Possible Big 12 Invite rumors

[businesslawyer]

People being mean to Providence on a message board is going to sink the Big East? That's silly, but if it were true it would say more about the Big East than the Boneyard.

 

[Chin Diesel]

So many UConn fans were indifferent to being in the AAC not only for lack of big name opponents but also because the AAC was viewed as being outside the P5 for football or P6 for basketball. You knew you were viewed as being minor league. There were top 25 games against football teams and the AAC put football teams in the CFP or whatever iteration it was at the time- and UConn fans didn't care. Basketball played games against Top 25 teams but other than Cincy, Houston and Memphis, no one cared.

The benefit of going to the Big12 is the Big12 is part of the "club". They're in the in the crowd and gets coverage across the nation as such.

Also, being in the Big12 makes it even easier, as a 5-time national champion, to schedule more big time out of conference games and be part of big time tourneys, MTE's and home and home OOC games. The overall schedule will be better for hoops. I'm not more excited about playing TCU in hoops than I am DePaul. Every conference is going to have some games which just don't get the juices flowing.

Football is going to get crushed for a while since it takes longer to increase the talent needed to compete week in and week out but they will be playing a bunch of good teams.

I think I'm most excited for Penders and the baseball program who get absolutely crushed by the crappy quality of the BE conference for baseball. That guy has the sweat equity in the university and program and deserves a bigger a national stage to showcase his talents.

track and field and volleyball should get big upticks in competition and talent too.

I can't think of a single program whose profile will be harmed.

You do it.

 

[upstater]

Just to be clear about all this, UConn was rejected by the B12 presidents in the AAC talks several years ago, and I'm thinking that it could happen yet again.

By putting Colorado and UConn out there, the B12 could simply be trying to shake out some more schools from the Pac12, like Utah or Arizona. It might make them think that with UConn involved, there are limited opportunities.

I'd say this is far from a given that UConn will get an invite.

 

[Stinger92860]

And for the Big East that’s the furthest, while for the Big 12 that's closer to the average.

But its doable, yes? Not insurmountable.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Just to be clear about all this, UConn was rejected by the B12 presidents in the AAC talks several years ago, and I'm thinking that it could happen yet again.

By putting Colorado and UConn out there, the B12 could simply be trying to shake out some more schools from the Pac12, like Utah or Arizona. It might make them think that with UConn involved, there are limited opportunities.

I'd say this is far from a given that UConn will get an invite.

If anyone thinks the invite is a given they haven't been paying attention to anything the last decade+

 

[Stinger92860]

The folks crapping on the BE are a small minority. Most here wish the old BE with football still existed. It was not UConn who blew it up.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

PC would be considered and understory species in the forest. The canopy needs to be opened.

 

[HuskyHawk]

So many UConn fans were indifferent to being in the AAC not only for lack of big name opponents but also because the AAC was viewed as being outside the P5 for football or P6 for basketball. You knew you were viewed as being minor league. There were top 25 games against football teams and the AAC put football teams in the CFP or whatever iteration it was at the time- and UConn fans didn't care. Basketball played games against Top 25 teams but other than Cincy, Houston and Memphis, no one cared.

The benefit of going to the Big12 is the Big12 is part of the "club". They're in the in the crowd and gets coverage across the nation as such.

Also, being in the Big12 makes it even easier, as a 5-time national champion, to schedule more big time out of conference games and be part of big time tourneys, MTE's and home and home OOC games. The overall schedule will be better for hoops. I'm not more excited about playing TCU in hoops than I am DePaul. Every conference is going to have some games which just don't get the juices flowing.

Football is going to get crushed for a while since it takes longer to increase the talent needed to compete week in and week out but they will be playing a bunch of good teams.

I think I'm most excited for Penders and the baseball program who get absolutely crushed by the crappy quality of the BE conference for baseball. That guy has the sweat equity in the university and program and deserves a bigger a national stage to showcase his talents.

track and field and volleyball should get big upticks in competition and talent too.

