Put it on the Bulletin Board

[Carl Spackler]

Playing one season in the American Athletic Conference before its move to the ACC in 2014, Louisville's Puffs Plus schedule may prohibit it from entering the national title race.

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/co...ville-cardinals-charlie-strong/#ixzz2c8obXu4A


There's something about Syracuse alum sport writers that just....well......occasionally really ticks me off. Because I believe that a guy like this, holds a grudge against UCONN for being better, at well - everything - and deep down, in places they don't talk about at parties, fears that UCONN, and conference like the AAC, can continue to be successful, while the alma mater fades to black. He graduates Syracuse and was in school there, at a time when we beat Duke for our first national title - won 3 out 4 Big East tourney titles and had won the Big East regular season title 6 out 7 years.

No reason whatsoever to make the statement he made there, in his article about Louisville, and instead could have pumped Lousiville with facts - about the strengths of this conference, and the schedule it will play and how it should bolster Louisville's shot at a title - IF - they can actually win in conference, and not lose to UCONN......but not what he did.

The season needs to be played, but I'm keeping this article, and that Puffs Plus comment on the conference, filed on the top of the desk.

Thamel just made my list. Too bad - I liked the guy as a writer. This shot at this new conference, was unwarranted.


Edit: and oh yeah 5-3. UCONN v. Syracuse in big boy football.

 

[UConn Dan]

Thamel has always been a doosh.

Can we get some UConn alum in high media places, please?

 

[Carl Spackler]

I'm pretty sure we have a few thousand or so writers around here, that have quite a bit of influence in the media world - strangely, although I have no way to prove that.

Anyways - it sure will be interesting to see how Louisville's strength of schedule turns out. We're 4-2 against Louisville since 2007. They're coming to Rentschler this season, and I want them to go to the ACC with 2-5 record vs. UCONN since 2007.

 

[Adios]

Had the ACC taken in us instead of Louisville...

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Eh, is Thamel wrong? I wish I could say he was.

Look, Louisville made the conscious decision to treat its athletic program like a business.....academics and integrity be damned. They keep a dirty guy like Clint Hurtt on the staff but put down the hammer on autographs by not letting any players sign anything at Fan Day. It's a joke, but it got them a seat, so who am I to knock em?

 

[Carl Spackler]

Eh, is Thamel wrong? I wish I could say he was.

Look, Louisville made the conscious decision to treat its athletic program like a business.....academics and integrity be damned. They keep a dirty guy like Clint Hurtt on the staff but put down the hammer on autographs by not letting any players sign anything at Fan Day. It's a joke, but it got them a seat, so who am I to knock em?

I'm not knocking Louisville, not at all. Louisville, right now is the media darling. They've put themselves in position to be so. Not arguing that.

I'm knocking Thamel and the comment he made on the AAC conference. I think if Louisville can win out in the AAC conference, it will STRENGTHEN their shot at national title - especially if the other programs in the conference, win their own big games, and you know what? I'd take a national title for the AAC conference, in it's first year. For sure. How many people in the media world - especially Syracuse and ACC conference homers, would want an AAC national title? I'm sure the very thought, rattles around things in sports fans like Thamel that are very uncomfortable.

I don't think Louisville will get it, because I don't think they win out in the conference, not because the conference is weak though. If they do win out, they sure as hell belong in a title game. This conference is going to be tough. Anybody at field level, thinking that it won't be, is going to be in for a surprise. These are things that a sports writer, in as prominent a place as Thamel is, could have opined. But did not, and in one single sentence, perpetuated the myth.

The problem the conference is going to face, is the same thing the Big East had - media perception. Thamel's shot at the conference here was completely and totally unwarranted, and I believe he hurt Louisville's perception because of it, when he could easily have pumped all the FACTS about our teams - Bowl game wins last year, and winning percentages, etc. Returning players, etc.

I'd be pissed at THamel right now, if I were a Louisville fan.

 

[Dooley]

I don't know, he said that Louisville lost to Syracuse and a woeful UCONN team in OT last year. We were woeful last year with losses to W Michigan, Temple, and USF. We also barely clung onto a way-too-close win against Buffalo. If a team is pumping itself like Louisville has done over the last few years, they need to beat a 5-7 team at home. I did get a kick out of Tom Jurich's comments about beating Florida and having zero kids drafted. We had several kids drafted but our geriatric offensive playcalling could only win 5 games.

That said, this is a whole new season. A season of redemption for UCONN. A season to prove that we not only belong, but that we can dominate. Beat the Louisvilles, Rutgers, Marylands and, dare I say, Michigans and re-write our perception. Next year's articles will be written as "Louisville almost got to the title game if it hadn't been for a tough road loss against a good UCONN team on the road" if we do.

 

[whaler11]

I bet no one knew how weak Louisville's schedule was before Thamel pointed it out - what a jerk.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

I'm not knocking Louisville, not at all. Louisville, right now is the media darling. They've put themselves in position to be so. Not arguing that.

I'm knocking Thamel and the comment he made on the AAC conference. I think if Louisville can win out in the AAC conference, it will STRENGTHEN their shot at national title - especially if the other programs in the conference, win their own big games, and you know what? I'd take a national title for the AAC conference, in it's first year. For sure. How many people in the media world - especially Syracuse and ACC conference homers, would want an AAC national title? I'm sure the very thought, rattles around things in sports fans like Thamel that are very uncomfortable.

