appeasing Connecticut high school coaches too heavily. Which isn't to say that I don't think outreach to our state high school coaches is a bad thing. Jim Mora is doing a great job with it.

 

[CL82]

Diaco checked all the boxes with his pedigree and regional ties but I question how anyone would have sat in a room interviewing him and not left thinking he was a total and complete crazy person.

Here's the thing, if you say wacky stuff but can run a program successfully, you are eccentric. If you say wacky stuff and are utterly inept at running a program you are a freaking lunatic. Unfortunately, it ended up being the latter with Bob.

 

[aburks41]

Again, I'm not sure that Pasqualoni was hired solely based upon salary. At that time the 1.5 million wasn't a hard number. I think it was a bad hire that weighted appeasing Connecticut high school coaches too heavily. Which isn't to say that I don't think outreach to our state high school coaches is a bad thing. Jim Mora is doing a great job with it.

Weren't there big donors who were pissed off that we hired Pasqualoni? Or was that the Diaco hire? I thought that caused a massive rift between them and the athletic department at the time on which direction to go in for a football coach. @huskymedic can probably shed more light on that if I'm misremembering the situation.

 

[History Geek]

This poll needed an age input. I’d wager a significant part of my income that the “stay in the big east” crowd is 50+, pull the carpet up after them types.

I'm 59 and feel we gotta take it if offered.

 

[John]

Weren't there big donors who were pissed off that we hired Pasqualoni? Or was that the Diaco hire? I thought that caused a massive rift between them and the athletic department at the time on which direction to go in for a football coach. @huskymedic can probably shed more light on that if I'm misremembering the situation.

Pasqualoni hire

 

[CL82]

Weren't there big donors who were pissed off that we hired Pasqualoni? Or was that the Diaco hire? I thought that caused a massive rift between them and the athletic department at the time on which direction to go in for a football coach. @huskymedic can probably shed more light on that if I'm misremembering the situation.

One donor, Burton. I believe his son played for Pasqualoni. At the time, he just said that he wanted to have someone reach out to him for his input, not necessarily to have a veto. Given his level of support for Connecticut football, it probably wasn't an unreasonable request. He felt that Pasqualoni would be devastating to the program. As it turns out, he was correct because it was the first step in a series of poor coaching hires that ended when we finally hired Jim Mora.

 

[businesslawyer]

I think two things are true here:
1. It would be sad to leave the Big East, especially from a basketball standpoint where UConn fits in seamlessly.
2. Going to the Big 12 would give UConn’s athletic department the best chance at long-term survival and success.

Whether we like it or not, it feels like a move the UConn administration has to make if the opportunity presents itself.

This. Not everything that you have to do in this world is something that you want to do.

 

[aburks41]

One donor, Burton. I believe his son played for Pasqualoni. At the time, he just said that he wanted to have someone reach out to him for his input, not necessarily to have a veto. Given his level of support for Connecticut football, it probably wasn't an unreasonable request. He felt that Pasqualoni would be devastating to the program. As it turns out, he was correct because it was the first step in a series of poor coaching hires that ended when we finally hired Jim Mora.

That's right...Jeff Hathaway and Warde Manuel should never be allowed back in the state of Connecticut considering the damage they caused to our athletic department

 

[Smp7598]

Fair enough argument. Depends on what level UConn wants to have its overall sports programs be at. Where UConn's sports programs are right now, the Big East is a great fit.

If UConn wants to elevate all sports, while keeping academic values in line with other members, the ACC would be a better fit as would the B1G. Not sold on the Big 12.

One problem the ACC and Big 10 don’t want ya!

 

[Kathy]

Weren't there big donors who were pissed off that we hired Pasqualoni? Or was that the Diaco hire? I thought that caused a massive rift between them and the athletic department at the time on which direction to go in for a football coach. @huskymedic can probably shed more light on that if I'm misremembering the situation.

Yes there was

Paul Pasqualoni Hire as UConn Football Coach Sparks Dispute: When Donors Attack

"I want my money back" is basically what donor Robert Burton said to University of Connecticut officials after they selected Paul Pasqualoni as their new head football coach...

bleacherreport.com

 

[ctchamps]

This poll needed an age input. I’d wager a significant part of my income that the “stay in the big east” crowd is 50+, pull the carpet up after them types.

Not only is this biased it's juvenile. Also stupid considering the women's bb forum is primarily behind the move and that forum is well known to consist of individuals who are predominantly over 65 years old.

I'll be 73 in two months. Weighing everything my opinion is UConn has to approve going to the B12. I'll take a portion of that salary.

Unlike the majority of yahoos arguing from an emotional, personal point of view my opinion is that neither choice is a slam dunk choice. There are compelling reasons to remain and compelling reasons to go.

From the football, baseball and women's bb perspective things as they currently stand necessitate a move to the B12.

From a men's bb perspective it's more complicated. It requires risk either way. The risk being no one can predict what the future will be with certainty. One absolute loss is losing the Madison Square Garden BE tournament. That more than anything other than a successful bb program (good coaching argument) helps with recruiting in the northeast. Given Hurley's contacts it could be a significant hit. It certainly will have a hit on the sentiment of a significant segment of our fan base.

Rivalries might be based on success but the best rivalries are when that successful rivalry is geographically close. Creighton is perceived by some to be our current rival because they had our number and were as good if not better than us. But that rivalry pales in comparison to the BC rivalry we had before they crapped out and then the Syracuse rivalry as we began vying with them for league prominence followed by the Pitt rivalry when they leaped ahead of Syracuse. There is no way of knowing if St. John's, Nova or Georgetown are on a path of being able to compete with us. It's obvious they are investing with that outcome. Either or all of those rivalries will be far greater and more important than any B12 rivalry that can develop other than against Kansas. And even a Kansas rivalry can be argued as a less valuable bb rivalry than either Georgetown, Nova or St. Johns.

