I'm nominating myself as replacing Dan as the crazy person on this board. Why? Because I am utterly appalled at how this athletic department is being run. We need to stop the sulking and stop the whining. It's about time we get up on a pedestal and pound our chest and promote ourselves. We are too good for what this new Big East is going to bring in football. The program won't survive. The fans will be gone. Latest news is Tulsa may join. Tulsa? Really? Tulane? Really? SMU? Really? Fans don't care about these schools. The athletic department is already having trouble getting fans to games. Football against what should be a ranked NC State team? Not close to a sell out. Basketball hosting the No. 1 team in the land? Not close to a sell out. Are you kidding me? We are UConn and the place wasn't sold out? Something is drastically wrong here. How many are showing up for a conference game against Tulane?
I met one-on-one with Warde earlier this year in his office at Gampel shortly after Calhoun's announcement to retire. I know some of the ins and outs of the athletic department. It's time things change. Not promoting ourselves and gloating in our countless National Championships in men's and women's basketball was a disgrace. Our lack of promotion was like the Big East sitting back and licking it's wounds during the media attack against the conference when they were the 3rd best conference since 2002 top to bottom.
So what needs to be done?
1. Promotion - a ton of it. We don't need to rebrand ourselves as Dan suggested. We are UConn - people know what that means. You immediately think basketball when you say the schools name. That is a good thing. Many take it as being bad. Other schools hear UConn in conference realignment and respond with 'Aren't they a basketball school?' That in itself shows we have a powerful brand. Promotion and gloating are needed. We should be arrogant because we belong at the top.
2. Independence in Football - this is a must. Some say it can't be done. Reasons include lack of scheduling in October/November. Simple solution to this. Move the annual 1-AA game to the middle of the season. Cut a deal with BC to play an annual rivalary game and lock it up for at least 20 years. Make it a game talked about around the nation - that's another game in the October/November time frame. Many schools still play out of conference games in the middle of their seasons. The SEC does this year after year as a break from conference play. Get at least one game against that conference a year. That is 3 games during a period that people say UConn wouldn't be able to schedule a game. It can be done - it'll take effort and negotiation, but it can be done.
3. C7 in Basketball - Why? UConn needs to maitain at least some traditional rivals during this conference realignment time. Reason? Attendance. The No. 1 team in the country visited Hartford last week and there were 2,000 empty seats. Conference games against Tulane and SMU and Tulsa? What will they draw? At least St. Johns and Georgetown and Villanova register memories in people's minds. There are numerous classic games against these schools and fans will want to see that continue.
4. Continue to build academics - Herbst is all over this
5. Prepare for Conference Realignment Again - Go public that we will be expanding the stadium. It will generate buzz around the program and within the state. Let the world know there is a plan there.
6. Promote the hell out of UConn to the Big Ten and ACC. Both conferences know what UConn brings to the table. Sell these schools on the excitement they will bring to each member institution across all sports. Men's basketball instantly improves the basketball reputations of each as a whole. No other school has 3 national championships since 1999. Instant sell out at any school in either conference. UConn/Duke and UConn/UNC on a yearly basis in basketball? Think of the eye balls that would be watching.
Those are some quick, off the cusp thoughts while sitting here on my lunch break. Put that together in 10 minutes. What more could be done should I be at the school working and helping this university through the toughest times it should ever see. UConn needs a leader. UConn needs a spokesman. UConn needs someone that will go out and do whatever necessary for this school. It's time to take what we deserve.
I met one-on-one with Warde earlier this year in his office at Gampel shortly after Calhoun's announcement to retire. I know some of the ins and outs of the athletic department. It's time things change. Not promoting ourselves and gloating in our countless National Championships in men's and women's basketball was a disgrace. Our lack of promotion was like the Big East sitting back and licking it's wounds during the media attack against the conference when they were the 3rd best conference since 2002 top to bottom.
So what needs to be done?
1. Promotion - a ton of it. We don't need to rebrand ourselves as Dan suggested. We are UConn - people know what that means. You immediately think basketball when you say the schools name. That is a good thing. Many take it as being bad. Other schools hear UConn in conference realignment and respond with 'Aren't they a basketball school?' That in itself shows we have a powerful brand. Promotion and gloating are needed. We should be arrogant because we belong at the top.
2. Independence in Football - this is a must. Some say it can't be done. Reasons include lack of scheduling in October/November. Simple solution to this. Move the annual 1-AA game to the middle of the season. Cut a deal with BC to play an annual rivalary game and lock it up for at least 20 years. Make it a game talked about around the nation - that's another game in the October/November time frame. Many schools still play out of conference games in the middle of their seasons. The SEC does this year after year as a break from conference play. Get at least one game against that conference a year. That is 3 games during a period that people say UConn wouldn't be able to schedule a game. It can be done - it'll take effort and negotiation, but it can be done.
3. C7 in Basketball - Why? UConn needs to maitain at least some traditional rivals during this conference realignment time. Reason? Attendance. The No. 1 team in the country visited Hartford last week and there were 2,000 empty seats. Conference games against Tulane and SMU and Tulsa? What will they draw? At least St. Johns and Georgetown and Villanova register memories in people's minds. There are numerous classic games against these schools and fans will want to see that continue.
4. Continue to build academics - Herbst is all over this
5. Prepare for Conference Realignment Again - Go public that we will be expanding the stadium. It will generate buzz around the program and within the state. Let the world know there is a plan there.
6. Promote the hell out of UConn to the Big Ten and ACC. Both conferences know what UConn brings to the table. Sell these schools on the excitement they will bring to each member institution across all sports. Men's basketball instantly improves the basketball reputations of each as a whole. No other school has 3 national championships since 1999. Instant sell out at any school in either conference. UConn/Duke and UConn/UNC on a yearly basis in basketball? Think of the eye balls that would be watching.
Those are some quick, off the cusp thoughts while sitting here on my lunch break. Put that together in 10 minutes. What more could be done should I be at the school working and helping this university through the toughest times it should ever see. UConn needs a leader. UConn needs a spokesman. UConn needs someone that will go out and do whatever necessary for this school. It's time to take what we deserve.