I don't think Louisville will get it, because I don't think they win out in the conference, not because the conference is weak though. If they do win out, they sure as hell belong in a title game. This conference is going to be tough. Anybody at field level, thinking that it won't be, is going to be in for a surprise. These are things that a sports writer, in as prominent a place as Thamel is, could have opined. But did not, and in one single sentence, perpetuated the myth.

The problem the conference is going to face, is the same thing the Big East had - media perception. Thamel's shot at the conference here was completely and totally unwarranted, and I believe he hurt Louisville's perception because of it, when he could easily have pumped all the FACTS about our teams - Bowl game wins last year, and winning percentages, etc. Returning players, etc.

I'd be pissed at THamel right now, if I were a Louisville fan.

If 2 teams from any of the other "P5" conferences go unbeaten they are getting in. And probably deserve to get in over Louisville if they run the table. Louisville will not get in over a 1 loss SEC team either. The debate will rage between an unbeaten Ville squad and a 1 loss team from the Pac12, Big12, ACC, and B1G.

I will only be interested in an AAC team winning a national title if they are staying here. Otherwise it won't mean squat.

 

[Carl Spackler]

If 2 teams from any of the other "P5" conferences go unbeaten they are getting in. And probably deserve to get in over Louisville if they run the table. Louisville will not get in over a 1 loss SEC team either. The debate will rage between an unbeaten Ville squad and a 1 loss team from the Pac12, Big12, ACC, and B1G.

I will only be interested in an AAC team winning a national title if they are staying here. Otherwise it won't mean squat.

Bottom line is that this is the last year of the BCS, and everything that plays into it, including computer rankings and media perception. Whoever wins the AAC conference title, is going to a BCS game, the only question is which one.

Thamel, just hurt Louisville's chances of making the national title game, if they win the conference - even if they win out undefeated in the conference - by perpetuating a false myth extended from the Big East conference, rather than presenting facts - that if he had actually done - would strengthen Louisville's position.

The conference is certainly not weaker now, in 2013, than it was with Syracuse and Pittsburgh involved. The conclusion, that the conference is actually stronger now in 2013, than it was with Syracuse, Pitt and WVU - is sustainable by hard facts.

If I were a Louisville person, that's what I want to be seeing in print right now.

 

[upstater]

Pete Thamel is forever the author of an article that made claims about the Nate Miles recruitment that were contradictory and patently false.

 

[rich1122]

Thamel has always been a doosh.

Can we get some UConn alum in high media places, please?

Can we just beat MD and MI at home. Everybody shuts up then.

 

[uconndogs]

Pretty sure out record since entering the Big East against Louisville is .500 or better and beating the crap out of the Orange was pretty much an annual fall event. So I read this crap and just scratch my head, because at some point what happens on the field is actually more relevant than a writer demonstrating his ignorance.

 

[UConn Dan]

Can we just beat MD and MI at home. Everybody shuts up then.

True. Well I hope they do more than shut up and start putting us out in a positive light.

 

[JayRU09]

This dude is a Syracuse grad?

Ha. Hahahaha. HAHAHAHAHA. What a joke.

 

[whaler11]

Phil Steele ranks Louisville's schedule 98th. I'm sure it's because he hates UConn and not because Louisville's schedule is soft.

Here are the P5 teams ranked lower:

 

[JayRU09]

Rating schedules beforehand is stupid.

Last season who would have projected Kent State being a higher ranked team than Arkansas?

 

[UConn9604]

Edit: and oh yeah 5-3. UCONN v. Syracuse in big boy football.

Actually, it's 6-3 -- we lost in 2004 on the road when Orlovsky had about 400 yards, then beat them at home in 2005 in a night game (I think?), lost on the road the week after D.J. threw the ball out of the stadium in 2OT against Pitt in 2006, and then won five in a row (!) until last year's stink-bomb.

 

[whaler11]

Rating schedules beforehand is stupid.

Last season who would have projected Kent State being a higher ranked team than Arkansas?

Ok call me in December if Louisville is trying to make a case for an NC invite with a schedule of Ohio, Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky and FIU OOC and Temple, Rutgers, USF, UCF, UConn, Houston, Memphis and Cincinnati in conference.

They might not play a top 25 team all season.

The frigging article is right, if you want to be a national championship contender and that is your schedule you are screwed before you even get started.

 

[JayRU09]

Oh no I'm not doubting that. But just saying it's the 98th rated schedule before games are played is silly.

RU/Cincy/UCF all have a chance to get into the top 25. If they somehow stay there while losing to UL, that's three top 25 teams they would have beaten.

 

[whaler11]

Oh no I'm not doubting that. But just saying it's the 98th rated schedule before games are played is silly.

RU/Cincy/UCF all have a chance to get into the top 25. If they somehow stay there while losing to UL, that's three top 25 teams they would have beaten.

I said MIGHT. I imagine UCF will be ranked. Maybe Cinci. Rutgers is barely more likely to be ranked than UConn.

 

[JayRU09]

Ah, the hate flows through you. Good, good.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Ah, the hate flows through you. Good, good.

I actually think Rutgers is going to be very average this year. 7-5 seems about right.

 

[whaler11]

Ah, the hate flows through you. Good, good.

Rutgers isn't good. That has nothing to do with hate.

 

[JayRU09]

I got 9-3. Fresno, UL, and Arky are the games I am worried about. Very hard season to predict for us with the defense how it is.

I can see your 7-5, I can also see 11-1. As a fanboy I can also see 12-0.

As long as we beat Teddy. All I care about.