Rooting for the AAC

[upstater]

So let me get this straight. UConn needs to AAC to be strong in order to be viable, yet it won't hurt losing the only remaining decent brands left. Got it.

Go Cinci, Go USF, Go UCF! Let's root them all on to a new conference while we back fill with UMass, Florida Atlantic and Southern Miss.

Yeah, it obviously has to be strong so UConn sports won't get hurt with poor recruiting.

But you're fooling yourself if you think these teams have value. They don't. That's why UConn is making less than $2m a year.

You're confusing value with strength. Big difference. East Carolina, for instance, is a good football school. But they have little to no value. If they go, they go.

Look at Rutgers. Sky-high value. But they suck.

Don't confuse the two things.

 

[upstater]

UConn needs to set itself up for any opportunity that comes it's way. We're going to be squealing about travelling to Tulane, Memphis, ECU, Tulsa, Houston, Tulane, and SMU. At least if the opportunity to go the Big 12 came along, we would get 10x the money for it.

The overall point is probably this: UConn has let grass grow, and inferior schools take their place in line. Now, UConn is stuck in the AAC, or going to make sure it is ready to jump at the next best offer. That offer appears to be from the Big 12 if it should happen. Unless the B1G or the ACC look to expand again, that is our only viable option. Making sure that we are in position to out-work Cincinnati for that spot when it comes up is paramount for us. The country looks at Louisville as better than UConn. How is it going to feel when a school like Cincinnati or UCF is "better" too?

I'm not saying UConn should turn down the B12. I'm arguing the opposite, that the big12 doesn't want to travel to Storrs!!!

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Yeah, it obviously has to be strong so UConn sports won't get hurt with poor recruiting.

But you're fooling yourself if you think these teams have value. They don't. That's why UConn is making less than $2m a year.

You're confusing value with strength. Big difference. East Carolina, for instance, is a good football school. But they have little to no value. If they go, they go.

Look at Rutgers. Sky-high value. But they suck.

Don't confuse the two things.

Cinci, USF and UCF don't have value and that's why we are making less than $2M?

More like were making less than $2M because of ECU, Tulane and Temple!

If those programs leave, there's no doubt in my mind the tv deal gets cut I'm half

 

[Durks07]

I'm not saying UConn should turn down the B12. I'm arguing the opposite, that the big12 doesn't want to travel to Storrs!!!

I understand that. What I was saying in the first place is that when a conference is desperate, they will do what they need to do to fortify the strength of the conference. Geography was not important to the Big 12 when they added West Virginia. Academics were no longer important when there was a threat of the conference breaking apart to the ACC. The Big 12 is going to be adding member schools in a defensive manner if they do so, because they are the conference sitting between three power conferences, and are the ones who are likely to be ripped apart. Big 12 realignment is going to be defensive in nature. They will want BYU and can probably get them. However, that will leave one spot left. The realistic options are Cincy, USF, UCF, and UConn. No, the Big 12 schools do not want to travel to the Northeast, but travelling to Florida for most of them is just as inconvenient. The point is that Cincy has the geographic edge. However, if realignment has taught us anything, it is that conferences will value different things at different times. The Big 12 will need to add a member that adds credibility to the conference. Adding a team that was in C-USA and has little success outside of a bowl win against UGA a few years ago is not going to convince a school like Texas that the conference is stronger and want to play in it. Are Texas and Oklahoma really going to be happy to have conference games against C-USA refugees and travel to them?

 

[Vuder]

Yeah, it obviously has to be strong so UConn sports won't get hurt with poor recruiting.

But you're fooling yourself if you think these teams have value. They don't. That's why UConn is making less than $2m a year.

You're confusing value with strength. Big difference. East Carolina, for instance, is a good football school. But they have little to no value. If they go, they go.

Look at Rutgers. Sky-high value. But they suck.

Don't confuse the two things.

Perhaps I can translate it in a different way: Let's root for UConn to have the best Strength of Schedule possible given the conference that we are in. If we have other teams in the AAC perform well in their non-conference plates, and we beat them or play them competitively, then that helps our overall profile. Hence, let's root for other AAC teams!

 

[UConnDan97]

I can at least say something about the AAC; many of the teams in 1-A football have given me a reason to hate them, including the entire ACC, many in the SEC, Big12, B1G, PAC, and certainly many in the Mountain West. Having said that, I have to say that I feel very little hatred for our new conference mates.

Here's to not hating the teams of the AAC...