I weigh this risk against the monetary and geopolitical advantage afforded to UConn with our joining the B12. The money is a no brainer. Aligning with other state schools offers some potential advantage in joining the college football club when, not if, it decides to break away from the NCAA.

 

[Ha Who]

Not only is this biased it's juvenile. Also stupid considering the women's bb forum is primarily behind the move and that forum is well known to consist of individuals who are predominantly over 65 years old.

I'll be 73 in two months. Weighing everything my opinion is UConn has to approve going to the B12. I'll take a portion of that salary.

Unlike the majority of yahoos arguing from an emotional, personal point of view my opinion is that neither choice is a slam dunk choice. There are compelling reasons to remain and compelling reasons to go.

From the football, baseball and women's bb perspective things as they currently stand necessitate a move to the B12.

From a men's bb perspective it's more complicated. It requires risk either way. The risk being no one can predict what the future will be with certainty. One absolute loss is losing the Madison Square Garden BE tournament. That more than anything other than a successful bb program (good coaching argument) helps with recruiting in the northeast. Given Hurley's contacts it could be a significant hit. It certainly will have a hit on the sentiment of a significant segment of our fan base.

Rivalries might be based on success but the best rivalries are when that successful rivalry is geographically close. Creighton is perceived by some to be our current rival because they had our number and were as good if not better than us. But that rivalry pales in comparison to the BC rivalry we had before they crapped out and then the Syracuse rivalry as we began vying with them for league prominence followed by the Pitt rivalry when they leaped ahead of Syracuse. There is no way of knowing if St. John's, Nova or Georgetown are on a path of being able to compete with us. It's obvious they are investing with that outcome. Either or all of those rivalries will be far greater and more important than any B12 rivalry that can develop other than against Kansas. And even a Kansas rivalry can be argued as a less valuable bb rivalry than either Georgetown, Nova or St. Johns.

I weigh this risk against the monetary and geopolitical advantage afforded to UConn with our joining the B12. The money is a no brainer. Aligning with other state schools offers some potential advantage in joining the college football club when, not if, it decides to break away from the NCAA.

You realize that you will be banned for a well stated, articulate post.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Diaco checked all the boxes with his pedigree and regional ties but I question how anyone would have sat in a room interviewing him and not left thinking he was a total and complete crazy person.

Rumor I heard at that time was personality is why he didn’t get the bc job year prior .finalist there.

Also, people is jersey who knew said he was impossible to deal with as an assistant.

 

[husky429]

Not only is this biased it's juvenile. Also stupid considering the women's bb forum is primarily behind the move and that forum is well known to consist of individuals who are predominantly over 65 years old.

I'll be 73 in two months.

It's amazing how quickly septegenerians manage to be offended by something totally innocuous. I was wondering how long it would take. Bravo--you win!

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

The most ironic part of this is the Big East added members from the Missouri Valley, Atlantic 10 and HORIZON LEAGUE and you’re advocating staying with them

As a matter of fact, exactly half of the league opponents we have were added to the Big East from a “low major” (CUSA, Horizon, MVC, A10). But we won’t talk about that

And on that vein, several teams that stayed in the BE have nose-dived/remained lousy as well: Georgetown, Seton Hall, DePaul, Butler, St. John's. Proves a point that it's really all about coaching and leadership and less about what conference you are in.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

I'm not so sure about that. I think it was less a matter of bargain basement couches and more a matter of bad coaching hires. Pasqualoni had success at Syracuse and in the NFL, and was a favorite of Connecticut high school coaches, but it seems like the game had passed him by a bit and he struggled to produce results. Bob Diaco was a Broyles award winner. He was a hot young coach and seemed by any reasonable standard to be a good hire. Unfortunately, he was also clinically insane which, as it turns out, is an impediment to running a successful football program.

I know first-hand the entire AD at Notre Dame breathed a sigh of relief that Diaco left there.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Any league that includes Cincinnati is a hoops down grade.

And yet they'd likely be mid-tier in the BE.

 

[Billy Jack]

BC never did anything before the move to the ACC so that is a wash.

What you’re saying about BC is not true. They weren’t elite but they did very well in the Big East and in their early years in the ACC. They really declined after they fired Al Skinner.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Yes there was

Paul Pasqualoni Hire as UConn Football Coach Sparks Dispute: When Donors Attack

"I want my money back" is basically what donor Robert Burton said to University of Connecticut officials after they selected Paul Pasqualoni as their new head football coach...

bleacherreport.com

Lol. Burton sent faxes to every news outlet in the state.

 

[mussels]

I think two things are true here:
1. It would be sad to leave the Big East, especially from a basketball standpoint where UConn fits in seamlessly.
2. Going to the Big 12 would give UConn’s athletic department the best chance at long-term survival and success.

Whether we like it or not, it feels like a move the UConn administration has to make if the opportunity presents itself.

Don’t think it’s a given that jumping from from a stable basketball centric conference that won three of the last seven national championships, to a conference with its epicenter in south central US, where everyone is looking at the next conference realignment gives us the best chance for long term survival.

Especially when you consider that the winner‘s and losers of conference realignment tend to be determined by the success of their football programs.

All the schools that left the Big East have had the money advantage for several years now and there is zero evidence that it’s translated to success on the court. In fact, results show the opposite, so we’re left with rationalizations on why that’s the case.