Providence offer

[whaler11]

I believe that you are placing far too much weight in how a handful of people who post on this board feel. The truth is that PC is little different today than URI & UMass were some 35 years ago (save less of a recent success gap) and if there had been an internet during the late schabel and Dee Rowe years, the idea of agreeing to URI or UNH something similar to what Cooley has asked for would be viewed similarly (at least at that time UMass had already left the Yankee fotr what appeared to be a better conference) to how we are now viewing n extended home and home with PC.

Knock me all you care to but I personally see little (primarily proximity) that separates PC from Seton Hall and in all candor I do not see how offering either anything close to an equal series makes any sense on our end.

You managed to not explain the atmosphere at Gampel.

If you don't think they are worthy of a game that's fine - sort of ignores they have been for decades but that's fine. Like I said you can't judge the offer in a vacuum - you need to know what else is available. I'm not old enough to know exactly what UMass and Rhode Island were like 35 years ago. I know that earlier this month the building was sold out and fired up for Providence.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Maybe you saw the atmosphere at Gampel for PC to end the season. That alone proves that Providence is a good rival - but I'm sure a dozen people will claim the atmosphere was because of 10 other ridiculous reasons.

Unless you're being willfully obtuse - a distinct possibility - I'd say the atomosphere at Gampel had more to do with it being the last time these kids would play a game this season, and less to do with the opponent.

 

[upstater]

Come on now. Our 'rivals' are now Cincy and USF. If Cuse, Pitt, Georgetown, St Johns, Nova or PC want a home and home, lets get it done. People are going to view SMU, UCF, ect the same as Maryland Eastern Shore, Winthrop and Bryant. We really need to have some games that fans care about. Just my 2 cents...

Do you realize how costly a home and home OOC game is? You're comparing conference games to non-conference games. The fact we're in a conference falls under "no sherlock." That we can't control. Our OOC is what we can control. UConn has to schedule 4 home and homes each year to fulfill the demands of the CBS contract, at a minimum. Then it has to play one offs like the Maryland/Gonzaga/Michigan State games, and holiday tourneys like Maui, Paradise, Virgin Isle, NITs, etc. 18 conference games, 4 home and homes, 4 tourney and one offs, that's 26. The AD will start feeling the hurt if it can't schedule Stony Brook.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I won't destroy this debate with schools such as Cuse, Louisville, Georgetown, Nova, ND or Pitt but both Cincinnati and St John's had in conference seasons quite similar to what PC did this past year. Are you sure that a season ending game (with no post season, and a chance to hit 20 wins) against either of them would have had any less atmosphere than the PC game had? I could well be wrong but I have a strong belief that you are giving PC credit for a few circumstances that had little to nothing to do with them.

I personally believe that we could have ended the season against anyone from DePaul, Rutgers or Seton Hall to Cuse, Louisville or Georgetown and still sold the place out.

 

[whaler11]

Unless you're being willfully obtuse - a distinct possibility - I'd say the atomosphere at Gampel had more to do with it being the last time these kids would play a game this season, and less to do with the opponent.

Yep figured I'd hear that one.

Well I'm glad people finally decided to support them in the last game of the season. Too bad they stayed home in droves prior to then they missed some good games.

I'm curious why was the last game so much more important to people than the dozens prior?

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I'm curious why was the last game so much more important to people than the dozens prior?

Okay, now I'm sure you're being a clown on purpose. This **** must be exhausting for you.

 

[Kitaman]

I'll take peecee over Vermont every day.

No need for us after winning a few 'chips' to get stuck up and too good to play peecee.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Yep figured I'd hear that one.

Well I'm glad people finally decided to support them in the last game of the season. Too bad they stayed home in droves prior to then they missed some good games.

I'm curious why was the last game so much more important to people than the dozens prior?

They are being irrational. PC was then and is now the Big East team closest to Storrs. It matters. We travel to the Dunk very well, which is why they want to play it. We draw better for them than anyone else. But I think it is a local New England rivalry and I'd like to keep it going. Great for UConn alumna like me who can easily get to Providence for a game.

 

[Huskybass]

I say we continue to play them. We beat them twice this season with a depleted roster and a first year head coach. With a full team and an experienced KO, we could give them the annual whoopin' they so richly deserve.

 

[seanmc94]

Please explain how not believing PC warrants equal home and home games is hatred. Do we have hatred towards Fairfield? Hartford? URI? Seton Hall?