 

[WestHartHusk]

If for some unforeseen reason the B12 needs to expand, they will go for a team that makes more sense. It may be Cincy, it may be UCF. I highly doubt they will travel that far afield. I can't figure out why UConn fans are setting themselves up for this. West Virginia is squealing about travel right now, and they are several hundred miles closer.

Yeah, but WVU is being a bunch of whiny bit&hes these days.

 

[Vuder]

Let's also put this into some perspective. We are still in Division 1A football. I've worked at two Universities that don't even have football teams, and really struggle with school spirit. I think there is still something to root for and be excited about, even if we're not playing with the big boys.

 

[upstater]

Cinci, USF and UCF don't have value and that's why we are making less than $2M?

More like were making less than $2M because of ECU, Tulane and Temple!

If those programs leave, there's no doubt in my mind the tv deal gets cut I'm half

Yeah, they don't have value. Every conference has its Baylors and Northwesterns. ACC has a bunch of such schools. USF, UCF and Cincy don't do much--maybe Cincy does a little. I think their market and fanbase is pretty tiny though. In fact, they aren't even the most popular bball team in their own city! They might even be third!

I would bet everything that if those 3 teams left, the TV deal WOULD NOT be cut in half.

 

[upstater]

Perhaps I can translate it in a different way: Let's root for UConn to have the best Strength of Schedule possible given the conference that we are in. If we have other teams in the AAC perform well in their non-conference plates, and we beat them or play them competitively, then that helps our overall profile. Hence, let's root for other AAC teams!

Another way to put this is to say that Memphis is going to have a lot of basketball talent and be formidable, a top ranked team, and UConn recruits are going to get some stiff competition from them.

But Memphis as a school? In the realignment game? VALUE ZERO.

 

[upstater]

I understand that. What I was saying in the first place is that when a conference is desperate, they will do what they need to do to fortify the strength of the conference. Geography was not important to the Big 12 when they added West Virginia. Academics were no longer important when there was a threat of the conference breaking apart to the ACC. The Big 12 is going to be adding member schools in a defensive manner if they do so, because they are the conference sitting between three power conferences, and are the ones who are likely to be ripped apart. Big 12 realignment is going to be defensive in nature. They will want BYU and can probably get them. However, that will leave one spot left. The realistic options are Cincy, USF, UCF, and UConn. No, the Big 12 schools do not want to travel to the Northeast, but travelling to Florida for most of them is just as inconvenient. The point is that Cincy has the geographic edge. However, if realignment has taught us anything, it is that conferences will value different things at different times. The Big 12 will need to add a member that adds credibility to the conference. Adding a team that was in C-USA and has little success outside of a bowl win against UGA a few years ago is not going to convince a school like Texas that the conference is stronger and want to play in it. Are Texas and Oklahoma really going to be happy to have conference games against C-USA refugees and travel to them?

If I were the B12, I'd be adding the Florida schools first.

 

[Vuder]

Yeah, they don't have value. Every conference has its Baylors and Northwesterns.

Your point is well-taken, but I'm pretty sure Northwestern has a lot of value to B1G as a media magnet for the Chicago-land area as it's much, much closer in proximity to Chitown than Illinois. NU is also a top 15 institution academically and has over a 7 billion dollar endowment.

 

[pj]

The Florida schools have upside. It used to be U Florida was the only school that mattered, then as the state grew Florida State became important. But there is room for four big state schools in a state with 19 million people. (Compare Maryland with 5.8 million and 1 school, or Connecticut with 3.6 million and 1 school, or Georgia 9.9 mn and 2 schools, Virginia 8.2 mn and 2 schools ... roughly 1 school per 4-5 mn population is typical.) And with time USF and UCF which are located in major urban areas (Tampa and Orlando, both top 20 media markets) could surpass Florida State (Tallahassee) in value.

I think Connecticut is worth more but in terms of football value, a presence in Florida for recruiting purposes may be more helpful to the Big 12 than a presence in the northeast.

 

[upstater]

Your point is well-taken, but I'm pretty sure Northwestern has a lot of value to B1G as a media magnet for the Chicago-land area as it's much, much closer in proximity to Chitown than Illinois. NU is also a top 15 institution academically and has over a 7 billion dollar endowment.

But no one watches their sports, even NU students. AND, people all over Chicago sneer at the school, and they call Evanston a drytown! I don't know why, but it's always been the attitude in Chicago.