I can't think of a single program whose profile will be harmed.

You do it.

Soccer is harmed. That's the only one.

TCU is a hell of a lot more appealing than DePaul. TCU was #25 in the final KenPom was an exciting team to watch. DePaul was #135.

 

[aburks41]

Just to be clear about all this, UConn was rejected by the B12 presidents in the AAC talks several years ago, and I'm thinking that it could happen yet again.

By putting Colorado and UConn out there, the B12 could simply be trying to shake out some more schools from the Pac12, like Utah or Arizona. It might make them think that with UConn involved, there are limited opportunities.

I'd say this is far from a given that UConn will get an invite.

Yeah I am leaning more towards us being used as leverage to get the Pac schools on board. I feel like the longer this goes on without an invite, the worse it gets for us. Once Arizona and ASU see that their options are FOX/ESPN with the B12, or behind an Apple TV paywall, they will make the move.

 

[Waquoit]

Just to be clear about all this, UConn was rejected by the B12 presidents in the AAC talks several years ago, and I'm thinking that it could happen yet again.

We all are. But it's more fun being hopeful. I was out to campus for a few games this spring. I loved how all the new sports facilities looked. And I'm thinking, considering the deficits the AD is running; how did UConn get the wherewithall to build all of these things at once? Then you hear that one of the reasons for the first rejection was the state of the facilities other than BB and FB. Hey look, we're being reconsidered all of a sudden!

 

[Tyler2Rings]

Also, being in the Big12 makes it even easier, as a 5-time national champion, to schedule more big time out of conference games and be part of big time tourneys, MTE's and home and home OOC games

Agree except for the MTEs. We are sought after as the Big East representative for the best of the MTEs. We would still be sought after but the Big 12 provides more competition to getting in those top flight tourneys

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

I think a lot of people are missing the point of why people get excited about UConn basketball. It is really about how good OUR team is. We had both highs and lows while in the BE and while not in the BE. There is no reason to think we won't be exciting and have great games to watch in the Big12 if we land there. If we're exciting and we play great teams, why wouldn't XL and Gampel be on fire and TV ratings for home and road games be excellent?? Some of our loudest crowds have been against non-BE opponents. It's more about US and not THEM (i.e. who we play).

 

[uconnyankee]

I certainly hope so, but I don't see how it'd work in a normal schedule.

Back before the split, when BE had like 30 teams, weren’t there specific programs (top 25) that were assured to play each other, regardless of the rotation. As a result with UConn being a top program at the time, we always had home and home with the other elite teams.

If this deal happens, I see UConn/Kansas as the marquee matchup in basketball. And I think they’d figure out how to make that happen twice a year. Of course, if either program slides, the matchup would be de-emphasized.
UConn/Cincy has been a nice matchup too with some great games in AAC. Love the potential for WVU too. UCF is meh, but they’ve been decent, we just don’t have much history/rivalry. But I don’t get jazzed about Butler or DePaul either.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

We all are. But it's more fun being hopeful. I was out to campus for a few games this spring. I loved how all the new sports facilities looked. And I'm thinking, considering the deficits the AD is running; how did UConn get the wherewithall to build all of these things at once? Then you hear that one of the reasons for the first rejection was the state of the facilities other than BB and FB. Hey look, we're being reconsidered all of a sudden!

Agreed. And I think that Yormark wouldn't suposedly meet with us twice in two different locations in the span of a week or two if he didn't have very strong vibes or even pre-approval from B12 presidents.

 

[Hoophound]

Reading this thread and fans of other teams will be buying up Arrogant and Spoiled shirts to wear at UConn game, and not in a good way.

No offense to the creator, but I think that’s a terrible T-shirt and I’d feel like an idiot wearing it. It’s obnoxious.

 

[gsmooth]

Just to be clear about all this, UConn was rejected by the B12 presidents in the AAC talks several years ago, and I'm thinking that it could happen yet again.