Next question, please explain how PC is more of a rivalry than Seton Hall. It would help id you could document the history we had with each school before the Big East began and then show how PC somehow became more of a rival than SHU during the BE years.

Eric Murdock showing Tate George's gal a good time?
Uconns team cryng that pc wouldn't stop dunking on them a few years back?
Calhoun moving the game back to gampel after a few beat downs at the XL
How about holding our own on the court over the past decade
How about Ryan Gomes, kris Dunn and Brandon Austin?

 

[Waquoit]

You managed to not explain the atmosphere at Gampel.

The "atmosphere" at Gampel wasn't nearly as alive for PC as it was for the previous 2 games played there.

 

[Waquoit]

Providence Basketball - We Hold Our Own

 

[uconnfan68]

Eric Murdock showing Tate George's gal a good time?
Uconns team cryng that pc wouldn't stop dunking on them a few years back?
Calhoun moving the game back to gampel after a few beat downs at the XL
How about holding our own on the court over the past decade
How about Ryan Gomes, kris Dunn and Brandon Austin?

Excuse me? What accomplishments do you have over the last 10 years? We have 2 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS in that time. Do you really think you're equal to us, because I don't recall you ever winning one? The NIT from the '60s doesn't count, just like we won't count our NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP from the '90s.

 

[Huskybass]

Eric Murdock showing Tate George's gal a good time?
Uconns team cryng that pc wouldn't stop dunking on them a few years back?
Calhoun moving the game back to gampel after a few beat downs at the XL
How about holding our own on the court over the past decade
How about Ryan Gomes, kris Dunn and Brandon Austin?

PC hasn't even made the NCAA tournament since 2004. In that same span UConn has 2 national championships plus another final 4 appearance. Do you really believe the crap you post here?Like PC, you are nothing more than an annoyance.

 

[Kitaman]

Excuse me? What accomplishments do you have over the last 10 years? We have 2 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS in that time. Do you really think you're equal to us, because I don't recall you ever winning one? The NIT from the '60s doesn't count, just like we won't count our NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP from the '90s.

If you argue against with crazy person (or one who speaks crazy) what does that make you? The guy is fishing with no bait, I'm sure you know when not to get hooked. Try and look, laugh and not bite. Hopefully he will go cast in another lake when the fish are not biting.

 

[seanmc94]

Excuse me? What accomplishments do you have over the last 10 years? We have 2 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS in that time. Do you really think you're equal to us, because I don't recall you ever winning one? The NIT from the '60s doesn't count, just like we won't count our NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP from the '90s.

The NIT in the 60's was the national championship. FACT.

Never claimed to be equal. I'm not delusional. I was responding to the poster that wanted reasons why PC was more relevant to UCONN than Seton Hall. Reading comprehension 101.

 

[Huskybass]

Aside from a few meaningless regular season wins against UConn, what has Providence actually accomplished since it got knocked out of the 2004 NCAA tournament? In that same time span UConn has won 2 National Championships and went to another final four. Providence is relevant mostly due to proximity. KO outcoached Cooley badly in the final game of the season and UConn won without Calhoun, Giffey, Olander and Wolf. PC is only 13-23 in the Big East under Cooley. PC just isn't at the level you seem to think they are at.

 

[upstater]

And in his latest post, he managed to wipe away 5 UCLA championships from the 1960s, and 2 Cincy national championships, all because Oscar Robertson and Lew Alcindor weren't good enough to compete against PC.

 

[tzznandrew]

The NIT in the 60's was the national championship. FACT.

Never claimed to be equal. I'm not delusional. I was responding to the poster that wanted reasons why PC was more relevant to UCONN than Seton Hall. Reading comprehension 101.

I'm actually going to disagree with your "FACT."

I think the 1960s NIT was more packed with good teams, but that doesn't mean that the team that won the NIT was better than the team that won the NCAAs. It may have been more difficult some years to win the NIT, but that's different.

PC won the NIT in 1961 over St. Louis, and they beat Holy Cross, Niagra, and DePaul to get there. They finished 24-5
Cincy won the NCAA in 1961, and they beat Texas Tech, Kansas State, Utah, and Ohio State. They finished 27-3.