 

[djct1999]

Loving people love those near them, whoever they are; unloving people are never satisfied. We may be in a kennel with the mangy mongrel pooches, but as long as we're there we can be fond of the mutts, even if we're destined to be a show dog.

by supporting mediocrity, you eventually become mediocre. i don't want that for uconn athletics.

 

[UConnDan97]

by supporting mediocrity, you eventually become mediocre. i don't want that for uconn athletics.

Yes. By rooting for the other teams of the AAC, UConn will become bad at athletics. Indeed. Wait...what???

 

[djct1999]

UConn won't be invited to the big boy table EVER if this conference squanders. Simple as that. UConn depends on the AAC. There it is.

Not true. UConn is much better suited reminding people they are a player rather than embracing their current fate. UConn's invitation is dependent on UConn and the strength of its brand, exclusive of the AAC.

 

[djct1999]

Yes. By rooting for the other teams of the AAC, UConn will become bad at athletics. Indeed. Wait...what???

so keep rooting for smu and east carolina....that will surely get uconn into the big 10. its like that jock in high school who would get all the girls back then, but never left town and settled on a chick no one would think twice of. the longer uconn and its fanbase supports the aac, the more likely we become that jock who used to be on the same level as syracuse or duke or unc, but now is happy to lose in a well played game.

 

[UConnDan97]

Not true. UConn is much better suited reminding people they are a player rather than embracing their current fate. UConn's invitation is dependent on UConn and the strength of its brand, exclusive of the AAC.

The strength of our brand will be measured by the strength of our competition, whether you like it or not. You can be a dominant team in a crap league, and people will believe you to be only slightly better than crap. That's ultimately why UConn needs the AAC to get good fast...

 

[djct1999]

The strength of our brand will be measured by the strength of our competition, whether you like it or not. You can be a dominant team in a crap league, and people will believe you to be only slightly better than crap. That's ultimately why UConn needs the AAC to get good fast...

Really? UConn is currently perceived as one of the two best athletic programs left out of realignment. The strength or weakness of the AAC has little to do with that perception.... It is up to UConn alone to maintain that. I don't think Missouri to the SEC or Rutgers to Big 10 had anything to do with what you mentioned above.

 

[UConnDan97]

Really? UConn is currently perceived as one of the two best athletic programs left out of realignment. The strength or weakness of the AAC has little to do with that perception.... It is up to UConn alone to maintain that. I don't think Missouri to the SEC or Rutgers to Big 10 had anything to do with what you mentioned above.

Do you understand that college rankings, whether they are about football, basketball, baseball, or otherwise, rely on your strength of schedule? Are you too dense to get that?!? That's why people root for their conference mates. Because it makes them look better when they beat them. If you want to look like a quality option, you have to beat quality.

If this isn't clear enough to you at this point, then I'll stop...

 

[Vuder]

But no one watches their sports, even NU students. AND, people all over Chicago sneer at the school, and they call Evanston a drytown! I don't know why, but it's always been the attitude in Chicago.

Haha I suppose it depends on who you talk to. It's true that NU isn't known for sports fanaticism, but they are Illinois as Yale is to UConn, except a more athletically relevant one. They've got their on niche in the market.

 

[djct1999]

Do you understand that college rankings, whether they are about football, basketball, baseball, or otherwise, rely on your strength of schedule? Are you too dense to get that?!? That's why people root for their conference mates. Because it makes them look better when they beat them. If you want to look like a quality option, you have to beat quality.

If this isn't clear enough to you at this point, then I'll stop...

We aren't talking about strength of schedule and yes I understand that. In terms of basketball, Warde is already compensating for the weakness of our conference. So in those terms, fine, I hope the teams in the AAC help UConn's strength of schedule. I doubt they ever will. But do you really think if Tulane gets better, that will help UConn in realignment? If that isnt clear to you at this point, I will stop. If UConn has to rely on anyone but itself in this conference for realignment, then UConn is in as much trouble as this conference will always be. Let me also remind you the numbers in revenue thrown around in other threads vs what UConn is receiving in the AAC.....You root for that, I won't. I want more for this school, this state, and this fanbase.

 

[UConnDan97]

But do you really think if Tulane gets better, that will help UConn in realignment?

Yes. That's the point.

So I guess I'll stop now...

 

[upstater]

You root for that, I won't. I want more for this school, this state, and this fanbase.

You can root for it, but it ain't gonna happen unless UConn continues reeling in recruits, and that will stop to happen soon if the rest of the conference sux.