By putting Colorado and UConn out there, the B12 could simply be trying to shake out some more schools from the Pac12, like Utah or Arizona. It might make them think that with UConn involved, there are limited opportunities.

I'd say this is far from a given that UConn will get an invite.

Exactly. You have to treat this like news about recruiting a particular player. It makes for good copy and people love to write about in articles and forums (hell, 61 pages here) and such and I get that and have no problem with that.

Having said all of that, I don't care how much of a sure thing conference realignment invitations are or who tweeted what or what crystal ball predictions say about a particular a player. Until the official invite, or in the case of recruiting, until the player sign the LOI, nothing is certain.

We really don't have to look further than Adama Sanogo. Kevin Willard and Seton Hall fans thought for sure he was going there and crystal ball predictions, and correct me if I am wrong, had him at 90%.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Soccer is harmed. That's the only one.

TCU is a hell of a lot more appealing than DePaul. TCU was #25 in the final KenPom was an exciting team to watch. DePaul was #135.

Soccer needs to get their act together regardless of what conference we're in.

 

[CL82]

People being mean to Providence on a message board is going to sink the Big East? That's silly, but if it were true it would say more about the Big East than the Boneyard.

That's pretty much been the providence mindset on the big east from day one. It's always been a tool to advance their narrow goals of having a place for their small private college to play basketball. That mindset that greatly contributed to to the demise of the original big east, in my opinion.

 

[aburks41]

Agree except for the MTEs. We are sought after as the Big East representative for the best of the MTEs. We would still be sought after but the Big 12 provides more competition to getting in those top flight tourneys

Coincidentally, I think a future B1G move would complicate MTE scheduling because we are on the same MTE schedule as Michigan State. We're always in the Maui Invitational or Bahamas together

 

[Chin Diesel]

Soccer is harmed. That's the only one.

TCU is a hell of a lot more appealing than DePaul. TCU was #25 in the final KenPom was an exciting team to watch. DePaul was #135.

Yes, TCU is a better team than DePaul, but it's not going to be a sellout the first time they come to UConn. It'll take time for UConn fans to warm up to some of these match ups regardless of the quality of the opponent. And that was my point.

 

[CL82]

Just to be clear about all this, UConn was rejected by the B12 presidents in the AAC talks several years ago, and I'm thinking that it could happen yet again.

By putting Colorado and UConn out there, the B12 could simply be trying to shake out some more schools from the Pac12, like Utah or Arizona. It might make them think that with UConn involved, there are limited opportunities.

I'd say this is far from a given that UConn will get an invite.

That's sort of true. I think it's more fair to say that expansion was rejected as a whole, at that time. But, yeah, that whole very public process left a bad taste in my mouth as well.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Coincidentally, I think a future B1G move would complicate MTE scheduling because we are on the same MTE schedule as Michigan State. We're always in the Maui Invitational or Bahamas together

If a B1G invite were to come (and I don't think it is or will be any time soon), figuring out how to deconflict UConn basketball and MSU basketball for MTE and in-season tourneys will be easy to resolve. SMDH at what some think would be logistical obstacles or worries.

 

[CL82]

The folks crapping on the BE are a small minority. Most here wish the old BE with football still existed. It was not UConn who blew it up.

I agree, and most of it is reactionary to people saying that the Big East is the perfect situation for us, it clearly is not. Particularly on Twitter, that hyperbole gets responded to by opposite hyperbole and it just escalates.

 

[uconnyankee]

The reality is, we’re likely not going anywhere.
I’m not reading a lot of trashing of BE, maybe just some specific posters. BE isn’t what it was, but it’s still a top 5 BB league year in year out. Some years Top 3 easily. I get taking UConn out would hurt the league.

The consensus I’m getting is that most like the BE, but it’s not aligned with the AD of UConn. Lots of folks want to stay in BE while others see the opportunity of a P5 invite the closure of Uconn finally getting what was taken away right when Uconn was building a football brand.

It’s heated between uconn fans and the different interests. Fb vs bb. Looking at positives of B12 basketball isn’t a knock on BE basketball