PC won the NIT in 1963 over Canisius, and they beat Marquette and Miami (FL) to get there. They finished 24-4.
Loyola won the NCAA in 1963 over Cincy, and they beat Duke, Illinois, Mississippi State, and Tennessee Tech to get there. They finished 29-2.

And the next year started UCLA's run. Clearly by that point the NCAA champ was better.

I don't know all the mechanisms or history behind the NIT and NCAA. I wasn't even born. My mom wasn't even born. Yet to claim something so definitively as a fact when a quick look at the facts suggests it's more complicated than that is silly.

 

[tzznandrew]

And in his latest post, he managed to wipe away 5 UCLA championships from the 1960s, and 2 Cincy national championships, all because Oscar Robertson and Lew Alcindor weren't good enough to compete against PC.

Even worse for his argument--Oscar wasn't on the two title teams. He graduated after the 1959-1960 season, falling to California in the Final Four, after doing the same the year before.

They won back to back titles without Robertson, after losing in two final fours before, and one after (to Loyola).

 

[upstater]

Even worse for his argument--Oscar wasn't on the two title teams. He graduated after the 1959-1960 season, falling to California in the Final Four, after doing the same the year before.

They won back to back titles without Robertson, after losing in two final fours before, and one after (to Loyola).

Hah! Like you, I wasn't alive back then, so I didn't even know that. Thnx.

 

[Yonick]

The NIT in the 60's was the national championship. FACT.

Never claimed to be equal. I'm not delusional. I was responding to the poster that wanted reasons why PC was more relevant to UCONN than Seton Hall. Reading comprehension 101.

The NIT was much more prestigous in the 60's than it is today. But, most of the 60's included the John Wooden led UCLA teams. They were far more important than the PC NIT champs. And, yes PC would be more attractive for UConn than SHU, except for the N.J. HS talent base.
As far as UConn playing PC in the future, we probably will alternate PC with other C-7 former rivals. Same as our old Yankee conference rivals, same as the CT D-1 teams. We alternate and play each once every 5-6 years.
I've said this before, regarding the C-7, PC ranks behind St. John's, 'Nova, & G'town in atractiveness to UConn. Just look at the H.S. talent in those cities, vs the H.S. talent in Providence.
If you were Warde Manuel, and/or Kevin Ollie, what teams would you choose (objectively!!!)

 

[upstater]

UConn has never really had rivals.
CBS and ESPN will be choosing games for UConn in the next several years.
I keep saying this: look at our TV schedule. How is CBS and ESPN going to fill up that schedule except by having UConn play top teams? There is no way.

It has already started with Maryland at Barclay's.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Aside from a few meaningless regular season wins against UConn, what has Providence actually accomplished since it got knocked out of the 2004 NCAA tournament? In that same time span UConn has won 2 National Championships and went to another final four. Providence is relevant mostly due to proximity. KO outcoached Cooley badly in the final game of the season and UConn won without Calhoun, Giffey, Olander and Wolf. PC is only 13-23 in the Big East under Cooley. PC just isn't at the level you seem to think they are at.

Ok, we have firmly established that PC isn't at UConn's level. So now what? We can only schedule Kentucky, UNC, Kansas, Duke, UCLA, Indiana, Arizona, Michigan State, Florida, maybe Syracuse and Louisville if we're feeling kind. Perhaps Michigan makes the grade if they get to the final this year? Who gives a crap people? If we only had home and homes with schools "on our level" we wouldn't have any freaking games. PC is the closest D1 team that is consistently in the RPI top 100. Comparing them to Hartford, CCSU or Fairfield is not remotely accurate or fair. They are solidly the second best program in New England, with UMass perhaps not too far behind.

Scheduling priority in the A-Metro whatever league looks like this. 1. Any BCS top 5 conference foe that will play us home and home in football if we do they same in hoops 2. Big time, big name games likely to be carried by CBS or other national broadcaster in prime time (preferably also in category #1). 3. Regional rivals that count as top 100 or top 50 RPI wins. 4. Filler.

Unfortunately, we went from a league with one or two sub 100 RPI teams, to one with half the teams in that category. Half the league is filler. The days of being able to play filler teams just at home in the non-conference is over. Maybe one a year, or two at the most if one is somebody like Harvard that might be decent. That doesn't mean we load up with Top 20 teams either, it means we need schools 50-100 in the RPI. Local is better to cut our soon to be obscene travel costs. PC is a perfect fit. St. Johns and Villanova are as well.